On June 28, 2011, Cook released his second major-label studio album, entitled "This Loud Morning". Produced by Matt Serletic, the album consists of 14 tracks penned by Cook along with co-writers David Hodges, Ryan Tedder, Kevin Griffin and Marti Frederiksen, among others. The album title comes from a line in the song “Rapid Eye Movement” – “Give me one more quiet night, before this loud morning gets it right, and does me in.”
On May 10, 2012, Cook debuted a new, independently released single, The Last Song I’ll Write for You, on American Idol. Speaking with The Hollywood Reporter, Cook denied this was written with his former record company in mind, despite the fact it was his first new song after losing his recording contract with RCA. He insisted it was a break-up song that came together very quickly.
Early Music Career: David Cook formed a band with his friend Bobby Kerr while at high school. The band was initially named Red Eye, later Axium. He wrote his first song titled “Red Hot” when he was fifteen. He was encouraged by Evan Sula-Goff of 8stops7 to make an album when he went to Cook’s school to judge a contest, Mr. Jaguar, where David Cook and his band performed Guns N’ Roses’ “Paradise City”. The band had some success when one of their songs, “Hold”, was selected to be played in movie theaters across the country, and they were named one of the top 15 independent bands in the country by “Got Milk?” contest as well as the best Kansas City band in 2004.
Axium however broke up in 2006 and David Cook moved to Tulsa where he joined Midwest Kings, a band he once opened for. Members of that band Andy Skib and Neal Tiemann later became part of David Cook’s post-Idol band The Anthemic. He recorded and self-released a solo album Analog Heart in 2006, which sold well regionally.He worked as a bartender prior to appearing on Idol.
In 2006, after obtaining a degree in graphic arts, Cook had to decide whether he wanted to be a musician or a graphic designer. “I gave myself every opportunity not to do music,” he says, “but it was always there. I couldn’t ignore it.” He moved to Tulsa, Oklahoma, and was in the early stages of recording his second album when his younger brother Andrew asked Cook to accompany him to Omaha and lend moral support while he tried out for American Idol. Andrew didn’t make the cut, but he encouraged a very reluctant David to try out. After Cook made it through the early auditions, he reportedly told his brother he’d drop out if Andrew didn’t want him to go through with it. “He threatened to beat my ass if I didn’t, so it’s entirely his fault that all this happened to me,” Cook says with a smile.
One week after being declared the winner with a record-breaking 56 percent of the nearly 100 million votes cast, Cook rewrote chart history when 11 of his songs debuted on Billboard’s Hot 100 chart — the highest number of new entries in a single week by an artist since the Beatles in 1964. Topping the list was “The Time of My Life,” which debuted at No. 3, making it the highest new entry on the Hot 100 of 2008.
Cook’s self-titled major-label debut was released on November 18, 2008. His debut album was certified Platinum by the Recording Industry Association for America (RIAA) for sales exceeding one-million units in January 2009.
In January 2009, Cook announced he would be embarking on a national tour in February. The Declaration Tour began on February 13, 2009 in Tallahassee, Florida, and was originally set to end in Tulsa, Oklahoma on April 25, 2009. Due to strong ticket sales, the tour was extended several times, finally wrapping up on December 1, 2009 at The Fillmore in Charlotte, North Carolina, after 154 concerts in the U.S. and Canada. During 2009 Cook also took his show overseas to the Philippines, and performed for troops in Iraq with the USO.
On April 30, 2013, Cook released a new single, “Laying Me Low”, through XIX Recordings, the record label of American Idol creator Simon Fuller. The song was written by David Cook, Chris Reardon, and Andy Waldeck.
Baba O'Riley
David Cook Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
I fight for my meals
I give my back into my living
I don't need to fight
To prove I'm right
I don't need to be forgiven
Don't cry
It's only teenage wasteland
Teenage wasteland
Ooh yeah
It's only teenage wasteland
Teenage wasteland
Oh yeah
Teenage wasteland
They're all wasted!
Teenage waste
In David Cook's cover of The Who's iconic song Baba O'Riley, he captures the raw emotion and energy that underlies the original lyrics. The song opens with "Out here in the fields, I fight for my meals" - describing the struggle to survive in a world that seems stacked against you. The singer of the song can't rely on anyone but himself, and he throws himself fully into his work, "giving his back to his living".
The lines "I don't need to fight, to prove I'm right" suggest that the character is confident in his beliefs and abilities, and doesn't feel the need to defend himself to anyone. He's secure in who he is and what he has to offer. The famous refrain "Don't cry, don't raise your eye, it's only teenage wasteland" suggests a certain nihilism and hopelessness, as if the character feels that life is ultimately meaningless and futile.
Line by Line Meaning
Out here in the fields
I am working hard in the countryside
I fight for my meals
I work hard to earn my food
I give my back into my living
I put my all into earning a living
I don't need to fight
I don't need to argue
To prove I'm right
To show that I am correct
I don't need to be forgiven
I don't need to be pardoned
Don't cry
Do not weep
Don't raise your eye
Don't look up
It's only teenage wasteland
It is just a place where teenagers gather
Teenage wasteland
A place where young people often hang out
Ooh yeah
An expression of agreement
They're all wasted!
They are all under the influence of drugs or alcohol
Contributed by Sophie W. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
jan279
He's so talented and he's got an awesome taste in music! =)))
LightOnForCookie
Terrific cover...your voice David is awesome! You are a true Idol, keep rocking! Love your concerts...I can't believe you are on concet #98!
l0r3st0
i love this song mainly because cook sang it. cook rocks! he's iconic himself! detractors, he'll stand the test of time!
Stephanie Spalding
he nailed it. like he did every single week. (:
Kayla Caulfield
love this song
Andrew Lavan
Blame TV for that reason. But I LOVE the arrangement in and of itself. Almost like an acoustic version.
Janellbird
Great song by my fave Idol!
Danyhg92
He has a nice voice, I like it but this version... it's a who song so... can't expect anyone else to do it half as good
Emily Soong
I love this.
ewolfgirl
I don't think there was a studio version of this done, was there? This was a teaser...I needed MORE!!!