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.
The truth
David Cook Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
There's no remedy
I see your face in every single thing I do
You change me
Your laugh intoxicating
One touch and I'm negating everything around
Take me and I'm yours
I only want you anymore
If you want to know the truth,
You make or break my day
If you want to know the truth
I wouldn't have it any other way
I rest my head from running circles 'round my mind
On why you let go
No answer's to be found, the mess is on rewind
I guess I'll never know
Why your absence is devastating
No touch to calm my hating everyone around
You leave me when I'm yours
'cause you don't want me anymore
I hit the ground, yeah
If you want to know the truth,
You make or break my day
If you want to know the truth
I wouldn't have it any other way, yeah
If you want to know the truth,
You make or break my day
If you want to know the truth
I wouldn't have it any other way
If you want to know the truth,
You make or break my day
If you want to know the truth
I wouldn't have it any other way
Any other way
If you want to know the truth,
You make or break my day
Any other way
If you want to know the truth,
You make or break my day
Any other way
"The Truth" by David Cook is a song about being deeply affected by someone to the point that they hold the power to make or break one's day. The opening lines "Two steps removed from everything I thought I knew, there's no remedy" suggests that the singer has been thrown completely off-balance by this person and cannot find a way to cope or regain their sense of self. The chorus repeatedly affirms that this person has a profound impact on the singer's life, with the line "If you want to know the truth, you make or break my day, I wouldn't have it any other way" emphasizing that the singer is willing to take this person as they are, no matter how difficult or unpredictable they may be.
The second verse explores the pain of being separated from this person, with the lines "I rest my head from running circles 'round my mind, on why you let go, no answer's to be found, the mess is on rewind, I guess I'll never know". The singer is struggling to come to terms with the fact that they may never understand why this person has left their life, and their absence has left a devastating void. The chorus is repeated again, emphasizing the intense hold this person has on the singer.
Overall, the song captures the frustration and confusion that can come with being deeply connected to someone, even when that connection is painful or difficult. It speaks to the idea that sometimes the people who have the power to break us are the very people we wouldn't want to live without.
Line by Line Meaning
Two steps removed from every thing I thought I knew
I feel lost and uncertain about everything because of how much you've changed me.
There's no remedy
I can't find a solution or fix to how much you've affected me.
I see your face in every single thing I do
You've had such an impact on me that you influence every aspect of my life.
You change me
You've transformed me into a different person than I once was.
Your laugh intoxicating
Your laughter is irresistible and addictive to me.
One touch and I'm negating everything around
Just your touch can make me forget everything else around me.
Take me and I'm yours
If you want me, I'm all yours.
I only want you anymore
You're the only thing that truly matters to me now.
I kiss the ground
I am devoted and grateful to be with you.
If you want to know the truth,
You make or break my day
Your presence, or lack thereof, has a powerful impact on how my day goes.
I rest my head from running circles 'round my mind
I have been overthinking and obsessing about why you left me.
On why you let go
I can't figure out the reason why you ended things with me.
No answer's to be found, the mess is on rewind
I can't find any answers or closure, and it feels like I am reliving this pain over and over.
I guess I'll never know
I have to accept that I may never know the real reason why you left me.
Why your absence is devastating
Your absence has had a profound and painful effect on me.
No touch to calm my hating everyone around
Without your touch, I can't find comfort or shake off my negativity towards others.
You leave me when I'm yours
Even though I am devoted to you, you still chose to leave me.
'cause you don't want me anymore
You decided you no longer wanted to be with me.
I hit the ground, yeah
I am devastated and my world has been shattered.
Any other way
There is no other way for me to feel.
Contributed by Addison P. Suggest a correction in the comments below.