David vs. David:
The Idol Finale
Smackdown That Wasn't

The finale that Idol fans saw coming months ago came to fruition Tuesday night as David Archuleta and David Cook faced off for the title (and how unexpected was it to see them play along while donning actual boxing robes and gloves?). Singing three songs each, the Davids showed their personalities and artistic visions throughout the night (one is a passionate & visionary artist, the other a simple & classic crooner). Clive Davis chose surprisingly appropriate songs for each of the guys in the first round. In the second round, each David chose a song from the top ten song finalists in the Idol Songwriter competition. While allowing the contestants to choose their own finale song was a welcome bit of freedom finalists have never had, the problem still remained that the material to choose from was lacking. The night was rounded out with the contestants allowed to choose any song of their liking. Both contestants did a decent job throughout the night, but the same cannot be said for the judges who felt the need to obnoxiously call the competition as a knockout for Archuleta. Their job is NOT supposed to be to declare the winner. It would be nice if they could let the audience play their part in this thing (something they've never managed to do in seven seasons). Instead, we have a repeat of Blake vs. Jordin in which the judges go overboard in their praise of a a 17-year-old with a big voice to ensure victory over a more mature male with serious innovation and artistry. Anyone would be hard pressed to knockout the exceptional Mr. Cook, and Randy and Simon's proclamations that Archuleta did just that are yet another insult to Cook and the viewers. What really happened is neither contestant had their best performances of the season this week and didn't deliver the exciting hardcore finale we expected. Instead, we were left to reminisce on each one's journey throughout the season. Let's be clear, in no way was this final a knockout.

Following is the It's Destiny! panel's take on the AI7 Top 2: David vs. David!

David Cook "I Still Haven't Found What I'm Looking For"
Tammy: This was perfectly serviceable, but somewhat devoid of passion. He kept watching the crowd as he sang, but never managed to lose himself in the song. But his voice sounded terrific. Though I must say, I expected more.
Score: 8.5
Liza: I cannot believe Clive picked such a great song. Or that Idol got it cleared. This is what makes me think Cook is TCO. We shall see if that feeling remains throughout the show (um, nope). I absolutely loved what he did with this song vocally, and some of his spark that's been missing the last few weeks is back. His vocals were spot-on, and he just exuded superstardom.
Score: 9.25
Destiny: I fall somewhere between Tammy and Liza on this one. I agree that the song choice by Clive was surprisingly good. I also thought Cook sounded fantastic on it. I just thought he was a little disconnected throughout the performance, and I would like to have had a more dramatic signature-Cook arrangement on the song. It was a really good job, but it's just that David has set his bar so high that it's hard to exceed what he's done before. And I so wanted him to do something better than we've ever seen. That being said, this was a star performance for sure.
Score: 9.1

David Archuleta "Don't Let The Sun Go Down On Me"
Tammy: I enjoyed this a lot more than I expected to. This song, which has been done more than once on Idol, seemed like a somewhat dated and uninspired choice. But David really threw himself into the song. This boy wants to win, and is showing no trace of nerves tonight. He also managed to deliver the best version of this song by an AI contestant. That's right, Claymates, I went there.
Score: 9.0
Liza: Now THIS is more of a Clive song. In contrast to Cook, Archie looked terrified. His vocals were great, and I do prefer this to Clay's version, which is apparently iconic on this show, but it just wasn't in the same league performance-wise as Cook. The look of terror just made me uncomfortable.
Score: 9.0
Destiny: I thought the song was a little too old for Archuleta, but it is a crowd-pleaser for sure, so I guess it was a good choice by Clive. I didn't think Archuleta sounded outrageous on it, but he no doubt sounded lovely. I also didn't think it eclipsed Clay or Justin's Idol versions of the song. David's sweetness and timidity surely garnered him as many votes on this one as his voice did.
Score: 9.0

David Cook "Dream Big"
Tammy: This is an exceedingly crappy song, and though I realize that he probably didn't have a lot to choose from, the fact that David chose this song is a bit of a head scratcher. Sure, he rocked it out as best he could, but in the end, the melody is forgettable and the chorus is amateurish. Not his best showing.
Score: 8.0
Liza: It would be so refreshing to hear an up-tempo coronation song. This song is kind of crap, though! Was it written in 1984 by Mike Reno or something?! It was definitely more enjoyable than most of the coronation songs throughout the years ("My Destiny", anyone?), but I think Simon is miffed that it's not the type of song to drop confetti on.
Score: 7.0
Destiny: Being one of the few who actually sat through all the songs in the Idol Songwriter competition, I can tell you that this wasn't in my top three. The demo was actually a female singer (and lyrics) in a Country arrangement. The fact that Cook turned it into more of a Rock arrangement tells me that they had more freedom in arranging the coronation song this season than last (remember Blake Lewis being forbidden by producers from altering "This Is My Now" in any way last year?). He did make it sound better than the original, which he is known for doing. Too bad the audience didn't know the original- it surely would have benefited him. And too bad the song wasn't more along the line of Ryan Malcolm's Canadian Idol coronation "Something More". A song like that could have been a true finale knockout for David. Cook sounded good on this, it just wasn't a song that can evoke greatness. And Cook is a singer who can evoke greatness, so it's a shame. He did the best he could with the song.
Score: 8.9

David Archuleta "In This Moment"
Tammy: David definitely chose the better song from the songwriters' competition. But then again, the heartwarming, rainbows and sandcastles in the sky type of sentiment suits him better, so was it really a fair fight? At any rate, I actually thought the chorus was rather catchy in this one and seemed to suit Arch's voice well.
Score: 8.9
Liza: Now this is the kind of crap song we historically get from the winner, and if Archie wins, this will be the worst Idol winner song in the history of the show. It was dreary! It made me want to rewatch "My Destiny"! Because at least that had like a melody. But this is the kind of song that is all about glory notes and vocal gymnastics with the perfect confetti/fireworks moment, and apparently, that's what this whole months-long competition is about now. Gah.
Score: 6.0
Destiny: The demo of this song was much more up-tempo than the arrangement Archuleta presented us with. This song was actually among my top three for the Idol Songwriter competition. I much prefer it in its original form, and I wish David would have kept it as it was (or chosen another song). His vocals sounded strong in it, but for as slow and sentimental as he tried to make it, I didn't think it was as big and sappy and soaring as I have envisioned his coronation song being all these months. The fourth performance into the night for these guys, and I still think neither of them have reached or surpassed their personal best.
Score: 8.9

David Cook "The World I Know"
Tammy: Choosing this song really did David no favors, aside from give him a little extra spare time, as it was a song he threw away last week, choosing instead the equally meh 'Dare You to Move', so he probably thought he could just coast a bit this week with this song. I gotta say, in doing so, it didn't really look like he was trying, or if he even cares if he wins at this point. The song was so anticlimactic and snooze inducing, that even the falsetto at the end couldn't save the performance. I mean, he could have chosen to reprise 'Billie Jean', but instead chose this? Yeah, yeah, we know you don't want to be repetitive, but it's better than boring, Cook.
Score: 8.0
Liza: Awww he's crying. I wouldn't have pegged Cook to be the one who cried on stage twice this year, but it's endearing. Plus, tears = votes! Anyway, I'm a little torn on this because I see what Simon was saying in regards to the song choice. A lengthier version of "Hello" on the big stage would have been a show-stopper. But at the same time, Cook's totally right - it's a progression, so why do something you've done before? He couldn't have done "Hello" or "Billie Jean" any differently short of singing it straight, and then it wouldn't have been better. So what could he have done? (Except sing "My Hero" by Foo Fighters, which really would have killed, but I'm sure clearance was an issue). As far as the song goes, I liked the acoustic intimate thing he did, and he sounded great. I really like this song, but it wasn't the show-stopper that could have sealed the deal.
Score: 8.5
Revision by Liza (12:13am): I just rewatched quickly, and I totally low-balled Cookie's last song. It was gorgeous. I really loved what he did with it. Upon second-viewing, I'd rate it his best of the night - 9.25(which would drop the U2 to 9.0). I'd give him a 9.5 if he had sung it any other time in the competition. It just wasn't what he needed to win the casual fan over at that particular point in time.
Destiny: I am in agreeance that this song was not the showstopper Cook needed to end his time on Idol. He really should have done one of his signature turn-a-really-familiar-and-not-at-all-his-style song into a masterpiece covered in his stamp of originality. If he didn't want to do something he's done before on the show, Cook could have found another song in the vein of "Hello", "Billie Jean" or "Always Be My Baby" to create the kind of excitement that only he can. If he had done that, it would have ended the season with the major bang he and viewers should have had. I really was touched by the way he put his heart on the line throughout this song, and his tears afterward only made it even more touching. Unfortunately, this was not the best time to do a song unfamiliar to the masses. Darn you, David Cook, for choosing introspective sentimentality over brilliant artistic-yet-mainstream mastery!
Score: 9.0

David Archuleta "Imagine"
Tammy: While a strong performance, tonight David's reprisal of 'Imagine' wasn't as moving as when he originally sang it on the show. I think he tried to change it too much from how he originally sang it. That said, it wasn't any failure, either. What manages to sell David's performance are his 'aw, shucks!' attitude and wide-eyed awe somewhere along the lines of Sally Field's 'they like me, they really like me!'.
Score: 8.7
Liza: And this is why I agree with Cook on that last issue. I don't think Archie made any kind of progress this year, and this performance proved it. I thought he was better last time he sang this, and after week after week after week (ad infinity) of the same old schlocky ballads sung all the same way, I don't see how Archuleta has grown at all. He's exactly the same as he was when he started.
Score: 8.25
Destiny: Good observation, Liza, that Archuleta hasn't really grown throughout the season. I hadn't thought about it, but it is true. In fact, I think his vocals were actually better in the first few weeks of the semifinals than they are now at the end of the competition. He is undeniably good, just not better than he was several months ago. And this performance of "Imagine" wasn't as good as his original all those months ago. He seemed more like the champ back then than he did tonight. But I knew that back then his fate was sealed as the next American Idol. The confetti was already assigned to fall for no one other that David Archuleta.
Score: 8.5

Who Should Win:
Tammy: David Archuleta
Liza: David Cook
Destiny: David Cook

Who Will Win:
Tammy: David Archuleta
Liza: David Archuleta (argh)
Destiny: David Archuleta

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Last week we asked you, "Who Did You Vote For On American Idol?"
53% David Archuleta, 35% David Cook, 12% Syesha

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