Ob-La-Di, Ob-La-Da

Breaking News: 
Confirmed for next week - Adam Lambert will be the mentor!

Lennon/McCartney songs have long been a staple on Idol.  Whether it was a contestant selecting one for a particular theme week (Songs from Birth Year; 60's Week; Number 1 Hits) or the now infamous Season 7 back to back weeks of Beatles Hits, Idol has been in love with Lennon/McCartney.  Despite the quick cameo by Sir Paul himself, I'm not sure that he's all that thrilled to have unproven and semi-talented singers performing his songs for a large television audience.  But unlike 2007 when the majority of the performances were cringeworthy last nights showing was pretty darn good.

The big winners of the night for me were Casey, Katie, Siobhan, and Crystal with the big losers being Aaron, Andrew and Mike.

Far and away the best performer of the night was Casey.  Finally stepping out from behind his Western shirt and demonstrating that he can do something besides just try and have fun on stage, Casey had his long awaited moment.  Singing "Jealous Man" a song that hs never been done on the Idol stage before, Casey threw himself wholeheartedly into the song and really showed that he is much more than a one dimentional performer.  He didn't need any gimmicks, just his guitar and a cello player to blow everyone else away.  For the first time all season I may actually download an Idol performance from iTunes.  Way to go Trevor/Drake!

Landing in the number 2 spot (and not because she sang like number 2) was Katie's performance of "Let It Be."  Sure we've heard this before on Idol - Brooke White and Kris Allen -- and no, it wasn't a moment for Katie but it's about as close to one as she may come so I'm going to run with it.  With a marvelously haunting piano accompanying her, Katie's vocals never sounded better.  She picked a perfect song for the tone of her voice and despite Simon's delusion that she gave it a country vibe, she gave it just enough of a Katie spin to set it apart from the original.  Thankfully she didn't bust into her "Single Ladies" dance at the end but she just might if she manages to avoid the bottom 3 this week.  And I have to give her extra points for declaring that whichever boy can demonstrate (she demanded to see phone bills as proof) that they have voted for her the most this season, she will atend prom with them.

Rounding out my personal top 3 is Siobhan.  Not because I've selected her to win it all.  She's there because I found myself enjoying her rendition of "Across the Universe" more than any version I've ever heard.  There was just something about it that worked for me.  Was it her ode to Madonna outfit or her overly glossed lips?  No.  Was it Earl shouting his approval from the audience and then getting invited on stage to hug her?  I don't think so.  It was how utterly vulnerable and moving her vocals were.  She rained in her scream and turned it into something beautiful.  She also put Simon in his place with a perfect aanswer to his question of why she chose the song and what was her connection with the lyrics.  Siobhan is amazingly weird and I can't wait till next week to see what advice Adam has for her and what song she will perform.

Just missing the top 3 was Crystal "Didgeridoo" Bowersox.  With Ernie on the didgeriwho, didgeriwhat - no the didgeridoo, Crystal managed to beat out Tim, Aaron, Andrew and Mike for the fourth spot.  That's saying something since her Bonnie Raitt-esque rendition of "Come Together" didn't exactly come together.  Not only was "MammaSox" off her game vocally - she botched the lyrics but managed to cover it up nicely by pulling away from the mic;  but she also played sloppy guitar and she has a cold.  I don't agree with all the praise the Judges threw her way and feel that they should have called her out on some of her miscues but that's asking a lot considering she's clearly the front runner.  what I also found interesting is that Crystal hardly contributed to the video packages and when she did, she didn't exactly sound all that genuine with her comments.

In the most shocking moment in Season 9 history (at least thus far - don't forget that Adam Lambert returns next week!!!) Tim cracks my top 5.  Shocking!  I almost knocked him down a peg for once again acting like a perv before the commercial break and leaving us with a glimpse of his now perrfected "dirty diddler" stare into the camera.  Creeps me out.....and to think that he chose "All My Lovin" makes it all the more creepy.  Oh and add in the fact that Tim "just wants to make people smile" and you can imagine just how hard it was for me to not factor that itno the mix.  I really wanted to because hinestly, up until this point, the only thing that Tim could do to make me smile would have been to stop singing and register as a sex offender.  But, luckily for Tim he managed to sing the song well from beginning to end, didn't throw in a ridiculous slide or moronic hand gestures/dancing; and refrained from using  gimmics such as bagpipes.

Which brings me to Lee "100% My Idea" DeWyze.  Reminding us all of the dangers of inhailing paint fumes, Lee's idea to incorporate a bagpipe player into his rendition of "Hey Jude" was disasterous.  Well, nearley as disasterous as his actual singing.  If ever someone needed AutoTune, it was Lee.  He dropped more notes than Colin Farrell drops F-Bombs - how do you like that Scottish tie in Lee!!!  Simon summed it up perfectly with "What is going on?"  I'm just glad that Ellen is going to help that dude find his way back to the parade he got separated from.  She's so nice!  Despite causing the show to end in a very strange manner, Lee still managed to beat out his buddy/roommate/lover Andrew.

Trying to capture lightening in a bottle, Andrew went old school "Big Bopper" on "Can't Buy Me Love" and unfortunately, just like the Big Bopper, he crashed and burned.  Ouch!!!  Andrew was trying so hard to show that he does have personality - you'll just have to believe all of his fellow contestants, he's got the most personality of anyone there.  Sadly, he somehow managed to be overshadowed by the band.  His guitar playing was inaudible and he just ended up sounding corny, as Simon said.  I'll give him points for exclaiming, "If that was corny, damn I'm corny!"  Hit that one on the head!!!

Haaaayyyyyyyeeeeeee, Big Mike is in my bottom 2 and he's there for so many reasons.  First off his "signature entrance" is annoying as hell.  Secondly his take on "Eleanor Rigby" was a far cry from David Cook's and third, I hated the runs and liberties he took when coupled with the arrangement.  Randy was right, not all of it worked.  For me it was his weakest performance to date.  Do I hear people booing me?  Perhaps but like Simon says, "I'm just being honest and frankly I'm right."  At least nobody can interrupt me (well, not always - work does get in the way sometimes) when I'm typing this up like they interrupt Simon when he's trying to give his feedback.  Seriously, he doesn't interrupt anyone else so why do Randy, Kara and Ryan all feel the need to interrupt him.  

Aaron "Yoda" Kelly's take on "The Long and Whinding Road" started off the show and landed him in the cellar.  Mmmm, yes; bad it was.  Sucked it did!  In honor of Aaron landing in the bottom spot, I thought I'd change up the lyrics to Yesterday to recount his performance:    

Yesterday, Aaron's troubles seemed so far away
His fans were voting and he was here to stay
But that was before yesterday


Suddenly, he's not half the kid he used to be
Because his performance was so darn sleepy
oh, yesterday came suddenly


Why he just can't go I don't know, Ryan won't say
His fans are so wrong, I hope he's gone by Thursday


Yesterday, Aaron felt he would be here to stay
Now he needs just hope and pray
that his fans voted for him yesterday


His vocals were all wrong, Kara was right it wasn't great
He forgot to use the mic because he didn't like what the Judges had to say

Yesterday, Aaron's troubles seemed so far away
Now I hope that he will fly away
Please vote him off the show today.

There you have it.  Agree?  Disagree?  Let me know.  Anyone else excited for next week with Adam?  Will David Archuleta freak out tonight when he comes face to face with Aaron and kill him thinking he's some sort of clone sent to destroy his career?  Does anyone else find it hilarious that Rhianna sing "Rude Boy" on the show tonight considering that the song is about "gettin freaky in the bedroom" and has the following lyrics "Come here Rude boy, boy Can you get it up Come here Rude boy, boy Is you big enough Take it, take it
Baby, baby Take it, take it Love me Love me."  I'd list the other lyrics but I think you get the picture.  I know that Archuleta will be blushing when he hears the song! 

Until tomorrow......