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.
Bar-ba-sol
David Cook Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
The daylight had already passed me
It was such a fight to fade away asleep
It's a fugue
Come on
Found the chase down the dawn
And I fell every night as it turns
Into light with my eyes just shut tight
Sailing all alone
I thought I'd made it home
But I threw it all away
Oh, where I've been sold and spun again
I'll be falling like a dream
Falling in between
I feel sick, I feel nervous
I know just what I did to deserve this
Though I know it's not a dream
Keeping quiet
Laying low
Holding on to what I don't want to know
'Till the daylight turns to ash and blows away
Missing keys
Bloody nose
Consequences of what I chose
Keep your eyes on me
Don't want my memory
Sailing all alone
I thought I'd made it home
But I threw it all away
Oh, where I've been sold and spun again
I'll be falling like a dream
Falling in between
I feel sick, I feel nervous
I know just what I did to deserve this
Though I know it's not a dream
Oh, where I've been sold and spun again
Oh, where I've been sold and spun again
I'll be falling like a dream
Falling in between
I feel sick, I feel nervous
I know just what I did to deserve this
Though I know it's not a dream
Oh, where I've been sold and spun again
I'll be falling like a dream
Falling in between
I feel sick, I feel nervous
I know just what I did to deserve this
Though I know it's not a dream.
David Cook's song Bar-ba-sol is a powerful and emotional ballad that speaks to the inner turmoil and struggles of an individual. The first verse speaks to the feeling of waking up and realizing that the day has already passed, a metaphor for feeling lost and disconnected from the world. The following lines describe the struggle to fall asleep, indicating a deep emotional pain or anxiety that keeps the singer from finding peace even in their dreams. The use of the term "fugue" reinforces the idea of a dissociative state, where the singer is disconnected from reality.
The second verse focuses on the consequences of the singer's actions, referencing a sense of failure or guilt. The lines "I thought I'd made it home, but I threw it all away" suggest a missed opportunity or a wrong choice made that resulted in losing something significant. The phrase "sold and spun again" indicates a sense of being a victim of circumstance or other people's actions, making it difficult to find a solid sense of self. The repeated chorus speaks to the inner conflict and desperation to find peace, as well as a recognition that there is no easy solution to the singer's struggles.
Overall, Bar-ba-sol is a poignant and emotive song that explores the complexities of mental health and inner turmoil. It speaks to the challenges of feeling lost and disconnected from the world, as well as the struggle to find some sense of peace and stability.
Line by Line Meaning
When I woke up I could see
I opened my eyes, but it was already too late to start my day.
The daylight had already passed me
I missed the chance to begin anew, caught in the rut of my daily life.
It was such a fight to fade away asleep
I struggled to find peace in my mind and drift off to sleep.
It's a fugue
My life is like a never-ending musical piece, with repeating themes and motifs.
Come on
I urge myself to keep going, to keep pressing on despite the odds.
Found the chase down the dawn
I discovered that the pursuit of a new day is just another cycle of never-ending chasing.
And I fell every night as it turns
Every night, I succumb to the same pattern, falling asleep as the darkness turns into light.
Into light with my eyes just shut tight
I try to block out the new day with closed eyes, but the light still shines through.
Sailing all alone
I'm adrift, alone in my struggles and thoughts.
I thought I'd made it home
I had hoped to find refuge and solace, but I was mistaken.
But I threw it all away
I made the wrong choices and lost what little comfort I had.
Oh, where I've been sold and spun again
I've become a pawn in someone else's game, bought and bartered like a commodity.
I'll be falling like a dream
I'll keep tumbling down, falling deeper and deeper like a surreal nightmare.
Falling in between
I'm lost, stuck in the middle of different spheres trying to make sense of it all.
I feel sick, I feel nervous
I'm overwhelmed by anxiety and unease, unable to escape my own mind.
I know just what I did to deserve this
I'm aware that my actions and decisions have led me down this path.
Though I know it's not a dream
I can't deny the harsh reality of my situation, even if it feels like a nightmare.
Keeping quiet
I'm suppressing my thoughts and emotions, keeping them to myself.
Laying low
I'm trying to stay out of sight and avoid attention.
Holding on to what I don't want to know
I'm clinging onto the past, even though it hurts and I'd rather ignore it.
'Till the daylight turns to ash and blows away
I'll keep holding on even as time and opportunities slip away like dust in the wind.
Missing keys
I'm struggling to find my way, missing the key to unlock the door to a better future.
Bloody nose
I've been battered and bruised, both physically and emotionally.
Consequences of what I chose
I'm facing the consequences of my actions and decisions, whether or not they were intentional.
Keep your eyes on me
I'm hoping to find someone to anchor me and keep me steady in the shifting tides of life.
Don't want my memory
I'd rather forget the pain and suffering, erase the memories that haunt me day and night.
Lyrics © BMG Rights Management, Warner Chappell Music, Inc.
Written by: DANIEL BLAINE GRADY, DANIEL DIXON, DAVID COOK
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind