The fan sites are getting together for one big Twitter trending party for the @DavidArchie

TWITTER TRENDING PARTY:

DATE: 3/16/2010
TIME: 7 PM EASTERN TIME
TOPIC: #1yrDavidArchie

I’ve always thought David Archuleta’s Imagine was one of the riskiest choices a contestant has made on American Idol.

There were so many ways that February 2008 performance could have backfired on David. Simon Cowell acknowledged as much afterward, telling David it was “very, very risky to do a John Lennon song — particularly that one.”

After all, Imagine is an iconic song with a simple melody and a message considered both sacred and profane by different groups of people. Beatles fans could have turned on him David for having the audacity to change the melody so much — or simply for being 17 and sing it. The judges might have thought it was too old — or too weighty — for him.

If David had sung the first verse about imagining there’s no Heaven, he probably never would have won back large segments of the show’s conservative, religious viewers. But starting the song’s on the third verse could have caused problems, too. It might have sent the message that he wasn’t willing to sing that first verse — even though he had time constraints as an excuse.

There were so many reasons that performance might not have worked — and the fact that David sang and smiled his way right past every last one of them made him one of that season’s instant favorites.

It turns out, though, that Imagine wasn’t David’s first choice that week.

“I actually picked another song before I picked Imagine,” David says, though he declines to name the other number. “But I knew I needed to do Imagine.

“It was scary, because everyone else was doing uptempo stuff. It was ’70s Week. It was, like, feel-good week. I didn’t even know that no one else picked slow songs until rehearsals, and I was scared.”

David even went so far as working up the arrangement of the first song, only later telling producers that he wanted to change his performance number.

“They were not happy that I wanted to change,” he recalls. First of all, switching songs made an already tight schedule even tighter. Secondly, they wanted David to sing the song’s first verse.

But David stuck to his guns.

“There are more important things about the song than the first verse,” he says. “I leaves it to what matters — what matters in life and what matters in music. That song captures those things perfectly, and it captured what I wanted to do with music. It captured why I felt like I needed to be there and what I needed to say.

“Some people were, like, ‘Why didn’t he sing the first verse?’ You know what? The third verse is my favorite one. Not everybody focuses on what the song’s about — they just focus on those first words and obsess about ‘how bad it is.’ I’m a religious person. I felt like this song meant more than that, and I wasn’t going to let that distraction get in the way.

“People were upset that I wouldn’t do the first verse — ‘That’s the verse everyone knows!’ You know what? People need to listen to the song. I didn’t want people to think they already knew the song. I wanted people to listen, because there’s more meaning, and it captures a substance in music that is so meaningful to me.”

David says he also understood that, with switching verses, he ran the risk of being considered “cheesy,”  but “it didn’t matter, because I said what I needed to say.

“Same with this next album. Maybe it’s cheesy, but there’s a point where you have to be brave to be cheesy, because you know it’s what you’re supposed to do. Maybe I’m a cheesy person, but that’s who I am. I’m not going to pretend to be somebody else just to humor society.”

Thank you everyone who voted on the Tweeter poll for the Best David Archuleta Fan Site
– Fan Scene readers are the absolute best!

From Tweeter/Faxo:

Which website loves David the most? You decide now…
CONTEST IS CLOSED. THE WINNER IS archuletafanscene.com WITH 4530 VOTES

Also on Tweeter:

Best Celebrity Website — the “old” Official site came in second with 7001 votes
Best Fan Site – Angels For A Cause with 7092 votes
Best American Idol II – 4 days left with David in the lead

Thanks Steebin for sending this in!

Hmmmmmm, what is David Archuleta listening to?

Tell us what you think – he looks pretty happy

“Psychedelia” by Rabid

“In This Moment” by Juan M.

“Dream In The Stars” by Juan M.

Last week, David Archuleta returned to Nashville to write more songs for his next album. As he did during his last Music City visit in October, he worked with singer/songwriter Joy Williams, even staying at the house of Williams and her husband, Nate Yetton.

“Sometimes, people are like, ‘Nashville, it’s only the country and the ballads,’” David said

By Larry Busacca, Getty Images

Friday morning, while sitting at Williams’ breakfast table, eating a bowl of cereal and granola. “They are good at that kind of stuff, but they care about the music. Sometimes people forget that special thing and piece to music that is so important. People get lost in ‘We need the hit’ and ‘We need the hook.’ So much is missing from that that I enjoy about music.”

David and Williams brought a variety of other writers into last week’s collaborations, among them Cary Barlowe (co-writer of Lady Antebellum’s latest country hit, American Honey), Hillary Lindsey (Carrie Underwood’s Jesus, Take the Wheel), Danny Orton (Josh Gracin and Tim McGraw’s Telluride), Jenn Schott and Jamie Kenney.

“Jamie’s just such a sensitive person,” says the 19-year-old singer. “Even the melodies, and the way he plays the piano are so sensitive and emotional. When he was playing the piano part on the track, he paid so much attention to the way he played, how it emoted and what was trying to be said and felt in the song. I loved that. I’ve never seen anybody pay that much attention to those kinds of details, which I loved.”

On Tuesday, for instance, David, Williams, Kenney and Jesse Frasure wrote a song called Nervous. “It’s about going ahead and doing it, even if you’re scared,” David says. “The main thing is, ‘So what if I’m nervous?’ Sometimes you have to take those risks, and sometimes you’ll be nervous, but why should that be an excuse? Some things, you need to do that way. And sometimes those are the most fulfilling things in life.

Monday brought a love song with Jeremy Bowes and Cindy Morgan (“It wasn’t about anyone specifically; it was about wondering who that person might be in the future”). Wednesday yielded a ballad with Kenney and Schott (“It was an honest song, about admitting that you’re not perfect … It’s just about letting the inside out”).

In all, David says he’s written about 20 songs so far for his next album. And as much as he’d like to have more hit singles, he says it’s more important to him to convey his personality through his music.

“So many people know who I am and say they’re fans and don’t know I have an album out, even,” he says. “People are still fans, and it’s interesting, because it’s not even because of my music.

I want people to say, ‘I appreciate what David’s trying to do, in that he tries his best to be who he is and keep doing what he’s doing, and that shows in his music. I can see him and feel him in his music. I can see his personality, and I can see what he believes in and what’s important to him.’”

David started writing for the album in the fall, but then came his Christmas album and holiday tour. Then had had to work on his memoir, Chords of Strength: A Memoir of Soul, Song and the Power of Perseverance, set for a June 1 release.

“Now I’m finally getting back to the music,” he says.

Writing Chords of Strength was a difficult process, David says. “I never thought I was interesting enough to write about myself. I didn’t think I had enough words to come out of me to make sense.”

David calls writing the book a great learning experience, “because it helped me remember things I hadn’t thought about for a long time. Sometimes you get so caught up in what everybody else is focusing on — the music, American Idol — that that’s where your life is. It’s like that’s where you were born.

“Some people don’t even think about your life before music. Even the writer I was working with would just focus on music. I started liking music and singing when I was 6. I didn’t feel that into it until I was 11. I had a life.

“But my life isn’t just music. Music’s a part of my life. That’s the thing I tried to make most apparent: Music is a part of my life, it isn’t my life.”

David generally shies away from discussing his religious convictions during interviews. “I don’t want to weird people out,” he says. “People have different views of life, and I try to respect that. I feel like music has a universal common ground, so I’ve just let the music do the speaking.”

However, he delves into the subject of his faith in Chords of Strength.

“I decided if people want to know who I am, they need to know this about me, this part of my life and how important it is to me and how it has affected my decisions, how I view things, and why I am who I am.

“I feel like God’s the reason why I’m here, and the way that I’ve tried to do what I feel is right is the reason why I’m here.

“Sometimes I feel like I don’t have the knowledge it takes to be in this position. I don’t know if I deserve this. But God has different plans for me, and I trust him.”

While David’s last trip to Nashville involved several outings in additions to his writing sessions, this most recent visit was more work-focused. He even had to skip a Lady Antebellum concert, which he had hoped to attend with actress/singer Jennette McCurdy because he was in the studio recording one of the new songs.

“I still want to go to the Pancake Pantry,” he says. “That’s the place that people keep telling me about. I haven’t been there yet.”

Click here to view the embedded video.

We thought it would be nice for you to get to know a little more about us. So here are six David Archuleta-related questions and our answers. We invite you to read our responses and then share your own answers in the comments. Enjoy!

1. What are your top 2 favorite David “American Idol” performances?

AFD: “Shop Around” (can’t help going like this , “And So it Goes” (just the voice)
ArchiesAngel: “Another Day in Paradise,” “Imagine”
B in Wisconsin: “And So It Goes,” “Don’t Let The Sun Go Down On Me”
Goldstar: “Don’t Let the Sun Go Down On Me,” “Stand By Me”
Ivan: “Smoky Mountain Memories,” “In This Moment”
Kizzi: “Imagine,” “Love Me Tender”
Ozarko: “Imagine,” “Stand By Me”
Susan M.: “Shop Around,” “When You Believe”

2. What are your top 2 favorite debut album songs?

AFD: “Crush,” “Touch My Hand” -ha, first two songs of the album!
ArchiesAngel: “You Can,” “Crush”
B in Wisconsin: “You Can,” “To Be With You”
Goldstar: “Angels,” “To Be With You”
Ivan: “To Be With You,” “You Can”
Kizzi: “My Hands,” “Barriers”
Ozarko: “Crush,” “My Hands”
Susan M.: “Barriers,” “My Hands”

3. Which of David’s official song videos is your favorite: “Crush,” “A Little Too Not Over You,” or “Touch My Hand?”

AFD: I’m a little too not over – “Crush”
ArchiesAngel: “Crush”
B in Wisconsin: “Touch My Hand”
Goldstar: “Crush”
Ivan: “Touch My Hand”
Kizzi: “Crush”
Ozarko: “Crush”
Susan M.: “A Little Too Not Over You”

4. What are your top 2 favorite “Christmas From the Heart” songs?

AFD: “Riu Riu Chiu,” “Pat-a-Pan” , and I get to break the rules and add Melodies of Christmas
ArchiesAngel: “Melodies of Christmas,” “Pat-a-Pan”
B in Wisconsin: “What Child Is This?”, “Silent Night”
Goldstar: “O Holy Night,” “Angels We Have Heard On High”
Ivan: “Pat-a-Pan,” “Riu Riu Chiu”
Kizzi: “O Holy Night,” “Ave Maria”
Ozarko: “Ave Maria,” “O Holy Night”
Susan M.: “Silent Night,” “What Child Is This”

5. What are your 2 favorite non-album songs that David has performed?

AFD: “Contingo En La Distancia” (que lindo!), “Somebody Out There” (beautiful)
ArchiesAngel: “Fallin’,” “A Thousand Miles”
B in Wisconsin: “A Thousand Miles,” “Prayer of the Children”
Goldstar: “Zero Gravity,” “Heaven”
Ivan: “Crazy,” “Apologize”
Kizzi: “Somebody Out There,” “Contigo En La Distancia”
Ozarko: “Contigo En La Distancia,” “The Riddle”
Susan M.: “Zero Gravity,” “Somebody Out There”

In the AFS article “Betcha Can’t Pick Just One” by Kizzi on November 16, 2009, several David fan types are listed: Fan Girl/Boy, The Voice, The Forecaster, The Interpreter, The Spiritualist, The Giver/Doer, The Defender, The Reporter, The Parent, The What If-er, The Music Fan, and The Voter

6. Which ones are you? Choices are in no particular order.

AFD: Just a Music Fan (how many eyes are rolling at that one ?)
ArchiesAngel: Fan Girl, The Voice, Interpreter, Spiritualist, Giver/Doer, Defender, Reporter, Music Fan, Voter
B in Wisconsin: The Parent (Aunt really), Voice, What If-er (some)
Goldstar: Fan Girl, The Voice, Spiritualist, Forecaster, Giver/Doer, Reporter, Voter (No, I can’t pick just one; I have qualities of several!)
Ivan: Total Fan Boy
Kizzi: The Voice, Spiritualist, Interpreter, Fan Girl
Ozarko: The Reporter
Susan M.: Fan Girl, The Voice, Spiritualist, Giver/Doer, Voter

*****************************************************************************************
UPDATE: YESTERDAY ON MY TIVO GUIDE IT HAD MAKING OF SOMOS LISTED FOR TODAY AT 4PM, NOW IT HAS “VECINOS” (COMICAL ADVENTURES OF APARTMENT DWELLERS ?) LA TIMES TV LISTING HAS IT FOR TODAY – IT APPEARS THERE HAS BEEN A SAME DAY CHANGE UP………..

UNIVISION LOS ANGELS 34 HAS SOMOS EL MUNDO LISTED NOW 3/21/10 – NEXT SUNDAY AT 2PM. ((unless they change again )) ******************************************************************************************

Watch Univision network TODAY THIS SUNDAY 3/14 at 4 pm for the behind the scenes of making SOMOS EL MUNDO

This is an hour long program – so there certainly has be some choice David Archuleta goodies in there – especially how smitten the Estefans are with the Archie!

This will also serve as a fundraiser for Hope to Haiti.

We “gain” an hour of daylight , but we lose an hour of David Archuleta’ing

Don’t forget to set your clocks forward 1 hour at 2 am Sunday morning — at least it is easier these days to change our time than in the dark ages

“I don’t mind going back to daylight saving time. With inflation, the hour will be the only thing I’ve saved all year.”
– Victor Borge

http://www.energy.ca.gov/daylightsaving.html

@DavidArchie

“…is to devote yourself to loving others, devote yourself to your community around you, and devote yourself to creating something that gives you purpose and meaning.”

This is a quote from Mitch Albom’s “Tuesdays with Morrie.”  An emotionally stirring book  in which Morrie, who is terminally ill, discusses life, regrets, aging, love, and death with Mitch.  A MUST read if you haven’t read it already.

The full quote is:

So many people walk around with a meaningless life. They seem half-asleep, even when they’re busy doing things they think are important. This is because they’re chasing the wrong things.

The way you get meaning into your life is to devote yourself to loving others, devote yourself to your community around you, and devote yourself to creating something that gives you purpose and meaning.

In the book, “Tuesdays With Morrie” according to Pink Monkey Book Notes:

Mitch recalls this quote, that Morrie had once told him, at the beginning of the novel when he was describing his job and his lifestyle.

Mitch was a very busy, career and success oriented sports reporter. He chased money, success, and materialistic things. He recalled that Morrie had once told him how so many people get caught leading a meaningless life; they become too involved in their job, money, and fall under the popular culture dictatorship.

Morrie feels that so many people are mislead thinking all of these things are important and they are too busy chasing these things that their life passes right by them. Morrie says that to create meaning in our life, we must love and show compassion for others.

See Mitch’s bio at http://mitchalbom.com/bio

Click here to view the embedded video.

Brian Mansfield, blogger for Idol Chatter, USA TODAY’s gathering place for fans of  American Idol posted on his blog yesterday evening:

Nashville’s been crawling with former Idols this week, and…I did get to sit down with David Archuleta for a few minutes Friday.

If you haven’t read jdesab’s “Risk” thread in the Forum, you’ll want to do that before I post the interview this weekend: There, I wrote about why I considered David’s Imagine a good example of risk-taking by an Idol contestant, and, during our interview, David went into some detail about that performance and why he chose to sing it the way he did.

On the “Risk” thread Brian references above he stated:

I’ve always thought David Archuleta’s “Imagine” was one of the riskiest choices I’ve seen on Idol. It’s an iconic song with a simple melody and a message that is considered both sacred and profane by different groups of people. There were so many ways that performance could’ve backfired on David.

Beatles fans could have turned on him for having the audacity to change the melody so much — or to simply be 17 and sing it. If he’d sung the first verse about imagining there’s no Heaven, he probably never would have won back large segments of the show’s more conservative watchers.

But starting it on the second verse send the message that he wasn’t willing to sing that first verse — even though he had time constraints as an excuse — and that could have caused problems, too. The judges might have thought it was too old — or too weighty — for him.

There were so many reasons that performance might not have worked — and the fact that David sang and smiled his way right past every last one of them made him one of that season’s instant favorites.

Simon said:  ”Very, very risky to do a John Lennon song, particularly that one…(Randy agrees off camera with “very risky”)…but it worked…”

Click here to view the embedded video.

Can’t wait to read the interview later this weekend.

~ A baby kitten

~ Other people smiling

~ David Archuleta & Honey Bunches of Oats in the “108 Seconds” Interview on Kiss 108.

Yep, that interview is mega fueled with high octane smile content.  In fact it could qualify for the current ‘King of the Mountain’ title for a David Archuleta interview that creates the biggest, longest, happiest SMILE.

Click here to view the embedded video.

(I found this partial video of the interview;  it cuts off before the Honey Bunches of Oats hIlArItY.  So click Here and scroll to then click on “108 Seconds” for the whole video.)

And, so……What is your “King of The Mountain” moment for a smile inspired by David Archuleta?

Can you pick just one?  I can’t.

The “Mirror Mirror” vlog still has me in stitches whenever I view it.  (This I can embed). LOLOLOLOLOLOLOLOLOL’ing here to INFINITY and BEYOND!!!

Click here to view the embedded video.

Mother Teresa once said, “Peace begins with a smile.”