I have a theory why David chose not to do "Always Be My Baby" on the tour. Simply, it's not a rock song. David is honing his image as an arena-rocking God right now. The true David as a performer is re-emerging. Except for TOML (which he is contractually obligated to sing, esp since it's charting well), all his other numbers are either classic or alternative rock in style (My Hero, IDWTMAT), or post grunge/Emo (Billy Jean, Hello).
I think David would be the first to agree that ABMB is an amazing cover and a fan favorite, that his studio version would be a big hit on the radio, and that someday he might release it. But right now he's got a hard rock album in the works so I think he really wants to stay in that zone. I think doing a "rock ballad" isn't the same thing as cutting a track like ABMB which, in his arrangement, almost skews country as much as pop. So that's my theory.
Btw, he kind of kicked TOML up to a rock song with the arrangement he's doing on the tour.

Amen on the theory but I find myself wondering if on his new album although it will mainly be rock I am sure if he will do some slower ones just to mix it up a bit. This is one gal who is waiting patiently to have the hairs on the back of her neck stand straight up !

You might be right. He was asked the question about putting ABMB on his album wasn't he? He really didn't seem very keen and I didn't think about it at the time, he said it had to fit in with the album but that he wasn't opposed to it, if I remember rightly. That's kinda lukewarm for David who is usually very effusive and positive.

Now you have said all that and I agree with you, I guess he feels like he did the best he could with a song he had to do, but even with all the changes that's just not the kind of music he wants to make.

I also think that it turned out a little bit too mainstream for him maybe and that it fell between two posts of rock and pop, that it would maybe label him as too Middle of the Road especially along with TOML and that he would be consigned to the "power ballad" end of the market and it's very hard to get back to the cool end of rock from there.

Interesting post as always Scott. Thanks.

I think you're completely right Scott - looking at what else he choose they fit together perfectly, even the Rainbows song now his got the chance to play with the arrangment, ABMB would stand out like a sore thumb, similar to him doing Little Sparrow, they just don't really fit.

Yeah, I love thinking about these things, and tyring to think what David's thinking! It's so important for him to get off being exclusively on Adult Conteporary POP and onto Adult Conteporary Rock (the AC pop stations will play him anyway). And for anyone who's affraid the new album will be only hard "metal" rock, I think that's not going to happen at all. Like Coldplay and U2, you can be solid rock (and rock solid!) but still make melodious, hair raising music that soars sonically. His lyrics are always powerful, and so much is in the arrangements. I think this new album will have some loud rock songs, quiter rock ballads, and some great guitar riffs! I don't know for sure, of course, but I'm getting kind of a vision of it, based on what David's said, and on his work in the past.

Edit: One more thing... in viewing his performances of the last three nights, it's amazing how he's pushing the vocals to even higher levels. He's got that powerful set of pipes and huge vocal range, and he knows how to use it! His vocals are going to be the thing that makes our hair stand up! So many of us think he's got a similar sound to Bush, Nickelback, Lifehouse, etc... but his amazing vocals and how he's learned to use them (even during AI he explored new aspects of his voice)... that's what's going to separate him from the pack and make him a superstar.

Very, VERY well said and VERY true. I for one love Coldplay's new album - it totally makes the hair on the back of my neck stand up. And I think David's new album is going to be just as amazing. I for one, can't wait for it.

You posted on the other thread that Mariah practically begged him to do duet with her. what did he say?

ABMB is a very beautiful song. i hope David and Mariah would collaborate with a new song that perfectly match their styles but not overpowering one another.

I don't think he ever really gave an answer. It was during Idol when she was asked her reaction to David's cover. I think if he does do a duet, it would maybe go on her album and not his. Probably after he's established himselef with the new CD. To be continued.....

Edit: I do think when Mariah comes asking, you don't say no! Especially in the beginning stages. I can't imagine him declining, in a million years. Like I said, it would come out as a single and then go on her pop-oriented album. Down the road, when he has a greatest hits CD, he'll put it on that!!!

If he is working with Kara, as we have heard he is, then there certainly will be hair raising I can guarantee.

Scott: I like your theory and you are probably right. Though I would love to hear ABMB during this tour - it probably does not fit the playlist flow.

I also had a passing thought this morning that I wonder if Lionel Richie will be present at any of the shows (maybe LA?) I know that Lionel will be so impressed on "Hello" as it has evolved over the last few months. I also had the thought that maybe Mariah Carey may also be in the audience (LA perhaps) and who knows he may still do ABMB somewhere along the tour.

Annette, I've also wondered that. I kind of think Lionel Richie was the most impressed of all the mentors. I think those two will collaborate in the near future. Anyhoo... off to a holiday bbq now... i'll check back in with you all later today!

OK Here goes...I'm leaving myself open to screams from Carey fans... oh well..

Could it be that "Our Baby" didn't want to do it cuz he was not Happy with the Hissy fit that Carey supposedly threw at his beating her out on the charts, the week that her new album came out?
He pulled his music from Amazon just when he was selling it like hotcakes. Now, he wants us to download AH and GIVE it to everyone. Something tells me that TPTB got jealous and so he's just "Giving Back"! GOOD FOR HIM!! See the article...
http://www.rollingstone.com/rockdaily/inde...t-then-vanishes

Scott, I think you are right on the money! Just doesn't fit the tour set.

But I am still hoping at some point and time David will release ABMB - even as a Bonus Track or something. It's just too good and unique to fade into oblivion! It's still one of my favorites!

About "Always Be My Baby"

Maybe they should do what Paula have suggested.
They should sell it to a movie soundtrack than it goes on that album. And can get radio play for David.

And about the song choice I don’t think we really can image what make the management decide what is on the show, because to me it seems that there isn’t a lot of left from the songs the idols themselves wanted to perform.

I hope the let David do the record he wants and that TOML will be only track the forced on the album.

I’ve bought today the album of the winner of the German equivalent to idol, who is also a rocker. But I am a little bit disappointed with the album, because for me it is a little bit half-hearted.

Or maybe I am a little bit spoiled from David’s music.

My theory is ABMB is being saved for that movie or TV soundtrack. It was a smart move to put TDWMAT into the set list: it's such an iconic song and the audience has been singing along to the Aerosmith version for years. It's definitely a crowd-pleaser.



I never heard anything about her throwing a hissy fit.

I'm doubting any AI songs will make it on his album. They're all great and amazing, but I think DC wants to do new stuff. He has said that he's not sure about putting songs he did on the show on the record, it depends on if it fits with the flow, and my hunch is that it won't.

I think his record is going to be amazing. I can't wait for it. And the more he fiddles around with the arrangement of TOML, the better it sounds. Yeah, the lyrics are still corny and cheesy as all get out, but he makes you LOVE IT. I have no shame in saying I love that song, but I wouldn't have loved it had any other artist done it.

As for ABMB, his cover blew Mariah's out of the water, and maybe she only wants him to release it so that her sales go up, because people are bound to buy the original just to hear it (and then come to the conclusion that his is 1000000000000000000000000000 times better.)

The song just didn't fit his repertoire, i think. he's the last one to sing so I would think he wanted to rock it out. if he did ABMB it would really slow thigns down instead of building up the momentum. I loved the songs he picked. of course i would rather he sang everything LOL but as I always say, this guy can sing ANYTHING in front of me and i'd be happy.

Well, I read it here about a week after he pulled his music @

http://www.rollingstone.com/rockdaily/inde...t-then-vanishes

It is posed as a question, so the hissy fit I am referring to is just my opinion, from this particular article. I know I read it somewhere else, too. but I can't remember where. It was NOT a tabloid cuz I DON'T READ THEM!

It could all be completely cleared up if TPTB would say why he pulled his music that very week, but something tells me they like the controversy. As the saying goes, " Bad press is better than no press" (For her and AI I mean, of course)
In any case, I couldn't care less if he ever sings it again. It's certainly NOT a David song. IMO

I too hope that someone will use Always Be My Baby on a soundtrack and maybe some original music. That way he might get his Oscar.

Currently, ABMB is already a big hit on the radio in Asia. Airplay on it started soon after David performed it on the show. Currently its the number 1 song on the charts of one of the major radio stations here in Singapore. Time of My Life is slowly climbing its way up the charts but it wasn't as instant and as big a hit here as ABMB was. For the record, I've always liked TOML, despite the lyrics and yeah David definitely tries to change things up and make it interesting each time he performs it. I like the version of it that he's doing now, more his style. With David, even the songs that he doesn't really want to sing or doesn't fit who he is (I'm thinking back to some of the group numbers on the show) he doesn't show it, he doesn't look uncomfortable singing it, he puts his all into it despite it not particularly being his style.



You know something, this isn't a concern of mine about David's upcoming new album, I remember him saying yes it will be a rock record but he's also wanting his songs to have cross appeal into other genres, BUT I will admit that I was concerned about his earlier work prior to AI being "hard" rock. I had followed AI throughout the season and rooted for Cook but never really "researched" him so I didn't know anything about his music career prior to the show. It wasn't until the show was approaching the finale that I started panicking about NOT getting to see/hear him on such a regular basis anymore and that's when I googled and voila.. here I've been since then!

Anyway, I digress, when I found out he had released other albums prior to the show, I downloaded what I could find BUT I hadn't listened to any of them just yet. At the back of my mind, I was thinking they could very well BE hardcore rock and that's not particularly my taste. And I generally don't instantly like a song when I hear it for the first time, it takes a while to grow on me. But the weird thing with David was that there were several songs that he sang on the show which I hadn't known before AND ended up liking right away. Maybe it was the combination of the songs and the way he delivered/performed them that did it. Two examples being 'Innocent' and 'The World I Know.' Till TODAY, Innocent is still one of my favourites from the AI playlist.

So when I started to get deprived of new David material, I decided to take a chance on Analog Heart, which I had had for some time but never listened to, yes yes I know, feel free to smack me upside the head. And what do you know, David did it again! I've never heard these songs before and ended up liking them right off the bat and my fears were unfounded, not hardcore/metal rock AT ALL. These days, I listen to Analog Heart daily and I think its pretty incredible!

I wanna ask you guys tho (sorry Scott, I don't mean to hijack your thread ) would Axium and MWK material be considered hard rock? No I haven't heard any of those songs and YES you are all free to smack me upside the head for that!