Idol Chatter & Voice Views

Turns out “No Boundaries” had all sorts of boundaries.

First, the Idol coronation song failed to become a hit for Kris Allen, peaking at number 11 on the Billboard Hot 200 then dropping like a rock off Idol judge Kara Dioguardi’s imaginery mountain.

That’s as badly as one of these songs has ever done.

Now we find out the song couldn’t weather two weeks of lukewarm response from Idol audiences, let alone the hurricane Kris is forced to sing about in those ludicrous lyrics.

“No Boundaries” has been dumped from Kris’ set on the Idol summer tour, The New York Post reported earlier this week. I read an E! Online interview with Scott MacIntyre today where he confirmed as much.

Of course, much of the blame for the “No Boundaries” mess is falling on Kara, who helped write it.

Now, look, I’m not exactly a fan of Kara. I pretty much decided she was a waste of space as a judge on week three of the semifinals.

That was when teenager Taylor Vaifanua had finished singing her heart out for the two precious minutes Idol allowed and looked anxiously to the judges’ table, waiting for her critiques. Kara’s response: I want to know what it’s like to go shopping with you?

Hmm, OK.

But back to “No Boundaries” and a bigger point. It’s time for Idol to rethink this concept of a coronation song.

Whether Kelly Clarkson is singing about “A Moment Like This” or Carrie Underwood is singing “Inside Your Heaven,” these songs have always been pure schmaltz.

And while some have become hits — heck, “Inside Your Heaven” hit number one on the Billboard Pop 100 chart for Carrie and runner-up Bo Bice — they’ve also ruined two of the last three Idol finales.

Think back to season six. The coronation song that year was “This is My Now.”

Not a bad fit for teenager Jordin Sparks. But a horrendous match for the talent of Blake Lewis.

So what happens? Jordin wins. The whole thing smacks of unfairness.

Then comes this season, when neither Kris or Adam Lambert could do much with “No Boundaries.” And when Adam can’t make a song memorable, you know you’re in trouble.

The result: The final performance show of the season ended with a fizzle.

And anyone watching for the first time probably wondered whether all of the millions of Idol viewers are tone deaf if they put up with such nonsense on a weekly basis.

My suggestion: If Idol must keep a coronation song, make it the first song the contestants sing on that final show. Let the contestant’s choice be the final song. That’s almost always the best of the three performances that night anyway. It would be a sure way to make sure the Idol season doesn’t end on a sour note.

Personally, I’d dump the coronation song altogether and instead let each of the finalists sing an original tune they’ve written.

That would be a great way to find out more about them as artists, though perhaps not about their shopping habits.

And at least then, if the result is a “No Boundaries,” the contestants will deserve their fates rather than having a song with so many boundaries foisted upon them.