We'll save you the trouble

Posted by thefunnystone on March 25th, 2008 at 6:32 PM
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The performance David stole this week was Chris Cornell's version of "Billie Jean."
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KD30
Posted: March 26, 2008 - 6:27am
Joined: 27 Feb 2008

Add me to the David Cook isn't evil list. I like him quite a bit, to me he is the only one worth watching the show for now that Danny and Amanda are gone.

I also have to agree that the judges comments and lack of music knowledge aren't any of the contestant's faults, in fact, I think this season we have seen alot of WTF? faces on the contestants during the judges remarks because some of their comments are so out of touch with the music world today. And they didn't just miss on David's performance last night, even Paula claimed that there were alot of obscure songs chosen. And Randy's agreement that David Archuletta's original songs' singer was "amazing" was the worst offender, IMO, it was clear that he had absolutely no idea of who David A was talking about when he heard the name of the original artist.
I have maintained that each judge has a miniscule arena of music that they know and none knows outside of their little box and that's why we get some of the effed up judgements that we get, like last night. I have no doubt that Randy, Paula and Simon had no idea that Chris Cornell's version of that song ever existed, I would actually be surprised if even 1 of them knew that Chris Cornell was still around making music, I am almost positive that they thought he died along with the 90's. Sad isn't it?

In this instance I would really lay off all the contestants, they have no control over what the judges do and do not know about music. This is all Nigel's fault, IMO, for hiring 3 baboons and not giving them at least a cheat sheet of songs and their artists to refer to, but they should actually all be given a tape of the songs by the original artists so they can hear what they should sound like and compare to what the contestants do with them and be made to sit in a room with a grown-up to make sure they actually listen to the tape.

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rickyrat
Posted: March 26, 2008 - 11:46am
Joined: 27 Mar 2007

Wasn't this "Songs from the year you were born" week? If David Cook was specifically introduced as doing Chris Cornell's "Billie Jean," then that would make him what, about 2 years old?

tragic.addict
Posted: March 26, 2008 - 11:57am
Joined: 26 Mar 2008

while the haters for haters sake will simply view this comment as praise for david cook, the real point of this comment is not as much praising david as it is pointing out the stupidity in so many posts that are knocking him.

on the other hand, several people have made comments with some pretty valid points.
first off, controversy not necessary at all. cook was introduced to be singing Chris Cornell's version of the song.

additionally, anyone who says he did a note for note cover of it is clearly tone-deaf. cook followed the same flow, did some of the sections note for note, or at least note for every-other note, but also threw in a melody tweak or two. he opted not to chase all of the notes cornell did in the accoustic version as well, and aside from missing a pretty unimportant note in the latter part of the song, he hit what he went for very well, and in my opinion went for the right notes out of what cornell did, and threw in a few of his own in good spots, like the last bit of the chorus when he kicked up higher on that draw-out before dropping it back down.

another good point... these people have a week. the smart thing to do is find a risky, obscure and kick-ass arrangement of a song, throw in your own flavor of tweaks here or there but keep it recognizable, and then work with the band on it, rehearse, and give it your best performance. i think he did all of that pretty well.

next, about the judges. as someone pointed out, randy didn't say he was original because he made that arrangement of the song up. he said that he was probably the most original and boldest contestant they'd had on the show, and that he could win the whole thing. if someone takes those statements, after the song was introduced to be a cover of SOMEONE ELSE'S COVER OF AN ORIGINAL SONG, and walks away thinking that he was just praised for writing an amazingly original arrangement, then THEY ARE THE ONE'S WHO ARE STUPID.

His choice of arrangements have been very original. the style that he's brought to those arrangements has been distinctly his own, and i think it is easy to watch him and get a feel for who he is as a musician even while he's performing other people's work. that's pretty much the point of the show

paula abdul said he is very smart, and very brave. hmmm... sounds like maybe she knew that he was doing someone else's version of the song other than the original. sounds like maybe she was commending him on his intelligent choices of songs and arrangements. choosing well known and well liked and powerful songs, and doing rocking arrangements of them while adding in his own tweaks, and doing that WELL.

and simon hit the nail on the head. you do any cornell version of anything... and this goes for cornell too, as we see in the live version... and you're gonna end with something that's totally insane, or amazing. and david cook did an amazing job of it with billie jean.

in other news...david archuletta would make a really nice christmas album. but you gotta feel for the kid. he's got amazing natural talent. quality tone, incredible control, great range, all that fun stuff. but he's had voice coaches and been "trained" exactly what notes to sing and how to sing them for like the past decade, and the kid's only 17! if someone would keep this kid's father, and anyone remotely resembling a voice coach AS FAR AWAY FROM HIM AS POSSIBLE for a few years, he'd have a chance to really develop and might just find that spark and figure out what he can really bring to the table as a musician. but as it stands they're doing every they can to just have him spit out replica versions of songs left and right.

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tragic.addict
Posted: March 26, 2008 - 12:00pm
Joined: 26 Mar 2008

only if it was "song covers from the year you were born"

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--if you are flammable, and have legs, you are never blocking a fire exit--
- RIP M.H. -

FTW
Posted: March 26, 2008 - 3:40pm
Joined: 28 Feb 2008

Well said.

wednesday
Posted: March 26, 2008 - 5:00pm
Joined: 09 Mar 2008

Yeah, your voice might be a little rough too if you had been singing in heavy rock bands (ie, SOundgarden) for the last 20 years or so. Chris is the best rock singer out there, I saw him in Cleveland in November and the show was incredible. Thanks so much VFTW for posting this little video tribute. David Cook showed originality for picking this remake. The others (save for Castro) pick songs we've heard sung a billion times- and in past Idol seasons even! Props to Cook for interesting song choices.

Chris Cornell is a rock god.

seemaya
Posted: March 26, 2008 - 5:28pm
Joined: 18 Mar 2007

that was fukin great!
Cook was good but that was GREAT!
i'l have to check out Chris.....thanks for posting that Dave

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Schmevin
Posted: March 26, 2008 - 10:08pm
Joined: 22 May 2006

Chris Cornell is coming out with a new solo album in May. And you guessed it, the first single will be "Billie Jean." This according to my Fox News station.

As far as Cook goes, what I don't like is the fact that he is doing EXACTLY what Chris Daughtry did in Season 5. He was also praised by the judges to the high heavens. I almost hope this douche wins so he is stuck in the crappy AI contract and does NOT have the freedom to front his own band ala Daughtry.

I was pissed when Daugtry pulled this shit, and I'm even more pissed that Cook is doing the very same thing. He even admitted to studying the man's fucking audition for Chrissakes. "Ohhhh, I'm going to go on Idol, do everything Daughtry did, come in 4th place, start my own band, and sell 4 million copies." Wow, how original.

JohnnyDrama
Posted: March 27, 2008 - 7:12am
Joined: 09 Mar 2008

Originality for picking a song that someone else made their own?? Wednesday... listen carefully.... *Fart*

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Waiting to make David Gee my bitch!

JohnnyDrama
Posted: March 27, 2008 - 7:20am
Joined: 09 Mar 2008

Schmevin is smart! The others who are pimping CRook on the vine have been members for a day... hmmmmmm Is CRook's errrrrr Cook's family flooding this Blog?? I think maybe!!

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Waiting to make David Gee my bitch!