This week the “American Idol” Top 9 are set to take on songs of the Rock And Roll Hall of Fame. No one is sure if that just means songs from any artist that has been inducted into the Hall of Fame or if it’s specifically from the Hall of Fame’s official “500 Songs That Shaped Rock and Roll” list.
At any rate, that is a very broad list of songs. And who knows what they’re even allowed to sing. So from the 500 songs list, I’m just going to pick what I would like to hear them sing. As I said, the list is very broad, so I’ll pick a couple for each contestant.
(In random order)
*Pia Toscano, “River Deep Mountain High” by Ike and Tina Turner. She actually revealed this during last week’s performance episode. So unless will.i.am (who for some ridiculous reason apparently helped the contestants choose their songs) or the producers have forced her into something else, that should be what she’s singing. And that will be very interesting. It’s one of Tina’s most powerful songs (Ike doesn’t deserve any credit if you ask me). So Pia will finally give us something upbeat. And that’s a good thing. People are really tiring of the ballads.
*Scotty McCreery, “Suspicious Minds” by Elvis or “I Walk The Line” by Johnny Cash. We already know Scotty grew up an Elvis fan, so why not sing something by The King. But I now know Scotty’s formula, so chances are he’ll go directly to the couple of country singers who crossed over to the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame. Like Johnny Cash. Either of this songs would be a great fit for him.
*Casey Abrams , “House of the Rising Sun” by The Animals or “Lola” by The Kinks. It’s hard to imagine what Casey will do. He’s one of the more unpredictable contestants. I’ve always wanted someone to sing Lola on “Idolm” so why not? Surely “American Idol” is ready for a song about a hot cross-dresser who can easily trick straight men into kissing her. It is 2011.
*Haley Reinhart, “Piece of My Heart” by Janis Joplin or “I Fall to Pieces” by Patsy Cline. She’s been compared to Janis, even though I don’t see/hear it AT ALL, but I think it would do her well to sing that or another song by Janis. Her rasp and growl would fit it nicely. As for the other, that’s one of those 500 songs. Patsy isn’t in the Hall of Fame, but the song is on that list. So that may or may not be an option. At any rate, Haley has reminded me of Patsy (way more than Janis) so that could be a good song for her to take on.
*Stefano Langone, “Stand by Me” by Ben E. King or something by Prince. I’d like to see Stefano step out and shake things up. “Stand by Me” he’d do beautifully, but how about “When Doves Cry” or anything else by Prince? That would be fun.
*Lauren Alaina, “Imagine” by John Lennon or “Son of a Preacher Man” by Dusty Springfield. I’d love to hear Lauren keep things slow one more week. I was really impressed with her “Candle in the Wind” last week, so I could hear her treating “Imagine” the same way. On the other hand, I could easily hear her doing “Son of A Preacher Man.” That’s certainly a song to bring in some votes.
*Jacob Lusk, “Bridge Over Troubled Water” by Simon and Garfunkel or “You Send Me” by Sam Cooke or “There Goes My Baby” by The Drifters. I’m not really sure what Jacob should be singing. I picked these because they can all be easily turned into gospel songs and that seems to be his thing. I think he needs to be sure to pick songs people know. He’s going to start hitting the Bottom 3 pretty soon, so song choice will become very important for him.
*Paul McDonald, “For What It’s Worth” by Buffalo Springfield or “The Weight” by The Band. These songs might not do Paul any favors as far as how well the bands are known. They’re REALLY great songs, though, and would be right up Paul’s alley, but I think he needs to do something major to stay away from the bottom this week. It’s going to get a lot tougher for some of these guys this week and Paul is in danger. He needs to wow us. He needs to take care of his voice, too. It seems as if its starting to wear.
*James Durbin, “Baba O’Riley” by The Who or “Back in Black” by AC/DC or “Rock N Roll All Night” by Kiss. I’d actually prefer for James to slow things down. But he’s such an entertainer, slowing things down could be his, well, downfall. Maybe he should keep it upbeat. Any of these songs or artists would suit him. “Baba O’Riley” David Cook did on his season, so maybe its too soon for that. And Adam Lambert did the whole Kiss thing. Maybe James will surprise us. I think he still has very little to worry about though. For now.
What do you think? Have any song suggestions for the Top 9?
go go go JAMES DURBIN YOU CAN MAKE IT !!!! ALways trust and have faith…..keep cool and amazing…..
Yes James GOGOGO out the door
I picked " For What It's Worth" for Scotty , not Paul. But I also picked "Baba O'Reilly" for James. For Scotty to do Elvis or Cash seems too cliche'.
Scotty's a country singer. I think he's okay with cliche.
James… perhaps Promised Land? 😉
Stop being James haters ! You guys need to get a life . lol
I agree !!!! I just commented on this, on another site. People hated adam, made fun of crystal and now james. People amaze me. I just don't get , he is awesome and one of the best singers idols ever had. If he is not in the finale , it will be nothing and boring !!!! Sorry, he is simply the best. James for the win !!!!1
As I already said before, if James does not win,he anyway will make a great career, he has the potential to do so.
I really I would like him to sing,
Dancing in the Dark – Bruce Springsteen
i agree, JAMES is number one(1), PLEASE GUYS,we need your SUPPORT and ATTENTION we will VOTE for JAMES DURBIN .
I do HOPE that, JAMES will sing something soft,slow and mellow rock.
Go ahead JAMES..i know you can make it NO MATTER WHAT…..GOOD LUCK boy…
Awwwwwwwww, James can join WWE and have a career there. He can hire Chris Jericho to tutor him how to wrestle and be more popular wnd lots of money than be an AI , too much pressure. Anyway, James, jacob and stefano… Good luck for this week's eliminations. Hope you all stay till the finals.
James is a nice singer too but i only have stefano in my list. Hello Moster kid, dont be too bratty here hahaha. Mama Cathy is here now, miss you kiddo. Lots of work to do hence cant have time for blogging. Go stefano and nail this week's competition.
Yea James is so good it's crazy. Like i said before if he does not win Idol he will be getting alot of phone calls. He is a great performer and this is what people want and like. He deserves to win ! No one up there can move on the stage like him. He brings everyone in as if this is his concert. The is not some 6 grade talent show , it's American Idol! Wake up America ! It's James!! Vote ! Vote! Vote!
Personally, I think all the hateful and crude remarks here are disgusting. It's like having to wade through a bunch of punks trying to intimidate one another. Some really have gone too far, and I don't understand why calling one of the contestants a "whore" does not the poster banned. It's like a school ignoring bullying and saying it's not their job to monitor that kind of thing. Yeah, freedom of speech and all that, but with freedom comes responsibility.
@ Branden…great suggestions. I am hoping that Scotty will sing something by Elvis and James will rock anything he sings. I too, would like for James to slow it down some. Also good choice(s) for Lauren. You are right…at this point in the contest it is all about song choice. Not too sure about what exactly will.i.am. role will be…just hope they do not come off sounding like they are all in a vortex…
James for the win. 🙂
I wish the four handsome guys will sing again together, Casey, stefano, james and Paul….. I was so impressed of their performance last week….COOL!
Erica, you think Casey is handsome? Just sayin… You mean, in a teddy-bear kind of way? Right?
Rose A, Sweet Rose! I am so happy to see you here! I hope you see this! I am always trying to find you and Phyllis G. There are so many boards I can't keep up with them! Rose I am a great big ELVIS fan! I was hoping Scotty would sing an ELVIS song. I just loved the way he sang " It's alright Moma." And I also loved the way James sang " While My guitar gently weeps." Rose I would like to ask you if you remember when Simon was on Al? And they kept saying over and over SONG CHOICE ? Have you heard it more than a couple of times this year?? I I wish I could find you and Phyllis G. more often. I can't get on the computer much in the day time. My husband hogs it. I miss talking to you & Phyllis both!!! 🙂
As long as we have been watching American Idol one of the best advise the judges gave out was SONG CHOICE!! Rose, were you surprised Pia went home? Well I hope you see this. I have missed you. Hugs to you and Phyllis G. Sherry K. 🙂
Scotty McCeery rocks! love him.! He should sing any Elvis songs. He's in the right track! Go Scotty! Go! Go!
You should say "Scotty McCeery countries! as he won't rock & never will be….lol!
Boy are you in for a surprise Wed nite. Wish I could see the surprise on your face
Scotty will NOT surprise ANYONE on Wednesday. He will do the same, safe, boring, country-slanted version of something that has no difficult or lengthy notes. Why should he? He is sailing along without taking any risks, so why would he even THINK about doing something that… you know, would require a real voice?
You evidently dont know much about singing. He has a real voice without screeching and screaming. he doesnt make it difficult to understand what he is singing.
What ever he sings, he sings without screaming or screeching. It is a real voice Not a fake
@Lee. I agree 100%. His vocal is powerful, with good tone, and always on key. He has a youthful rocker voice. If he sang Bon Jovi songs people would understand his level of talent. Sure he has "screamed" here and there, but on 'Saturday Night's Alright…' he was NOT screaming – he was right on the money – every time.
I am for Scotty all the way. He is absolutely talented. go Scotty
I have said it once and I will say it again.. they all stick with their comfort – stop picking on Scotty for Country – seriously. James sings a rock song every week and screams which is sometimes in pitch and sometimes is just screaming to scream… pia like her slow songs… Hailey does that low growly thing, jacob is all soul every time – so if you pick on Scotty for singing country you can pick on the others for never changing it up either… just saying!
Wholeheartedly agree with "someone".
Someone, this is NOT about "all country, all the time." It's about BORING country that doesn't display ANY range or vocal power. EVER! Scotty sings "your Grandfather's sleepy country" not Idol-ish country. Sure, Pia sings ballads. But she can SING! She held a powerful 8 second note in her Elton John song. Go watch again. Can Scotty do that? Who knows?? Lauren is 'all country" too, but hits and holds impressive, crystal clear notes, unlike Scotty who basically talks his way through songs. Even Jacob, who I am not a fan of, hits and holds an insane note once a week. So did Casey, at the end of his song last week. Not Scotty. Look, there are PLENTY of country songs that require vocal power, clarity, and range… hey Scotty? SING ONE! Cos until you do, you're a one-trick pony who doesn't belong anywhere near the Top 5…
Alobar: How are those anger management classes working out for you?
@Alobar: Pia, Scotty and James *ALL* 'do their thing'. Is it good that they know what they want to do as an artist? Yes. Is it good to risk being a bit too predictable? No. It's tough for those top three – they have a lot of room to fall from up there; one bad song choice and it could be game over. For Pia the question is: can she become AI#10 doing power ballads? She *NEEDS* to pick up the tempo – TONITE. The Tina Turner song just might do it…
Also @Alobar:
"Scotty sings “your Grandfather’s sleepy country” not Idol-ish country. Sure, Pia sings ballads. But she can SING!"
100% right-on commment. I agree. Too much "Don Williams" style stuff. He'd better think about a "Boot Scootin Boogie" or "Little Sister" or some up-tempo Garth Brooks. You're right – he's too sleepy!
I think scotty is gonna sing "Love Me Tender". 😛
Hello, everybody.
I want to say a few words:
Show American Idol, I really like.
I love fair projects that really appreciated the talent …
And, American Idol )))… Just so …
I confess I do not often look at your project as well as different time zones …
All participants are American Idol, a big hello from Ukraine)))
you are super, each worthy of victory))
with respect and love – Albina
Dakoyu.
I am in Indonesia.
I love Lauren Alaina coz She is beautiful & have a great voice..
Semangat Lauren…..
Good you like her but you cant vote otherwise. Peace and Love to all of you …
go stefano, Jacob and Paul… all underdogs but i like underdogs hahaha. i wont watch Idol if they are eliminated and wont vote for anyone anymore.I used up my allowances and my mom is penalizing me now. Poor me…..
Lol, dont give up dear. Keep on voting for stefano and jacob. They might get to the top also. Besos Y abrazos para ti hermosa bonita….
Lol, you are a Joker…. dont stop voting for stefano okay?
Whats wrong with voting for Stefano? Are we all suppose to fall into lock step here and vote for the same 5 or 6 people?
well said sasha, stefano is amazing, best on the show
Your allowance will be cut off soon cuz you are a meanacing monstrous kid and a spoiled brat, but i love you gurl… dont stop voting for stefano, james, jacob and paul, they deserve to be on top.
Love you Brat….. Stefano is going places. He will nail again this week's competition. He is good always.
I'm from South Africa and love American Idol…
Here is just a little wishlist of Songs I wish to hear some of the contestants sing…Even if it never happens…
Pia -Fiels of gold (Eva Cassidy)
Scotty-The Sun Ain't Gonna Shine Anymore(The Walker Brothers).
Casey- Hotel Happiness (Brook Benton).
Stefano – Help ( John Farnham).
Lauren – Crying (KD Lang).
Jacob – After The Love Is Gone / Got To get You Into My Life ( Earth,Wind & Fire).
James -Long Cool Woman In A Black Dress ( The Hollies).
Keep up the good work…:o)
Not another "imagine" or "stand by me" pleeease! These songs have been sung over & over again for the last few seasons…Yawnnnnn….
Btw, if you're (or people) tired of Pia sings ballads, why are you suggest James & Scotty singing the same old type of songs over & over again??
Scotty needs to sing anything other than country (he's just bored me to death…lol!) while James needs a ballad for a change too!
FYI… Scotty has a clasical country voice & he is a country singer/performer. James is rock & roll all the way & he is a performer. Pia just sings ballads & her only performing thus far has been her pagent arm. Just answering your question.
I continue to be amazed at all you people who are giving Scotty a "free pass" here. Yes, he has a great "classic" country voice. But what, he's the only Finalist in the HISTORY of the show who doesn't have to DO anything he doesn't want to, anything he's uncomfortable with? (Motown = old country, Elton = old country). The ONLY performer EVER who doesn't have to be musically diverse, or show off his range or (limited) vocal strength? This is ridiculous. Why does he continually get an EZ Pass to the next round without having to DO anything??!! And why don't the viewers demand MORE??
But how can anyone stands that "I'm so sexy" expression on his face when he sings??…guess only teen girls or housewives love it….yuuuk!
I am a Scotty fan, but I agree that he needs to sing something fast and bouncy. Even George Strait has a few fast and fun numbers. If Scotty goes with Elvis it had better be one of his fun numbers and not a slow love song.
Templar, while seeing him do anything outside of his comfort zone would be nice, I'm more interested in just hearing him hit a crazy note, or hold one for five seconds or so, like everyone else does. Anything that makes me say "wow!" Last week, Haley surprised me and so did Pia. Scotty never surprises me, never makes me say "whew, that was amazing!" Never.
I still don't get how people can honestly say that James has never swapped it up… did they miss his performance of "Maybe I'm Amazed" by Paul McCartney? It's a classic power ballad and James absolutely nailed it.
I want to see Scotty sing something with a note longer than 2 beats as well. The few he's shown us seem forced like he's not sure what to do with it. Don't get me started on James, his antics are the only thing keeping him on the show. Haley has probably been the most diverse contestant that is still standing (I think Naima changed it up quite a bit more) but she's tweaked everything to be Haley's version. Same with Scotty. I don't think it's bad that he puts his own spin on the songs, but I do want to see him stretch more and actually work for the votes he's getting.
tenisaddict….sorry to say but it looks like the teeny bopper votes are going to Scotty this season….Just once I'd like to see a rocker win it….James is such an entertainer. He really rocks the house…..Its an upbeat performance and gets the crowd going….THATS ENTERTAINMENT!!!!!
Some of you saw the performance of Steven Tyler and Carrie Underwood (contry singer) together? Carrie was exellent and Steve was great. She contry singer, sang rock,¡¡ Amazing!!. That's what we want from Scotty
Its your opinion btw, but my opinion is country music is good and scotty is greate.
@tennisaddict, i agree with your thoughts completely, they should get out of their comfort zone to test versatility.
@kdub
Yeah, when he sang Maybe I'm Amazed was the only time I even sort of liked him. I absolutely hate any of his high screamy singing and that is always part of his performance even if it doesn't dominate
Phyllis G. (Las Vegas)…..teeny boppy rules the music world these days & Justin Bieber is the good example! So I won't be suprised if scotty go all the way (which I hope not…lol!!).
i'm not a teeny bopper or bieber fan, but i am a woman, and i don't find scotty attractive at all. truthfully he kinda wierds me out b/c the voice soooo doesnt match the face or look.
Right Tennis. But not right. Rockers always rock. Old-school country guys do their thing too. But Diva's like Celine Dion do NOT do just power ballads. Pia should tackle Dion's "Drove All Night" and prove she is more than a ballad singer – because she is. Maybe she is just holding out for a BIG BIG finish! But… is she holding out too long? I guess we'll find out tonite!
Thousands of songs to choose from. Imagine is a boring song now, another one please.
pia's "were do broken hearts go" wasnt such a ballad
hi im gracia..im a fan of loveteam stefano langone and thia megia..im from canada…pls votes stefano….coz i love them both..pls request to AI FOR duet …i want to see thia and stefano..duet together…..pls…stefano..we love u..
Stefano and Jacob i like to be in the top four…. Jacob, i wish him to sing Winds of Change by The Sorpions no this week…. I also wish stefano will sing Hey Soul Sister by Train and Haley to sing Teen age Dirtbag by Wheatus.. Goodluck guys. I hope you will sail your songs this week. Look, Mama, Im a good girl now hahaha….<3
Where 's Mama Cathy So? I miss her comments? lolololllllllll….Also Gabriela the lesbo hahahaha…..:)
Maybe they are busy with their life…. you seem to be an AI fanatic.
I think it's funny that people still bring Gabs up. Calling her names isn't very mature, though. But I guess it's expected from someone who still collects allowance from his mother.
David P. myawwwwwwwwwwww…. like a cat purring…. im very good today, my mom increased my allowance okay so i can have more fun. Im still a student and unica hija, if you understand that…. so why wont they give what is due for me hahaha…
I love rock and roll not the oldies…. listening to Hinder's Lips of an angel, James better sing this with your awesome voice, its very nice to hear this song from you…. stefano sing The Reason by Hoobastank….. not this week you guys dont react.
GTG, i still have some research to do…. wish everyone a happy weekdays. stay blessed and happy.
Stefano, James and Jacob…. Bendiciones para ti.
Hi dear, I am here but my comments are slow in posting. I dont know what's wrong?
@Cathy: Your comments are going to the moderation queue because you're posting under multiple names.
Just so everyone knows, "Cathy" "Monster" and "Corinne Ella" are all the same person.
They can do duet on their summer tour. They look good together.
Hmmm…so someone got a M.P.D. (Multiple Personal Disorder!) here…lol!
oh my God!
i heard people talking about Loveteams.
Scotty / Thia / Stefano
Scothia & Thiafano! 😉
cuteeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee!
btw , goodluck to the top 9. I mean whatever!
haha 😀
Hi there, im happy o read your positive post. I am Moment from Cali…. i am also a fan of stefano but like thia megia also, she is a sweet and lovely girl.
Nice to see people love eachother!
I think it should be Stefapia or Scothay (see what I did there).
Hehehehe… stefathia hehehe…. maybe they can marry together in the future…. lovely couple.
No way…. stefano and thia marry someday, they are not complementing each other.
Hahaha…I'll be sure to tell Ernie, Stefano's dad what you posted. I'm sure he'll be thrilled to here that.
Pia must step it up this week!!! looking forward to some more rocking from James…
I wrote a funny idol song using the comments made by the judges this year, my singing is not Idol standard (or anywhere close) but maybe Scotty can do a cover!
@ Andrew Gallagher…Very funny….:-) Look forward to more rocking from James as well.
THIAFANO HERE IN CANADA…..!!! HI DIMPLES….i like scotty too..hes on my list.
Scotty is an excellent “soft” country singer – a song that I think would do him a lots of good is “Small Crosses” by Michael Stephen Redding. It is not upbeat but would be ideal for his voice
Will i be possible to have Loveteams in Idol? Maybe when they do their Tour… Thia and Stefano can sing together…. just go guys…. They are young and look cute together also.
Well, maybe they can have a duet when they go on tour. Meanwhile i wish stefano to stay on this competition. I will miss his killer smile and soulful voice . Go go go stefano….<3
Duhhhh, Thia sing soft songs, Stefano sings another genre, they cant sing together…. I think haley is more compatible singing with stefano in a duet.
I'm sorry to break it to you. In talking with Stefano's dad, there's nothing going on with Haley and Stefano. That first Ford commercial aired sure made it look like there was.
Erica Jong, Thia can sing other songs aside from "soft" ones. I wnders if you watched the hollywood round.
hi stefano…..i want u to sing ' i dont wanna miss a thing' for thia………….hehehehe
i wish u stay longer……!
Nice song by aerosmith…. cool…. also Amazing…. I know stefano can sing this song also.
yes,its true moment…!!! wat i think and wat u get to them…all are true… i hop they do duet..! if that happen i will be happpy…coz they are really cute together…..like they sitting together on the stage..during elimination round……anyway….gudluck to others contestant…
hahahaha monster is funnny..!!! bye to alll….american idol rocks!!!
You bet she is a funny Monster girl.
Me funny? No way…. I am Mean and Vicious….lol….I am a free spirit. I love Rock. James, stefano, Jacob and Paul…. i love all guys. They are tough singers.
@ Branden: I think James should sing a slow song for a change – he can do it amazingly, and once again, he would stand out from the other performers when they try to catch the rock beat .. haha….
I wish Stefano will sing a rock song like The Heat is On by The Eagles…. It will be nice song for him, fast and within his vocal range, no need to scream.
Aren't they all supposed to sing rock songs? Hence the theme of R&R Hall of Fame.
The Rock and Roll HOF is specific to those who made changes to the music industry mostly. Not just popular Arists or songs. Songs of artists range from motown, rock, rap, 80’s, blues, pop, to metal. I think they can choose anything from there, but hoping for rock.
I read in a book that The Eagles has the highest selling record album in the history and The Beatles are just second.
Monster, you are right. The Eagles have the number 1 selling album of all time. I think it is a farce, but it is true. Don't get me wrong, the Eagles were great, but not that great!
What song will Haley Choose, also Lauren? This girl is so huge lol…. Haley is sexy! Stefano and Haley can sing a duet someday…. i will be excited of this idea.
Im all hyped when i read good comments for stefano, james, jacob and paul. Ohhhh how i wish no one will be eliminated. I will really feel sad for them.
i remember kris allen being the dark horse in season 8 so im not decided yet on who to root for! but stefano and james are my frontrunners… Good luck to them all!!!
btw, im surprised to see a lot of stefano fans… guess im on the right road in making my choice, eh?
Welcome to the Club of stefanatics…..
Count me in!!! I cant understand how he can be in the bottom 3 with so many supporters. He's amazing & I cant wait to hear his song choice.
I also wonder on that fact that stefano is at the Bottom 3. But who knows, he might make a big surprize this week also.
Casey – Graceland (Paul Simon) or Sultans of Swing (Dire Straits)
James – Dazed & Confused (Zeppelin) or Welcome to the Jungle (Guns & Roses)
Haley – Dreams (Fleetwood Mac) or Something to Talk About (Bonnie Raitt) Paul – Night Moves (Bob Seger) or Pride and Joy (Steve Ray Vaughan)
Jacob – Little Red Corvette (Prince) or In the Midnight Hour (Wilson Pickett)
Scotty – Ramblin’ Man (Allman Bros.) or Chantilly Lace (Big Bopper)
Pia – Sweet Dreams (Eurythmics) or Help Me (Joni Mitchell)
Lauren – Desperado (Eagles) or Papa Was a Rolling Stone (Temptations)
Stefano – Dancing in the Dark (Springsteen) or Sunshine of Your Love (Cream)
I love the Janis Joplin song "Bobbie McGee" for Haley, or Bonnie Raitt's "Something To Talk About." I think Lauren should sing "Despardo." I like "Reason to Believe," by Rod Stewert, for Scotty, he could sing this song. Best of all would be for Jacob to sing Carley Simon's "Your so Vain," but change it to "I'm So Vain." But really he should try a Roy Obison song.
Callie…..definitely agree….Me & Bobby McGee for Haley…..I think she would knock it out of the ballpark with any Janis Joplin song…..JMHO
I wish them all well but for once I hope my choice wins….JAMES ROCKS!!!!!
I agree about Hayley – she could do far worse than get out Crystal's song book from last season and choose from the same artists. I much prefer Crystal but Hayley's voice is suited to similar songs…
Great list Mo!!
Good list Mo, I thought of a lot of the same songs for those artist.. reading yours.. I just really hope Haley does something different..
Good list, but Jacob would be lost singing Little Red Corvette.
Haley would indeed be well-served taking that sexy, raspy voice into a Janis Joplin tune. But I think she'd be FAR better served if she sang "Me and Bobby McGee." The crowd knows it better, it has "sing-along" moments, and the end would allow her to rip things open, which is what everyone here (except James) needs to do.
Agree.
James should sing mad world!!!
NO! Adam owns that song. I love James but after Adam gave that introspective performance of it with that lilt in his voice, James would hurt his chances by choosing that song.
I think James would hurt his chances singing anything else that Adam did, personally.
Totally agreed! Nobody should touch Adam's stuff…if they don't want the comparison..or avoid being send home…lol!
No Adam songs for James….He has his own niche this season……..
Adam is my all time favorite idol…..James will definitely be my next……JAMES for the Win!!!!!
Don let James sing this….Maybe Strawberry Fields by The beatles will be nice for him, no need to scream also. dont light another piano again okay?
I watched You Tube vids of the Idol hopefuls. I like that one with stefano singing I need you Now. He was simply amazing there. Go stefano <3
you know you have a point. but there's nothing wrong if he will sing adam's song if he is REALLY GOOD. a true IDOL should do their best in every performance. if he will sing mad world…so what? if he can sing it well and HE shoulld sing it well if he want to be an AI . I believe in James also the judges. ADAM AND JAMES ARE VERY DIFFERENT..i know but both of them are great. ADAM is a PRO even when he is just starting at AI because he is an actor and he has a vocal training.JAMES?…just starting so understand that theyare very diff. from each other.
JAMES_ROCK
ADAM_POP 😀
The contestants are younger with a lot of raw talent this year but the lack of polish and training makes it harder for them to get out of their groove but could get better each week.
Remember in past years singers like Adam Lambert, he was 26 with 10yrs of vocal training and some professional polishing, so was at semi pro level to start with.
I would like to see them get out of their comfort zone a bit but is risky and much harder for 16-20yrs olds than older singers of the past.
Well said. Lowering the age to 15 has made it difficult to measure up to past contestants. David Cook and Adam Lambert had musical theater training before Idol. And Glee makes it seem that high school kids should be more polished.
I feel it's my duty to point out here that Glee's not a documentary.
Not the point. Kids watch Glee and think that high school kids are seasoned performers. They practice in front of their mirrors and think "I can do that" And that is a recipe for heartbreak.
But Glee isn't a revolutionary new format. It's not a million miles from High School Musical or even Fame.
Kids have, and will always, practice in front of their mirrors, and the more the better I say. If shows like Glee (and even more so A.I.) give false hope to thousands, then you can bet your proverbial American Idol dollar that otherwise dormant young talent is inspired to succeed. Saying Glee gives false expectations is a moot point. All fictional programmes create a fantasy of some kind. I watched Dr. Who as a child, but didn't go into phone boxes expecting to time-travel. (Not until I was 24, anyway)
As for the point about the age limit allowing for more difficult comparisons… it's only been lowered by one year! Irrespective of the age limits, the best available were still put through, so I don't see a problem with comparing the standards.
Im a great fan of Glee, Lea Michele, Chord Overstreet, Diana Agron , and Cory Monteith also Sue Sylvester and Mercedes, a former american idol hopeful but havent reached the top 24. Maybe stefano can join Glee in the future and it will be the best venue for a good looking guy like him…. aoot woot….
Casey, House of the Rising Sun!?? I don't think so. That's a fricken long song to taper down to a buck 40!
ITA. He might do better with "We've Gotta Get Outa This Place"
Gimme 2 verses!! I agree that HOTRS could be an immensely fun performance for Casey with opps for artistry. But ditto for Branden's other suggestion – Lola could be a huge crowd-pleaser too. I'd download either! Thumbs up on Patsy Cline for Haley; kd lang would work too. Elvis for Scotty is unsurprising but a good opp to do upbeat for him and channel his mannerisms (incl that i'm-so's-sexy look someone else mentioned which seriously skeezes me out). Also thumbs up on Son of Preacher Man for Lauren, extra points for age-appropriate. Jacob needs to do something where his drag-queen mannerisms don't work against him in this context (i.e. not romantic ballads!) – don't mean that as an insult, I guess I've seen too many drag shows for me not to see Jacob in sequins once he starts moving.
Jacob would shine if they had a Broadway show tunes theme week.
I really hope Haley doesn't pick Joplin. A lot of her songs are covers anyway, but there is only one Janis Joplin. I used to think Haley would do OK doing it, but I'm not sure she could pull it off. I still stand by my Etta James suggestion of At Last.
David P: I agree about Haley and Joplin. I'm afraid she'd try to sex it up. I almost think Lauren would do a better job with it if she sang it in a wistful and sweet manner. Even Paul [yikes, I cant believe I'm saying this] would do it better. After all it was written to be a guy singing about a girl.
I think that's where'd she go wrong. Janis was a lot of things, but sexy wasn't really one of them unless you were a drugged up hippy.
Disagree. I think Haley writes herself a ticket into the next round with a sexy, raspy, fearless version of "Bobby McGee."
Jacob, James and stefano are the ones i like best in this competition. They have great vocals.
I remember Siobhon Magnus doing that last year and totally blew it out of the ball park…she rocked the house…AND…please…no Adam songs for James. Adam is in a league of his own. James will win hands down without singing Adam. 🙂
I still remember her rendition of "Wicked Game" by Chris Isaak. I lover her. Wife hated her. Go figure.
Is it just me, or does anyone else think that Scotty looks exactly like the guy of the cover of Mad Magazine?? I just can't take him seriously, as that's all I can see is that goofy cartoon magazine face… LOL.. sorry!!!
I think he looks like George Bush, >_<
Lol!
He reminds me of both… but I don't hold that against him :/
Where have you been? That comparison was all over these boards a month ago, along with ones of Howdy Doodie and George W. Bush. In the end the consensus was that he looks a lot better than any of them. Try to keep up.
Sorry Sheriff Templar.
Will try to spend as much time on here as you do….
…hehe,Sheriff? 🙂
What a patronising attitude from Templar.
I'm on here quite a lot, and I hadn't seen that comparison before. There are hundreds of comments every day, so it's not the end of the World if someone misses a beat.
Patonizing? Pehaps. Rude? Definitely. For that I apologize. I've just grown very tired of posters on this thread and the ones on EWonline about Scotty looking like this or that roundhead [Charlie Brown, Neuman, Howdy Doodie, George W. etc. And about Jacob's facial expressions, and James tics due to his medical conditions. When I listen to music, I can't see any of that and cutting on the contestants in that way is petty and small.
Sorry, meant patronizing.
Actually if you knocked a tooth out of the kid he'd look more like Alfred E. Newman – the fictitious mascot of the old Mad Magazine. But c'mon. It's a SINGING contest – he can sing, and if he puts a cowboy hat on, the girls will all giggle and squeel with delight and dear Lord I pray I am not there to hear it all. Bah!
Lol…No wonder he looks so familiar!!
Just a thought…His mom must be a great fan of that cartoon & reading it frequently while carrying him…lol!
Scotty looks like young George Bush.. Agree. Ok, George Bush fans now vote Scotty..:)
No way…. I will vote for james, jacob and stefano.
Uhmm, Scotty? He is not in my list though. I go for jacob, james, stefano and paiul, i wish he wont get eliminated though. I think its lauren's time to be in the bottom. she is not really exciting to watch.
And what do you look like Seriously?? Seriously, what do you look like? The boy can't help what he looks like, but you can stop acting like an ass.
I wasn't acting like an ass, as you so eloquently put it.
I was simply stating that I can't get past the fact that he looks like a cartoon character, which is funny to me. His singing is fine.
This is Scotty's big chance to sing Elvis (but not Suspicious Minds) Love Me Tender or Are You Lonesome Tonite would be great! The ladies will fall to pieces!
Also, without all the gospel hype – Peace in the Valley.
James ti going to be great!
Scotty and James battling it out in the end!
I just hope he picks a better note to end on.
Every time he hits his really low voice the girls always fall to pieces! I Love Scotty Too. And you are absolutly right he sould sing that song!!
It's not the low note, low notes are fine if they fit the ending chord. That note he ended with on Wednesday was way off base.
He is growling like a lion lmao….
Heartbreak Hotel would be a great song for Scotty. Other songs I would like to see him sing from the king.
Return to Sender
Marie's the Name of his latest Flame
Angel
Jailhouse Rock
I was the one.
Teddy Bear
There are so many more, but that's a good start.
ITA Frank, but he has to pick a song that can be condensed into a minute and forty seconds. I think "Are You Lonesome Tonight" would suffer from being chopped up. "Evil" from King Creole would be good. Although James might do that one better.
I have no idea if this song is in the Rock 'n' Roll Hall of Fame, but I'd love to hear James Durbin sing "LOVE HURTS" by Nazareth!! So James, if you're listenin', DO THAT SONG! It would be great! A great rock ballad! And in case any of you have doubts about James' ability to "slow it down", check out a youtube vide of him singing "while my guitar gently weeps".. he's AWESOME. 🙂
The most karaoke version of that song I've ever heard in my life. I thought my brain was going to explode when he tried to hit that high note.
Is karaoke still around?
Has anyone thought of Scotty doing REO Speedwagon's "I Cant Fight This Feeling Anymore"? I really think he could change a lot of haters' minds with that song.
that would be nice, Zoot! as long as it's something out of his comfort zone for once.
Sounds like it would suit Stefano more.
I love Haley! She can sing anything and has a unique tone in her voice! She has it all! I LOve you Haley!
American Idol 2011 Top 9 Performance Poll Rankings
1. Scotty McCreery – 15% (down from 16% previous week)
2. Pia Toscano – 14% (no change previous week)
3. James Durbin – 14% (down from 14% previous week)
4. Haley Reinhart – 13% (up from 3% previous week)
5. Casey Abrams – 12% (up from 6% previous week)
6. Lauren Alaina – 8% (up from 4% previous week)
7. Jacob Lusk – 4% (down from 13% previous week)
8. Stefano Langone – 3% (no change from previous week)
9. Paul McDonald – 2% (down from 2% previous week)
Just keep on voting. i will give my votes to the Bottom 3, Paul, stefano and jacob. I love underdogs…. they are like sweet puppies. Mama Mia…..
Me too hahaha.
Haha, do that ppl! Stefano and Paul just happen to be 2 of my favorites…I can't see them leave :'(
Why would you do that Monster? Jacob doesn't belong here. Let him go sing Gospel, that is what he was born for. He is great for Gospel, but pathetic for an American Idol.
Jacob will continue to drop. He won't be around much longer.
I would love to hear Casey do Spill the Wine, by the Animals!
Branden – this is the first time I disagree with your post. Haley and the Janis thing, ahh no, don’t hear it either. Vast songs, yes very.. I honestly hope your incorrect, those are all predictable songs based on how they sound so far, I want to see them stretch and challenge themselves, but overall make this week, in particular fun and amazing!
Obviously song/band choices left off on purpose, Beatles, Elvis (another night?), Elton, Motown, and songs already preformed.
Jacob – Crazy by Gnarls Barkley
Newer song, would be interesting to me..
Scotty – Sweet Home Alabama by Lynyrd Skynyrd
Elvis and Johnny Cash is too obvious, he needs to save those for tougher weeks. I bet he would win even more fans with this, if done right, have fun with it country boy!
Pia – Barracuda by Heart
Come on Pia, no Tina, just belt this out!
James – More than a feeling by Boston
He could sing anything; this is such a vocally challenging song
Queen is too obvious, and again, save it for later rounds
Lauren – In your Eyes by Peter Gabriel
She could absolutely own this song!
Casey – Rock this Town by Stray Cats
Bring back the bass Casey! This would be so fun!
Paul – Wild Horses by The Rolling Stones
Sing it soft and solid, otherwise, Losing my religion by REM, in Paul-way
Agree with you, he’s in danger this week I think, the stronger voices out there.
Stefano – Purple rain by Price
Ok, Branden, you ask, you get, let see him belt this out!
Haley – I love Rock & Rock by Joan Jett
(No Janis, no no no… Belt this out rocker tune!)
@Branden: Can stefano sing Losing my Religion – REM, James… Enter the sandman and Jaconb sing Losing you? Thank you.
Stefano singing REM, he could pull that off, sure!
Agree with James doing Boston – that would be incredible…
Or Bad Company!
Please allow Scotty to sing Drive me Wild, by Sawyer Brown, I think her would really do well with this.
I guess he already "drove you wild" as you typed "he" into "her"…lol!
even though i'm a scotty fan, i do agree with some people up here that he needs to change it up a bit. i'd love for him to hit a higher note that what he's always doing. or else hold it longer.
First off I'd like to say that when I don't like one of the contestants, it doesn't mean that I don't like them personally. I don't know them personally, so I don't know what they are like personally. It simply means that I don't like their performances. For all I know the contestants even that ones that aren't that good are very nice people.
I know it doesn't fit with the theme this week but one song that I'd like to hear Pia sing is Superstar from the Carpenters.
Several people have commented on Scotty's "aren't I sexy" look, but I don't see it that way. To me, it's more like he's thinking "this is the most fun I've ever had" I agree with the person who said at some point he needs to sing some Jim Reeves. Not exactly current, but then neither is Motown.
YES JAMES SHOULD DO BACK IN BLACK.
And i definitely agree with the weight for paul.
But i think landslide by fleetwood mac has lauren written all over it
I would like to see James sing A Whiter Shade of Pale, or He Ain't Heavy, He's My Brother.
Best song for:
Lauren: Sweet Virginia (Rolling Stones), Mama Said (The Shirelles); Blue (Joni Mitchell); Walking in the Rain (The Ronettes)
Haley: I'd Rather Go Blind (Etta James); Wild Horses (Rolling Stones); There Goes My Baby (The Drifters); Down in Mexico (Coasters); The Man I Love (Billy Holiday); The Way You Wear Your Hat (Billie Holiday)
Paul: Stairway to Heaven (Led Zeppelin) Jack & Diane (John Mellencamp); Lola (The Kinks); With or Without You (U2); or Sugar Magnolia (Grateful Dead); Honky Tonk Women (The Rolling Stones)
Stefano: Dream Baby (Roy Orbison); I Should Have Known Better (The Beatles); Peggy Sue (Buddy Holly); The Sound of Silence (Simon& Garfunkle)
James: Pinball Wizard (The Who); House of the Rising Sun (The Animals); Layla (Eric Clapton); Keep on Rockin’ in the Free World (Neil Young); Hurts So Good, (John Mellencamp); Satisfaction (The Rolling Stones); Woodstock (Crosby Stills Nash & Young)
Pia: Back On The Chain Gang (The Pretenders); Chelsea Morning (Joni Mitchell); Heart of Glass, Blondie; Old Man (Neil Young); Like A Virgin (Madonna); Big Yellow Taxi (Joni Mitchell)
Scotty: Dream Baby (Roy Orbison); Hit The Road Jack (Ray Charles); Girl of the North Country (Johnny Cash); Don't Be Cruel (Elvis); Bye Bye Love (The Everly Brothers); You've Lost That Loving Feeling (The Righteous Brothers)
Casey: Please Don't Let Me Be Misunderstood (The Animals); Hey Hey My My (Neil Young); Pink Houses (John Mellencamp), Slip Sliding Away (Paul Simon); Judy Blue Eyes (Crosby Stills & Nash); Sharp-Dressed Man (ZZ Top)
Jacob: Crying (Roy Orbison); Tears In Heaven (Eric Clapton); People Get Ready (The Impressions); After the Goldrush (Neil Young); How Deep Is Your Love (Bee Gees); People Got To Be Free (The Rascals); Daydream (Lovin’ Spoonful)
Can they not sing songs of later years? these songs are oldies, i havent heard of them mostly aghhhhh…. i dont like them.
It's the rock n roll hall of fame, Monster. If you're expecting Justin Bieber and Bruno Mars they're not quite ready yet.
R.E.M. Metallica and U.2. are as young as the artists get.
Perhaps that wonderful song by R.E.M, Losing my religion or Everybody Hurts will be good for stefano, jacob could hit Losing you, cant recall the singer and James can sing Metallica's Enter the sandman or Nothing else matters.
Too bad Monster, those songs are legendary. Like it or not!
Don't like Scotty at all (simply about his style of music not him as a person) but I would love to hear him do "You've lost that loving feeling" although in the style of Long John Baldry. That would sway a lot of people who still aren't convinced yet…
You can't have Stefano sing a Roy Orbison song. That's sacrilegious. Orbison may have had the greatest voice of all time. Even Elvis said Orbison was the greatest vocalist he ever heard. I wouldn't put that pressure on Stefano.
OMG, stefano wouldnt sing that song, its not good for his vocal range and too sleepy songs, i will never like that song for him.
Jacob should sing "lovin' you"…gospel version….lol!
No, James should not do "Back in Black." Not everyone is a head banger.
Love Landslide for Lauren, though!!
Not crazy about "Barracuda," either–though I do like Heart. Besides, they are not in the RRHOF.
Is HP talking to himself?
Maybe, he put 3 entries in a row.
Ah, right.
i wish JAMES DURBIN will sing something soft,slow and mellow rock…as long as it comes to your HEART. Just DO IT james! I know you can MAKE IT!!!!keep cool & amazing…GOODLUCK boy!!!!!
James will probably do "My guitar gently weeps" and i hope Casey does Creep by Radiohead… Are these songs rock n roll hall of fame material? I don't know..Are they?
Oh, man, that would be fantastic. Casey singing Creep. Just so perfect.
Neither Creep nor Radiohead are in the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame.
I'm honestly nervous for my bis favourites: Stefano, Scotty and Paul. Well, maybe a wrong song wont ruin Scotty this time but still…how's he gonna sing Rock ans Roll? I'm pretty sure i'll like whatever Stefano and Paul sing but I just dunno what everyone else will think and if ppl will vote. Haley and Lauren (my other 2 favs) should be able to hit it right. I cant wait for tomorrow.
I dont like the idea either. Im worried for Paul, Jacob and stefano being listed at Bottom 3. If stefano will go, i wont finish watching AI…. im a sore Loser here.
@Erica/Liz: Stefano is in good hands this week with his dad being down in L.A. My gut tells me something that his dad presence gives Stefano the support he needs to make it through this week.
Have you ever seen Stefano's dad sing? Search for Ernie Langone on Youtube and you'll see his dad singing at a youth convention. In watching the video, you'll see where he gets his genes from and know why having his dad around to coach and support him will make him exceed.
You should be worried about Jacob, he is not going to be around much longer.
Thanks sir for the nice information about stefano's dad. I hope he will give him the full support needed since this is a crucial week. I love to see stefano land at the Final four….Hoping the best for him Ciao!!!
James should sing "Love Reign O'er Me" if he's going to sing Who songs. Casey should stay away from House of the Rising Sun because it's all about growling and scowling. Georgia is not a sad or angry song, and he nailed it. It's about feelings, not anger. He should take something we don't normally see as jazz/funk/blues and turn it his way. Paul just needs to get into his groove. He's a great singer, really unique. Something Tom Petty maybe. Breakdown? Maybe Simon and Garfunkle, I am a rock or Sounds of Silence? He can sing anything (based on his youtubes) but he seems kinda lost. Again, like Casey, it doesn't have to suit his voice. He just has to make it his. Remember David Cook singing Billie Jean?
I agree about not singing House of the Rising Sun. I don't like when he goes towards angry singing…I love him when it doesn't sound too "rawr".
lol
This is for Jacob, Paul, stefano and James my favorites:
You are a wonderful person,
with a smile bright enough
to light up anyone s day.
You are a wonderful person,
with a kind & caring heart,
and it shows in all you do and say.
You are a wonderful person,
that reaches out and touches lives,
in many thoughtful ways.
James fans – vote, vote vote please! As to the James haters, get a life. Everyone on the show is talented and you should examine your own motives for hating someone so talented and inspirational. For James fans, check out fantourage.com and search James Durbin – please!! Good stuff for you to know there I promise!
Comment deleted. No ALL-CAPS messages allowed. – Admin
precious, no one is going to take you seriously until you can create one sentence that is understandable.
Geez!
And release the caps lock.
thia is the most popular american idol here in singapore!!!..we love u thia….i anD my friends idolized u so much………………ur the reason why i watched AI….COZ UR THE 1 OF THE Best…
i think americanidolnet blogging was more interesting when thia and naima were still around. all the comments, rebuttals and funny exchange of arguments are really very interesting to read. comments reach to as many as 1,000 plus.. geez… after thia and naima were botted out, is this the best and longest blogging we've had to far 178?? where are the fanatics of other contestants??? where are you people???
what i menat in the 3rd to the last line was "when thia and naima was BOOTED out…"
Haley believe in you. You are great, your amazing voice go through to my heart everytime I hear you. "You´ve really got a hold on me" was beyond the best I felt tickles in all my body with your performance.
I would like to see you in the Top 2, you need to make a right choice song and nobody can beat you.
I felt you a little insecure in your top 13 and 12 performance but now you are bringing your style, confident and your tone voices on the game, you will be better every week, because you know you are on top. I believe in you. I can´t wait for your performance.
I really like a lot James and Lauren.
Good Luck for all.
Greetings from Cuba
When you read these comments it is clear that not many of you actually listen to these contestants. It is not about how they look, it is not about how nice they are – shut your eyes and listen to them sing. If you get goosebumps then that is the guide that something special is happening. Candle in the wind last week is the first time this series that this happened to me. Watch videos of Kelly Clarkson from the first series and you will "feel" what I mean…
When I read many of these posts it is clear to me that many posters live in other countries and many in the USA are borderline illiterates.
LOL! Couldn't agree more, Arco.
Brian, that was funny!! Er, I'm female, not male! (And yes, responding too late to some things that I'd read.
Monster, if you go to YouTube, you can listen to the songs . . . and THEN decide if you like them or not. You know, many of the seemingly new songs are really just covers of old songs–or they are tweaked versions. (Remember "Somewhere Over the Rainbow," that OLD Judy Garland standard? Ray Charles recorded it. And Eric Clapton did a bluesy version of it. The late Israel "IZ" KamakawiwoÊ»ole recorded it and blended it with "What A Wonderful World" (by Louis Armstrong) , and it was all brand new again. Jason Castro has a recording of it (pretty much a cover of "IZ's" version), too.
That's just one example!
I prefer the Cliff Richard version of "Somewhere Over the Rainbow"…an up-tempo one & current!
Seems to me Cliff did a fairly nice job, but nothing like Izzy's. His gentleness and smile came through on the recording so clearly . . .
Izzy's was hauntingly beautiful!
Listen to Eva Cassidy sing that song. Or her version of "Fields of Gold". Your eyes fill up with water – every single time. Too bad she's not with us anymore. RIP Eva…
Wow, Northern Guy! Eva Cassidy is the real thing. I read she died of melanoma in 1966. What a loss! She had a beautiful voice and did a beautiful version of the standard. I'm going to listen to her "Fields of Gold" next.
Oops. Eva Cassidy died in 1996, not 1966. Sorry, Eva. <3
And her "Fields of Gold" is, indeed, touching.
and katherine mcphee did one of the sweetest versions of it ever, and it should have won idol for her, and didn't. stupid voters that year. i mean taylor hicks?? really?
Just listened to KMcFee's standard version (very sweet– and strong!) and the version sung by Leona Lewis (on Simon Fuller's 2006 X Factor show)–and that was beautiful, too.
I think they have an amazing cast of talent this year. They were a little hard on Pia last night – I thought she delivered the total package – performance included. What a voice.
Oh! BrYan, sorry!!
Oh, and James would do "Baba O'Riley" superbly. Good suggestion!!
i need thia solo in final set, she is good vocal performer…
I agree. Baba O'Riley by James would bring the roof down. Awesome suggestion!
Wow, Atticus, hate to admit it, but I just heard "Reign O'er Me" by The Who for the first time. It is simply amazing! Thank you for listing it! Not sure the timeframe would allow James to do it justice, but it is one hell of a song. Freaking powerful. The Who really was at the top of the creative landscape.
my top 5
…scotty…
…pia..
…casey…
…james…
…stefano..hehe..i love him now…dont worrry…
the rest are ok now…BUT PLS..IF U DONT LIKE OTHER CONTESTANT..PLS DO RESPECT!!!.COZ I AM RESPECFUL TODAY!… and forever… and ever amen…
So what! Nobody is asking for your senseless opinions. Keep on attacking us stefano fans and we will counter you too. Just be civil and we will respect you but never malign or bash stefano. That's the BOTTOMLINE!
Use spell/check my dear. I am glad stefano is getting popular here. Goodluck to him also. Stefano will go places….:)
I just read that Donovan was nominated to be inducted into the RRHOF this year. I looked because I was surprised he was not listed, and I was listening to "Sunshine Superman," a wonderful song he recorded in the 60s that I think would be great for Paul . . . has his flavor.
Really hope during the Rock N Roll Theme result show on Thursday night both James and Stefano will do a duet of Bruce Springsteen's Dancing In The Dark….Praying really hard both Stefano and James will make it through tonite. They are the real Gems in stage performance.
I thought you were crazy in suggesting that song by Springsteen, but I just watched the video, and I found I had forgotten the strength of it. Great suggestion!!!
My Song Choice for them
Pia Toscano- River deep mountain high(Tina Turner)
Scotty McCreery- Love me tender(Elvis Presley)
James Durbin- Dream On(Aerosmith)
Casey Abrams- Vienna(Billy Joel)
Lauren Alaina- With or without you(U2)
Haley Reinhart- A Change is Gonna Come(Sam Cooke)
Stefano Langone- Wild horses(Rolling Stones)
Jacob Lusk- Who Wants To Live Forever(Queens)
Paul McDonald- Have You Ever Seen The Rain(Rob Stewart)
Steven Tyler said early on it would be a mistake for anyone to sing Aerosmith songs, so James should hold off, even if he and Steven will sing together later on.
'have you ever seen the rain' is a genius idea for paul!!! agree agree agree!.. now that thia's gone, im rooting for paul!
Wow, that song IS Paul!!! But I think it would be a big mistake for him to lean on his "twinity" with Rod Stewart to win this thing.
For Brenden's original song choices, Kiss is not in the R&R hall of fame, so that isn't an option. I agree as others have said. I would imagine producers and Steven Tyler all feel that no Aerosmith songs should be performed, as it's a conflict of interest for the judges, and puts the contestant in a no-win situation. Lastly, I would highly doubt Prince would allow his songs to be covered on Idol, as so many other big name artists don't allow it either. Prince is particularly careful.
OK… 1. Scotty is a BIG elvis fan. 2. Elvis has huge fan base. 3. Scotty does not have Elvis' range, so he needs to choose an Elvis hit that shows off Scotty's great low range… 4. Scotty should sing "Teddy Bear". The breaks in the lyrics and music just after "i wanna be… your….Teddy Bear… are perfect for Scotty's voice and style.
Bottom line, he automatically assumes the "Elvis aura" with one of Elvis' all time hits, it is a great song, and Scotty could melt hearts with the low's on the "Teddy Bear" lyric. Like Jimmy Lovine said… 'he might be a one trick pony, but it's the best trick i have ever seen in a 17-year old"….
The top three are neck and neck with Haley and Casey right on their heels. Lauren (surprisingly, for me anyways) is the one who separates the top 5 from the bottom 3. I think Paul should be the next to go (my opinion) and Jacob after him. But if Jacob could "emote" more sensibly, he could easily pass Stefano by. Jacob needs a fun, classic song like "My Girl" by the The Temptations or something less intense like "Dock of the Bay" by Otis Redding. (Both artists inducted into the R&R Hall of Fame in 1989.)Dock of the Bay has that point in the song where it really picks up: "Looks like nothing's gonna change" which could be the very JACOB moment Randy was talking about. Soft and sweet and then power up for the big Jacob moment – not 1000% super-emotive Jacob the whole time. It's just too much.
But look at Casey (up 6%) and Haley (up 10%). These two are the ones to watch. They are on an upswing, confident, and if they pick the right songs, they could upset the top three. The top three are great, but they are getting predictable despite their talent. My favorite performance was where Casey did "Your Song" with 100% soul and emotional connection. He's not a Pia, but he's got this combination of 'humble and real' that just make you want to root for him. It's an underdog thing.
Tonight is going to be exciting to watch!!
Cheers,
Northern Guy
my opinion of the top nine from best to worst:
pia: has the voice to win and should use it
james: very talented, heartwarming story
haley: guys want her, girls want to be her
casey: sneaky good like kris allen and lee dewyze
lauren: talented and cute but ditzy
scotty: doesn't do enough to win
stefano: not consistent enough week to week
jacob: solid voice, but style not a fit to win here
paul: most limited singer and next to go
i see pia, james, and casey as the ones to beat, with haley surging and lauren getting the country fans over scotty.
Kelli: Your list is neat because it's essentially the same as the current standings but with Scotty moved from top three down to Lauren's 6th place spot. I agree that Haley and Casey have the potential to upset the top three. I'm not a huge country fan either, but Scotty has shown just how popular country music was, is today and always will be. And honestly, he could be the next country star borne of AI. The thing that gets me going is that the top 5 each have between 12% and 15% of the votes. That's not a big spread – an upset could happen in a heartbeat. This does add to the excitement factor, for sure! Of the 9 remaining, the top 5 are neck and neck! WOW!
Cheers,
Northern Guy
northern guy, do you think that is because there are no stand out stars in this years group? do you think this years class is strong, weak, or middle of the road? i'm not terribly impressed with any of them, maybe pia and james.
Kelli:
As the judges say, this is a singing contest. And if that is so, then Pia has ALREADY won in my mind. Nobody is even close to her level of vocal power, control, tone and I think Tyler said it… "The notes you chose for that song". She has this incredible instrument of a voice, but she also knows how to play that instrument. What she does with songs is slay them, make them her own, but they remain 100% professional 100% of the time. Nobody else can really do that this year. Few did it on ANY year. If she can stay consistent and mix it up a little bit, I think she'll be hard to beat. But that's just one guy's opinion. Personally, I just like her. To me, she *is* the American Idol – whether she gets the most votes or not. She was born to sing.
I love them all but i have to say my fav is scotty. Hes amazing got a great voice but there all wonderful singers an i wish them all the best
I would love to hear james sing something like a ballad to show us what his voice range really is. would like to hear Pia sing something more upbeat. (swap positions…u2
I think these guys should all be winners, each in his style but all are wonderful, it's a shame to dismiss any of them really are all stars, I congratulate the judges for selecting the good work they have done.
excuse my English, I'm from Venezuela and only speak Spanish
hey scotty will you sing your man by josh tuner
hey scotty will you sing your man by josh turner
love u
Another "GREAT" female singe gone the way of Jennifer Hudson ! Pia Tuscano was the BEST that Idol offered this year and I pray she goes the path of another great female singer that departed way to early and both should have won it all ! I am speaking of course of Jennifer Hudson ! A jealous American women voting scam has cost these women the ultimate prize , but they will be the winners in the end. They only wish that they had the looks and talent of Tuscano and Hudson . Idol HAS TO COME UP WITH A SYSTEM THAT DOES NOT LEAVE THE DREAMS OF THESE TALENTED WOMEN UP TO A JEALOUS FEMALE AMERICA ! They deserve better and I know that PIA TUSCANO does not need IDOL to fulfill her dreams ! Yours Truly , Gary Territo P.S I am boycotting the rest of the season , till things change ….TELL THAT TO YOUR SPONSORS " IDOL "
I don't like the way the judges reactions were directed at Stephano not being eliminated. He deserves to bw still standing…..I was expecting "skipping Paul" to go home, but Pia works…give credit where credit is due…Stephano is an awesome singer and should have never been in the bottom three to begin with…duh…
After tonight's show (04.07.11)I simple will not watch it again. That's all I have to say about that.
My opinion isn't important, but the appropriate action is.
Good riddence, Pia. BORING!!! She reminded of a 45 yr. old that still looks good. Let's have some fun and truly be entertained with the ones left. Pia was not current.