Will David Cook's "Steal" of Eleanor Rigby Hurt His Future on American Idol?

What's this? More American Idol buzz? We all know the fans just wouldn't be satisfied unless they get their regular dose of American Idol drama! This week it's David Cook who's under fire; and the question is whether or not the current commotion will hinder his future on the show.

The issue is that after David Cook's rendition of the Beatles' classic "Eleanor Rigby" received kudos from the judges, he did not properly credit (or even acknowledge!) the band, Doxology, who made that arrangement...and now the scorned band wants the world to know all about it!

Doxology, a Seattle-based band, told TMZ that they recorded that version of "Eleanor Rigby" year and a half ago, putting it up on iTunes and on the band's MySpace page. The band's manager said "Eleanor Rigby" is the song they're best known for and have played it at nearly 200 shows.

So are the members of Doxology angry? Apparently not. According to their Doxology Myspace blog posted on March 12, 2008, in which they wrote:

"We're not trying to be negative about all of this. We have nothing against David Cook, or American idol. We actually thought he did a really good job with it. but I mean, come on...well you be the judge. I mean look, we worked pretty hard on that arrangement. It's the only cover that we do, and that's our twist to one of our favorite songs. So we're not mad, we just think that credit should be given where credit is due. that's all."

Then, in an official press statement on March 14, 2008, (posted on their Doxology Myspace blog on March 15, 2008) the band states:

Seattle, WA - March 14, 2008: After much deliberation, Doxology is releasing a statement to the press. There are many reasons that the Seattle area band feels it is necessary to shed some light on recent events. First and foremost, Doxology is not angry with David Cook or American Idol. They are, however, troubled by the lack of public acknowledgement that the arrangement of "Eleanor Rigby," used by David Cook on American Idol's March 11, 2008 episode and its' subsequent iTunes studio recording, is a near note-for-note copy of a unique demo arrangement recorded by Doxology in 2006. The band feels that David is a great performer, and they are also supporters and fans of American Idol (Blake Lewis, a good friend of the band, was last season's American Idol runner up). Secondly, Doxology is in disagreement with Idol's decision to post David Cook's performance and studio recording on iTunes. This allows American Idol to profit from the David Cook, March 11th performance and studio recording, without crediting the source for the recording's arrangement. This is not the first time American Idol has had to deal with this type of issue. During season 5 of Idol, Chris Daughtry used an arrangement from a band without crediting his source. To listen to Doxology's original demo recording of "Eleanor Rigby" and additional original song selections visit www.myspace.com/dxband.
Quote from Doxology lead vocalist Luke McPherson: "Our main issue is that when given the opportunity to speak up and reveal where the arrangement came from, David Cook did not. His silence on the issue implies that the arrangement is his own. It is not." Luke goes on to say, "We were even more surprised when the studio recording, released Thursday morning, was even more of a note-for-note instrumental copy of Doxology's recording. I want to be clear. We are not seeking royalties. That's not what this is about. The compensation we are asking for is the easiest and least expensive around - we, at minimum, want David Cook and/or American Idol to admit that the arrangement he performed on March 11th, and then went into the studio and recorded for immediate sale, was not only inspired by, but almost completely carbon copied from our arrangement. We just want David Cook and American Idol to do the right thing and acknowledge these facts. It's that simple."

So I'm not sure if it's completely clear what exactly Doxology is doing here... We understand that they weren't publicly acknowledged for their terrific cover of "Eleanor Rigby." If they aren't angry and they aren't going to seek compensation, then what exactly are they going for? My guess is some good-old-fashioned free and colossal publicity! I am from the Seattle area, and can honestly say that I have never heard of Doxology until David Cook sang "their version" of "Eleanor Rigby."

Now with what implications does this bit-o-fame for Doxology have on David Cook's future? After his "Billie Jean" performance last week, David Cook's ratings were looking phenomenal: #2 according to idolrankings.com, #1 on dialidol.com, and #1 on TVguide.com. So it's safe to say that he is a top contender on American Idol.

Will he stay there? In a poll conducted by TMZ.com, 46,472 fans answered the question, "Did 'Idol' screw over Doxology?' with a result of 56% voting No and 44% voting Yes. If a large amount of the American Idol viewers feel sorry for Doxology, there could be a negative connotation towards David Cook - which could significantly affect the number of votes he gets, regardless of how he performs.

American Idol contestants have to be especially careful with their overall behavior; their demeanor, their responses to the judges, or even how they dress can sometimes affect voting just as much as their singing talent. The typical Hollywood rule of "any publicity is good publicity" doesn't apply to American Idol contestants; their fan base is already established and the same people watch them every week - it's just a matter of who these people are going to vote foreach week. If a contestant upsets a large group of previously-established fans, and those fans just simply decide to vote for someone else, that can be the deciding factor if that contestant stays or goes home.

The good news is that most people who watch American Idol are watching and voting for the talent. So as long as David Cook keeps pumping out the fabulous performances, he should remain a top contender and his fans shouldn't need to worry about losing their favorite Idol. For those American Idol voters who are wrapped up with the politics of the show or who are easily offended by piracy, David Cook needs to come up with a plan. He should prepare an appropriate statement and do whatever else is necessary as an attempt to gain back any lost respect and re-secure as many voters as possible. American Idol is a cut-throat show and no contestant can ever be guaranteed of their safety into the next round, therefore amplifying the fact of not wanting to take any chances.

The remaining American Idol contestants (and all future contestants) need to make note of this "Eleanor Rigby" situation and learn from it. American Idol producers need to be on the ball and be aware of the songs out there and be sure to warn the contestants of the possible repercussions of these types of situations. No teenager or 20-something rock-star wannabe wants to start his career with a legal battle hanging over his head! Plus it just doesn't put a good taste in the mouth of the millions of loyal viewers who expect only the best when it comes to a top-rated show like American Idol.

Bottom line: though we can expect some minor averse voting affects, I still think we will be seeing David Cook for many more weeks. His talent far exceeds his moment of poor judgment. I also have a feeling we may be hearing a little more of Doxology, as well as their version of "Eleanor Rigby," whether we like it or not.

Sources:

Doxology, "Doxology," Myspace

Doxology, "Hmmm? That Eleanor Rigby sounds kinda familiar", Myspace

Doxology, "Band Response - Formal Press Release," Myspace

"Idolrankings.com", Idol Rankings

James Hellriegel Jr., "Dialidol.com", Dial Idol

The Idol Chatters, "Top 9 Power Rankings: David Cook's a Thriller," TV Guide

TMZ Staff, "Did David Cook Rip-Off "Eleanor Rigby?", TMZ