Song – “I Live On a Battlefield”
Artist – Taylor Hicks
Album – The Distance
Season – 5th
Place – 1st
This week I went about my song selection in a different way. This time, I picked the Idol first. You see, last week MJ posted a little tid bit about Taylor’s “big announcement” on Idol in one of the Headlines, and I wasn’t happy. I thought maybe they’d given him one of the remaining performance spots, and it’s IN MY OPINION that would be a huge waste of a spot. So I made a comment stating just that, and BAM!–the Taylor fans rallied against me. Looks like the “Soul Patrol” is alive and well people, so watch out!
I’m sorry Taylor fans, but I can’t lie about this: I simply do not like Taylor. I don’t like his bumbly, weird personality. I don’t like his “power-soul” singing style. But if we’re being honest–my negative feelings toward Taylor are most likely a result of my favorite Idol (It was Katharine at that moment in time)–ONCE AGAIN–making it all the way to the finale only to fall just short of nabbing the Idol crown. At the time, I just couldn’t comprehend who in the world was voting for this creepy, gray-haired guy. I know I’m being a little harsh on good ol’ Taylor, but I’m just telling it like it is. I was a kid when he was on Idol, and once I decided I didn’t like the guy, there was no coming back.
Six years have gone by, and although I’m still bewildered as to how he managed to win Idol, I’m not nearly as hateful and immature (hopefully). After receiving some backlash from my Taylor comment, I thought, “What better way to apologize to the mysterious Soul Patrol than picking a Taylor track for SOTW?” So my search for a Taylor song began. Not just any search either. I set out to please my critics and find a track that I actually enjoyed from the soul man himself.
I wouldn’t say it was easy, but after process of elimination, I went with “I Live On a Battlefield,” from Taylor’s most recent album The Distance. Even though it’s got a super old-school, throw-back vibe (couldn’t find a Taylor track that didn’t), something about it really stuck with me. I’m not a big lyrics person by any means, and I tend to let the music be the main factor when judging the quality of a song. (Maybe that’s why I love so many INSANELY ridiculous songs…) But I was immediately focused on the story of “Battlefield.” Taylor sings of a love so powerful it resulted in a war between two lovers, leaving one stranded on the battlefield, only to see the aftermath of their destructive relationship. And just because I connected with the lyrics, doesn’t mean the music isn’t great as well. There’s something about this particular track that seems more genuine to me than the other Taylor songs I previewed. I think sometimes Taylor gets lost in his “soul” music and comes off a little cheesy or “Michael McDonaldish” sounding. “I Live On A Battlefield” is anything but cheesy to me, and I wanted to do a little more research on the meaning behind the song–specifically for Taylor.
Well I guess I’m the big dummy, because after a quick Google search, I found out this song is quite old, and has been covered by many artists–most notably Diana Ross (I think…). Is that why this track turned out to be the one Taylor song I enjoy? Because it’s not actually a Taylor song? That may be the case, but it doesn’t take away from the fact Taylor does a great job with the song, and I really do have an appreciation for his talent. Taylor’s simply not my cup of tea…but come to think of it–I hate tea! And I doubt my preference will change anytime soon.
See ya next week! Speaking of–I’m on the hunt for a good r&b or hip-hop track from an Idol alum. Any good suggestions guys? Tweet me your thoughts/requests!
Check out a video of Taylor performing the song live and rockin’ it out with the band.
