Next week’s theme has been confirmed. The Top 10 Idols will perform songs from the year they were born. I believe this was the theme they were working on last week before TPTB decided that America needed MORE Beatles, dang it. And it turned out we really didn’t!
Season 2’s Kimberley Locke will be the music guest for the Top 10 Results show.
Also, Ellen DeGeneres will once again co-host Idol Gives Back with Ryan Seacrest when the show airs during Top 8 week on April 9. Musical guests include, Maroon 5, Heart, Gloria Estefan, Boyz II Men, The Clark Brothers, Carrie Underwood, Daughtry, John Legend and Snoop Dogg. Bono, Brad Pitt, Reese Witherspoon and Eli Manning will also appear.
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Michael’s the oldest so will be picking from 1978 or 9. You can see the hits of 1978 here. http://www.musicoutfitters.com/topsongs/1978.htm I hope he avoids the BeeGees, lol. It looks like you can get other years there so can search out songs for your favorite.
I’m okay with this theme although wish they could do something current for a change.
Here’s the list of birth years:
Brooke White (1983)
David Archuleta (1990)
Carly Smithson (1983)
David Cook (1982)
Ramiele Malubay (1987)
Chikezie (1985)
Syesha Mercado (1987)
Jason Castro (1987)
Kristy Lee Cook (1984)
Michael Johns (1978)
Poor David Archuleta:
Top 100 Hits of 1990/Top 100 Songs of 1990
1. Hold On, Wilson Phillips
2. It Must Have Been Love, Roxette
3. Nothing Compares 2 U, Sinead O’Connor
4. Poison, Bell Biv Devoe
5. Vogue, Madonna
6. Vision Of Love, Mariah Carey
7. Another Day In Paradise, Phil Collins
8. Hold On, En Vogue
9. Cradle Of Love, Billy Idol
10. Blaze Of Glory, Jon Bon Jovi
11. Do Me!, Bell Biv Devoe
12. How Am I Supposed To Live Without You, Michael Bolton
13. Pump Up The Jam, Technotronic
14. Opposites Attract, Paula Abdul
15. Escapade, Janet Jackson
16. All I Wanna Do Is Make Love To You, Heart
17. Close To You, Maxi Priest
18. Black Velvet, Alannah Myles
19. Release Me, Wilson Phillips
20. Don’t Know Much, Linda Ronstadt and Aaron Neville
Hmm… I’d enjoy “How Am I Supposed To Live Without You” by Michael Bolton
Poor Awwwwchuletta? Tons of good ballads for him. Don’t Know Much and maybe even Michael Bolton. I guess Nothing Compares 2 U might be off his list, but would be a good song choice.
Although Vogue or Cradle of Love would be way more amusing.
I don’t think his voice has the power for Blaze of Glory, otherwise I’d add that one too.
eta: Now that I think about it, this could be very interesting this week. Awwwchuletta’s voice might be very limiting. Don’t know if he could handle something with a lot of rhythm or a grittier sound.
interesting theme
“Don’t Dream It’s Over” could work for Jason.
I just had this wierd vision of David Archuleta gasping for breath while trying to sing “Pump Up the Jam”. Now that would guarantee my vote for the little sucker.
For Archuleta how about…
Whip Appeal / Babyface
Have You Seen Her / MCHammer 48
Black Velevet
or…so much more fun(ny)would be Love Shack 78.
How about 85. Nothing’s Gonna Change My Love For You, Glenn Medeiros for Jason?
Would that be a good choice for him?
Please let David A. sing “Opposites Attract” !
ETA: I’m not a big Bon Jovi fan, despite my state of residence, but he has an acoustic version of “Livin on a Prayer” that I think Jason could actually do an awesome job on.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ye7H6yMy1Ks
For Mariah week (if they have to do her songs), Brooke or Jason should do an acoustic cover of We Belong Together!
Actually Archuleta would be smart to NOT do a ballad but choose wisely…he can do upbeat or soul stuff pretty good. Something fun..like he did with Shop Around. Do NOT bore us with a ballad no no no no.
primeminister: I would looove to hear Jason do an acoustic cover of “We Belong Together”. I’ve never really listened to that song but the guy on YouTube made it a lot more interesting for me.
I found this on the TWoP Knoll and it has apparently been spoiled by Ricky (not Rickey) and confirmed by JoesPlace (milajoy):
So, who would be the 3 semi-finalists who get a chance at the wildcard? I’m sure that one of them would be Danny. Why 5? Wouldn’t it have made sense to have 6 (the top 16?). Alexandrea probably. They seemed to have dismissed Robbie and the four who went first (Amy, Colton, Garrett and somebody I forget). Asia’h maybe? Luke?
Danny will probably win the wildcard draw.
I agree, Kirsten, Danny will win that contest. Maybe it was going to be numbers 16, 15, 14, 13, 12 and 11 competing for the spot and someone opted not to?
Mark my words…if Little D does another Ballad he is setting himself up for heartache..My heartache..lol…he’ll be killin me!!!He has to step up his game and do something funky and fresh..if he can’t…he won’t make Final Four let alone win.
Come on David… do Livin la vida loca by ricky martin..LOL Ok.. he can’t cause that’s 1999 but something sassyyyyyyy…I can’t think of any good songs from 1990. :-(
Who cares???? Amanda is gone! Boo-hoo!
Now — will Ellen invite her on the show?? Hmm….??
Aww, I hope we can get Danny for the tour.
Here’s my crappy picks so far:
Michael - Just the Way You Are (Billy Joel)
Jason -Just Like Heaven (the Cure)
Chikezie - Foolish Heart (Steve Perry)
David C - Always on My Mind (way, way out of the box)
Ramiele- Heaven is a Place on Earth or Somewhere Out There
Carly- Middle of the Road (Pretenders) or Stand Back (Stevie)
Brooke - 99 Luftballoons
I’m torn about David A. I dont want to sit through another ballad, but I don’t want him shaking his little hips at me either.
Yes Sally. YES. REPEAT: All of the Top 12 get invited on Ellen’s show.
I think this piece of information has been posted on the blog before, many many times.
“Red Red Whine” I think as 1990 for Daivid A
OMG i would totally love for jason to sing Just Like Heaven from the cure. i think it would be perfect. great suggestion cheese.
the only thing i can think of for david c is styx “Don’t let it end” that was 1982, right? it’s a ballad but i don’t know, dennis deyoung was/is an amazing singer.
So many of the 1982 ballads are cheesetastic. I like Billy Joel’s “She’s Got a Way” for David C, too. I really, really (really) hope he does a ballad this week though.
to be completely honest with you, i think it would be HILARIOUS, and possibly AMAZING is david archuleta sang vision of love by mariah carey.
i would probably pee my pants, and who knows maybe he’d pull off an amazing rendition.
who knows :)
Danny and Amanda are fun, but if I have to vote for one wild card, I’ll spend mine on David Hernandez.
Thanks to Kirsten for the Top 100 songs lists over in the other thread. Based on those I propose the following song choices:
1978 – Michael - “Every Kinda People” – Robert Palmer
1982 - David Cook - “Hot in the City” – Billy Idol
Cheese, “Always on My Mind” was my second choice for David C.
1983 – Brooke - “Total Eclipse of the Heart” – Bonnie Tyler
1983 – Carly - “Sweet Dreams (are Made of This) – Eurythmics
1984 – Kristy Lee - “Girls Just Wanna Have Fun” – Cyndi Lauper
1985 – Chikezie - “Nightshift” – Commodores
1987 – Ramiele - “Only in My Dreams” – Debbie Gibson
1987 – Syesha - “Looking for a New Love” – Jody Watley
1987 – Jason - “Mandolin Rain” – Bruce Hornesby
1990 - David A. - “Escapade” - Janet Jackson (hey, why not? It’s slim pickin’s in his year)
If I have time later (this thing called WORK keeps getting in the way - sigh) I’ll post my choices for “ironic” song choices from the year of birth.
I do too, if only for your kid’s sake. ;)
I hope David Cook does a ballad this week too. “Always On My Mind” or “She’s Got a Way” would be great for him, I think.
On another note: I was listening to OneRepublic on the way home today and I had what I considered a semi-fabulous idea. If they get to have a Billboard Top 100 or iTunes Top 100 week, he should completely strip “Apologize” down and do it highlighting the piano and strings. I think that would be beautiful, and I think (although we’ve not heard his falsetto) that he has the voice to handle it. And it would be way, way out of his box.
I may be way off base and dreaming, but I thought it was a good idea. Hee! :)
I love your idea Sarah!!!
That is a great idea, Sarah. I had a similar thought when I was listening to One Republic while running the other day. I also think “Stop and Stare” is great and I’d love to hear David doing some falsetto!
Ideally, since Michael is such a Neil Finn fan, he should get to sing “Don’t Dream It’s Over” on a future show. But that is one of several great songs Jason could pick from his birth year.
Cheese, I lurv your suggestion of “Just Like Heaven” for Jason. How about “Hot Hot Hot” by the Cure, which if I recall correctly is also from 1987? He could spaz out like Robert Smith in a perfectly adorable way.
From the 1987 Billboard Top 100 list, there are these additional selections that are either folkie or could be folkified:
“Something So Strong” - Crowded House
“That’s Just the Way It Is” - Bruce Hornsby
“Luka” - Suzanne Vega
“Brilliant Disguise” - Bruce Springsteen
“At This Moment” - Billie Vera (Clay Aiken did a great version on AI2)
“I Still Haven’t Found What I’m Looking For” - U2
“In God’s Country” - U2 (not on the list, but a great song)
“Little Lies” - Fleetwood Mac
“Died in Your Arms” - Cutting Crew (oh so schmaltzy, but he could pull it off)
“Change of Heart” - Cyndi Lauper
“Don’t Get Me Wrong” - The Pretenders
How about “Because the Night” for Michael?
More 1987 songs for Jason:
“Never Let Me Down” - Depeche Mode
“Lips Like Sugar” - Echo and the Bunnymen
“It’s the End of the World As We Know It” - REM
Plus, almost any Smiths song from “Strangeways Here We Come,” especially the titles in bold:
* A Rush And A Push And The Land Is Ours
* I Started Something I Couldn’t Finish
* Death Of A Disco Dancer
* Girlfriend In A Coma
* Stop Me If You’ve Heard This One Before
* Last Night I Dreamt That Somebody Loved Me
* Unhappy Birthday
* Paint A Vulgar Picture
* Death At One’s Elbow
* I Won’t Share You
I love the Beatles, but The Smiths (performed well) on American Idol would be amazing.
I heart the Smiths. One of my all time faves, and I can see some of their songs done acoustically and beautifully by Jason.
Last Night I Dreamt That Somebody Loved Me? *would die*
But, would they clear? And would Simon call it indulgent?
Good questions, pj, and Johnny Marr has never been driven by commerce, which became an unsolvable point of tension between himself and Morrissey. I can imagine Moz as a mentor or guest judge, but Marr releasing his songs to AI? Not so much.
Regarding Simon, before season 7, did you ever suspect that he was a fan of Jeff Buckley and Eva Cassidy? Or that a dreadlocked folkie contestant would sing a Jeff Buckley version of a Leonard Cohen song that Simon would admit is one of his favorites ever?
I think Simon gets bored with the same old pop or R&B sounds and that’s why, even more than his fellow panelists, he has been so open to this year’s new flavors: Jason, Brooke, Michael and Amanda.
I think the bigger obstacle this year is the producers who seem very happy giving the talent a short list from which to choose. Granted, that list is more interesting and varied than in the past, but not as interesting and varied as the musical sensibilities of the contestants.
That said, pj, can you imagine the impact Jason’s performance of “Last Night I Dreamt That Somebody Loved Me” would have on iTunes and a potential Smiths revival?
Ooh I’d love to hear Don’t Dream It’s Over for Jason!! And this may sound strange, but I’d love to hear Freedom 90 by George Michael for David A! I think if he changed up the lyrics, it would fit him and vocals perfectly and it’s an uptempo arrangement as well!
Don’t Dream It’s Over for Jason? Yowza!!!
Terrie, good points about Johnny Marr. Still, a girl can dream.
I agree about the producers, too. Sigh.
Is it wrong to want Michael to sing “Kiss you all Over”?
Jason would be foolish to do anything but Don’t Dream It’s Over by crowded house. thats one of my all time favs. he HAS to do it!