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An 'Idol' TKO in battle of Davids

BY VERNE GAY | verne.gay@newsday.com
May 21, 2008

David Archuleta won the seventh season of " American Idol" last night.

Now, we'll see if voters get it right tonight.

In one of the better finales - seriously - of the world's most popular show, Archuleta sang three songs that pretty much proved he's one of the best "American Idolists" ever, ranking with Carrie Underwood and Melinda Doolittle. He was (again, seriously) that good. "You came out to win," said the usually hype-allergic Simon Cowell. "What we've witnessed is a knockout."

Indeed, we did.

Not that David Cook, the presumptive runner-up was bad; he was not. His final song, a personal choice, was "The World I Know," and (per my recollection) superior to Collective Soul's original. He was chided by Cowell for not singing one of his own golden oldies ("Billie Jean" or "Hello"), but Cook said: "Why do something I've already done?" Good question, except Archuleta ended with "Imagine," and made it different and superior to the version he sang weeks ago.

It was all over quickly. Sony/BMG chief Clive Davis' pick for Cook, U2's "I Still Haven't Found What I'm Looking For," was merely OK. And when Archuleta came on with that decades-old Elton John crowd-pleaser, "Don't Let the Sun Go Down" ... well, sorry, but the sun went down on Cook.

Let's face it. Anything can happen with voters tonight. Nevertheless, Archuleta won. It's that simple. Don't even bother watching tonight's commercial-choked finale. The season's over and "Idol's" got a new worthy champ.

Related topic galleries: American Idol, Popular Music, David Archuleta, Simon Cowell, Clive Davis, Television, David Cook

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