On How David Cook Chose His Song

David Cook looks like he walked out of central ''rock star'' casting when the 25-year-old struts into rehearsal, dressed in studded jeans, a faded T-shirt, and cowboy boots. But within a few seconds he's goofily acting out a scene from An American Tail: Fievel Goes West. Cook is set on ''I'm Alive,'' a power rock & roll number, but song two is still up in the air.

He contemplated ''America'' (''I'm a Midwest born and bred guy. Something about that song I couldn't internalize,'' he later says), ''Hello Again'' (''It didn't fit me''), and ''Brother Love's Traveling Salvation Show'' (''My dad wanted me to sing it. It's an amazing song, but I didn't really feel like the other song complemented it'').

He finally settles on ''All I Really Need Is You,'' a simple ballad that bores Byrd: ''You don't need to sing a lullaby. I'm not sure I hear a David Cook moment.''

But Cook is confident because he hears a ''November Rain'' quality to it. ''There are some vocal similarities between Neil Diamond and Axl,'' he laughs.

Things couldn't go better at the Saturday rehearsal, especially when Diamond puts his arm on Cook's shoulder. ''It was really fatherly,'' he recalls. ''That moment solidified the whole day for me. It calmed me down.''

It's hard to imagine front-runner Cook being anything but calm. ''He is without question the best performer,'' Cowell says. ''I'd like him to win it.'' And he just may with more performances like the sweeping ''All I Really Need,'' which wins the raves of the night. Cowell, who said ''I'm Alive'' was ''just above average,'' proclaims the second song ''brilliant.... You changed the arrangement, you made it work for you.''

And in two days, he'll have to start doing the same thing all over again. And I bet he will!

David Cook will be the next American Idol!

Comments

[Sandy Mae]

AMEN to that!

[deborah]

ur d'bezt!!!!^^,