Danny Gokey's 'What Hurts the Most' was Strangely Unmoving on American Idol
Now, I have no doubt that million of American Idol viewers were moved to phone in their votes for widower Danny Gokey after his What Hurts the Most performance. I am not one of those millions, however. The only thing his performance moved me to do was move my hands over my ears halfway through.
I am not a huge fan of country music, but the Rascal Flatts' song What Hurts the Most is one of those songs that is so emotionally beautiful that it has the ability to be loved by even those who hate country music. I love the song for the emotion it provokes.
So when I heard Danny Gokey would be singing What Hurts the Most, I thought it would be an amazingly powerful performance by the American Idol.
After all, I would imagine someone who sadly lost the love of their life would bring an overwhelming passion to those lyrics. I could not help but think of Danny Gokey's wife Sophia who passed away when the American Idol was singing the lyrics "what hurts the most". But his performance simply did not move me.
Perhaps it was the screaming that distracted me from the emotion of the song? Or maybe the fact Danny Gokey's version simply did not compare to the original Rascal Flatts version of What Hurts the Most? Or maybe Danny Gokey just did not live up to my expectations?
Whatever the reason, it should have been brilliant and moving, but wasn't.
Published by Colt Kingston
Colt Kingston writing on a variety of topics. View profile
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5 Comments
Post a Commentif you feel that this performance was "unmoving", then you have no soul.
if you "had to cover your ears halfway through", then you have no ear for music and no musical training, muchless appreciation for greatness.
Your wrong. You have to watch his performance again.....and look at his eyes. I am from Milwaukee......no drama queens here. Folks raised in a place where -80 below windchills happen in winter get pretty tough. I could tell he was emotionally drained by the end of the song....it was just subtle. Dignity.....
Everyone is entitled to their opinion..but I loved it and I think that if you would have heard it live you may have a different opinion..He has got the most powerful pipes on the show and everyone knows that...And he really knows how to emote which means really sing his heart into the song..Some singers are good or great and just sing and some know how to capture the audience with not only their voice but their heart and soul.and that is what he does.
Ahhh, I'm going to agree with you on this one (and yes Anonymous, I have had someone close to me die). I am a huge fan of Gokey, but in my opinion, it was one of the least moving performances of the evening. I'm not really sure what it was. I don't think he did what the judges asked which was to make it his own. It just sounded like the Rascal Flatts song, with shouting at points. Yet the judges can say nothing wrong. Glad I'm not the only one who felt this way.
Maybe you need to have someone die and then it will move you..I thought it was so beautiful and a very stirring rendition of the song..He sings with so much passion at times it just overtakes him..When he sang Come Back to Me!! what amazing powerful vocals and some mics just cant even handle that kind of power:)
I know I am a singer too
I bet live at the show it was amazing..Live always sounds better than over a television set with not such great speakers..