#3 - Here He Comes Again

[Ansamcw]

OMG!!!! Lover All Alone is the best song in the CD and Clay co wrote it!!!

it is so haunting...sad...touching...and sang so beautifully...

GAH please let him release this as a single...its just wonderful!!!

I am really bawling here...

Lover All Alone (Lyrics)

maybe i've convinced myself i've really been in love

and i've been wrong all along

for all i know the feeling and the picture that i've tried

so hard to find isn't mine

could be its all just a waiting game

wanna share my everything

and on my own

its hard to tell my heart it will be alright

this love it holds will one day find a home

as hard as love can be

its harder still it seems

to be a lover all alone without love

picking up the pieces makes me wonder if

i only build it all to watch it fall

the faster it can go away it means the less of me

is gone to stay and i'm ok

but lonesome tomorrow comes anyway

i'm alone for another day, another day

and on my own

its hard to tell my heart it will be alright

that this love it holds will one day find a home

as hard as love can be

its harder still it seems

to be a lover all alone without love

and on my own

its hard to tell my heart it will be alright

that this love it holds will one day find a home

as hard as love can be

its harder still it seems

to be a lover all alone without love

a lover all alone... without love

maybe i've convinced myself i've really been in love

but i've been wrong all along

-----

sniff...I hate to think this is how Clay feel right now...hope he is actually Lonely No More

[Claygasm]

OMG!!!! Lover All Alone is the best song in the CD and Clay co wrote it!!!

it is so haunting...sad...touching...and sang so beautifully...

GAH please let him release this as a single...its just wonderful!!!

I am really bawling here...

Lover All Alone (Lyrics)

maybe i've convinced myself i've really been in love

and i've been wrong all along

for all i know the feeling and the picture that i've tried

so hard to find isn't mine

could be its all just a waiting game

wanna share my everything

and on my own

its hard to tell my heart it will be alright

this love it holds will one day find a home

as hard as love can be

its harder still it seems

to be a lover all alone without love

picking up the pieces makes me wonder if

i only build it all to watch it fall

the faster it can go away it means the less of me

is gone to stay and i'm ok

but lonesome tomorrow comes anyway

i'm alone for another day, another day

and on my own

its hard to tell my heart it will be alright

that this love it holds will one day find a home

as hard as love can be

its harder still it seems

to be a lover all alone without love

and on my own

its hard to tell my heart it will be alright

that this love it holds will one day find a home

as hard as love can be

its harder still it seems

to be a lover all alone without love

a lover all alone... without love

maybe i've convinced myself i've really been in love

but i've been wrong all along

-----

sniff...I hate to think this is how Clay feel right now...hope he is actually Lonely No More

I totally agree. Can't stop playing it and I MUST get to bed! This should have been on the regular CD so more people could hear it!

This is the very best song on the CD. Amazing!!!!!!

[Couch Tomato]

well it's 2;30 and i should go to bed. i had a great time at the cd release party. as usual i won a great clay gift in the raffle...make that two great prizes ... one at the dinner AND one at the party itself. i win something at every clay related event i go to..heee...but why can't i win the lotto.

i missed you tonight muski...but guess what ya'll...she won the haiku contest in absentia.

i guess we have to meet up some time this week so i can give you your winnings.

ldyjocelyn..sorry i missed your birthday. i'm very happy clay put out for you.

[bottlecap]

I felt like crap last night, so I chugged some nyquil and went to bed early. I had a moment of panic this morning when I couldn't find ATDW right away on itunes, but I tracked it down and it's still downloading.

Lover All Alone - I could see that being the next tour's I Can't Make You Love Me - just Clay and the piano.

Yeah for GMA and the crowd on the street! Off to catch up on the nights festivites!

[KAndre]

Man, he'll have to change it up for me in concert, because after 5 hours of listening, it's still not doing it for me. It reminds me of Measure of a Man and Those Open Arms (and neither of those thrill me). I'm glad it's a bonus track, but it and Those Open Arms are interchangeable for me and are just...ok. And can't even dream of coming close to I Can't Make You Love Me for me. Oh well.

Still just flove this album. I've got 10 tracks I am sick with love for, three tracks that just make me smile, two tracks that are ok, one bonus track I'm still waiting to hear. I cannot wait for his next album, 'cause the man is three for three!

[bottlecap]

Thank goodness for downloads, because I didn't fully get the hang of my new DVD recorder and couldn't catch the beginning of A Thousand Days on GMA this morning. I think I've got it now - just have to hope the timer setting will catch the interview sections tomorrow and Thursday when I'm back at work. [And I will feel slightly less anxious when those interviews are over and done with, if you know what I'm saying.]

After the first GMA section where Clay made is entrance through the crowd (and was some b*tch hanging on to him, because I thought I glimpsed him having to tug his arm away from someone), my phone rings. Yeah, thanks for the heads-up Mom, I do happen to know that Clay is on GMA this morning. Besides going on a Clack hunt, that is one of the primary reasons I took today off of work.

So, off I go. Target for the Clack related supplies, and then to KMart for a couple of CDs with the download code.

EEEEEEEEEEEEEEEE!

[Ansamcw]

Sniff...I want to follow Kandre to the ends of the earth...but this minion can't follow on the LAA lack of love...

I totally understand...but I just fell in love with this song and I am still in throes of passion for it.

I can totally see this song being used as background in some of the top TV shows. I used to love WB shows because of the songs that play in the sountracks like Gilmore Girls and smallville, I used to pray that one of Clay;s songs will be on it but knew that they were just not right...but this is it. It has a hip sound...very Blunt, five for fighting sound, With better vocals. It sounds so personal and intimate and Clay's voice is divine.

OMG...if I listen too closely this will make me cry again. I think this is Clay's "Beautiful Disaster".

I now can understand why it was difficult to get more TV spots for Clay this week...Sir Elton is also promoting his CD...he is in Ellen now, I also see Julio Iglesisa everywhere...with the fall shows starting lots of TV stars are also making the talk show rounds...I am really glad Clay got so much from GMA. Diane sure pulled through for our guy.

HE was fantastic on GMA...I was questioning the choice of ATD...but not anymore, he rocked that song on TV. Great contrast to WY.

[KAndre]

Oh, I forgive you chickie, because I don't like Blunt or Five for Fighting either...or Beautiful Disaster.

But I am so freakin' HAPPY with this album. I'm just a little annoyed that the "oh, let us weep for the album that waaaaaas...because it had to be so very much better than thiiiiiiiis" meme that's showing up a little...I enjoy what we have because it is frickin' unbelievable, and shoot, Clay doesn't sound like he's weeping for the album that was either. Especially on GMA. See, I think he's always loved A Thousand Days, even if he didn't write it. It was the one consistant one throughout the JBT (no matter how vocal the complaints on the OFC). I'm sure AAL will grow on me if he sings it in concert, so many did...but if he doesn't, I don't think it will. I know what you mean when you say a song just grabs you on first listen - that was I Survived You on MOAM and Don't Save It All For Christmas Day on MCWL and and Broken Wings and EIH and EID and Sorry and LNM and ETYGA and WISYS on ATDW.

[muskifest]

I'm lovin the FCAers this morning....different strokes (eh) for different folks...without all the drama.

Do I dare call in sick so that I can see Clay on my teevee?

Nope. Can't do it. In a crunch time at work. I'll stick that old videotape in our VCR---I know, I'm in the 20th century---no TIVO or DVR, etc. I know it'll all be online CLACK eventually that I can download, but since my hard drive is burping from overeating and I can't seem to find an external hard drive to connect to give it a colonic, I don't see me doing much downloading...

However, I did purchase ATDW on iTunes and must respectfully bow to KAndre to honor her opinion of it, but then jump around like a crazy woman with Ansa and others because I love it so.

The guy singin' it ain't too bad, either.

[Ansamcw]

I hear you Kandre...and I have to admit, I got truly bitter with Clive last night. I think its the constant theme of reviewers simply dismissing this CD because they were covers...with all the negativity we have been getting from sections of Clay land...it finally got to me last night when I heard LAA and thought of what could have been.

Yes ATDW is a great CD and I love what he did with these songs. The thing is...although I didn't hate any of the originals I didn't love any of them either when they first came out. I certainly wouldn't have any of them in my top 10 love songs of the last 3 decades. He did make them fresh and he made me love them. My favorites from ATDW are LNM, EIH, BW, BYLM, EYGA, HYCA, EID, SORRY. I think they should've made LAA part of the CD and added TRD and BFM and ATD is growing on me.

I guess I am over it now...I just pray that Clay will get more artistic freedom for his next projects. I do think he found an EP that truly understands him and I believe they will continue to make great music together and he will continue to write songs and develop as a song writer.

Yes Clay is very proud of this CD and he should be...and I am proud of him for embracing this project and giving it all his got and coming out with something great despite having parameters set for him.

[KAndre]

As long as I get my bows, I'm totally cool.

I understand Ansa, because when the track list first came out the only songs I recognized from the names were: HYCA, BYLM (which I still love Celine's version) and Sorry. I had to hear the clips to say oh yeah, I heard that before. But I think Clay/Clive/Jaymes pulled some of the last mass hits that everybody listened too - before the market fragmented so much. These originals were super popular with a broad segment of the population and yet not the MEGA hits (I Will Always Love You, One Sweet Day, Endless Love, Every Breath You Take), and frankly I think most people in general had a positive reaction to them back in the day.

Honestly? If Clay came out with all (relatively) new material (MOAM, anyone), I still think the critics wouldn't like it. If he came out with all new material that he wrote, I think the mockery would still be there. Because not matter what, Clay really is the face of American Idol. The face of the "worst" of pop culture. What the masses like and therefore less likely to be of critical worth in so many eyes. Shoot, I see critics sneer at Green Day and the Dave Matthews Band and Bon Jovi. I really don't care what critics say - basically I read them for entertainment value - if they don't have a clever way of saying something, I go 'feh' and more on. Too many of them use bad cliches and usually anti-female (if soccer-moms, middle-aged women, teeny boppers, etc. are said to like it, it must be horrrrrrible.)

And there are many little psychotic pockets of Clay land. Avoid them.

I just can't say the CD is "great despite". To me, it's simply great. I would be horrified to lose any of these songs. If Clive came out and said, OK straight trade up, give up ATWD for unknown album a - I would have to say no. And suppport every backdoor, illegal, immoral effort to acquire unknown album a, because I really do want to hear Clay's take on EVERYTHING, new, old and in between. If it were any of my other favorite artists, I would just be so happy to have an album that I liked. It helps that so far 95% of what Clay has chosen to sing meshes so closely to my tastes. Maybe I'm patient because I just believe I'll be hearing Clay for years to come, and have every faith that 90% of what he does, I'll just totally love. I like that he's taking a winding roads; that maybe ATWD are a part of his "dues" that will just happen to go platinum and make him some money.

But I am glad that many more seem to be thrilled with his lyric writing than his Christmas skit writing!

[Couch Tomato]

wow, you're really trying aren't you KAndre..you really are trying to work me to be a minion. And your whole post almost did it too....you almost had me...but i came of my trance like state when i heard the man's bells ringing...off to work. whew...that was close.

[KAndre]

of course, couchie, you know my pull will be stronger in person? You need to circle the 26th as the anniversary of your minionhood!

BWAH HA HA HA HA HA!

See, I let my minions have a teeny amount of autonomy! Teeny tiny. Teensy. Heh.

[bottlecap]

We officially have had ATDW less than twelve hours; I don't feel like I already need to move on to the next hypothetical "project" just yet. I also have no objective way to measure my opinion of this album. How many of my thoughts and feelings about it are my own, and how many are via board osmosis? I just don't know. I do know that my trip to KMart was successful, the shiny silver disc is now spinning in my CD player, the sounds of Clay telling me that he wants to know what love is are filling my living room, the Walmart soundcheck stuff is arrowing away on my computer, and the CD poster insert in all its chocolately goodness has remained unlicked (so far). Life is pretty ding-danged good right now.

[ldyjocelyn]

Honestly? If Clay came out with all (relatively) new material (MOAM, anyone), I still think the critics wouldn't like it. If he came out with all new material that he wrote, I think the mockery would still be there. Because not matter what, Clay really is the face of American Idol. The face of the "worst" of pop culture. What the masses like and therefore less likely to be of critical worth in so many eyes. Shoot, I see critics sneer at Green Day and the Dave Matthews Band and Bon Jovi. I really don't care what critics say - basically I read them for entertainment value - if they don't have a clever way of saying something, I go 'feh' and more on. Too many of them use bad cliches and usually anti-female (if soccer-moms, middle-aged women, teeny boppers, etc. are said to like it, it must be horrrrrrible.)

And there are many little psychotic pockets of Clay land. Avoid them.

I knew there was a reason why I was a minion...now I know...

Bows before thee, oh great one...

I'm at home, wearing my nightshirt listening to the iTunes downloaded album. My thoughts? What thoughts -- I'm all a jumble of emotions over this album. I freakin' love it. I'm hard pressed to find my favorite at this point, but I think EIH has the edge at the moment...one of the most gorgeous love songs ever. I'm sure I'll come out with more opinions later...when my brain starts working again.

GMA this morning was awesome. He looked fantastic...I love the hipster look on him, although it took me a few minutes to realize he didn't have the facial hair. I actually kinda missed it. ATD made me cry -- and I don't cry. Wow. Again, I'm sure I'll come up with more later.

Ansa, here's a thought about LAA not being on the actual album: maybe Clay wanted it to be a special gift for his fans. Clive might have been pushing for it to be on the album, and (sometimes) humble Clay said "nope, let's give that to the fans instead." I could be talking out of my ass on that, but it IS a thought.

Thank you all for the birthday wishes yesterday. It was a great day, and you all helped make it special. Clay helped too. *g*

[KAndre]

DUDE, bottle! Don't you just wanna LICK that mini-poster! He looked so good he should have been allergic to himself!

And the CH just posted a review that helps reinforce what I believe:

It's tempting to blame the entire reality TV mess that plagues our country on Mr. Clay Aiken, even though he wasn't even on the first season of "American Idol." Yet, Aiken is certainly the poster boy for the reality TV biz — an utterly unlikely success story that would have never happened without the help of TV viewers. (This is the time when said viewers can pat themselves on the backs.)

Unlike Kelly Clarkson, the sole "American Idol" product that has proved to be worthy of the public's adoration, Aiken has sold millions of albums while offering very little music of merit. Truly, it's taken Taylor Hicks to make Aiken look good.

Feh. And see, he wasn't even witty.

[Ansamcw]

See what I don't get is why these reviewers just seem so bitter about Clay's popularity...sigh. Its like his popularity is infecting Kelly or something. thats just stooooopid. I will now skip every review unless it is done without agenda or bias.

kandre...you are right...when you put it that way...do I really want to lose the songs that have become favorites in this CD...NO WAY. Now I'm trying to think of what I would swap out for LAA and TRD...but then I realize..these songs are simliar and may make the CD sound too sad. I was thinking we can swap the duet...but then it won't be too balanced...we can take out TOA...but that is the one that seem about spiritual love...so yeah...it would be tough to fool around with this CD as it is.

In the end...I am enjoying the hell out of it and I am glad they made it.

So when are you serving the kool aid...

[KAndre]

Grape to the left of me, orange to the right...back in the middle with you! (I have NO idea why that song snippet jumped in my head).

KAndre does the Electric Slide just for Ansa...

[bottlecap]

KAndre, DUDE!, any flavor kool-aid but pink lemonade for me. Blech - brings back bad childhood memories.

I'm giggling about how the video on the GMA site plays. The video stalls out frequently, often on a shot of Clay with his head back and mouth open. Instead of showing a "Buffering" or "Loading" message, ABC's is "Here it comes..." Combine that with the above visuals, and I don't know if I should brace myself for a glory note, or step back out of Waldo's way....

[playbiller]

Well, there is a reason that Kandre has so many minions. Thanks for being so straight forward about this. I have been trying to tell people that the Clive ruined a good CD is fanficfor months now, but there are the same drama queens (think selling peeks at a video of Clay's groth spurt early on in DC to think of the main propogator of this fiction) pushing the story and people get caught up in it. I would really hate for any of them to think I am buying what they are selling.

I understand that the OFC no longer allows Clive hate - well to late for me. I can't stand going there. this is a happy day, not a sad one, so I want to dancing banans to start!!

I celebrated the GMA appearance, although I can understand a bit of sadness about "not getting everyone to like you" since I have the people pleasing gene, Clay, not so much I think, thankfully. He certainly does not care if KFC workers like him, heh.

So we stayed up late last night, downloaded from I tunes, found the bonus song a little too James Blunt-y for my taste, but it was good. Got up, watched GMA, drove to Kmart and lost that bonus download.

I have two different orders of the CD sitting at home, where I am not - must remember to call neighbors to pick up boxes.

Now, fear is icing cupcakes and soon we will be getting the baloons blown to get ready for the party? :fest30: Soon, soon, for the after release party - do you believe this town all go to bed early so no pre-release party here. Heck those who stayed up late went to Raleigh.

So I have to go over the quizzes and get ready for contests

I'll be back - happy Clay day all!! :club0:

[Claygasm]

While I honor anything KAndre says, I must respectfully disagree on LAA.

I FREACKIN LOVE THAT SONG!!! L.O.V.E.!!!!

It is so beautiful and vulnerable and sad and I love the emotions he transmits with his magical voice. That and BW are enough to make this album worth every penny - and then some!

I so love and adore BW. My favorite by a long shot on the CD. That and LAA. Did I mention I loved LAA???

I have always loved weird, artsy things in music. I also loved the original BW. This is the perfect blend of both. What I really love is it is sooooooooo different, both from the original and from everything else on this album. This is the ONE song on this CD that shows me Clay is capable of real artistry. All the other songs for me are in Clay's safe zone. This one is striking. It is beautiful and artistic and different. I wish all the songs on this album were along this line as far as originality and artistry go. BW is a classic 80's power ballad and yet he was able to turn it into something so different it is hard to remember the original. He managed to turn it into a work of art. None of the other songs, as well done as they are, to me qualify as a work of art. BW does. Sadly, I suspect this is a song we may never hear in concert. I cannot imagine how they would do it. How could they capture that ethereal quality in concert?

Did I mention I loved BW??

And LAA?

What do I think of the other songs, you ask? Ok you didn't ask and I won't bore you with a complete review. Of the "originals" I still hate ATD. I just don't get the neccessity of overloading that song with strings (for that matter, many of the songs on the album are overloaded with strings). I mean on GMA the strings were sitting on the stage but weren't used for that song and it was much better. Still have a hard time not cracking up with laughter when his eyes start seeing spinning balls and fighting angels (I mean, just what kind of trip is this man on! ), but its better without the strings. LNM - the jury is out. I expected to like this more than I do, but it may have something to do with it following RHW which is my least favorite song on the album. EIH is very pretty but a little too schmaltzy for my taste. I do like TOA a lot. I like the lyrics. I like the sound.

I was most surprised at BYLM. I HATE the original but with the drums and the lack of bombasity almost give it a little teeny rock edge and I like it a lot more. HYCA - still unsure about this one. I guess of the covers other than my beloved and adored BW, I like SSTBTHW the most. Love the use of the guitars and I couldn't help but think of Clay and both his fathers when I listened to it.

Overall, I like the album more than I thought, but I can't say I love it. I think it may grow on me. I have only listened to the entire album twice - and once was here at work with not great speakers and these annoying phone calls interrupting me!

Of course I have listened to BW and LAA many, many more times than that!

Did I mention I loved those two songs???

[bottlecap]

I'm relieved to find out that it's Talk Like A Pirate Day, and that the clerk at the service counter at Target this morning wearing a tri-corner hat and a stuffed pirate was just being "colorful" and "eccentric", not freakin' crazeee.

I do believe I'm gonna hang on to my KMart download card a bit before I try to use it, since some people seem to be having issues getting the file. Why am I not surprised? I have already had my WalMart download crap out on me this morning and disappear into cyberspace.

From the GMA soundcheck (via the ClayBoard). The LAX shirt lives!

[KAndre]

Ding dang it, Claygasm! Get off the fence! Do you, or do you not like BW and LAA??!?!?

Heh.

[Claygasm]

Ding dang it, Claygasm! Get off the fence! Do you, or do you not like BW and LAA??!?!?

Heh.

Let me think about it a little and I'll get back to you.

I am depressed about the K-Mart thing. I found out it doesn't work with a Mac! I mean, even Clay couldn't download it - even if it did work like it was supposed to! I had this fantasy about making my own version of ATDW. I would eliminate RHW, add both LAA and IYDKMBN and put in a concert version of ATD instead of the album version.

But now I may never hear IYDKMBN. *sigh* I hate Mac prejudice.

[bottlecap]

ABCNews.com

Sept. 19, 2006 — He was the North Carolina boy who made it big on "American Idol." But for Clay Aiken, fame came with a price.

"And when I was in the room, or when I am in the room, the walls are closing in on me and my heart races and I don't understand it," Aiken told ABC's Diane Sawyer.

Aiken has suffered from panic attacks for years, a secret few people knew, until now.

Watch "Good Morning America" Wednesday and Thursday for Diane Sawyer's interview with Clay Aiken.

"I would look back and say, 'Why is your heart racing. … Why are your palms sweaty? What is the problem?,'" Aiken said.

"And I guess I just got to a point where I thought, 'OK, listen, you're not going crazy. I'm not going, I'm not going crazy.' And so I talked to my doctor and I said, 'Listen, here's the thing. I don't understand why I feel like I'm gonna have a heart attack when I go into these rooms. I don't get it.'"

Aiken admitted that he takes Paxil, an antidepressant, to control his attacks. But they don't occur onstage when he's performing, as some might assume.

"No. I don't get nervous up there," Aiken told Sawyer. "I don't. I don't have any stage fright."

Hear more of Clay Aiken's revelations Wednesday and Thursday on "Good Morning America."

Seems like Wednesday and Thursday's GMA interview are going to be pretty insightful.