[MEDIA=3]Video mix of “Imagine” at Ford Day. Footage: canada0422, PatriciaErin, ladyvette826
I’ve always thought that a great vocal performance was like a great sculpture. The added magic of a live performance is that you can watch the artist at work. Much has been made of late about David’s role as a kind of connection agent, one who has a facilility for channeling the infinite into people’s hearts and minds. But as our friend the music teacher said to him backstage one night, part of this is a gift and part of it is enormous work and dedication.
This performance of Imagine is a prime example of what constitutes true art: a heart connection embodied in remarkable craftsmanship. Careful but not studied; powerful yet subtle; flourishes of virtuosity that remain within the bounds of impeccable taste. It’s this last attribute that I think contributes so effectively, from the standpoint of craft, to allowing the audience to feel. It’s similar to when an actor has the intelligence not to convey the entire emotion, but to only suggest it, unambiguously, but without playing it fully. That’s what allows to audience to fill in the rest with their own emotional imagination.
There is an enormous amount of intelligence in David’s work, emotional, musical, and otherwise. And yet, the performance feels not the least bit fabricated. The greatest sculptors leave research, sweat, pain, and everything extraneous on the studio floor, and roll out a thing of beauty that lives in the world as if it had sprung from the ether and landed in front of us like a perfectly natural phenomenon. Imagine that.
And Another Thing…
Will someone please give these two their own show, already?!
rascal, your words slay me.
“That’s what allows the audience to fill in the rest with their own emotional imagination.”
YES!
David reaches out to us, but he allows us room to approach him. We feel as though he is singing only to us, and we respond in an intensely personal way.
Thank you, rascal, for finding the right words to express what so many of us feel when listening to David. Thank you for recognizing his intelligence, his craft, his art, his “heart connection.”
The rest is up to us, isn’t it? The rest is up to the audience to open their hearts and let it fill as we open our minds to this “emotional imagination.”
Wow! I’ll be mulling over this description for quite some time.
Hey Rascal.
I was stopping by to set your alarm so you could wake up and inspire us. I see you have already been busy, and YES, I am inspired as always. I don’t post often, I am probably your #1 lurker! I find your site inspiring, insightful, poignant, with some of the most heartfelt and heartwarming testaments from individuals who so openly and willingly leave their hearts “on the stage” so to speak. It is both dizzying and overwhelming to see that there are many of us out here who truly do “GET” David. Each of us responds with a connection that is personalized to fit our own needs. I truly do believe THAT is how it is meant to be!
How does David “get” this song so well? I don’t understand this at his age. He has so much going on inside. He feels it and sends it back to us. This song was written about 37 years ago but is so relavent today.
“nothing to kill or die for”
My son was deployed to Iraq twice and is now living back home with us trying to live with PTSD. I wish David’s music could help him but nothing seems to.
At least it helps me.
Sorry guys to be such a downer. Maybe I should lay off the “baring my heart” so publicly.
Hi Rascal,I cannot get your video to play đ
Loved your comments and especially --
“Careful but not studied; powerful yet subtle; flourishes of virtuosity that remain within the bounds of impeccable taste”. With ballads such as these his craftmanship is effortless.
P.S. If anyone has an inside track to David, JIVE, or Team David, Imagine REALLY needs to be on his album, it would outsell Lennon!! It is truly untouchable. I have the original soundtrack, can’t hold a candle to David’s rendition!
rascal, thanks for your gift of this beautifully crafted remix.
Betsy, sending thoughts of love and understanding to you, in your tough time. Just keep playing David’s music around your son. Keep supporting and loving. Perhaps in time, you’ll see that the healing process began long before you knew.
Rascal, thank you for your post. Thank you for posting the video, which makes me feel joyful. Joy Full. I don’t think I can find a better word to describe how he makes me feel when he sings this song.
acnewjersey, I hope you realize that this is one of the “safe spaces” you can say such things. I once got into an online fight because I dared to think David owns John Lennon’s Imagine. đ
I do agree that it needs to be on his album (this plus Angels). An album can feature two cover songs, right?
Thanks for the words of encouragement, Kait. I have never aired my private hurt anywhere before. I guess I’m feeling very emotional today. Tears. David opened up the waterworks for me.
Betsy -- I wish I could come sit by you for awhile and hold your hand.
I was there and witnessed this amaaaaaing performance…Rascal what you said about there being nothing fabricated about his performance really says it for me. I am still in a bit of a daze from the whole experience but one thing that I really understand is the fact that David is not selling a “product”. Every where I go, from watching a movie ,listening to the radio watching tv, even in my home, (via telemarketers) someone is always trying to sell me something .Even at my church and of course in politics (haha) doctrines and ideologies are being “marketed”. Seems like there is not a thing that is not “packaged” for us. Except David.The fact that I have never heard David “sell himself” makes him so precious in this “consumer consumed” world. When he sings it’s just him, and I am sold… I would pay any price to experince it again and again. Rascal I would love to hear more from you on this.
And Rascal ,David the sculptor!!!! yes
I need to go reflect and cry some more….
Hello Gorgeous (love that name)
Oh, I hope I didn’t open Pandora’s box. After seeing Lennon sing Imagine in person, trust me there is nothing left to say. It IS David’s song now! (JMHO) And I am sure John is smiling down on David, how could he not after that rendition. Once again it will become a song of and for the ages! Yep, room for two covers on that album.
Betsy, my thoughts are with you.
I am speechless to hear David sing “Imagine” again. From my one and only previous post here, I stated how his “Imagine” saved and lifted me up from my deepest depression not so long ago. But hearing this version is like reliving the whole experience one more time, staying in the bottom, seeing the light and the final salvation. I have no word to describe how I feel now. All I can say to David is “Thank you, thank you, thank you.” Just when I feel that alienation and separation is my chosen destiny, you come and show me again that there is really light at the end of the tunnel.
acnewjersey #6, I actually was about to start a thread on IDF about me wanting it to be on his debut album, but I stopped short there. There’s some sentiment that he should “leave his AI identity behind him” and “just do new songs” which I really disagree with. Why shut yourself off from so many great songs in the history of music? Why not lavish ourselves with David’s “takes” on so many classics from so many genres?
Well anyway, the occasion that was prompting me to post that thread was the BACKGROUND MUSIC that he sang over… Where did that come from? First I thought that maybe it’s a backing track from the album? But it seemed a bit simple and stripped-down to me (but Richard Parkinson did say that David would love his album to have an “acoustic” vibe) I’m thinking that Dean Kaelin played it for one of their demos in June… which would suggest that they have been THINKING about including it in the album.
Anyway, I think that a simple guitar accompaniment is a PERFECT way to do it on an album. Stripped down accompaniment, letting his VOICE soar!
acnewjersey, I’m thinking that this wish my come true!
Not only is it the “enormous amount of intelligence in Davidâs work, emotional, musical, and otherwise” that allows us each of us to “to fill in the rest with their own emotional imagination” but it is the absolute subtlety with which he does it. This is what sets him apart from other performers in my mind.
This was simply breath-taking. But while we’re imagining, why not imagine songs on the album that equal or surpass “Imagine?” We all know it’s possible. đ
Ronaldsf, an acoustic Imagine on his album would be awesome! The only thing I would want David to conquer by that point is to finally get the nerve to say “hell.” It’s not a bad word in the way Lennon intended, and if the Baptist preachers could utter that word in church, David, you can sing it in a song!
Come on, sweetie, you can do it! đ
acnewjersey, I don’t think you opened up Pandora’s Box; but it brought back memories to when I did! Oh well, I thrive on controversy, so it didn’t bother me much. Because I believed it then (and believe it now) that David owns this song.
Betsy, thanks for sharing your story here. It never ceases to amaze me how so many of us were drawn to David at such poignant moments in our lives when we were dwelling in darkness. He really does offer us his Archulight.
Hi all…back after almost two weeks and trying to catch up with these unbelievable threads and comments! What a community here!
Silverfoxe: warm huggers to you…I walked through a similar experience with one of my best friends years ago…you are, I suspect, a powerhouse…and one lovely lady.
HG: like you, my prime mover is I-N-J-U-S-T-I-C-E. Nothing in this world makes my stinger so poised and ready to strike!
ronaldsf: you ARE all that! Babs and I also go way back, and she remains one of my all-time favorites. I saw her twice in concert and she was absolutely magnificent. Judy and I also go way back, and her artistry still speaks to my heart. I was just a little older than David when I wore out my Carnegie Hall album.
And Rascal, I think of you as a no-nonsense sweetheart with class and brains. A real gem. Thank you for this wonderful place on the Web.
This performance of “Imagine” seems to have so much more of David in it than the other ones…gotta go back and listen more…it’s just too much, too much…
archu_adorable #18, why not be “greedy” and “imagine” having it all? đ
And I think David can and will give “it all” to us.
Such insight in this post, Rascal. I love the analogy to actors — who have to struggle both to think about the effect on the audience and also to be in the emotional moment.
For David, years of studying and experimenting music have given David a rich musical education that he can draw from on the fly. David insists on not singing a song the exact same way each time, because he has to feel what he’s singing, and be in the moment. He must constantly create. Which is amazing for all of us. Because he is a master!
Oh, and thanks for great video mix, Rascal!
What a great idea, taking the best audio and video and putting them together! đ
Hello Gorgeous-Iâve thought about Davidâs use of evil instead of hell and I think it broadens and strengthens the message of the song. Hell is a finite and confining idea. Evil is more universal. Just as âreligionâ may feel restrictive but âspiritualityâ is not. The song expresses that, too.
sondra -- With all due respect, there is no rational winning argument for changing the lyrics of an artist like John Lennon. I have no doubt David will eventually sing the lyric as written.
S-h-h-h-h-h-h…..
Did you hear that? It’s the sound of a pin dropping…
…and captivation
rondaldsf #21 -- Deal! We’ll be greedy and then compare notes in 50 days, 13 hours, 18 minutes, 34 seconds -- no 33 . . 32 . . .31 . . . .
My opinion -- the day we hear David sing “hell” we will know he has lost a little of the innocent 17-year-old idealism that is so much a part of who he is now and why we love him. I also think that he probably will, but I’m not anxious for that day to come too soon.
Plus, he was wearing the CTR ring Grandma gave him, c’mon! Let’s not insist he feel too uncomfortable! đ
That pic of “the Davids” speaks 1000 words doesn’t it?
Comfort
Comradarie
Comedy
to name a few…
Rascal -- I actually agree with you about changing the lyrics. I just liked where the change took me.
These are the lyrics:
“Imagine there’s no heaven
It’s easy if you try
No hell below us
above us only sky”
Nothing there would preclude our “innocent” David from singing the song as is.
If it isn’t sacrilegious for him to sing about a world with no “heaven,” isn’t it even easier for him to sing about a world with no “hell”?
This is a remarkable fan site! Thank you for all your hard work!
WHY do I adore this picture? Guh….I’m weak.
http://i332.photobucket.com/albums/m335/Jonerz/davidford.jpg
Like many things John Lennon did, “Imagine” is not without controversy. Criticisms levied against it include everything from “Utopian hippie nonsense” to “a communist manifesto.” Considering all the assumptions and impressions about David and the traditions in which he was brought up, I think it is extremely interesting that it is already, at least for the moment, his signature song.
rascal, what a fascinating comparison -- a great vocal performance and a great sculpture. I myself, having a better understanding of creativity in the visual realm rather than the musical realm (sigh, I wish I were naturally musical), always thought a great painting was like a great musical performance!
“Careful but not studied” resonates with me because I believe art in any medium happens when you walk (consciously or not depending on the artist) on that tightrope straddling between control/craft and not controlling/abandon. You see this in asian calligraphy executed by a master where I believe it is necessary to have absolute control over that stroke you make in a flash but it is really nothing if you didnât also âlet goâ at the same time. Thatâs why I think of the analogy of tightrope. It goes also with the notion of, in the case of singing, being lost in the song but at the same time being present in the moment. rascal, I think youâve touched on this in a previous thread, again hopefully I read and understood you correctly! And simularly, ronaldsfâs analogy to âactors â who have to struggle both to think about the effect on the audience and also to be in the emotional momentâ.
Sorry I canât be terribly articulate discussing the intangibles of art and artmaking but it is a stimulating subject, identifying what makes Davidâs artistry SOOOOO SPINE TINGLY MAGICAL!!
David loves to research the history behind the songs and I’ll bet he knows all about the controversy behind Imagine. He knows and it doesn’t stop him.
rascal#32, true enough about Lennon’s “controversial” lyrics in Imagine, which is why it’s even more poignant it has become David’s signature song. Isn’t that the power of his interpretation skills? He basically transformed the -- ahem -- “Communist Manifesto” of Lennon’s song into one of hope, peace, and love. Which, when you get right down to it, was what Lennon was singing about in the first place.
We could argue that David divested the song of its “political” import, or better yet, took it back to the rope in singing about a universal truth of communal love and peace.
Talk about “emotional imagination” and being a “hippee” at heart! Go, David!
HG: I was just coming from the place where David has lived and been socialized in for the past 17 years. I have had the conversation about ‘hell’ as a place and ‘hell’ as an expletive with all four of my children who have been raised in the Utah/LDS culture. They all got it and they all parted with their ‘innocent idealism’ for saying it at different ages -- not as an expletive, but as a place, real or not. The one child who most reminds me of David at the same age held on to it the longest.
I am NOT trying to say that I know this is what David was thinking. I don’t. It was just my opinion that perhaps it was a likely possibility and that it has nothing to do with him thinking it was sacreligious or even analyzing it too deeply, because you are absolutely right -- there is nothing that would preclude him from singing the song as is. What makes it even more likely to me is that he DID sing the ‘no religion’ line.
The message of the song is so clear I’ve never thought any part of it was sacreligious -- and that’s coming from a very ‘religious’ person.
Good point, rascal. And I believe David IS, in his own way, the “rebel” that the media’s stereotyping of him does not make room for.
If David had sung this in 1970 it would have met the same criticisms. The controversy — and of course the song itself — reflected the political storms of that time.
David IS an idealist and puts his beliefs above everything else. He is committed to his music career because he wants to share his love of music with others and help others make that “connection.” As commercial success brings him more artistic independence and the world changes around him, I look forward to seeing him bring his compassion and sense of right and wrong to important issues of our time.
No shoelaces?! What a normal boy thing to do! Mine did the same. Now it’ll be cool again for awhile.
The song may be interpreted as being about heaven itself--the Kingdom of God, the other dimension, whatever you want to call it; the realm beyond the physical where time and duality don’t exist. There’s no need for a heaven in heaven. Nor a hell nor religion either. I imagine (ahem) that may be how David sees it.
For me, the poet, Rumi, put it this way:
“Beyond our ideas of right-doing and wrong-doing,
there is a field. I’ll meet you there.
When the soul lies down in that grass,
the world is too full to talk about.
Ideas, language, even the phrase ‘each other’
doesn’t make sense any more. “
Nice poem, kindredspirit.
Don’t you just love how, whenever we start discussing David’s music, we get all “meaning-of-life” deep around this place?
Rascal, just love this picture, it’s just 2 guys clowning around together, having a blast! What a great comedy team they would make, DA with the “dry wit” and DC doing the teasing.
#38 betsey, these sneakers don’t require shoelaces to keep them on. David jumped up and down the stage one day while wearing them to “demonstrate” how they stay on. Another Archudorable moment!!
Rascal, regarding your post above, 2nd paragraph a thought came to me. and it was -- the essence of mystery, remaining mysterious to your audience and letting their imaginations work to the performer’s benefit. Jackie Kennedy always kept a “little” to herself, never fully giving out 100% of herself to the public. This is probably apples and oranges, but it just reminded me of the Kennedy philosophy. A little mystery/aloofness/a bit of a reserved personality, it’s interesting to me. Which reminds me of your perception of David when you met him. I believe you had mentioned that you found him a bit reserved (correct me if I’m wrong, PLEASE -- lol) I always wanted to explore this further with you. One of my favorite things to do!!
Oh my gosh! Joner! I just realized you did it! ROFL!
As usual I’m breathless and can’t say a thing after reading the article and watching the video. I’m stunned and in awe!
What fun stuff to see on youtube today! Lots of Ford Day clips. Have to say that Cook is really a class act sometimes. And funny. He gave his new car to his dad and is buying a new one for himself. He was wrangling a deal from the Ford execs!
The two of them need a show together. I don’t think youtube can hold everything they generate!
Oh, Rascal, just wow! Your simile is amazing; a sculptor of music, of the song, the connection, the heart, the meaning and leaving us with the space to fill in our own personal connotation. I have run that through my head today while also thinking of the great sculptors and their works.
Sculpture is considered the finest art form because it mimics divine creation. The sculptural image is found within the block of stone much as the human soul is found within the physical body.
I made a very special trip to Florence’s Galleria dell’Accademia a few years ago and spent a large part of my day at the dellâAccademia viewing Michelangeloâs sculptures including his David. Coincidentally, many of the sculptures leading up to the David were truly unfinished and yet most fascinating.
The impact of Michelangeloâs sculptures from the time I took humanities and classics courses until I actually had an opportunity to see them has been a driving force in my life. Most recently I visited the Notre Dame in Brugge and viewed one of Michelangeloâs Pietas which is little known. My granddaughter (then 10) was with me and as we were viewing the Pieta when suddenly bright sunlight shined through the stain glass window above us at our side bathing us in multi-colored light. This was my granddaughterâs first visit to a cathedral (I have mentioned previously that we are a spiritual family not affiliated with organized religion) and we were both mesmerized, a truly enthralling and uplifting experience.
Thank you for making the comparison of Davidâs singing a song with the work of a sculptor. Just WOW!
Wonderful posts everyone…so great!
I have finally gathered my senses enough to comment on my Ford Day experience..I think.
What an honour it was to witness such greatness…. I am still unnerved by the whole experience.
I can not begin to find words to explain the JOY of meeting so many others”who get and adore David”…refnaf, TOfan and Freo..it was AMAZING to meet you and to bask in the GLOW of the day with you !! What a privilege.
I loved each song …He was just simply outstanding.
Angels was gorgeous…his voice filled the room, it was strong and haunting. You could of heard a pin drop …I think we were all in disbelief… it was lovely.
Crush was riveting…there was a pleading to this performance… it was like he wanted everyone to HEAR this song..like he was saying ” I want to do this right”. I really felt his hard work in this performance, I was on the edge of my seat …he was energetic, bouncy, GREAT ! I am in awe I was there for this…so ..blown away.
After Crush when he was chatting… he was trying to explain the next song , rambling in his sweet David way…and I do not know what came over me but I needed him to know ” we get you, it is o.k…Crush was great” and without my knowing words bubbled out of my mouth and much to my surprise I called out loud “We love you David”…and amazingly in unison other people clapped and hooting and called out ” we love you”….it was great …we get you David we do !!!!
Imagine …..filled my heart. I have never felt a song/performance so physically…every part of me was hearing him…I was stunned. I reached over to my friend who I had just met for the first time that day in REAL life ( not just on line) and I grabbed her hand and held on we looked at eachother tears in on eyes …and without saying a word we both knew we would be forever changed.
It was a wonderful day from start to finish…I could go on and on… I won’t but I will say one last thing…. I will apologize to rascal in advance…but it has to be said….David looked so stunningly handsome it was breathtaking….OMG!!!!!!!!!!!!
Thank you, Rascal, for this beautiful remix and the previous ‘adoring’ picture. I had the original on my desktop when yours came out, and I was thrilled to swap mine out for the beautiful compilation you created.
David really is a superlative artist for all the reasons mentioned, and when you factor in his age, it’s mind-boggling to process. I think Jeff is right. David was born with much of what he brings us. Coupled with work ethic that he has developed has turned an incredible talent into a phenomenon. I have a hard time getting my mind around what he has yet to bring us. I think we’ll get a glimpse in November. Even though this album will be pop primarily and oriented mostly for kids his age, I think his talent and virtuosity will be more than adequate to turn it into a heart-stopper. We’ll see. If not this time out, then surely next time when he has the time to craft an album truly reflective of who he is…a treasure.
Archu_dorable, I got your message and will try to catch you at a good time tomorrow afternoon or early evening. I noticed that David had a ring on and looked and looked for a better image of it. When I found a fair one, my best guess was that it was a CTR ring, and I was right! Wow! What could be more fitting?! Did his own grandma give it to him or a different one who’s adopted him?
It has been a very special day for me. First, as a diehard Cubs fan (I bleed Cubbie blue), I’m elated because my team clinched their division this afternoon. I am wearing the same shirt the team wore in the locker room (drove like a maniac to the sports store to grab it), then went out for a celebratory Margarita and nachos, hee hee. THEN, I come here to watch our sweet lil Nutter Butter slay my heart again. Good grief, that was simply exquisite and quite the dessert to top off my day.
And to Rascal….gosh, you slay me too. LOVED every last word of your post.
GO CUBBIES … GO DAVID!!!!
For me, when David sings, hes a painter. He takes out a fresh canvas for each performance and proceeds to paint a completely new version of his work, with exquisite shading and tone, filled with movement,colors and feeling. Angels is the perfect example of a stunning work rendered over and over with complete originality. That’s why we never tire of hearing it. Dean Kaelin has talked about this gift that most singers never exhibit and that David has shone since childhood. There is great allure with a musical artist who may always surprise you, even when you think you know what’s coming. There is no facet of David that I do not adore ,hence my excitement about his future and the gift of watching it unfold.
can you imagine these two dudes chewin the fat on a talk show type mtv? what a riot! but that’s unlikely? both are gonna be busy with their debut album and the promo tour.
betsy, keep the faith. stay focused, count the blessings.
we are so lookin forward to his debut album. i hope jive assigns hiim so real progressive management. is he gonna be packaged as billy joel, daniel powter, jason mraz, gary barlow, george michael, john mayer? david james is gonna be so huge!
Rascal,
How do you get a picture above your screen name?
ROFL YES..YES..YES..YES AN ARCHUCOOK SHOW!!!!
Have not read any posts yet. Just Rascal’s as always wonderful insights and the last “Insights” . Have we ALL not thought the same thing beginning with the finale???? I know I have from that point. They are like Dean Martin & Jerry Lewis.(sort of) No one one EVER equate David with Jerry BUT…. WHAT A SHOW THAT WOULD BE. With both of them singing in between their wonderful rapport…..Heavy Sigh… big ratings…I am sure TPTB have thought of this…otherwide, why are they still throwing them together…hmmm?
Gosh I thought I proofread….OTHERWISE…and I repeat, WHY would they keep throwing them together?
Rascal, what a great article! It conjured up a number of fun things to ramble on about having to do with art, creative inspiraton, scupture, music . . . and David. Mercifully, I’ve opted to follow just this one vein.
When I think about David’s artistry I often find myself thinking about that story we’re all familiar with: the “what just happened” moment for the six-year-old David when he was apparently swept away by the music of “Les Miserables” and proceeded to learn every scrap of it. I mean, SIX YEARS OLD! As I recall, when you’re six you’re very busy “doing” but you’re not analyzing. You’re “being” (“joying?” lol) â not intellectualizing. In addition to his “Tamyra Gray-what-just-happened” moment, that “Les Miserables event” was obviously seminal for him, and occurred in the happy, creatively rich bubble that being six years old ISâso full of imagination, unselfconscious play and love. While his parents say they realized something was up, David was just being his six-year-old self. Six-year-old people can lose themselves in mud pies or legos, really nearly anything (“Twonkies” come to mind…lol but not everybody will understand that reference) â and it seems so frequently to be all tied up with spontaneous imaginary dramas. And of course music in itself is a rich source of spontaneous imaginary drama in many (if not all?!) cases. I guess my point is simply that It just moves me SO to imagine the little David applying all that joyous, creative “six-year-old mojo” to music and a storyâ that apparently grabbed him by the scruff of the neck and dragged him off somewhere really specialâin such an all-consuming way. I mean, GOSH. I get shakey just thinking about it. I would love to hear David elaborate on that one day if he can even remember the details. To him, it was probably just part of being…David! So I could imagine he might think “what’s to tell?” But I find it so intriguing.
Given the six-year-old’s love affair with “Les Miserables” and the labor of love that internalizing that entire body of music entailed, I’d say as an artist, David has spent many of his 17 and three quarters years commingling creative inspiration, unselfconscious play, and sheer love with hard work, assiduity and dedication. That it apparently began in that magical window of the six-year-old’s universe (or before?) somehow sheds a light, for me anyway, on the “flavor” and authenticity of his 17(.75!)-year-old brilliance. With that kind and duration of dedication and love coupled with what must surely be a God given gift, what do we get (besides weak in the knees?) â apparently a stunning recipe for soul-gripping musical diamonds and a personality so irresistably attractive we can hardly comprehend itâwe get David Archuleta! (And we “get” him, too!)
I first saw the sculpture of David in Detroit Michigan in a museum. I was only 18 and overwhelmed. It is my favorite media in art galleries. I found your analogy very thought provoking. I read somewhere that a sculptor said he just looks at the stone and takes away everything that doesn’t belong. David has the talent, work ethic and intelligence to know what works and what doesn’t. He just totally blows me away.
OJS, thank you for your review. For those of us who could not be there, we live vicariously through your words. You expressed yourself very well and I was able to go along with you. Wow! What a great experience.
Debra, you expressed the very same thing I thought of when I saw the David’s. Lewis and Martin and the great fun they had together. The media and Idol enjoyed pitting the David’s against each other but they supported each other. I have had a hard time understanding how nasty some fans still are about the two. If they truly cared about their respective Idol they would follow their example and support them both.
I’m almost afraid to go there but a random thought has occurred to me. If David had won instead of Cook would their relationship be different? I like to think it would make no difference and it’s a moot point anyway.
Oh Rascal, thank you so much for that beautiful video remix. I loved it.
I also appreciated your observations about the sculptor and his work. Just think, David is early in his ‘sculpting’ career -- there is still so much more artwork for him to create. I can’t wait to see what he makes for us as he grows as an artist.
I also love the way the two David’s have become family and support each other. They really do make magic when they are together. So fun to watch.
I love this site, Rascal. You create some pretty great art yourself and we all get to enjoy it. Thanks for pictures and words that help us express how we feel for David Archuleta!
#49 Fe, congrats to your Cubs! well, I am ecstatic to see another diehard baseball fan on Rascal’s site, cause I am a diehard Boston Red Sox fan. so, we can both relate to one another on the agony of a World Series victory being so elusive, well that was before 2004 for us anyway. Be strong, it CAN happen! Wouldn’t it be unreal to have a Sox/Cubs series? wow, my dad, a Yankees lifer, thinks that would be the cat’s meow to see that in his lifetime. It’s a close one here for the AL East title, the Tampa Bay Rays are really tops this year, then there’s the LA Angels, yikes, are they good. Well, good luck to you and your Cubbies!
Omigosh, ojs759, that was you?! What a great moment that was. I’m still not very coherent about yesterday either, but I loved your comparison of David’s vocals to sculpture, Rascal.
And re your description of David’s work and dedication, and craft without fabrication, that became so clear to me yesterday, in contrast to Cook. DC (although he’s grown on me the past few months) seemed to be just going through the motions at the Ford event.
Archie came prepared and was committed to giving even this small (and largely corporate) crowd every ounce of himself. As usual, he held nothing back. The audience responded to that and I believe that’s why everyone leapt to their feet when David sang the last note of Imagine.
Even though Cook hinted that he’d come out for an encore if asked, everyone remained in their seats when he was done (until the Adcraft exec motioned behind him for people to stand up).
(I’m still making my way through the Blessings thread. Wow. If they ever give Pulitzers for blog threads, that one’s got it nailed.)
Gah! Can’t quit listening to the Ford day stuff from yesterday. Help! (joking)
dma -- I’d like to think the Davids’ relationship would be same also, even if our David had won. They displayed some INSANE chemistry towards the middle of the show and it just grew and grew. I remember an interview with Cook around the time of the finale where he said that about 3 or 4 weeks previous our David has “started putting out little brother vibes”. Cook had fallen under his spell, in other words. I also laughed when he said when asked if the “bout” of finale night had been a real boxing match, who would have won? Cook said that Archie would win because “he would flash that smile at me and I’d let my guard down.” Cook was a goner by then. LOL!
I don’t like Cook’s music so much…but I like him. He’s got a big heart and is not afraid to show it. Man, the man is a soggy one. I swear his bladder is located behind his eyeballs. He probably cries at Hallmark commercials. tee hee.
I agree with acnewjersey that he should record Imagine just as he sang it in this video. I am not sure if it would outsell John Lennon but it certainly would come close. I think this song is Archie’s signature song. I can see him closing out as encores, Imagine in his concerts. It’s not his song, but he certianly put his mark on it. Those younger persons who may not have even heard Lennon may recognize Archie by his rendition. Us who listened to Lennon can certainly appreciate Archie’s version. Both singers gave us a remarkable song to listen to. And as for the suggestion that Davids put a show together, I think that would bring such an audience. They both like each other and you can see how well they work with each other.
Thank you Rascal for this wonderful site! I enjoy everything about it!!!
Rascal#39 -- “The song may be interpreted as being about heaven itself” Wow, I have never taken that song in that direction before. And yet it makes perfect sense. No want or need, discord or strife. All joining as one. Sounds like Heaven to me.
Your post, for some strange reason, reminded me of a line from the old TV series “Touched by an Angel”. Monica, the main angel, asked a human she was helping out “How much faith does an Angel have” the answer “none, an angel doesn’t need faith, for they know”.
Too often, I think only in 3-D. I feel, great artists help us to transcend our earthly dimensions, and take a peek at the realm beyond.
Sorry, one more post. How does one make an avatar for this website? I want a cool picture above my name too. đ
In the remix, that OOO WOO OOO at 1:42 just sucks me in and swallows me whole.
#64, #52… it’s the link from this other site, you could go here to make your avatar. Help to check, coz I haven’t made mine… so I don’t if it’s work or not… :p
http://en.gravatar.com/site/signup
Rewatching the Imagine vid above is the perfect way to start a gorgeous day here in Connecticut. I’m set for the day til I come back and watch more. ODD is such a comfort zone. I love this place.
Gravatar site has worked for me BTW.
Beebee, I can visualize 6 year old David standing in front of the tv watching and committing to memory the Les Mis tape. It worked it’s magic on him like he works his magic on us. He was so little! I’d love to hear him sing some of it.
He’s got the music in him.
Ooh! I’m getting chills envisioning David singing “Bring Him Home.”
Rascal..they do need their own show!! LOL!! You are so funny!!
Thanks ojs759 for sharing the ford day experience so well. i’m sitting here struggling with how to convey the emotion that I feel.. and I just can’t do it. It’s like I need to keep it in for a while longer. I’m very thankful that others with better writing gifts can help express it for me. I.d be lost without this site (thanks again Rascal)
Tofan it was a blessing to spend the day with you and Freo and ojs759 … awesome to meet you.
And I can never thank David enough….
jos759 and TOfan
Thanks for your comments about the Ford Day show. That sounds like it was a show for the ages â a more intimate venue with David stretching out a bit. Just a peek into what we might see on his own tour. Loved the spontaneous, involuntary love shout-out to David!
rascal, I’m still enjoying reflecting on the sculptor metaphor. I like the image of his voice carving out the phrases and creating this stunning work of art. And as you said, a live performance lets us see it, as well as hear it, being created.
vermeer #33, loved your tightrope image and mention of asian calligraphy to illustrate how the artist is both lost and present at the same time.
Also, put me in the “use Lennon’s original words” camp. I don’t see it as an issue of David losing innocence, but rather honoring the song’s integrity.
Love you guys!
The tour is over but it seems we can’t stop this connecting, searching -- whatever it is. Is this the afterparty?
Or a new beginning to something huge
cutter 12 #63, rascal’s comment about “the realm beyond the physical where time and duality donât exist. Thereâs no need for a heaven in heaven” made me think of a similar thing too that I read sometime ago in some Christian literature that when Jesus returns, the word believe would not longer be necessary. I just thought it was interesting to know why faith was necessary, faith in Christ, or higher power, or what have you.
Art, as we experience David, hearing his amazing voice together with witnessing his whole persona and character, is what gives us a glimpse into that world beyond the 3-D world. We obviously already know that other world beyond our physical realm deep inside us somewhere, it is already a familiar place to us. Art simply transports us back there. We are awakened when we “get” David. I hope those who still don’t “get” David wake up too from their slumber and feel the exhilaration that we feel.
“Art simply transports us back there. We are awakened when we âgetâ David. I hope those who still donât âgetâ David wake up too from their slumber and feel the exhilaration that we feel.”
Yes, yes, yes to this!! Thanks, vermeer! đ
I should add I don’t mean to say we were all sleeping before discovering David! Not at all. I can’t seem to articulate this all too well, so I’ll just leave it at that.
Great remix Rascal.
This was the first time I ever heard David sing the entire song, and it was very emotional. I am always in awe that this young man can give such a convincing performance for this song. I only wish the audience was 1000 x larger to appreciate it, but, ahhh. the power of Youtube should take care of that.
hello gorgeous, do I dare bring down this happy exhilarating feeling by bringing up the butthead Simon? I hope he “gets” David too for his sake. For all we know, he already does but he is continuing to withhold giving David credit where it’s due in this latest FOX interview from Utah where the judges were for the next season’s audition. I won’t say more but I was mighty disgusted with him, that is, more than I already am with him. Thought you might want to know HG since I know we feel the same way on this. I wish I can let go but injustices, perceived or not, do keep me in a fighting/feisty mode. But everything happens for a reason, so I’ll go with that and calm down for now.
One more thing…..while it is very entertaining to see the Cook/Archie show, sorry, the Archie/Cook show, I’m anxious for our David to make a clean break. Only then will all the articles, the polls, the endless comparisons end.
pastel — I happen to agree with you. I had this momentary vision of twenty years from now, when Archie has been the biggest star in the world for at least ten of them, and he wants to settle in to a regular gig. So, he calls up his old friend David Cook (everyone is all, “David who?” — ha! no disrespect to Cookies) and pitches a weekly variety show on InterTV (TV and the Internet are now one in the same). The Davids do an opening monologue where they tease each other and tell political jokes, introduce the week’s guest stars, perform music, and do sketch comedy. Basically Donnie and Marie, 2028. Or, you know, the Smothers Brothers (wow, I’m old).
Hey vermeer! Yes, I saw Simon in that Fox Utah video, and yes, he’s still being a jerk. Don’t know why he can’t just compliment the kid, unless he thinks he’ll lose “cool points” or something.
I used to think he was more secure than that, but I guess not. His loss is all I say.
Rascal --
Your last paragraph of Sculpture is brilliant. I have been there in a different form and so have you. And the result is truly a phenomenon. We are watching a genious emerge -- how lucky we are.
I grew up with the Beatles and have always loved their music. I was a tween (though we didn’t call it that then) when the Beatles broke up. It shattered my young world. How could they? Some years later, John Lennon wrote one of the most beautiful (albeit a bit controversial) songs of all time. I was crushed when John was murdered, which only served to cement this song to his memory. I’ve heard countless very talented singers try to cover this song over the years -- each just as cringe-worthy as the previous attempt. I was already an Archu-holic when one night Ryan introduced this song and its young singer on AI. I instantly cringed and said to myself “NO! Not this song, please, no!” And then this amazing young man did something I thought impossible -- he took this song, a song I had always thought was simply “untouchable” by any other singer, and made it his own. I was in tears by the time that abbreviated version ended. I’ve always gravitated toward the hard rock scene, but this young man brought tears to my eyes. Every time I hear David sing this song, I get choked up. I’ve only posted here once before, but I lurk often. Rascal, you have an amazing way with words and you seem to be able to express what I, and many other “older” guys like me, feel. Thank you for this video in particular, and this site.