So, the other night I’m on youtube watching David and tour manager Ray duet on “Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas” for the millionth time and over on the side where they show the “recommended for you” videos, what should I see but my guilty pleasure of all David performances, the very thing that made me realize there was no getting out of this fandom. Yes, I’m talking about three little words that changed my world forever.
Build-a-Bear.
Mock me if you will. I’m owning it loud and proud. We all have one or two “what was he THINKING??” moments; yours may not be mine and vice versa. On the surface, this song and video are everything that would normally make me cringe and look away:
1. Cheese.
2. Extra cheese.
3. Teddy bears and hearts dropping from the sky at the beginning of the video.
4. Teddy bears wearing clothes in the recording studio (no, I’m not talking about David).
5. David wearing yet another ill-fitting sloppy hoodie (in his defense Bench hadn’t entered his consciousness yet and I’m sure comfort trumps style when you’re recording).
I remember the hand-wringing that accompanied the debut with certain camps being sure he was finished before he began, doing something aimed at the unicorns-and-Care Bears crowd when we were so desperate for him to be taken seriously by adults. There was outright anger and lots of career and management advice and on and on…
I don’t know what his motivation was. Is he passionate about putting children and teddy bears together to make dreams come true? Did he do it selflessly for charity? Did he get a whopper of a paycheck for lending his voice to the campaign? Is he playing some sort of crazy career-path leapfrog with his idol, Natalie Cole (I did Pink Cadillac, now you do it! Now teddy bear songs! Now MoTab Christmas!)?
I have no idea and I don’t really care because from the moment the la-la’s start at 2:29 till the end, I’m hooked. It’s brilliant. He’s putting his heart and soul into it as seriously as he’s done with anything else.
If this ship’s going down in a big whirlpool of cheesiness, he’s not sinking with it. The licks, the runs… do I have any idea what the difference is between those words? No. I call it all “fancy stuff.” And, boy, is he good with the fancy stuff. He’s pouring it on without overdoing.
Yes, this song was on my iPod for awhile. I jogged to it. It put a spring in my step, and that’s saying a lot for someone who hates to jog as much as I do.
But most of all, after I survived my first listen and went back again and again I realized something profound. I was stuck and I wasn’t getting out. Like one of those prehistoric bugs encased in amber. As stuck as I was the time my then-boyfriend lost his contacts and I saw him wearing his old glasses from the ’80s with those enormous face-engulfing coke-bottle lenses and I said to myself, wow, I must really love him — we should get married.
And that’s how it is with this fan thing. I’m married to it now. Like any marriage, it has its ups and downs and unexpected twists and turns (hello, Nandito Ako, I didn’t see you coming) and yes, there are still one or two things he could do to make me file for divorce. But I don’t see that happening. I’m committed. Or, I should be committed? I’m not sure there’s a difference anymore.
— @TheRealNewAngel
Q: When did you realize you weren’t going to be able to get out?
SnowAngelz: Canadian fans of David Archuleta 
Honestly? This is one of my favorite songs too! His voice is just perfect! Perfect!
I thought that David’s smiles through out this video were just so precious, The video was very sweet just like David.
Love this, Brynn! Especially “I was stuck and I wasn’t getting out. Like one of those prehistoric bugs encased in amber.” That’s EXACTLY it! lol
I’ve been racking my brain trying to figure out when I realized I wasn’t going to be able to get out. (I will admit there have been times I’ve wanted to, but like that line in The Godfather, D. keeps pulling me back in).
It was probably the first time I had to explain to close family members that I was getting on a plane and leaving the country to go see some kid sing. It did strike me at that point (and when I blurted it out at customs) that there was no turning back, I’d crossed a line… literally. 😆
Aw!! Looking back, I’d say I was hooked from the first Audition!! Like you Tofan, when I got on a plane to fly to Reno, without knowing anyone, I was aware and my family became concerned!!!
The Build a Bear song was so neat!! I remember when he was on the Today show, The Build a Bear lady was there and became convinced David was perfect for this project. I assumed it was because it was a Charity, David said yes!!
Still don’t think the family understands and I’ve traveled to Salt Lake, Beaver Creek, etc. and feel like part of the “family” of fans who do Understand. It’s a Lifetime commitment!!
Oh I know all about the family concern. About 6 months into it, my husband had a full-on intervention for me. He dressed up in a suit and tie and sat me down on the couch and outlined all the ways I was disappearing from reality. He was like, “Please, honey, come back to us before it’s too late!” Poor man. I’ve reined it in as much as possible and have set some boundaries but I’ve also given up on the idea that I’ll walk away.
🙂 Bless your heart!!
Wonderful post newangel2, thank you! I think my “fallen and I can’t get up” moment was when I wrote David a fan letter. I had NEVER done that in my life before. Just had to thank him for sharing his gift and for his music. It felt more like writing to a friend of a friend somehow. But I saw there was no turning back. 🙂
And my “what was he thinking?” moment was when he appeared on Hannah Montana. But I ended up liking that song even more than the Build-a-bear song. 🙂
Newangel2, so very funny and so true.
For me it was March 1, 2008 (I can remember everything about that day…hahaha) and my daughter dvr’d David’s AI Feb 27th performance and told me I had to listen to this ‘kid.”
So many famous or is that infamous firsts. First time a fanatical fan, first time got all kinds of internet accounts and applications beyond professional and family needs. First time loaded up to YouTube. First time I commented and wrote on blogs. Like everyone else, first time I flew places and met people I met on the internet…gah!
What fun and it isn’t over yet. And i do have to say its been a “love/loathe” kinda thing as I was simply loving everything about it on one hand and on the other I couldn’t believe I was so completely over the top, so goofy gone about a young singer. My family has been great as a few are also fans but none to the extent I’ve gone. I mean I even made time to see David perform in Scotland when hubby and I were traveling on a trip abroad…that’s just weird, lol, beautifully, crazily weird. Ha! I am still a goofy goner, I’m kidding no one. At least with David being on his mission my family thinks I’ve “recovered.” 😉
GREAT post Brynn!!!
Q: When did you realize you weren’t going to be able to get out? Hmmm. This is a difficult question. I can’t remember a definitive moment. I feel like he’s just always been there! lol. Maybe it was when I rode with my husband to Salt Lake City (40 miles away), and while he went on an errand, I made him drop me off at a shopping mall. The sole purpose was to enter a drawing so that I could win tickets to a professional soccer game and passes to meet David before the Rio Tinto performance. I hadn’t yet met David. The contest was sponsored by a radio station I never listened to, I wasn’t the least bit interested in the soccer game, but I filled out about 50 entry forms and deposited them all in the contest box. I just had a feeling I would win – and I did! I received four passes. I found 3 other fan/friends who had never met David, and we all got to meet him and have our picture taken with him. He asked me how we got our tickets and I said I entered a radio contest and won them. He asked me what radio station, and I didn’t even know. “Do you like soccer?” “Not really.” Yes I sounded like a crazy, middle-aged lady fan!
Another incident when I knew there was no turning back was when I traveled to Las Vegas for the Demi/David show. What, I’m traveling 6 1/2 hours to go to a concert? A teenage concert? What, I’m getting in a car with two other women I’ve never met? What, I’m staying in a condo with 6 other people I don’t know? What, I’m paying how much for a VIP pass? At this point, my husband and family also knew there was no turning back! They’ve been pretty good sports about it all!
That’s too funny!! I didn’t know you were the one who won those passes to meet David at the Real game! And he asked you all those questions and outed you. I love it.
“He asked me what radio station, and I didn’t even know. “Do you like soccer?” “Not really.”
*HOWLING* 😆 😆 😆
Not to spam my own post but I don’t really hate that hoodie. Sometimes I exaggerate a bit for effect.
He has worn much worse.
Oy. I had blocked that one out.
Loved this fun post, Brynn! Not many can rock the cheese so well.
Like Nan, I really don’t remember a specific moment when I recognized my inescapable fandom, even though I am writing this in plain view of the Build-a-Bear critter I promptly purchased after hearing David sing “Let’s Talk about Love.” (My doggie dude is wearing sneakers, pop star shades, and his David Archuleta t-shirt.)
I never did understand the fan drama surrounding David and the Build-a-Bear gig. Seriously, whose voice would you want to hear singing about love, hugs and peace? Besides, there are 11 seconds at the beginning of the song that David needs to include in his future “Humming from the Heart” album.
I am really enjoying the responses here. I relate. Boy, do I relate! Apparently, we have all done enough out-of-comfort-zone craziness to certify us as forever fans. Some things I have frequently confessed; some are so embarrassingly not-me, I may never confess. After almost six years of my shenanigans (you’re welcome, TOfan 🙂 ), my family is no longer surprised about anything I say or do in regard to David. I think they have finally accepted him as a permanent part of our clan. They also know why I am saving money in an account earmarked for 2014.
Rock the cheese!
The truth. I love David singing the Build a Bear song. Haha
I minute I heard another day in paradise was the hooker and cooker I could not get enough of that voice .
Newangel2, thanks for your great post, such fun to read! Oh gee, the big question. Well, don’t have a specific answer as there have probably been many times that I have had the revelation that I am just not going to be able to “get out”. I tried in the beginning but to no avail. I guess the first revelation was after Idol when I started searching for anything David and just had to know, hear more from him (and couldn’t really stop).
As for the Build A Bear song, can’t help but love it because of that voice and yes I’m sure that David took this on because it was charity related, especially because of the kids. Guess I’m a big kid because I still have that bear I bought with the D Tshirt on. My original plan to give the bear to my niece was foiled somehow (don’t know how that happened) and so the bear is still with me, ha.
Truth be told…..if David were to sing about Unicorns, fairies and lollipops I would be buying the song. What can I say, definitely can’t get out. 🙂
i knew i’d lost it when i wore an invisible children bracelet for weeks even after it got wet and turned my wrist black, lol
Haha! That’s awesome!
Well, I’ll admit when I knew I’d lost it but I’m still in denial and believe I’ll be out someday. I knew I was in DEEP when:
I had tickets for the Tacoma, WA Idol S7 concert, which was quite early in the tour, maybe the 6th show. The first tiny, amazing videos from the first concert appeared and I watched them. And watched them. And watched them. And decided that night to go to the LA stop (the 3rd stop) on the tour requiring me to (1) fly (2) alone and (3) contend with LA traffic. Not to mention finding a ticket (did the person who sold me that seat KNOW the guy right in front of it played pro basketball?) and a place to stay and my husband was in Japan and it all came together and it was exhausting and fabulous and David was (gosh, have we heard this before?) even MORE amazing in person.
No one can watch just one.
PS From my chair, I can see my Build-A-Bear, Jamie Archubear, wearing her DA tee shirt, denim skirt and adorable pink sneakers.
TOfan…didn’t read this post yet, but left a link on the last thread, (with my late comments), that you might want to check out on the last topic. Will be back to read this post later!
Great post! BAB was a great song, especially appealing to the youngsters who would patronize Build A Bear. After all, David knows no limit to the age of his fans. And the little BAB t-shirts make a great promotion for David, as these guys in this pic ride around in my station wagon! 🙂 http://twitpic.com/13bths
aww, too cute, Jeff!
jeffr……oh just love that pic! Some of the best looking, DA Tshirt clad critters I’ve seen, haha.