My Zen Arcade

(edit:I have been informed that Cook’s cover of Billie Jean may not have been quite as original as it seems.  Apparently Chris Cornell did a version.  Will have to wait til I get home to listen) 

I’m not that big a fan of American Idol this season, having been completely addicted to it last year.  Part of the problem is that, while all these kids may have fantastic voices, I believe they lack everything else.  For the most part.

Brooke White is a perfect example.  When she’s singing exactly what she knows she should be singing, such as ‘Let It Be’, shes great.  Take her out of that and she’s just some chick up there posing as an artist.  Last night, the theme was “Songs From The Year You Were Born”.  Basically, 80s week (with one exception, I think).  Anyhow, as it turns out, thats the year Synchronicity was released.  Thats as close as you get to a perfect album. 

Guess what song blondie chose.  Yes, its true.  She went with ‘Every Breath You Take’.  Now, thats a REALLY good song, but there’s not a whole lot you can do with it.  It simply is what it is.  You could go all punk on it, I suppose, or you could take the route Brooke did and do a piano thing with it.  Mostly I felt she drained the life out of the song.  Again, not completely her fault.  The song stands on its own, and I have yet to hear a good cover of it.  Further, its about as safe a song as you get.  You can’t really screw it up, but you aren’t going to add anything to it.

OK, sure.  Big hit.  Everyone knows it.  Gets the crowd, easy vocals.  Sure.  Except that the song is completely surrounded by much more interesting music on that album.  She could have taken any of those songs, done a piano arrangement and it would have been special.  Synchronicity II, anyone?  How about an accoustic guitar version of King Of Pain?  Walking In Your Footsteps?  C’mon.  Wanna be really ballsy?  Mrs. Gradenko or Synchronicity I or Mother.

Nope.  Always go for the safe choice.

Except, then someone who knows what they are doing gets on stage, and really fucks your chances of winning (assuming you had any) all to hell and back.

Enter David Cook.  This kid.  I mean, ‘Hello’?  ‘Eleanor Rigby’?  WOW.  And last night, a rocking version of ‘Billie Jean’.  Unreal.  Everyone in back who knows anything about anything should have been packing their bags and just going home.  Anyone left over is either an idiot of a masochist.  Or contractually obligated.

But there you have it.  Pretty much everyone is like Brooke, mildly talented with no real sense of artistry.  And then theirs David. 

OKOK, the marsupial from the penal colony might have a chance if he decides that just being pretty isn’t cutting it.