We know that the Caleb Johnson coronation single, “As Long As You Love Me” was written by Justin Hawkins of Darkness. He also penned “Music Again” which appeared on Adam Lambert’s debut album, For Your Entertainment.
But, as it turns out, Caleb’s song has been kicking around for awhile. The tune was pitched to Kelly Clarkson, oddly enough, as Justin told Yahoo Music back in 2012. “I wrote something for a bit of fun, and I think she liked it,” he said, “Kelly Clarkson had a song [of mine] on hold, but unfortunately, within the lyrics, it talks about my mustache. So it needs a slight rewrite. She liked the tune, but I’m not sure if she was really feeling the subject matter.”
The moustache lyric, which doesn’t appear in Caleb’s version either, “Tell me, baby, did I pique your curiosity with the sweet wheels in my garage?/Do you love me for my money or my uniform, or do you only love me for my mustache?”
Kelly singing a version of those lyrics would have been…interesting. Alas, it appears she never actually recorded the tune.
“Well, I was definitely making assumptions about [Kelly’s] lyrical requirements, because it’s definitely from a manly perspective,” he told Yahoo music this week, “And there was originally a mustache lyric in there. Yes, it’s the same song. The song was considered by Kelly, but ultimately ‘unexploited,’ as we say in songwriting world. I was asked to modify the lyric for Caleb, and we lost the mustache line. I think [the mustache line] was something that works for me but nobody else!”
The song HAS been recorded–in 2011 by South African Idol runner-up Mark Haze. That version was never released in the States.
Now, before ya’ll scream “COVERGATE!”, it’s not the first time an Idol coronation song has been recorded previously. Ruben Studdard’s “Flying Without Wings” was a cover of a song by the UK band Westlife and Lauren Alaina’s single, “Like My Mother Does” previously appeared on the debut album from season 7 alum, Kristy Lee Cook.
Justin barely considers it a cover. “You could argue that Caleb’s is a different song,” he told Yahoo. “There are subtle changes to the top-line melody and a sweeping rewrite of the lyric.”
Via Yahoo Music
Judge for yourself:
Check out the Mark Haze version here:
