2004-05-20
12:55 p.m.

The Finals, pt. 3: All Your Dreams Are on Their Way

As you may have guessed by now, I love to hear myself talk (or should I say read myself write?)

I have something to say about everything.

But the Finals Night performance of Bridge Over Troubled Water left me speechless.

It still does.

Even now, after a year's worth of fantastic, memorable performances--TITN at Miss America, Invisible on SNL, When Doves Cry on the tour, Solitaire on Leno--this is probably still my favorite. It's the one that gets me every time I hear or see it. Its power does not lessen with familiarity. It is visceral, primal, undeniable. It takes possession of me and does not let me go.

As I've been writing these anniversary retrospectives, I've been dreading this one, struggling with what to say that could even begin to capture that feeling. It initimidates me even to think about it. To quote that great sage and very pretty man, Ryan Seacrest, this is the performance everyone was talking about. It was amazing, triumphant, spine-tingling. (Okay, according to Robin, some other things were tingling too).

How does one do it justice?

How can one possibly capture its impact in mere words?

I could rhapsodize incoherently about his utter command of the stage; those gorgeous low notes that reverberated through the very core of my being; the sly, seductive mic caress; that knowing sidelong glance before he let loose those last three notes--three simple, powerful, awe-inspiring notes that would ring out and around and through us, that miraculous voice bringing together Clay, the audience, and all of us in a timeless euphoric moment of ecstasy that is what music is all about.

But see, as over-the-top as I let my language get, words are still inadequate to express that moment.

So, to once again quote the Seacrest (wow, twice in one page), let's not ruin this with words. You don't need me to tell you about it. The feeling is already inside you. Instead, I give you some images to trigger those feelings. Scroll through them, hear that voice in your head, and relive that glorious night.

Clay won on Finals Night.

And so did we.

--by Katynka

--caps from IHeartClay

The Finals, pt. 1: This Was the Night

The Finals, pt. 2: Here, There, and Where?