Two weeks ago, Chris Daughtry stated that he wasn't too familiar with Stevie Wonder's catalogue. But when he saw it contained a song called "Higher Ground," he remembered that the Red Hot Chili Peppers had done a version of the song and immediately decided to sing it. The judges praised Chris for being original and his performance was regarded as one of the best of the night (and it was).
The controversy came when message boards and blogs went a buzz about how it was unfair for Chris to be able to simply sing the Chili Peppers' arrangement of the song (which was obviously a more rock arrangement — different from Stevie's original soul/R&B arrangement) and get praised. Not just praised for a great performance — but for being original. This wasn't that big a deal however, considering that Chris mentioned the fact that he was singing the Chili Peppers' version in his pre-performance interview, so it was no surprise that they sounded quite similar.
So last week, when the contestants heard the theme was music from the 50s, sexy alterna-rocker Chris picked Johnny Cash's hit song "I Walk The Line." It's a pretty prominent song in the country community, but most of us know the song because of the Academy Award nominated hit film of a similar name. This is why it was so great to hear Chris sing the song — it didn't sound anything like the original. And it was great.
The judges, including the most important and influential Simon Cowell, once again praised Chris for his originality and for being uncompromising. But after hearing Chris' performance, many music savvy viewers thought to themselves, “That sounded kind of familiar.” And in a way they were right. The band Live (notable but not terribly popular) had recorded a cover of "I Walk The Line" about two years ago and Chris' arrangement was pretty much the same. The difference was, Chris sang it five times better.
One important mystery is whether the anger over this incident will show in the votes come Tuesday night, and whether Ryan, the judges, or Chris himself will address this issue on air in the same way they did for Katharine McPhee's pregnancy rumors.
I'm a bit confused, actually, because I don't understand why there has been such a negative backlash against poor Chris because of this. Especially since it's not really the fact that he sang Live's arrangement of "I Walk The Line," but the fact that he was so widely praised for his "originality" which, if you think about it, is not Chris' fault, it's the judges'.
Article comments
— go to most recent comments1 - Suzy
Just a correction: Clay Aiken sang the original song "This Is The Night" on the final 2 show of season 2. The song, when released as a single a few weeks later, topped the Billboard chart for 2 weeks running and sold a million copies. Hardly what I'd call "falling flat on its face." If you want us to cut Chris some slack maybe you shouldn't hack on other contestants.
2 - Dusty
This article should be retitled "Chris Daughtry Is A Copycat, And I Hate People For Pointing That Out." The author concedes that neither arrangement was a Daughtry original and then proceeds to attack anyone who dares mention this fact as criticism.
Is it America that needs to grow up?
3 - Vicki
I'm not sure what song you are referring to when you said that Clay Aiken sang an original song and fell flat on his face. The ONLY original song he sang was on finale night and that was "This is the Night". "This is the Night" IS on his Measure of a Man album. It was also released as a single which went on to sell over a million copies and went platinum.
4 - Rich
Here's the thing. Yes, all contestants sing cover songs; that's the premise of the entire show. However, it isn't so much that Chris himself is a "copycat". The problem here is that this portion of the show is where the contestants need to show America just how much they can do stylistically.
On a night where the band is playing Stevie Wonder songs in the STYLE and GENRE in which Stevie wrote/sang them, the contestants are forced to mold themselves into the style and STILL sound like themselves. That is the challenge.
Chris unfairly spun the night to his advantage. Of course his performance stood out that night; he sang in a style 30 years younger than the other 11 contestants!!
Unfair? Absolutely. Smart? Perhaps.
5 - Rich
Here's the thing. Yes, all contestants sing cover songs; that's the premise of the entire show. However, it isn't so much that Chris himself is a "copycat". The problem here is that this portion of the show is where the contestants need to show America just how much they can do stylistically.
What do I mean?
On a night where the band is playing Stevie Wonder songs in the STYLE and GENRE in which Stevie wrote/sang them, the contestants are forced to mold themselves into the style without molding themselves into the original singer. That is the challenge.
Chris unfairly spun the night to his advantage. Of course his performance stood out that night; he sang in a style 30 years younger than the other 11 songs that night!!
Unfair? Absolutely. Smart? Perhaps.
6 - Maureen
I also think Chris did a great job and is not a copycat.
Regarding your comment on Clay Aiken: I do have to ask you, what the heck song of Clay's do you think did not make the album? His only original song was "This Is The Night" and it certainly soared. Every song Clay sang on the show was a show stopper.
No song Clay has ever sung has fallen flat on its face.
7 - anon
It's not about "copying." It is about giving credit where it is due. He did not...not even after the judges said you made it your own. Pretty risky of you to assume that it was edited out. And if it was, don't you think that the edit would be a known fact by now...someone would have since bailed him out.
8 - Lynn
Yes Chris, like everyone is singing other peoople's songs, but he is being credited and extoled for not being a mimic, when in reality he still is a mimic, but he is just copying the copy and not the original and not always giving credit where credit is due. When the judges lauded him for his creativity and being original he just stood there and took credit for Live's arrangement of Walk the Line, that is the problem.
Clay Aiken sang AN original song, he did not write it, but it certainly didn't fall flat on it's face becoming the first single in many, many years to sell a million copies and be certified platinum.
9 - Kate
I lost total respect for Chris standing there allowing all three judges to praise him for his original arrangement, even Paula telling him he put his own spin on a song they all knew and made it brand new. That part of the show was broadcast live and he NEVER gave credit to LIVE for using THEIR arrangement.
Besides this the other problem I have with Chris is that he works AROUND the weekly themes. Other contestants are forced to prove their versatility, while Chris sings the same each week.
10 - black rob
Going back to the Chili Pepper's version it makes me wonder if anyone who says it sounds like Chris Daughtry's version has actually heard it. The Chili Pepper's version was undeniably FUNKY much more then it was rock... there was tons of funky bass guitar in it and Keidus sang it in a funky twang.. not a rocker voice.
It makes it hard to take anyone here's argument seriously when they don't know what they are talking about.
11 - Kate
Oops forgot-Clay Aiken's TITN was a record breaking single with sales only second to Elton John's tribute to Princess Diana- Candle in the Wind. It hardly fell flat on it's face - no commercial single has sold even close to it since then abd it was in fact on his first album.
12 - Judy
The only thing Chris did was not state he has performed the version he did for a year now, and that it was first performed that way by Live. Chris may sound thirty years younger than the others, but he still sounds from like he is from the 80's or 90's, but he is the chosen one this year, so whatever. He is okay. American Idol is a good show this year! Much better than the last two,IMO.
BTW, you are mistaken about Clay writing a song and performing it on American Idol. Surely you are not speaking of This Is The Night. It won the Billboard and American Music Award for the best selling single of the year. It was also on his CD.
13 - anthony
What I find funny is that people are looking for integrity from AMERICAN IDOL! Does anyone find the hilarious irony in this? IT IS AMERICAN IDOL!!! What do you people expect? Surely you cannot name a majority of teeny pop singers who have this feature can you?
14 - chantal stone
i don't see what the problem is with Chris showing off his unique style. each of the AI contestants are different, and no matter what they sing, they are going to preform their own special way. i understand the need to show versatility, but its possible to do so within ones own personal style.
no matter what Paris Bennet sings, she's always going to sound like a 40 yr old gospel diva, no matter what Kellie Pickler sings, she's always going to sing it with her own country-bumpkin flair, Taylor Hicks will always sound like a Michael McDonald impersonator, no matter the song choice.
so if Chris adds his alternative hot-boi rocker flair to each performance, no matter the song choice, don't hate him, LOVE him....he deserves it.
15 - Jewels
I agree with Kate #9, and some of the others. Chris completely "karaoked" 'Live' and gave that band no credit whatsoever. Not in the post-performance clip, not after he sang it. What really establishes that he is 'the chosen one' this year is how the judges seem to be as clueless as Kelly-what's-a-Ballsy-Pickler when it comes to the comments they make regarding his (not)original takes on the songs he is performing. In a recent interview on MSNBC, which I missed because I don't watch it, but was published by the Gray-Haired Dude Simon C. says to Rita Cosby:
Rita: "Who do you think will win? What’s your prediction on who’s gonna win? Who’s gonna take it all?"
Simon: "I have a horrible feeling the public is going to vote for Taylor, and I’d prefer Chris."
Check it out.
16 - axel
chris is the best contestant of american idol.. pple who bash chris is because they have other favorites and they try so bad to put this guy down. who cares if it was A LIVE COVER UH? chris has a lot of talent, stage presence and a band called absent element, just hear the songs of his band and you will see he is outstanding! sorry folks but he is gonna win for sure he deserves it!
17 - Rich
Quote by Kate:
"... the other problem I have with Chris is that he works AROUND the weekly themes. Other contestants are forced to prove their versatility, while Chris sings the same each week."
HI-5!!!! That's exactly what I mean, as well.
18 - Evan
Chris did a bang up job last Tuesday and it certainly wowed me, until I heard that it was a cover of a cover without attribution. That is dishonest. I don't blame Chris however, but the show in that they misled the public.
Maybe the Clay Aiken song you're thinking of was Here There and Everywhere, which is a Paul McCartney original that he sung on the Final 2. While Clay did a great job with the song vocally, the song itself is a dud (sorry Beatles fans) and the lighting/staging was horrible.
19 - Rene
That fact of the matter remains is that AI, and I don't know if it was intentional or unintentional, but they did make it look like it was Chris' take on the song and it clearly is not. I too was disappointed when I found out he was doing a cover of a cover.
Clay Aiken needs to come out of the closet or deny the rumors that are circulating about his homosexuality. He also fell flat on his has with Vincent. He fogot the lyrics if memory serves.
20 - Ty
"Besides this the other problem I have with Chris is that he works AROUND the weekly themes. Other contestants are forced to prove their versatility, while Chris sings the same each week."
This is my issue....and I think that Randy and Simon (At least Randy) knows that Live did cover the song and that Chris was doing Live's Arrangement, but didn't say anything because they want Chris to go far.
After you find out it was not some original twist on the song, you wonder, "damn, Chris is pulling out ALL stops to avoid the themes of the week." That is troublesome, just like when Fantasia did country week without a twang and made it sound totally r&b in AI3. Same problem, and unfortunately, probably same result (Chris will probably win like Fantasia).
At least this week is Songs of the 21st century. No need for Chris to do a cover, but pretend it's original.
21 - Ty
"He also fell flat on his has with Vincent. He fogot the lyrics if memory serves."
That is because the producers made him sing a totally different arrangement 20 MINUTES BEFORE GOING LIVE! Of course he was going to slip up. The producers did not want a gay American Idol, so they sabotaged him. This has been well reported (about the arrangement change not of his choice 20 minutes before the show went live)
22 - Chris Evans
Uhh...you all might want to check your album booklets again, because Clay Aiken DID NOT write "This Is The Night" It was written by Aldo Nova, Gary Burr, and Chris Braide.
However, upon further research I realized that I was mistaken, and Clay did not sing an original song on the show. I'm not sure why I had a memory of Ryan saying it was a song that he had written himself--maybe he did the arrangement or something--but I was wrong about that--and will edit the article to reflect it.
23 - Chris Evans
I don't understand how you figure making the song fit your style is somehow avoiding the themes. I'm pretty sure if Steven Tyler were to sing "Superstition" it would sound rock.
I'm pretty sure if Aretha Franklin sang "Sweet Home Alabama", it would sound soulful (as Ruben Studdard's was).
People tried to say the same thing with Carrie Underwood last year--it really just isn't a valid argument.
24 - Ty
"I don't understand how you figure making the song fit your style is somehow avoiding the themes."
Well, let's see, 50's week. Look at McPhee. She sang it in 50's "style." She could have sang it in a modern way, but that wasn't the theme in the week. It was 50's week.
With Chris, he never sang it in 50's style. It never ONCE crossed his mind to simply sing I Walk The Line in its original arrangement (but with a hint of Chris flavor). Instead he knew Live covered it, making it sound like a modern song, and voila, he avoids 50's week.
Now this week is Songs of the 21st Century. Tell me how Chris is going to sound ANY different than the last two weeks, although the themes are different. I bet you can't, and therein lies the problem. You should sound a little different considering the vastly different themes of each week, but Chris does not. Not one bit.
I personally WANTED to see how he would sound singing a 50's song in its original arrangement. I personally WANTED to see how he would sound singing a Stevie Wonder song in its original arrangement.
Sadly we will never even get to see if he has any versatility.
25 - Chris Evans
The difference is, not EVERY contestant knows exactly who they are stylistically, and they don't have to. Chris is one that does. So did Bo, so did Carrie, so did Ruben, so did others. Why would a singer like Chris sing "I Walk The Line" the way Johnny Cash did--he's not Johnny Cash and he's not a country singer.