RESULTS AND RATINGS: I'm in Champaign, Illinois for Roger Ebert's film festival, so I didn't get to watch Idol Gives Back. But as I predicted, Tim Urban finally went home. And you know, voters aren't so wacky. He stayed on the last few weeks because he gave pretty good performances, despite his vocal limitations. This week he was bad and he went home. Aaron Kelly and Casey James were both in the bottom three, with Casey probably wondering why his much more confident and rock star-ish persona isn't connecting with fans the way Lee Dewyze's sad sack mumbling does. I'm surprised by Aaron, even though he's been in the bottom three before. But those who commented below picked him as vulnerable.
But the big news for me as a TV buff was the fact that Idol has beaten back a threat from Dancing With The Stars. Briefly, with Kate Gosselin on DWTS, that show was beating Idol. This meant Idol's chance to make TV history and become the first show to ever rank #1 for six different seasons was in jeopardy. (Plus, Idol will be #1 for six seasons in a row!) But last week Idol beat DWTS and did it again this week. On Monday, DWTS scored 18.93 million viewers. But on Tuesday, Idol scored 19.14 million (down about 20% from last season, mind you). The DWTS results show scored 13.45 million while Idol's results show reached 18.4 million. More importantly, ratings magnet Kate was eliminated on DWTS. Idol has beaten the show two weeks in a row and is heading towards the finale so it should triumph again. And anyone who thinks reality shows are rigged is crazy: the producers would have LOVED Kate to stay on that show.
PERFORMANCE SHOW COVERAGE: American Idol gives back and Alicia Keys was the mentor. She generously showed what a good mentor Adam Lambert was by saying little more than that the singers should try to connect to the lyrics.
CASEY JAMES -- Sang "Don't Stop" by Fleetwood Mac's Christine McVie (please, record with them, Christine; you don't have to go on tour!). [Thanks to reader dunedin for pointing out my error in crediting the song to Lindsey Buckingham.] James had some stinging guitar, which echoed note for note the original. Perfectly good cover but not special, which is what all the judges said. Simon pointed out it's not particularly tied into the theme of giving back (unless of course you're Bill Clinton). Did Lindsey loan Casey his guitar or was it donated for charity? I can't even imagine him watching the show. (Though I am delighted that super cool Tracey Thorn of Everything But The Girl is goofily devoted to Cowell's UK show The X Factor.)
LEE DEWYZE -- Sang Simon & Garfunkel's "The Boxer," which is a wonderful Paul Simon tune that's just on the edge of dated, but in an endearing, earnest, collegiate Sixties sort of way. It was no surprise he skipped the line about visiting the whores on Seventh Ave (a shame, since I grew up on Seventh Ave in Pompano Beach, Florida and my sisters and I always jokngly cheered at that part). Better than James, but it was a bit draggy (like the song, to be fair), though the judges raved.
TIM URBAN -- Sang "Better Days" by the Goo Goo Dolls. Finally, the wheels come off for cute as a button Tim. Painfully bad vocals but he's ready for the CW pilot season, isn't he?
AARON KELLY -- Sang "I Believe I Can Fly" by R. Kelly. Way too familiar a choice for a song overdone on the show. And yet in a complete reversal of Tim, Aaron got back on track and gave a very good performance after weeks of seeming lost -- and the country twang made the song actually sound fresh. Just in time to put him back in contention for the finale.
SIOBHAN MAGNUS -- Sang "When You Believe," a duet between Mariah Carey and Whitney Houston from the animated film The Prince of Egypt. It won the Oscar for Best Song, but like the film is thoroughly forgettable even as you're listening to it. Still, Siobhan hit a few notes in the way Idol viewers enjoy which might be enough to keep her from the bottom. Her post-song chat didn't help. When you don't seem to be having fun, people don't have fun watching you.
MICHAEL LYNCHE -- Sang the Nickelback tune "Hero," which I don't know in the least so I have nothing to compare it to. (I'm traveling so I wasn't able to buy it and download it to hear the original.) Kind of anonymous but had some energy.
CRYSTAL BOWERSOX -- Sang "People Get Ready," by the Impressions and covered by just about everyone else since. Thank the Lord! After weeks of coasting, Crystal used no instrument, sang a cappella to start, looked supremely confident and knocked it out of the park. And then oh my god overwhelmed by emotion she broke down to show a little humanity! Perfect timing and no one else is even close. No idea what Simon said because my recording cut off but I'm sure he raved.
The bottom three: Casey james, Tim Urban and Siobhan Magnus, with Tim and Siobhan in the bottom two and Tim going home. What do you think?
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I cannot wait till she goes home. She's simply dreadful.
I thought, for instance, that some of the contestants were better a few weeks ago than Usher and Ruben and Who Diddy Dis Time?
And what would they say about Taylor Swift or Justine Bieber? (And yes, I put the "e" on there on purpose.) Kara probably would have said Christina and Madonna just don't know who they are. Or imagine Bob Dylan on Idol when he was 19. (or now)
http://bit.ly/chVsoe
Looks like Crystal tears were crocodile too http://bit.ly/dgLZ7h
Crystal is also a great songwriter. Check some of her original music on YouTube - Farmer's Daughter, Mama, Holy Toledo, Hellbent. This isn't bubblegum music. I just hope 19 Entertainment doesn't try to fit her into the pop music box. Wouldn't that be ironic after all the judges' comments about how she knows herself, is true to herself.
See if you think Farmer's Daughter and Mama may be auto-biographical. If they are, this could account for her reserved demeanor and aura of sadness.
Here's an article from the Toledo Blade with a lot of background information about Crystal.
http://www.toledoblade.com/article/20100321/ART10/3210307/-1/RSS05
Last night my absolute favorite was Jeff Beck and Joss Stone - like I said, this is my kind of music. Check their version of People Get Ready - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=P7ECdYboOVA
And of course, there's always the Beck/Rod Stewart version from 1985.
As I said below, check out Eva Cassidy's version of People Get Ready:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WeU9MZc0dGw&feature=related
Or Eva's incredible version of Somewhere Over the Rainbow:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ce-5OWBNGNw
Such a shame she died so young but it's a testament to how great she was that people are still discovering her and buying her music.
I think I'll be listening to some Eva Cassidy today.
I don't mean that I don't like her song choices, or that she doesn't connect, etc, I mean her voice bothers me.
She sings in her nose, and screeches at the end.
How is that a good voice?
As far as Crystal, I think she is fun to watch and listen to. She is comfortable performing, sounds good, and is cute. I own all of Raitt's albums, though, so that makes sense.
Agree with you Michael, Buckingham is an amazing fingerstyle guitarist. Just awesome. Casey did do a great cover but it was in no way original or special. I think LB has to sign off on the song so in that sense he gave his approval for it to be sung. Unlike many artists who refuse to let Idol sing their music (i.e. Madonna --- who allowed it for Glee -- but there you go).
As much as I appreciate Crystal I feel no connection to her as I have done in the past.
Carrie Underwood is just amazing. For me she was the biggest star there on Idol Gives Back.
Blige singing Stairway was blasphemous. Its not artistry its like urinating on the American flag of rock fantasy. She sang it like it had more than a single note message which it doesnt. The beauty of that song isnt the message, its the unexplainable. The fantasy of fable rock anthems and she presupposed to capsulize the lyric and song with a gospel like soul rendition. Led Zepplin and gosbel are about as far apart as fire and ice. I almost vomited. It came up in my mouth. The same way it did when Taylor Swift sang her trite superficial song with Stevie Nicks.
Crystal cried at seeing her father in the audience and the song meant something to her personally and you said you didnt feel a connection ?..............what are you a robot.
...and Mary sung it to perfection...
...truth hurts...
I do not need to see or hear any of the others again. it is what it is.
Siobhan should be really big on broadway.
Lee is a close second but his stage presence and lack of performance will lock him into 2nd place. Either way I'd buy his music and pay to see him on stage.
Sioban is a dark horse imo. She CAN be the next "new" talent to hit the industry, like Pink or Alanis did it but with some work she could be the next Cindy Lauper meets Celine Dione.
Aaron will be a huge singing star but not for several years and probably on the CMA circuit.
Casey will be a star but whether or not he's going to "new" to rock will be up to him.
Mike has a narrow R&B sound and he'll be good at Gospel but he's not going to win Idol.
Tim - he knows he's lucky to be there and he's making the best of it with what he has to market. I wish him well and I look for his songs to hit the radio.
I'm pissed about my favorite being cut, Lilly. She was on fire. I'd buy tickets to see her live anytime.
If Crystal gets booted before the end, I'm done. I'll never watch Idol again.
I'm still pissed they let MJ Blige sing Led Zeps Stairway to Heaven with a soul styling. BLASPHEMY!!! HO !!
...are you just mad because and RnB singer covered a rock song...
...give credit where credit is due and deal with it...HO!!!
Defying Gravity, In the Arms of the Angels, I Don't Want to Be, To Where You Are as sung by Josh Grobin,Joyful Joyful, the Pretender's Hymn to Her, Idina Menzel's I Stand, Dusty Springfield's Born That Way. .. the list goes on. Can you add more?
Why are they so down on Siobhan. She is great. I thought the arrangement was too shortened however. If she sang the full version of the song, it would have been better.
And Siobhan was my #1 early on, but she has gone off the rails. Her style has become SO mannered with unnatural vibrato, her delivery completely uninspiring. I don't think taking a rocker-chick and forcing her to sing this kind of drivel is helping at all. I wasn't the biggest Lambert fan, but at least he knew who he is as an artist, as does Crystal. Siobhan doesn't have a clue.
Never has a group of songs been less inspirational. Why don't they have a "Be You" week where they can sing whatever they want, just like Hollywood week. That would give you a lot better reflection of what their records would sound like rather than making them sings genres they don't like, or sappy theme nights like "Inspirational".
Although watching Big Mike ignore 5 million inspirational R&B tunes, only to perform a goofy song from "Spiderman", and then defend it by saying it's about heroes, was almost worth the laugh.
My favorite song and the one that brought her to my attention was the Chris Isaak son she sang early on. Even though she was fabulous, Simon didn't get that one either.
Big Mike doesn't have the range or tone of a truly great R and B singer. I like Casey, and he will be a remembered Idol. I think the final three will be Siobhan, Crystal and Casey.
i do not understand why Sioban is being pan by the judges. she is still the best singer on the show.
Casey and Lee are are the same musical type, but the judges never criticizes Lee for standing and playing his guitar like they do Casey. Casey is being held back by the format of the show. i get the impression that he wants to let loss on his guitar, play a long solo, and jump around the stage.
Lee butchered the lyrics for "the Boxer" and i did not really cared for it. I hope tim urban goes home tonight, because voice was not in tune.
That's probably why I tape the show and fast forward thru EVERYTHING except the singing..everything. I don't want to see Ellen with the deer in the headlights look, I don't want to hear Whatserface say 'you owned it' and don't even get me started on Simon who says, 'I'm not being rude' when he means he doesn't MEAN to be rude, but...he's rude. And Ryan..please...enough with the dramatic crap, and the posing in a different place in the audience every 14 seconds. JUst stand up there and be an emcee, the show isn't about you.
I think Idol jumped the proverbial shark for me two seasons ago and I still haven't gotten off it altogether. But I'm getting there!
Mr. Lynche will be going ho9me tonight.
As far as Crystal is concerned I was wrong. This woman is good.
I still got my eye on Casey to win the whole thing.