So in the past couple of days, here in the Wonderful World of DCO, we have had not only snippets of every song from David Cook: The Record leaked online, but we have also had song lyrics leaked as well.

All around me, everywhere I have turned, I have seen people discussing them. Shrieking with delight at how much they love the sound of the snippets. Beginning crying jags already with the delicious agony of the lyrics.

I love it.

But I'm not participating.

I admit, at first I was tempted. When a regular on Yes.com, lately my favorite DC hangout (I never thought I'd get addicted to a chat room, but this is no ordinary chat room, now is it? I think it's the opportunity to see so many David Cook spins, combined with the opportunity to vote our approval, combined with the delightful insanity of the other regulars, have all combined to have me hooked), tantalizingly posted a link to the snippets, oh, I wanted to click. I wanted to listen, SO badly. The other chatters were saying, "They're very short! Just 10, 20 seconds at most! No big deal! You know you want to!"

Gah, I've never been a strong one against peer pressure.

Then I returned to IDF, where I had (weeks ago) signed a pact not to listen to any leaks or spoilers of The Record. Sure enough, the folks there were in a tizzy. It was as if they were collectively jamming their fingers in their ears and singing loudly, "La la la, we're not listening!!!" I saw them trying so hard to remain strong, to resist temptation, and their strength gave me strength. My resolve returned. My backbone stiffened.

I returned to Yes.com and said, "I'm not listening."

The result of my pronouncement was, probably, predictable. One person posted, in an awed tone, "I admire your willpower." Another person posted, in a not-at-all-awed tone, "You won't last to the end of the day." A few others were begging me to join in the fun. "C'mon! You'll love it! It's only a few seconds each! It'll be fun! Then you can squee with the rest of us!"

I told them my mind was made up. Wasn't listening. And then, in a burst of inspiration, I announced, "I'm saving myself for my wedding night."

We'll just skip over the burst of hilarity that followed that particular statement (because it just got way too goofy and out-there for anyone who wasn't there to understand--it may have involved planning a wedding, heh), because I want to expand a little on my inspired (if geeky/dorky--hey, it takes one to know one, right?) analogy.

When I listen to David Cook: The Record for the first time, I want to feel soaked in a tidal wave. Or maybe a tsunami. I want it all to hit me at once, every last note, every single textured nuanced vocal, every little lyric. I want to feel drenched to my soul. Basically, I want to feel like I'm going from a desert to a tropical rain forest--from nothing to glorious paradise. Or, if you'd like a different analogy, from 0 to 100 in less than 10 seconds.

In short, I want to hear The Record precisely how the artist himself intended. The way I see it, I'll only have one chance to hear David's brand-new music for the very first time. And I want that first time to be in its entirety, in its full glory--no sample, no snippet, nothing but full, unabashed Cook.

I know my reasoning falls apart to a degree when you take into consideration the fact that I've already heard two songs from the album in their entirety, Light On and Declaration. But I guess I figure I can get away with it because David himself has sanctioned the listening of those songs. There are still 10 other brand-new songs (12, if you count 2 of the never-before heard bonus songs that will be out there). And I am not content with Cookie crumbs, not this time. I want a Cookie banquet.

That is why I have chosen not to listen to the song snippets, nor will I read any pre-released lyrics (unless David himself chooses to release them on his website, though I'm not sure he will if he finds out they have been released already). Oh, and before anyone becomes defensive about their choice to do so... I don't have a problem with it. I think the way you choose to listen to music is a very personal choice, and my choice is no better than anyone else's.

And please don't feel you can't talk about how excited the snippets and lyrics make you feel around me. You can. In fact, I encourage you to. Hearing the excited chatter gets me excited. Even if it makes me want to cry, scream, and pull my hair out shrieking, "Is it the 18th yet?!?!?"

What? What do you mean it's 12 days away still? *sigh* Longest not-quite 2 weeks of my life, I'm sure...