David Cook plays “Light On” on “SNL”
“American Idol” winner David Cook just performed his new single “Light On” on “Saturday Night Life.” The singer/songwriter/guitarist, who lived in Tulsa before competing on “Idol,” is the musical guest on “SNL” this week.
Cook was in terrific voice and he seemed much more comfortable singing the grungy power ballad than crooning the sugar-coated 2008 “Idol” theme “Time of My Life.” It sounds like he has a strong band backing him, too.
Plus, it doesn’t hurt that the man is really easy on the eyes.
Chris Cornell of Audioslave and Soundgarden co-wrote “Light On” with Brian Howes, who also has penned material for Daughtry, Puddle of Mudd and Oklahoma City rockers Hinder. (Correction: I originally had that Cook co-wrote the song, but that was a slip of the keyboard. From what’s been written, it seems that Cornell and Howes are the ones who penned the song.)
When “Light On” first premiered about a month ago, I expressed my disappointment in it, since I’ve never been a Cornell fan, and song sounds like his work. I was hoping for something that sounded very distinctively David Cook.
But “Light On” has grown on me some in the last few weeks, and it was truly music to the ears tonight on “SNL.”
Cook’s self-titled major-label debut album comes out Nov. 18.
“Light On” recently went on sale on iTunes as a $1.99 “lighter” application that illuminates the screen of an iPhone or iTouch MP3 player. When users open the app and spark up the lighter, the full song plays, according to USA Today.
UPDATE: For his second “SNL” segment, Cook played “Declaration,” the opening track of his upcoming album. From just one quick listen, it sounds much more like what I was hoping to hear from his major-label debut. It is a big, anthemic rock song that doesn’t sound like it was written for someone else, like Chris Cornell. I’m looking forward to listening to it again and hearing the entire album.
-BAM
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Comments
Gingerly –
You are correct in that as far as we know, Chris Cornell and Brian Howes wrote “Light On” without Cook. That was an error on my part, and I’ve corrected that in the post. I appreciate you pointing it out so I could fix it.
And while it’s true that 19 Recordings and “Idol” have a reputation for closely controlling their performers, I’m not so sure that Cook wouldn’t have picked “Light On” even if we were given total freedom to select the first single. True we haven’t heard the rest of the album, but Cook clearly admires Cornell. So, it wouldn’t be surprising if he picked a song that sounds very Cornell-ish to lead off his album.
After all, Cornell’s version of “Billie Jean” served Cook well during competition, and Cornell subsequently said good things about Cook. That’s always nice to have someone you admire publicly praise you and then want to work with you.
As far as the suits are concerned, they’re going to pick what works, and Cornell’s take on “Billie Jean” worked for Cook.
But I agree, I preferred “Declaration.” I thought it was a strong song, and Cook’s performance was great on it. I’d much rather hear it than “Light On.”
-BAM
Declaration would have made for a great single but I also understand why Light On was picked as it has great cross-over appeal into different genres and radio markets, but, Declaration is a true David Cook song and earmarks his true ability to write songs and showcases his sound. I think though, with David’s mass appeal, they didn’t need to play it safe. Declaration has got the goods. It would have stood up easily IMO, and should’ve been the single over LO. Not to say I don’t like LO, but, David is so good at what he does and when a song is dripping with David from top to bottom, all the better. The song just flat out rocks.
I didn’t like Light On before hearing it sung live, and David’s performance of it last night didn’t help me like it any better. Read lot of comments about it being rushed, and his nerves showing… why in the world should singing on SNL make him nervous? He sang in front of more millions of people live each week on Idol – with judges – for months. No excuses can be made for being nervous. Light On was pitchy as heck, and way too shouty. Declaration was a little better, but not much. The song has a great melody, and hook, but the screaming was way overdone, and the constant turning of the head sideways to reach the high notes was too distracting… Don’t know how this will shake out, but I saw a mediocre performance of two mediocre songs sung by a performer much better than the material he has released thus far..
Very few rock bands sound great in live televised performances, especially on SNL for some reason (could it be their studio acoustics), so I wasn’t expecting any better from Cook. Chris Martin / Coldplay was pretty bad last week. But, colour me surprised, Cook’s vocals sounded full and rich, and Light On sounds great sung live (it’s certainly not an easy song to pull off because it has these intense highs and lows, but he totally nailed it). And he mentioned being nervous for SNL because it’s a popculture show that he’s a fan of, so it’s a huge deal for him personally to be part of it.
Nicely written, Brandy, though your post will doubtless become fodder for jealous trolls with nothing better to do than pick at David Cook. I have only one quibble. You write that David is easy on the eyes, and he is all that; could you not have accessed a better photograph of him than that ancient (relatively speaking) one that is before the ‘haircut heard around the world?” I took far better pictures of him in Kansas City and Blue Springs; I’m sure there are lots available that you could get at low- or no-cost.
Ariadne -
Thanks for the comment. You made me laugh because I actually like David’s hair a little longer than the close-cropped-on-the-side, fuller-on-top look that he’s adopted post “Idol.” For instance, I don’t think the photos on his album cover or on Amazon with “Light On” are particularly attractive because of the hair, though I like the full beard much better than the soul patch.
But just for you, I posted an additional photo here, courtesy the Associated Press, that I also like. Maybe this one will suit your fancy.
-BAM
Cook was awesome last night. Light on is a bitch to sing and he pulled it off. Declaration was AMAZING. There are always gonna be haters out there that hate everything he does, but you know what? This time it doesnt matter, cuz cook and the crew NAILED those two performances.
It wasn’t the worse I’ve seen, but neither the show nor David’s performance was up to par last night. I found the show itself flat, and the skits save for McCain and Tina Fey a bit boring.
Thought David was trying way to hard to inhabit the persona of a rocker, and the vocals were shouty and strained… I get that he’s supposed to be a rocker, and some think good vocals in rock are not that important – if so, then something in the singers’ vocal delivery should be so definable, so distinctive that it sets them apart, and people know it’s them or their group singing instantly……
David sounds, or plays at sounding too much like Chris Daughtry, or Chris Cornell, and that falls flat in my ears.
TV Guide recap of the SNL PERFORMANCE:
http://www.tvguide.com/Episode-Recaps/Saturday-Night-Live/Saturday-Night-Live-35134.aspx?imw=Y
David Cook
Ah, Mr. American Idol himself. I will comment on both of his performances here, since they were both remarkably similar (in terms of song structure, anyway.) David seems to have bought himself a new guitar, and I definitely hear Chris Cornell all over the first song “Light On,” which Cornell wrote and which is Cook’s first single. The second song, “Declaration” is definitely hard-rockin’, and it’s clear Cook made the kind of album he wanted. Though the second number was a little screamy for my taste (and more so even than what we heard him do on Idol), I am still glad he beat out Archuleta.
I agree about Declaration. It was pure David Cook. I loved it from the minute I heard it and have now listened to it at least 50 more times and it gets better and better. That having been said, I really like LIght On. I like the words and it has a melody that just gets in your head and stays there. David Cook can sing anything, but when it is a song that he has an emotional connection to, it is magical. I think Declaration is one of those songs. I am so stoked about the CD. Cannot wait for the video for Light On, too. I think it is a song with a story that will translate well to video.
Bella Donna is a poison, isn’t it? David Cook sounds like David Cook. There are similarities to songs and singers, but the versatility of David Cook makes him unique. He has no need to copy anyone. His own talents shine through.
David Cook sounds like Daughtry-lite…. there is nothing yet distinctive enough in his vocal delivery nor in the music production in the songs we’ve heard from his upcoming album, to separate him from that herd….
IMO, I see no great vocal or musical versatility w/ DC…. he’s typed himself as a “rocker”, and I can’t picture him selling or connecting in any other music genre when he’s having such a tough time gaining traction and cred as an authentic “rocker”….
If he didn’t need to copy anyone, why is Light On, lyrically, texturally and vocally a rip off of Chris Cornell? Close your eyes, and listen to Light On – there is no Cook there – Cornell owns Light On, not DC…. just as he did with DC’s “original” arrangement of Biilie Jean, via Cornell, via MICHAEL JACKSON…
Cook is a good singer and performer who has been overhyped into some sort of a “rawkstar” demi-god, who can no way live up to that hype or pressure…. Wish him well, but it pays to be clear eyed and realistic about things, and those who wish to tell me to OGFAR! I salute you – HAHAHAHAHAHA
Belladonna you’re entitled to your opinion, seriously you are. But I don’t get how you can say Cook sounds like Daughtry and Cornell.
First off, Daughtry and Cornell sound absolutely *nothing* alike, and you’d almost have to be tone deaf to ever confuse them for each other (or possibly someone who never listens to the rock genre). So I don’t get that comparison at all.
If I were to pick one of the two, I would say that Cook sounds a whole lot more like Daughtry than Cornell (neither would be an insult to cook however, as massively successful as they both are). But to me Cook sounds very different from Daughtry – there is no way I would ever confuse their voices, and they have very distinct styles as well.
As far as closing your eyes and listening to ‘Light On’ (my pleasure to do, btw 
, I don’t hear Cornell at all. I know he wrote the song, but even the stylistic structure is very different than what I expect from any of Cornell’s music. To me it sounds like Cook. And that’s completely awesome all by itself.
As far as the notion that “good vocals in rock are not that important”… um… no. Good vocals in rock are very very very important, anyone who says otherwise is simply not a fan of rock and trying to dismiss the genre. However Cook doesn’t face any problems on this front as he is very, very good vocally, as he’s proved time and time again.
Cornell’s music I’m mostly ambivalent about (though the Bond song was quite good and Soundgarden is the only Seattle grunge I find listenable), but I’m a huge fan of Daughtry, and whenever someone says Cook sounds like Daughtry I have to laugh a little at two things – 1) Daughtry rocks and is hugely successful, so it’s not exactly an insult and 2) Cook doesn’t really sound like Daughtry to anyone who appreciates rock music – his tone and style is completely different, so whenever anyone tries to insult Cook by calling him ‘Daughtry-lite’ it just makes me chuckle at the ignorance.
Cook is also awesomely talented. Not sure what you mean by classifying him as portrayed as a demigod of rock, but in my opinion he has completely *earned* the reputation through a combination of hard work and talent (completely against the odds), and I can’t wait for his album. Oh, and Cook was extremely impressive on the show, one of the best live musical guests I’ve ever heard on SNL.
Light On is not good music. It’s overly simplistic, melodically and lyrically. I don’t think it showcases DC well at all. Hearing it live didn’t make it any better for me. I have listened to this song multiple times and still don’t like it. I wish Chris Cornell, who I had barely heard of before david cook sang billie jean, had kept that clunker for himself. Now when David sang Declaration, I was like, yeah! That is more like it! I really liked that song! It’s catchy, I love the lyrics, the beat is good…I already want the single! I was really worried when LO came out. If that was representative of Dave’s album, I was afraid I was not buying. Declaration gives me hope!
I love David Cook, but it has taken me awhile to kind of like Light On. DECLARATION, on the other hand, got me instantly excited! I thought he really rocked SNL with Declaration. He’s a talented songwriter and I can’t wait for the rest of the album.
I have to say that DC looks more gorgeous than ever in the LO video. Go, David!
David Cook had no hand in the writing of Light On. Nor do I believe he had a choice in choosing it as his first single. As much as I like it, Declaration was amazing tonight.