The American Idol Season 7 Finale Performance show began with a pretty lame take off on a boxing match. Ryan then interviewed the final 2. I thought David Cook was very gracious. He said how nice David Archuleta is and that it was time to just go out there and have fun. David Archuleta was awkward as usual when answering Ryan’s questions. The songs that David and David will sing tonight were selected by the contestants and music industry legend Clive Davis. The contestants had the chance to select a song from the top 10 American Idol Song Writer Finalists. Broadway master Sir Andrew Lloyd Webber returned to help guide the idols. David Archuleta won the coin toss and opted to let David Cook sing first.
Round 1: Clive Davis Choices
David Cook: I Still Haven’t Found What I’m Looking For
I was very worried for Cook when I heard he was singing this song. This is a U2 classic. It was hugely popular and very well known. Cook worked his magic though. The arrangement was very original. He made it his own and it was brilliant.
Randy: “Great song. It was hot baby!”
Paula: “We have found David Cook! David Cook has arrived! Amen! Amen!”
Simon: “I thought it was phenomenal.”
David Archuleta: Don’t Let The Sun Go Down on Me
Archuleta sounded great tonight. As always his voice was like velvet. I didn’t think he did as much with the arrangment as he could have. It really wasn’t that much different than the original. I wasn’t a big fan of the ending.
Randy: “This is one of the best performances of this whole season.”
Paula: “My heart is still pounding. A beautiful, stunning performance.”
Simon: “I thought last week was Ok. I thought tonight’s performance was arguably your best this season. Round 1 goes to Archuleta.”
Round 2: Contestants Song Writing Competition Choices
David Cook: Dream Big
Cook totally rocked out on the stage. His voice and performance were definitely the best part. I had to agree with Randy that the song was just OK.
Randy: “The song was just Ok but what made it work for me was you were singing your face off.”
Paula: “This is a great way to take a song we don’t now and make us love it.”
Simon: “It was a bit of a light weight I thought. It didn’t feel like a winning moment for me.”
David Archuleta: In This Moment
The song didn’t really do a whole lot for me personally. The song was better than David Cook’s, though I liked Cook’s performance better.
Randy: “I wasn’t crazy about the song but it was another hot performance.”
Paula: “You are on fire tonight.”
Simon: “I loved the egotistical lyric. You chose the better the song. Round 2 goes to David Archuleta.”
Round 3: Contestants Choice
David Cook: The World I Know
He was in tears when he finished the performance. He was obviously singing it for his brother. I don’t think this was the best song choice Cook could have made. I like the song. I like his rendition of it but, he needed to sing something really hot to end the show with. I’m not sure this is going to be his most memorable performance of the night. His fans want him to rock out. He needed to leave them with one of those. I agree that doing a song he hadn’t sung before was the right choice though.
Randy: “Very nice job dude, very nice.”
Paula: “You’re standing in your truth… I truly applaud you David Cook.”
Simon: “It was a beautiful song but it was completely and utterly the wrong song choice.”
David Archuleta: Imagine
Archie made the safe choice by singing a song he performed earlier in the season. His fans loved this song though so while it may have been the safe choice it may also have been the smart choice.
Randy: “You were so good tonight. This show is about finding the best singer and there he is the best singer of Season 7.”
Paula: “Its the culmination. You were stunning tonight.”
Simon: “We’ve taken a little bit of stick this season and tonight I think we have witnessed one of the great finalists. You came out here to win tonight and what we have witnessed is a knock-out.”
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Posted on: Tuesday, May 20, 2008
7 Responses to “American Idol: Finale Performance Recap - May 20, 2008”
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American Idol 2008: Best Performances of the Night - May 20, 2008 | American Idol 2008 Updates
May 20th, 2008 at 10:21 pm[...] Tonight, David Cook and David Archuleta each sang three songs. Read a detailed recap of the Finale Performances. [...]
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American Idol: Finale Results Preview - May 21, 2008 | Wild Bluff Media : Entertainment Examined
May 21st, 2008 at 8:30 pm[...] reread my post from last night which praised both performers. Yet now as I think back on the performances, while I liked them, [...]
May 20th, 2008 at 9:38 pm
I loved that David Cook didn’t do an obvious or safe choice or regurgitate some song that was popular from an earlier show. Makes me respect and like him even more. I was crying when he was crying. Very moving. He is an incredible artist and blows the doors off the nice-voiced boy. Just my opinion.
May 20th, 2008 at 9:58 pm
ARGGGH!!! I’ve got Pimp all OVER ME! Vote for Cookie!
May 20th, 2008 at 11:48 pm
David Cook’s performances were good, but none was brilliant. Who would want to hear his second song if he wins, oh my god, it was such a bad song and he sang it in a very predictable way. David A’s second song is cheesy, to be honest, but I still think its more “listenable” than David C’s second song.
As for the last song, I was so disappointed that David C did not sing Billy Jean or Hello, I was waiting for that magic moment. His new song was good, but nowhere to compare with Billy Jean or Hello, so I am not sure if it was a wise choice though. In the past, many finalists and winners have chosen repeated song from early rounds, so I didn’t see why that should be a problem at all.
In summary, David A created magic moments tonight (with his first and last songs), whereas David Cook was just good. Thats the difference.
May 21st, 2008 at 8:26 am
David Cook would not have been the guy who we know or come to love without doin sth as radical as rockin a song that he’s never done! ….for that alone he should win… but he’s proven to be the MOST consistent, most BOLd contestant ever… i hope ppl get it right and he WINS… he truely deserves it.. by all counts!!!
May 21st, 2008 at 1:14 pm
I do not understand what everyone else heard last night. I missed the show last night but caught the videos on YouTube. David Archuletta’s performance was, to me, mediocre. He sings well but is that all there is? How many times can you hear “Don’t Let the Sun Go Down On Me” and “Imagine”? I mean–come on! Are you kidding me? David Cook is by far the better talent and will go far just like Chris Daughtry did. David Cook’s last song, by Collective Soul, was raw, emotional and made me forget the original version which I love. You know he really does not need to win. He already has. Anyone with any taste in music knows that.
Done.