Santa Cruz, Calif., and Garner, N.C., are ready for homecoming celebrations.
So are Rossville, Ga., and Wheeling, Ill.
Now all they need is for their respective Idols to survive just one more elimination show.
As has become Idol tradition, the final three will be treated to a visit home this weekend.
That visit will include a parade and a mini-concert in front of thousands of adoring fans.
All our Idols need to do to bask in such glory is master the songs of Jerry Leiber and Mike Stoller.
Yeah, I know. I had to Google them, too. Try “Yakety Yak,” “Charlie Brown” and “Love Potion No. 9.”
Still not familiar? Try Elvis Presley classics like “Hound Dog” and “Jailhouse Rock.”
I imagine Scotty McCreery launched into the new Steven Tyler song, “(It) Feels So Good” upon hearing this week’s theme.
The other Idols? If I were in their place … well, I don’t think I could print what my reaction would have been.
We’re down to the final four and they don’t get to sing hits released during their lifetime. Wonderful thinking there, Nigel.
On hand to help the Idols master these hits from 60-some years ago will be Lady Gaga.
Which makes sense in the only way Idol often makes sense … she has a new album coming out May 23.
Haley getting to meet and pick up some tips from Lady Gaga. Well, I imagine she launched into “(It) Feels So Good.”
Scotty McCreery getting tips from Lady Gaga? Now that should be interesting to watch.
Oh, and by the way, I listened to the iTunes snippet of “(It) Feels So Good” today.
Let’s just say Steven Tyler’s new song matches his judging. Meaning, it isn’t very good.
I could make more colorful comments about it. But I might need my cuss stick.
Hey, good news, the Idols get to sing two songs. And not all of them have to be ancient.
James Durbin: He’ll sing Journey’s “Don’t Stop Believin’.” James is quite and showman. And quite the shrieker. My problem is that I keep comparing him to Idol’s all-time top rockers — David Cook, Chris Daughtry, Adam Lambert — and he doesn’t match them vocally. That was just another example of it. Good performance. OK vocal. These judges still haven’t heard anything they don’t like in Season 10. Grade: B-
Haley Reinhart: She’ll be singing “The Earth Song” by Michael Jackson. Interesting. It’s been forever since Haley slowed it down, but she’s doing it beautifully. Wow, I was a little worried when she started off with a slower song. Then she slayed it at the end with a ton of passion. OK, it got a little shouty at the end, but there was no doubting her heart. Randy, of course, picks this time to be choosy about song choice. It’s pretty clear he doesn’t want Haley to win. He’s been nagging at her all season. But he loved Jacob. What’s that tell you about Mr. Jackson’s taste in music. Absurd. Grade: B.
Scotty McCreery: “Where Were You When the World Stopped Turning.” Wow, Scotty knows how to push all the buttons. He’s going to kiss the grass when he gets home. He’s singing about Jesus and God. And about Sept. 11. “A simple guy singing a simple song.” Toss in a spot-on vocal, and Scotty just turned in the best vocal so far tonight. Grade: B+
Lauren Alaina: She’ll sing “Anyway” by Martina McBride, one of my favorite country songs. Let’s see what she can do with this, wearing another of those half-dresses she seems to like. She’s going way sharp on the chorus. Lauren Alaina just isn’t that distinctive as a singer. And that song has been done way better on the Idol stage. Even by Kristy Lee Cook, I believe. Grade: C.
Haley Reinhart: She’s going to sing “I Who Have Nothing.” Wow, another standing ovation for Haley. She just slayed that song. Fabulous vocal on a slow song. Which I wasn’t sure Haley was capable of. This girl has got to get into the final three. She is one of the top two singers left on this show. Grade: A.
Scotty McCreery: He’s going to sing “Young Blood.” Scotty said he thought he’d better kiss his cross after meeting Gaga. Judges from these faces he’s making at the start of his song, she scared him. Because these faces are scaring me. Let’s see what they say about this song choice. Seems a little silly for this stage of the competition. And not very high on the difficulty scale either. Grade: B-.
Lauren Alaina: She’s going to sing “Trouble,” if she can bear with the thought of singing that she’s evil. Hey, I think the fun, playful Lauren just returned. Not a sensational vocal, but a fun performance. And in the end, she learned to sing about being “evil.” That might be the best performance we’ve seen from Lauren in weeks. Grade: B.
James Durbin: He’ll sing “Love Potion No. 9.” No doubt, James is the best performer of the remaining four. And the best screamer. But he’s probably also the weakest singer of the group. Though he scores big points for the rousing finish to that song. Pretty much a matter of style over substance, I’d say. Grade: B.
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8 Comments
You are absolutely correct. The judges except for Steven couldn’t tell a real singer if it bit them in the nose. This girl has IT. She is just so real and doesn’t need the gimmicks or the autotune or the hijnks. She is so talented she won’t win. Good maybe someone intelligent will record her instead of winding up with the loser Idol bunch.
Thank you for not salivating over James Durbin. It really means a lot. I no longer have to be alone in thinking that I’ve taken crazy pills when I hear the judges tongue baths for this mediocre talent.
Always surprises me when Lambert gets included with the rockers. To me, he is pop/dance….far from rock. James Durbin? I agree with you, I also compare him to David and Chris and, not only can he not match them vocally…he’s nowhere NEAR their league!
Weren’t you watching Idol when Adam was on? He sang Born to be Wild, Whole Lotta Love, Bohemian Rhapsody, Crying, Satisfaction, and sang with Kiss and Queen in the finale. He was in a hard rock band before Idol and on his tour, he sang several rock covers (Enter Sandman, Purple Haze, 20th Century Boy, Whole Lotta Love), and his live songs were a lot more rock than on his album. “Time For Miracles”, “Can’t Let You Go”, “Aftermath” on his album are rock ballads. Just YouTube them. He has an excellent rock wail. The DDD music forums call him #2 Most Technically Skilled Rock Vocalists in the World. Queen, Meatloaf and Slash love him and Ryan Tedder called him a rocker. What you don’t understand is that Adam can sing any genre and sing it well. That is what is different about him.
Janice:
Not sure what your point is. In my mind, Adam’s one of the all-time great vocalists to appear on Idol. You get no argument from me there. The point I was making is that David Cook, Adam Lambert and Chris Daughtry are generally considered the best rock singers on Idols. James Durbin, while tons of fun to watch, while a wonderful backstory, cannot match them vocally. That’s my opinion. I’m not saying Adam can’t sing anything but rock. In fact, you might want to check out my review of his live album.
http://ydtalk.com/chatter/2011/03/cd-spotlight-adam-sizzles-on-glam-nation-live/
bring on the Haley-Durbin finale.Love them both.I think Lauren will go home today, she is really a cute kid though.Scotty is just so,so for me.
Haley should have won American Idol this year, she certainly was the best of the final four. But she is better off coming in on the #3 spot so she is not tied to AI for years. Go Haley, rock on girl, you will be famous. She is so talented.