American Idol Recap - Top 10 - The Year They Were Born
Upon hearing the “theme” I knew there was going to be a lot of 80s music – not my best music decade – and sure enough, there were a bunch of songs I had never heard (or don’t remember hearing – no not because of *that*!). Anyway, let’s get this going…
Ramiele – 1987 – Alone – A fantastic song by Heart; Ramiele is no Ann Wilson, by a long shot!; Ramiele’s outfit was atrocious; she pretty much screeched her way through the song; I thought it was awful; she said her voice had gone “bye bye” (what is up with the baby talk?), well, *she’s the one that needs to go “bye bye”. Score – 3
Jason – 1987 – Fragile – Happy Birthday Jason! Love, love, love this boy; he is so damned pretty!; I don’t know the song but it's beautiful and when he started singing in Spanish – awesome!; his voice has been better, but it was still good; he is *really* laid back and I think that makes Simon crazy; I think he gives off an “herbally enhanced” vibe, which is fine – it’s a style which worked for the Grateful Dead and a plethora of 70s bands. Score – 8
Syesha – 1987 – If I Were Your Woman – Another song I had never heard; she looked beautiful and vocally my home girl is *back*; she hit the highs and lows really well; she sold the song; I like her again. Score – 7
Chikezie – 1985 – If Only For One Night – Even if he doesn’t win the competition (and he won’t) he should win for “Cutest Parents Ever” – was it not adorable how the mom was praising his singing and the dad was all “go to school and learn a career” – loved them!; OK, now to the performance, this was yet another song I didn’t know; his voice as always was beautiful, but he’s still a bit boring; soulful ballads are definitely his genre, but I guess he doesn’t have that sexual vibe that Marvin Gaye, Barry White, etc. emit; I don’t think it’ll fly, we already have a Ruben Studdard – it’s been done. Score – 6
Brooke – 1983 – Every Breath You Take - OK, fine I’ll admit it, I was wrong about her – yes, it’s official I like her; she is really brave and gives songs a subtle yet provocative Brooke spin that really works; she looked beautiful; of course the song is amazing to begin with but she really worked it; shock and awe: she’s becoming one of my favorites! Score – 8
Michael – 1978 – We Will Rock You/We Are The Champions – This could have been a train wreck, but it worked; the man can sing Queen - wisely without trying to imitate Freddy Mercury; he looked like a rock star; his voice was strong and he looked comfortable; he did however make me notice the band more than I noticed him which is probably not good; he’s still a bit boring, but I think it’s one of the few – if not the only – performance of his that I’ve liked. Score – 7
Carly – 1983 – Total Eclipse of the Heart – I love this song cheesy as it may be; I think it’s a phenomenal song for a woman and I think Carly *rocked*; she changed the words but the judges didn’t seem to notice; I loved her voice and the nuances and her performance; perfect song for her. Score – 8
David Archuleta – 1990 – You’re the Voice – Never heard this song but it had an “Up With People” feel to it that creeped me out; I don’t think his voice – which I readily admit is usually excellent – was *all that* this time. Simon’s comment about a it being like a performance in a “theme park surrounded by animated creatures” was spot on. Score – 4
Kristy – 1984 – God Bless the USA – I really don’t want to offend anyone, but excuse me while I gag (again); flashes of the 1984 Republican Convention and Ronald Reagan barraged my brain; I’m sorry but it just seems too coincidental this song was played on the FOX network the week it was announced that we had hit the 4000 US dead in Iraq (and before you ask, yes, I am wearing my lovely tin-foil chapeau thankyouverymuch); I found it to be offensively pandering; then to have all the judges falling over themselves about the song choice and having Simon actually say *Lee Greenwood* is a brilliant song writer when he gave us drivel like “I’m proud to be an American where at least I know I’m free” – “at least I know I’m free”, what *is* that? It sounds like a fourth grade essay on being patriotic; I don’t even care if she sang it well or not because I was pretty much bitching throughout the entire song. I felt manipulated. Score – 3 (I’m not giving it a 1 because they didn’t unfurl a flag, send an eagle soaring across the stage and have Kristy twirl sparkler batons marching in place as she sang).
David Cook – 1982 – Billie Jean – After the one-two punch that was Archuleta and Kristy, thank the musical gods for David Cook! He was awesome! IMO, the performance of the night! When I heard the song choice, I was worried, but this guy has guts and the chops to back them up – loved it! Score - 10
Wishes and Predictions:
Who do I want to see leave? Kristy – like Archuleta she annoys me, but this week she annoyed me more.
Who do I think is going to leave? Ramiele
So, what do you think?
Ramiele – 1987 – Alone – A fantastic song by Heart; Ramiele is no Ann Wilson, by a long shot!; Ramiele’s outfit was atrocious; she pretty much screeched her way through the song; I thought it was awful; she said her voice had gone “bye bye” (what is up with the baby talk?), well, *she’s the one that needs to go “bye bye”. Score – 3
Jason – 1987 – Fragile – Happy Birthday Jason! Love, love, love this boy; he is so damned pretty!; I don’t know the song but it's beautiful and when he started singing in Spanish – awesome!; his voice has been better, but it was still good; he is *really* laid back and I think that makes Simon crazy; I think he gives off an “herbally enhanced” vibe, which is fine – it’s a style which worked for the Grateful Dead and a plethora of 70s bands. Score – 8
Syesha – 1987 – If I Were Your Woman – Another song I had never heard; she looked beautiful and vocally my home girl is *back*; she hit the highs and lows really well; she sold the song; I like her again. Score – 7
Chikezie – 1985 – If Only For One Night – Even if he doesn’t win the competition (and he won’t) he should win for “Cutest Parents Ever” – was it not adorable how the mom was praising his singing and the dad was all “go to school and learn a career” – loved them!; OK, now to the performance, this was yet another song I didn’t know; his voice as always was beautiful, but he’s still a bit boring; soulful ballads are definitely his genre, but I guess he doesn’t have that sexual vibe that Marvin Gaye, Barry White, etc. emit; I don’t think it’ll fly, we already have a Ruben Studdard – it’s been done. Score – 6
Brooke – 1983 – Every Breath You Take - OK, fine I’ll admit it, I was wrong about her – yes, it’s official I like her; she is really brave and gives songs a subtle yet provocative Brooke spin that really works; she looked beautiful; of course the song is amazing to begin with but she really worked it; shock and awe: she’s becoming one of my favorites! Score – 8
Michael – 1978 – We Will Rock You/We Are The Champions – This could have been a train wreck, but it worked; the man can sing Queen - wisely without trying to imitate Freddy Mercury; he looked like a rock star; his voice was strong and he looked comfortable; he did however make me notice the band more than I noticed him which is probably not good; he’s still a bit boring, but I think it’s one of the few – if not the only – performance of his that I’ve liked. Score – 7
Carly – 1983 – Total Eclipse of the Heart – I love this song cheesy as it may be; I think it’s a phenomenal song for a woman and I think Carly *rocked*; she changed the words but the judges didn’t seem to notice; I loved her voice and the nuances and her performance; perfect song for her. Score – 8
David Archuleta – 1990 – You’re the Voice – Never heard this song but it had an “Up With People” feel to it that creeped me out; I don’t think his voice – which I readily admit is usually excellent – was *all that* this time. Simon’s comment about a it being like a performance in a “theme park surrounded by animated creatures” was spot on. Score – 4
Kristy – 1984 – God Bless the USA – I really don’t want to offend anyone, but excuse me while I gag (again); flashes of the 1984 Republican Convention and Ronald Reagan barraged my brain; I’m sorry but it just seems too coincidental this song was played on the FOX network the week it was announced that we had hit the 4000 US dead in Iraq (and before you ask, yes, I am wearing my lovely tin-foil chapeau thankyouverymuch); I found it to be offensively pandering; then to have all the judges falling over themselves about the song choice and having Simon actually say *Lee Greenwood* is a brilliant song writer when he gave us drivel like “I’m proud to be an American where at least I know I’m free” – “at least I know I’m free”, what *is* that? It sounds like a fourth grade essay on being patriotic; I don’t even care if she sang it well or not because I was pretty much bitching throughout the entire song. I felt manipulated. Score – 3 (I’m not giving it a 1 because they didn’t unfurl a flag, send an eagle soaring across the stage and have Kristy twirl sparkler batons marching in place as she sang).
David Cook – 1982 – Billie Jean – After the one-two punch that was Archuleta and Kristy, thank the musical gods for David Cook! He was awesome! IMO, the performance of the night! When I heard the song choice, I was worried, but this guy has guts and the chops to back them up – loved it! Score - 10
Wishes and Predictions:
Who do I want to see leave? Kristy – like Archuleta she annoys me, but this week she annoyed me more.
Who do I think is going to leave? Ramiele
So, what do you think?
Labels: American Idol
posted by Hilda @ 10:21 AM
3 Comments:
So, once again I agree with you on most counts, even that Ramiele might be going home tonight (even though I would be thrilled if it were Chikezie or Kristy).
The area where I do not agree is with Jason Castro. I am completely over this guy! At the beginning I thought he was good, and he is good, but he has gotten so predictable and boring. He really needs to pick it up next week!
Outside of that, I also semi-agree with your critique of Kristy. I think she picked that song solely on the the idea that "you can't vote off someone who sings a sappy patriotic song that sounds like a 7 year old wrote it" and it was smart of her, but very sly and manipulative.
Anyways, I am totally rooting for Brooke and David Cook! They would make a great final 2!
I never sit though this entire show but I had the extreme good luck to be surfin' by and catch David Cook. He was awesome.
And I've actually blogged on the topic of how much I hate that Lee Greenwood song. But he DID write "Hopelessly Yours" which is one of my all-time-favorite pathetically said country waltzes.
I thought David Cook was the best of the night!
I was a little disappointed to hear that the "version" of the song was already done that way by Chris Cornell of Soundgarden, but I still think David was the best.
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