Idol Chatter & Voice Views

Every year, you can count on American Idol to serve up some memorable moments, both good and bad.

After reviewing the performances from the final 12 contestants, here are my picks for the songs best forgotten from season seven … though a couple were just too bad to forget.

The countdown …

10. David Archuleta decided to take on the Beatles’ “We Can Work it Out” Stevie Wonder style in week one of the finals. He forgot the lyrics early on and made viewers wish Stevie was on the stage through the rest of the performance.

9. Besides David Cook, Syesha Mercado was season seven’s steadiest performer. But back in week five of the finals, she made the season’s worst song choice, Fantasia’s “I Believe.” The comparison was inevitable, and there was no way Syesha was going to come out on top.

8. Carly Smithson decided to tackle the Beatles’ “Blackbird” in week two and was sailing along just fine until her very over-the-top ending. Don’t recall that in the Beatles’ version. And then she made Simon feel bad with her explanation of why she sang the song.

7. Fans shocked by Michael Johns’ early exit from Idol might want to go back and watch his uneven performances once reaching the final 12. The worst came when he tried to pay homage to the Beatles’ classic “A Day in the Life” by condensing their 5 1/2-minute track into the 1:40 allowed Idol contestants. Simon called it “a mess.” It surely was.

6. No doubt Carly Smithson has a big voice. And she was anxious to show it off during her Idol run. She was at her bombastic, overblown, shouty worst when she took on the Bonnie Tyler hit “Total Eclipse of the Heart.”

5. With a spot in the finals on the line, David Archuleta decided it would be wise to sing about his boo while doing Chris Brown’s “With You.” He quickly proved he shouldn’t be singing about his boo, on stage or in a karaoke bar.

4. Before performing “If Only for One Night,” Chikezie recalled getting “torn apart” by the judges the last time he sang a ballad. Then he opened his mouth and quickly demonstrated why he shouldn’t be singing another ballad. If turned out to be the season’s longest two minutes on Idol, and Chikezie’s last performance

3. Ramiele Malubay demonstrated a big voice in a tiny package during the round of 24, then struggled once making the final 12. She turned the chorus on Heart’s “Alone” into a screamfest. Was a single note on key?

2. Jason Castro’s goofy rendition of “I Shot the Sheriff” might have been the most lackadaisical final four effort in Idol history. “The performance and singing was as bad as I’ve ever heard,” lamented Simon. “I don’t know what you were thinking.” The ever laid-back Jason took it in stride, proclaiming: “I was thinking Bob Marley.” Replied Simon: “The only similarity was the hair.”

1. Ever imagine the Beatles “Eight Days a Week” as a country song. Well, Kristy Lee Cook figured it might work. The resulting performance was the only one from the finals — the only one out of 85 songs — that Paula couldn’t find anything good to say about. That, Kristy Lee, is quite an accomplishment.

Best Banter

Sometimes on Idol, the banter between the judges, the contestants and host Ryan Seacrest is more entertaining than the performances. This season was no exception. Some of my favorites.

5. After Carly Smithson got lukewarm reviews for “The Show Must Go On,” Ryan asked how she felt while singing it

Said Carly: “Well, I saw his (Simon’s) face and then I lost it in the middle of the song.”

Said Ryan: “Well, that will throw anybody off.”

4. Simon clearly didn’t like the arrangement when Brooke White tackled Dolly’s “Jolene” on guitar, accompanied by a drummer, background singer and violinist. “All of you looked very odd together as a group as well. You know, the weird violin player …” Brooke frowned and interrupted, which she had a habit of doing when the judges were talking. “He’s a very nice violin player.”

3. Carly was on the spot again after so-so reviews for “Total Eclipse of the Heart.” So, how did she feel this time? Was she uptight? Ryan posed the question. Said Carly: “You know, I just went to the bathroom before and ran out …” Ryan, seldom flustered, asks the key question: “Did you flush?”

2. After hearing Janis Joplin impersonator Amanda Overmyer belt out “Back in the USSR,” Simon suggests she try a change of pace by singing a ballad one week. Responds Amanda: “Ballads are boring … I figure I have a minute and a half to show America what they would see if they came to my show and bought tickets to see me … I want them to say, ‘That chick looks like fun. I want to go to that show.'”

Said Simon: “Amanda, I’m just saying your tickets aren’t on sale yet, so we might be jumping the gun a little.” Poor Amanda got eliminated before qualifying for the Idol summer tour, so her tickets still aren’t on sale.

1. And how did Carly feel after “Superstar” drew rave reviews from Simon? She smiled wide and displayed a green t-shirt, made just for such an occasion. It read: “Simon loves me (this week).”

Coming tomorrow:

Best songs of 2008