Everyone is safe. I'll explain later.
Below was written BEFORE the elimination show of 4/25/07 was aired.
American Idol 2007 continues by "giving back" during this week of inspiration. It'll be down to five when it's all over and just as soon as the elimination round is over we'll be posting it all to the Blog.
We're still watching The Bachelor, Officer and a Gentleman. We're still critiquing, tongue solidly in cheek.
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American Idol 2007 "Gives Back"
I got a bit confused when, on 4/18/07, host Ryan Seacrest said that this week American Idol would be "giving back" in a spectacular show that would start right after the normal Tuesday night performances. While I thought it seemed like a good idea- for giving away money to those less fortunate is almost always a nice thing- I didn't realize that the then six finalists would still be competing or that the following night, which would be the very evening of the day this missive is written, a contender would be eliminated per normal.
Thus I didn't schedule an American Idol post for this evening and once I understood how this was going to work, I had to scramble to get my act together.
Actually I'm not too crazy about that Bono crazy being a mentor for the week of giving back and the notion of throwing even more money at Africa doesn't cheer me. Sure innocent children in Africa suffer but everyone knows that throwing any money at the mess that is Africa too often goes to their self-appointed thieves, thugs and despots. And malaria is a disease that has been wiped out eons ago except the vaunted UN continues to ban DDT, a pesticide that really works. The DDT ban only affects Africa and we ask, could there be some not so nice people who prefer keeping an entire continent sick and dysfunctional for their own benefit?
Editorials now aside, Africa is just one of the many charities that will benefit from Newscorp's contribution of ten cents per call-in vote up to a total of five million dollars. Newscorp is the parent company of American Idol.
What a wonderful idea! First, the concept encourages phone calls to vote for the Idol contender who inspires. Second, it's a great promo for the contest. Face it, American Idol is the most amazing and successful music idea and reality show to come along in about forever. Finally, piling on the concept, the songs sung by the contenders were songs that inspire.
All this being said, we move on to the final six, their songs and thoughts on their performances on the night of Tuesday 4/24/07. As always, the results of the elimination round will be posted right after the show. This post that you read now was written BEFORE the elimination of one aspiring American Idol.
First up, Chris Richardson sang the Eric Clapton's "Change the World". There are times that I studiously make notes during performances and as the contender stands before Randy, Paula and Simon to hear the critique, those vaunted judges totally disagree with my notes. It doesn't happen all that often, ahem, but it does happen. For I thought that Richardson's performance was flat, out of tune and pitchy, according to my notes.
The judges, every one of them, loved Chris' performance and praised him effusively. So what do I do? Do I scratch my notes and ultimately my opinion? Or do I stick with my original thoughts jotted as I listened and look dumb?
Well I choose to look dumb because I did not like Chris Richardson's performance and besides, my notes indicate he sang a distinctly sour note in the middle of his performance. It's my story and I'm sticking to it.
Melinda Doolittle has proven herself to be a consummate performer and she kept it up with her performance of Faith Hill's "There Will Come a Day". Melinda is a sweet person, any fool can see this. She's got a pleasant understated sense of her self and her talent is at the top of the pile. Paula called Melinda "magical". I have to agree.
I was very discouraged that Blake was in the bottom three last week as this is a fellow with talent and then some. Randy even remarked on the shock of having Blake stand with Sanjaya and Lakisha as the bottom three while Chris Richardson and Phil Stacey scored higher. I'd always considered that Blake would end up the highest ranked male out of this year's contenders but now I worry that Blake's amazing talent might not be the stuff of the young America who buys most of the music cranked out in this era.
Blake sang John Lennon's "Imagine", which is a song I consider to be so silly as to cause me guffaws but for Blake, it was a perfect song choice. I noticed that Blake does tend to have an odd hangdog look when he sings slower songs. I wonder if the rest of America, perhaps tuning in now that the annual competition is down to a few, saw Blake and his odd facial expressions and took him to be a kook. Whatever the case, Blake did a great job with a tune that is really insipid but definitely in the "inspiring" category as required.
I softly suggest that Lakisha Jones will likely be voted off very soon. The woman has an amazing voice but Lakisha is up against so much overwhelming talent and she competes against some with more palatable traits than Lakisha possesses. We've already had a single mother win this contest and, in fact, Lakisha performed "I Believe" by Fantasia for her inspirational song. Fantasia milked the single mother story and, indeed, even was in a made-for-tv movie about her entry into the American Idol contest. Being up against Jordin, who has a refreshing and pretty youth, and Melinda, who looks professional and will likely be a seriously professional singer, I fear Lakisha will get rolled over in the shuffle.
All that being typed, Lakisha did a great job and her dress was beautiful and flattering to her lush figure. The judges all expressed some vague displeasure for Lakisha's performance. Frankly I think they all were discombubulated by the notion of having an American Idol contender sing a former American Idol winner's song. Yes, it's been done before but there are many similarities between Fantasia and Lakisha. It was a bit eerie and might have distracted from Lakisha's powerful voice and performance.
Phil Stacey sang "The World Will Not Change Me" if I got the title correctly. I was surprised because the song was very pretty and held my attention during the entire song. Paula declared it was Stacey's best performance and we were treated to shots of Phil's pretty wife.
Judge Randy and Simon seemed to want to push Stacey toward a country/western genre as he'd performed exceptionally well in that genre on Martina McBride night. Which got me to wondering if a singer could ever be happy singing a genre that they do not like. Actually I'm not sure which genre Phil prefers to sing but he sure is being given hints at what SHOULD be his best.
Finally, my fave to win this thing, Jordin Sparks, sang the most beautiful rendition of "You'll Never Walk Alone" that I've ever heard. In fact, Simon mentioned that if Jordin's version of this 60 year old song were to be recorded and sold on the mass market, it would be a hit.
For sure I'd download Jordin's song and have it saved on my precious IPOD that I can play it anywhere.
Jordin sang this tune, a song that can be really horrible if done wrong, sweetly without any dramatic theatrics that would not suit Jordin's personality at all. In fact, I sang the ENTIRE song right along with Jordin! Jordin, by the way, was much better.
Randy said Jordin's performance of this song was the best performance EVER, of all the American Idols...of ALL TIME.
It was.
My eyes tear up everytime I just THINK of Jordin's version of that song. If that performance doesn't win the title for Jordin than nothing will.
BEST PERFORMANCE-Jordin Sparks
BEST DRESS-Lakisha Jones
BEST SONG CHOICE FOR VOICE-Blake Lewis
WORST PERFORMANCE-Chris Richardson
BIGGEST SURPRISE OF NIGHT-Jordin Sparks...best performance EVER on American Idol with the song "You'll Never Walk Alone"
MY GUESS AS TO NEXT ELIMINATION-Lakisha Jones, sadly
AMERICAN IDOL 2007 LINKS
Seattle and Minneapolis 1/16/07 and 1/17/07
Birmingham 1/30/07
San Antonio 2/6/07
The Top 24 2/12/2007
First Four Eliminated
3/1/07-Down to 16
The Top Twelve
Diana Ross and the Top Twelve
British Invasion
Gwen Stefani Tribute
Andy Williams Special
Jennifer Lopez Night
Martina McBride Night
Down to Top Five as Idol "Gives Back"
Below, the TOP SIX American Idol Finals for 2007:
Jordin Sparks
Lakisha Jones
Melinda Doolittle
Blake Lewis
Chris Richardson
Phil Stacey
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