Music on Tuesdays

As Anna sits in front of the television on Tuesday nights watching American Idol, I find myself drawn over to the computer (which is in the same room as the television). I unplug the speakers from the computer, plug in my headphones and hop on iTunes.

Anna enjoys hearing the yet-unrecognized talent of America get their first audition in front of the American public ("I like seeing people succeed since I don't feel like I accomplish much these days," she says).

I enjoy being reminded of songs I haven't heard in a long, long time. So, I go to the source; I hop on iTunes and find the original version to see how good the future stars rendition is (I also go there to remember what the song SHOULD sound like before some tone-deaf wannabe butchers the song to pieces).

One of my favorites tonight was a young African-American man singing Sam Cook's "A Change is Gonna Come." So, I found myself listening to samples of Sam Cook's work on the internet.

Let me preface a brief thought on Sam Cook by saying I love "Soul" music, and all day today I was hankering to get home and listen to Marvin Gaye's "What's Going On" album.

Sam Cook's classics - Chain Gang, Only Sixteen, Cupid, (What A) Wonderful World, Twistin' The Night Away - are chock full of smooth, easy beats, great background vocals, stabbing horns and Cook's velvety voice. Most of his hits are instantly recongnizable - especially for me as I grew up driving around Zionsville with my old man tuning the radio to the Golden Oldies.

And, wouldn't you know it, the final person to receive the allusive golden ticket on American Idol tonight sang his way to Hollywood with a little help from Sam Cook. Just for the record, the song was "Cupid."

-Wes