Here It Is: Crush Music Video
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Must say, it’s pretty classy. Just what Archie should have. Click the “expand” icon for full-screen HQ.




Must say, it’s pretty classy. Just what Archie should have. Click the “expand” icon for full-screen HQ.




Thanks to tamster1328 for this video!
wow…. Perfect…. I ‘m a bit shakey just thinking about it! Well done IMO.So innocent and yet like you said Rascal, very classy . I need to go watch again about 10 times (or 100)
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.
This is my first post on any of David’s sites – even though I’ve been a huge fan ever since Shop Around. I just couldn’t keep lurking after accidently coming here 15 minutes after David’s video was added and watching it with what had to be a stupified look on my face! lol
Thank you, so much, Rascal, for always providing us with so much wonderful David stuff!
I’ve been here all alone in my ODD, wishing I had the courage to just jump in with all of you who express so many of my own feelings!
Wow! It feels really good!
Woohoo! Welcome, marmalade! And what a perfect occasion — the preview of David’s first music video!
I totally agree. And I think that’s why the video is so exciting, not just to Archie’s fans.
Jive is not trying to make Archie into something he’s not. And that is everything.
They could have tried to cast him in a mold that many other young male teen artists have filled – good-looking, dancing, flirty, with a dash of egotism and physical outgoingness that many young people desire, but — deeper down — wish they had.
But this video – shockingly, brazenly – breaks the rules. We have a video playing up his shyness, his lack of confidence, his intensity of feeling. A loner who likes music. A teenager in the throes of his struggle from being a boy to being a man. Still a child in that he likes to play and goof around, but who also has this intense, unspeakable attraction consuming him.
And any video that shows you at a piano puts you in the public eye as “an artist.” It’s a cheap trick on the one hand, but it is also very important for David’s career and for his ability to find a huge, broad audience.
All things seem to indicate that Jive knows what they’re doing. They are “selling” him, not by casting him into some mold, but by “selling” his uniqueness. By letting him be him. And as Archie goes through his own process of self-discovery, musically and emotionally, we’ll get to be there with him and Jive won’t stand in the way.
Who knew that by signing on to be an Arch Angel, that we would be so privileged to experience what’s to come?!
OMgosh, that look, that smile he gives that girl at the end….THUD
EXCELLENT FIRST VIDEO EXCELLENT!
THUD
THUD
THUD
Perfect occasion is totally right – I absolutely love the video! And thanks for the warm welcome, Rascal.
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
Omgosh, he is wearing Wanda’s necklace!
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!
This is just amazing. WOW! I just love it! Haven’t we all been there? It shows so much of how adorable David really is too! This crush is never going away here!
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HdQFwSeUnBw
Here’s a better version…less shaking.
OMGosh!!! I was so totally not expecting to see this! I love this!!! It is so gratifying to see that Jive treated David and his debut single with respect and made a “classy” video. I agree with you, ronaldsf, that using the piano instantly communicates the artist aspect of David which pleases me so much as David is an artist no matter how young he is.
In a chatroom chat over at FOD with two of the actors from the video, both of them said David was completely a natural in that the director did not really have to tell him what he needed from him. What a talented young man our (I have to be possessive!) David is! It’s so wonderful to see the intensity coming through in his expression. Ahhh… I’m so happy and relieved. Though I trust the Archulator, he can not control everything so I was worried (I worry too hello gorgeous) about how they would portray him in his debut video. I’m going to go watch it again, and again, and again…
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?!?)
Link updated, juliebug, thanks!
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!!!
Definitely fangirl tonight (and fanboy, of which the video director is obviously one, and yes, I did notice all the buff-looking guys in the lake – I guess the director isn’t trying to hide his preference, and thank goodness he has an eye for David! He looks awesome in this one! Too bad he couldn’t talk him into shedding some more of his clothes, heh).
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.
Sorry, Rascal…here I go again….direct link to the HQ version…
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HdQFwSeUnBw&fmt=18
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?!
Rascal…Wow…he is tooooooo cute. Its just perfect, I didn’t know what to expect, but now that I see it, its exzactly what it should be, he is the real deal, staying totally true to himself. Was the video released today or did you use your magic ?
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.
Oh my gosh! What a wonderful way to start the week! It’s Monday morning here in Manila and am in my favorite cafe having coffee and a blueberry waffle. What a really pleasant surprise to see the Crush video coming out earlier than expected! I’m dumbfounded — David is a superb actor as well! Such an expressive face and pair of eyes! I had to watch the video 5 times before I could post. It’s very addicting, like the song. And his killer look with that meaningful smile at Hagood by the veranda — smoldering! Made me tingle all over – aaahhh!!! Memories of my young love… Great inspiration for the rest of the week! All I can do is keep sighing. (sigh!)
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.
OH.MY.GOSH.
I have no words right now. I am just watching and re-watching and in the process analyzing the fine details.
OH.MY.GOSH.
For now, I agree with ronaldsf’s breakdown!
And YAY! David can act and such a tease!
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!!!
Ok David, you hit one out of the ballpark AGAIN………..
This video is You all over, David. Kudos to Jive for allowing David to stay within himself and be true to what makes David David. On a more frivolous note, Huge Thud Moment for me at 3.14. Jeez Louise……
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??????
Rascal, absolutely love the pics you selected to insert below the video here. I think the 3.14 i just mentioned is the first picture. Wow, shaking with excitement here tonight. Hi Erin! What? Another day to rejoice!!
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!
Oh boy, he is just a joy to watch. The camera loves him, he seems so comfortable and at ease.
I love that they didn’t sex him up unnaturally. He doesn’t need that. He is really coming into his sexiness in a sweet and utterly stunning way. He just takes my breath away. His voice, his smile, and those eyes…..he doesn’t have to take his shirt off. That was just enough!
Damn, that was awfully as fangirl as I get, so I guess that video is going to do it for alot of people.
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!
Deb — I think there’s a lot in what you say about the whole being greater than the sum of the parts — and that’s not always true for every artist.
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.
WOWWWWWWW!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! I just told someone today that the video should be out around the 15th ~ and HERE IT IS ~ a week EARLY!!! UNBELIEVABLE VIDEO!!! I’ve watched it a dozen times SO FAR, and every time I see something different that I hadn’t noticed. I keep stopping it to get a better look ~ wish I could jump in there! Ha! Makes me wonder if David KNOWS that we’re viewing the video TODAY! Hopefully, someone has told him, and if so, we’ll probably get a blog from him tomorrow! Who knows ~ maybe a fan will be tell him after the show tonight ~ but seriously, I hope Jive has already told him, and I hope he was able to concentrate during his show in Providence tonight!
DAVID, YOUR FIRST VIDEO IS A GEM!!!
Rascal, I’d like to know too how you were able to get this FIRST! You are our HERO! Ha!
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.
#32 Deb – Love your reference to voice/body/soul – and yes, it is an incredible experience to hear that voice while watching our beautiful boy performing so wonderfully and effortlessly. What a ride; PLEASE Bring on That Whole Package!!!!
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
Fanblast has now posted the video, but FOD has not ~ they said it was leaked, but not sure by whom. No problem here! The only thing that could possibly be more exciting will be the complete CD and the NEXT video!!!
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.
Wow! this is just a perfect video for David and his first single. It seems Jive really does get David. It’s fun, innocent and exhilerating and at the same time sophisticated and classy. To change the subject a little if any of you have not seen the Angels video on You Tube at Bridgeport last night posted by ArchiandCook, you must listen to it, I think it is the best Angels of ever heard from David (all are great), but this is just perfection. Also, check out the first photo posted this AM on FansofDavid with the three warnings. Too much for words—
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!
oops, Heart (#39) just saw your “leak” note!
#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!!!!!!!!
dma – I LOVE your breakdown of the video. My favorite moment between David & Hagood is the post-it note scene. So sweet …
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!
Bebee, what you said is, more or less, what had been posted at FOD:
“I’m not sure who leaked the video, whether it was a renegade worker–one of the myriad of staffers involved with the production of the video–or a marketing technique orchestrated by Jive itself.”
It’s only a week ahead anyway, so why not! We, obviously, LOVE IT! And I think we needed the encouragement!
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!)
The mainstream media is already on it:
http://www.aceshowbiz.com/news/view/00018142.html
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*)
What a surprise tonight when I logged into Fanblast and saw the video there. Can’t stop watching it. It is awesome and David has more talent than we knew, huh. Great singer, becoming a great performer, now we see he can act and do a good job. It is sure feeding my ODD.
Here’s my take on that scene with the two guys by the lake. They get out of the water and greet each other, David looks at them like “What’s wrong with you guys. Leaving her in the water (his crush). If you look close he puts his hands out to his side in frustration and then leans down and lifts the girl out of the water. Oh well, that’s the way I see it anyway.
I had to come here to see what Rascal had to say about it and enjoyed reading all the comments. I’m so excited.
Yeah, He’s “checking” his buddies. Like, come on guys, you leavin’ her like that! It’s PERFECTLY DAVID!
Yes, marybodo, that appears to be the storyline. It just seemed funny that on a first viewing it looked like he was checking out the guy. Silly stuff, nothing to get all debate team about, folks
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.
Leaked at MSN… intentionally perhaps by an JIVE insider? Been done before as a marketing ploy to help boost sales or arrest the gap between the digital sales, singles/album and airplay… whaddyathink?
OK – that’s my head at work, calm and collected. N.O.W. Let me tell yoy how I was about 10 minutes ago
I WAS A TOTAL, SUPREMELY SILLY ARCHIE!!! Jumping in my office in full view of my staff!!!! Who are all Cookies btw! I saw the alert in my email and I could not believe it….. I clicked and there it was at MSN… It took me 10 seconds before I could click it to play… cos you see I wasn’t prepared. Then 5 secs into the video I had to stop it, turn away.. My heart could not contain it… and that’s when I made a fool of my self in full view of my staff. I was both giddy and in tears and jumping all over the place. bwahahahaha!
They found me cute though… like I was in HS all over again. Of course, you think they would dare say anything negative? hahahahahaha
DANG IT! I was managing my ODD since this weekend. You know what I mean?
Cos 1st David’s back in form at the tour – I say ’bout 90% (i know, i know…. I am a bit hard in terms of standards) – cos thank God, his cough is subsiding… and I was expecting that since this is the last week of the tour, the quality and delivery of the performances would escalate…. ODD to the max for the final concert.
Then next week, the video, then live performances/guesting as he promotes CRUSH in MTV, TRL, AOL, iTunes, what have you… the stuff we have been waiting for so he can have more airplay, better ranking, better sales…..
See, I was preparing to calibrate my ODD. Now.am.dead. T.H.U.D.
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”.
Oh my gosh. This is fabulous! The look that David gives his crush at 3:14 should come with a warning! This video fits a 17-year-old David just perfectly.
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!!
I have watched this video so many times, I lost count. The theme on this video is so appropriate for CRUSH. Exactly what David would have wanted to portray to the listeners (I wonder whether David has a hand in it). They way David looks at the object of his interest is so telling – the longing, the doubt and maybe a hint of jealousy and frustration – and it unintentionaly brought out his smouldering expressions. He is a natural and he is unaware of his own charm. I love him at 0.33, 1.03, 2.10, 2.54, 3.14..heck, I admit I love every expression and every bit in this Video. Oh boy, I really need a cold cold shower!
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!!
Diana, lol!!! I love that you actually tried to list all your favorite moments and then just gave up.
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.
What I like most about the video is its simplicity. Nothing fancy… no techno electro magnetic special effects…
Fresh, unadulterated, wistful, unintended – perfectly captures the mixed bags of emotions of a budding affection… giddy, angst, fear, funny – exactly how a crush, ESP WITH A FRIEND is supposed to be. Haha. I also enjoyed the subtleties and awkwardness of some moments. Very David.
Kid is a natural – not much of a surprise there right?
Downside: I find his close-ups rather harsh… a softer glow would have made it perfect for me
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?
Does anyone know if watching the same video over and over crashes your computer?
“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.
JesseQ…yes indeedee….David is THE VOICE as far as I’m concerned. The way he “changes” the songs on the tour just by adding a few runs here & there is un-buh-liev-able! He gets better & better! But it’s THE VOICE that makes each song special. I don’t even consider any of the songs he sings in concert “covers” anymore…he has made them “his”. Now the countdown begins for the album….what a year David has given us…DAVID ARCHULETA,
THE VOICE OF 2008 AND BEYOND!
jackryan4DA…David doesn’t need techno-electro whatchamacallits special effects…HE IS THE SPECIAL EFFECT!!! hahaha! Boy am I giddy!! I’m glad I’m off this week…no way could I concentrate at work.
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..
I guess I’m not looking at little things like the way he’s playing the guitar, or anything else…I am concentrating on DAVID, and he’s perfection personified!
The only un-buh-liev-able thing about the video and the song itself is that he wonders if SHE feels the same way….that is really a stretch! ha ha!
Are there other guys in the video…with buff bods?? Really? Hmm..didn’t notice!
All I could see was David. They could have made a video with just David and no one else and he could have made it work..I have no doubt!
jackryan4DA..I know what you’re saying about the chance of ridicule about the believability of the “small stuff” so don’t get me wrong…we are just too
happy right now. Also, I watched David very carefully and didn’t see where the lyrics and uh…his lips weren’t in sync??
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!!)
Where Is JOSIE? :/
lol silverfoxe! Nitey nite!
how do I scream in a comment? Aaaaahhhhhh!!! JesseQ, yes you bad boy!!! This is too much but then again it is all David, it is all his images. hello gorgeous said it: he is turning 18 very soon! But I still feel a little guilty thinking how HOT he is!! Oh man! Smokin’! I wonder what he would think of this? He is self-aware and he knows women and men swoon over him but would he find this amusing or would he be shocked??
silverfoxe, I laughed because my heat seeking missile eyes followed him around ignoring all others pretty much. Didn’t even see the bare chested other guys, or the girl, hardly, until subsequent viewings, after I’ve relaxed a bit and could breathe.
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
ok… its alot better than i expected. i mean, i was expecting a full on 3 minute cheesefest. but ya, its cute, u know. and THANK GOD he wasnt awkward. i was seriously worrying about him looking uncomfortable, but he looked natural enough. he keeps impressing me in that aspect- i mean, during idol, he could barely hug ppl or put his arms around them, so hes come a long way. and i also really liked the piano playing. that was a nice touch. and the scenery was really impressive.
on the downside (u know i’m not one to just sing praises) i wish there wouldve been a little more interaction btwn him and the chick- i dont mean making out, just more of the looks, smiles and stuff. plus, and i didnt really feel any chemistry w/ them. he just doesnt look good w/ a blonde chick. but whatev. and about the guitar- i was like “hes not even gonna play it” and he didnt, except for like 3 secs. that was pretty funny. and u know all the haters are gonna give him hell over that part where hes lookin at the guy. i’m already bracing myself for the onslaught.
but overall, its great- the song is still cute, and most importantly- david is still cute. thats really all he needs to be right now- cute.
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!)
I just had to comment on this video. FANTASTIC. Funny how we all see things differently. I love him with a blonde girl. I love the constrast of his dark good looks with her blonde good looks.
I also see some great chemistry between them. Go back and look at the first of the video when they are getting stuff out of the cars, and she gives him that shy sweet smile and he just looks away like WOW! Watch her when he is playing the guitar when they are outside and how she looks at him. There are some real believable looks between them. I didn’t notice alot of this at first, but after watching for a gazillion times I have noticed a real spark between them. I thought it portrayed everything brilliantly between the two of them. You could feel the awkwardness and tension wondering if the other felt the same way. Then at the end on the porch…there was no doubt how they felt! It was great! Wow, this boy has some major smexiness going on now! Tonight, I would really love to be 17 again!!!!
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.
Gee… you guys might be thinking am even worse that Simon C. when it comes to critiquing…. pls don’t throw tomatoes ok?
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…….
DEB & HIGHERVIBE — Do you all notice a difference in the sound?
When Crush was released, the promotional CDs given to radio stations were in FLAC format instead of MP3. FLAC stands for Free Lossless Audio Codec. It is an audio format like MP3, except that it compression software too, similar to WINZIP. BUT, being lossless means that the audio file is compressed in FLAC without any loss in quality.
That’s the distinct sound we hear guys
For CRUSH, the FLAC file is almost 27 MB vs its MP3 format which is about 4MB (iTunes ver) to 6MB (Amazon version). Hope this did not bore you.
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!
Woah, jackryan4DA, thanks for the explanation becoz I was also wondering about that.
All the improvised chapstick moment videos….will haunt David for.e.ver. LOL
The part of the first screen cap got me, too. His facial expressions are fantastically on the money! It took me by surprise.
Josie is on a road trip taking her daughter to college.
Third-party reports have it that Team David is totally fine with the leak–apparently Jeff is now telling people about it (another clue that it was probably intentional).
Jesse, that video is OTT! I’m gonna get hate mail just for linking to it (bring it)!
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
jackryan4DA (#81) – Thanks for the technical explanation about the sound. Your comments are never boring! I love any tidbit that deepens my understanding. I also noticed the fake guitar playing. His strumming looked authentic & I tried to justify the placement of his other hand by convincing myself that he was doing one of those things where you use your index finger flattened out & slide it up the frets. I play piano (not guitar – obviously), but I play with a fabulous guitar player & have watched him use his fingers in that way. Oh well … I bet David’s brother, Daniel (who is a great guitarist) will give him grief about that part of the vid!
Off to work! Will miss you guys today. Catching up tonight will take hours!!
JesseQ that video was amazing!
If you don’t mind I linked it over at IDF!
I haven’t had a chance to post in a long time but this video is just to great to pass up. David’s first music video has really captured his spirit. Its a wonderful beginning and I think his expressions and warm, loving personality was evident all through out.
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!
JesseQ…..I went to bed last night after my last post with a smile on my face!! I got up…with a smile on my face…guess why??
Anyway, seems not everyone who posted after I um…went to bed ( with a smile on my face! ) have seen the “European” version of Chapstick II !! haha!
If they read my last post…some may have thought I had really “FREAKED” out and finally gone over that “LEDGE” ha ha ha!!
Two sensational videos starring DAVID was “jus’ too much…jus’ too much!”
David is my “FOUNTAIN OF YOUTH” (can I “patent” him someway)…I’m proof! I feel better than I have in years!!
As for David being “shocked”…hahaha! come on! He’s loving it…he’s “getting” it! If not, then I suggest Daddy explain it to him…but I really don’t think that will be necessary!!
jackryan4DA..hey, any technical explanations and otherwise SANE posts from anyone are most welcome to me….sometimes I need a “breather” from myself!!! hahaha!
Now I gotta have to view David again…CRUSH video first, then the other one…no wait..the other one, the CRUSH..no wait CRUSH first, then…..
(Lupe…someone else is still using my blog name…this isn’t me!)
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…
Loved all the fangirly comments as well as the informed critiques on David’s first music video. Let me just add that David is destined to become a superstar not only in the music world, but also in the movie industry. He is truly a very talented artist.
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!
I just knew that video would spark, ignite, engulf my fellow ODDers in Archu-Fire hottness! I again have to stress (even if the Angels here are only packing water cannon -lol Diana), that I am only the messenger not the creator of ‘Chapstick II, The Legend Continues’. Sliverfoxe- Glad it didn’t put you over the ledge!
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!
I`m always leurking around here. Have given some comments before. From europa, and I feel it`s difficult to express myself, as I wish I could. But I just love to read all the great articles & things happens here. I just love it ! Since febr. i have been totally OBSESSED with ALL David. Ok ..Well of cause most of all his exceptional tenor.
By nothingDavid you are a little bit unrestrained, unceremonious and with a great sense of humour… lol
To come to the point. Watching the vidio, I found myself again, as a shy young person and could restore the pictures . This feeling of not beeing able to show your hot feelings to another person. I really could feel the CRUSH between these two. Well ..ha .you could watch David have a little shyness problem as the young woman tried to sit next to him at the couch
…. CUTE !!
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???
Okay,l now that I’ve watched it a half dozen times and had a cooling off period, I think I can form words instead of mere guttural noises.
Baby Hotlips is a STAR!!! Hooray! It’s like seeing what David and a mini- Natasha Bedingfield would be like. The end, on the porch– thank you director! But I think my favorite may be the first time when he sees her get out of the car. Well, then there’s him moving her hair out of the way to put that post-it on her forehead…..I think this video is HIM. Thank you Jive for not trying to make him into what he’s not (even Jive must acknowledge their limits). Trust the archulator!
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!!
ok…I’m about to do something REALLY outrageous!!! You all may not know this…well, how could you if you don’t care about AI anymore, right? Anyway, Simon, Paula, Randy & the other new judge are here in Louisville KY at Churchill Downs auditioning for AI 2009…Guess what I am about to do….I am going to CRUISE around the Downs BLASTING CRUSH!!! The judges may not hear me but the people outside will…
If you don’t “hear” from me by tonight….well, I could be in jail or at OUR LADY OF PEACE ( mental hospital )!! hahaha! The things I do for LOVE ( of David, the VOICE )!!
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
I was going to add: Then you can sigh, thud, and thud some more and even die and go to heaven. LOL.
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!!
OK, now that I have watched repeatedly and given it a little time to all sink in… I really feel that the video gives visual to all that I felt when I first heard Crush. Great first video David. Continued success!
There was no hesitation in the look on the porch! Sigh, THUD, M.E.L.T (in a puddle on the floor, really reminds me of some of the looks my husband of 25 years gave me when we were first eyeing each other)
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.
#102 Ely, yes that video was posted on Hey!Neilsen a month or so ago. I have to agree that David has the most gorgeous eyes to die for.
#106 Diana …. Look FOD . David at least RUN after Pecan Pie to GIVE her that hug …..hmmmmmmmmm !!!!!!!
Thanks, Rascal (and Refnaf for letting me know the video is here!). I’ve been offline away from home all week with severe ODD-withdrawal (and sadness at not being able to get a ticket to the Ford Day mini-concert in time) and this video has made my day (make that week).
I’m sitting on a bench outside a closed library (that sits on the Canada/U.S. border) picking up the library’s WiFi signal on my laptop and crying tears of joy. This is the perfect video debut for David.
I admit I was nervous about the video since David doesn’t “pretend” or merely “perform.” But as you always remind us, Rascal, Trust the Archulator. He’s natural and subtle and the shot of David playing the piano at the end of the dock is a masterstroke. And it’s sooo great to be able to watch him SING Crush.
Oops, better post or Border Patrol will wonder why I’m sitting here shedding tears on my laptop! lol
Hi Ely #102! *waves*
No, liking David does not make THIS guy feel weird.
Just as liking girls DOES make me feel weird lol
Oh, that’s cruel! The video has been pulled already. I hadn’t gotten to watch it that much…. just a few times, like maybe a dozen. I guess I’ll just go to sleep for a week until it comes out officially.
Going to take a nap. Bye for now.
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 well. I’m not sure if David is aware of it or not yet, but he has a strong straight — and gay — male following.
#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.
Hi Freo, I’m aware of David’s diverse fanboy following, and part of me can’t help but think the music video director is aware of that too!
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.
#115, Hello gorgeous–I agree with you.
If you are looking for the video, check IDF. Many people saved the file and you can find it on sendspace and other such places. I think the label’s IT and marketing people are well-aware that they couldn’t totally pull the file: such is the nature of the ‘net.
Here is a Crush music video link that worked for me just now:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=A_uWXceSjTY
Video link restored (as it will be, every time it is compromised).
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.
okay, hold on there, riley. No one has brought up the issue of David’s sexuality but you. What was brought up specifically was the possible sexuality of the DIRECTOR of the Crush video, as well as the amusing and slightly silly shot of when it seems like David is watching the guy jumping into the water instead of the girl out on the raft — but that’s a trick of the angle, not a comment on David.
Second, I don’t read anywhere on this thread of comments the phrase “sex symbol” other than in your comment. No one on this blog is in any way, shape, or form, disrespectful of David with regard to his appeal as an attractive human — that is, until YOU.
Methinks you are trying to create controversy here that simply does not exist. Others have already tried that. It won’t work.
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!
Go Rascal… and an Amen too!!!!!
hello gorgeous — YES I am open to this discussion, and I am SCANDALIZED that it is not clear that I am!
Sheesh..I go away for a few hours and all ‘heck’ (respectful to DA) breaks loose! The quick and true answer to do I feel weird because I like David? Heck no! Above all the window dressings, the suggestive-ish videos, and the smoldering camera glances is the immense talent and other worldly voice that has made me a quasi-fanatical-DA-Fan! If I were blind and never saw the kid I would still be ‘hypnotised and mesmerized’ by him.
Not that his other attributes hurt!
I’m open to this discussion, too.
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?
hello gorgeous: You put it so well: “the director… managed to appeal to David’s diverse following of fangirls and fanboys in a very classy way.” We’re talking about a “crush” here, that universal feeling that happens to all kinds of combinations of age and gender. I agree that this video has a wonderful, wide, classy appeal.
I’ve been at work all day, do we know any more about who leaked the video and who took it back?
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.
collegemom — I appreciate your concern but I think your view underestimates David in many ways. The vast majority of what goes on in the public discourse is like a party game — personality has something to do with it, but no one believes that it’s who you really are. In fact, in the case of David’s fans, I’d say that there is far more respect for who he really is — even in spite of the fan misbehavior — than for many other stars.
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.
hello gorgeous — you must of course realize that you have your detractors and your supporters (as those of us who ‘put ourselves out there’ always do), but your most recent comment is one for the books. Wow. Bold yet respectful, provocative yet demur… What can I say? Food for thought as a gourmet feast. There is nothing — nothing — I would claim to want more for this blog than to offer the kind of feast you have laid before us.
Thoughtfulness is its own reward. I honor you.
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.
As an active member of the Archuleta FBI, I bring you this link:
http://www.rsaworldwide.com/d/black-dog/companies/blackdog-us/275
If the video was leaked, why is this available? The quality of the video on this page is incredible. This is the video production company that the director, Declan Whitebloom, is signed with.
I’m trying to find personal information about the director, if you get my drift. Hey if it’s out there on the Web (no pun intended), then it’s OK to talk about it.
Back to my sleuthing …
P.S. – As I’ve said before, some of the most enduring and powerfull pieces of art are also the most open to multiple interpretations.
sgj, what I said to Collegemom also applies to you.
Dear Riley and Dear Rascal
Yes.
When David sings I feel a connection that seeps down into my being. This stirs emotions that create a deeply personal experience for me. In many ways, this is spiritual.
He seems to express his own deep emotions so innocently and yet so consciously and so freely (tunneled through his skill, talent, professionalism and personal prayer…. as he has mentioned) that it both pierces and revives me. I applaud and honor his bravery, skill, openness and joyful sense of communion (this was sort of a pun as I thought I should maybe put communication… oh, well).
I often find that brilliance, ability, talent, skill, all of that – is also very sexy, speaking in the most generic way. It attracts us because I believe (big preface here), that he succeeds in what he most wants to do: reach into and communicate with the best that is within each of us, touch us where we live the cleanest, best part of our lives and help us to feel a brotherhood as well as the courage to do better.
I am all for that.
These other things are sidelines to me. I do not see a lot of grief in them other than what I might cause myself should I choose. To me, being true to David, means being true to my best self.
I would like to give all the ‘fans’ a little more credit. I think David does.
Thank you all for the joy, laughter, friendship and introspection you have shared.
I am grateful for the journey.
rascal, you’re most welcome! Thank you for allowing me your blog to share my thoughts.
In reference to Hello Gorgeous posts #122 and #130 and the trend in this post developing because of #120 riley and #130 collegemom posts.
In my opinion, I don’t believe that the actors even knew who David was except in a general sense, and I certainly don’t believe that the director put any major effort into figuring out who David was. Given the amount of time to shoot the entire video, why would they even consider it? This is not a work of art, simple a video to accompany a song. I imagine that they all thought of it as “just a job”. Granted they were likely given direction as to the general character of David and direction in which the video was to take. All fan speculation is, just that, speculation and, as such, strictly based on each person’s individual reaction to the video.
It would be my inclination, having followed this website siince February, to believe that no one is implying anything about David and his inclinations of a sexual variety or otherwise.
I don’t know that I particularly enjoy the trend that this post is taking, but that is my opinion only, and I may not continue to read any further comments in this post, but I continue to look for the next one and so on. I have truly enjoyed Rascal’s outlook on David and the majority of comments that follow.
Please replace “nature” for “variety” in the last sentence of the second last paragraph.
#135 caseydog: That is a great quality video, it’s a totally different experience seeing “Crush” in such high definition. Thanks for the link.
This is a wonderful discussion right now. I think one of David’s appeal is the open-endedness that allows for a diverse fanbase. I agree that I don’t think that David is naive at all. I think he is quite self-aware. I agree with hello gorgeous that he’s made his own choices. I think his story is actually quite complex, and I look forward to learning more about him.
His video’s narrative would be a wonderful topic to include in my cultural studies course in the spring, that even his video allows for queer interpretations depending on how the narrative is interpreted. When I use the term queer, I am not talking about stereotypical ideas of gayness, but rather a narrative open-endedness that reaches beyond a rigid storyline and ideas of romance.
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.
Awestruck- Thanks for showing the example of rationality and maturity.
hello gorgeous-You basically took the words out of my mouth in your last paragraph, (as well as the snow ref.)ha!
Collegemom- I totally see where your coming from, but really aren’t the comments actually comlimentary, and therefore respectful? If I, at 17, read that a bunch of people were ‘thudding/crushing’ all over about me I would have been more of an egomaniac than I was..am..whatever..
If David is going to be self conscious about anything its not because of people thinking his smile is cute, or a look he gave was hot, but more likely worry or doubts would come as the result of unreal ‘pedestal of perfection’ expectations put on him. Worry that something he says or does, or someone he dates might not live up the impossibly high standards that many fans seem to have placed on him along with his halo.
The most respectful thing anyone can do for David is to stop all the overprotective BS that has been the most glaring reason for anyone to ‘target’ him. I totally get wanting to shield baby David and all that, but I for one choose to give him a little more credit than that. I think that’s pretty respectful!
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.
JessieQ, I agree! I think David’s story is complex and we’ll get to know him more in time, as he matures and reveals himself through music. I actually find him to be a fascinating person, a lot beneath the surface, very deep.
Go back and listen to “Dream Sky High.” Maybe it’s just me, but I find how he sings that song to be absolutely haunting and touching.
I certainly meant NO disrespect to anyone…
Did that make sense? I respect everyone’s opinion even though I may not agree with it.
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.
Awestruck- Totally made sense. Hope I did..I was complimenting you on being rational and not stomping off because you might not be in agreement.
fre0-”Angels in the Alleyway” is pretty moving too. You know ‘the early ones’ DA did way back when…ha. I’m sure there’s a bunch of stuff about David that’s all kinds of fascinating that people don’t know. (although wow! his fans do know a lot). The stuff of future Behind the Music episodes…Way in the future though.
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.”
Sorry not everyone is going to like the “direction” this thread is heading. But, I guess we can’t please all of David’s fan – like his music video director did!
Not that I should even apologize for taking us in a certain direction. After all, if the BLOG OWNER encouraged me to share my thoughts on HIS OWN BLOG, what is that to anyone else?
Freo, I could so see you developing a cultural studies paper on the music video. That should be fun.
JesseQ, it isn’t just the fans creating a certain image of David-with-a-halo. His “haters” and, to some extent, the AI show had a hand in spinning that persona. Why else would David even make fun of this image himself (remember that interview with Sleazak when he joked that, had he won and sung the Magic Rainbow song, a rainbow would appear? Hee – of course, it doesn’t help when rascal offers anecdotes about rainbows appearing at the sound of David’s voice either!).
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.
Ah yes, the miracle of the rainbows. Let’s not forget that!
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.
Rascal don’t you have a story about David and Rainbows..? I just remembered this little side-bar to that. One of the songs on the CD I made/gave him was J. Mraz (covering Kermit the Frog’s version) of “Rainbow Connection.” Full circle I tellya! Oh Panamom you are in for a treat!
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.
No offense taken, awestruck!
Just wanted to clarify my perspective.
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!
casey#135, I finally got a chance to check out that link, and the quality of the video is fantastic! Thanks for sharing!
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.
Yes, yes, yes, everyone needs to see the high definition version. It is an entirely new and wonderful experience. Check it out!
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.”
WOW…WHAT….JUST….HAPPENED??? Veeeerrrryyyy in-ter-es-ting posts! Thought blood was going to be shed! haha! I am not even going to try to add my 2 cents…so I will just say:
hello gorgeous..#130..great post…agree especially with the last paragraph.
#134..again agree and ESPECIALLY with the last 2 paragraphs!
#151..hahaha! the last paragraph..very funny!
JesseQ…#143…the last paragraph…AMEN!!!
Well I guess just 2 cents…but I’m afraid I will say more than I should…since I tend to get a little “FREAKY” where David is concerned. But I think David would forgive me being OTT because I’m behind him all the way.
One thing though…some fans still assume David would be shocked at some of these posts…I really have to laugh cause I think David is very much in tune with how he affects his Angels And Manfans…make no mistake! He is a genius…too smart to let any kind of romance or relationship get in the way of his goals…He knows better…also it makes HIM more appealing to his fans thinking..”hey maybe I could be THE one”…that’s the whole premise of FAN-tasizing! David is a smart cookie ( did I just say that?? )!! I took that “halo” off him a while back…It was unfair to categorize him as a Celestial Being…unfair to him.
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?
Oh and some people get all itchy and head-achy at the words “gay” and “queer”…that’s just the homophobic in them…It’s ok…I’m sure David prays for them too cause David is a good guy….very SEXY, but still a very good guy! He is always sweet, considerate and genuine when meeting fans. Treats them all the same and he has no idea who they are or where they came from, if they are gay, drug addicts, alcoholics, or freaks ( like me) or whatever. He appreciates all of us…Why can’t his FANS be just as tolerant? Just askin’.
I’m willing to bet Jeff & Lupe or at least some of David’s relatives read this site and so David probably knows about some of these discussions. When David met rascal and rascal uttered his famous, very smooth “listen…I write about you”…methinks David checked out the site.
hello gorgeous…you amaze me!
JesseQ….”Mangels”…yeah! that works!
Awww…I couldn’t get close enough to the Downs to do anything! Dang it!!
But never fear…silverfoxe will be CRUISIN’ in Evansville on Thursday!
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!
#162 hello gorgeous – no, and I think this is one of the most thoughtful, well-written blogs with people who really care about David. I just worry! For some reason David seems like my third child and I have an eagle eye out for anything that might impact him – just like my kids!
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!)
I just love these discussions! Just like one big “happy” family…loving and respecting each other and David…but all wanting to have the last word! hahaha! Reminds me of MY family when I was growing up a few….uh many years ago!
no more “MANFANS”…from now on it’s “MANGELS”….Trademark JesseQ!!!
hello gorgeous…sleep tight!! May you have sweet dreams of David telling you “Way to go, Gorgeous!!”
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!
Alas, the director’s site has removed the HQ crush video … That lasted all of about 3.5 hours.
I just checked the fansofdavid site and the HQ video is still there….
That’s kind of stupid to post then remove the video. Once it’s out it’s out and I figure the best thing for David at this point is to promote the hell out of it. Maybe I’m missing a fiscal component of this. Thanks for posting the link so early Casey. I downloaded it and uploaded it “somewhere” on the www. Isn’t it a good thing that it kinda be circulated and promoted to drive up sales of the single??? If I’m missing something and it would be bad for DA if the links’ posted then I won’t so let me know.
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)
Well, after reading each blog, all I can say is: JesseQ, you were right (Archufire hotness… loved it!). What a ride!
I was first laughing so loud and then it all got very serious.
highervibe said: Oh dang, it’s hard to keep this review G-rated!!!! (Hi Lupe!)
Lucky Angel: Tonight, I would really love to be 17 again!!!!
Silverfox: Now I gotta have to view David again…CRUSH video first, then the other one…no wait..the other one, the CRUSH..no wait CRUSH first, then…..
I wonder where you were: jail, mental hosp, or watching the other video.
Hello gorgeous: David does choose to be the way he is. Jeff said once that DA is not perfect. I believe that. No teenager is (I have 2 LOL). He has been taught principles and he is at an age where he has chosen to follow them or not. Trust the Archuleta
Bluesky said: touch us where we live the cleanest, best part of our lives and help us to feel a brotherhood as well as the courage to do better.
Well said.
Personally, I love this blog because it makes me feel part of a big family, proud of being pioneers in the Archuleta legacy to the world. I love it because it makes me smile big and laugh a lot. One more thing: I LOVE THE VIDEO. I AM A PROUD MEMBER OF DAVID JAMES’ OTHER MOMS.
PD: My husband and two teenage sons have now downloaded CRUSH in their IPODs. Could this be true? Too much to handle for the night.
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?
panamom- After a few ‘dicey’ moments and comments today I am so happy to read yours. I actually got kinda nervous when you posted your first one all excited before you read all the other jazz that was posted. You go proud other mom-chuleta!
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!
Thank you Caseydog for the link. It IS a much better version.
JesseQ: I appreciate your concern.
And don’t you just love the way he looks at her at 3:15. I can see girls dying for that look. And the way he looks at his friends after first glancing at her when they all arrived. Like: Wow, did you see the way she looked at me?
Oh! and the way he is looking at the other guys (did I notice them?) kind of jealous, thinking, ‘Dang it, she is having fun with them’, and how he sweetly takes off her bangs to place the note on her forehoead. And how he is slowly walking toward the piano meditating how bad his crush really is.
Just love the piano scene.
He IS a really good actor.
Did I say I love this video. Makes me feel 14 all over again.
Well, good night for now. Got to go watch the video again.
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.
panamom….Hi there!! Yup…looks like it was a fun time at rascal’s house!! I left rascal’s house when everyone was giving David hugs, pretend kisses, and lots of love! When I came back, logged on and started reading, and at #102…just a simple, innocent question..then BAM…it got really serious! Then rascal, hello gorgeous, jesseQ to the rescue! Shut the “stranger” down!! All is good now!
And no….not in jail or mental hospital…but the week’s not over yet!
And I’m alternating between the “Teenage Sensation” and “CRUSH” But having to go here & there to view “CRUSH” is making me DIZZY! So, I’m giving it a rest.
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.
OMG, Jesse! I was just going to write a nice little post to you about how much I enjoy YOUR posts and to give you kudos for #143 (because I’ve always been a staunch defender of the Ordinary Boy in the extraordinary David A.) — But, DANG… now I WORSHIP YOU! LOL! Thank you for your 4Shared!!! Thank You! THANK YOU! (lol.. did I say Thank You?)
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!!!)
My eyes hurt from all the reading!! Had to deal with internet access problems tonight and now just got all caught up. Glad to say I did download the awesome version of the video from the RSA-Blackdog website.
hello gorgeous, your #130 write up on the video reminded me so much of my college days of reading serious in-depth analyses of paintings in Art History classes! It’s like wow, didn’t know there was so much that could be said for a music video. Very impressive but of course I’m not surprised.
So much great discussion here. I wonder where riley went; did he or she stick around to read some of the responses after posting his/her POV. Just curious. Anyway, I think this place (rascal’s blog site) is a place where David IS totally respected. #131 collegemom, I’m not naturally a glass half full kind of person, but because of David, dang it! I’m not going to see things and situations in life as glass half empty anymore or at least try my dangdest. Yes David did have an extraordinary year to date, living away from his family (except Dad of course) and friends, but of all people, I think he would be the first one to acknowledge the tremendous trade offs. In spite of the complete lack of days off with the tour and recording going simultaneously, he is brimming with joy because he is now actually living his dreams! He said so himself. I want to celebrate with him and rejoice in the fact that he is doing everything that he’s ever dreamed of doing! Nothing is without some sacrifices but what a life he is having now! David is a strong person, 17 or 70, and he will always weather adversity with more grace than a lot of us could (ok me, that’s why he is my role model).
I guess this would be in response to sgj #132, while I am completely respectful of your feelings of discomfort at discussing things like sexuality especially in relation to things David (if not directly about David, his video, etc.), please consider the fact that rascal’s blog site is not an official fan site and it is ultimately not our business to tell him what should or should not be touched upon as far as discussion topics. This is his forum and if he wants to bring something here, it is his choice like it or not. Peace and good night.
#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………
What a fascinating thread! And yay to the “window dressing” review from hello gorgeous!
Seriously, why haven’t I come to these blog discussions all these months?
I totally agree with #130 last paragraph as well – my friend and I have been speculating the exact same thing as well.
And thank you HG for your take on David in #134 – totally opened my eyes and made me realize that side of David.
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.
Great thread. After witnessing David’s interactions at several concerts, I’d say he is very aware of the affect on people. And he handles them all with the same grace. I can’t imagine anyone thinking his many fanboys should be “kept quiet”, when I have witnessed many disturbing events that the same people overlook. In my opinion, the way some middle aged women handled themselves with him are very inappropriate, and on more than one occassion has caused much discomfort with the young teens I was with. These teens love their fanboy friend and think it is just great. They don’t need to be sheltered from that. Frankly, it’s the behavior of some of these women that would cause more negative media attention. However, David is always David with them all. And that is his beauty. He is very aware of the many types of fans. As a single female, I have alway loved his large fanboy fanbase and they have provide me many funny and warm moments.
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 love all the close up shots we get in this video of David.. I don’t care if there are only a few close-ups of Hagood, his crush. I actually don’t pay much attention to any of the other actors in this video..LOL
I love when he plays the piano, when he gently brushes her hair aside to place the sticky on her forehead and that look at the end he gives her. I just wish his hands were moving when he was playing th guitar because I’m afraid hataz are gonna notice he’s not playing. Jeff told me in CT backstage that the video was TRUE to David and who he is.. and boy was he right!
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.
I have to say cheers to #120 Riley, cheers to #128 collegemom and cheers to #!43 JesseeQ for his “unreal Pedestal of Perfection expectations” comments. I like the sanity that some people bring.
Jeers to #121 for being so hard on #120. I also have thought that many of the comments on this site imply that David is a “sex symbol” and that his sexual orientation is rainbow oriented.
To #158, kindredspirit, I too wear Peace shirts and say Peace in church. I wonder what I am trying to say.
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. )
rena — I’m going to allow your comment to stand because I feel that it is more thoughtful than incendiary, but it does have a distinct note of judgment and even confrontation about it. I feel duty-bound, therefore, to address what I consider to be rather provocative–and innacurate–observations.
No one is more familiar with the content of this blog than I, and I defy anyone to calculate anywhere near the number of “sexy” comments here compared to those at other, more conventional AI / DA fan sites and forums. Those sites carry reams of such comments on a daily basis. Not so here. Let me be clear that I have nothing personally against such comments, even if I do think it is wise to keep objectification in its proper dosage (i.e. limited). But I do have a problem with people characterizing this site as especially egregious in that regard, because it simply isn’t so.
Neither have there been to my knowledge any suggestions or discussions whatsoever about issues of David’s sexual orientation. Frankly, I don’t even like typing that phrase with his name in it. But I will not allow such a charge to be levied and not respond. That subject has not to my knowledge come up here at all, because I would not allow it. Issues of FAN orientation, yes; discussions around David’s appeal to his gay fan base, yes; but David’s sexuality is private until such time as he wishes to make it public. It will not be discussed here.
And for the record, I will indeed deal harshly with commentators who I perceive to be trying to stir up controversy where it does not exist. I will not endure attempts to create unnecessary polarity and drama.
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.
I think there are alternate hypothesis:
1) The look between David and the other young man when they first get out of the vehicles occurs after he glances in at Hagood. Is a very shy and awkward, almost uncomfortable look, one of shared secrets, but the secret could be his true feelings for the Hagood character.
2) It can be argued that there is a homoerotic theme anytime there are adolescent boys together rough housing, especially in water and with skin showing. That is a universal adolescent boy coming of age theme. Boys are with boys while young, and then they must break with their friends and family if they want to join in a union with a young woman and form their own family. It is a universal theme as old as time and we can identify with it, even if we don’t recognize it on an intellectual level. It is bittersweet, as they are leaving what they know and love and are comfortable with, for something that can be considered a primal drive, and is scary because of its strangeness, and strength and because of the possibility of rejection and humiliation and pain.
3) He is showing chivalry to Hagood’s character by helping her out of the water, while at the same time setting himself apart from the “boys” – signaling to Hagood that he is ready to be taken seriously as a prospect and that he is willing to separate from his friends by criticizing them to show his desire to be considered for this new role. Everyone understands and accepts the signals that are being sent and the new boundaries that are being created.
4) The shot at the end from inside the cabin is voyueristic in nature which can mean alot things in our culture. Is has a very sexual connotation, as that is why alot of pornography (which I personally loathe) is based on it. This creates a strong sexual inference about the couple, even though they have not acted on anything. It could be considered homoerotic if the gazing from afar is done by a same sex person, either male or female. Think of the “I kissed a girl” song, not just males. But generally, it just creates a sexual tension at the end of the video that sets up the gazes and knowing smiles that come after those shots.
The change from adolescent to adulthood is ripe with themes and messages. (That is why coming of age stories are so popular). These stories help us contextualize our own stories and themes and either help us navigate the journey or reflect upon our past journeys and help us make sense of our lives, and put our experiences in context with the “norm” of what other people have experience. Alot of times we are going to see what we want to see in these themes and more importantly, often what we NEED to see. But that is the viewer that is doing it, not necessarily an overt act on the part of the creators of the story or the actors.
But I think it is true that broad themes and nuances are better, in that it allows more people to participate and flesh out their own stories. We all share a common humanity and our stories as old as man, this story is our story, it is the story of the human race, and indeed all of creation.
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.
One more thing: also consider that, unlike a song, which you might write lyrics to a tune, then you elaborate on a tune through the music production process, the video, which may have been shot in one day, has been edited for a few weeks.
Editing, more than the shoot, is where the real work of a film or video begins. So, regardless of the “rush job” of the shoot, the video makers took their time with editing it, and it’s the editing of the video that has created the scenes and our interpretation of the storyline, according to those scenes.
And here, again, the director could have chosen to edit out certain scenes, rearrange the order, etc. The onus is still on the director for choosing to create a subtle, vague story.
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.
Hey gorgeous – I am agreeing with you about the existence of a gay subtext, it obviously exists if so many gay people are talking about it. I guess I just don’t find it that shocking or revealing in and of itself. Additionally, other subtext can exist at the same time, that have deeper impact. These themes are not mutually exclusive.
I read the swimming scene in other ways as well. David’s character turns away from the scene of the the group cavorting and having fun. He is left out of the overt sexuality in a way, not just of the flirty play with Hagood herself, but of sexual play and experimentation in general. The longing look before he turns away, to me, is more of wistfulness, rather than lust, that he cannot participate in that forum. Then there is a close up of him with the group in the background, and it becomes even more clear how alone in his feelings he is at that moment. To me this is the subtext that adds so much depth to the video. It is about being lonely and vulnerable, and wanting to participate, but being excluded. About lack of confidence, and needing to find your own authenticate way of navigating this time in a young person’s life. And how does the David character do it, through music ofcourse.
I find less overt sexual messages in the post-it game rather interesting. I find it rather interesting that his note said “Brad Pitt” when much has been made of Brad’s sexuality in private, but in movies, his persona his is overtly heterosexual. It is also interesting that he is in a relationship with a woman who is reported to be bi-sexual. Does this post-it reveal anything about the characters desires and wishes to be strong and macho, and overtly sexual, or is it something else?
rascal, you are kind of contradicting yourself a little. You acknowledge that there is a subtlety and nuance and rich symbols of human experience that trumps alot of High Art pieces in the video, but then you dismiss it as not being art because it is commercial design.
I mean we could debate what is art and I could go into the history of art and say that all art has a commercial driving force, but I think that we really do agree. There is alot of completely commercial videos in the world that fall short of being art, but I think that we might be able to agree that the Crush video with it’s complex themes and depth would qualify as “Art” despite it’s origins.
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.
Hmm, jazzy19001, that’s an interesting take on the video. Now, you’ve got me feeling bad for David!
Poor guy, all alone, not feeling invited to “play any of their reindeer games” and all that.
But, yes, his music gains him social entrance. I did like that aspect of the video: the way David’s musicality is the highlight. Still loving the piano on the deck scene. Rather surreal, even though it’s not high art or anything.
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.
I am glad that the upcoming post after this one confines the discussion to areas of his life that David has shared with us. When we speculate about him, project onto him, or think for him we are moving out of our own roles as listeners and supporters. I hate to see us ruin a good thing.
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.
I agree, jazzy19001. In fact, we’re probably one of the most respectful sites and even a “safe space” or “comfort zone” in which we can actually discuss these issues without fearing a lot of vitriol in response.
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.
# 193, Rena
Sounds like you were offended by my reference to David wearing Peace T-Shirts. (not sure why)
I’d like to think that David is encouraging the following: (dictionary.com definition #3)
“a state of mutual harmony between people or groups, esp. in personal relations: Try to live in peace with your neighbors.”
But, that’s just me.
Peace.
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.