On last night’s American Idol, returning hopeful Jessica Furney kissed some Brillo-y Simon Cowell bum by singing what Michael Slezak calls “the ghastly ‘Footprints in the Sand.’” Simon wrote the song, based on the popular Christian text “Footprints,” along with Richard Page, Per Magnusson, and David Kreuger, for Leona Lewis. Victoria Beckham disagrees with Slezak, insisting last night that ”It’s a beautiful song,” which Simon met with a flash of emotion one could perceive as modesty.
You know this poem; it tastes like chicken soup and is about a person walking on a beach with God, and then one of their sets of footprints goes away and the person’s like, “And I talked to God and she’s like ‘Yo, wassup,’ [1:12 in video] and she wants me to know she didn’t abandon me.” “Footprints in the Sand” was the third single on Lewis’s album Better in Time and the official song for the British charity Sport Relief in 2008. Awwww! Simon! Charity! The message of the poem clearly applies to both Deborah from Empire Records and Simon’s X-Factor protege, Lewis, on whom Simon will forever have a major crush.
Do you love Simon more or less after learning he wrote this gushy song? (Full lyrics appear after the jump.) I love him about the same, but I’d definitely love him more if he had co-written “Circle in the Sand” by Belinda Carlisle instead. Rising with the moon as the sun goes down…. Read Michael Slezak’s full TV Watch recap for more on last night’s episode, “The Road to Hollywood.”
Also: Michael Slezak’s ‘American Idol’ recap: Twelve for the road!
You walked with me
Footprints in the sand
And help me understand
Where I’m going
You walked with me
When I was all alone
With so much unknown
along the way
Then I heard you say
I promise you
I’m always there
When your heart is filled
with sorrow and despair
I’ll carry you
When you need a friend
You’ll find my footprints in the sand
I see my life flash across the sky
So many times have I been so afraid ooh
And just when I have thought I’ve lost my way
You give me strength to carry on
That’s when I heard you say
I promise you
I’m always there
When your heart is filled
with sorrow and despair
I’ll carry you
When you need a friend
You’ll find my footprints in the sand
When I’m weary
Well I know you’ll be there
And I can feel you
When you say
I promise you
I’m always there
When your heart is full
of sadness and despair
I’ll carry you
When you need a friend
You’ll find my footprints in the sand
When your heart is full
of sadness and despair
I’ll carry you
When you need a friend
You’ll find my footprints in the sand
I personally wish he had written “Sandcastles in the Sand” for Robin Sparkles. My love for him would have been forever at that point.
Agreed! Or “Let’s Go to the Mall”
I think it’s the worst song of Lewis’s first album. The song is good for something, though: it proves that Simon belongs judging music, not creating it.
Simon didn’t write the song – he has a co-credit as it was his idea to turn the poem into a song. The other three did the writing.
As far as I’m aware Simon has only ever appeared on one talk show with Leona, when he introduced her on Oprah back in 2008.
i think this is the best of leonas songs and such a beutiful song! i just loe it, its my all time fave!!! xxx