Customer Reviews

Do I Make You Proud/ Takin' It To The Streets

5 star:		(323)
4 star:		(21)
3 star:		(5)
2 star:		(12)
1 star:		(9)

 

 

Taylor Hicks is perhaps one of the most unique Idol winners to ever grace the competition. Many have speculated that this Idol will be the toughest of all to market, but my personal opinion is if Taylor makes the right album and doesn't stray away from the style that he showcased on the show (Michael McDonald blue-eyed soul/ retro-soul), then he should be alright. After all, there has been a slight resurgence in the adult contemporary, blue-eyed soul music as of late with McDonald's MOTOWN series just as one example. But back to Taylor as a singer himself.

"Do I Make You Proud" isn't the greatest song ever written, but Taylor vocal interpretation makes the song much better than it is. Anyone watching the finale could tell that "Do I Make You Proud" as a song itself was much better than "My Destiny", unfortunate for McPhee of course. Vocally, Hicks outsung McPhee there as well. Here, Hicks rids of the minor intonation flaws that he had when performing it live and it sounds better and smoother.

"Takin' It To The Streets" has the distinction of perhaps being the best track on the Idol compilation CD. It trumps "Do I Make You Proud" because this type of song and this genre of music seems to be Hicks's confort zone. He makes the Doobie Brothers and Michael McDonald "Proud" on this exceptional remake. It is rare than an artist can pull a cover tune off very well, but Hicks proves that the "soul patrol" is where it is at. Excellent first single Taylor; you make me proud. 4 stars.

Taylor Hicks is a representative of all that is right in music. He is a singer, songwriter that is not afraid to show passion and emotion for every performance that he gives. This single is pure Taylor, heart and soul. He has stepped up to answer the critics with a totally charismatic and memorable performance. Taylor shines, and I look forward to more great work in the years and decades to come. Thanks, Taylor, for taking the risk of following your dreams; we are all fortunate for your determination.

it took a while for DIMYP to grow on me. i am VERY happy that taylor sings it differently on EVERY SINGLE media appearance he has been on the past month. that takes alot of artistic ability to pull off differences every time.
i absolutely LOVE his "takin it to the streets" on this single. i find myself listening to the 2 songs on the single equally. one is a reflective song, the other political & motivating.
i give this single 5 stars for being absolutely refreshing.
i cannot wait to see taylor's career take off in the next year or two.
[...]
5 stars.
excellent, refreshing, real.

I love this single. Taylor Hicks does make me proud. This song is appropriate for all those we love and feel so proud to know.

Taylor Hicks is the most exciting American Idol to date. Why? Perhaps his sheer energy and charisma that he injected into every performance? Perhaps the obvious love of music he exhibits? Perhaps the power of his true whisky tenor voice that resonated with all age groups? For whatever reason, this Idol has captured the nation's attention through the five-months of the very public contest and does not disappoint fans with his first post-Idol release.

Taylor's signature single "Do I Make You Proud" soars with his unique delivery. He has taken what could have been a corny song and infused it with so much passion that it should become an anthem for the American Dream come true. Can you just hear this being played when the troops come home, when sons and daughters graduate, whenever we want to celebrate the American spirit? I thought it was beautiful when he sang it on Idol, but his heartfelt and even more polished performance on the CD is awesome.

The second cut, Takin' It To The Streets, demonstrates incredibly well how he takes a cover song and gives it his *taylorized* styling. The Doobie Brothers and Michael McDonald would applaud this rendition, I'm sure. The added riffs and soulful flavoring make a great song even greater. This is the Taylor I hope we will see more of when he releases his full-length CD later this year. The Taylor Hicks that can take a familiar song and make it uniquely his own while dazzling the listener with a new interpretation.

Together, a fantastic release, a double shot of Taylor that we Soul Patrollers have known about for a long time. The man is destined for big things and we were there in the beginning. Rock on, Taylor Hicks! Woo!

What's left to say about this single? To echo the sentiments of others, Taylor took something average in "DIMYP" and made it spectacular.

I hear this song on the radio all the time. It's simply a wonderful track and we can expect to hear it again at graduations, weddings and special events from here on out.

Finally, a soulful remake of the classic "Takin' it to the Streets" rounds out the B-side of this single. The only disappointment is that it's the same track as from the Encores album. But the feeling and soulfulness of the track is ever apparent.

Overall a great buy and worth owning to hold you over until the debut album in the fall.

Great music! Taylor truly has a lot of talent and these two songs are just the tip of the iceberg! He's a great entertainer and I look forward to more music from him!

I knew from the first time that I saw Taylor that he was going to be a star (whether he won Idol or not) and I knew that I would one day be buying a cd by this wonderful man. The title of the song begins to describe the pride you feel when you hear Taylor's wonderful voice (the tone is perfect), but it doesn't quite cover it. this is a great single. I look forward to hearing more of what Taylor has in the future. His full lenght cd cannot come soon enough for this soul patrol member! Cudos, Taylor! you are indeed Gibbishish!

I have been waiting a long time to hear another male singer who is able to touch me, emotionally, with his performances. Listening to Taylor Hicks is like lingering over a great meal, where you find you are enjoying every morsel while sipping the rich, earthy wine. He took the song he was given, breathed new soul all through it and caused me to put it at the top of my play list [...] I was not sure about this song at first...it didn't seem quite like Taylor...but his musical integrity shines through on this CD and he connects brilliantly with its mood and lyrics. I am enjoying this CD immensely (the sound quality is also crisp and lively), and I would very highly recommend it to anyone who wants to be introduced to this new, incredibly-talented and soulful singer-songwriter, Taylor Hicks. The second song, "Taking It To the Streets" is given a new life on this CD as well. If you heard his performance on AI, you will find that, on both songs, Taylor has "changed it up" on this recording. GO GET IT!!

Taylor Hicks possesses every attribute required for success in the music business. He has an exceptional voice that's striking in its capacity for conveying complex emotions. His sound and style are unique, so much so that one may recognize a song as being his almost instantaneously. Certainly he has a fantastic stage presence, but an immense amount of charisma exudes from his voice alone, and this single is proof of that fact.

Ultimately, Taylor's greatest asset lies not in any singular trait. Rather, the prevalent allure of Taylor exists in a combination of his many wonderful characteristics- a true synthesis of the body and soul. "Do I Make You Proud" is a winning showcase for all of his defining features. His vocals soar while still being grounded in emotional truth, while his fervent passion for the art form is on clear display as always.

While some have debated the quality of the song itself, it seems that Taylor's heartfelt interpretation renders any qualms unnecessary. Whatever the song may have been when written, it has since become an entirely new entity- in short, it has wholly and unmistakably evolved into a `Taylor Hicks song`. Utilizing his talent, passion and drive, Taylor has grabbed hold of the song and refused to let go, ultimately resulting in a rendition that is personal, resonant and utterly Taylorized. Indeed, there is often a profound alchemy brought about when Taylor touches a song- the work changes for the better, metamorphosing into one inextricably linked with the name, and sound of Taylor Hicks.

"Do I Make You Proud" is certainly one such song, while the bonus "Taking it to the Streets" displays Taylor's versatility as an artist. Buy the single and listen for yourself- you'll be in for a real treat courtesy of a true rising star.