Musings
an Online Journal of Sorts

By Alyce Wilson

Copyright 2006, Fox Broadcasting

Traditionally, country night is one of the hardest for American Idol contestants, and this time was even more striking than most, as the finalists struggled with their song choices. Kenny Rogers worked with each of the singers to coach their performances.

First up was crowd favorite Taylor Hicks, who did "Take Me Home County Roads" by John Denver, a personal favorite of mine. While it was upbeat, he didn't dance or make an effort to get the crowd involved, probably still conscious of the criticism two weeks ago about concentrating on performance over singing. But while his voice is always a pleasure, this rendition felt rushed.

Judge Randy Jackson called the song a good choice for his voice but said the vocal wasn't exciting and that he didn't exude his personality. Paula said that he's full of life but that this song choice didn't allow him to shine. Simon called it safe, boring and lazy.

Diva Mandisa performed Shania Twain's "Any Man of Mine", a fast-paced song she invested with some sassiness and fun, though it was hard to follow the rapid-fire lyrics.

Randy called it nice but said it was a weird song. Paula said, "You can sing the phone book" and called her voice amazing. But Simon was unimpressed, calling the song "horrible" although admitting it was "fun and cutesy."

Elliott Yamin performed a ballad, "If Tomorrow Never Comes" by Garth Brooks. While he started out wobbly, the vocals got stronger throughout. I want to like Elliott, because he's talented, but somehow he never quite grabs me.

Randy said that finally there was a competition and said he loved it. Paula said that she adores his humility and thought the song was right for his voice. Simon called it a good song choice but not a great vocal, saying that it was "safe" and noting that Elliott seemed hesitant. Still, he called it the best so far.

Taking the stage next was Paris Bennett with "How Do I Live Without You", which to me didn't sound like country song, but given that it's by LeAnn Rimes, I suppose it passes. This was one of her weakest performances, showing just how hard this song really is. Plus, it was boring, and her countrified look, with the leather boots and corset, was just strange.

Randy called it a tough song for her and said the beginning of it wasn't good but overall it was "just all right." Paula said that she has a powerhouse voice but that it didn't connect. Surprisingly, Simon disagreed, calling it very good, even excellent. He said it reminded him of early Dionne Warwick.

Pretty boy Ace Young sang the Keith Urban song "I Want to Cry", a ballad that he made sound like a boy band single. He spent a lot of time throwing smoldering looks to the camera, but it couldn't save him from a few off notes in the middle.

Randy called it a tough song and said it was nice but boring. He did like the falsetto at the end, though. Paula said that he has a knack for picking a song and congratulated him for a contemporary take on the song. Simon said that the last couple of weeks he hadn't chosen the right song and that tonight he did.

Country girl Kellie Pickler chose the Reba McEntire song "Fancy." While it's definitely her genre and she was more comfortable than the other contestants, the song itself didn't thrill me. The song is about a prostitute, which is funny because I doubt that Kellie realized this when she chose it.

Randy said that she's in her element and that she was great. Paula said it was a great night for her. Simon said he hated the song but the performance was very good. Of course, as he said, it would have been a shocker if she didn't do well.

Rocker Chris Daughtry sang the Keith Urban song, "Making Memories of Us", which showed his softer side. It was sweet and definitely showed off his vocal strength, which was just what he needed to do after last week.

Randy said that every week he's done the rocker thing so it's good to hear him sing. Paula said the song choice showed his diversity. Simon said it's great to see a different side of him. As a general comment, he critiqued all the contestants for picking boring songs the past two weeks. The audience, he said, deserves better.

Katharine McPhee sang Faith Hill's "Bring Out the Elvis", which she invested with a sultriness that made her performance stand out above country chick Kellie Pickler. Finally, someone who seemed to be enjoying herself and not just trying to get through it.

Randy called it bluesy country and said she did a good job. Paula called her sexy and said this type of song was her niche. Simon called the song peculiar, and at Katharine's urging, admitted he just doesn't like country music.

Closing the night was country boy Bucky Covington, who performed the Gary Allan song "Best I Ever Had (Grey Sky Morning)." This was probably his best performance to date, as he gave a sweet rendition of a popular crossover song and even looked more comfortable on stage. His usual problem with enunciation remained, however.

Randy said it was good to see him in his element. Paula said that he shined. Even Simon admitted it "sounded OK."

This was a rough week for everyone, with props to Chris, Katharine and Elliott for turning in decent performances anyway. Kellie and Bucky should have used the opportunity to shine but failed to do so.

Paris Bennett's uncertainty, and her inconsistency from week to week, will probably find her in the bottom three, along with Ace and Bucky or possibly Elliott. Taylor and Mandisa's fans should pull them out of the fire, but Kellie, who should have excelled in this genre, could also find herself in the bottom three. Either Ace or Bucky is most likely to be singing during the credits.

More on American Idol:

Musings on American Idol Season 5 (2006)

Musings on American Idol Season 4 (2005)

Musings on American Idol Season 3 (2004)

Copyright 2005 by Alyce Wilson

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