I know some of Taylor Hicks' fans might think this is a great thing, but having the producers behind the Idol shows use that tune again on Asian Idol, basically diminishes the song, not to mention in some vague, heard-it-before way, cheapens the whole Asian Idol experience. Come on, there are some songwriters out there folks just dying to have their song sung on Idol, please, go mine some new talent. (Oh, yeah, that might cost a few bucks.)"Do I Make You Proud" seemed made for Taylor Hicks for a number of reasons, to start, he was the Unlikely Idol, a gray-haired guy who wore polo shirts and casual jackets and looked way too old for the competition. He was a come from way-behind Underdog that somehow mastered the art of competing in this show and to boot, like a great savory cream gravy, a crazy mad fan base sprung up like nothing else seen before or since on Idol. Taylor Hicks' fanbase, called 'Rabid' by many, known as "Soul Patrol" by most, has made their own form of history. This fan base became an entity all of themselves, making a recording artist's fans more than just a group of record collectors and concert attendees. This group carried Taylor Hicks on their collective shoulders to the show's top spot, against all odds. Granted some members of the "Soul Patrol" are taking the "Patrol" part a little too far in the actual meaning, but I'm saving that for another story.
"Do I Make You Proud" seemed almost a tribute to these members of the "Soul Patrol".
Because of you I am standing tall,
My heart is full of endless gratitude,
You were the one, the one to guide me through,
Now I can see and I believe it's only just beginning
Even the chorus seemed reflective of the man, to be a surviving musician in career that pays for a lifestyle, from years of struggle and hardship.
This what we dream about
But the only question with me now
Is do I make you proud
Stronger than I've ever been NOW
Never been afraid of standing out
But do I make you proud
I guess I've learned, to question is to grow
That you still have faith, is all I need to know
I've learned to love, myself in spite of me
And I've learned to walk, the road that I believe
I admit to shedding tears while he sang it, man, I was just like David Hasselhof. I really think Asian Idol should find another song. The songs for the Idol contestants should try and represent them to a large degree. Granted there's nothing wrong in someone else later recording that song, but to have it used again, recycled really into the finale song for another branch of Idol, that just doesn't work for me.
Word out although not confirmed on either Taylor Hicks' myspace or his "Official" website, he's rumored to appear on Asian Idol. Granted it's not new news that he was planning to take a trip East to Asia currently, so this rumor may very well be true. The only place I have found this mentioned is in Wiki and while Wikipedia is a fun place to visit with sometimes accurate information, anyone can build a Wiki page and anyone can add information to the pages. Certainly if you use Google and put in the Asian Idol + Taylor Hicks search you pull up many articles, but none with direct mention, only tag lines.
On this forum (click the word forum) there seemed a little surprise that Hicks' would have a following overseas, but I know from my blogging experience on this blog spot, he was followed quite avidly by many Asians while he was on the show and since. My latest Clustermap is my third since I began this blog spot, with having to rebuild and restart the blog a few times due to crashes and 'outside interferences'. Each time I have restarted, the Asian countries always have a strong showing in visits. This trip East for Taylor Hicks would be very advantageous for his career and most likely record sales. That said, it sounds quite probable Taylor Hicks will make an appearance. I just hope the show doesn't have some sort of 'sing off' in mind with multiple versions of "Do I Make You Proud" sang by the Asian Idol contestants and Taylor Hicks. That would be a little over the top in schlock.
I love Taylor Hicks and voted for him loyally when he was on Idol.
ReplyDeleteI didn't, however, ever really like the song "Do I make you Proud?" so I wouldn't have the least problem with Asian Idol using or abusing it!
In fact (though other loyal Hicks fans may think this heinous), I actually like Weird Al's "Do I Creep You Out" better. :)
Wrong Sunny, the soul patrol did not carry Taylor on their shoulders to the AI win. He did that all by himself, with great singing, great song choices, great arranging. Never was anything like him on AI. I heard Taylor giving a shout out to something called the Soul Patrol. I had no idea what he was talking about and didn't care and neither did anyone that I personally knew at that time. And yet, we were voting our collective asses off for him. Why? Not because someone told us we should or told us that he had previous excellent music, not because of anything we knew about him, simply because we thought he was a great talent. Had a great voice, was an original. I am convinced he would have won without the internet presense, not by the landslide that he won by but he would have eeked it out. I know there were many, many, many people who knew nothing about what was going on on the internet during the time he was on AI. And this notion that he couldn't have done it alone or at least come damn close bothers me.
ReplyDeleteIMO too many think he owes them that win. I do not agree. Like you, DIMYP is not my cup of tea but its a nice little song very fit for certain occasions and Taylor sings it well. He made it his song and thousands of his fans love it. And he should sing it for them and get as much mileage out of it as he can. There are too many that for some reason think they have the right to tell him "that song isn't you, you shouldn't sing it" maybe it goes along with thinking they handed him the vote. Just my two cents.
Hi Henry8, I think you aren't giving enough credit where it's due. Granted there were many fan of Hicks who were not on-line and into the whole Soul Patrol thing.
ReplyDeleteComing from someone who was in the action on line, on the AI Boards, on Gray Charles, on WOOO Radio, I do think the Soul Patrol was a Huge factor in his win.
Certainly everything you say about Taylor's uniqueness and talent is true, but the guy won the show by selling his dream to the viewers, and a huge contingency arose on-line that help drive his message.
I don't think he owes the Soul Patrol everything. You are correct in that he is the one possessing the talent; his performances indeed helped to drive the voters to vote, but on-line the action was very intense.
The fans calling themselves "The Soul Patrol" were rallying the vote on GC, on WOOO Radio and the AI Board with an incredible intensity that helped motivate the types of folks who would vote and influence others who may not have taken the time. I seriously don't think that he'd have scored such high votes without the 'push' some of us made on-line. I mean a great product is that, a great product. It takes great advertising to promote it and help push the sales. He had a great product to celebrate, the man is a once in a life-time, really, and many of us wanted to see him beat the odds and rise to his potential. Many great and driven salesmen rose up and rallied behind him.
This factor created a big media buzz which helped him in no small degree. I agree certainly the on-line fans, and the Soul Patrol were not the only ones behind him but they were the names in the headlines causing the hype and the interest. I mean, Soul Patrol, that's freaking catchy, and for television it was great.
Taking into consideration, the AI Board, it has not seen before or since the numbers of hits that it rocked with Taylor Hicks. It might never happen again. Millions would be on-line Tuesdays, hell I was on the boards all day Tuesdays.
The entire on-line experience helped to drive the motivation for folks to pull out the Go-Phones and employ friends and neighbors (hey, I was there, plying mine with wine) to vote like fools the entire allotted time. It was like this big breathing living 3-D force to get the man the title. It became this big party and It was hella fun.
I'll email you later - I'll have some time.
ReplyDeleteIt seems like so long ago - Taylor Hicks singing Do I Make You Proud and whacking the ball out of the ballpark - no contest. I don't care personally if Asian Idol recycles the song and Taylor is there to sing it. Good for them.
ReplyDeleteWhat I care about and what makes me sad looking back is that it wasn't the 'real' Taylor singing that song or on American Idol. That was some projection he made up to get max votes. It's become so clear that the American Idol Taylor was a lovable 'image' and not the real person Taylor Hicks. I found that I don't like the real person Taylor Hicks - sham or no sham. That devastating realization has now become a dull ache over time. I've moved on and away. So long Taylor. So long American Idol. Been good ta know ya.
Sunny-I'm sure there would not have been a landslide for Taylor without all the on line effort and wish I had been there, it would have been fun. But I don't think all those online people realized and many don't to this day , how much excitement and voting for Taylor there was coming from people who didn't go near the computer. And our votes counted too.
ReplyDeleteAnd anonymous, whoever you may be, that was the real Taylor on AI. It was just one little part of him. And so far I have liked all the other Taylors I have seen since AI as much or better than that one. Its what makes him so damn interesting. Apparently you didn't move too far away.
henry8 - I SO agree with you 100% - I first heard of Soul Patrol from Taylor himself! Yeah I went on the AI boards for Taylor - but had never heard of Gray Charles at that time -not until after the win.
ReplyDeleteI have a strange feeling that Sunny is one of those who feels that Taylor owes her something for his win. That SHE was one of the DRIVING forces of his win - well hate to burst your personal bubble Sunny but he would have won it without you.
I'm sure hicksfan7 if I had never been born that Taylor would have won the show.
ReplyDeleteI just commented on one of the reasons he did find success was through many folks who went that extra mile to push him. There were many reasons he won, each fan one of them. I was a fan.
Do I think he owes me anything? Let's look at charitable organizations. Say you give a donation monthly to St. Jude's Hospital, you contribute in your small way to saving lives. Do the folks you help by sending that donation owe you anything? Similar mindset.
I donated my time, my enthusiasm to help him succeed.
me too.
ReplyDeletebecause I think he deserved it.
but I don't need to brag about it. I don't have any talent.