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American Idol 5: Why Taylor Must NOT Win!by Stacey Lakowsky -- 05/23/2006
View Printable version of this article I've been thinking about this for a while, my dread of Taylor actually winning American Idol 5. But until Chris was voted off two weeks ago, I wasn't all that worried. I figured Chris still had it all wrapped up. Well, I was wrong in a big way! Don't get me wrong – I love Taylor. I would be entirely willing to bear his children. I’ve liked him from the beginning, first because he was different (but still good), then later because I realized exactly how good he is. "Something," one of my favorite love songs of all time (the others are "Here There & Everywhere" and "God Only Knows"), was the clincher. I believe I melted into a gooey puddle on the floor. That hasn't happened to me since I first heard "Pet Sounds" in its entirety. And every week now, I go gooey again. I. Love. Taylor. 
I also don't have a grudge against Donna Reynolds, who wrote the "Why Taylor MUST Win" article on which I'm basing this article. I've been reading and enjoying her articles since shortly after Season 2 (back when I was a tentative Claymate – I've since decided that raving fandom does not become me, so you won't be hearing any "Soul Patrol" battle cries in this article). I went on vacation last week, and when I came back late Saturday night, I read her article and knew I had to write this rebuttal. These things need to be said. It looks now like Taylor's got the title, barring some catastrophic phone failure or a major rally of Kat fans. (Full disclosure: I'm a Kat fan, too. I have been splitting my votes up until now.) Normally, I would be excited to have my favorite contestant win Idol. This show has ripped me to shreds for three seasons now. I liked Bo, Diana, and Clay. (I didn't start watching the first season until the top 5, so I had no "favorites" then.) I really consider Taylor and Kat to be equally my favorites, so I would be happy with either one winning. Except... I think Taylor deserves better. What's better than a two-year contract with a gigantic star-making machine? For starters, things like "playing with your own band," "writing your own songs," and "total creative control." Yeah, Taylor's had that for years. And he's been what we politely call a working musician, which is the same thing as a starving artist. From what I have gathered from various news sources, he was doing pretty well at it – better than I would have done had I tried it. Still, it's no mega-millions contract, and he wasn't about to be discovered playing bars in Birmingham. He might not have been discovered playing bars in Nashville, New York, or L.A. It's just the odds. So auditioning for Idol was a great decision. It got Taylor the one thing he actually needed: exposure on a national level. In her article, Donna cites the exhilaration, the precursor to hysteria on the level of Beatlemania, that we get from Taylor's performances (at least, those of us with a pulse). David Foster, I believe, said Taylor has charisma. That must be it, because I wouldn't offer my baby-making capabilities to just anyone. Charisma is going to fill the seats and have slightly unbalanced women like myself throwing hotel keys onstage. But getting the men screaming just as loud, as the Beatles knew, takes some pretty awesome tunes. Want to hear some pretty awesome tunes? Want to hear some music that will get you dancing and/or tear your heart out and shred it before your eyes? If it's still available, pick up a copy of Under the Radar, Taylor's self-distributed album from last year. He's not supposed to be selling them according to his current contract with Idol (same reason his website is down) but I got a copy. I know from good songwriting, and this is damn good songwriting. Good recording, as well, although I have no idea how active Taylor was in the studio. At any rate, take a listen to the album and then tell me Taylor should have an Idol contract where he is forced to sing songs written by a committee. Back to the Beatlemania: EMI, when they first signed the Beatles, wanted them to sing cover songs. Well, they'd been doing that anyway, back in the Cavern and those strip bars in Hamburg. I like "Twist and Shout." But I like "Love Me Do" a heck of a lot better. I melted for Taylor's version of "Something." But "Hell of a Day" made me excited to be alive and able to know his music. That's what's going to keep me buying his CDs and concert tickets. As long as he's writing his own songs, I'm there. Think I'm worrying too much? I love Clay – not as much as Taylor, and not in the same way – and I was excited to get Measure of a Man. I went out and bought it the day it was released, which I never do. Popped it in the CD player... and my reaction went kind of like, "Oh, Clay sounds good, but... these songs are terrible." Maybe I'm not really an adult contemporary fan, but I do know what good songwriting sounds like, and that wasn't it. I do not, not, NOT want this to happen to Taylor. If avoiding the traditional Idol contract is the only way to do that, then so be it. Need further proof that this kind of contract is dangerous for Taylor? I give you "Classic Love Songs." It turns out "Just Once" wasn't his first choice. It was, even to my subjective ears, lacking. It didn't work. An unhappy Taylor turns out lackluster performances. Do we want a whole album of this? I certainly don't! In contrast, when Taylor picks songs he loves, he invariably does a smashing job of it. Why else would he have combed the Billboard charts until he found "Something" on a re-issue chart? (I would have done that too, I must confess – that he did it just knocked my socks off!) And when Randy picked "You Are So Beautiful" for him, you could tell Taylor agreed with the choice completely. I melted yet again. (I'm thinking about taking up residence in a bucket on Tuesday night.) 
Finally, lest we forget, Taylor has a band back at home, which used to bear his name. Would they like to play together again? They had the chance last week, and everyone seemed pleased to be there. But if Taylor wins and gets that Idol contract, what are the chances that he and his band will be back together on a permanent basis? It's not good. Last year, Bo wanted to take his old band on tour, and he wasn't allowed. Why should Taylor get preferential treatment? I feel that he should – if he wins, he's got the talent and the "X-factor" that should allow him to dictate terms. He should take his experience, talent, skill, and force of personality and push those mean ol' music executives until they give him the contract he really deserves: the one where he has final veto power on song choice, where he has the latitude to be truly creative and to grow as an artist. He should not be tied up for two years or more with a restrictive contract. If he wins, it's up to him to take the initiative and push for those things. Now everyone's thinking, "How can she hate the contract so much, yet essentially want Kat to win it?" Well, Kat wouldn't be hurt by it! She's a singer with an amazing range and repertoire. And she does much, much better when someone else is picking her songs for her. "Over The Rainbow" kind of proved that. She can have the title and the contract, with my blessing. But for Taylor... I want something more. If you haven’t already, be sure to check out these other recent American Idol articles on Foxes On Idol and RealityNewsOnline:
American Idols Live Kelly Clarkson Bo Bice Stacey has a B.A. in Music but works as a paralegal. She is addicted to Idol and Foxes On Idol reviews, and can be reached at maritrench@clubcalypso.com. Be sure to sign up for the RealityNewsOnline/FoxesOnIdol e-mail update so you can stay informed about new articles on both sites! For all of our articles, check out our sections on American Idol, American Juniors, Nashville Star, and Canadian Idol. Also make sure to check out RealityNewsOnline for recaps and articles covering other reality TV shows. For even more news about reality TV, be sure to check SirLinksALot: American Idol and Reality TV Fever! View Printable version of this article
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