keepingfaith

I repeat, I thought last night was PERFECT! If it's an audience of ringers, devotees, or the man off the street, doesn't matter in my book. It was perfect for me!

I am he as you are he as you are me and we are all together. kew-kew-kachoo! :F_05BL17blowkiss:

Funny, but I heard great applause and cheering for Clay from the audience last night. Even the kids remarked that Clay's fans must have packed the audience for him to get a bigger response than Jack Black. Good to know that wasn't the case and that Clay was popular with a regular audience. The times they are a'changin'! Was Spot the reporter of snotty hair from 5th grader? Is that how that started? Because I was expecting something nasty and turns out I thought he looked great. I remember this exchange between my parents the next day ... and I quote: My mother: "He was just the cutest thing last night!" My increasingly hard of hearing father: "Who're you talking about? Regis?" My mother: "Of course not, Roy!! Are you losing your mind? I'm talking about Clay. Regis hasn't been cute for 50 years!" They're a pair of doodles, those two. Will be married 65 years in September.

If memory serves from 2006, the final HDD numbers for Clay were 202,000+, and the Soundscan numbers came in at 211,000+.

(my bolded) Not me. I don't think it's boring at all. It passed my head bopping test on the first listen. I'm totally content with OMWH being the lead single. Of course, I pretty much love the whole CD, so I don't hear boring anywhere. I agree, laughn. I loved it at first hearing, and 2nd, and 75th and 513th. By the time the album was released last week, I wanted to hear everything else on the CD for a few days, but listening to the whole thing start to finish .... the title track is kind of like The Dude's rug in The Big Lebowski .... it ties the room together.

Okay, okay, it was me. I ordered too late and they'll be here later this week! And, I'm interested to know how many women got a Toby Keith CD for Mother's Day. Who knew?? ETA: And since it's speculation day, try this one on for size: What if HDD doesn't pick up QVC numbers and those are added in by Soundscan? Just positing a question. Backing out softly now.

Awwwright! Clay has released four CDs to his name in five years and he has two number 1's, a number 2 and a number 3? Does anyone seriously think he's not a huge recording star? When ATDW was released Clay tied a couple of others for the record of having his first three albums debut in the Top 5. Now he has four! And ... I didn't think Jay was kidding about gravitas. Compared to the Jonas Bros. and Miley Cyrus and other teen/twenty-something stars, Clay is putting out serious, gorgeous music. Clay's voice has all the gravitas in the world, and I'm glad somebody finally used the word on him. ETA: Regarding Q&A, I thought that was the most restrained backup they've ever done. I thought the whole performance from Clay, the band, and Q&A was absolutely perfect. Regarding song demographics, I have now heard from two 20-somethings who aren't Clay fans and both loved OMWH and are going to download it. In fact, my 20-something DIL has heard the entire CD and thinks OMWH is the best cut on it. It strikes me funny that the one we're calling boring is the most interesting to my younger friends and family.

No, HDD isn't out to mess with the heads of Clay fans. I check the chart out most Tuesdays when I remember, and this has become the routine. Last Tuesday they did not update Madonna's preliminary numbers until after 5pm when they posted the FINAL number. They should remove the notation that it is "updated every 5 minutes." Just not true. LdyJ -- we are morphing into twins. And we'll be your age, if that's okay?

Haven't heard anyone mention yet that Jay said Clay had gravitas. How can we diss Jay when he said Clay possesses gravitas??? Gravitas = substance, dignity, bearing, presence, weightiness. If this has become his reputation in the industry, Clay must be elated. I rarely watch the Tonight Show, only when I want to see a particular guest, but I thought Jay was really entertaining last night. I love Jack Black, but I thought Clay was funnier. Play, I've been meaning to respond to your comment about "speculation" and "speculators" -- and since I don't go to other boards much, if any, I avoid so much angst and hand-wringing. I LOVE to speculate about Clay. It's based on nothing more than possibilities, and I don't think I have ever, for one instant, been bummed out because one of my speculations, or someone else's, did not materialize. I'm the accepting type, I suppose. I was dreaming about Clay being a musical guest on SNL after the Spamalot close. Didn't happen. So? I can still dream that he'll be a musical guest on SNL's Fall premiere when the next single is released -- which should be "Falling" (imo) -- and that this will be in conjunction with a Fall Tour. And that Clay will have darker hair! With bangs! Or Not!! I'm totally waaaaay too happy to be bummed about any little thing right now. I love this CD so much, I'm in awe of what was accomplished here. That THIS is the music Clay wants to do. That THIS is his comfort zone -- where he thinks he belongs, and it's not in any lane, it's all over the damned highway. I love it too much. I'll say it again, if I didn't like Clay Aiken before, this CD would have made a huge fan out of me. And CG, I don't give a ratzass about Josh Groban, or anybody else, being on GMA's Concert Series. No doubt he has a great trained voice, but Josh Groban is fucking boring to my ears. So he gets stuff Clay doesn't get, like a PBS Special -- I didn't watch that either. People that like him, I'm happy for them. I just so glad that Clay is Clay, and nothing like Josh Groban, no matter how many CDs either of them sell.

I keep rewinding the DVR to watch the bridge of OMWH because I can't take my eyes off of those lips. GAH!!!

Clay: "I am clearly the King of Confidence." And I loved when he corrected Jay's comment that Clay had compared himself to Justin Timberlake, and Clay said, "contrasted."

They talked about Spamalot. Jack Black is "a fan of The Monty!" When Clay started talking in the British accent: ... but actually when I'm walking to the theater every night I'd start talking like this, automatically. As soon as I walked in ... Jack Black was looking around .. "Where's Clay? Where? Who's THAT guy?" Okay, where have I heard that before? "Who's THAT guy?" Another moment I loved: Jay asked him if he was superstitious, and Clay said no. Jay said I think you're lying, I think you're superstitious. And Clay said ... drumroll ... I'm superstitious about lying. I love him.

I thought that was one of Clay's top talk show appearances ever, if not the best. He was totally Clay. Funny, interesting, cute beyond words, British accent, the expressions that are sooooooo adorable and hot. Did I mention that he SANG that song tonight? Regardless what kind of music you generally prefer, that voice is fabulous. And I like the shortened version of the song for TV. I like all the verses on the CD, but for a live performance it's more intense and interesting somehow. The whole deal tonight was a big success. The interaction with Jack Black was brilliant.

What is the cut-off day for the weekly charts .... Saturday or Sunday?

For a bit of CD stock anecdotal info, I went into Walmart this afternoon (not proud of it) and decided to swing by the CD section to check out the racks. As I believe I reported earlier, on Tuesday the contractor didn't come in to unpack New Releases until 3 p.m., which would have put a damper on first day sales at that store and the other Walmarts in this area. On Tuesday, the number of CDs for Clay was 24, and I bought only one. Today, when I checked the New Releases rack there were 5 CDs there -- but this was new stock because they were part of a batch of 26, up from the 24 delivered on Tuesday. Then I checked the alpha racks and there were three sections for Clay Aiken -- 1 with OMWH (3 or 4 copies left), a full section of 8 for ATDW, and a third full section of MOAM. Last time I was in Walmart there was one copy of ATDW and no MOAM. So they are stocking everything, which I think is excellent. Regarding, Neil Diamond, there wasn't a copy of his new CD in New Releases or the alpha racks. I wonder if Neil Diamond fans are bitching that his label didn't ship enough.

Well, KAndre, is there any suspense about Broken Wings and I Survived You on your Final 20?

Thanks jmh! One of the great things about being a "late bloomer" in this fandom is that I learn something new every day. What do you all think about the recent song choices Clay texted for "song we want to hear him sing." I think WAMLAW won that contest, and I'm wondering if he's already putting together the framework of an OMWH tour. Also, when I read the comment about maybe taking off the rest of the year, I didn't think for a minute that Clay would be sitting on his patio for the rest of the year. I took that comment to read that he has other irons in the fire and his schedule will depend on the opportunities and choices of the next few weeks/months. I'll bet Broadway offers intensify after Spamalot, and he said he had lots of offers prior to Spamalot, so I think he'll be a hot property in NY. The man is full of surprises -- always. For now, I have to listen to WINY again. It's so beautiful!

My "in the brain" song this morning is FIEKY and I keep hearing this urgent voice singing: Gonna live life with no regret 'Cause the best hasn't happened yet Over and over it goes and I really don't want it to go away! I need a discussion about the QVC bonus, because I read what you wrote LdyJ about WINY being recorded for MOAM -- and there's no MOAM studio sound to these tracks. To my ears it's a Clay Right Now sound. I hear songs recently recorded with a band in the studio. My first thought was when Kipper mentioned bringing in a band to record with Clay during the NY sessions. I assumed that was for Everything I Don't Need, but now I'm thinking that the bonus songs were part of this live band recording process. Clay mentioned before that he'd like to re-record parts of MCWL, and I'm assuming this is what he's done with three of the MOAM songs that he particularly loves and plans to sing forever. But .... I really have no idea. I always hesitate to go out on a limb with ya'll since there are big gaps in my Clay knowledge, pre-June 2006. I'm always prepared to stand corrected.

Just call me Little Miss Tra La La ... because I'm not worrying about OMWH at all. It's a very classy pop album and I can't believe The Suits won't do everything to give it legs. There is a new sheriff over at RCA. I'll be surprised if they aren't into maximizes their talent these days. Regarding lyrics and critics, I don't think the critics are necessarily comparing the lyrics on OMWH with what's on Top 40. There is absolutely nothing lyrical about Top 40 and I don't think awareness of that has escaped even the critics. Top 40 is all about the beat, and it always has been as far back as I remember. I think the critics understand and most have mentioned, that Clay is an Adult Contemporary artist, and AC survives on sweeping ballads with meaningful lyrics. Clay has vastly increased his chances on AC with this CD -- and while the critics may not be overly impressed, or even favorably impressed at all, with the lyrics, I think it's because they're mostly guys. Clay knows he's singing primarily to women, he knows his audience. And he knows we understand the words. Well, the words to everything except maybe "Everything I Don't Need." You guys CMSU with what you were writing about "Last of a dying breed" last night. Clay told us what it means ..... whatever you THINK it means! I read a sports headline the other day that said, "Kobe and Yao -- Last of a Dying Breed," with a subline of "Last two power centers in the NBA." I think the "singer" here is frustrated at being attracted to someone who's not good for him and he knows the relationship is doomed, but he still wants it because he can't help himself. He wants her to leave and put him out of his misery, but she keeps coming back and he can't end it. They said goodnight last night, he went to bed alone, but she invades his morning light and "rings his bell" -- so the damned phone can just ring away, dammit. I think he's talking about a physical magnetic attraction with someone about whom he says: Cause I've tried so hard to get who you are But there's no way I understand what you do He tried, he tried hard, but he knows it ain't gonna work for him. You fill my head You block my view It's killing me Says it all. My favorite line: If it's all I do I'll get free Cause you've taken everything Everything I don't need. He's getting free already, because he's defining everything she took from him as things he doesn't need back. Now if he could just wrap his mind around it and accept it ..... Again, who is the last of the dying breed here? Maybe both of them? Maybe this type of relationship in his life? Maybe whatever it means to the listener? That makes for great lyrics in my book. I think this is my favorite song because of the lyrics and the crescendo of frustration that he expresses with that growly voice. This is also a song that improves with age ... the more you listen, the better it gets ... and the chorus beginning with "what would I want from you" is right up there with the best of Elton John's catchiest melodies. I completely love this one. It gets an A+ from me. Five blinking stars.

I can't believe I haven't read anything yet about MOAM on the QVC bonus -- or else I missed it. I almost ran off the road listening to that sexy acoustic version today. WOW! It sounds like he took three songs he loved from MOAM and did them HIS way. It's such a treasure to have this. WINY is absolutely stunning - and I love the guitar -- but it fades out too soon for me, I want more, MORE MORE of that VOICE! I'm not spoiled much, huh? Really the song gives me those yummy chills that run down your body and back up again. Now there has to be a technical wizard out there somewhere who can figure out how to extract those audio files so we can get them on our computers. There's gotta be a way!!! My sister called me earlier today to discuss Mother's Day plans, and my crazy BIL yelled out .."Come over here and get all this Clay Aiken out of my house. You started this!" My sister laughed and said ... "Don't let him kid you, he listened to the new CD last night and he really liked it. I think it shocked him that he did, but he liked it a lot!" All the while he's still yelling in the background, "I can't have Clay Aiken taking over around here!" He's a card. Now I can't wait to give my sister the QVC I ordered for her. Wait until she hears WINY. She LOVES that song, and I didn't even mention it today. I'm going to surprise her tomorrow .... and my BIL should be at the top of the teasing and picking game he loves to play. KAndre, I bought a 500 gig EHD at Home Depot today -- a Western Digital My Book -- for $99. I'm ready to go to download heaven!!! Oh ... ya'll can add me to the group that loves to watch Clay eat. I'll bet anything that Clay prefers Benihana over Jean Georges. I have to get going again and can't get in on the listening party -- POOH! But I'm going to read every word later tonight or tomorrow.

When I think of someone being emotionally frail, I can think of just as many, or more, men as women who fit that category. And it's usually the more macho types who really are creampuffs. The number of men I've known who open up with women, but never discuss anything personal with other men could fill a big city phonebook. The phrase "not words you expect to hear men use when describing their feelings" struck me because I was married to this one dude for 14 years and he never once described his feelings. I seriously questioned whether he had any. And in the end, he banned Elton John records from our home. That wasn't smart. Me and Elton John found a new place to stay. I think one of the things about Clay that attracts so many women is that he is openly vulnerable. Women love that in a man -- and so many men think we're looking for a cold, tough guy. Maybe once, just for that life lesson on my way here. Ta-ta. I'll be gone til about midnight again. Graduation can't come soon enough.

Actually, I got the impression they thought his laugh was "wicked" -- not sweet or adorable! And ... word of the day ....... "haunted" as in Shadows of shattered dreams They follow me They've haunted me Yeah that kills me.

HDD has been wrong before. Very wrong. They yapped for days that Britney Spears was going to have the No. 1 record, and all the media outlets went on and on about Britney debuting at No. 1 --- yet when the following Tuesday rolled around she was No. 2 and The Eagles "Long Road Out Of Eden" slapped the crap out of Britney's debut CD. And The Eagles sold exclusively at Walmart.

I really don't know if there's a demographic difference, but Clay's outselling Neil Diamond at the Real download store: Album Artist Price 1 E=MC2 (Mariah Carey) $9.99 2 Hard Candy (Madonna) $9.99 3 Spirit (Leona Lewis) $11.99 4 Rock N Roll Jesus (Kid Rock) $9.99 5 Hard Candy (Madonna) $9.99 6 Pocketful Of Sunshine (Natasha Bedingfield) $11.99 7 Coco (Colbie Caillat) $9.99 8 Jordin Sparks (Jordin Sparks) $11.99 9 Hannah Montana 2 / Meet Miley Cyrus (Various Artists) $11.99 10 Bleeding Love (Leona Lewis) tracks only 11 Gavin DeGraw (Gavin DeGraw) $11.88 12 The Very Best Of The Eagles (The Eagles) $18.99 13 Good Girl Gone Bad (Rihanna) $9.99 14 Sleep Through The Static (Jack Johnson) $9.99 15 Minutes To Midnight (Linkin Park) $9.99 16 On My Way Here (Clay Aiken) $11.88 17 One-X (Three Days Grace) $9.99 18 Home Before Dark (Neil Diamond) $11.88 19 All The Right Reasons (Nickelback) $9.99 20 Blackout (Britney Spears) $11.88 That's exactly what I do -- buy the CD and save it to iTunes and Real and Yahoo, etc. The download quality at Real is 192 kbps and iTunes is 162 - so I prefer Real over iTunes. Amazon downloads in the 200+ kbps range. But a CD is up the 300's and the difference is striking on a good system. Most of the P2P's download at 128 kbps -- a really inferior product. I respect Ken's opinions based on his musical tastes -- and that said .... I could not agree more with him about the bridge in TRM. It hit me early and hard and now I listen to that song FOR the bridge. It's incredible. The string arrangement is ALMOST as exquisite as Clay's voice in that section. I was back in Walmart today (twice in one week is the most I've been there since All Is Well.) I had to buy another Walmart bonus copy. The initial stock was 24. I counted 7 on the rack.

I went into the Real MusicStore this morning and Clay had a prominent spot on the home page. Clay's top five downloaded songs in the past 24 hours are: 1 On My Way Here 2 Falling 3 The Real Me 4 Everything I Don't Need 5 Ashes