OMG, it’s just amazing. David can act! Those smoldering, longing looks. What a great talent he is! Just perfect. Go David! We love you EVEN MORE if that’s possible.

Woohoo! Welcome, marmalade! And what a perfect occasion — the preview of David’s first music video!

OMgosh, that look, that smile he gives that girl at the end….THUD

EXCELLENT FIRST VIDEO EXCELLENT!

THUD
THUD
THUD

hey ronaldsf — what are you doing, gunning for my job? What an awesome review!! I know your “work” elsewhere and I’m thrilled to have you commenting here

Eeeeeeeeeeek!!!!!!

*recovers from brief fainting spell.*

Okay, I so did not expect it to come out today! Where was I? I had no knowledge this was debuting already?! What? Wasn’t this supposed to have aired on TRL? Did it already?!

Thanks, rascal, for posting. Wow!

Okay, now to critique: I like it! I like that the video director likes putting his camera up in David’s face (hmmm, gay much? Hardly any focus on the girl who is the object of desire in the song! Ha!)

Love, love, LOVE that shot of David at his piano by the lake. That is a screen saver!

I’m surprised there isn’t much focus on the interaction between David and the girl, but I do love the shots of him singing in earnest. It does kind of play up his shyness, and he’s really cute in this one!

This is a great debut! Good for him! And for us!

Okay, forget all my fears and worries. Jive is totally making sure that they’re going full speed ahead with David, now that they’ve decided to premiere his video during the last week of the Idol tour.

Smart move!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HdQFwSeUnBw

Here’s a better version…less shaking.

ha! ha! ha! ha! ha! hilarious post, hello gorgeous. Speaking of that verbotten topic, did you notice how when he’s looking out at the lake when the kids are swimming it looks at first like he’s watching the GUY?? LOL. She’s in the background on the raft or whatever, but I had to watch it two or three times to see that. And of course the only skin we get is male (well, we know it wasn’t gonna be David!!).

All joking aside, I thought he did beautifully. Totally in the moment, completely relaxed, and really looks like he’s singing the crap outta that tune.

Yay David!! (fangirl much tonight?!?)

OH MY GOSH!!! I LOVE IT! I am bawling like the big baby I am when it comes to David! I am soooooo happy for him! This is just what we needed today after a couple of downer blogs from the previous rascal articles!!!
I will never get tired of it!!!
Thank you rascal…you came through again!!!

Rascal, I did notice that, and I think it is suppose to look like that. As if, what is he doing, and I wish it were me kind of reaction. That’s my take on it.

rascal….how did you get it before any other sites??? Cause no other site has it yet? Oh you are a rascal, aren’t you??

And as far as David shedding his clothes..I recall a long while back, an LDS member said David will NEVER be shown shirtless. Dang!! But we can IMAGINE, can’t we?!

Hi rascal!! *waves*

I LOVE so many of your posts and I have been a closet fan of yours for a long time. (Actually, not so closet – I’ve reposted a whole bunch of quotes of yours in the “Artist” thread on IDF and elsewhere haha.)

Yeah, well I love your posts because I think I’m totally with you on your “take” on Archie. I wish I had time to write more, what with law school and community activist commitments that I have, and so it is only on rare occasions that I burst out with a post that’s more of a “review” and not simply casually adding to a conversation.

But when I saw this video I was like WOW. This is exactly what Jive should be doing! I was wired that I wrote that entire thing after seeing it only once!

And I totally agree with what people have been saying about him being a natural on camera. Then I realized it shouldn’t really be a surprise — it’s the same reason he’s a natural on the performing stage: it’s that he gets behind the music and has a very specific sense of “where he’s going” with a song. He had already prepared himself for it in choosing the song, then recording it and refining it. He already knew what “Crush” meant to him.

Although given the time rush and how I suspect these sorts of things usually go, the director probably conceived of the concept and propelled the execution, it is clear that David and the director were at least on the same “wavelength” when it came to this video.

I am so thrilled for David. I think this video is spectacular! It sets a perfect tone (so to speak) for his debut single. And, as usual, the camera loves him. I tell you, David really knows how to get into character. He totally nails the angst in the lyrics.

There is also a nicely subtle moment in which the other male characters quickly hop out of the lake, leaving the girl behind. David does a decidedly ‘David Archuleta shoulder-shrug’ and offers a hand to help his ‘crush’ out of the lake. Not that his ‘crush’ is helpless, it is just a kind thing to do.

I agree that Jive is highlighting his uniqueness. Oh, I know David is not an angel, nor would I want him to be. However, I am glad the young women of today have a handsome, intelligent, talented, passionate, witty, and compassionate alternative to the James Cagney-grapefruit-in-the-face tough guys of yesteryear. (Haven’t we had enough of the ‘bad boys’ and misogynist lyrics?)

I’m sure, on repeated watching, we’ll all discover even more nuances. This video tells a great story and it is really fun to watch. I am so proud and happy for David.

I hate it uploaded when I sleep (joke only. don be serious), god knows I went to bed last night at 2am… I hate more my company has blocked YouTube… I have to wait until tonight. Too bad!!!

to 24…Thats the best David moment…so very him, when he helps her out of the lake..just love him,I wonder if he thought of that??????

Sigh. Watched it again, and that killer smile he flashes at Hagood at the end is truly something to behold!

I haven’t felt this exhilarated and squeeish about a music video since the first time I saw Michael Jackson’s “Billie Jean.” Wow, how these feelings bring back memories.

I’m in my 30s so I know I’m revealing my age when I say that, but, yes, Billie Jean was the first music video I ever saw. I think I was 9, and I was at my babysitter’s who had cable TV and access to MTV, and me and a bunch of older kids were glued to the TV set when Michael Jackson showed up in those knee-high pants. Everyone in the house let out a collective scream! And that was even before he did that incredible dance.

How times have changed, where it’s not on MTV but You Tube, that I’m watching a music video with baited breath. And this time, I’m sharing the moment with our online community. Did we all let out a virtual collective scream too?

If so, then this can only bode well for David’s future! What a moment!

Hi all. I’ve been a longtime reader & admirer of this site (lurker sounds too negative), but this is my first time to post here. I am seriously ODD like all of you & am grateful for the affinity I have found here & on FOD. I LOVE the Crush video for the reasons many of you have stated … it is so purely David … so sweet & innocent, yet simultaneously full of passion. One question … Do you all notice a difference in the sound? David’s voice sounds so much clearer to me on the video than on the single & there seems to be a better balance between his voice & the background music/vocals. Is there really a difference in the quality or is just because we can see his gorgeous face while we listen to his voice that makes it seem different?? There is such a connection between his voice/his physical body/his soul – the whole package is almost too much to handle!

Jive definitely deserves credit for letting David be David. I will also say that David probably would not do anything that’s ultimately not David regardless (that would be my hunch) because of the strength and solid sense of self that he possesses that have been already discussed here. Jive deserves credit for being wise to allow David not only greater creative say in the music that will be produced for his debut album (not something that’s typically done according to industry experts, right?), but to also accord him the respect that might usually be reserved for older artists in making his first music video. It is a very smart move. Let David’s person and character determine the course rather than applying a formula that’s expected to work for a teen, any teen. Simply David is not any teen.

Rascal – this is why I love your site – you can put into words (very succinctly, I might add) exactly what I’m thinking. Reading your eloquent essays has rekindled my love of words as much as hearing David’s singing has reawakened my passion for music. I am truly grateful.

Rascal as always your the bomb. I just want to scream from the roof tops this video is wonderful. I’ve watched it 15 times in the last 10 minutes and still can’t believe how wonderfully adorable he is. This kid has it all. God love him.
Jive records obviously cares about David and understands his gift. This is brilliant. David has to be thrilled with the final cut. Not only is his record a hit, but I’ll bet this video becomes the most watched in record time just like his record did. wow

My heart stood still. What a fantastic video. Does this not just take you back to high school and those shy glances and yearning for the crush of the month or year? Now I know why he is so great on stage while he is singing-he is a consummate actor who feels all the words he sings. He understands the smallest nuances because he is a natural.

I love the piano by the water-and the reflections because this is a reflective video. He is looking, remembering and wondering. Hagood is excellent although who can help having a crush on David. I love his chagrined look as the guy takes her into the water but then his exasperated hand before he helps her out. He looks with shyness yet intensity. She should be fainting-his glances have turned fans into mush. And David plays the guitar-we wanted to see that.

Who hasn’t been with a group playing games hoping to connect with your current crush. I love how he moves her bangs so the sticky note doesn’t get caught in her hair (he would do that because he is David) but that is romance. True romance is thoughtfulness and gentleness. This truthfully is a very romantic video and hopefully there are young men across this nation taking lessons.

The time on the porch is priceless and that glance and smile just lights up the world and sends all our hearts pitty patting. I love that we get to see David singing Crush because I love to watch him sing. But it also helps build the tension as we wait for another encounter. His reflective moments are also just hot hot hot!!! I love that the video ends with a playfulness between them as she takes the guitar. They are not so full of angst anymore and will see where this crush goes.

It’s out of the ball park David James Archuleta! Jive truly does appreciate you as a person . I guess we fans thought we are the only ones who really knew you. I can’t wait to buy the video and the album will be out of sight.

Hi everybody! I can hardly type in a straight line on a ho-hum day, but today… whoa NELLY! Isn’t the video beyond PERFECT? I just wanted to say — I hadn’t seen anybody mention this, but this is not an official release, this is a LEAKED video. I’ve no idea who leaked it, but I can’t help thinking this was intentional (Jive)… and I’m determined to believe that this leak will in no way hurt David. I LOVE THIS VIDEO!

And, Susan, that Bridgeport “Angels” is just STUNNING!

#41 Susan, you just beat me to it; i was just about to post your same suggestion; can u believe that Angels? That is my favorite song of the 4; the runs in the middle are such perfection and after countless “listenings” of this song, I still get goosebumps hearing it. Please Angels, go listen to it!!! His eyes are absolutely glistening/twinkling like stars and great close-ups of his gorgeous face! Sheesh, tonight is THE night to celebrate David in all his glory!!!!!!!!

Guys, do you really think anyone but JIVE leaked this? Besides, music videos don’t hurt sales, they drive them up. The timing of this, with the Idol tour coming to an end, is absolutely perfect!

I am so happy about this video. Aahh the innocence of youth! (okay I’m 27 but still!) Those were the days. I think the director (wherever his sensibilities may lie) really captured the vibe of this song. Part pangs of longing, part carefree summer romance or bromance (whichever), and he seemed to really get DA. Thank God it’s not pure cheeseball (although I did get a little bit of a Dawson’s Creek vibe from it), but who am I kidding I used to love the creek!ha.. The looks are pretty priceless, and the piano on the dock…Stellah! hello gorgeous- totally agree that a well timed video leak can only help the single, but probably not a ton. The chart stuff on mjs blog is not nearly as discouraging as I first thought. “Crush” actually just debuted on several charts this week, and its slow and steady momentum upwards in others (besides BB100) is pretty on par for a pre-album release. (I love charts!)

No, HG, I do NOT think anybody but JIVE leaked this… lol… and I’m very happy in my happy place now. :p

(Downloaded vid… put on slo-mo, continuous loop… *thud*)

Yeah, He’s “checking” his buddies. Like, come on guys, you leavin’ her like that! It’s PERFECTLY DAVID!

I wonder what David is thinking of this “leak” if he even knows about it.

I was so excited that I immediately sent the link to a few of my friend/colleagues from work telling them in the subject line: I don’t really care if you roll your eyes at me (because they do! sadly). I was bursting with joy I wanted the whole world to see it! It is a great video that really expresses the song, but best of all, David looks amazing. We all know what a happy smiley person he is, but boy, when he looks serious, he looks downright sexy! He looks older in the close up shots.

If they haven’t tweaked the balance between his voice and the background music in the video, it must be seeing David actually singing the words, the lyrics for the first time that makes the song that much more powerful. Anyway, I’m just so happy. I hope David is too and doesn’t mind that we saw it already.

loved the video, aside from the obvious pointed out by rascal already there were 2 “moments” that stuck for me.

1st was was the intense look in his eyes when he was singing GOOOOOOO (see capture)
http://img110.imageshack.us/my.php?image=davidarchuletacrushvidetw9.png

2nd was after the singing was finished at the very end of the video, his crush takes his guitar away from him as if to say “don’t hide behind your music, i see YOU, i like YOU”. as already mentioned in other comments, this video did a great job presenting david as david not as some slick performer and this ending seemed to be a message from the producers, his management and the director to david saying “you are fantastic as you are, be yourself and be confident in yourself”.

When my partner in crime, Sheryl, called me to ask me if had seen the video….. I thought she was talking about the videos from the night before which were awesome. David is back. He looks happy, livelier and his voice is almost 100%. Then I thought she would be talking about the VMAs that were on. I can’t remember exactly what she said after that, something like….. they posted early. My brain was trying to work as fast as a 47 year brain could work at the end of a long day.

I was trying so hard to get on the computer as fast as I could, but neither my fingers nor the computer were cooperating. Either Shyrl said Music Video or I anticipated it or something because my stomach was jumping up and down, side to side and every which way. DANG IT, DANG IT! My stomach Hurry up computer.

Finally… what pops up on my computer screen…..

OH MY GOSH! OH MY GOSH! NOW I WAS JUMPING ON MY CHAIR. I WAS SQUEEEEEEELING! TEARS ROLLING DOWN MY FACE. I WAS CRYING AND LAUGHING AT THE TIME.

My 10 year son kept asking me, are you crying mom? I couldn’t answer cause if I did, I would have cried even harder. He kept asking me something — I guess the same question — I tuned him out — bad mother or just plain HYPNOTIZE AND MESMERIZED!!!

Back to my crying, squeelling, jumping up and down. Oh my Gosh I kept wathing over and over again. David looks amazing in the video. The shots that they took of him were so HYPNOTIZING AND MESMERIZING! The walk towards the paino, the playing of the playing, the guitar — all great shots!! The passion he shows on the front portch with his fist pumped and his movement in rythm with the song….. it’s so…… okay I’ll say it ‘SEXY’, “HOT”

I really LOVE this video. I was expecting nothing less from David. I am so happy he was able to do his Music Video the DAVID ARCHULETA WAY!! I am also extremely happy that Jive Records have respected David’s wishes. At least that’s what it looks like.

CONGRATULATIONS DAVID! YOU DID AN AWESOME, AMAZING, INCREDIBLE, FANTASTIC JOB ON YOUR 1ST, AND MANY, MANY MORE TO COME, MUSIC VIDEO!!

hahaha….I just knew there would be Angels, ArchAngels & “DavidManFans” going out of our heads and falling in love all over again with DAVID JAMES ARCHULETA, SINGER-ACTOR. Coming next…..Composer??? YES, I buh-lieve
so!!! I’m at a loss for words….how many more surprises are we in store for?
hello gorgeous, I’m happy you’re feeling much better about where and what Jive will do for David….obviously, one thing they did was “leak” the video ahead of time. Very smart move.

Can you imagine the excitement at the four concerts that are left?! Oh my gosh, I can’t wait to see David on Thursday! But it will be a whole new vibe at the barricades…I buh-lieve there will be more people trying to get a glimpse of David after seeing the Video, even if they don’t go to the actual concert, they will be at the barricades before & after. This will be a chance of a lifetime to see David up close..so expect many, many more fans & converts as well as many more security guards….I kinda feel bad for the other Idols….they must be like…what about us…we’re here too!!

Oh Diana I think those smoldering looks may just be a bit intentional!I do agree that he may be unaware of just how charming he is, but I’ll say it again. The guy is pretty dang self aware..He knows whassup!
silverfoxe- I actually felt that the ‘others’ were kinda having the ‘what about us?’ feeling the other night. They were all really nice and funny and each had a few of their die-hards but the huddled masses were huddled around ‘the voice’ (I know you like that term..me too). I could have just stood there and watched him interacting with people all night. I did want to tell Carly how awesome she was too. But it really was the DA show, especially since Cook wasn’t there.

A couple of things more:
1. Some portions/lyrics are not in sync with his lips — am sure they can adjust that
2. His guitar playing would have been believable if his right hand was poised into real chords or tab placements. As it is, it is not believable. I mean how hard is it to strike an A or E to make it more realistic. For those who know how to play the instrument (I do) and are inching to nitpick on David — this would even be a source of ridicule.

How do they say it – God is in the details?

“He knows whassup!” JesseQ you crack me up! Oh you are so 27! LOL!! It’s a compliment. You are so right, I think David is very self-aware, shy but self-aware, or he wouldn’t have walked right up to the camera to apply the chapstick on his (luscious) lips like he did in that now famous Chapstick II video. Archulicious! as someone said somewhere.

jackryan4DA, I love the close-ups! A softer glow wouldn’t be bad either because David would look great regardless but I enjoy the intensity that’s a bit hard edge, maybe not a quality we associate with David but I liked this new dimension.

Just a little segway from the ‘Crush-uleta’ video. Don’t know if this was posted already, but I came accross this funny suggestive… Ahem..Actually obvious “take” on the Chapstick vid. I am posting this link at my own peril! Anyone who can only think of David as ‘pure as the driven snow,’ don’t watch, and don’t shoot the messenger.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=palFCfSsXJk

I think this would be the European version of a DA chapstick commercial..

JesseQ!!!!!

You bad boy, you!!! That is one SEXY video and I just LOVED it! The pic at 1:02 ( David in the black suit )…oh lord…I may be a “golden oldie” but I’m not dead yet!!! I know SEXY when I see it and this whole video is hotter than the hottest jalapeno! And the music….ahem!!

(David’s mom…..if you see this…someone else is using my blog name!!)

lol silverfoxe! Nitey nite!

Hey Beebs! I guess Josie is taking a little self imposed time-out from DA land..Ha. Daughter off to college..General life duties that people like myself seem to be neglecting as of late.
And I’m with you silverfoxe or imposter of silverfoxe, if Lupe is reading this, its really not me but actually a very witty, cute imposter of JesseQ. lol

32 – Yes, I noticed that right away, the mix seems much improved. Not sure if that’s due to familiarity with the song now, or seeing David sing it—or if it’s truly remixed… again. David being a perfectionist, I would vote for the latter. Yes, I think it *is* better.

That acesshowbiz article is peculiar—sounds like a bad translation or someone from another country writing it—and the video actually has not “just been dropped”, unless Jive is releasing on YouTube now That was a curious article. Maybe Jive is so tricky, they’re pulling a branch along the path behind them, to cover their tracks.

tomsuzuki, wonderful interpretation of taking the guitar away at the end! Yes!

jackryan4DA, yes, noticed the faked guitar playing too, everything is so intense and believable (and intensely believable!), except for that oversight. But with all that steam rising, it probably won’t be noticed by more than about 3 people!

OMGosh, “Archulicious”, “Crush-uleta”, love it! Clever, clever notingdaviders.

69, 73… oh, were there bare-chested men in the video? I didn’t notice (huge lol). No kidding— don’t really need anyone but David in the vid, even with how many layers of clothes on?! Quite astonishing, when you think about it. (And then again, not. Has David ever been anything less than astonishing?)

Jesse, Jesse, Jesse….. ***GAH!!!!!*** Can’t *begin* to be more articulate about THAT one!!

And those who saw it as David looking at the guy, I didn’t see it that way at all, even the first time. It was like “guys, what’s wrong with you??!” … the shrug… then he helps her out. But it’s true, there didn’t seem to be much chemistry with the girl, or maybe it’s just that she’s not a very strong actor, David is SUCH a captivating presence, she would have really needed to step up her game, she just seems to blend in with the trees or something.

But in the end, it’s all good because David is so, soooo… SO… SOOOOOOO… Oh dang, it’s hard to keep this review G-rated!!!! (Hi Lupe!)

Silverfoxe – all the versions that I see now are the better ones… i saw the the not in sync portion in the msn version i think and it is now gone. But probably it was all the shaking? Vid was shaking, i was shaking haha!!

And re the guitar – sorry didn’t want to be a wet blanket but I can’t help — it is a carry over of my job which demands that I see both the big picture and the details… plus it is a musical instrument and I want it to be authentic for David’s sake. I see that djasgirl share the same concern…although he did play it djas! The strumming was good, it was the position of his fingers on the tab that looked ridiculous!

Vemeer I like his intense look but the softer glow I was looking for were for specific parts. Like when he mouthed “what a rush, what a rush” — that supposed to evoke pleasurable sensation, you know that brief exhilaration! But his eyebrows were furrowed — so the message is not carried, a disconnect…

But am not putting this on David! After all, this is his 1st time and he did very well overall. Am gunning for the director who should have coaxed him for variety in expressions for the close-ups cos it is all about David in those precious scenes and they were within the 1st 20 secs of the vid.

But my heart melted when I saw David’s expression at sec 30-32 – cos it was a non-singing part that required subtle acting from him and he totally pulled it off! Ah that sigh, matched by the heady eyes and raised brows…. I totally know that feeling! I was transported and that was just 2-3 secs — see what I mean?

My 2nd favorite part of the video is at the end… when his crush was taking away the guitar from him, and him letting it slide off him,ever so slowly…. so symbolic – and it’s not what you may think JesseQ, haha! thud!

Gosh! I love this kid.

JesseQ, that video, holy makerel, you are not teasing the community here to make involuntary fangirly comments, are you? Look out for brickbats; not here but maybe elsewhere. We only use water cannon here and we enjoy getting wet. Many of us here are freakingly crazy and supremely silly and sometimes say those things here we dare only say in our dreams.

But I still can’t help commenting that it is a very sexy video, and David is sooooo adorable and I like David in that black suit too, Silverfoxe, he is so…….

JesseQ#68, that video…BWAHAHA!!!

Oh, the hotness! And that choice of song…brilliant!

I can only imagine how adorably embarrassed David would be – “Oh My Gosh!” – if he knew all these You Tube videos of his “Chapstick moment” are now all over the place!

The part of the first screen cap got me, too. His facial expressions are fantastically on the money! It took me by surprise.

Oh JesseQ — bwahahahaha… as if the arch angels do not have enough thudding going around… naughty naughty you!

David will rue the day he played the chapstick game hahahaha

JesseQ that video was amazing!

If you don’t mind I linked it over at IDF!

very good, very smart directorial job! very honest, natural, refreshing and oh so simply affecting! in short, very archuleta indeed! whoooooooooooooo! the kid is gonna be so huge! what a pure, special and generous talent! the perfect, refreshing talent that big time messed up hollywood is in dire need of! you go go go go go david james! whooooooooooooooo!

WOW is right. I finally got to see the video – your link at $49 rascal. Don’t know why I often get the message that the video is unavailable.

One nuance at the 1:14- 1:15 mark is David’s slight head movement. It’s like “oh, I got caught looking” kind of thing. Truely David.

Now back to reading the rest of the posts…

Just watched the videos…first “MY TEENAGE SENSATION”…oh my lord in Heaven…forgive me!! Then I TRIED to come back down to earth and some sanity & watched “CRUSH”….still floating, still up in the clouds! My FOUNTAIN of YOUTH did it again!!

Dang it…whoever you are…stop using my blog name!! Lupe I’m sooo sorry!

Jeff, I’m…oh well you know I’m “harmless”! haha!

JesseQ..did I thank you! Well then, THANK YOU!

Silverfoxe, How long has someone been using your blog name and how are you able to edit your posts? I’ve thought people were using your blog name as far back as mid-august. Very strange, but don’t worry, we all love you and think you’re great!

Just to balance things out, here’s a sweet da video. He’s just so dang nice, and knows exactly what to say. MJ on mjsbigblog has awesome videos of last night also. Oh -silverfoxe you are totally welcome. Anytime!
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oGrkTpeOlp4&eurl=http://fansofdavid.com/
OK I need to actually work for a little while. If I ever wantto go to a concert again I’m gonna need the moolah. Maybe the 19th???

thatguycansing…huh? what? someone is using my blog name??? Oh, the nerve of some people! And editing the posts at the same time…..very smart whoever you are! I heard you are kinda freaky…”cruising”?? Wanting to PATENT David as your “Fountain of Youth”?? (Well…that’s not too bad) but
you need to stop now before rascal “reins” me, uh..you in!!

I didn’t know even men are so into David lol. JesseQ and others, you make me laugh. Does liking David so much make you guys feel weird? Just wondering. That’s the power of David. I heard from other fans that at the before and at the after concert signings, there are lots of men wanting David’s autograph. I bet if men in general are as open to their feelings are most of you here, I bet you can have a blog for men-only-fans of DA ha ha. Women and girls love him too.

Anyway, since a lot of you talk how beautiful his smile, his eyes, and everything about him. I think you would want to watch this video created by a fan. It’s one of my favorites. It’s done very well.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4xeN51wPh-E

What a treat! Thanks again Rascal!! I appreciate the previous comments and am also thrilled that this seems to capture David’s wonderful personality, with much respect for who he is. I am so proud of this guy!! Can’t wait to share this around!!

JesseQ, thanks for the video link at #98. David is so sweet and appreciative. And he even asked Pecan Pie “Can I give you a hug?”. She must have been so stunned that she did not say “Yesssssssssss” and she just kept on with her ramblings. Poor girl, what an opportunity lost.

#106 Diana …. Look FOD . David at least RUN after Pecan Pie to GIVE her that hug …..hmmmmmmmmm !!!!!!!

Hi Ely #102! *waves*

No, liking David does not make THIS guy feel weird.

Just as liking girls DOES make me feel weird lol

I’ve loved watching David’s journey from the beginning. I have also loved this site for a very long time with all it’s wonderfully eloquent cast of characters (spearheaded by Rascal) from adoring to caring to hilarious to freaky and everything in between. I love the video because I think it didn’t need to be a masterpiece, it just needed to get David and the song right. Oh and did I mention that I LOVE David Archuleta and that’s an awful lot of love for this New Englander to be expressing publicly, but I just can’t help myself today!

#102, haha–liking David does not make a lot of guys feel weird. I’m not sure if David is aware of it or not yet, but he has a strong straight — and gay — male following.

jackryan4DA #78, I’ll watch my downloaded video (thank goodness I have it) when I get home and look for the furrowed brows and see. It’s interesting that though we all are crazy about David, we respond in very specific ways to different parts of the video. No tomato throwing at someone who is giving a sincere critique! like I might want to at that other guy whose name I won’t mention (that you mentioned!).

If I were to be critical of anything, it would be about what the stylist and hairdresser did with him. I would have preferred his hair not styled quite that way with the pointy part going up in the middle and while I love what he is wearing when he is at the piano, I’m not crazy about the combination of the red t-shirt and large striped jacket. It makes him look a bit frumpy at end of the video when he is sitting down with everybody. A tighter fitting shirt would have been far better as he has the physique to pull it off!

I don’t know anything about the music industry and how videos are made, budgets allotted etc. but I figured that if they could do this in one day, it must not be super high budget, so I’m not surprised if all these details you bring up that could be better are what happens. You can only do so much in one day. But still, it is pretty darn wonderful and great for David and his new single. I can’t say enough how happy I am for David. But It told me a lot too when I read in an interview with one of the cast members (Kate Slatery??) that no one introduced David to the cast and they shot one scene without any introduction. She took it upon herself to go up to him and introduce herself, then everyone else did, and after that, they were able to feel more comfortable with each other. I thought it sounded odd and kind of unprofessional of the director or whoever who is in charge (who would it be in a setting like this?) to neglect to do the most obvious and basic thing, introduction, so that everyone involved can connect with each other right away.

Here is a Crush music video link that worked for me just now:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=A_uWXceSjTY

I have never posted before, but Have decided to give it a go.
I have been a fan of David’s since January. I find him to be an extraordinary young man, and an incredible talent. New to the web, all of the comments and articles about him have been fun to read, for the most part.

I have to say, all of the fantasizing about David’s sexuality is pretty off base, to me. It is nobody’s business if he is gay or straight. I had hoped the labelling of David as a sex symbol could have waited for the tabloids, wher it will assuredly take place. But from his own ‘fans’? And not just to say one finds him sexy or attractive. Who would care? But to go on and on about how hot he maghtmake one feel, etc….How old are you folks? From a teen, it may be appropriate, but a guess here, most of you could be his parents, I’d bet!

I have read this blog from the beginning. I don’t see where the current thread re. the chapstick, is he gay innuendos, etc., supports or applauds this young mans achievements. If I read correctly, that was the initial purpose of this blog. What happened?

I think you all should take a moment to consider how your words would affect David. He doesn’t deserve to be treated with so much disrespect.

Maybe the answer is to create a separate blogs. One for applauding this incredible human being, and one for discussing him in a sexual manner. They are two entirely different subjects.

I knew there was a reason I was trying to be oh-so-subtle about the angle choices of the director and the way he managed to appeal to David’s diverse following of fangirls and fanboys in a very classy way. The subtleties actually allowed different fans to bring their own fantasies about David to the narrative. For this, I actually thought the director was brilliant in his choices!

Too bad some of us are so sensitive about these things. I was going to add a whole other critique about gay window-dressing and all that, but I certainly don’t want to scare anyone away. Sigh.

Anyway, Freo and others, if there is such a fansite where I could bring such a discussion to light, do let me know! Thanks!

Of course, rascal, if you’re open to this discussion, I’d be happy to oblige!

hello gorgeous — YES I am open to this discussion, and I am SCANDALIZED that it is not clear that I am!

Not that his other attributes hurt!

I can say that David would totally freak out if he came here and everywhere else and saw how people were discussing him. I am starting to feel sorry for him because with all the love that we fans are bringing him, we are also going to start making him feel self-conscious about every thing, every look, every natural laugh he had for everyone which will now be looked at from every angle and judged to be meaningful of something. This kid now has a great big target on his back and even we who love watching his journey are contributing to it all. This kid has been essentially quarantined for a year – away from all his friends, no free time to just hang out with others, nothing. Now, just because he is not as “socialized” as others (homeschooled half his life to start with) he is going to be lumped in one group or another and this is very, very sad to me. Some of these blogs are about things that are not our business and a little voyeristic (if there is such a word). Is there no place where David is totally respected?

Okay, Freo and rascal, since you asked for it. AHEM.

So, I’ve already hinted that the music video director has a bigger crush on David than on Hagood with all the close-ups and the nice way this video girl gets overlooked in her own video (at least, it seems to me).

Of course, this doesn’t necessarily reveal something of the director’s sexuality. He’s probably very aware of David’s diverse fanbase and is marketing to both. After all, knowing something about gay subtext, or gay window-dressing (for those of you not in the know, that’s just a hidden – sometimes, it’s more obvious, but it’s always subtle – way that gay audiences can read their own stories in the same film, video, commercial, music, etc. that is specifically marketed to straight audiences) it’s easy to see how the director can sell a story about a straight romance (the adolescent “crush” in the video) while creating an underlayer of homoerotica (the buff male bodies, the vague way that David seems to be looking at both the video girl and the guys swimming in the lake).

The way the love story is so subtle and vague, it allows for multiple narratives to occur at the same time, actually, and that seems very deliberate. This, of course, doesn’t mean that the director is making assumptions about David’s sexuality, but he is making ones about who is attracted to David, and David’s sex appeal is truly the universal kind. He’s got that soft masculinity thing going on that appeals to women and girls and men (gay and those few metrosexual straight guys who can admit to having man-crushes). The music video is designed to appeal to all of David’s audiences.

I could see a gay fanboy watching this video, drooling at the sight of David (like any of us straight fangirls) and that one instance where David, after getting out of the car, looks at Hagood with that awkward little shy smile of his, then looks at the guy next to him with the same smile, yep! There is his gay fantasy right there! He can totally rewrite the script and imagine the “crush” is one of the guys!

The swimming in the lake scene just drives this home further, especially when David at first looks like he’s checking out the shirtless guy in the lake (I swear to God his body is the first full view we get before we see Hagood floating by). Very easy for a gay boy to rewrite that script.

Of course, the straight romance narrative invites us to ignore this subtext because David immediately pulls Hagood out of the water because the guys have ignored her. How do we know, if we go by the gay storyline, that David isn’t flirting with one of the other guys by showing off how he knows how to act right by being nice to Hagood? Maybe the actions are for the guy’s benefit and not the girl’s! Ha!

And then, something even more subtle towards the end. There’s that scene where Hagood walks out on the porch to join David. And of course, that scene – especially with David’s sensuous killer smile that he flashes at her – seals the deal that this is a straight love scene. HOWEVER, upon closer inspection, we notice in the backdrop, a guy is hanging back in the house, looking out at them. It’s a point-of-view shot from one of the guys. It powerfully suggests that one of the guys is crushing on David, as he looks out at him on the porch. Are David and Hagood going to end up together, or is Hagood just a friend? And, more importantly, is she a friend who’s going to mediate between the two guys? After all, they’re not holding hands or kissing to fully seal the deal of the relationship. It’s very open-ended!

On the one hand, such a classy, subtle, and vague story appeals to the more socially conservative of his fans who don’t need things to be more suggestive than that.

On the other hand, it’s vague enough to allow for a different kind of romantic storyline to take place!

As I said, the subtleties are brilliant, and I think it shows the director’s sensitivity and willingness to appeal to all of David’s fans, so it works, I think.

This kind of critique is not meant to suggest anything about David’s sexuality at all (as an older woman projecting my own straight-girl fantasies on the adolescent David, I’m wise enough to not take any of this too seriously).

And, no, rascal, I wasn’t suggesting that you weren’t open to such a discussion. I just know that you’ve had your run-ins with some of David’s fans who are less than amused by any frank talk about sexual things.

Honestly, I’m concerned about those kinds of fans, for they remind me of people who are going to accept their idols conditionally. They strike me as people who would abandon David if he fails to live up to their moral codes.

I don’t mean to disrespect anyone but I think all this talk about the sexuality issue should be discussed in another forum. We may have bloggers (kids/teens/conservatives) here who may not be mature enough to comprehend the topic. I respect your “take on the video” but what if David were to read this, I think that would be uncomfortable on his part and considering his “innocence, he would be shocked.

Collegemom#128, it’s called being a celebrity. And something tells me that he’s grounded enough and self-aware enough to not be “freaked out” by the spazzing and ogling that occurs on his behalf.

And, honestly, just because the boy grew up in Utah, was supposedly “homeschooled” during part of his life, and goes to a Mormon church, does not mean he’s more “sheltered” than anyone else. I’ve read his blogs, seen his You Tube “favorite” videos (when he once provided access to his account when vlogging one summer), read his interviews, read about his personal MySpace pages, seen his “favorite” music videos and songs. He’s a regular 17 old boy! He listens to everything from gospel to pop to hip-hop!

He’s not that innocent! He’s not that naive. What I’ve learned about David is that, if he’s nice and sensitive, if he doesn’t curse, if he lives by a high moral code and work ethic, it’s because he chooses to do so! We can talk about how his faith and his parents have kept him “sheltered” or kept him “from dating” or having his “first kiss” and what have you. Guess what? In other interviews, David has revealed that his older sister and young brother (younger!) have had respective boyfriends and girlfriends. Which means that his parents permit him to have such relationships. If David has not had that experience, it’s because he chose not to! That’s all on him!

That doesn’t reveal anything about who David is sexually. It just reveals that he knows what he’s ready for and what his priorities are (music, which is the better for us).

We keep projecting onto David some kind of angelic “pure as the driven snow” type ideal, and, honestly, he’s a regular teen. Maturing at his own pace and thriving at a place where he can do what he does best. We’re blessed to have him in the limelight right now, and if some of you feel entitled to project a deified vision of him, then the rest of us should be just as entitled to project our own fantasies too, which might, just might, acknowledge his sensuality.

sgj, what I said to Collegemom also applies to you.

rascal, you’re most welcome! Thank you for allowing me your blog to share my thoughts.

#135 caseydog: That is a great quality video, it’s a totally different experience seeing “Crush” in such high definition. Thanks for the link.

That’s ok with me if some of the posters here don’t care to read further on this thread. I realize that these topics are not everyone’s cup of tea. I’ve been thinking about these topics for awhile now, and I’m glad to talk with others who understand the “queer” (see my post above) nature of David’s image and music.

I wanted to add some thoughts: I believe that one reason David has one fanbase sector that includes gay males is precisely because of the queer qualities. He reminds me of other musical icons such as Judy Garland, who also had similar fans because the artist could transgress stereotypical notions of male-female gender. It is empowering for certain audiences to be able to read their own interpretations of a text such as David’s video.

I certainly meant NO disrespect to anyone…

If there’s one thing that has been consistent in the experience of being a David Archuleta fan with NO AGENDA is that he will always (a) surprise and (b) exceed expectations. Bravo, David. Bravo.

I am really enjoying this discussion. David is a wonderfully complex human being. The first time I saw him on “Shop Around” I thought, who is this guy? he’s from a different age, a different time. It has been a wonderful journey since then and as time goes by, I’m admiring him more and more as an artist and as a luminous human being. I am so blessed to be along for the ride. As rascal said, “Bravo, David, Bravo.”

Oh! I almost forgot to respond to Awestruck’s comment #139. Just because the music video was a rushed job DOES NOT mean that the director didn’t plan out each scene thoroughly. That’s what professional filmmakers and video makers do. Which means that, in each shot, he carefully plotted how each person was going to look and how they were going to function. Everything else is improvisation.

Maybe the director didn’t know much, but they do work with the vision of what the label wants for the artist. This usually includes an understanding of the artist’s appeal and his fanbase.

Well, I don’t have time to read everybody’s comments, and I can’t wait to add my own. Maybe after reading I will understand what the last posts are all about.
The video simple put is A M A Z I N G!!
So David, so beautifully done, so tasteful, so youthful, so elegant, so David.
I am as happy as the day when I first listen to Crush.
I really loved seeing him playing the piano. It reminded me of Billy Joel too, and I am so glad they did not try to portray him as something he is not.
Having said, I will read everybody’s comments now.

OK hello gorgeous, I didn’t mean to imply that they were not being professonal. Please don’t take offense to my comments. It may be that I just don’t know enough about the way these things work. At any rate I sure do agree with your comments in #134, especially about giving David more credit.

JesseQ, I must have missed your #143. I totally agree that David would be more worried about us expecting too much, in his eyes anyway, and to know that he has the intelligence to see beyond our speculations and worry about what really matters.

I love David and I love the Crush video. I’ve really enjoyed this discussion of the holographic nature of the video, and how we, as viewers, can project our own storylines onto it. (I always had a tough time in Enlish Literature when discussing the symbolism of the various texts.)

I learn something here all the time . . . never knew about ‘gay window-dressing’  I have, though, had a chuckle about the FOD – ‘fans of David’ website and the similarity to the phrase ‘friends of Dorothy’. And Dorothy sang about rainbows . . . .

David has a universal appeal. He often wears T-Shirts with the word ‘Peace’ on it. Think he might be trying to tell us something?

Thanks for a great discussion!

I think David is a very intellegent, thoughtful and focused individual. When I said that David would be freaked out to read comments in all the blogs about him I was not meaning that he was too innocent to read/understand the blogs, but rather the fact that people were conjecturing about everything connected to/about him. It is just part of the world of being “famous” but he has said that he has avoided reading about himself. These discussions, while interesting, can have a huge positive OR negative impact as gossip/conjecture, etc. starts its slow spin through the internet and form the basis for opinions about him, whether true or not and can have a real impact on his career. All I want is for David to have all the opportunities to do every and anything he wants.

Surely, collegemom, you are not comparing our thoughtful discussion here with the homophobic nonsense that a bunch of David-hating knuckleheads are spewing forth on other sites.

No one here is spreading “gossip.”

Hey Silveroxe I was wondering where you were and hoping that driving around blasting DA didn’t cause a crush-crash of some kind! lol. I knew the halo wasn’t actually there when he wore that fedora to the Wall E premiere…segway..I think it might have to be “Angels” and “Mangels”.. Huh? Anyone wanna trademark tm that word for me?

Hi, Silverfoxe! *waves* I knew there was a significant voice missing from our earlier conversation. Glad that you’re joining us now, even though I’m going to have to get to bed soon since I must wake up early in the morning for work.

Anyway, I’m still laughing over your “ManFans.” Ha Ha!

Whoa! Well, rascal said, “If there’s one thing that has been consistent in the experience of being a David Archuleta fan with NO AGENDA is that he will always (a) surprise and (b) exceed expectations.”

Perfectly stated, and now just repeat that phrase twice, and substitute the name David Archuleta with Hello Gorgeous the first time and again with rascal for the second, and there y’go! That’s my comment! Bravo! Bravo! Bravo!

And caseydog, THANK YOU for finding that hi-def Crush video! (Bravo, again!)

Thanks, everyone, for reading through and commenting so favorably on all my long posts. I tend to ramble (just like a certain person I look up to!). beebee, you just made me blush. Thanks!

Good night, all!

I just checked the fansofdavid site and the HQ video is still there….

The one from the director is really high quality. 30MB about, so pretty stellar! That FOD video is a quarter of the size/quality. Not blasting FOD of course. Man I’m done being PC. (yep, I considered my previous posts pc)

Backdoor link to best HQ version of “Crush” still working on director’s Web site:
http://www.rsaworldwide.com/spot.php?detectqt=false&pid=1730

How long will this last?

If the link from Caseydog gets the axe, here’s my 4shared page link. It’s basically all the hd and hq DA vids, I think some commercials, all the live and studio mp3s, pictures, even some Jason Castro and Carly perf videos. Oh and tons of sheet music. I play piano, even teach lessons. AWWWWW. The hq crush vid is of course also there

http://www.4shared.com/dir/6489373/7d2a20c0/sharing.html

If your planning on bitching about me posting this, Save it! My reccomendation is to definitly download the ‘Heaven in Hollywood’ video. It’s kinda nostalgic. If something 8 months ago can be nostalgic. It’s awesome to see the ‘awe’ on Simon’s face and the crying backup singer. Pretty priceless stuff!

I have been having some thoughts about what a crush on someone really means. They take our thoughts, we want to talk about them to friends, we can’t seem to think about anything else. We are hypnotized, mesmerized, maybe even obsessed. But so far this is just all about us and how we feel. But when we begin to wonder how they feel about us, we begin to move to another level. This is what David is exploring in this song.

I interpret those glances at the lake as wondering whether she has some interest in the other guy-what is their relationship? Should he even try to let her know how he feels? Then when they so callously high fived and left her in the lake, he had his answer and made that initial contact outside of just hanging with the group. Gad those muscles as he helped her up!! Oops ODD moment!!! I guess everyone can make their own story depending on their inclinations.

I do have to wonder how many people never go beyond the crush phase of a relationship? Is that as far as a fan can go as we do not know David in his daily life? I will admit I have ODD and do not personally know this young man. But I do care about him so I will just have to accept this crush ain’t going away and enjoy the ride. I anticipate it to be a very long one.

Ha, #163 Silverfoxe, I thought I would read all the posts before I made any comments and you beat me to it. Thats exactly what I was going to say to HG and Jesse. I particulary agree with what HG said in #130 last para ( In mid-August I had read it somewhere where a fan was so disappointed with the now infamous smouldering looking photoshots of David that she threatened to withdaw her support for him).

And wow, before I post this, there are already another 20 posts up, this place is really hot. So I better leave the talking to the more eloquent fans.

First, I wanted to say that if we seem to be all fussy and nit-picky about this video, it’s only because we LOVE David, and want the best for him. Don’t we all just want everybody who’s connected with David in any way to do their absolute best for him? YES! So why not toss our comments out there for who knows who to read? Maybe they’ll contribute something to the next vid. At the very least, TPTPs will see that we care very much about every last detail concerning the packaging of dearly beloved David James Archuleta. That said, I do think they did a FANTASTIC job on this first vid, so please don’t misinterpret my nit-picking for disapproval, I LOVE the vid!

jackryan4da, there are no tomatoes forthcoming from this peanut gallery!! (although if one landed on me, I guess I wouldn’t be too surprised!)

Also, my 2 cents, I don’t find comments about David’s sexiness in the least disrespectful of David. He IS sexy, and it’s obvious, and he’ll only become more so by the minute, so I’m hoping the morality contingent will warm up to that fact. Or not, I’m just glad this feast of a conversation continues. Thank you, rascal, for refereeing.

Onward with 24 hrs worth of catching up here!

81 – thanks, appreciate the techy info. One more reason I can’t wait to hear it on the radio (am I the only one who hasn’t yet?), but once YouTube gets done with their compression, isn’t it back down to mini-MBs? So I’m still not sure why the mix sounds better, but it does!

97 – “a little bit unrestrained” here, are we??!! OMGosh, loved your comments!! Almost as much as I love silverfoxe and hello gorgeous and all the other “unceremonious” characters in this notingdavid reality show!! (not to mention the director of the show!) Who needs TV anymore? Not I!

130 – yes, video girl “gets overlooked in her own video”. That’s a better way to characterize it than my attempt. She does have a few wonderful shy smiles, but there just seems to be something missing, something not quite fleshed out in this crush girl. A skosh more personality could have been portrayed.

Oh geesh, I’ve been reading for an hour and a half and only half way through the latest posts. Sigh. Think I’ll just watch the vids again. (incl chapstick II, David might be embarrassed now, but in a few years, he will laugh so hard!!!)

#132 sgi, Sorry, do not mean to start any more unpleasant exchange here, but are you the same sgi that had posted a remark in FOD. I chanced upon a comment in another blog voicing great objection to some comments posted in FOD (I don’t visit it so I don’t know whether it was quoted out of context) I quote

This is just a SMALL sample of the comments posted on Fans of David about that video. You all think this is okay? I sure don’t want my children reading filth like this about David.

Comment from sgj September 6, 2008 at 9:30 am
sexy sexy sexy… did i just say that!!! haha. lol unquote.

I am confused and just wonder………

Thanks, vermeer#185. As it just so happens, I do teach subjects like art history and film (I know that surprises everyone here – ha!).

Glad to offer my “window-dressing” review, ronaldsf#187.

The last comment I read before signing off last night was silverfoxe wishing me “sweet dreams of David.”

SWEET DREAMS INDEED!

So, what did I dream about last night? Ha ha!

This is the dream. I’m traveling on a field trip with a group of my students, so it appears. And we come across a historical reenactment of some kind of battle. It looks like the reenactment of Touissant L’Ouverture and his Haitian slave uprising against Napoleon’s French army. (I kid you not! This must have something to do with the recent hurricane that devastated Haiti since I haven’t been reading about this history. I do have family in the Caribbean, so I worry about them during hurricane seasons).

Next thing you know, the battle scene reenactment transforms into some Las Vegas-style drag-queen cabaret performance! And one of the drag queens is decked out like an Angel (ANGEL! Ha!). And not just any kind of angel, but the kind of pageanty angel you would find in a Christmas pageant, with a wire lifting him/her up like s/he’s flying on stage. Absolutely bizarre!!

Then, my students and I are back in the classroom. I don’t remember the details of my lesson, but I’m obviously asking students to interpret events. Guess who is in my classroom, front row and center?

David!!!! He’s a student of mine! (As an aside, if he should ever go to college, I can always dream that one day I’ll have him in my classroom – oh to be able to shape and influence such a mind! Hee)

He’s all shy and quiet (as I would expect him to be in a classroom) but at one point, I do call on him (I do this to shy students all the time, so nothing out of the ordinary on my part). I even pressed him to go a little deeper with his comments because he was interpreting things too literally.

At the end of class, a bunch of students are circling around me, asking me questions about this assignment and that assignment. On the edge of this circle, David is making his way to me, patiently waiting for his turn. I’m pretty fair with students, so I answer everyone else’s questions first before it’s David’s turn. So when he stands by me (STAND BY ME – ha!), he apologizes (APOLOGIZE – ha ha!) for not giving me the “right” answer. I soon get into my build-the-confidence-of-your-shy-student mode and told him how much I value his input and all that, and that he could do whatever assignment I’m giving them to do as a song-writing project since he can work on pushing himself beyond literalism and work on metaphors and all that. Ha ha! That is so the kind of thing I would encourage him to do if he were a student of mine!

Then, we’re walking out the classroom together, and out in the hallway, it looks like a fight broke out. This fight soon turns into a brawl, and we’re just standing there looking on.

And then I woke up.

Anyway, just thought to share before I head off to work.

hello gorgeous!!! Whoa!! what a dream….KIZZI…where are you!! we need you to interpret this dream pronto!

Where were you when I was in school?? Ha…probably just a twinkle in your daddy’s eye when he looked at your mom!?
If only there were more TEACHERS like you, what a different world this would be…

Claudette…you are probably right about “some” women being inappropriate when meeting David…that is exactly why this forum is so important. We, or at least I can gush, be OTT, act all freaky here with my friends knowing this is as far as it will go. I have way too much respect for David AND his parents to ever act inappropriately IF I ever would be fortunate to actually MEET David and actually have a conversation with him. As it was, at the barricades in Lex, I could not say a word to him…..I was so mesmerized..He just went right pass me to the next person…ask davidfanLIZ!! Almost everyone knows about my 15 min of fame with the CRUSH CRUISIN’…showing my appreciation for David from afar, posting here, going to the concerts, buying his single & album, defending David from anyone who says anything negative about him, sharing my ODD with other ODD’ers, etc, etc. This forum has allowed me to be my cra-zeh inner self, but David has given me inner peace…I don’t know how else to put it.

I am late to this discussion, but I want to tell hello gorgeous that I adored your analysis of the video. I think the director must have researched well, because David is represented very much as the person his fans (of all kinds) have come to love. Even the ‘Brad Pitt’ reference would seem to indicate that Mr. Whitebloom (hope I got the name right because I’m too lazy to go look) is aware of comments made. How often have I read comments from DA fans comparing his appeal to Pitt’s?

And I love notingdavid as a site where we CAN discuss the myriad of emotions that kid brings out in all of us.

I believe there’s probably a pretty strong contingent of conservative fans who might be uncomfortable with such open discussion. I respect that, and I’m glad that David appeals to those fans, also. My thought is that if that kind of fan is uncomfortable on any of the existing sites, they should get to work creating a site that works for them, and invite others to join in. Set a few brief rules and post them prominently.

The kid’s got an amazingly broad appeal, doesn’t he? I’m shaking my head thinking about it. I can’t even think of another performer who would appeal to such a diverse (and potentially vast) group.

Silverfoxe – thank you for realizIng my point was about “some” golden archie’s behavior. My point was that David is exposed to extreme behavior that is probably far more disturbing to him than a simple gay guy who thinks he is cute and is excited to get his tour program autographed. (the teens I were with were so “turned off” by these FEW Golden Archies that they took David’s poster down and I was disgusted by their inappropriate behavior. But David treats all his fans the same and I do admire that about him. )

Hello gorgeous – I think your review of the video is very thoughtful, but I think that you have given the director a little too much credit to have purposely created the ambiguities that you describe. The video was filmed and edited very quickly with a 1 day shoot. They had to edit the film they had with no reshoots or second thoughts. I think talented people work on a more intuitive level. They feel the themes and they create with out alot of deep fore thought. This happens with music all the time. I remember learning this lesson in college when I took a “history or rock and roll” course and the professor handed out a very thoughtful and indepth review of a classic song and the way the harmonies were developed and the underlying themes etc. The professor then handed out an interview with the song writer/rock who said that the song was written in the back of a van in about 15 minutes. The review was still valid, but the presumption of the way that it was created was not. I think this is a similar type of situation. Sometimes things just come together in a certain way that works, and when that happens it is kizmit or magic or predetestination, whatever you believe in, and that is what makes art, well art.

Jazzy19001, thanks for taking the time to read through my “review.” I guess I’m going on the presumption that the music video director still took the time to storyboard the video, and perhaps he didn’t think too deeply about how the actors would appear in each frame, but he still must have – even in a rush job – created ideas and images about who would appear, how, and when.

Anyway, I had posted in the most recent topic that I’ve come across a few gay-themed sites where they are already debating the “ambiguous” way the “crush” could be interpreted as a girl or a guy.

Perhaps the director did such a rush job that he didn’t think too deeply about the audiences he was marketing to.

HOWEVER, he specifically shot a scene with buff-looking, shirtless guys swimming in the lake (with David looking on in the distance). It’s that scene mostly that’s got the tongues a-wagging.

When you consider that all the director had to do was zoom the camera in on Hagood in the water, who is the focus of the song, that simple act would have removed any space for gay subtext. It’s that scene that invites a complete gay rewrite of what came before and what comes after, if the audience is so inclined.

If this was done deliberately, it’s a stroke of cross-marketing genius. If the director was simply being “careless” (which, even in a one-day shoot, I highly doubt – filmmakers are control-freaks about the films/videos they produce), well the magic (or damage – depending on how you interpret it) is already done.

Here is where I come out on this (ha!).

Just because art is made quick and cheap doesn’t mean it doesn’t contain levels of subtlety and nuance and rich symbols of human experience that can be analyzed for centuries. Call it inspiration or a creative breakthrough or what have you, but there are just as many works that are labored over with reams of intellectual consideration that fall utterly flat.

That said, the video for Crush is not art. It is competently crafted commercial design. If there are elements of ambiguity in the piece that for some (and based on the blogosphere so far, it may be for many) take the piece from a straight (all definitions) narrative to something a bit more interesting, then so much the better. Just because I doubt it was intentional, doesn’t mean it wasn’t seeded in some unconscious or subliminal way. There are indeed several shots that–especially at first–make it seem questionable as to who the lead character is watching.

I find it very compelling and potentially very beneficial for the diversity of his public that because David chooses not to be explicit about romantic expression in his work that it ends up widening the field of possibilities for the audience. This may be an unintended consequence of his choices in the matter, but it nevertheless makes his work richer and more interesting.

jazzy19001 — no, I was simply making the argument that just because something might be made quickly doesn’t dismiss it’s potential to be art (previous comments suggested that multiple interpretations were folly because no one could have spent enough time on this to execute on such complexity — my argument is that complexity can emerge whether it was intended or not; and, finally, complexity doesn’t equal Art, either).

One thing I will also add is that most of the discussion on the gay blogs concludes that there is no gay subtext here at all. I happen agree with this, even if I also think that some inherent ambiguity–intended or not–is a good thing.

Ha ha! Don’t you just love how the “gay subtext” is so not there that enough people bring it up, discuss it at length, then conclude that, nah, we didn’t really see that at all!

That’s the nature of subtext, after all. Kind of like a ghost.

For me this discussion has not been about David. It has been about a video that was not created by him, just one that he acted and sang in. It is not his creation, it is not him. David did a good job acting in the video, and it is easy to blur the lines between him and this character that he played, but we have to remember he did not create the story and he never met these “friends” before that day. It is just an interpretation of a song by a talented and insightful director. It involves universal themes about coming of age and navigating the changes that life brings as we move from adolescence to adulthood. It is universal story, with universal themes and no reflection of him personally. But I think that it is interesting to discuss popular culture and art and society and learn something from others points of view, and enjoy this interesting video that has enhanced David’s wonderful music. I understand some of this discussion may have been PG, but it certainly has not been NC-17. There has been nothing discussed here that you could not hear in any college in America. I believe the discussion, though frank has been in good taste and respectful. I think David has taken us to a new level, and nothing has been “ruined”, just the opposite, in fact, it has become deeper and more meaningful.

Great job David! here is a link for the HQ Crush

http://www.sendspace.com/file/fdanf7

Still reading the posts, but i wanted to help out any who need this. It’s huge 31MB but worth the effort.

This is a sweet little video. Kudos to David and the independent company that put created it.

After scanning some of the comments, it seems that the video is a Rorchach. My take on the lake scene is that David looks at the other guy approaching the girl that David is captivated with, and he sees the other guy as everything he is not – confident and able to easily engage this girl. I saw a world of emotion in David’s look as he turned away with that sick, falling feeling in the gut, the chill in the heart of the shy, sensitive introvert who doesn’t know how to approach what he most wants.

It struck me that David knows that experience in his core and has been there at least once. I suppose I’m just reading myself into it. Yes, a Rorchach.