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'American Idol' Recap: David Cook takes the night

By April MacIntyre May 14, 2008, 3:41 GMT

Syesha Mercado, David Cook and David Archuleta - American Idol Final Contestants © PRN / PR Photos

Tonight's "American Idol" seemed terser, tighter, less joyful.

Maybe I am reading too much into Paula's ramrod edicts of the performances, or perhaps they all got chewed out by producers for being so ragtime with their collective comments the last several weeks.  Who knows.

Three finalists, three songs, and away we go.

The mayor of David Archuleta's hometown informing him that Paula selects Billy Joel's ballad "And So It Goes"...

Decent performance, my father sits in and remarks David Archuleta comes off adenoidal, and has trouble breathing.

Judges all laude his performance: "Paula chose a dope song for you," Randy decides. "A pure and stunning performance," Paula adds, while Simon thinks it was well done, if a bit "predictable," zazing.

Syesha Mercado has Randy select Alicia Keys' "If I Ain't Got You."

Pretty Syesha has pipes, she handles Keys' song nicely.

Judges (especially Randy) are complimentary save for Simon, who wishes Randy had picked a song that wouldn't be so close to the original.

David Cook gets Simon's selection of Roberta Flack's "The First Time Ever I Saw Your Face."

Interesting arrangement and beautifully done. My dad, not a rocker fan, woke up and said "who is this guy? He's unkempt looking but he's terrific."

Judges reversal, Randy starts with positives then dips and hems and haws, he wants "more rockin', Paula loved it, whereas Simon calls it one of his best performances yet.

Next round, David Archuleta has chosen Chris Brown's "With You" for himself.

Horrible, sorry you David A fans.  Dad says his breathing noises could be heard on this song too. 

Syesha does Peggy Lee standard, "Fever."

Syesha tries hard. Dad says she's trying to be too foxy, and she isn't doing it right. 

Judges are so so, even Paula minces no words, and Simon thinks she's going to regret her song choice tomorrow night, which ultimately resulted in a "lame cabaret performance."

David Cook performs Switchfoot's "Dare You to Move."

He does okay; the first song was way better.

Judges agree.

David Archuleta gets "Longer" by Dan Fogelberg.

What a crap song choice for a 17 year-old. Judges are not over the moon.  "I expect nothing more. It was just very lovely," Paula says stonefaced. Simon hates it.

Syesha's producers pick was "Hit Me Up" by Gia Farrell off the Happy Feet soundtrack.

A tad screechy, not her best moment.

Judges are lukewarm and Paula says, "I don't know if it's good enough to get you into the finals of American Idol." Death Knell.

David Cook is best for last, as he covers Aerosmith's "I Don't Wanna Miss a Thing,"

Judge Randy says "pretty OK" job, Paula stood his whole performance and Simon said "And David Cook wins the night." 

Okay, so this season was played out; great people went home way too early and others stayed well longer than they should have.

It will be the two Davids.

Dad says he is pulling for the unkempt hairdo non-star search "star" David. 

Who are you pulling for?

Which voted off Idol should have been there on stage tonight?