For most shows, this would have been the show-stopping finale -- five amazing divas, combining for a stunning tribute. For the Grammy awards, however, that was just the opening number.

There they were, in what was billed as both a Valentine's card and a get-well-soon card to Aretha Franklin. Jennifer Hudson, Christina Aguilera, Martina McBride, Florence Welch (from Florence and the Machine) and gospel great Yolanda Adams combined to sing Aretha songs. Franklin -- recovering in Detroit, after surgery for pancreatic cancer -- recorded a thank-you message.

This was the best TV show I've seen in, approximately, forever. And it was simply real life -- Barack Obama becoming president.

The music -- from Aretha Franklin, a chamber quartet and a Navy chorus -- was magnificent. So was the irony.

Franklin sang "sweet land of liberty" and "let freedom ring," in front of a Capitol partly built by slaves. She was, newsmen pointed out, about 1,000 feet from the location of a pen where slaves were held.

We might gripe -- hey, TV critics do that -- about two things: