David Cook

David Roland Cook (born December 20, 1982) is an American singer-songwriter and musician, and is a finalist on the seventh season of American Idol.

Cook was the lead singer and guitarist of the band Axium from 1999 until 2006. He formed Axium in his junior year of high school with drummer Bobby Kerr. One of the band's songs, "Hold," was picked up by AMC Theatres Movie Tunes and was played before previews on over 20,000 screens nationwide. Axium was also named one of the top 15 independent bands in the country in the "Got Milk?" independent band contest, and it was chosen as the best band in Kansas City in 2004.

In 2006, after the breakup of Axium, Cook relocated to Tulsa, Oklahoma, and joined the regional touring band Midwest Kings, playing guitar, bass, and singing backup vocals. He recorded one EP, Incoherent with Desire to Move On, with the band in 2006. He also worked as a bartender at several Tulsa clubs, including Blank Slate and Rehab Lounge.

Cook released a solo independent album, Analog Heart, in 2006, the year he graduated from the college. It was written from 2004 to 2006, and he designed the artwork as well. The album was chosen as the fourth-best CD released in 2006 by website Music Equals Life. Cook also won the Urban Tulsa Weekly's "Absolute Best of Tulsa" award for "Best Locally Produced, Independent Album" in 2007. He had completed recording his sophomore album before his appearance on American Idol. Over the weekend of April 18 to April 20, 2008, Analog Heart was listed as the number one album for "Today's Top MP3 Albums" on Amazon.com. Soon there after, the album was removed from Amazon.

American Idol Top 11

It's time for the first single cut on American Idol, where one of the 12 finalists will be sent packing.

Jim Carrey is there for some cross-promotion of this movie he is in, and he's also sitting so close to Ryan Seacrest's TelePromTer that it keeps sneaking into shots. Whoops!

Then Ryan announces that there was such a positive response to this week that they have changed next week's theme and are doing more of the Lennon-McCartney songbook. Why? No, seriously. Those amazing songs ate some of these kids alive, and it wasn't pretty. Why are we doing this again?

Before I can scream "whyyyyyyyy" for too much longer, the Top 12 come out for a cheesy group sing. It's Beatles, so the songs are good, but the dance moves? Cheesy.

Then, the contestants are in the hot seat ...

Ryan has Carly Smithson, Michael Johns, Syesha Mercado and Jason Castro stand. Carly is safe. So is Michael. As is Jason. Syesha, however, is in the bottom three. Randy and Paula say she should be safe, but Simon says she deserves to be in the bottom three. With that, she has to sing again.

Next, the contestants ruin the song "The Distance" with their commercial this week. Thanks, y'all.

Chikezie, Amanda Overmyer, Kristy Lee Cook and David Cook are asked to stand. Ryan calls Chikezie forward to see if he is sweating like last night and tells him he is safe. Amanda Overmyer: safe. David Cook is also safe. Kristy Lee Cook asks Ryan where her microphone is, but first, he has to go through all the judges' comments. He gives her the mike. She says, "I'm sorry you have to hear it again." I'm sorry, too. Again, it's not even really her voice. It's the viciously bad arrangement.

Then viewers call in with questions, and it is what it is.

Next up, Katherine McPhee comes out to sing George Harrison's "Something" accompanied by David Foster on piano.

Back to the results. David Archuleta, Brooke White, David Hernandez and Ramiele Malubay come to the front of the stage. David Archuleta is safe. Brooke White, also safe. Ramiele Malubay is safe, and David Hernandez is in the bottom three. He sings.

Syesha, Kristy Lee and David hit center stage. Ryan tells Syesha she is safe after dragging it out for a while.

First finalist ousted is: David Hernandez.

About Ramiele Malubay

Name: Ramiele Malubay
Age: 20
Hometown: Miramar, FL
Favorite Quote: "If you're hated, you're doing something right."
Audition City: Miami
Musical Influences: My musical influences would be Aretha Franklin, Jackson 5, Mariah Carey, Lani Misalocha, and Regine Velasquez.

What has been your proudest moment in life so far?
My proudest moment in life so far has to be making it this far in American Idol and changing into a better person this year.

If you couldn't sing, which talent would you most like to have?
If I couldn't, I would want to be an incredible dancer.

Who is your favorite judge and why?
My favorite judge is Paula because she's super sweet and, without heels, we see eye to eye.

What would people be surprised to learn about you?
People would be surprised to learn that instead of singing in the shower, I dance.

Do you have any lucky charms?
My lucky charm is my guardian angel coin.

Don't Leave Me This Way Lyrics

Don't Leave Me This Way
Thelma Houston

Um-hm-hm... aah ah ah...
Don't leave me this way
I can't survive, can't stay alive
Without your love, oh baby
Don't leave me this way, no
I can't exist, I'll surely miss your tender kiss
Don't leave me this way
(A broken man with empty hands
Oh baby please, don't leave me this way)
Aaah baby, my heart is full of love and desire for you
Now come on down and do what you gotta do
(Now come on girl and do what you gotta do)
You started this fire down in my soul
Now can't you see it's burning out of control
Come on (now) satisfy the need in me
Only your good lovin' can set me free... hey
Don't, don't you leave me this way, no
Don't you understand I'm at your command
Oh baby please, please don't leave me this way
Aaah baby, my heart is full of love and desire for you
Now come on down and do what you gotta do
(Now come on girl and do what you gotta do)
You started this fire down in my soul
Now can't you see it's burning out of control
Come on (now) satisfy the need in me
Only your good lovin' can set me free... hey
Need your lovin' baby, need need your love right now...
Your love is so important to me... got to have it...
('Cause it would be wrong
To string me along a love so true)

Don't Leave Me This Way

First charting as a hit for Harold Melvin & the Blue Notes, an act on Gamble & Huff's Philadelphia International label in 1975, "Don't Leave Me This Way" was later a hit single for both Thelma Houston and again for The Communards.

The Blue Notes' original version of the song, featuring Teddy Pendergrass' lead vocal, was included as an album track on the group's successful Wake Up Everybody LP. Though not issued as a single in the United States, the Blue Notes' recording reached #3 on the Billboard Disco charts and later reached #5 on the UK singles chart. "Don't Leave Me This Way" was covered by Motown artist Thelma Houston in 1977. Her version, with its more overt disco arrangement, was a massive international hit, topping the Billboard Hot 100 chart for a single week in April 1977. The song peaked at #13 in the UK. The song is considered by many to be not only one of the Greatest Disco songs of all time but one of the Greatest Songs of the entire 1970's as well.

Nine years later, the song was revived by The Communards in an avowedly Hi-NRG version. This recording topped the UK charts for four weeks in September 1986, becoming the biggest selling record of the year in the process. The featured guest vocalist was jazz singer Sarah Jane Morris. The song only reached #40 on the Billboard Hot 100 but did top the Billboard Dance chart.

Houston's version was revived in 1995 in a remix, which reached #19 on the Billboard Dance Chart and #35 in the UK.

The song has been recorded by several other artists including Sheena Easton, José Galisteo, Andy Abraham, and The Temptations, amongst others.

The Thelma Houston cover of "Don't Leave Me This Way" was ranked #87 on VH1's "100 Greatest One-hit Wonders".