Kinda makes you wish they had never been born, or something.

[jlh]

Sometimes I think this theme has been created to make Xers feel old. Then I realize that's something a Boomer would think, and get over mydamnself. That said, I have one brilliant year, and that's just the #1s. #1 the week I was born: Honky Tonk Women. This theme would have been more interesting last year, when there was a broader range of ages on the show. Tonight's show wasn't that interesting, which is too bad since last week's show was downright lousy.

• Ramiele, "Alone." Simon was, as usual, totally right. I didn't like the shorts. And we're really done with this song on this show aren't we?
  
• Jason, "Fragile." Oh Simon, you're always right. I believe that Jason can and will bring it.
  
• Syesha, "If I Were Your Woman." We didn't actually pay a lot of attention to this at all. 80's R&B isn't great to begin with and this was sort of a whatever song. This seems to be the night of Simon being totally right—she definitely reached the limit of her vocal.
  
• Chikezie, "If Only for One Night." I thought he sounded quite lovely, and he'll really appeal to his voters. But Simon, right again, that his personality was lost, and also the reason he shouldn't have been shaking hands with the girls was that his face was down, away from the camera, and it's the people at home that he's really singing to.
  
• Brooke, "Every Breath You Take." Okay, Brooke? This isn't a romantic song; it's a creepy song. (Sting wrote it about his ex-wife, or really about him from her POV, which is some EGO.) I'm sad you lost the creepy, but you sounded great.
  
• Michael, "We Are the Champions." SImon. You let me down, man. That full on sucked. FAIL. All of you, FAIL.
  
• Carly, "Total Eclipse of the Heart." Okay, I love this song, so there's that, but I thought she sounded fantastic, though Simon wasn't wrong that she was a bit tense.
  
• small David, "You're the Voice." I like you again Simon. I mean really, what the hell was that song? Was that a World Cup song?
  
• Kristy, "God Bless the USA." Clever song choice indeed. Whatever. Know your voter.
  
• D.Cook, "Billie Jean." NIce, that Ryan gives the Chris Cornell credit. It was completely fantastic. *adores*

[Poll #1160529]

Seriously, it would have been between Raindrops Keep Fallin' on My Head, Suite: Judy Blue Eyes, and Badge. I voted for Jason, Carly and D.Cook.

Comments

[annearchy.livejournal.com]

D. Cook has a great ability to choose fantastic arrangements and really nail them. Just sayin.

[locumtenens.livejournal.com]

Sorry, I know there are a lot of Michael haters out there, but I LOVE him and I'm not ashamed to say it!

;)

(David Cook is also made of awesome, btw.)

[adjudicated.livejournal.com]

Michael was my favorite tonight! While I recognize David C's prowess with his rendition of Billie Jean tonight, I can't say that I was in love with the arrangement. It was different, it was unique, he definitely brought something new to the song . . . so, yeah, I get that. I just liked the Queen better!

[ziggy1278.livejournal.com]

He brought nothing new to the song. He copied a killer arrangement from 2006. He stood on the shoulders of a giant, skilled, godfather of grunge and copied his heart out. You get on with your bad Michael Johns likin' self. That was some good queen. In fact, I think Johns might be trying to get the surviving members of queen to hire him...

[jlh.livejournal.com]

You know, I really want to like Michael. I don't actually dislike him, I just haven't been impressed by him since like, first week of the semis or something. I'm not waiting for him to go; I'm more, waiting for him to be good, for me. I'm actually quite pleased he made the tour, and I don't really feel like any boys more talented than him have left yet.

And I don't think there is ANYTHING you should be ashamed to say you like! So I'm glad you said you liked him here!

[lillijulianne.livejournal.com]

ha, i just asked clio if she hates me for loving michael. he's frustrated me with a lot of his performances, but i thought he was awesome tonight. and i too love dcook.

[bowdlerized.livejournal.com]

Okay, my year definitely blows, though I guess there's a certain cheesy appeal:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hot_100_number-one_hits_of_1982_%28USA%29

[zorb]

WORD. I was looking at that page and being ashamed of being born, until DCook busted out his performance.

[piperki.livejournal.com]

My year is awful. I hate every single song in my year. Also, it's before yours...you think YOU feel old, yeesh.

[cricketnyc.livejournal.com]

Mike came in from the other room when he heard Kristy Lee, because apparently my four shouts of "NO WAY!" were not enough to convince him that the wrongness he heard from the TV was indeed, so so wrong.

1974 seems to be the year of "The Way We Were" and "You're Havin' My Baby." I would have gone with "I Honestly Love You" because I am made of cheese, and because I was raised on the Peter Allen version of his own song, and not the Olivia Newton John Grammy winning version, and that's as subversive as I get. Because I am not made of awesome like David Cook.

[jlh.livejournal.com]

My love for Peter Allen is strong, ridiculous, and based on vague memories of him singing "Rio" on Merv when I was like, six. I loved The Boy from Oz. I mean, third generation of gay man-marrying ladies, that's saying something.

I was spoiled for the songs, as TMZ had them up this afternoon from the dress, and so I was prepared, and prepared M, but yeah. That was like, what can you say? Even Simon was more, "That can make us a lot of money on iTunes" than anything else.

[sisterpandora.livejournal.com]

I got sucked into watching and this show reminded me of why I do not like Idol. I am as picky as Simon and I expect these kids to own their songs. The only one who did that was the last kid, hence him going last. That's not to say that some others weren't lovely but that was the only performance worth remembering. (Though I have to say, having seen only some clips early on, my personal favs are Blake and Carly. And now maybe that last kid with the big forehead.)

And sadly, the music from my year mostly hoovers (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hot_100_number-one_hits_of_1969_%28USA%29) I'd have to go with the only song that has any life to it. That's right baby, we're working at the Car Wash.

[jlh.livejournal.com]

That's not your year, that's mine. The long list is better (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/1976_in_music#Other_significant_singles) though even in the top singles I mean, 50 ways to leave your lover? don't go breaking my heart? the welcome back kotter theme? silly love songs?

D.Cook did take someone else's remake of that song—Chris Cornell from Soundgarden—but I really think he lived and sold that performance. But I'm sorry you got sucked into the vortex! Even as much as I'm glad you came by to comment about it!

[evil-erato.livejournal.com]

Man. My year (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/1977_in_music#Other_significant_singles) wavers between hoovering and being full of kick ass songs that no one should ever cover.

[sisterpandora.livejournal.com]

AH! I forgot to tweak the link to reflect my year (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hot_100_number-one_hits_of_1977_%28USA%29), sorry about that! And I didn't realize there was an alternate list type thingum. I'll have to look at the one for my year when I get home. (I think think I'd pick Car Wash though. Not sure if I could rearrange it or just leave it as is and put a lot of engery into it.)

I didn't realize it was a cover of a cover, but heavens, at least it was something different. Wait was he the guy that some other band got all pissy about him using their arrangement a week or two ago?

And? How could I not? It's not as fun for me as So You Think You Can Dance or Project Runway but you love it and that makes discussing it more fun. :)

[sisterpandora.livejournal.com]

Ok, so, after looking at the long list for 77, I'd add Barracuda, Walk this Way, Candle on the Water, Maybe I'm Amazed, Love is in the Air, Blue Bayou, Here You Come Again, Daytime Friends, Don't It Make My Brown Eyes Blue (even if they already are). The rest are either over done, forgotten, or not a good enough fit.

[zorb]

Michael Johns is a crazy man. OMGWTFsongchoice?! I did kind of like it, but it may be appreciation of the crazy.

DCook is turning into my guy, now. I'll vote for him, and Carly to keep her out of the bottom bracket again.

[zorb]

Okay, so almost half an hour after the show ended, I'm getting a busy signal for DCook and (after two successful dials) one for Carly. I haven't been calling consistently or anything, but I can usually get anyone after 15 minutes. Good signs!

[ziggy1278.livejournal.com]

Jason C blew me away for the first time ever. I still think he is a stupid stupid stupid space alien. But that was great.

Michael Johns, it turns out, thought he was signing up for a Queen karaoke competition. And he is fantastic. At queen songs. Only.

This was the first time I realized, actually realized, how serious David A is about shining a bright, squishy beam of Care-Bear Love into the world. The kid is NOT fucking around and I believe in my heart of hearts the he may try to solo "We Are The World" at some point. Did Dolly Parton sing on that? I sure hope so, because he is GOING to do it.

David Cook rocked that so hard that I bought the Chris Cornell track immediately afterward - and it was identical - and yeah... he has good taste in music and he copies great great stuff. I think that is actually the key to popular art so good luck to him.

[ziggy1278.livejournal.com]

No really. Stop for a second and picture his voice in your head singing "We are the Childrennnnneeennnnn. We are the ones to make a brighter day, so let's start giviiiiiinneeeennnnnnennnnennn." Can you hear it? Tell me it's not on the table?

[jlh.livejournal.com]

seriously, when I think it is not possible for me to love you more, you raise the bar.

Meg and I were talking just this weekend about the I'm Fucking Ben Affleck video and the whole celebrity oversing of their one line in the fundraiser groupsing, and I said I felt it dated from Bono's line in Do They Know It's Christmas? I mean, the song is pretty mellow up until that point—Paul Young, anchorman, lays it down, and Boy George picks it up in a mellow way, and then George Michael slides in, and Simon LeBon is typically slightly off-pitch, and Sting comes in to sing in three-part harmony about clanging chimes of doom …

and then Bono is like TONIGHT THANK GOD IT'S THEM INSTEAD OF YOUUUUUUUUUUUUUUU!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Seriously, I think it all comes from there.

[jlh.livejournal.com]

See my friend Sarah's comment below re small David's song.

Also? OMG my love for Ryan tonight immediately after small David's song because that kid was ready to cry—Ryan took one look at him and said those numbers super fast to get the camera off him before he lost it.

[jlh.livejournal.com]

I think Jason was using the Gypsy Kings' cover, for the record.

I don't know if the show has the $$$ for We Are the World, but if he's smart he'll save it for Idol Gives Back week.

I think that part of being clever on this show is digging up the good arrangements to use on the bullshit songs they're forcing you to sing. Daughtry was the first one to do that, two years back, and Blake did a lot of it, too, though the one everyone remembers was his arrangement and his alone. What I really liked about D.Cook was less the arrangement, though it was a good choice, and more that he actually had the voice to pull it off. I mean, Cornell is an amazing fucking singer, and I hadn't really heard anything from D.Cook to suggest that he'd really be able to go there, and he went there. Also his stagecraft was fantastic.

Do I think that D.Cook will do amazingly different things post-Idol? I don't know. Daughtry certainly didn't, but then he also had the #1 selling album of 2007. Blake sort of did and sort of didn't, and he has maybe gone gold by now? Maybe? So you're right, finding the right people to steal from is really the key.

Or 100% pandering to your audience, KRISTY.

[ziggy1278.livejournal.com]

Hahaha Kristy. I loved that pandering and I love that she seems less and less full of herself. I wish she would have been awful-er this week actually cause it has been fun to watch.

The think I really liked about Blake was that his arrangements seemed to have an original spin (except that blatant 311 version of lovesong *vomits*). Cook just seems like such a poser to me with the smug face and the hair and that stupid hat. Hipster. Gross. Gross. Hipster.

[jlh.livejournal.com]

Blake's favorite band is 311. He did one of their songs in the semis. It's inexplicable. For that reason and that reason alone I slightly forgive him the lovesong, in that at least he did it sincerely, and not in a pandering "the kids like this version" way.

Then again, Alison and Scott much prefer the No Doubt version of "It's My Life" to the Talk Talk version and I feel that they are drugs with that.

I respect your steadfast dislike of D.Cook. I wish that Michael rang some bells for me—not that you adore him, but you and many others liked him ok this week and I just kinda didn't. I really do want to like him. At least I'm not distracted by the hot, really for any of the boys this season. Or the girls, now that Amanda is gone.

[ziggy1278.livejournal.com]

YOU are correct about that no doubt cover. Though I own both.

Michael sucks, I just think he does good Queen. I really dislike him after his result show comments from last week and I feel like the inability to see a GIANT mistake of a song like that is a fatal flaw (unlike Brooke who was, like, apologizing for her performance before the judging began). He won't win, and that's the reason.

Amanda was hot. She was a WOman with lots of good stuff for... like... holding on to. The girls left are twigs. Whatever.

from Sarah

[(Anonymous)]

it was a Greenpeace song, not a World Cup song

*feels SUPER OLD*

Re: from Sarah

[jlh.livejournal.com]

OMG, excellent catch. THANK YOU.

See Ziggy's comment above re care-bear love beams.

[lillijulianne.livejournal.com]

i just want to put down for posterity my worship of simon's masterful handling of the kristy situation. had he said what he said in any way other than the subtle, backhanded way he did, he'd no doubt have won her a ton of sympathy votes from well-meaning and not at all fascist but misguided patriots like my mother, who's to the point where she hates dubya more than i do, but just cannot bear to hear an america-lovin' song put down. but he did it just right. he got across exactly how pandering and buttlicking and noxious the singer, the song, and their fans are, and it went right over all their heads. i bow down.

[sistermagpie.livejournal.com]

This is making me wish I had seen this last night just for the weirdness. Especially because now I want to know what Simon said to Kristy. God Bless the USA. That's hilarious in it's blatant scariness.

Brooke's superpower seems to be filling up dark songs with sunshine like she just doesn't get it. Of course she probably thinks EBYT is about somebody who's just really looking out for you--in case you fall down and scrape your knee or something! You sing it to your baby!

Small david and his serious Care Bear light. I love that.

My top songs for my year aren't too bad. Heard it Through the Grapevine, Hello, Goodbye, what looks like a parody of Lucy in the Sky with Diamonds, Mrs. Robinson, Sittin' on the Dock of the Bay, Hello, I Love You, Heard it Through the Grapevine, Harper Valley PTA, Hey Jude.