Remember These Songs? - 2

We are quickly closing in on the end of June, so I figured it's time to churn out a few blogs before we begin a new month. And what helps me out today is that it's a pretty cool, cloudy, and drizzly day. What better way to spend that kind of a day than by doing some writing! My review of songs that were released two to five years is back, complete with a re-worked title. Instead of "Remember These Songs That Were Hits" etc, etc, I have shortened it to just simply "Remember These Songs?" Much less klunky and easier to understand, don't you think? So this is version two of this particular blog series and this time around, I am looking at songs that were pretty popular for these respective artists/bands. In fact, in two of these cases, you could say that these songs really helped to elevate the popularity of the artists. Ever since then, they haven't produced memorable chart-topping songs, at least not in America. So let us begin our tour of memorable hit songs from just a few short years ago.

Daniel Bedingfield - I Gotta Get Through This: It's hard to believe it's been six years already, but "I Gotta Get Through This" was made popular in 2002 and really made Daniel a household name. And back then, there was only one Bedingfield that graced the radio waves (Natasha would come later). Daniel created a cool, edgy dance song that had everyone across America dancing to. I remember around here, the radio stations did not air the song right away like the rest of America did. I can't even recall when I first heard it; probably somewhere on television, but after I initially heard it, I was hooked. So naturally I got my fix of this song by playing it on-line. It was one of those songs I kept listening to over and over again while I was in college and needed a break from the heavy load of homework. Shortly thereafter, "If You're Not the One" would soon be released and became a new favorite song of mine. 2002 and 2003 really were great years for pop music, which is why I created a compliation CD of some of my favorite songs from those two years. "If You're Not the One" was one of the songs I put on that CD because it was such a soothing, mellow song about love and relationships. In fact, it remains as one of my favorites to this day.

So what has Daniel Bedingfield been up to since he made a splash in America back in 2002? He has continued to write songs and release new music, but hasn't had an ounce of luck in being successful again in America. On New Year's Day in 2004, Daniel was in a serious car accident that nearly took his life. It took him some time to recover, but he soon started work on a new album which would eventually be released in 2004. It wasn't nearly as successful as his first album, but the first single "Nothing Hurts Like Love" did reach #3 in the UK. But even Daniel couldn't muster up the same kind of success with his second album like he did with the first even in the UK. He took a break from music but was interviewed in April of 2007 saying he had three albums of music recorded and has been awaiting release. So I guess it's only a matter of time before we hear something from Daniel, although will he ever be as successful again in America? Only time will tell.

Hoobastank - The Reason: Talk about falling off the face of the earth. Much can be said about Hoobastank's quick rise to fame after their mega-hit "The Reason" was released in 2004. That song was everywhere - played on the radio every hour, in TV commercials, and even during the final episode of the TV series "Friends." You can't deny the fact that it's a good song. In fact, it's a great song and was deserving of all the praise it had received. But a lot of times, the follow-up song fails to be as big of a hit as the first. That's exactly what happened with their album "The Reason." But the song with the same name helped platoon the album to double platinum, making it their most successful album yet. Hoobastank first began in 1994 as a local rock band playing in smaller venues in Southern California. Their popularity grew bigger and bigger in their homestate and they soon scored a record deal with Island Records in 2000, but not before self-releasing their own first album in 1998. That was when Hoobastank became the group we all know today. But yet they seem to have fallen back to their modest beginnings and have not made very many big splashes as of late.

I bet you're wondering what Hoobastank may be up to these days. Well, they are definitely still very much involved in making music. After "The Reason," Hoobastank followed things up in 2006 with their new album, "Every Man For Himself." It wasn't nearly as popular as their previous album and ended up being certified gold. The album produced the songs "If I Were You," "Inside of You," and "Born to Lead." An additional song was planned to be released but that request was soon cancelled - speculated because of the poor sales of the album as a whole. According to Hoobastank's temporary website as of early this month, the recording process for their newest album is nearly completed with a date announcing the release of the latest album coming soon. So fear not Hoobastank fans, a new album is forthcoming.

The Corrs - Summer Sunshine: Ah, what a great song for a most appropriate time of the year. I can't find exactly when this song was released to radio stations as Wikipedia makes no mention of it at all - but I'd have to guess that sometime around 2005, at least. And I am making an assumption in saying that this song isn't really all that well known - but it did get a considerable amount of airplay around here. I believe they released it in the summertime, when a song with a very appropriate subject would tend to do well. It's an excellent song that really helps to lift your spirits when you're down in the dumps. It also helps to elicit fond memories of summers from your personal past or present. It's just a downright wholesome, fun song about a wonderful time of the year, which is why it is one of my favorites. I know it still continues to get requests at this time of year around here because it is a song that helps celebrate the summer season. The Corrs are a musical family, comprised of four siblings. They have had a long history in the music business, being influenced by their parents to learn different instruments. They originate from Dublin, Ireland and had their first experience with music success in the early 1990's. Since then, they have achieved international success with albums reaching platinum in many countries and getting the chance to perform at the 1996 Summer Olympics.

So what have the Corrs been up to since 2005? They released an album the same year dedicated to their late mother and featured traditional Irish songs. It was only successful within Ireland and France and was certified silver in the UK. As of 2006, the group has been on hiatus. Three members of the group are currently busy raising families while the last members is making an attempt at a solo career. They have also released two compliation CD's in 2006 and 2007 of previous hits and songs that failed to make previous albums. Those albums also were unable to reach some of their most earlier success. There is no word on when they might possibly get back together for an album consisting of new songs.

That will wrap it up for this edition of "Remember These Songs?" Be sure to check out my blog sometime soon for a new edition of this series - likely to come by mid-July. Until then, be sure to enjoy all different kinds of music, from the present and the past. Hopefully the songs featured here today and their respective artists will help you to discover them all over again.

Songs I Dig - 8

With a brand new edition of "The Songs I Dig" blog, I am happy to present to you five high quality songs that I recommend everyone listen to. A lot of times when I have three decent selections, I often have to scrounge around looking for the final two to make my list complete. And sometimes those songs really aren't all that spectacular, in my books. It took a little while this time around, but the last song that made this edition is really superb. Actually, all of these songs are equally as great. And each lead singer has different personalities and life styles from each other. Not to mention all of these songs have a different flavor all their own, as well. Without giving anymore details away to the many specifics of these songs, let's just delve into this edition of "The Songs I Dig."

"I Kissed a Girl" by Katy Perry - I guess it was a few weeks back when I first heard this song on the radio and I didn't really pay much attention to it. The only time I had been able to catch it was around 10:00 in the evening. I kept hearing it at the same time each evening and finally it got to a point where I really started liking it. I have to suspect that the radio station around here that plays the song didn't really want to air it during the mid-afternoons when more people are listening to the radio - or at least until the song gained more popularity. The subject of the song is a rather taboo one, another girl kissing another girl and admitting they liked the kiss. Now for most guys like me, we all think that idea is totally hot. So when she sings in the song, "...I hope my boyfriend don't mind it," I have to think to myself, "why wouldn't we mind it?" But I'm sure the female audience would have an opposite opinion of that. With that being said, it is an extremely catchy song that it's pretty difficult not to sing or bob your head along to it. It's got a great beat and lyrics that absolutely make you chuckle. Also, it doesn't hurt that Katy herself is an absolute bombshell to look at. This song is quickly gaining popularity and it won't be long before it hits number one.

"Shake it" by Metro Station - This is a fairly recent song to the radio airwaves and one that I find incredibly enjoyable. I remember hearing it while at a computer at work and secretly jiving along to it. It basically sucks you into the beat and just like the first song in this blog, it's incredibly catchy. I can see this one being a fun song to dance along to at a night club. Before I did any research into the individuals that made up the group Metro Station, I had assumed it was a group from the UK. To me, it sounds as if there might be a slight hint of a British accent when the two singers sing. But I was completely wrong! There are four members of the band, including Blake Healy, Anthony Improgo, Mason Musso, and Trace Cyrus. And that last name of Cyrus looks awfully familiar, doesn't it? Yes, Trace is the brother of Miley and the son of Billy Ray. Talk about a successful musical family! So no, these four do not have any British roots in them; they are very much American. "Shake it" is one of those songs that'll get you up on your feet and I have no doubt it'll continue to rise on the music charts. It's just so darn catchy!

"All Over You" by The Spill Canvas - Talk about a song completely coming out of left field. This song basically came out of nowhere and it's already proving to be quite successful. Although you may not have heard of The Spill Canvas prior to "All Over You" getting radio air play this year, they have been around since 2002. Believe it or not, The Spill Canvas was originally only a side project for lead singer Nick Thomas. Eventually, he put aside all of his other activities and focused solely on the band, which is described as an emo/punk rock band. With albums in 2002 and 2004 receiving very little fanfare, "One Fell Swoop" in 2005 did receive recognition. But their 2007 album "No Really, I'm Fine" has become their most successful yet. Despite the fact that lead singer Thomas does make a few funny facial expressions in the video for "All Over You (not purposely, mind you, but just when he's singing)," it's really a great song with moving lyrics. The message in the song is about doing everything you possibly can for someone you love but not getting the message across to that person. That all you can do is think about the person, but they can never really love you back. It's actually quite powerful and you should give it a listen if you haven't heard it yet.

"Take a Bow" by Rihanna - It's amazing how quickly things can change in just a matter of days. I was planning on going a completely different direction with these last two songs, but I liked two songs much better than those others, so here we are. "Take a Bow" has gotten more and more airplay and is closing in on the number one spot on numerous radio charts, if it's not there already. This is the first appearance for Rihanna on "The Songs I Dig" blog and it's probably not going to be the last time, either. Just look at her track record already since making a splash in 2005. "SOS," "Unfaithful," "Umbrella," "Shut up and Drive," and "Don't Stop the Music" all being huge hit songs for Rihanna. In fact, "Umbrella" was named as the most successful song in 2007 for the entire world. In the UK, it was number one for ten straight weeks; Rihanna being the first female artist since Whitney Houston (1992: "I Will Always Love You") to accomplish such a feat. In my opinion, "Take a Bow" is headed in that same direction. It's one of those true break-up/cheating type of songs. No matter how much apologizing goes on, it's just one big show because quite simply, the relationship is over. Just one grand performance and the fact of the matter is, it's over. The song definitely gets that message across loudly.

"One Step at a Time" by Jordin Sparks - I am pleased to say that Jordin Sparks is back! Not that I had any doubt, but I am especially pleased to hear not one, but three of her songs get airplay around here. That is a good sign for longevity and hopefully her sophomore album will prove to be just as successful as the freshman one. When I first paid close attention to the song, I had to really listen closely to whom the artist was singing it. Then it finally hit me; it's Jordin! It's a fun, positive kind of song that really gets you moving. The beat of the song is remeniscent to steps people take while walking, making the title that much more appropriate. You really get a good sense of this while watching the music video of the song. I get an understanding from the lyrics that it's a song especially close to Jordin as it sort of embodies her life experiences within the past year. Such as "you wanna show the world ... but no one knows your name yet" and then later on in the song "...you're gettin all kind of impatient ... waiting, we live and we learn ... to take one step at a time ... there's no need to rush." The lyrics basically say if something's going to happen, it's only a matter of time and you can't rush things. Just enjoy and live in the moment. It's definitely something we should all follow.

And seeing that two other songs I was considering for this edition of "The Songs I Dig" were bumped out at the last minute, I will give them honorable mention. The first one is Natasha Bedingfield's song "Pocketful of Sunshine." It is a fun little song, very positive and hopeful. Natasha is continuing to storm America and become the new queen of British pop. She has done quite well over here in the States and I look for that trend to continue. The other song to receive honorable mention is the second from One Republic's recent album titled "Stop and Stare." In no way is it as popular as their first smash hit "Apologize," but it's still proving to be a popular follow-up. It has received a decent amount of radio airplay and I expect that to continue for awhile, even though it is probably starting to make a trend downward on radio charts.

And with that, I wrap up the latest edition of "The Songs I Dig." Thank you for reading. If the recent flurry of amazing new music continues, you can be sure another edition won't be very far away.

In Memory of Tim Russert

It's not often that the death of a TV personality would have a profound effect on me like that of the passing of NBC political analyst Tim Russert when he died last Friday. But his death is one that I cannot shake all that easily. I guess it was about 4:00 PM on Friday when I first heard the news about his death. I was checking my Yahoo e-mail account and my eyes read the first news headline saying "NBC's Tim Russert Collapses and Dies." My heart sank and I said aloud, "Oh no." It was then when I flipped through the channels to see which stations were covering it. Nothing on NBC; they had coverage of the U.S. Open golf tournament on. Nothing on CBS or ABC, either. The next thing closest to NBC is their news channel MSNBC, so I switched it over there. Sure enough, that Yahoo headline was no lie. Tim Russert passed away from an apparent heart attack. We have learned since then that he had suffered from coronary artery disease for a short time but was doing everything in his power to conrol it. But in a matter of an instant, a clot broke off and clogged up a main artery to his heart, causing his tragic death. I don't know the man personally but just from his appearances on television. I can't imagine what this must be like for his colleagues at NBC and his family/friends. He seemed like such a genuinely nice guy that cared for everyone around him. It is truly a gigantic loss for our country.

And you can see the amazing effect he had in regards to this country's political landscape. Not only did President Bush send along his condolences to those who knew Tim, but Vice President Dick Cheney, Democratic Presidential candidate Barack Obama, Republican Presidential candidate John McCain, both Mr. and Mrs. Clinton, Al Gore - right on down the list. After all, he was the moderator of "Meet the Press," the longest running television show in our nation's history and host of that program for 17 years. He interviewed all of those individuals on that program numerous times and many of the comments I've heard regarding his interviewing style is that he was tough but fair. Next to Tom Brokaw, Matt Lauer, and Brian Williams, Tim Russert was one of the faces of NBC news. Unfortunately, he's gone far too soon.

I guess one of the saddest things about his passing is that it occured during one of the most historic races for president in our country's history. Only recently Barack Obama became the presumptive Democratic nominee for president after months and months of presidential primaries and caucuses across this nation. And who's to say the race between McCain and Obama prior to November won't be just as fierce and riveting? It's just so unfortunate to see a guy like Russert who has been so involved in politics for the majority of his life and who's lived for this time of year has to be taken away just like that. I can tell you one thing, during previous election years, during presidential years or not, I always tuned into NBC and it was really only for one man and that was Tim Russert.

One of the lasting impacts for me regarding Tim's coverage of elections is of the 2000 Presidential election. There he was, with that small dry erase board making out calculations of electoral votes and writing "Florida, Florida, Florida" on it. That night, coverage of the election went on into the wee hours of the morning and Tim was still there for the majority of it. It was a historic night and one of the reasons that made it all the more intriguing was because of Tim Russert. I didn't watch "Meet the Press" all that often but when I did, it was clear that the man did his research and knew what he was talking about. I'd known him for his appearances on the Today Show and NBC Nightly News. And of course, on election night, there was one place I'd have my television tuned into, and that was NBC. I just don't think politics in America will ever be the same without Tim.

Like I said, his death will be difficult to shake for awhile. And I am sure I'm not the only one who feels this way. Many of us are casual viewers of NBC who have watched Tim when he delivered the latest poll results on air or talked about the latest political candidate news. But he was such an endearing individual - how could you not like the guy? Then there's his son Luke, who just recently graduated from college and just lost his dad two days prior to Father's Day. How could you not feel bad for him? He gave an interview with Matt Lauer this morning on the Today Show and I was so incredibly moved by his answers. Honestly, I don't know how he could even give an interview like that so soon after his dad's passing. He was incredibly strong and did an amazing job talking about his father. I have no doubts that he'll be just as successful as his dad as he grows.

So with that being said, here's to Tim and may he never be forgotten from our minds. We certainly owe him a great deal of respect and honor for his year's of TV coverage and for bringing us his insight and knowledge in regards to U.S. politics. R.I.P Tim.

Detroit Red Wings: 2007-08 Stanley Cup Champs

At least one Detroit area sports team won its respective championship this year. For those that are out of the loop as far as sports goes, the Detroit Red Wings captured this season's Stanley Cup. It is probably the most coveted trophy in all of sports and the oldest in existence, too. After seeing the Tigers start off to a very disappointing beginning to the Major League Baseball season (and it doesn't appear they have righted the ship quite yet, either) and seeing the Pistons fall, once again like the past two seasons, in the Eastern Conference Finals in six games to the Boston Celtics, seeing one professional sports team from the Motor City persevere is great to see. And I don't think prior to the playoffs starting that a lot of the media experts had the Wings winning it all. So that was really a nice surprise to see the Wings proving a lot of people wrong. Many believe that this team is too old to compete at a championship level. Seems to me they did quite well against the upstart Pittsburgh Penguins, wouldn't you say? I believe the 2008 championship is the first in the new era of Wings hockey. I say that because I still find it strange not seeing Steve Yzerman as the team captain. It was quite surreal to see Nick Lidstrom be the first one to lift the cup after the clock expired. Not that he doesn't make a good captain, but no one can ever replace Stevie Y.

When a team wins a championship, it's always nice to see one member of the team be a part of the complete group effort in winning it all. I am extremely happy to see a former member of the Northern Michigan University Wildcats win a Stanley Cup for the first time in his career. That member of this season's Red Wings was Dallas Drake. We've known Dallas here in the Upper Peninsula even before he became an NHL star. He helped lead the Wildcat hockey team along with coach Rick Comley (who is now the head coach of the Michigan State University Men's Hockey Team) to the school's first division I NCAA Ice Hockey Championship in 1991. Gosh, that is over 15 years ago already but for many people around here, it seems just like yesterday. It was an epic game, lasting three overtimes before the Wildcats finally scored the winning goal. I remember watching the game with my mom at home and not being able to keep my eyes open until the game was over. Then, my mom woke me up as the Wildcats were celebrating on the ice. It's one of those games a person will never forget and it remains as the biggest moment in NMU hockey history up to this point. And Dallas Drake was an integral part of it all. It's so nice to see him being able to lift the Stanley Cup over his head after 16 years in the NHL.

I'll be honest, I haven't followed the Red Wings like I have in the past. I remember during the 1996-1997 season when the Wings won the cup for the first time in some 40+ years, how exciting that season was. I followed every playoff game from the start until the end and it was such a monumental season. I never witnessed the Wings winning a Stanley Cup prior to that season, so that experience was entirely new for me. Then we were spoiled by back-to-back cups the following year. A break ensued, but the Red Wings were finally back on top at the end of the 2001-2002 season. I was just as excited in 2002 as I was during the previous two Stanley Cup runs in the late '90's. Then came quite a few early postseason exits for the Wings, then the lock-out that cancelled one entire season, and my interest for NHL hockey basically vanished. What basically saved the sport for me was seeing Steve Yzerman back on the ice the following year for his last season with the team before he retired. It was disappointing not seeing the Wings win it one final year for Yzerman, but it just goes to show you that sometimes things just don't work out as planned. This season, I followed along and heard how well the Red Wings were doing but didn't watch many of the games. I knew they were having another spectacular year and had a good chance to go quite far into the playoffs. But knowing their recent struggles in the playoffs had me a bit leary. However, once the Red Wings really got rolling with their second round series against the Colorado Avalanche and the great goaltending of Chris Osgood, I knew they were poised to go all the way. And sure enough, even though they should have won the cup in game five at Detroit in the Stanley Cup Finals, they finally captured the title of being the NHL's best team at Pittsburgh on Wednesday night.

All I have to say is, thank goodness for the CBC! We're close enough here in the U.P. to get the Canadian Broadcasting Channel through our cable company - who covered the post-game celebration the best out of all the options we had up here. NBC's coverage ended just after 11:00 PM and they didn't interview too many people from the Red Wings, let alone follow everyone who had their victory skate with the Stanley Cup. Then FSN Detroit, who usually always broadcasts the post-game ceremonies of all the Detroit sports teams even if they didn't cover the game, had a replay of the Tigers loss earlier in the day to the Oakland Athletics. What the heck was that? At the bottom, they finally displayed a crawl that basically congratulated the Red Wings on their feat and said it would be covered on Friday for a special program to be broadcasted that night. Two days later and they are finally recognizing the Wings' accomplishment! Needless to say, I was disappointed that they didn't have any coverage of the post-game festivities, but I did hear that the station underwent new management earlier in the year and probably wasn't able to do the same things they once did. That is a complete shame and hopefully they will make a better effort at covering these important events in the future.

All I can say is that it's definitely great to be a Red Wings fan this year. Go Wings! And may we look forward to more Stanley Cup Championships in the future.

When Will it End?

I guess it remains to be seen how high gas prices will rise. A few months back, predictions of $4.00 gallon gas were running amuck in the media; saying that during the peak of the summer, we'd more than likely see that watermark. Well we already surpassed that before Memorial Day. Now, media pundints are discussing the possibility of $5.00 gas. And if a major natural disaster or terrorist attack hits a particular location in our country this year, don't be surprised to see gas jump to as high as $7.00 or $8.00 a gallon. I just cannot fathom gas prices going that high and I am very much concerned for our ecomonic well being as a country if the prices jump up that much. It's hard to understand why the prices are as high as they are now - but $7.00 gas is absolutely mind blowing. As a result of the gas prices rising, so does the price of everything else including simple grocery items. As a way of bringing the price of gas, some are discussing the possibilities of suspending or even eliminating gas taxes. Well, that would be nice, but we would need to find some other way to bring in another source of income to supplement the lost gas tax. A major source of roads in our country is gasoline taxes. What happens to our roads if we eliminate gas taxes and find no other means of replacing it? We are pretty much stuck between a rock and a hard place.

The cost of living continues to rise each and every year and it's affecting both the lower and middle classes. In fact it's no surprise that the middle class is basically becoming extinct with a large majority of people simply qualifying for the lower class. Of course the rich are living fat and happy. They always seem to get the most protection while everyone else suffers. I wonder if they ever worry about the high price of gas or having to come up with enough money to feed their families? Obviously they don't but it would be nice to see what they would do in our situation. Back in the good old days, the father was always the one to go off to work to support the family while the mother stayed home and did housework. That is becoming increasingly more rare these days as the mother is also needed to bring home the bacon, so to speak. It's definitely not a simple thing to fix as it will take a lot of thought and many ideas. Then you include the whole gas price debate and that really throws a wrench into it all. Let's say both parents need vehicles to drive to work? That's added gas to go to two different places. They also live in a rural area where public transportation is not an option, so driving is an absolute must in order to get where they need to go. Quite possibly, the only option they have is to somehow carpool with each other or someone else they work with, or buy more fuel-efficient vehicles. Then if gas ever does rise to $7.00 a gallon, it just makes it that more difficult to make ends meet. I suspect that if we do reach that $7.00 benchmark, you will be seeing mostly four-cylinder engine cars on the roads like most people drive in Europe instead of SUV's and pick-up trucks. Just yesterday, GM announced the closure of four automotive plants that built trucks and SUV's. They are definitely taking notice of the future in America.

As I mentioned in my last paragraph, public transportation does not exist in rural areas of the country. You look at where I live in the Upper Peninsula of Michigan. The city where I live is the largest in the peninsula at roughly 20,000 people. We have taxi services and public buses, but that is it. Everyone else drives to where they need to go. The busing system here is not what it is in New York City, either. They follow a schedule, but they do not make as many stops in the city and surrounding areas. They make drop-offs in some of the smaller surrounding communities but those stops are limited to one or two locations. They do not go out of their way to drop you off at your doorstep, but maybe so if you provided a bit more money. Then the taxi fares up here are pretty astronomical. I just don't see how people would commute to work everyday in a taxi cab and continue to get by with what they make. So our options are limited in rural areas of the country. Sure, there are options but they are pretty slim. I just can't imagine those who work minimum wage jobs being able to support themselves as everyday costs continue to rise. The average monthly rent for a one-bedroom apartment in the city where I live is $425! Even that seems pretty rediculous.

Nobody appears to be immune to the economic struggles that face our country. The state of Michigan is one of the worst states in the country as far as the economy and politicians are already speculating that further cuts in the state budget are coming. Additional cuts means less money for programs and services that people depend upon. We're getting down to bare bones in a lot of areas and then I ask, what next? When will it end? All that means is taxes rising and the cost of living continuing to climb. Hourly wages for many workers in the nation remain relatively flat year after year. Obviously we reach a breaking point and then where does the country go then? I just hope we are not headed towards another great depression because many people, possibly even the rich, will be suffering then.

Remember These Songs? - 1

Hello all, remember me? It has been close to two weeks since I last wrote a blog, which has been pretty unusual for me. But doing performance reviews each and every week for American Idol will keep a blogger hopping. I remember last year after the top three, I completely flamed out and never did write a review of the top two performances. I am proud of myself for finishing right to the end in this season and it proved to be an incredible journey from 12 to the final two. Now with American Idol out of the way, I can begin to focus on some of my more personal topics regarding current topics in the news, things going on in and around me and various miscellaneous subjects that come up at random times. I am about to launch a new specific-topic blog here at Luke's Ponderings - actually something quite similar to the "Songs I Dig" blog I do from time to time. Only this time, I will be featuring artists and their songs that once proved to be mega-hits but who have now since dropped off the radar screen. It more or less helps to recognize their work from the past three, four, or up to ten years and will help to shed some light on what they are doing nowadays, even if it seems they have disappeared from the music industry. I guess the motivation for this type of blog came from looking at a bunch of songs I downloaded back in 2002-2003 and remembering how great those songs were, despite the fact that I hadn't heard them in some five years. Those songs hold great memories for me and a lot of times I can recall certain moments as I listen to these songs. Hopefully as I bring up these songs, you'll remember them to and they will also help to bring back particular memories (hopefully good ones). So let's begin the very first blog as titled, "Remember These Songs?" - Part 1.

Vitamin C - Graduation (Friends Forever): Oh my gosh - this is such a great song and it brings back some honestly good memories from around the time I graduated. Yes, not all of my high school memories were bad, even though most of them I'd rather forget. How appropriate that this song was released the same year I graduated from high school (2000)! I tell you what, whether you are a lover or a hater of this song, you've got to admit that it at least makes you think. I remember when focusing on the lyrics around the time it was released, it really got me thinking of how things will be when I turn 25. Earlier this year I listened to this song again for the first time in over a year and that particular lyric really stood out, "And so we talked all night about the rest of our lives ... Where we're gonna be when we turn 25 ... " And then I realized - I am actually 25!! And then I felt really old. LOL But all kidding aside, it's an amazing graduation-theme song and it's no surprise that even some graduating classes are still deciding to use it as their song. It really stands the test of time, even though it's only eight years old. I think even ten and 20 years down the road, it will still be very much part of graduations across the world.

So what has Vitamin C (aka Colleen Fitzpatrick) been up to recently? Well she is still heavily involved in the music industry. After taking some time off, she is reported to be back in the studio recording a couple of different albums. One of the albums will be a children's-oriented album with the purpose of focusing on diversity through Indian-styled songs. The other album will be a non-children's album, much like her recordings from the past. Although those albums were rumored to be released at the end of 2007 - they will more likely come out sometime this year. In addition to music, Vitamin C is also one of three panelists on the Lifetime reality series "Your Mama Don't Dance."

Fastball - The Way: I am often puzzled to this day why this band basically dropped off the face of the Earth after their breakout album "All The Pain Money Can Buy" produced a few memorable songs. I can't understand how they were unable to capitalize on the success of this album and crank out more radio-friendly tunes. I mean, they seemed very capable with "The Way" and "Out of My Head." I don't know if it was bad luck or bad press from the recording company they were signed with - but someone really dropped the ball on this group. I think they could've been a much bigger success than they really were. In fact, it's probably safe to say that at this point, they are a one-hit wonder (even though "Out of My Head" was mildly-popular). "The Way" was a song that was so striking just because of the way it sounded. It was so unique and fun that it really got people up and started grooving to it. It wasn't a particularly lengthy song, in fact, it only includes two verses while the rest is chorus. But still, this song will be remembered for some time to come as one of the best in the later 1990's.

What has Fastball been up to recently? Well, not really a whole lot. They may not have lived up to their success of the late '90's, but they are rumored to be working on a fifth studio album to be released in 2008. This follows an album released in 2004 with little fanfare. Some of the rumored tracks on this album include "She's Got the Rain," "All I was Looking For Was You," and "Little White Lies." The band was also seeking input from fans on their myspace page for titles for the new album. So we'll just have to wait and see if 2008 is the year that Fastball makes it's return to the music charts.

Better than Ezra - A Lifetime: So it hasn't been a long time since songs from Better than Ezra graced the radio waves where I live, but it already seems like it's been years. "A Lifetime" was a song made popular in 2005 and it still remains as one of my favorites. It is a particularly well written song and the lyrics really make you think. I think this song really addresses the "live in the moment" theme. It talks of "And three and a half minutes" as if only being a small miniscule portion of time but then "felt like a lifetime" as if all of the events that happened within that three in a half minutes are ever-changing moments that will stay with a person until the end of time. This is definitely a song I wasn't afraid of being a fan of and it's one that you can't help but sing along to. Ack! It also acknowledges graduation in the lyrics, only that the person within the lyrics itself ends up dying in a car crash. The friends of this person (we never really know whether the individual was a male of female - probably female, though) take the ashes of their deceased friend (obviously because they knew him/her better than the family ever did) and brought this person to the beach because "I knew you'd want it that way." Powerful stuff or what? I'm not going to go bit by bit with the lyrics of the song because I could go on forever. But do yourself a favor and really pay attention to the lyrics in this song because they are really something else.

So how about Better than Ezra - what exactly has this group been doing recently? Actually they seem to be pretty similar to Fastball in that respect, because it hasn't been much. Their last studio album was "Before the Robots" which was released in 2005 (which included "A Lifetime" and their other popular song from the album "Juicy" - often featured on Applebee's commercials for a time). There is no official word on when a new album will be released and they very well could be taking some well deserved time off. However, they are still doing a few shows including ones in Gulfport, MS and Lake Charles, LA in August. So they are definitely still out there - just not as much in the spotlight as they were in 2005.

That will wrap it up for this edition of "Remember These Songs?" Hopefully you enjoyed these selections regarding the very best of the blasts from the past. Be sure to check more of these selections again sometime very soon. Thanks for reading!


Happy Birthday, sis.

American Idol 7 - Season Wrap-Up

Now that American Idol season seven is officially in the books, I thought I'd do a final wrap-up of some of my thoughts regarding the season that was. Now that we no longer have Tuesdays and Wednesdays to look forward to regarding the show, it's time to look back on some of the sights, sounds, and situations that made this season so memorable. The finale was truly one to remember, with the final two contestants giving it their all helping to put a final exclamation point on everything. I thought it was strange how Simon, who initially gave negative reviews to David Cook's three performances, retracted what he said from the previous night and said the race was actually a lot more closer after he watched the show back. I wonder if he only said this because he caught wind of the results and wanted to make himself look good, praising Cook instead of what he initially said. See, Simon likes to spin things around to make himself look good whenever possible. In fact, I'd consider himself to be two-faced because on the show, he can say very nice things about the contestants, but then during interviews with the Hollywood shows, he turns around and says they lack personality, have no charisma, and just aren't that interesting. He pretty much stated that during interviews before the top three performed this season. He's one of those individuals who can be your best friend to your face, but once you're no where to be found, he stabs you in the back. Thank god he's so high up in the world that us average folk only has to deal with him while watching the show. God forbid we deal with backstabbers as it is in real life.

The finale results show was one of the best that I can remember because it brought forth some of the most amazing singers onto the show to sing with the top 12. First it was Seal performing with Syesha - and what a great combo they made. They both performed one of Seal's most recent hits and I couldn't help but find myself singing along. Then the top six girls performed a medley of Donna Summer's hits along with Summer herself. She also sang one of her singles off her new album. All in all, it wasn't bad, although I still can't help but notice how uncomfortable Amanda Overmyer looks whenever she sings a group number. She just can never enjoy it! The next performance was a duet by the top two, singing "Hero" by Chad Kroeger of Nickelback fame. The song was also made famous by the Superman soundtrack. I didn't really dig the performance at first, but once I watched it back again, it was really great. The two David's really did a nice job of harmonizing and what else was great is that it was a newer song. They both did an admiral job with it. Then we had the top six guys sing a medley of Brian Adams hits and eventually, Adams himself took the stage to sing along. What made this especially great for me was Cookie and Archie singing "Heaven." Remember Archie sang this in Hollywood week and did a phenominal job. Archie fans were able to hear David sing not only a reprise of "Imagine," but also a small solo of "Heaven." It was truly magical and this was really one awesome medley for me. Carrie Underwood also performed and what can you say, how can you not love her? Each and every season, she performs and stays loyal to the show that brought her to the top. That is absolutely fantastic and she did a killer job singing her newest single. I've always been a fan, even though she stays true to the country genre. We were also treated to another duet between Brooke White and Graham Nash singing "Teach Your Children Well." This song is definitely in her comfort zone and she did a nice job singing along with Nash. It's nice to see a happy and comfortable Brooke without worrying about what the judges were going to say. And then Jason Castro, even though I didn't love his rendition of "Hallelujah" earlier in the season, his reprise was absolutely stunning during the finale. Wow, I was blown away. I might even buy it from iTunes it was so enjoyable for me. No wonder they didn't stick him with a star singer like the rest of the top five. Probably the hottest performance of them all on results night was the duet by Carly Smithson and Michael Johns. They absolutely smashed the heck out of the classic song "The Letter." They performed it in a new soulful, edgy kind of vibe and it was fantastic. Heck, I think it could be a hit song on today's radio. Then we had David Cook's performance with ZZ Top singing "Sharp Dressed Man," and Cookie sang all of the song that he could remember! Let me say I am not completely familiar with the song so I didn't even realize he didn't sing the final verse, but I guess Cookie didn't know the third verse of the song so there was one long musical pause. Oh well, I didn't even notice! It was still rather enjoyable. But the highlight for me personally was One Republic's performance of "Apologize." You may remember that it showed up as one of the top five songs I dug late in 2007 and to see it performed on American Idol was stunning. Then to hear David Archuleta come in and sing the second verse and harmonize the rest of the way, it was amazing! I think his duet impressed a lot of other media critics out there as well and it showed he can sing the newer stuff and not just the golden oldies. Then you had Mike Myers and his shameless promotion for his new summer movie and a review of some of those bad auditions that started the season, including Renaldo Lapuz singing his "hit" song "We are Brothers Forever" (or whatever the official title is), and all in all, it was one heckuva finale. Definitely one I won't soon forget! Oh, and how can I leave out the "surprises" of the night when not only David Cook but David Archuleta as well took part in a pair of Guitar Hero ads that aired during the finale. How fun were those (look them up on YouTube if you haven't seen them)!

This season had all sorts of ups and downs that it's going to be hard for me to remember them all. Probably one of the most controversial events of them all was when Paula Abdul critiqued Jason Castro's second song when he didn't even sing it yet! Was she drugged up or was it an honest mistake? That'll probably be up for debate for a long time. Another issue of note was contestants forgetting the lyrics to their songs. David Archuleta started it off with "We Can Work it Out" during the first Beatles week. Eventually Brooke White and Jason Castro suffered similar fate. And even Carly Smithson had a blunder that wasn't all that noticable to the common folk when she mixed around a lyric duing her performance of "Jesus Christ Superstar." Hey, it happens and you can't blame them too much because it is such a tremendous high-pressure situation that they are in. At the start of the season, Carly Smithson received the biggest backlash of all the contestants who had previous record deals out but thankfully, that controversy eventually died out. And who can forget when the media was speculating whether she was pregnant or not? Man, that had to be super embarassing for her. Then of course we had David Archuleta's stage dad that pretty much dogged him right through to the finale. Whether Jeff Archuleta is truly a stage dad or not, you have to admire the way that Archie didn't let all the tabloid junk get to him and he remained grounded throughout the whole competition. That says a lot for someone so young. Then I can't forget about David Hernandez and the whole gay-stripper debacle. He was soon eliminated after that story broke out. I have to wonder if he would've stuck around longer if that part of his life was never revealed. There was also Amanda Overmyer getting a DUI a year or two prior to Idol but that never affected her in anyway (she doesn't seem like the kind of person that would be bothered by that kind of news). We also had the controversial eliminations of Michael Johns and Carly Smithson (top eight and top six respectively). I really don't think their surprise eliminations will hurt them in anyway - and I've got to believe their duet in the finale will only help their cause. There were also allegations of producers "pimping" certain contestants to make sure they made it as far as the did (basically the two David's). I am sure some of that went on behind the scenes but nobody can be absolutely sure of it. I believe that's about all that I can remember for now. Just think, eight months from now this season will be all but a memory as season eight will be well underway.

That just about wraps it up for me for season seven. I still plan on writing one final Idol blog detailing some of my favorite performances from all of the contestants at some point in time. Whether that comes this weekend or next week remains to be seen. Whenever it comes, you'll definitely see it here sooner rather than later. Hope everyone else enjoyed this season of American Idol just as much as I!

American Idol 7 - Top 2: "David vs. David"

It's time for a full recap of last night's episode and it's the final one for this season! I am a little sad that it's just about over, but at least my Tuesday and Wednesday night's will be a whole lot less busy now. I'll say this about season seven, despite all of the controversy, the declining ratings, the producers' tricks and some of the blunders (ahem - Paula), this has probably been the most enjoyable season of American Idol yet. The talent probably wasn't as good as originally spoken about prior to the top 24, but it was pretty darn close. And in my view, especially since I never saw the Clay vs. Ruben final in season two, this is the best finale I have ever witnessed. I have a feeling the results are going to be extremely close! You and I probably know who should be the American Idol winner after last night's results, but never say never. So how did everything go down during last night's performances? Well, let me tell you...

Round One - Songs chosen by music executive Clive Davis:

David Cook - singing "I Still Haven't Found What I'm Looking For" by U2: Glad to see the contestants are able to wear the ear pieces again. For those that may not know, the producers nixed the ear pieces about a month ago simply because "they didn't look good." They seem to help the singers and awful lot, though. Cook is starting off quite well with this song selection. This song really utilizes Cook's upper registry quite well, so no low notes to struggle with. He's really starting to rock out and have fun on stage and is really getting the crowd into it. They are even on their feet and Cookie is really looking like a true star with this performance. He has really embraced this song and what it means. He really did a great job with it and it proves to be an excellent song selection for him. To me, this is the best he's sounded in a few weeks.

David Archuleta - singing "Don't Let the Sun Go Down on Me" by Elton John: Previous American Idol contestants have tackled this song included Clay Aiken, Bo Bice, and a few others. Some Archie fans have been a bit concerned about this song choice and whether or not David would be able to pull it off. This is David Archuleta now, he can sing anything. He starts off by sitting on the steps of the stage and looking very poised. He appears to be in the moment and very focused. He gradually gets up and slowly walks onto the stage itself; no struggles at all. It's a good song choice for Archie in that it's a song with a great message (he loves those kinds of songs) and it's not a completely dull and sappy ballad. His vocals during this performance are superior and he really appears to be in his element. He did magnificent with this song and the judges are giving him high praise. The audience can't stop cheering for the guy and Archuleta is in near-tears. He is so overwhelmed by the moment. A truly flawless performance.

Round Two - Songs selected from the American Idol Song Writing Contest:

David Cook - singing "Dream Big": I am so glad to see the contestants being able to change up the arrangement of these songs to suit their style. Even though David Cook can sing ballads, he usually ends up doing much better when he's rocking out to songs. To me, this song does not do Cookie very much justice. I guess I'd have to know if this song was meant to be sung this way, but starting out I'm having a hard time hearing the lyrics. It just does not seem like that great of a coronation song for me. I did not enjoy this performance nearly as much as Cook's first song. He's definitely rocking out to it and playing the guitar and he's simply making the most of it. It was the best he could do with it and it appeared to be arranged to suit his style. I thought it was good, but nothing outstanding. I totally agreed with Simon in that it did not seem like a truly "winning moment" kind of song.

David Archuleta - singing "In This Moment": Now you have to believe that before going into this second round of songs, this would probably suit Archie more than Cookie. Most of these songs are going to be ballads more than uptempo, rock songs, so Archuleta should do good with his song. And right off the bat, he sounds flawless again! It's a perfect choice for him as it's a ballad and it allows him to show off his vocals. The tempo even picks up a notch which makes it that much better. He is totally on fire and doing absolutely great with this song. He picked the absolutely perfect time to peak and he is actually making me love this song; it sounds so good. His vocals are absolutely on-spot and to me, it looks like I am watching this year's American Idol. Definitely the perfect song choice and to me, this is the right "winning moment" song. Picked the better choice over Cook, that's for sure.

Round Three - Contestants' Song Choice:

David Cook - singing "The World I Know" by Collective Soul: Ugh ... I love this song so much. We originally thought Cook was going to sing this one during the Top three week but he sang the Switchfoot song instead. Glad to see he's singing it now. It's an absolute perfect song choice for Cook and it allows him to do his thing. It starts off very low key, just as the original does while strumming away at his guitar. He picks a play from the David Archuleta playbook and chooses a song with a haunting message. That probably wasn't his intention as he more than likely just enjoyed the song as it was. He changed up the arrangement a tad bit and made it sound somewhat different, but to me, he's playing it the way it's supposed to sound - and that isn't a bad thing at all. For me, it's not a song that should be changed all that much. I think it was Cook's best performance of the night and I really enjoyed it. He was so into it he even got emotional.

David Archuleta - singing "Imagine" by John Lenon: There was some speculation early on from the fans that Archie would either sing this, Angels, Shop Around, or even Stand by Me. But for me personally and for the majority of others who've watched season seven from the very beginning, this song was Archie's defining moment and it makes sense that he's wrapping up his American Idol experience with it. It's the song that won over the hearts of millions and it's such an appropriate way to end. He could really put the final nail in the coffin with it as he's excelled before with the song and probably will again. He's mixing things up a bit and putting in a few different runs here and there. I totally admire what he did with this performance - not completely mirroring what he did in the semi-finals but still generally staying true to how he performed it before. There's not much more I can say about it - it was absolutely superb.

When I first heard that Clive Davis was going to pick two songs for the David's to sing, I was pretty disappointed. He was supposed to be part of season six and choose songs for the top three contestants, but it was quickly changed and he never appeared. I thought he was washed up as a music executive, so I was surprised he returned this season. But after last night, I am glad he made his return to the American Idol set as he picked two killer songs for both contestants. Good job, Clive! The boxing theme for the night was a tad bit overkill, but still enjoyable. I just couldn't see Archie as a prize-fighting boxer, heavy-weight or light-weight. LOL The boxing theme actually added more tension and suspense to what could've been an actually boring finale. So to that, I say well done to the Idol producers. And no matter what happens during tonight's results, it appears that both Archie and Cookie are glad to be where they are at and will take the runner-up spot to which ever one should win. Here's how I rank the final two contestant's after last night's performances:

Round One:
#1: David Archuleta
#2: David Cook

Round Two:
#1: David Archuleta
#2: David Cook

Round Three:
#1: David Archuleta
#2: David Cook

Based on the performances last night, David Archuleta swept all three rounds and should be declared this year's American Idol. As Simon Cowell commented last night after Archie's rendition of "Imagine," he provided the knock-out win. However, with that being said, I have been following the race between Cook and Archuleta ever since the top 12 began and know the huge following that Cookie has. It's even bigger than Archuleta, apparently. So, based on that, I am predicting an upset in tonight's results: David Cook will win American Idol 2008. I hope I am wrong, but I just have that feeling. Yes, Archie is more deserving and is the better singer. But as we've seen time and time again on this show, the results are sometimes not fair. You could say in season two, the better contestant didn't win. This same year could have the very same result. But whatever happens happens. I am content with whatever the results may reveal and I know both of the David's will be happy with the results. They've gotten the support from millions of new fans, the exposure of being on television, and getting the chance to do what they both love, singing and performing. I am proud of them both; for that matter, all of the contestants who have made season seven the very best yet for me. It has truly been a season to remember.

UPDATE (10:33 PM - 5/21/08): David Cook is crowned as the 2008 American Idol. Let's be honest, I've been an avid fan of Archuleta all season long and I thought after the results, I'd be really upset. But I am actually at peace with what has happened. Cookie is also an amazing guy and a tremendous performer and I expect nothing but big things from him in the future. The same goes for Archie as well, who may have a little more freedom to do what he wants with a recording contract than Cookie will with the management at 19. This is a season to remember and one that I won't quickly forget for a long time. Hmm, now I have to see if I can find a way to get to the American Idol Live Tour in September...

David vs. David Performance Rankings

Less than an hour away from the top two performance show, I thought I'd try to sneak in one last blog before the two David's face off to see which one will become the next American Idol. I am a big Archie fan and have been since the very beginning of the season. I also like David Cook but he has only become a favorite of mine since the top 12 or so. The contestant who I'd want to win is David Archuleta. But I have a strong feeling that David Cook will capture the crown. I believe this because of multiple reasons. The first is that Cookie has been consistently number one in regards to iTunes sales out of all of the contestants that have released songs on their this season. Archie seems to have always come in a close second or sometimes third or fourth. Also, Cook has been the number one vote getter for much of this season (according to Dial Idol), particularly ever since his rendition of the Lionel Richie song "Hello" during 80's week. David Cook also has the backing of Simon Cowell, who has been pimping Cookie on both "The Tonight Show" with Jay Leno and "Ellen." The producers also seemingly want David Cook to win - I'm not going to get into the full details on what has gone on during the course of the past two or three weeks, but the writing definitely seems to be on the wall that David Cook will win it all. But you know something, I am okay with that. Because I think Archuleta will be fine regardless. There are a lot of questions concerning Archie, whether or not he's too young yet, whether he really knows what kind of album he wants to put out, and whether he'll be fine without the influence of his father (let's be honest, his dad probably hurt David's chances some in becoming the eventual winner, whether the rumors are ultimately true or not). Archuleta has a lot of time to grow and develop to become a singer we'll remember for all time. Cook is already "seasoned" of sorts, already having one (if not two) records released and being part of a band and touring, but only in small establishments. I said this awhile back, but I will be happy regardless which David wins. Yes, I'd like Archuleta to win, but I just don't forsee it happening.

So with the end of this season nearly upon us, I have compiled two lists of rankings - one for Archuleta and one for Cook. These rank both singers performances from the semi-final round up to the top three. Many of you will probably agree with most of these and where they place, but I am sure there are some surprises in here, too. Here is how I rank each of the performances from this season's top two finalists:

David Archuleta's Performance Rankings
#1: Imagine
#2: Stand by Me
#3: Shop Around
#4: Love Me Tender
#5: Angels
#6: The Long and Winding Road
#7: Think of Me
#8: Smoky Mountain Memories
#9: With You
#10: America
#11: You're the Voice
#12: When You Believe
#13: Longer
#14: Sweet Caroline
#15: And So it
#16: Another Day in Paradise
#17: We Can Work it Out

David Cook's Performance Rankings
#1: Little Sparrow
#2: Always be My Baby
#3: The Music of the Night
#4: Hello
#5: Baba O'Riley
#6: Eleanor Rigby
#7: Day Tripper
#8: Billy Jean
#9: All I Really Need is You
#10: I Don't Want to Miss a Thing
#11: The First Time Ever I Saw Your Face
#12: Happy Together
#13: I'm Alive
#14: Dare You To Move
#15: All Right Now
#16: Hungry Like the Wolf
#17: Innocent

Once again, like other rankings I've done this season, these are soley from my personal opinion and nothing scientific has gone into these. The large factor into all of this is that these choices are based upon my listening enjoyment. Whatever songs I've enjoyed the most, they're higher on the list. Pretty basic strategy, right? Hopefully most of you agree with these choices and be sure to enjoy tonight's performance episode! Remember, it's the last one of season seven. And be sure to vote for your favorite David!

American Idol 7 - Random Thoughts

Who I want to win American Idol: David Archuleta. I guess it's no secret that I've been a big David Archuleta fan since the very start of the season. And I can honestly admit that no other contestant has captured my interest from start to finish ever since I've been watching the show. I've never understood how people cannot like the kid. I believe that a lot of the criticism from the so-called media experts have been unjust. Either that, or they blame David's downfalls on his father. I'll address that issue a little later in this blog. But David is a sincere, modest, and genuine individual and for those people who still think it's all an act, well I guess there is no hope for them. If you didn't realize what kind of a person Archie is after watching his homecoming video recap on Wednesday's results show, then you're blind. All season long, we've seen David overwhelmed at the praise he's received after stunning performances, deflected comments from others who say he truly is a great singer, and saying he's not worthy to be in the presence of certain recording stars. That's just who David Archuleta is. He has no ego about being a music star and the only reason he's in it is to sing and he hopes others will enjoy his singing. Well let me tell you, he has many, many fans that will follow him along his journey. And if he doesn't win American Idol and ends up being the runner-up, I don't believe that's going to hurt him, either. He's caught the eye of many people, from music executives, recording artists, Hollywood producers, and even movie directors! Heck, the exposure he's gotten from American Idol could allow him to do anything. As Randy says every week, he can sing anything. Well I say, David will be able to anything! I think the results after next week's finale will be extremely close; rivaling those achieved during season two's Clay vs. Rueben final. I really hope it'll be Archie who wins it because I've followed him ever since his audition in San Diego and I've been a fan since that time. I don't need to tell you anymore about the kid because he is who he is. David Archuleta for the win!

Controversy over David's Dad: I don't believe I've really weighed in on the Jeff Archuleta controversy that has hounded David since the "We Can Work it Out" performance. I've mentioned it briefly but never gave my true opinion about it. I've kind of gone back and forth about it ever since the situation surfaced. In the beginning I believed whole heartedly that David's dad was a stage father. It was vindication for David's poor performance during the first Beatles week. Then people close to the Archuleta family were backing up Jeff and saying he's not at all how the media makes him out to be. So I was comforted for a time after hearing that Jeff doesn't yell at his son until he starts crying. But then Naomi Judd made an appearance on the Today Show and told the nation how much of a overbearing stage dad that Jeff really was. She's credible in all of this because she was a judge on Star Search when David competed at the age of 12. She even said Jeff had to be locked up in a security box because he was such a negative influence during the show. I believed the whole stage dad story all over again because of her accounts since it really seemed like she was speaking the truth! But then stories surfaced from the Archuleta camp that said Naomi was hardly ever backstage and never even met David in person! They were supposed to meet after the final episode but she had already been whisked away on a plane. I have good reason to believe that Naomi never really saw Jeff be a stage dad first hand and only heard the rumors that were going around. So five years afterwards, she remembers what she heard and decided to blast Jeff Archuleta and add more fuel to the fire. So then I got to believing that she's not really credible at all and only said what she said about Jeff Archuleta to re-gain attention again. Because really, what has she been up to ever since she's been on Star Search? Not a whole lot. It was probably a publicity stunt for her to get back into the public limelight and what better way to do that than to talk about a front-runner contestant on the top rated TV show in America. So then finally, we have the recent report about David's dad being "banned" from helping David backstage at American Idol. Of course TMZ was the first to uncover the story first and then for whatever reason, the story developed legs and started spreading onto more credible media sites such as the Associated Press and CNN. But at this point, however, I was only half-believing it. It appeared to me that the previous stories about Jeff Archuleta being a stage dad were blown so far out of proportion than they should have that all they did was develop negative press for David and it may have hurt him with the voters for awhile. So again, this time around, the Archuleta camp had to back up daddy Archuleta a third time and eventually, staffers at American Idol were doing the same. He wasn't banned, but asked not to participate with David in song selection and arrangement exercises like he has previously. So even though I've been back and forth on this issue for some time, I've come to the conclusion that Jeff isn't at all a bad guy like he's been made out to be and is only doing what he can for his son and providing a huge amount of support for him. Even David stood up for his dad in a recent TV Guide article. Even though we are nearing the end of this season's American Idol, I just don't think the Jeff Archuleta stage-dad stories will entirely end, although they should diminish some.

American Idol Season Eight: It's hard to believe season seven is almost over. It doesn't seem like we started all that long ago. So after many posts regarding the show in this blog, the American Idol reviews and random postings will be coming to an end. And once this season is over, it will be the last time I write at all about the show in this particular blog. I am washing my hands of it here at Luke's Ponderings. Okay, before you go all crazy, it's all part of a bigger plan for me. Seeing how American Idol has consumed my life during the past four+ months, I have decided that one of the best ways for me to communicate my obsession for the show is in very new blog - with a title still to come. Some of you may have come across specific blogs dedicated to the show or the contestants. Well my new blog will be devoted entirely to American Idol and the news around it. You will see my recaps, my random thoughts, news articles, and many other features there. I will also cover the auditions, the Hollywood Round, the semi-finals, and the finals. There will be more American Idol coverage in that blog more than I've ever done in this one. That doesn't mean I am going to abandon Luke's Ponderings because I am going to continue to do my usual routine with this one. I just feel that all I've mostly talked about during the past few months was this show and that could drive some people away. So be sure to check back in the late fall or early winter when the new American Idol blog by me will be released. Hopefully it will develop a following like some of the other popular Idol blogs that are currently on the web.

You know, there were a couple of other topics I wanted to discuss regarding American Idol, but I think I am going to save those until another opportunity. We still have three days left until the finale performances from David Archuleta and David Cook, so I think I'll be able to sneak in one final random thoughts blog before all is said and done. May the best David win!

American Idol 7 - Top 3

Can you believe it; next week is the finale all ready?! Honestly, where has the first half of the year gone? It's amazing how quickly things have progressed but we are now down to the final three of American Idol! And I must say, all three contestants are definitely qualified to be there. It also doesn't hurt to have huge fan bases like the two David's have. Not only do the contestants have three songs to sing tonight, but they also get to choose a song of their own. In addition, the judges will be picking songs for each of the contestants and the producer's also have a say in song selection tonight. So this could prove to be a very interesting night for each of the three finalists. Song selection could make it or break it for them tonight. Wouldn't it be great to see all three contestants nail all of their songs? That way, the voting would be so unpredictable and wide open! It'd be fabulous. I don't forsee that happening, however. Let's get this party started!

David Archuleta - singing "And so it Goes" by Billy Joel: So Paula gets to choose for David. Did you know that whenever Paula picks the song for one of the three finalists, those contestants have never gone on to become the eventual American Idol? Let's hope David is able to break this curse! I really liked how this started off acapella. I agree with Randy; maybe he could've played a bit of this on the piano. Still, this is an enjoyable performance by Archie. He seems very much in the moment and really connecting with the song. He's able to have a connection with a song everytime he's up on stage and he makes it believable. Randy is right in that David is really in the zone and is in it to win it. I tend to agree with Simon in that it was good but nothing exceptional. He has two more songs in which he can really wow the crowd.

Syesha Mercado - singing "If I Ain't Got You" by Alisha Keys: Randy picks a song that Alicia Keys had a hit with and the good news is that it's contemporary! Nice pick by Randy. She's singing the song quite well. The song starts off pretty low key and Syesha is singing it how it's supposed to sound. Definitely not doing anything different to make it her own, but that's okay. It was a good performance from her but I wasn't blown away by it. I do think she has really embraced the competition for what it is and we're seeing her more comfortable and in the moment when she's up on stage. She is looking the part of a star and looks very elegant everytime she sings. I do wish she could've changed up the song some and made it her own. She could've even done a few runs to make it different. Still, it was a nice performance from Syesha.

David Cook - singing "The First Time Ever I Saw Your Face" by Raberta Flack: So Simon has the honors of picking the song for Cookie. An interesting choice, to say the least. Simon really tries to challenge a contestant whenever he's picking a song for them, and he definitely challenged David on this one. It's a very soft and low key song for him, definitely something we've rarely seen from him. Other than "Music of the Night," we haven't seen David tackle a ballad before. Usually they start off slow, like a ballad, but then they tend to pick up. Not necessarily so with this song. The tempo is gradually picking up and it sounds to me he's making it his own, although I am not really familiar with the original version. I actually liked seeing this side of Cookie and the last note really made this a good performance for him.

David Archuleta - singing "With You" by Chris Brown: Now who saw this coming? David chooses the most contemporary song of them all by picking an R n B song that talks about "boos" and a variety of other current R n B phrases (I can't remember all of the lyrics in the song at the moment). He takes a risk with this song and he seems pretty familiar with it. Otherwise, why would he have chosen it? He must like it enough. Looks like he briefly had trouble with the lyrics momentarily but made a nice recovery. It didn't appear that he forgot anything but he may have lost the tempo for a bit. Definitely seeing a different side of David here although I don't know if it truly works for him. The fans always crave for an uptempo song, but I don't know if this is the right one for him. Again, a good performance but not great. I am getting a bit concerned for David because Randy didn't gush about him being able to sing anything like usual. David needs to be on his "A" game for the next song.

Syesha Mercado - singing "Fever" by Peggy Lee: Syesha is looking particularly sexy with a short dress and is throwing in her sassy attitude into this performance. I must say, this is an interesting song choice for Syesha. I thought she'd want to do something more contemporary. I enjoy it when she's moving around on the stage and showing off her "broadway" personality, if you will. First she's sitting on a chair, then starts moving around and dances around Ricky. Then she goes back to the chair and leans/walks around it. She appears to be really in the element with this song and she sounds strong. Not a lot of high notes for Syesha to show off her incredible power and I didn't think she did anything very different with it. Nevertheless, it was still a nice performance from her.

David Cook - singing "Dare You To Move" by Switchfoot: Nothing against Simon, but these kind of songs do tend to suit David more (not to say I didn't like Cookie's first song - but it did seem awkward). I love hearing a contemporary song from him. An earlier song spoiler had him singing "The World I Know" by Collective Soul which would've been an absolute killer song for him to tackle. Personally, that song is one of my favorites. "Dare You To Move" is a good one, too, but not as great as the original spoiler stated. It ends up being a great personal song choice for him and out of the three contestants, Cookie picks the best of them all. I did notice a few pitchy notes, particularly in the beginning of the song. Arrangement-wise, it did seem rather short and he may not have incorporated enough of the middle-portion of the song into it. Otherwise, still well done for David.

David Archuleta - singing "Longer" by Dan Fogelberg: Clues have been out for awhile regarding this song chosen by producers. Even though it wasn't figured out right away by the fans, they eventually got it. This song does suit Archie's style and it's the perfect range for him. He's sitting down and does his usual thing with a classic ballad. This is the kind of performance we're used to seeing from David. He's definitely hitting this one out of the ballpark and vocally it sounds spot-on. Yeah, I guess it is a sappy kind of song lyrically, but David did a lights-out job with it. It's not his fault the producers chose it for him. Simon doesn't seem impressed by David tonight. Basically what I'm getting from him is that he did good, but not great. I hope that's not a bad omen for tomorrow.

Syesha Mercado - singing "Hit Me Up" by Gia Farrell: This is sounding like a fun little ditty for Syesha to sing. It's a very upbeat and fun song and it appears she is having a fun time with it on stage. She is still well-dressed but not donning a dress this time. I am not all that familiar with the song and the "Happy Feet" penguin movie is being referenced throughout the judge's comments, but it appeared to me like she didn't do enough with the song. It ends on kind of a bland note for me. It has definitely left me with a sour taste in my mouth. A very pleasant, rather cutesy song song but maybe not suited for Syesha's style. She does better with the more power-ballads and this song choice did not show off her vocal power. I bet secretly to herself, she absolutely hated having to sing this.

David Cook - singing "I Don't Want to Miss a Thing" by Aerosmith: Didn't we see an Aerosmith song done by Michael Johns during the week he was eliminated? I wonder if this is going to be a new curse for American Idol - those who perform Aerosmith get eliminated next night. Nah, that's pretty doubtful. I really didn't care for the orchestra sound to start the song. It seemed especially tacky for this kind of song. He's doing his usual thing with this song; an exceptional rock sound, great vocals, and ending the night on a good note. This song proves to be a good fit for David and he knocks it out of the ballpark. For me personally, this was Cookie's best performance of the night and the best out of all three contestants. He was really on his game for this one.

So after tonight's performances, I am feeling a bit disappointed overall. I'd rate this one a 7.5 out of ten. I don't think everyone was on their game tonight and with the added pressure of performing three songs, I don't believe the contestants were completely focused as they could've been. Also, the contestants experienced an ultimate high of going home and getting a star-like homecoming which probably threw them off, as it was tough getting back into the competition mode again. That being said, I don't think anyone was truly terrible. Heck, they didn't make it this far to be bad. I think David Cook is a definite lock to be in the finale. I am a bit concerned about David Archuleta after his second song which didn't receive the usual props from Randy. However, the judge's were probably the most negative for Syesha and they basically dubbed her as being forgettable. So with that being said, I have a feeling Syesha maybe going home tomorrow. But didn't we say that a lot throughout our journey through the top 12? Anyways, here is tonight's performance rankings:

#1: David Cook - best of the night
#2: David Archuleta
#3: Syesha Mercado - eliminated (eliminated - 5/14/08)

So there you have it; I believe Syesha will be going home after tomorrow. She has really peaked at the end of this competition and she's really grown into an ultimate performer. However, I believe the time has come for her to exit stage left. It's time to make room for the David vs. David that a lot of American Idol fans and producers have wanted for some time. But I will say this, don't be surprised if there's a shock elimination tomorrow night. Remember last week when Ryan said only a million votes separated the three contestants? If it was that close last week, who's to say it can't be that close this week, too. Remember to look for the elimination update to be provided sometime Thursday (that's when I'm available to do it). Until then, see you next week!

Computer Trouble

...And so it begins. The new desktop computer I bought last June is broke already! Well, it doesn't appear to be anything major, but I cannot get on the internet for the life of me. And not being on the internet is pure torture for me now! You know those two lights (the green and orange ones) that are supposed to light up when you have your ethernet cord connected to the CPU? They are not lighting up at all. So I got to believe something is wrong with the ethernet card. Thank goodness I still have my trusty laptop that is about six years old and it still allows me to get on-line (although the start-up is extremely slow). Otherwise I'd be going through serious withdrawls. So that's the story there - for some reason, the computer is not recognizing the internet connection. It can't be my service provider because it's working on the laptop. So I'm not sure what I've got to do next. Probably consult with Hewlett-Packard, the manufacturer of the computer, to see if I can get the problem solved. The good thing is that the computer is still under warranty (for a little over a month) so if the ethernet card is indeed bad, I can get it fixed without charge (hopefully there isn't some loophole, though). It's going to be tough being without the computer for a short while, if I have to have sent in to be repaired. We'll see what happens, I guess. I'll keep you updated!

UPDATE (5/12/08): Alright, so having to work two 12-hour shifts over the weekend and another eight hours on Monday; I didn't really get much of a chance to deal with this computer problem. But after work Monday, I got around to making a phone call to HP to see if they can figure anything out. I already tried several different troubleshooting methods, to no avail. I already had my mind set that the ethernet card is bad. I dealt with a technician for over 30 minutes, trying one of the troubleshooting methods I had already went through. No luck accessing the internet that time. Then he wanted to see if the computer even recognized the network adapter. Nope, the computer wasn't even recognizing it. Then the technician wanted me to do a complete system recovery which would end up deleting every single file I had saved on it. Well, this would be no problem because I didn't have a ton of stuff saved on it. So he called back in 20 minutes after I had everything saved and began the system recovery process. Once that was over with, we dealt with the same results. The computer still was not recognizing the network adapter. That is when it was determined that my computer needs to be sent into HP to have it repaired. So here we are onto today!

Seeing that my service warranty with HP was set to expire on June 6th (a bit sooner than I earlier realized), I decided to extend the warranty for another year (tacking on another $159.99 to my credit card). But hey, if something like this happens again, I can get it repaired at no cost! I guess this little experience has taught me to expect the unexpected. New computers these days are made with cheap parts (or so I've heard) and they are more susceptible to malfunctions. So in another three months, the motherboard could fail. At least in that case, I am completely covered and can get it replaced at no charge. Fed Ex is supposed to drop a box off at my apartment where I'll then pack up the tower within it. I will then call Fed Ex to have the computer picked up where it will be shipped to an HP service center where it will be repaired. I have been told that the repair will take four to seven days and then be shipped back to my apartment. When it is returned, it will be good as new!

This whole ordeal has been a pretty interesting process, I must say. I can't say I know a lot about the HP company, and I am assuming their headquarters are based in the United States. But they have service centers all across the world. The technical staff I talked with on the phone was based out of India. So needless to say, I had some trouble understanding these individuals at times. But I've had Indian priests at my church in the past, so I am somewhat used to their accents. They were very knowledgable, patient, and knew what they were doing. Even though the process can be rather tedious and a person tends to get impatient after being on hold for awhile, it ends up being all worth it in the end. Because at least in my case, my computer is going to be repaired at no charge thanks to the warranty I still had after buying this computer 11 months ago. It will be tough being without the computer for four to seven days (and it will probably be longer than that if you include the shipping days), but like I said earlier, at least I have my laptop. If I didn't have that, I'd really be lost!

I will continue to keep everyone updated on the repair progress of my computer. I am just awaiting the box from Fed Ex so I can get it shipped off to be repaired. After that, it's all a waiting game.

UPDATE (5/16/08) - Fex Ex dropped off the box to put the computer in yesterday and they picked it up today around 2:30 this afternoon. So it is on it's way to Irving, Texas to be repaired as we speak. I wonder how long it'll take before I get it back? Any predictions?

American Idol 7 - Top 4

With two weeks remaining in the competition, we are closing in towards the finish line of season 7 of American Idol. There are no more mentors remaining - just the contestants singing songs and trying to get the viewers at home to vote for them. Of course it always helps to sing the best they possibly can, but this year it seems to be more of a popularity contest than anything. And I hate that I'm saying that because I usually cringe to myself when critics say that about this show. But they are right about this season (except for the two David's, who I must say are the last two remaining singing talents left). Tonight, the contestants choose songs from the vast collection from the artists inducted in the Rock 'n Roll Hall of Fame. No, they aren't necessarily rock songs, otherwise David Cook would win this night for sure. There's a wide variety of genres of songs at the Rock 'n Roll Hall of Fame and I'm sure we will see more than just rock songs during tonight's show. On with the review!

David Cook - singing "Hungry Like the Wolf" by Duran Duran. A very interesting song choice for David as I never really pictured this to be a true rock song. But that is where David is always amazing at changing around the whole vibe of a certain song. He definitely brings on a more rocker-edge to the song unlike what the original sounded like. It's a decent song to show off David's rock 'n roll skills but it doesn't necessarily help him show off his usual stellar vocals. I'm not particularly blown away by it and he bascially sang it how it's supposed to be sung. However, it's very consistent to how he performs and it looked like he was having fun on stage. Not great, but definitely good.

Syesha Mercado - singing "Proud Mary" by Ike and Tina Turner. Syesha is looking very stylish and quite beautiful in her dress tonight. I tell you, ever since Andrew Lloyd Webber week, she has really turned up the heat in this competition. She is totally embracing who she is and her personality is finally coming to light. She is looking very sexy and sassy while singing this song. She is also displaying a massive amount of personality - more so than ever before! This is the perfect song choice for her, because she starts off really slow but just as in the original version, the tempo picks up part-way through and things really get moving on stage. Just as with David Cook's performance, Syesha looks like she's having a lot of fun with this song. I am very impressed with this first performance from Syesha.

Jason Castro - singing "I Shot the Sheriff" by Bob Marley. Okay, I think when most people think of this song, they are most familiar with the cover done by Eric Clapton (then again, maybe not. But at least for me, I think more of Clapton's version over anyone elses). So this should be interesting to see how Jason interprets Marley's original version. Just as the judges said, it was just okay for me. The arrangement was pretty crazy at times and Jason seemed to flounder on some of the notes. I will say this, however, he did inject a funky, soulful vibe to it and that made it interesting to listen to. He does sound "airy" at times, as if he's breathing too much while trying to sing at the same time. But I think that's actually how Jason typically sounds. I thought it was decent, but definitely not blown away. The judges absolutely hated it and it'll be interesting to see how Jason's able to compose himself for the next song.

David Archuleta - singing "Stand by Me" by Ben E. King. Great song choice for David because it's a very recognizable song and many generations of people are familiar with it. That could prove to be a double-edged sword, however. Because it is such a popular and well-known song, if he doesn't do well with it, the karaoke reference will be appropriately used. But I am confident that Archie will be able to pull this one off. It starts off really great; actually quite amazing. The vocals are superb and the Stevie Wonder-like runs he does are spectacular. And did anyone else catch the brief injection of Sean Kingston's "Beautiful Girls" into the song towards the end? That was such a genious move! In fact, as the performance ends, I get chills. It was absolutely amazing. Finally, FINALLY, a moment to rival "Imagine." It also looked like he was having fun on stage which also added to the moment. Absolutely superb.

David Cook - singing "Baba O'Reily" by The Who. So Cookie starts off round two with a song more suited for him. That's not to say "Hungry Like the Wolf" wasn't a good choice for him, but it didn't allow him to do his usual vocal masterpiece. It actually sounds quite soulful to start off and he's also playing the guitar. Usually his performances are the best when he's strumming away on the guitar. This is sounding REALLY good. It definitely blows away his first song by a mile. It also seemed like he injected more personality into this song, which is definitely a plus. I am not totally familiar with the original, but to me, this sounded much more current and contemporary. The judges are absolutely loving it and rightfully so. He really rocked out with that song choice.

Syesha Mercado - singing "Change is Gonna Come" by Sam Cooke. Wow, a change of wardrobe for Syesha and she's looking even more elegant than before. I tell ya, she really looks great with her hair straightened like that. So Syesha chooses a ballad for round two which allows her to take her time on the vocals and hit those powerful notes littered throughout the song. She's definitely having no trouble with this one and it appears she knows it well. She is clearly showing off her vocal power with those higher notes, albeit sounding a bit strained at times. She also sounds a bit screechy but not nearly as bad as earlier in the competition. This might not have been quite as good as her first song choice - but it is still a very solid performance.

Jason Castro - singing "Mr. Tambourine Man" by Bob Dylan. I was really looking forward to Jason's take on this song because "Mr. Tambourine Man" is a true classic. But partway into the song, he makes a terrible blunder - one we've seen fairly recently on "Idol." Jason forgets the lyrics to the song!! The first two words I write on my notes for Jason's performance are "He's sunk." And I thought he was doing quite decent up until that point. After that, I really didn't pay much attention to the performance because honestly, what's the point? His first song was just okay and forgetting the lyrics to his second song will not help him at all. Now if his first song was superb, maybe, then maybe Jason could be saved. But two performances that are just blah will not cut it. I really don't see how Jason could be spared after this week.

David Archuleta - singing "Love Me Tender" by Elvis Presley. From the rumor mill in Internet-land, Archie is actually doing a cover of this song by Norah Jones, which will be more of an acoustic sound. I'm actually kind of nervous for David because I don't want him to see what happened to Jason throw him off. He starts off the song in a different position than usual; sitting on a stool in the center of the stage. He is singing the song ... well, quite tender, actually. It shows off a more vulnerable, pure side to him (not that he already isn't). It's basically acoustic but with the piano playing in the background. David comments in the video prior to his performance that he's never tackled a truly "romantic" song. But he definitely pulls this one off without a hitch. He had a bit of a hiccup with the last note which was quite high for David's standards, but he's definitely going to be okay. By far, the best two performances of the night and just as Simon said, he crushed the competition. Way to go David!!

My goodness, I am more pumped after tonight's American Idol performance show than I've been in some time. I guess it's probably because David Archuleta did so great tonight and I am absolutely ecstatic that he did so well. In my last blog, I said that unless Archie really blows away the competition, David Cook will win it. Well I am happy to say that tonight, David A. blew away the competition and he is once again the favorite to win! Oh man, the David vs. David finale is going to be so epic, especially if these two keep duking it out the next couple of nights. So for tonight's Rock 'n Roll Hall of Fame night, I'll give it a rating of nine out of ten. Have I shown off enough Archie love for one night in this blog? I know, I know, I shouldn't be so blatent with it, but this is one night I've been waiting for for awhile. It's great to see David Archuleta finally step it up and blow away the competition. I don't want to say he hasn't been great since the top 12 because he has (okay, except for "We Can Work it Out"). But I think he's been too consistent and hasn't really mixed up the arrangements of the songs or made them original much. However, after tonight, nobody can say that now. Here's tonight's contestant rakings!

#1: David Achuleta - best of the night (by a mile!)
#2: David Cook
#3: Syesha Mercado
#4: Jason Castro - eliminated (eliminated - 5/7/08)

So there you have it; the top 4 is now in the books. And if the voting holds up and Jason is sent packing, we won't have an all-male final three like I had originally thought a few weeks back. Syesha is waaaaaaaay more deserving to be in the top three than Jason, so if Jason is spared tomorrow, I will call blasphemy like you've never seen. It's time for people to vote for people with the best vocals each and every night they perform. That is so crutial at this stage of the game. Vote for David Archuleta, vote for David Cook, and vote for Syesha Mercado. But for the love of god, DO NOT vote for Jason Castro. He deserves to go after tonight!

Be sure to check in tomorrow after the results for an update to this blog. Until then, see you next time!

American Idol 7 - Random Thoughts

It's another three days until the top four performers sing again on American Idol, but that doesn't mean I haven't thought about the show. I've got a few thoughts that I'd like to share with you about the show and one of them is regarding the voting process that takes place each and every week. American Idol relies on viewers to call into "866" toll free numbers to place votes for their favorite contestants. Either that, or viewers can also send text votes for their favorites. But those two methods are the only way viewers can vote for their Idols. Voting via phone is also restricted to just American viewers of the show. Just think how many votes each contestant could receive if they accepted international votes? I realize that's probably not an economical thing to do and it could possibly sway the votes for a contestant that has ties or ancestry with a particular international country. But think of the possibilities that could exist if people internationally could also vote for singers on American Idol. The show is already broadcast around the world as it is; why not let the international folks vote, too?

I think one of the things that is dogging the show at this point in time is having the competition turn into a popularity contest. Let's be honest, for most of this season, the worst singers left have stuck around for far too long compared to those with really good vocals. You can make the case that Syesha Mercado belongs in the top four based on the past few weeks. But prior to that, did she really have any memorable performances worthy of her sticking around for as long as she has? And how about Jason Castro. The last two weeks have not been stellar weeks for him and only a couple of his performances were truly memorable since he's been in the top 12. The same can be said for Brooke White (who left this week) and for Kristy Lee Cook who lasted far longer than a lot of people imagined. Meanwhile, exceptional singers like Michael Johns and Carly Smithson get the boot far sooner than anticipated. I know they always preach about voting, voting, and voting and not to let your favorite go sooner than they ought to. But voting over and over again for two straight hours week in and week out gets to be rather tedious. This is why I think there should be a change in the voting process with American Idol.

Now I don't follow Dancing with the Stars all that closely, but sometimes I can't avoid watching it (particularly if I'm over at my parents). I don't know the exact voting procedures that are in place, but from what I've heard, voting takes place not only by phone, but through the internet. So for those people who don't want to keep dialing their phones, the internet could be another option. Also the judges on Dancing with the Stars have a say in who gets to stay and who goes. I know their votes are only a certain percentage of the overall pie, but they do have a say. Now I realize this will probably be a difficult task for Paula Abdul if the judges ever get to have a say as to who did the best because she usually thinks all of them do well. But I think it's something that needs to be looked at. American Idol is trying to reach out to fans and ask what they can do better to keep the viewers interested and not bailing out each season. I've witnessed the public outcry on various internet message boards after a favorite like Michael Johns or Carly Smithson gets voted out. Some people vow never to watch the show ever again. Chris Daughtry's shocking elimination in season five was the most surprising moment in the show's history. I think some people haven't even recovered from that incident and it's already been two years. I think you will see that ever since season five, the ratings for the show have been on a gradual decrease. I know it makes the show unpredictable when there's a shocking elimination, but for the overall integrity of the show, I don't believe it's necessarily a good thing. It turns people off and they never watch the show again.

One thing that has bugged me about this season is the lack of any contemporary and current songs. In season's past, we've had a Billboard Top 100 songs week and even during Country Week, contestants have sung current country hits. That has largely been lacking this season and it's been a big disappointment for me. I mean sure, we were able to see contestants sing recent songs during the auditions and Hollywood Week, but ever since then, current songs have been lacking from the competition. I realize that there's more difficulty in trying to gain the rights to sing these songs, but for the majority of those artists, they are more than willing to comply because it gives their songs more exposure. But the producers of the show seem to be more reluctant to go that route now and that's unfortunate. That's not to say songs from the 60's, 70's and 80's aren't great because there are a countless number of classics during those decades. But it would be nice to hear a contemporary week for a change. I guess having the Idols sing Mariah Carey songs is about as contemporary as they come this season.

So as things are shaping up, it appears we are in store for a David vs. David finale. This is exactly what I want and I think having both David's in the finale will be extremely good for the show. You are pitting two contestants that are largely opposite of each other but perform exactly how they intend to perform each and every week. They are staying true to who they are and they have coveted the largest fanbases of any contestants this season. Unless David Archuleta is able to pull off an amazing, heartfelt performance like he did with Imagine during the semi-final round, I just don't see him winning the overall crown. David Cook has been leading the votes every week since Idol Gives Back (according to Dial Idol) and his songs have been consistently number one compared to all the other Idols on iTunes. He is truly the front runner and I believe the only way he can be defeated is if he majorly screws up between now and the finale (i.e. messing up his lyrics or sounding incredibly bad). That's not to say I wouldn't like Archie to win the entire thing because I would. He's been my favorite ever since the semi-finals and I really believe he's deserving of the title. But if he ends up being the runner-up (or is shockingly eliminated in the next couple of weeks), I still believe he will be alright and get a record deal out of this experience. As I said, he has a tremendous fanbase that is especially loyal and will follow him throughout his post-Idol journey. But whichever David ends up winning, I'll be happy either way.