David Cook, ‘Don’t You (Forget About Me)’ – Song Spotlight

'American Idol' season seven winner David Cook has released a cover of the Simple Minds classic 'Don't You (Forget About Me),' which will reportedly serve as the show's "vote out" music, played whenever a contestant leaves, throughout the rest of this season. The song is famous as the theme to the sweet, innocent 1985 coming-of-age movie 'The Breakfast Club,' and Cook wisely keeps the arrangement pretty close to the original version here. Much like 'American Idol' itself, the music seems to serve strictly as background to the vocalist and barely registers on its own.

To the singing, then, which is ... Mostly alright. Cook makes the odd choice of sexing up some of the lyrics with an overly throaty vocal delivery, especially that "giving me everything, inside and out" line. By the time he gets to the famous chorus everything, though, seems normal again:

"Slow change may pull us apart / When the light gets into your heart, baby / Don't you forget about me / Don't don't, don't, don't, don't you forget about me / Will you stand above me / Look my way, never love me"

We will say it's better than the (usually awesome) Billy Idol's version. It's also definitely stronger than the Season Five send off song, or have you all forgotten 'Bad Day' by now? And really, shouldn't we have more fun with this -- like featuring 'Another One Bites the Dust,' or 'Kiss Him Goodbye?'

Listen to David Cook, 'Don't You (Forget About Me)'