First off, a shout out to the lurkers who are coming out of the woodwork and telling Bitten and I that they love the insanity we unleash on this site run by an internationally read entertainment publication with what seems like little consequence. We love you guys, even if we may intimidate or outright scare the crap out of you. We appreciate that you are out there and reading us, believe me. Makes me feel special and loved. I don't know about the other one, but I am assuming my BFF feels the same.
Secondly- the girls in the Den ( and Collin). Best friends in the world. As crazy as I am. Even Rose, the one who still will not drink my cherry Kool Aid and Grey Goose concoction and completely go over to the dark side ( she is possibly the least crazy of us all for that reason alone. She is the voice of reason in our Cooked up convos.) CM, DCIMBF, Bitten, Rose, JWG, Bardgirl, Iluvcookies, Ariadne, Scarlett, Collin even, and the rest of you not part of the Den but still regulars, we have hit the home stretch and after this, we will need to find something else to talk about. Maybe.
Now for this regularly scheduled program.
Week by week, performance by performance, song by song. How the Davids stack up.
Top 24
Squinty's " Shop Around" v. DC's " Happy Together"
I admit that DC's song didn't overwhelm me, but I thought it was great regardless. I've also listened to it fifty billion times since downloading it. Squinty's vocal on " Shop Around" was a little shaky, but ended pretty good. Nerves got to him, he had pitch issues he usually doesn't have. But I still remember him singing this. DC has been better. Reluctantly, I give round one to Squinty.
Top 20
Squinty's " Imagine" v. DC's " All Right Now"
I loved the suddenly hymn-like " Imagine" like everyone else who heard it. But it overshadows the glory of DC singing the 70s rock classic perfectly. Literally. No pitch problems, great guitar, fantastic end... but as much as I love it, to this day, I have to give round two to Squinters.
Top 16
Squint's " Another Day In Paradise" v. DC's " Hello"
No contest. DC wins in a landslide.
Top 12
Squintastic's " We Can Work It Out" v. DC's " Eleanor Rigby"
Forgotten lyrics, or rock makeover of the most famous dirge in music? DC again in a walk.
Top 11
Squintalicious' " The Long And Winding Road" v. DC's " Day Tripper"
This is when my affection for SquintArch began to slip. It was pretty but boring. DC's version of a White Snake cover got points for being a frickin' White Snake version of anything. I admit a soft spot for hair metal and Robert Plant wannabes. DC, but it's closer than you think, since " The Long And Winding Road" is such a pretty and boring song to start with.
Top 10
Squintbaby's " You're The Voice" v. DC's " Billie Jean"
I remember " You're The Voice"- both the 1986 John Farnham version ( which was good) and the Heart version from 1990 ( huge Heart fan right here). But it was a trainwreck. DC's song changed the conversation of the show, and literally made him the dark horse overnight. Carly got relegated to third place in many people's minds, and would fail to even get there. DC wins the week again.
Top 9
DA's " Smoky Mountain Memories" v. DC's " Little Sparrow"
I had to watch the YouTube of Squintbot's song again because I couldn't remember it. DC's "Little Sparrow" is one of the most played tunes on my I Pod. That acappella at the end of the studio track? Frickin' awesome. Truth is, Archie's really sweet vocals on really sweet song plays to his strengths, and it's close, but I still love the elegance of DC's arrangement more than the saccharine of DA's song. David Cook!
Top 8
Squintot's " Angels" v. DC's " Innocent"
Whoo, boy. DC's performance was not great ( the studio track is fab, though). And Archie gave me some really sloppy piano on a personal favorite song. But Squintles wins on the better vocal overall.
Top 7
Disney's " When You Believe" v. Sexy's " Always Be My Baby"
Um, DC tramples the competition.
Top 6
Future Manilow's " Think Of Me" v. SexGod's " Music Of the Night"
Forgotten lyrics again. And DC can sing! DC wins again.
Top 5
Squintbaby's " Sweet Caroline" and " America" v. Sex's " I'm Alive" and " All I Really Need Is You"
I'm sorry to all the Neil D. fans out there for the trainwreck of DA's " Sweet Caroline" and sappy " America". I am so glad to show you DC's takes on two lesser known songs. I have grown to love " I'm Alive" as much as " AIRNIY". DC for the week.
Top 4
Squintembryo's " Stand By Me" and " Love Me Tender" v. Sextastic's " Hungry Like The Wolf" and " Baba O'Riley"
The only true tie. DA won part one, DC part 2, and I have to give it a tie.
Top 3
SqiuntappleofDadger'seye and " And So It Goes", " With You", and " Longer" v. Sexalicious' " The First Time Ever I Saw Your Face", " Dare You To Move", and "I Don't Want To Miss A Thing"
Baby got himself his best performance in weeks in " And So It Goes", but he was out done by DC, who rocked all three songs, and has the clear backing now of Nigel and Simon. They aren't stupid. They are tracking all those MP3s out there. They know. DC wins the week, like Simon says.
Total:
Squinty- 3.5
SexOnLegs- 9.5
My opinion- David Cook should win. He's been more consistent. He's been more diverse. He has shown he can sing, play, and basically make grown women weep and plot to leave their husbands.
Basing on latest tracking results from Dial Idol, TV Guide's poll, EW's poll... yeah, he'll win. But Dial Idol doesn't track texting, so I am convinced those numbers on the site are way closer than they are letting on.
I'm still calling it for David Cook. I'm speaking from a musician's point of view here. David Archuleta is great, has one of the best voices I have heard in years, and will make a great star. He needs to work on the piano if he intends to play it, and needs to loosen up and gain some performance experience. He's close to being really ready for it. But he's not quite there yet. Cook brings a polish that playing for years in seedy joints that gives a more mature artist a world weariness, but an ability to connect with the toughest of crowds. He's ready right now. And if Nigel respects Cooks' artistry enough to allow him to be the artist he wants instead of a cog in the Idol machine, he can be spectacular.
Comments
bardgal 05/16/08
Gurl, I just LURV your posts, and this one is ****.
It's even making me want to write my own version, inspired by yours!!
well done woman! AGAIN!
kisses
bardgal 05/16/08
okay - I officially defrakkintest the censorship on this board. Let's try again.
This one is T.!.T$.
let's see if that works... [save comment]
bardgal 05/16/08
niiiiiiiice.
palais 05/16/08
Awwww, Bardgirl, thanks. You're making me blush...
ariadne 05/16/08
Awesome, awesome, awesome, palais. Brilliantly done, and a perfect cheer me up for this Friday afternoon....we're a LOONNNNNGGG way from it being TuesDave, aren't we?
JWG 05/16/08
yes, yes, YES--I'll have what she's having!!!
Great job, palais. I really, really hope you're right, because think of it--Mr. SexHawtonastick standing there, teary eyed and triumphant, with confetti falling all around. I might just die and go to Heaven right then and there watching it.
Scarlett 05/16/08
Love it palais......great job once again!!!
This is getting me all psyched up for Tuesday when the sex god himself will take the stage and just be incredible and hot as always.....and by the way WHEN he wins on Wed., if that man starts getting teary eyed at all I will probably be a blubering crying mess for hours.....if my blog Wed. night is slightly incoherent and there are typos everywhere then you will know why.
palais 05/16/08
I'm now blubbering like an idiot. Thanks, gurls. I luv you all, too.
KCHDW 05/16/08
Palais
I don't know what happened to my other comment, but it's never popped up.
I stumbled onto this blog several weeks ago. In fact I think I caught Bitten's blog first and I have been tracking you two since and want to give a shout out to the den. Great reading. Many a lunch hour has been passed reading these blogs. Bitten got my attention with one of her blogs about her redicudonk, one of your words I believe, SCHOOLGIRL CRUSH on Super Sex Toy, David Cook. I even copied it and sent it out to friends who have had to endure my constant pining for him over the last several months. Many thought I had written it and I said, no, it's a soul sister somewhere having impure thoughts like myself.
Yesterday, I received my DC t-shirt from a friend in Blue Springs. Oh yeah, it doesn't hurst that I am originally from KCMO, so that makes my crush all the more intense. I just about had an orgasm watching throw out the first pitch in a Royals shirt and cap. Holy Crap!
Anyway, I thought your blog was spot on. Totally agreed. Also I have included a link from Reuters about tracking IDOLs text messages that I thought might interest you.
http://uk.reuters.com/article/lifestyleMolt/idUKN1642797120080516
Thanks for keeping me entertained.
JWG 05/16/08
Hey, KCHCW--official shout out from the den. Great post for palais, one of our magnificent writers. We've got several. On TuesDave, we're all drinkin' adult beverages and slobbering over our respective TV's together--here's hopin you do the same while wearing your DC shirt. Rawk on! Oh, and you should probably wear it on Wednesday when he wins. That way, if you die and go to Heaven like I do when it rains confetti on Mr. Hawtness, you can be buried with him right there with you. Lucky girl.
palais 05/16/08
Ridicudonk. It is my word. I love it.
Thank you, KCHDW, for the lovely things you have said. And thank you for the link as well. I don't know why I haven't stumbled on it before.
And I want me one of those shirts. I'll probably pay a fortune for one on EBay. Crappy. But worth it...
I'm keeping an eye and ear on the news this weekend. It what is known as May Long up in Canadaland. I do not work, so I have plenty of time to waste on tracking down spoilers and stuff. I'll blog when I can.
BSinBoots 05/16/08
I rewatched all the performances last week (embarassing amount still on TiVo and rest on youtube), and I totally agree with your week by week assessments. I'd score them the same. And of course DC should win. Good job.
Bitten 05/17/08
Ahhhh, palais, my BFF, my muse... spot on with everything except ..."Squintalicious" ????????? Naw, naw, naw baby. No "licious" should ever be followin the Embryo. Yah, "licious" = leather pants = Brooke White dance moves = Incongruous. Hmm, how about "Squintafier"... in honor of his binky? Or "SquintMeNot"? Or "SquintyPoo"? Or Squintararrhea? Or "I'mSquintingCuzDavidCookIsBurningWithTheHeatofathousandBlazingSuns?
Yeah, me likey!
palais 05/17/08
Oh, the margarita through the nose hurts, Bitten.
Squintararrhea!
Iluvcookies 05/17/08
Palais, you are FAB!!!
This is just what I needed at 7 am on Saturday morning, sitting at my computer because I couldn't sleep in due to my uncontrollable, unstoppable, continuous dirty thoughts about this man.
I love the evolution from DC to Sex on Legs!!!
Angelicus 05/17/08
Palais, excellent morning wake me up, pick me up! I have to admit Sexy has given me a couple of "Oh no, he's gonna change the note" moments when he reaches the end of his songs...but they work. Luv his "real" musician guitar moves of course, and have done an up close analysis of how he tends to sing out of the right side of his mouth. Notice that? I could tell you how many teeth he has as well. TMI?
palais 05/17/08
Angelicus, I had noticed how he sings out of the right side of his mouth. i find that adorable. And the teeth is a little TMI. Makes me wonder exactly how often you watch the vids over and over... ( me? *mumble* times.)
ILC, thank you! And he is Sex on Legs, isn't he? Sigh.
Bitten 05/17/08
So then is it bad that I know how many fillings he has?
palais 05/17/08
Not bad. Weird.
And I'm weird because now i want to know if he has fillings, and how many.
cookiemonster 05/17/08
Word up Palais! Excellent post, from one objective observer to another. ;-)
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