David Cook sings the National Anthem Game 3 NBA Playoffs – VIDEO

Edited: Ok maybe David was tired or like someone has said maybe nerves. The middle to end was great! Still have to say something was off.

David Cook sang that exactly the way it’s supposed to be sung. I was worried that he’d cookify it and he sang it perfectly.

i thought he did an all right job with it:)

maybe hes tired out but he still looks sexy :)

I like how he sang it very simply…but damn he was NERVOUS.

By the way, are they playing “Baba O’Reilly” as they announced the Lakers? (I don’t watch Lakers games very often.)

Could have been nerves or tired I guess. Just not his normal knockout performance.

I thought his voice sounded a little gravely, but didn’t sound bad to me. However, my husband (a Cookie fan) thought it was pretty bad. No…

BTW- Go Celtics!

He had a rough start, but he ended well. Man, he was NERVOUS!! At first, I thought his starting key was too high, but I guess I forgot about his range for a second. It was pretty good.

Go Celtics!!!

I thought he sounded a little gravely as well, but not bad. . .looked to me like he hasn’t shaved in a while. . .much more scruffier than usual.

I don’t know David well, but I thought he looked a little nervous, too.

The first few notes were a little rough – probably a hearing problem – but he hit the rest of it right on.
Amazing how he made those great big notes seem effortless.
He can really holler!
I was surprised he didn’t embellish it at all.

They must be playing in LA because the crowd is booing the Celtics.

Amanda Overmeyer said they were working 12 hours a day to get ready for the Finale. Maybe they’re working just as much to prepare for the Tour? He could be exhausted. I saw David in an interview about a week or so after he’d won and he said his voice had never been so exhausted in his life. I hope he isn’t the next AI casualty with throat hemorrhaging.

Ok, before the SSB, I got really nervous (for Cookie). Then he came out and looked REALLY nervous. I’m chalking it up to the fact that when you are on Idol, or on a talk show, or on tour, people are there to see you, watch you, hear YOU sing. But in this case, the fans were there to see the Lakers, period.
That being said, I thought he did an AWESOME job.
However, did I hear some boo’s from the people when he was introduced? I was hearing things right? It was all cheers right? B/c honestly I could give a crap about who wins, but if they were booing my Cookie, well then, GO CELTICS!

UGH- did i miss it?!?!

i was staring at the screen the whole time. :o(
my dad is sad.

He was GREAT. Had to start low to hit those glory notes STRONG. I too thought he was a little nervous perhaps. Can’t say that I blame him! A capella, nothing to tune from or give him his first note. But that’s normal. I thought his scratchy voice was beautiful for The Star Spangled Banner, a nice fit. Lovely. But then, I love DAVID COOK! :clap_tb: Very very nice, sweetestheart.

ok wow. that actually wasn’t very good at all….expecting a lot more from him unfortunately:(…..what was wrong with his voice???

cooktard, maybe they were yelling “Cooooooook” instead of booing.

I need to see it again to judge properly.

cooktard76 – Yeah that WAS booing!
Can you believe how rude people are?!

Go Celtics!

I thought the first few notes were shaky but he did a good job with the rest. I’ve rarely heard a rendition of the SSB that was perfect, its one hella hard song to sing.

I thought they were booing the Celtics. I think that happens every game.

what happened to cook?? his voice was not very good …being tired is not an excuse for that bc they have had about a week off! ….i mean they were even booing him!! man that was really bad and i love him!

I thought they were cheering for DC but I’d have to see it again. I just can’t imagine anybody booing him.

Cook got Boo’d???? what??

We need a report from somebody who was there. I’m guessing his big voice sounded really good inside the arena–except for those cringey first notes. (I actually got up and paced around anxiously after those.)

They haven’t had a week “off.” They’re rehearsing for the tour, aren’t they?

I am a Cook addict and I have to say he didn’t do that too well. He looked petrified to me!

They were off a week…or so.

Going by that ESPN article, Cookie made that complimentary comment about the Celtics so if there was any booing maybe the Laker fans got a hold of that info, lol.

I think he had his eyes on a flag or a teleprompter, and that, combined with the camera angle, made him look petrified. Or, maybe he was.

Ok, just watched the video (THANKS MJ!) and he definitely was pretty good after he got over the first notes. And I definitely didn’t hear any booing after he sang. Seriously, he’s in a place filled with testosterone; is he really going to make the SSB all fancy/girly with a bunch of runs and stuff? Others may have done it before, but David Cook had to keep it manly and all…haha. :)

OK- i certainly didnt hear any booing. and i dont think his performance constituted for a booing. it was just alright. he did look terrified, and im surprised by that. i thought it was mediocre. i hope it doesnt hurt his career

I listened to it again, this time with my eyes closed (sometimes I have to do that because I get REALLY distracted by his beauty!), and besides a couple of bad notes at the beginning, he actually did very well. Yes, his voice sounded a little raspy, but that’s very forgivable, considering how hard he’s been working lately. (And no, he hasn’t had a week off, with the media blitz and now the rehearsals.) Poor baby needs to give his vocal cords a rest!

He looked pretty nervous there tonight, for sure.

But with apologies to MJ, I also come here with with a PSA from VFTW…

Dave organized an Idol memorabilia auction to benefit the American Cancer Society and Relay for Life.

Because a winning bidder on a Bo Bice auction pulled out, Worst is trying to recoup the money we would have had from that auction.

We have a 3 day auction on a sign autographed by both Cookie and Arhcie at their Today Show appearance.

Please check out the auction and bid for a good cause if you can. And of course, if you know any BO fans, send them to the Worst home page for info on that auction.

http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=280235334641#ebayphotohosting

You know, it started out a little unsafe for me, a little pitchy, but then hit hit the middle of the song, and he worked it out, dawg!

He did seem a bit nervous (big stage, I guess, to do your first televised SSB), but once he hit the middle of it, it was all good.

Elliott and Taylor both biffed the National Anthem big time (IMO) and nobody cared. After Roseanne, everyone else is cake. I hear the NA a lot (my husband is in basketball) and I’m always just glad when the singer doesn’t make it take a half hour. (Whitney Houston and all the imitators, I’m looking at you.) My favorite NA was a violin solo.

So, anyway, I didn’t think it was that bad, and I definitely didn’t hear anybody boo him. Just watched it again to listen again, and nope, didn’t hear any booing for Cookie.

awww, now I’m afraid to watch the video. Was it really that bad? Did they really boo him?

After watching the video, the booing (if there was any) isn’t really decipherable: there’s some middling crowd response at the beginning, but he gets huge cheers towards the end of the song and again when he finishes.

This really isn’t a big deal, right?!? I can’t imagine him being broken by doing a subpar version of the National Anthem. Does this kind of stuff really make the news?

The mama in me came out tonight. Wow he looked so frightened and his petrified look made the performance a little distracting. I didn’t hear any boos though and I thought he worked it out in the end. I noticed in the Getty image pictures that were taken even before he sang he looks drained and exhausted. Someone get that boy a nap! Just because they all had a week off before rehearsals we don’t know what his schedule has been like. He said in that ESPN article they’ve been keeping him busy with the record.

I thought they were booing the Celtics. I think that happens every game.

Yes, Laker fans were booing the Celtics. Yes, It happens every game. And every year, Idol fans think their Idol is being booed.

Lakers vs Celtics: One of the most intense rivalries in the NBA. Those fans are there to see a game. They don’t care enough about Cookie to boo him.

FIRST OFF… He did NOT get booed. His first note was off but then he was perfect.

Yes his voice sounded hoarse. He must be exhausted. He was just in some podunk town on Friday doing the Wal Mart concert. And now he’s here. In addition to the rehearsals for the tour.

Also, as a sports enthusiast he probably realizes that no one was there to see him and he didn’t want to be the guy that drags out the NA and makes it all about him.

He did it straight and then he got out of there.

But he really did look very nervous. Almost like he was going to pass out.

Sorry, but I didn’t think he looked scared at all. I thought he was looking at the flag and concentrating. Maybe not quite as relaxed, but definitely not scared. JMO, though

Yes, Laker fans were booing the Celtics. Yes, It happens every game. And every year, Idol fans think their Idol is being booed.

I find this news strangely comforting, MJ, lol – thank you.

He really does like that cuffed star necklace, doesn’t he?

Okay, I’ve listened to it obsessively. It was okay.

Cookie was super-pale though, and he looked like he wanted to hurl.

He’ll get mixed reviews. I saw a few fair-to-middling ones when Archie sang the NA for the Utah Jazz game. I’m sure it’s not going to make or break his career. :laugh_tb:

And…one thing I’ve learned from singing the National Anthem…it’s an extremely difficult song, and no matter how many times you sing it, forgetting the words happens in a heartbeat. So…he pulled it off.

But with apologies to MJ, I also come here with with a PSA from VFTWà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬ ¦

I’m all for this but, it belongs in the Headlines thread!! Actually, someone already posted it there.

Since it’s for a good cause, I’ll leave it. Next time send me an email, and I’ll make sure it gets publicized…

I think aside from the nerves, he did a good job. Sure, the first few notes were kinda off..but overall, it was great!

Aw, I thought he sounded good. I was impressed. That’s a tough song to sing. Okay, that first note was a bit dodgy but hey, I can’t even reach the ‘rocket’s red glare’ without hitting the dog whistle range.

Sorry, I wouldn’t use the word “great” to describe that performance. He started flat, looked nervous and sort of saved it at the end (although his voice sounded very strained.) It wasn’t bad enough for boos though.

I doubt it’ll have much effect on anything although he’ll need to overcome the nerves if he ever does the NA again which hopefully he won’t.

I’m more concerned by the fact that he’s looked exhausted since he won Idol. It won’t get any easier from here on and I think they need to deal with his health and cut back on the extra promo.

I saw some pictures of Cookie at gettyimages.com and poor guy needs to catch up on his z’s. He’s got bags under his eyes.

First post here.

It was not the anthem I was expecting. Then I realized why I did not “get it” when I first heard it. I was expecting the girl’s version of the anthem, all flourishes and delicate notes.

He sang how a soldier would have sung it. Straight, powerful, with heart. He made the anthem solemn and yes his high notes resonated.

Hear it with eyes closed and you can hear the power in it. It was not perfect but it was sung with great dignity and Cookie should be proud.

I thought he did great. It’s the National Anthem, not a song. And he had to sing it acapella.

And he didn’t look scared at all – he was just looking up at the flag and being serious.

JMO…

I thought he did a great job. It’s a bitch to sing and he does sound tired which is to be expected considering he has been writing, rehearsing, being interviewed constantly, and dragging ass cross country for things like Walmart. He said in an interview recently that he has never been this vocally tired. Even with all that he totally nailed the high runs. That is the tough part of the song.

David did a great job even though he looked nervous. He looked extremely tired and his voice was strained. He didn’t embellish it but sang it strong, proud and true.

Check out this interview. NBA TV’s Ahmad Rashad and Kenny Smith chat with David before he sang. He admits he was petrified because it’s the one song you don’t want to mess up.

NBA.com

He sounded very “off” to me. Maybe it was nerves because he did look very nervous. But I was expecting more. He’s got a great voice so I was expecting a great rendition but was sorely disappointed in his version. :(

Posts that have variations of “give him a break” will be deleted.

Keep your thoughts focused on David and his performance, not on your fellow posters. Don’t tell people what to think or how to behave.

Respect opinions, everyone is entitled to one. Thank you!

David Cook you rock. You sang the hardest song there is to sing, acapella, and I am proud of you! Rock on Cookie!

That interview (with Ahmad and Kenny) was terrific. And he’s a Bulls fans! Yessss!

Check out this interview. NBA TVà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã¢â€ž ¢s Ahmad Rashad and Kenny Smith chat with David before he sang. He admits he was petrified because ità ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã¢â€ž ¢s the one song you donà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã¢â€ž ¢t want to mess up.

NBA.com

That was funny. “When Jordan was huge….”

Poor baby looks and sounds worn out. Cookie, take two shots of olive oil, a B-12 and call me…well, anytime. Just call me, okay.

Thank you for posting that interview—very interesting. He said that he thought that he may have practiced too much for it, wanting to get the song right,, which may explain why his voice sounded so tired. I like (but am not surprised) that he was so concerned about wanting to do the NA justice.

I thought he did good. Not the best version in the world though.

Yikes, That was not good. He started off so horribly and his voice sounded tired or hoarse.

Hey I’m on NBA.com but I can’t find the interview. Can we have a link, please?

Go Lakers! (I’m the lone wolf in my house cheering for them. lol maybe it’s because the Celtics beat the Cavs)

The first third of the song didn’t sound good at all. But after those flat notes, he finished pretty stong. Overall, he did a great job.

Try this annoula

Someone posted earlier about just listening to it. I took up that suggestion and realized that it was a good thing I did that before I have to do a Simon and apologize for earlier remarks which would have been in the “not good” variety.

It was actually quite good. He sang it without any of the extras that a lot of artists like to put in. He was entirely relying on the beauty and the strength of his voice instead of twirls and curls. His expression was good. Soft at the start then doing the crescendo in the middle and loud at the end. Over all, it wasn’t the best SSB, not by a long shot. But it wasn’t not good either.

NBA interview link

“Seriously, heà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã¢â€ž ¢s in a place filled with testosterone; is he really going to make the SSB all fancy/girly with a bunch of runs and stuff?”

I don’t think Whitney Houston and Marvin Gaye stunk up stadiums full of testosterone when they did their “fancy/girly versions with the runs.”
It’s fine that he tried to sing it straight. He just wasn’t very good. He looked very unhappy with the performance when it was over so I doubt he thought it went well.

He was wonderful in the pregame interview and it just validates what I said. He was being totally respectful to the song and not changing it to make it all about him.

Good on you, David Cook.

You are amazing!

Yeah, watch the pre-show interview with Ahmad and Kenny to feel better, it’s so cute. (link upthread)

DC looks happy and adorably excited during it, though nervous. It’s a boy thing, not that women aren’t bball fans but man, sometimes we forget that for guys, sports is like the ur-fandom. He’s just so damn shiny and eager to be at the Big Game and hanging with the guys

The Banner itself–ok, he does seem both serious and nervous. His eyes are huge. I felt suspense for him like I did at my five year old niece’s school pageant (which featured songs about rainbows, Cook= 42, drink!).

He kind of smushed it a little bit, not bad, and there are a few really good stretches…ended strong. He said himself in the interview with the jocks that he probably over-rehearsed it a bit.

You could make the case that during the show he showed a little bit of this side, too–he FLOVES Our Lady Peace, has been listening to that song since he was a teen, knows it inside and out, and that’s the one he fumbled.

Pets him. Poor baby. :shuteye_ee:

David_Cook_Rocks – THANKS for that link!
That was a great interview!

Poor David! I’m sorry, but I didn’t enjoy that. I respect DC as an artist, but that was a very off=key and flat performance in my opinion. The National Anthem is a song that has been mastered by vocal divas. You really need to be vocally gifted to really pull of that song. All things considered, he gave it his all and good for him.

This thread will NOT turn into a “My Idol sings the NA better than your Idol” So DON’T even go there.

Stay on topic–David Cook’s performance of the National Anthem tonight.

Good singers sound like shit sometimes. I mean, I don’t think he sounded like shit. I think he sounded fine. Not great, but fine. Kind of meh, really. However, my ability to fangirl his ass isn’t going to fade. I still think he’s pretty fucking amazing. The world is still turning. People watched the basketball game without curling up into the fetal position. Careers will go on. An album will be made.

I usually hate to assume, but I think it’s okay to assume that David Cook is a human being. The future of music does not hang on every syllable he sings. The future of David Cook doesn’t even hang on every syllable he sings. If so, he would’ve been kind of fucked after Innocent.

It would’ve been awesome if wrote “God Bless the USA” on his hand tonight, though. Now that would’ve been a hilarious call back. I poke fun because I love. Like…way too much, but only my My Little Pony diary knows for sure the extent of that.

On a positive note, that wasn’t the least bit smug, lol.

if you go to the 1.02 mark in the video you can hear someone say “you suck” which isnt very nice

Thanks AInoob.

jpfan, maybe I said that wrong. Basically, I just think that he’s a 25 year old guy, and he sings rock music. He has a huge audience filled with basketball fans, and some pretty tall guys pumped up to play surrounding him. Whitney Houston is female, so she’s allowed to be girly. Marvin Gaye is Marvin Gaye and he’s allowed to sing it however he wants, and when he sang the national anthem, he didn’t have to go out there and prove himself. If you listen to Billy Joel sing it at last year’s superbowl, he has some off notes too (and he keeps it simple) and he’s on piano, so that would help him stay in key. Anyway, I digress. David Cook sang it in a way that reflected his style. If he hadn’t messed up on the first notes, people would be raving a bit more I think right now.

The LA Times Lakers blogger who’s at the game I guess didn’t think he sucked
http://lakersblog.latimes.com/lakersblog/2008/06/live-from-stapl.html

I’ll say this- if the Lakers play as well as the guy from American Idol sang the anthem, they’ll be in good shape. Solid work from AI guy.

I still expect the bad to mediocre reviews to come, and if they do it won’t make or break his career *shrug*

http://lakersblog.latimes.com/lakersblog/2008/06/live-from-stapl.html

I’ll say this- if the Lakers play as well as the guy from American Idol sang the anthem, they’ll be in good shape. Solid work from AI guy.

An opinion from the LA Times sports blog.

I think part of the reason his rendition is getting criticism is because, like all “slow” songs (can’t call the SSB a ballad) its a song that is belter-friendly (though I personally hate when I’m at a game and the NA is turned into a 10 minute glory note, but that’s just me). He sang it with his raspy voice, which maybe sounded
slightly more tired/hoarse than usual, but that wouldn’t change the fact that his voice has that gravel tone to it. That’s what I like about it. Most people wouldn’t be used to that kind of voice singing the anthem so it would come across as bad or off. Was David overjoyed by his performance? Doubtful. Was it a stellar version of the song. Not particularly. Was it the crappiest SSB I’ve ever heard at a game? Hell, no. Its a hard song to sing and one that is often judged harshly by those that don’t have to sing it (Lord knows that I’ve alternately cringed or bitched about some singers at the stadium during the NA, lol).

It was only a shaky beginning, the rest of the song was great and he nailed the high notes. Overall a really good job! After watching the *pre song* interview I think David was fine until the interviewer heaped even more pressure on David.

I hope David gets some nap time and voice *rest time* soon. I remember one of the vocal coaches or backup singer on AI saying David would come to rehearsal’s and would flat belt out the song like he was singing it live. I have no doubt he is also belting it out rehearsing for the upcoming tour. That has to be hard on his voice. Take care of yourself David!

Love Cookie but did not like that version of the NA.

Wow, that was pretty bad. I am surprised. He needs to rest that voice.

I haven’t read any posts yet, but.. no need to. THAT WAS HORRIBLE. Sorry, but I was surprised too. I was expecting much better b/c I thought David Cook has a nice voice. I guess singing acapella will show your true vocals though.. maybe without his guitar his voice isn’t as good as I thought it was. It was like nails on a chalkboard.. and forget whether or not he’s a belter or not, it doesn’t matter.

On a performance note, it wasn’t half bad (now that I’m able to evaluate whether or not there was booing). It started out rough, but it got better, and he hit the glory notes. Cookie is obviously talented, but he is not really a belter, and I’m glad for that, because that’s *why* I love him, because he’s not the traditional Idol. He’s a well-rounded, dynamic performer with flaws, and truthfully he’s not what anyone expects out of the show. I really enjoyed this season because it let people like Jason and Brooke and Chikezie out there who brought something to the table other than the ability to out-diva everybody. And I’m pretty sure any one of the three of them would have done worse than David did tonight (though it might have been fun for Jason to bust out his ukelele).

I’m sure some people were thrown when they saw this scruffy, alt-rock guy come out with his elf boots and his raspy vocals: he ain’t Whitney and he’s never going to be. Doubt this is going to have much of an effect on whether or not his album is eventually going to be successful. Likely won’t be too many Whitney-style anthems on there.

Are there really “reviews” of the Idol singing during the NBA finals? One would think this really would not be the focus of the sports blogs.

“Oh say can you see” was a bit wonky but the rest of it was fine. Good, even. Nice job DC!!!

I’ve noticed that our NA is rather difficult to sing. Particularly a capella. David definitely did a respectable job with it.

To my musically untrained ears which like what they like….I thought it was really good!! He sang it straight and sounded totally fine to me…..it’s not going to be anything that shakes up the media but not too many NA performances ever are (unless they’re terrible) For the record I’m not a HUGE DC fan, I like him but am not a wordnerd/cookie/cougar or whatever so that’s my completely unbiased opinion…..he hit notes that many seasoned pros have trouble with…that says a lot!!

His voice is breaking down. That SSB performance was because of sheer will.

He is going to sing 5 songs every bl**dy night on the tour, each needing glory notes. How the hell will he get through that night after night and have enough vocal smoothness to record an album.

AI hacks better LET HIM REST HIS WEARY VOICE. If he can’t make the album he so desperately wants to make because AI runs him to the ground, I will never forgive them.

Yes Michael Johns version at the Cubs was better if not a tad slower in pace

Sorry, but DC did not sound good at all. Maybe it’s nerves or tiredness.

Michael Johns sang the anthemn at Wrigley’s Field not long ago….MJ blew the ball out of the ballpark.

Check MJ’s performance …http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WRkPN35PWC8

Welcome Mia!

About the booing– I thought I MAY have heard it when he was being introduced. NOT when he was finishing the song. I’m sure I’m wrong (I hope). Also I watched it again, on YT and someone commented that about halfway through someone yelled out “you suck” I caught the part they were talking about, but could not make out what they actually yelled and I’m sure it wasnt “you suck” b/c if u hate ai or david cook for that matter, that doesnt give u the right to disrespect ANYONE singing the NA (i mean, unless you’re Roseanne).

On a bright note, maybe someone can find/post the link, there was an LA Laker blog where the writer says something to the effect of, “if the Lakers play the way the AI guy sung, they’ll be in good shape.”
that made me happy.

So I was in the middle of giving a piano lesson this evening, and while explaining the difference between a second and a third to my student, caught the words “DAVID COOK!” from the TV in the next room. I froze mid-sentence, and spent the next minute or so babbling some nonsense about middle C, trying to hear the SSB. Hell, for all I know I was going on about magic rainbows.:) My poor student, she probably thought I’d lost my mind…

That aside, I don’t think it was an awful rendition. If you’ve ever tried to sing through a very loud sound system in a venue with an echo as extreme as a sports arena, it is VERY difficult to get your bearings at the beginning of the song, and I suspect that had something to do with the shaky start. His voice did sound a bit tired, and he was probably right about over-practicing–I’ve done that a few times for piano performances, and let me tell you, it can be the kiss of death. But he picked up momentum as the song went on, and I’d say he ended it very well.

I’m probably alone in this, but I live in LA so…GO LAKERS!!:)

Thank you Hollygo9 upthread for posting what I was just talking about in regards to the Laker blog thing.
Also upthread, so that other commenter wasnt the only one who heard “you suck.” I honestly couldnt make it out either way. I would like to hear someone’s opinion who was actually there! But the Laker blog guy said good things so I’ll stick w/ that.

He made me cry. Not his singing, he grew with it – didn’t hurt a bit.

No, it was his hair I wailed over. Well, add in his pallor, aka ‘walking ghost’. My golden put his paws over his eyes and just howled.

I think we need to jump on this product problem — everyone, please send him a case of Matrix Man Power (he looked like he had a bun on the top of his head) or, better yet. . . . some Neutrogena Sunless Tanning Spray.

Sniff.

I love me my Cooksie, but this was not a great performance. I agree that his voice was tired and I too, got antsy when he first started…had to stand up cuz I was nervous about the high notes. He hit him them well, actually.

While he was nervous, he was staring up at the electronic flag, not looking up in nervousness.

I’ve always thought that the September release date was a bit ambitious for his album — especially for an album that’s supposed to make our neck hairs stand up. Slow it down, do it right and release it for Christmas.

UTube Syesha singing the N.A. — then go bake a cake. By the time she’s done singing the song, your cake’ll be done. Yeesh!

Cooksie sang without all the ornamentation which is a WELCOME relief.

Last thought — he’s on Leno tomorrow night, so he better rest his voice. A lot more peeps watching him tonight, but tomorrow will be more intimate.

haha i love it when mj gets mad.

having said that, i dont think Cook did a bad job, it was just ok. and singing rock, the anthem prob isnt his thing. it sounded at the beginning of it like he was trying to do a theatrical version of it and thats what messed him up a little. and i still dont think there were boos.

but this is the time where i wish Archie would have won. for people who dont watch the show, i think archie would be more of a suitable voice for them, and i think at first glance (or hearing) it sounds naturally better than cooks. he has more of the initial WOW factor. and we all know ballads r archie’s thang

The David Cook LJ kids think the heckler was yelling “Boston sucks”. It’s not crystal-clear what was going on. The debate over whether they were actual booing going on (for my part, for the most part there was not, and Cookie was applauded twice during his performance by more people than might have attempted to boo him) seems to indicate that the crowd was pretty receptive towards him, to the extent that they cared about him at all.

Which they probably didn’t.

I read the praise on the LA Times blog and started to laugh at how seriously I’ve been taking tonight. I finally remembered that I ALWAYS hold my breath and cringe for a soloist doing the SPB, and that all I ever want is for them to hit the high notes. I don’t care WHAT they do at the start–they can whistle it out of tune through their ass, for all I care–just so long as they don’t make my teeth hurt on the high ones. He hit the high notes beautifully. My guess is that he impressed everybody there, but especially people who’d never heard him and weren’t pre-set to either worry about him or hate him. It’s hard being a fan!

Okay, back to sanity for me. He sang the National Anthem at a huge game and he hit all the high notes. On to Leno and The View. And then, I hope, to bed for him and his gorgeous voice.

zlhd36
Jun 10th, 2008 at 11:03 pm
if you go to the 1.02 mark in the video you can hear someone say à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã…“you suckà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬  which isnt very nice

omg- thank you so much zlhd36 for pointing that out.

I read on another board that the comment shouted was indeed “Boston Sucks” and there was only booing directed at the Celtics. David got cheers all around.

Very true- that drunk douchebag deff yelled out “Boston Sucks”

Wow. What a game! It was a close one. My Celtics had the lead for a while, but in the end they lost. On to game 4!

Believe me, David Cook’s NA WON’T be what people will be talking about around the water cooler tomorrow.

With the exception of the first few notes, I thought Cook sang that pretty well.

I think the person was shouting “BOS..TON!” not “you suck.”

I so want the Celtics to win, for a totally parochial reason: Paul Pierce is my fav KU player of all time.

So right, mj, about the water cooler tomorrow.

Crap, I hate the Lakers, sigh.

With the exception of a shaky start, I think he did a really good job. He’s not a fuckin’ diva and I am damn well pleased he didn’t try to sing it like one! He’s a rocker with a rock voice. He didn’t need to embellish it with Archie-like runs.

Although his voice sounded a little strained in spots, he sang the song straight, and hit the notes beautifully. The crowd applauded twice during the performance.

Loved his pre-game interview.

No young David…get some bloody REST!

Agree with whoever said he should NOT try to rush this album. As much as I long to hear new stuff from him, an album release before Xmas would be just fine.

Honestly, it was not good at all. Sorry. It’s not going to make or
break him, but he was way off. I enjoyed Michael Johns version
at a Cubs game a couple of weeks ago. He sang it beautifully.

Reminder:

When I moderate a comment, that’s not YOUR cue to re-edit it.

I said in an earlier post that I will not allow this thread to degenerate into a fan war. Posts that attempt to stir the pot or bait “the other side” will be edited or deleted at my discretion.

Thank you.

The beginning was just a bit shaky, but otherwise, I thought he did a great job.

My last post for the night!

I really don’t see the logic behind the mentality that Archie should have won AI because he might have sung the National Anthem better. The show is about finding a dynamic recording artist who can put out great records, not on on finding someone who can glory-note a patriotic ballad.

If the latter is all we’re looking for, Kristy Lee Cook should have been out there tonight. At least she’d put less runs in it than Archie.

I really don’t see the logic behind the mentality that Archie should have won AI because he might have sung the National Anthem better.

That’s not what Duke said. He said he wished Archie had won. Big difference. And with that, I am going to ask AGAIN that this thread stay on topic. This thread is NOT about Archie.

Gotcha

Flop sweat, the deer in the headlights stare, the sandpaper voice the in and out vibrato and spotty pitch. All rolled up into a ball of awful.

I’ve never noticed before how David kind of drops the “h” sound in words, such as when he sang: What so proudly we “ailed” and the “ome” of the brave.

Nothing earthshattering…just an observation.

Go Celtics!

i mean for the good of AI, Im glad Cook won, but i said at times like this, i think the average Joe who doesnt watch AI and tunes into the bball game will be more impressed with a 17yr old kid with a great, smooth voice over the rocker guy. but i still like Cook. im just sayin

Mary Bee, thats what im saying. thats what the average viewer sees. and im sure if thats people first impression of S7 of AI, they arent jumping at the bit to tune into S8

Mary Bee, thats what im saying. thats what the average viewer sees. and im sure if thats people first impression of S7 of AI, they arent jumping at the bit to tune into S8

Honestly, I don’t think people watching that game care one way or another about AI.

You can go into any arena in the nation and the local talent does a better job singing TSSB.
They do it for free and they usually stay on pitch.

Very True MJ- but u gotta think that maybe 1% of non-viewers were midly interested when hearing the word’s AMERICAN IDOL. i mean, even if u dont watch the show, u have heard about how big it is. and so ppl expect wow. and sometimes when they are WOWed, their interest gets turned on and maybe, just maybe, they will think twice about tuning into AI when a new season starts and there is nothing else on.

I really don’t thinking people listening to DC sing are thinking Hmmmm I didn’t like this guy so I’m not going to watch AI8.

To the casual listener, which is probably the majority of people tuning in, I’m sure DC sounded like a rocker dude singing the NA in a straight-foward way- no frills (Archie-like runs) and thought it a solid performance.

Love the audeince cheers after Dc sing the word “wave”.

i just got home and watched the video (thanks mj). from what i can tell he did mess up the beginning but the rest was pretty good. the best NA, nah but he did a good version. and i don’t think this will reflect badly on his career. or on AI ratings.

The national anthem is one of the most challenging songs to perform in public. Although it requires a vocal range that most professional singers don’t possess, many listeners are less forgiving than usual because of the patriotic symbolism.

It was so many years ago that I can’t remember if it was Beverly Sills or someone else, but an opera star once said she was more nervous and intimidated singing “The Star Spangled Banner” at a sports event than for all her other public appearances combined because it is so much more than just a song.

I think Cookie did a creditable job and, most importantly, he seemed to feel the seriousness of the moment. Plus, you know he had to be overwhelmed by the fact that six months ago he was just another sports fan watching the game and now he is singing the national anthem during the NBA playoffs. I really like that he was nervous under the circumstances.

By the way, I think Cookie had a few rough spots, but overall he did fine. The performance was not earth-shattering in either way. Like I said, this is not what people are going to be chatting about around the water cooler tomorrow morning.

I’ve been through this every year with different Idols, and every year, it’s like deja vu all over again, with the handwringing and the dissecting, the fan warring and the claims that OMG they were booing my IDOL!

And in the end, the performance itself is eventually all but forgotten…

And then we start all over again next year. ;).

deleted

Does anyone know who sang the SSB in Game 1 or Game 2? Or who will be singing for Game 4 or 5 and possibly beyond? No? I didn’t think so. I don’t think by the end of the Finals, bball fans will even remember who sang the SSB on any given night.

I’m making a rhetorical comment above, so please don’t bother to post the names of the other performers. ;-)

ETA: I’m sure Kobe’s 36 pt game is going to be the focus of attention tomorrow and not some forgettable performance of the SSB. But it sure stirs up the fan bases like crazy!!

I’m sitting here laughing at my computer – these posts brought back a version of the SSB I heard about a month ago. It was at a car race here in Texas and Willie Nelson’s daughter did the “singing.” She made up half the words, got the verses reversed, and was totally horrible. It was so totally messed up that it made it incredibly memorable. Wish I had a tape recorder. That is one hard song to sing. Cookie had a few rough patches but he was fine. That isn’t a song I would like to tackle. I also imagine he was quite nervous. Imagine going from tending bar to standing in that situation. I imagine anyone’s knees would be shaking.

Honestly Im a HUGE cook fan and I didnt like the performance. I think its because Im used to hearing versions like Jordin Sparks etc of course thats not who DC is so when I look at it that way he didnt do that bad. Regardless of that the fact is to me that he looked super tired, sounded hoarsed and overall I thought he looked like ke needed to sleep. So I dont know if the AI people are givving him enough time to rest or what, I know its not an excuse and its part of an artist but we are all human before than artists so he should rest. Also I agree on the album as much as I would love to have his new CD right now I dont mind waiting a while for it, MAKE IT RIGHT take your time, because I truly believe that his true fans will wait. Finally all artists have their bad days I remember the lead singer of the Rascall Flats was sick one day and although he didnt sing his best at an awards ceremony he went up there and deliver the best he could. Although I didnt love it its not changin my mind on Cook I still love him!!!! Favorite idol ever!!!

Actually what I hear is ” What the heck? That’s who won? The losers must have been really really bad.”

It was average (at best)… but seriously, it doesn’t matter. Not every performance he’ll do after Idol is going to be magnificent. It’s now about learning to become a better performer.

He sucked. Pure and simple. He doesn’t have power vocals and he didn’t even show any emotion in this rendition. Fatigue might have been a factor, though. One of those totally forgettable NAs performed by idols..

Very True MJ- but u gotta think that maybe 1% of non-viewers were midly interested when hearing the wordà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã¢â€ž ¢s AMERICAN IDOL. i mean, even if u dont watch the show, u have heard about how big it is. and so ppl expect wow. and sometimes when they are WOWed, their interest gets turned on and maybe, just maybe, they will think twice about tuning into AI when a new season starts and there is nothing else on.

This is just the singing of the national anthem – there were no forgotten lyrics, disrespect, or something that would make this memorable in a bad way.

Now compare this to all the positive press and media coverage that Idol has gotten since the finale. This is because DC has proved to be articulate, humorous, personable, and photogenic. A lot of people have been WOWed by that. That said the thing that will really make a difference is the quality and success of DCs album.

I was really hoping that he could shed two tears. Then all would be well with the world!

Some performances are memorable, some are just ok and then there are those you would rather just forget. I think we know where this one falls…

Cook needs to get some rest and get some vocal training on how to protect his voice. He still has the tour and he is a wreck. AI needs to protect their investment in him and give him time to recharge before the tour. He has too many fans who are counting on seeing him on this tour.

>>>>carolina…it was not cold eNuff……..sawRy!!!!!!!!

MJ
You have the patience of a saint. There are so many times I sit here in awe of you.

Cookie needs to to sleep for a month so he rests body and voice at the same time. Also the AI tour is a bit too much singing considering he needs to track the new record as well.

He seemed completely emptied out to me in this video.
Make him rest!!! :help_tb:

I have an idea for a Book

Title>>>> How To Sing The National Anthem(to PLEASE all the AI fans)

A tall order–a tall order indeed!!!

coco
the subtitle can be Mission Impossible

I don’t think it was bad, but, it wasn’t great. His voice sounds tired. They run the winners of AI ragged, and, he’s also in rehearsals for the tour, as well as trying to get things together for an album. The boy is tired, and, like some said, no one is going to be talking about this performance around the water coolers. Now, if you want to hear BAD, listen to Roseann sing the SSB.

I think Michael Johns has had enough time since his elimination to rest his voice. Cookie hasn’t.

It was quite good except for the first part. The high notes were great and I think the crowd even cheered him for that.

weelassie

Exactly….you have hit the nail on the head.

Wow. Ok maybe this was not one of his stellar performances, but it was good. It’s apparent he is tired, his vocals need some rest. I would bet he has been singing every single day but the two or three the first weekend after he won.

Heck I think even I expect another Hello/Eleanor Rigby/Billie Jean/Always Be My Baby/Music of the Night/Yo Face/I Don’t Want To Miss A Thing/etc every time he opens his mouth to sing. That is not fair to David, because David also gave me these hauntingly beautiful songs: Little Sparrow/Innocent/All I Really Need is You/Dare you to Move/I Still Haven’t Found What I’m Looking For/Dream Big & The World I Know. I can’t think of one other contestant who gave me this many stellar songs in all of the 7 seasons. Nope. Not. One.

I disagree with whoever said he does not have a power voice. His voice is very powerful. Listen to Hero & see who has the power voice, it’s Cook. He does not have a diva voice, no, but power yes, dude can hold those high notes for a long long time while really belting it out. (see The Music of the Night, The First Time Ever I Saw Your Face, etc).

The SSB won’t hurt David at all. He was setting at the million mark in digital downloads what one week after he won AI? Talk about IMPRESSIVE!

ETA… darn I just fantarded again, lol.

It wasn’t fabulous but it wasn’t horrible either.
I think he sounded like a man as opposed to a wannabe diva. He didn’t make the song about him or being a show-off; he sang it respectfully.
He started off shaky but the last two-thirds were strong and he hit the “glory notes”. I didn’t realize that a man can have a good voice only if they use “runs” or attempt to sound like a woman.
He did look pale and something was “off”; I don’t pretend to know what it is. If I am going to be completely honest, there is a very large part of me that wishes he could say “Screw it” to the whole AI – PopTarts tour, go rest and then make a kick-ass album.

It was alright. He biffed the beginning but I think people forgive that if you are singing a capella, as long as you don’t *keep on* biffing throughout (which he didn’t).

As for the booing, I heard the same type of crowd noise when they were intro-ing the Lakers afterwards, so I don’t think it was particularly negative.

Anyway I’m sure the fans just wanted them to get on with the game :D Maybe not his best performance ever but his career’s not hanging on it or anything. After Roseanne’s NA, all people ask is that you don’t eff up too horribly :)

I do wish he’d done the electric guitar version! But I guess people expect the American Idol to, well, sing.

I was wondering what he was staring so intently at till they showed the flag up in the rafters. A camera angle to tip us off at the beginning would’ve helped, ABC!

Is this the first time we’ve ever seen him stumble vocally? I’m thinking that’s why it left an impression with me. He’s always been so good, I think I’ll chalk this one up to exhaustion and/or nerves.

i just hope Cook doesn’t sing like this during the AI tour. All the best to Cook, I hope he recovers from whatever makes him sound off that night.

That was awful thoroughout.

Nearly every other AI alumni I’ve heard has done better.

Too bad for Crook there wasn’t a cover he could steal.

Man, that was terrible. I wonder how many audience are booing him and how many are booing the Boston team. A song like this will expose your vocals and true singing skills.

Cook might blow his voice half way through the tour, since he doesn’t know how to hit high notes properly except for screaming. Jordin has a problem too with the way she sings.

I wasn’t going to leave a comment on this, but I figured why not offer my two-cents…?

When I watched it live last night I thought the whole first part up to “and the rocket’s red glare” was off key but that by the middle of the song it sounded really good. Having watched it again on here this morning I now think that other than the first four words and then again at “whose perilous…” DC sang it very well. (Why did it sound different, who knows, sound quality on an old television and the signal may have something to do with it – in my experience even HD and non-HD sound totally different!). His best performance? No, but then he wouldn’t be human if he didn’t have an off performance now and then, everyone has an off day, no matter what we do, it’s just that those in the public eye get far more attention.

David looked exhausted and his voice did sound tired. But for the purposes of critiquing (and there is a part of me wondering why on earth I am sitting here critiquing his version of the NA, afterall, I like his music and his voice but am I going to love everything he does, and am I going to get this invested in his every performance, no matter what it is??) I thought he sang a difficult song fairly well and maintained the significance of the song by not making it into a David Cook “patented” version.

And just on the water cooler statements, this may or may not be surprising but my local radio station this morning decided to discuss last night’s game, and don’t you know that the only thing they discussed was the NA? I couldn’t hear what they were saying but they played a portion of it so I’m going to hazard a guess it wasn’t positive criticism.

That picture up there of him bothers me a bit….where are his eyelashes? I think that is what is giving him a blank look. Never noticed that before.

As for the NA, I think he did a decent job…just my opinion.

When I watched him sing the SSB last night I would have given him a 5 on a scale of 1 to 10. I re-watched the video posted here this morning, with my eyes shut this time and solely focusing on the sound, and it was really pretty good in hindsight. I would bump it up to an 8, and I have a feeling that it may have sounded even better if you were actually int the arena with him. The sound on my tv kinda sucks I guess. Was it the usual incredible David Cook? No, but it certainly wasn’t bad either IMO. Reminds me of the judges on AI this season and how the bar and expectations were set higher for David than any other contestant. I do agree though that he really does need to give his vocals a break. I’ll be curious how he sounds tomorrow on Leno.

Even with his overworked voice, he hit all the high notes. I thought it was a decent performance. Hopefully, he can rest his voice for the Leno appearance tomorrow night.

Well even though it’s over.. and a lot of you think it’ll be in the past and long forgotten, unfortunately this is probably not true. There is now a direct comparison of the various idols over the year (not just from this season)… and people will come to their own conclusions over who sang the better SBB… it’s too bad that Cook couldn’t sing it that well in the end, and he will ALWAYS be compared from here on forward.

Honestly I don’t think it was an overworked voice either… this is probably how he sings acapella, plain and simple. Next time maybe he can sing it with his guitar & other instrumentation and he’ll sound better.

i’m a cook fan and i thought it was horrible. being tired is not an excuse. carrie had a similar shedule and did great back then

If I were a Cook fan, I’d be more upset that the boy looks like he’s being overworked and exploited. TPTB is taking advantage of every opportunity with this Idol. Hope he survives the tour OK.

The SSB is a thrilling anthem when done right (ie, right voice, right delivery, right reverence…right words), and excruciating when done poorly. The lyrics are amazing. The melody is more intimidating than lovely. “America the Beautiful” would be easier, but the melody is taken. :P

Cook did OK after a rough start, I think. It’s not make or break him time.

He’s tired, and he’s not going to be able to pull off everything all the time. Shouldn’t be expected to. He’s still the winner and will still (probably) make a great record and sell lots of it. He’ll have other ops to sing SSB and he’ll do better. BTW, I’ve observed that season 4 Idol contestant Anthony Fedorov is quite accomplished at singing SSB. He could make his whole living doing that. Other than that, what’s he up to? So, mastering the SSB ain’t everything apparently.

I didn’t like that performance AT ALL!

I don’t think excuses like being tired, nervous, a hard song to sing be a reasonable explanation to cook’s off singing. Every artists have to endure the stress of their career singing while promoting themselves and still give amazing live performances. I find Cook’s rendition ok but really off in the beginning. Whatever it is, I just hope he will give a better live performance next time. Go Cook!

That picture up there of him bothers me a bità ¢Ã¢â€š ¬ ¦.where are his eyelashes? I think that is what is giving him a blank look. Never noticed that before.

I don’t think it’s a lack of eyelashes that is making him look all Close Encounters of the Third Kind. The vocal was adequate, but I couldn’t really enjoy it since I was waiting for the spaceship to beam him up.

Well the review from PEOPLE has come in and it’s favorable:
http://www.people.com/people/article/0,,20205763,00.html

BTW, Ià ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã¢â€ž ¢ve observed that season 4 Idol contestant Anthony Fedorov is quite accomplished at singing SSB. He could make his whole living doing that. Other than that, whatà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã¢â€ž ¢s he up to? So, mastering the SSB ainà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã¢â€ž ¢t everything apparently.

I was thinking the same thing. His voice definitely was “sandpaper-y,” but if being able to sing a perfect NA were the key to success we would have a very different music scene.

MJ, I think you should start running a pool on how many posts you’ll get in the thread every time the new AI sings the NA and split the pot with the winner. It would really help support the site! :)

Wow. I’m laughing my head off at the size of this thread. Hehe. I wish people would talk about me this much when I sing the National Anthem. And boy, have I had some (bad) doozies!!! :blink_tb:

Wow, I can’t believe how long this thread has gotten! Honestly, I didn’t really think it would generate this kind of interest or anyone would care this much. LOL, I guess that just goes to show how much of an AI noob I really am!

As someone who doesn’t follow DC, I just listened to last night’s rendition of the SSB. After a bumpy start, I honestly do think he sounded fine and did it justice! Certainly not the best I’ve heard him, but it was a very respectable, straight up version, and the audience seemed to appreciate it.

ETA: I was also struck by how weird his eyes look in the pic at the top of the thread. Maybe the angle and the lighting, combined with exhaustion, I dunno. But still, this is but a minor blip in the grand scheme of things, imo.

I can’t believe that People review of this performance. David Cook was off singing that song. He looked scared to death and sounded like he was about to lose his voice. I couldn’t help thinking about what a beautiful job David A. did with that song. I was just disappointed in Cooks.

Wow, I can’t believe how long this thread has gotten!

I can. I knew I’d be in for a long night last night. LOL.

More reminders:

Keep this thread focused on David Cook’s performance of the National Anthem. Please leave the “so-and-so did it better” stuff out of your comments. I don’t want this thread degenerating into a fan war.

And absolutely, do not question the motives of your fellow posters, or critique their critiques. Keep your comments focused on the TOPIC, not your fellow posters.

I don’t post here very often but I wanted to say thanks to MJ for putting this up. I missed it when it came on last night.

I thought he did a very nice job with it. When he said he was going to “sing it straight”, he really meant that. He added absolutely nothing to it, not an extra note, not a characteristic Cook growl, nothing. I was surprised, but I was cool with it (and I am sure everyone there was too. The paid hundreds to watch a BB game, not listen to someone drag out the NA). All in all, he hit just about every note (those first few aside) and he tore up the glory notes. Good work DC. Now get some rest.

Now that the esteemed music critics at People have weighed in I’ll stop believing my lying ears. :)

Judging the NA is a tradition for AI watchers. I think it’s usually the first time they get national exposure after the show so people get hyped up.

If he forgot the words I don’t think the press would be nearly as kind though.

My take on it..For those who hate him and want to see him fall on his face the performance was a trainwreck and the worst rendition ever, for the fans that are use to his usual strong performances it was bad, off, etc., for the media/reviewers who fall right into the middle or are neutral maybe it just wasn’t the mess some thought it was. For the most part the major reviews from newspapers and media outlets that focused on the game its all about LAKERS, LAKERS, LAKERs, oh and the American Idol sang the Anthem. Next. LAKERS! In the grand scheme of the things this performance will mostly be remembered in the AI world stacked up against the dozens of other renditions.

David worked really hard on this as he mentioned during the pre-game interview (over-rehearsed), just as any other performances am sure. It’s just one of those days he would think back and wish he could have done better in the beginning of the song (maybe). It’s still pretty good though over all.

His voice seemed to have worked over-time. Sounds like his burning out already. This voice sounds alot like during his Axium and Analog Heart period – heavy/deep/raw. His voice is more refined during AI. In any case, will be a great CD out this fall.

He has got to rest up that vocal chords. And perhaps change his shoes too, someone has got to dress him up differently now. He looks great!…don’t get me wrong…just kinda monotone for just about every interviews and performances since victory day till now.

Wow… being the AI (or even just in the top 12) really puts you under the microscope. It’s incredible the amount of micro-analyses there are of everything he does. I guess I’ll toss in my two cents. :)

I thought his rendition of the Star-Spangled Banner was adequate. He hit all the right notes, wasn’t out of tune and had good volume in both upper and lower registers. And he sang it without any embellishments, which is a plus for some people. His voice did sound a bit hoarse, like he might be suffering the effects of a cold. The shakiness at the beginning I would attribute to, by his own admission, an extreme case of nerves.

The SSB is hard to sing well because of its really wide range. Many accomplished singers have struggled with it over the years. So anyone who can sing it as originally written gets a thumbs up from me. Anthony Fedorov does sing it well but the best version for me is by Josh Groban.

As for the issue about eyelashes, of all things, unless a photo is high resolution and really clear, I don’t think one can really pick out details like eyelashes very well.

Hey MJ. You’re blog’s incredibly entertaining. :)

Please take a look at this (It ain’t mine, just found it) : .

The audio quality’s really good. We can literally hear the crowd cheering for him.

I thought DC did a fine job. Slightly shaky on the first two notes, but very good other than that. I bet people who don’t watch the show were surprised at the gravelly rocker sound.

So i watched it again this morning. It sounded worse than i thought. it did suck. my dad, who wanted archie to win, said he sounded terrible too (which holds no value really, he hates cook). i hope there isnt a backlash, but from the headlines today, it looks like it will be forgotten by tomorrow.

Someone’s yelling out “You Suck!” LOL

I enjoyed it, and like it that he wasn’t perfect and more than a little nervous. If he weren’t nervous at this particular event à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬’  at this very early stage in his career à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬’  some of us would be calling him cocky. Makes him more relatable. We know how good at live singing he really is most of the time. Hearing boos or nasty comments from a crowd can keep you grounded sometimes.

From the NY Daily News entertainment blog
http://www.nydailynews.com/blogs/ilovetowatch/2008/06/idol-winner-sings-anthem.html

“Idol” Winner Sings Anthem

David Cook sang the National Anthem last night for game three of the Celtics-Lakers NBA championship series.

“It’s the one song you don’t want to mess up. I’m going to try not to notice Jack Nicholson sitting in the front row and think about the lyrics…[but] no matter what I do, I don’t have Simon [Cowell] telling me how dreadful it was.”

Hot lava vocals, dawg!

He’s getting some great positive comments from the media….deservedly so too! It sounds even better on you tube than the version MJ put up here.

It’s interesting how some people are picking it apart (AI fans)while to the general public he did a really good job.

Glad he sang the song , while respectfully looking at the flag. Have played it now for both of my teen daughters and they really like how he sang it and how it sounded…they like how he didn’t dress it up”.

ETA: The crowd at the Staples Center were very supportive with the clapping and the cheering-they obviously liked it too!

Someoneà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã¢â€ž ¢s yelling out à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã…“You Suck!à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬  LOL

No someone is not yelling out he sucks. Someone is saying what sounds like Bobby or maybe it’s Boston sucks @ 1:12. There was no *You* or *David* period.

How many reminders do I have to post in this thread?

Keep your comments on David and his performance. Lay off critiquing or making judgments on your fellow posters. I’m deleting posts that don’t follow the guidelines.

A big thank you to everyone who is playing nice. I appreciate it. :).

TV Guide has DC’s National Anthem in its “video scoop” of the day. They say:

“He had the courage to face Simon for all those months, but what was it like for Idol winner David Cook when he sang the national anthem at last night’s NBA Playoff Game? “The nerves are way worse [than on Idol]. It’s the one song you don’t want to mess up. I’m going to try not to notice Jack Nicholson sitting in the front row and think about the lyrics,” Cook told reporters before belting out the “Star Spangled Banner” at the beginning of the game. Could have fooled us à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬’  there’s not a hint of nerves in that voice!”

(That text doesn’t appear with the video on the TV Guide site — it’s just what they sent out in the email update — so I copied the whole comment.)

Cool, smartcookie! Is TV Guide going to make me subscribe to it? And People? And, oh god, In Touch? And ET, and, and. . .at the rate DC is appearing in the mags, it’ll be cheaper to subscribe. For some reason, my library discourages tearing out pages. Meanies.

It’s funny to watch the revisionist reviews going on today, once the clean versions of MP3′s became available. I guess last night was a post-Idol version of Bzuh! WTF!Cook! (tm BearCat at TWOP)

Edited, beccause it’s not What F**k The!

I thought it was awful.

A lot of people have had to sing the NA at the finals. But LA is a completely different animal. Singing it in LA is like singing a song for the first time, a capella, at the Oscars (although there were arguably more stars at the Laker game ..)

You’re getting ready to sing and Jack Nicholson, Steven Speilberg, and Arnold are just a few examples of the people sitting 15 ft away and staring at you.

It isn’t the same as singing in some place like San Antonio – completely different animal. The only person who might understand what DC was going through would be Clarkson (wasn’t her first finals in LA?)

But even then, at least she had performed the NA more than a few times in public pre-idol if I’m not mistaken. Cook, to my knowledge, has never performed the NA ANYWHERE prior to last night. To do it for the first time there .. I’d be more than petrified. That is pretty amazing.

After the first few notes it went well, and the glory notes (especially rockets red glare) were awesome. I can tell you that sports fans loved it .. because not much is more annoying than someone turning the anthem into a 6 minute run fest. Clean, Short, with good power notes = perfect for most sports fans.

This thread is ridiculously long, so I can’t help but add to it. :-)

The first few notes were off. But once he found the key and the intervals, I thought is was fine. David did what we were taught to do: he sang our National Anthem straight up, no runs, no embellishments. I thought it was fine – not perfect, but just fine. In fact, I hate it when the SSB is oversung, diva style… so I prefered a version that was simple and to the point.

Everybody, chill-lax!
MJ, it’s been said but it bears repeating: you do a great job. Seriously. Thanks!

Rough start/ better in the middle/end. Voice sounds a bit worn. Nat’l Anthem has never made or broken a career.

I was reading ESPN today and Bill Simmons had this to say about DC’s performance:

“Really, only one thing stood out: David Cook singing the national anthem with “I love being famous, I am getting laid nonstop” vigor. I have to say, the kid is a star. He carried himself like one of the biggest stars in the building (and maybe he was). Still, I couldn’t help but think about how much fun it would have been had David Archuleta won “American Idol” and gotten the Game 3 assignment, then sang the anthem and done his sheepish, overwhelmed, “Oh my God, I can’t believe you guys liked it, I’m fighting back the tears” routine as KG stared him down and waited for him to get off the court. That would have been fantastic.”

It is in his first answer. It totally cracked me up. Sounds like Cook didn’t seem nearly as nervous in person.

^^Okay…that was funny. :laugh_tb:

LMAO :laugh_tb: rockchalk, thanks for posting that

I’m not even a Cook fan but I think he did a really good job. The first few notes were a tad shaky but the rest sounded great. I love how he just sang it simply and straight–I love when people don’t embelish that song. he hit the big note and hit it strong! I think he did a great job and I’m happy for him.

I wonder if this would fit on a t-shirt: How does David Cook sing the National Anthem? With “I love being famous; I am getting laid non-stop” vigor.

Wheeeee the media is giving Cookie the thumbs up! It’s a relief to know that there are writers out there who have ears that work. Great positive exposure for Cookie. I’m still trying to get Magic Rainbow out of my head – any performance of any other song is greatly helping.

Uh oh. I have to say it. This was not his best performance. The song is virtually impossible to sing though so I’ll cut him some slack.

I doubt he’s had that much down time because he looks exhausted. He needs a tan like a fish needs water. Dave, this is Los Angeles – just go buy a tan.

I think he is just overtired. I read in an unauthorized posting, that he got a few cortizone shots to help him get through the AI finale.

If we’re going to have a SBB pool then I need to go look up Archie’s rendition as I haven’t heard it. LOL

A late comment. I was horrified by his first note (which was very noticeably flat and off) and stopped the player fearing he would continue to be off till the end. But then, after some deep breaths, I skipped the first 4 seconds and listened to it. Not bad at all (not very good either). And man, he’s so handsome.

I also watched Syesha and DA’s national anthem performances. I think I like DA’s better but don’t like he added some of his signature runs and changed some notes in the song (call me old-fashioned but National Anthem should not be modified for whatever reasons. It’s America’s National Anthem, not DA’s National Anthem). Syesha gave out one that everyone expected the Anthem should be sung but somewhat unimpressive (somehow, she kept reminding me of Whitney Houston and I kept saying “not as good”).

FWIW, the davidcookai7 LJ and twop threads have turned up another version of the SSB that sounds WAY better (and corresponds to my own experience watching the HDTV version). So, there’s some explanation for the wide discrepancy of opinions (other than that half of us are crazy Cook fans and the other half are crazy Cook h8rs) *g*

Here’s the HQ youtube version:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Pdo9rusQt2o

(click on ‘watch in high quality’)

I didn’t personally love some of his enunciation choices, and those first three notes were bad, but it’s a world of difference from the streaming version. You can also hear him get a ton of cheering. So, for anyone who listened to just the streaming version and have since been wondering why the entire MSM and half the listeners seem to be on crack, or those who listened to the good one and have been wondering wtf everyone is complaining about, try a swap and see.

I would guess that the official streams have very lossy audio encoding to minimize the filesize and ensure smooth delivery — you don’t exactly need a ton of audio quality to follow a sports game, and you do need to devote all your resources to following the high-speed video action. I’d bet on a 16 or 24 Kbps encoding rate (compare to 128 Kbps for a decent MP3). Hence the yuck.

I think blaming his performance on nerves is so lame! He shouldn’t do that.. he never made excuses during AI, so why start now? Hmmm… I just find that interesting.

And yes, this song is hard, but it’s hard for the other people who have sung it better, so again… this is not an excuse for him not singing it well. Unless he’s just not good enough of a singer to sing it well, which is the only thing I get when I hear that it’s just “a hard song to sing.”

As for the hq version.. I watched it and it didn’t sound any different, really. I did hear some more cheers at the end but it was super short. He didn’t look too happy with it when he walked off either.

FWIW, the davidcookai7 LJ and twop threads have turned up another version of the SSB that sounds WAY better (and corresponds to my own experience watching the HDTV version). So, thereà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã¢â€ž ¢s some explanation for the wide discrepancy of opinions (other than that half of us are crazy Cook fans and the other half are crazy Cook h8rs) *g*

Somebody already posted that version about 1 page ago. The sound quality is better, but it doesn’t change my perception of his performance at all.

I’m a fan of David Cook, but I accept the fact that he’s not always going to be The! Most! Fantastic! Singer! Ever!

His version of the SSB was OK. He was clearly nervous, it had some rough spots and he sounded hoarse. He sang in tune, remembered the words and he hit the high notes, which is good. It wasn’t terrible, it wasn’t fantastic–just another average version of the SSB. I don’t think it’s a big deal. The performance is merely a flash in DC’s career. He’ll move on.

The performance is merely a flash in DCà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã¢â€ž ¢s career. Heà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã¢â€ž ¢ll move on.

Thank you, mj. It’s good to see some level of proportion in this discussion.
This performance is now a thing of the past, good or bad as it was, it’s not anything which will impact DCs career in any way. It certainly brought out the vultures who were just waiting for DC to have a bad day to pick at him, but that’s OK, it makes no difference in the long run.

I do think that even though it was in the past, it will always be a direct comparison to other AI performances and other singers in general… so for that, unfortunately for David Cook, this performance will always “follow” him. This is why I think AI made a mistake by allowing the finalists to choose their own coronation song…. I like to make direct comparisons for singing talent and that was a good way to do it, and AI is, after all.. a singing competition. But, at least we now have the SBB to do direct comparisons, and these will always be made, from here on forward.

How will a national anthem being stacked amongst other AI’ers impact his career? Please. Anthony Fedorov’s rendition is probably one of the best there is done by an Idol and where is he today? A couple of months from now David’s will be a blip on the general publics radar except for the AI fans/haters still obsessing over it and hoping it will damage him. Are any major media outlets comparing his version to Carrie’s or Kelly or anyone elses? I haven’t seen any. In fact I haven’t seen any full blown trashing of it anywhere other than some blogs or message boards.

I do think that even though it was in the past, it will always be a direct comparison to other AI performances and other singers in general… so for that, unfortunately for David Cook, this performance will always “follow” him.

Oh, the fanatics will continue to argue on the boards, but the casual fan? Won’t care a bit. I’ve been following AI closely for 3 years, so I know this.

But, at least we now have the SBB to do direct comparisons, and these will always be made, from here on forward.

For the uber fans to continue and perpetuate fan wars, maybe, but otherwise? Not so much.

What’s going to matter in the long run are the records that the Idols put out and how successful they are–not some versions of the SSB that a few people made a point of watching.

David’s SSB is an indicator of his future now? Wow….just wow. :blink_tb: Too many people sing the SSB at too many games for people to really care.

The performance is merely a flash in DCà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã¢â€ž ¢s career. Heà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã¢â€ž ¢ll move on.

Thank you immensely for being objective.

Heh. Someone asked who is singing the National Anthem at tonight’s game, and clearly no one knows or cares. LOL. David should be proud.

I do know that my dad, an avid sports fan who could care less about AI, clearly remembers Carrie Underwood and Jordin Sparks’ versions of the National Anthem. Without ever watching AI, he could not believe thar David Cook won. He didn’t think David could sing at all. David Cook is a great performer, but those who do not watch the show think it is absolutely ridiculous that he won and I am a bit ashamed.

David Cook is a great performer, but those who do not watch the show think it is absolutely ridiculous that he won and I am a bit ashamed.

Have you conducted a scientific poll? I’d love to see the results.

Two years ago, Elliott Yamin sang the National Anthem for the NBA Finals. He began the song a little too high, and wound up riffing and running his way through the high notes rather than hitting them cleanly. Changing up the NA can be a very controversial move, and it was. At the time, people went batshit on the boards. I do believe I had a few boardacides that night, things got so heated. LOL.

Since then, he’s sung the National Anthem at other events and has done a great job. He can hit the high notes when he starts the song properly. Also, in the two years since then, Elliott has had a hit song on the charts, and a successful album. He’s still considered one of the best voices to come out of AI.

His hit song, his successful album, the great work he’s done on behalf of diabetes, his ever-improving performance skills on the touring circiut–these are the things that people think of and discuss when Elliott Yamin comes to mind–not his SSB performance from two years ago.

but those who do not watch the show think it is absolutely ridiculous that he won and I am a bit ashamed.

Amazing! How do “those who do not watch the show” even know what David sounds like, let alone care enough to form opinion of his win? It boggles the mind! I wish I could form concrete opinions about shows I don’t watch, I’d never run out of things to talk about!
If what you meant is that your dad formed his entire evaluation of DC based on the NA, then all I can say is – too bad for him. He’s probably missing out on some great things if he makes all of his judgement calls based on so little.

unfortunately for David Cook, this performance will always à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã…“followà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬  him.

Please. It’s only been two days, and already it’s not “following” him. Tonight he’ll have a new public appearance on Leno, new interviews and articles have already surfaced to capture the fans’ interest. The only ones still harping about this are the haters. I’m sure some would love to think this is some crashing blow, but really? Don’t kid yourselves. It’s a blip, and it’s already fading.

This thread has gotten rediculously long, so here is my $.02 to add to it. You have to have tremendous respect for anyone who attempts the SSB in public. It is an extremely difficult song to sing even for many accomplished artists. I have seen even multi-platnuim artists mess it up. There is no one, and I mean no one, who can maintain perfection 100% of the time. It amazes me how some people want to pick apart every note of DC’s performance. I thought is was good – not his greatest performance by far. But then again, his career is not going to be made or broken by his version of the SSB. Unlike some with a hint of OCD who tend to over scrutinize everything DC does, I don’t believe this performance will follow him at all. Afterall, Game 3 of the NBA finals was not about him. I am looking forward to his album, and I think he has already proven his bankability on the charts. I certainly think he has a long and properous career to look forward to.

Yes, it’s been two days, and the only ones still taking about this are the uber fans. On one side, we have David Cook fans combing You Tube for versions of the performance that will combat the naysayers and prove it’s Fantastic! and on the other we have the so-called h8ters using the performance as proof that Cook really stinks and shouldn’t have taken the title.

This conversation is becoming really tedious. There’s only so much dead horse beating I’m willing to allow. And just so you know, the minute this thread degenerates into a fan war, I’m closing comments. Enough.

Thank you.

Screw you mj, your a fine one to be calling people uber fans. I don’t consider myself a fan at all. I never obsessed over AI like some people, never wacthed every episode nor do I ever watch youtube. I have better things to do with my time than stare at my computer all day waiting for reponses to whatever is posted. As a matter of fact, I never posted anything until today to anything- so please do me a favor and remove me from this lame commentary.

Now if he starts screwing up every performance going forward, like the Leno gig tonight, the cancer fundraiser, his appearance on The View, etc., then the h8ters will have every right to shout The. Wrong. Person. Won!!!

I think it’s time to bury the horse. LOL

Screw you mj, your a fine one to be calling people uber fans.

Wow. I wasn’t even responding to you. But, whatever. Thanks for stopping by.

I have seen even multi-platnuim artists mess it up. There is no one, and I mean no one, who can maintain perfection 100% of the time.

It is my belief that the average American Idol fan wanted David Cook to do a GOOD job because he may be the first exposure for many basketball fans to the TV program – American Idol. Having an outstanding performance would “prove” he’s a terrific singer and a bright light for AI.

OK, so some fans (both AI and basketball) weren’t pleased. Let’s move on and hope David will have another opportunity before a national audience to show that he can do a nice job. I wish him the best.

For all I know, this is your national anthem! I don’t know about America. I am not an American but in my country, one is supposed to sing the national anthem in its original form – simple and straight. You honour your country. You are not selling yourself as a singer.

We all know that David Cook is very talented and is capable of changing the arrangement of the song. But he didn’t. It’s obvious that he uses his brain. He knows what ought to be altered and what ought not to. For eg., he didn’t change the arrangement of Music of the Night in AI because it is timeless & to honour Andrew Lloyd Webber. NA should be sang simple and straight, in which he did. One shouldn’t embellish the NA. He did hit the big note and hit it strong! Ià ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã¢â€ž ¢m certainly proud of him.

And I don’t find him looking scared either. He was just honouring his country by looking intensely at the flag. That’s the way it should be sung, like a warrior!

Somebody already posted that version about 1 page ago. The sound quality is better, but it doesnà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã¢â€ž ¢t change my perception of his performance at all.

Argh, I swear I did in fact look and just failed to see. *facepalm* I think maybe I skipped a page of comments by accident or something. :/ Sorry for the repeat (and for whatever I contributed to the dead-horse-beating). I did find it a big difference myself, so I thought it was of interest.

Argh, I swear I did in fact look and just failed to see. *facepalm* I think maybe I skipped a page of comments by accident or something. :/ Sorry for the repeat (and for whatever I contributed to the dead-horse-beating). I did find it a big difference myself, so I thought it was of interest.

Actually, my bad. The HQ video was posted on the blog, but not in this thread. I believe it was posted and was discussed in yesterday’s daily thread.

So, no worries…

I am not a US citizen. Even though I used to stay in the States for 6 years, I have to admit that your NA is tremendously difficult to sing. Well. I think Dc just did alright, not his best performance though but Im not ashamed of it. Its a tough number that he just gotta to do and he did it. If you guys in the states are so ashamed of it, many other countries would welcome him to sing our country’s national anthem…i am sure Dc can pick up in any language!!!

From the Boston Herald website:
Just found some great pictures of David Cook before the NBA Final game 3, before he sang the National Anthem.

#1 Shooting baskets
Boston Herald

#2 Leaning on the NBA Fionals trophy
Boston Herald

I wanted to share the pictures, but can’t download them.
For the DC fans, check these out.