So I’m two days late to the AI party, but here we go.

(By the way, I heard through the grapevine that Mariah Carey is the guest mentor on this particular show. And I don’t know if y’all know this, but Mariah and I are about the same age, and we, like, TOTALLY dress the same.)

(It’s uncanny, really.)

David Archuleta - “When You Believe” - This is actually his first performance in SEVERAL weeks when I’ve felt like he lived up to all the David Archuleta hype. Really well done. And I think it helped that he sang a modern song. I would also like to say, on a note that is completely unrelated to his performance, that THE PEOPLE IN THE FRONT NEED TO PUT DOWN THEIR ARMS, OH THANK YOU SO MUCH.

Carly Smithson - “Without You” - Okay, I LOVED hearing her sing in that lower range (as opposed to screaming at me in her upper range). It also struck me that she didn’t try to oversing this song at the very beginning. I think this was one of her strongest performances so far. Very compelling.

Syesha Mercado - “Vanishing” - Wow. I think Syesha made a believer out of me this week - mainly because I didn’t feel like she was doing an imitation of another singer. For the first time, I felt like I saw a glimpse of who Syesha really is. And that was refreshing.

Brooke White - “Hero” - As always, Brooke’s performance was very genuine. But there wasn’t anything extra special about this particular song for me - it felt very plain, for lack of a better word - like she wasn’t sure how to put her own spin on it. It just felt a little generic to me. But I have big hopes that next week will be better.

Kristy Leigh Cook - “Forever” - I think the low notes were a little much for her - and a real reminder of how huge Mariah Carey’s range is. But once she got going, it wasn’t so bad. She actually sounded confident on the chorus, and had the song been a little more fast-paced, those low notes probably wouldn’t have stuck out so much.

David Cook - “Always Be My Baby” - LOVED THIS. Loved the arrangement, loved the performance - and what was so cool was that it sounded like something that could be a hit right now. You’re a clever fella, David Cook. Oh yes you are.

Jason Castro - “I Don’t Want To Cry” - I thought this was a neat song for him - and it also showed how much he has improved as a vocalist since the show started. I loved the acoustic feel to the whole thing - I thought he did a great job.

I won’t do the should go / will go thing because I already know. But given that, I definitely think that the right person went home, because we’re left with a really talented top 6 - maybe the strongest yet.

Also, tonight’s show gave me a whole new appreciation for Mariah Carey - she is quite the songwriter, oh yes she is.

Finally: best of the night - David Cook

So I’m all done now - but be sure to check out everyone else’s opinions below!

I must confess: I’m intrigued by the theme of inspirational songs. But so help me, if somebody tries to break out Whitney’s “One Moment In Time” from the 1988 Olympic Games, I’m out, people. Done. Nothing left to give.

Oh, I kid.

Kinda.

And here we go.

Michael Johns - “Dream On” - ROCKIN’ THE ASCOT for the second week in a row! And I think he did a great job, even though I thought the end of it was a little shrill. Also, DON’T TALK BACK TO THE JUDGES, POR FAVOR. Still, it seems like he’s confident and on a bit of a roll - especially with the audience. I didn’t love it like I loved last week’s performance, but I think it’s good enough to keep him around for another week. Like Simon, though, I really prefer to hear Michael sing more bluesy / R&B stuff.

Syesha Mercado - “I Believe” - I really don’t understand why Syesha keeps picking these songs that are SO identifiable with the person who recorded them. I just think she’s singing such straightforward arrangements that she’s not putting her own spin on stuff. And I wanted to like it. I did. But it was just a’ight for me. And again: DON’T TALK BACK TO THE JUDGES. It’s an evaluation, not a conversation, thank you.

Jason Castro - “Over the Rainbow” - Oh bless heart - did he just get the lyrics messed up? I think he just got the lyrics all confused. Maybe I’m wrong. As far as his performance, I thought the whole ukulele thing was perfect for him, and he sounded great. I don’t think I loved it quite as much as the judges did, but I thought it was really good.

Kristy Leigh Cook - “Anyway” - So at the beginning of this performance I couldn’t help but think that a Martina song was verrrry ambitious. But you know what? That was actually pretty good - the best she’s ever done, I think. Good for her. I feel strangely proud.

David Cook - “Innocent” - It was a little rough at the beginning, but about midway through I thought he found his groove. It wasn’t his best performance by any stretch, but he was still good. And I have to say this or I’ll start to twitch: the jacket was a little weird for me. But the hair is SO much better. I think we can all rest easier now.

Carly Smithson - “The Show Must Go On” - I just think this song was wrong, all wrong. Her voice is beautiful, but she has a tendency to pick these Pat Benatar / Heart / Bonnie Tyler-ish songs, and it’s difficult to connect to those kinds of songs in a minute and a half, ESPECIALLY when she’s supposed to be singing an inspirational song. I think it would’ve been great if she had done something like Faith Hill’s “There Will Come A Day” - and it seems like that’s much more in her range. Anyhoo.

David Archuleta - “Angels” - I really, really love the original version of this song by Robbie Williams. And David A. did a nice job - but the mama in me is worried about him because it seems like he is just worn down and worn out. That being said, I don’t think he’s in any danger of being voted off this week - plus, it was fun to hear him sing something a little bit more contemporary than what he’s been doing.

Brooke White - “You’ve Got A Friend” - PERFECT song for her. My only “issue” is that she didn’t do anything different than the original version - not that she’s required to do that, of course - but there was nothing about the arrangement that made it uniquely Brooke. So in that sense it felt a little bit like a talent show. With a different arrangement, it could’ve been special. But with the arrangement she used, it was just good.

Should go: Either Carly or Syesha - both of them have had about six weeks now to show us what makes them “tick” musically - and so far I don’t feel like either one of them has really set themselves apart from the pack. And I mean that in the nicest possible way, because it makes me a little disappointed for them.

Will go: I don’t think anybody will go because during “Idol Gives Back” don’t they do that whole thing where nobody goes home this week and then they eliminate two people the next week? So I think everyone is safe for the time being.

Best of the night: To be honest, I really don’t have a favorite - it was sort of an “eh” night for me. But if I had to pick anybody, I’d probably pick Michael Johns - up until he did the whole falsetto thing.

If you’d like to add your American Idol post to the mix, just add a link to your specific post - not your general URL - in the Mr. Linky below.

I have to tell y’all that I am so excited about tonight’s show because I LOVE ME SOME DOLLY PARTON. I think she’s brilliant and funny and inspiring and wonderful. So I can’t wait to see what she has to say - because she is one phenomenal songwriter. Love her.

Brooke White - “Jolene” - I loved the whole acoustic / folksy feel of this arrangement, and I thought Brooke did a good job with it. That being said, I don’t think she necessarily did anything terribly original with the song. She seemed to have trouble hitting the higher notes on the chorus - but she’s so sincere and genuine that I almost like seeing the little flaws in her performance because it just makes it all the more real.

David Cook - “Little Sparrow” - I’m telling y’all: he gets better every single week. I am really getting attached to his voice - so distinctive, solid and good. Loved it. Which is becoming the norm for me where David Cook is concerned.

Ramiele Malubay - “Do I Ever Cross Your Mind?” - I think this was one of her best performances. She was energetic and didn’t try to scream big notes the whole time. She seemed a little out of breath when she was singing the verses, but overall I thought she did a nice job. Good for her.

Jason Castro - “Travelin’ Through” - Oh my word I really liked it. What was so cool about it for me was that it sounded like something I’d put on my iPod and listen to over and over again. Such a great song - and such a fun arrangement. And while I usually agree with Simon, I thought he was off the mark tonight, at least as far as Jason goes.

Carly Smithson - “Here You Come Again” - That was Carly’s best performance so far, I thought. A really cool, different take on a song that was great to begin with. She seems to have a little trouble when she goes too low or too high, but she’s fab when she’s in that middle range. And for me, tonight was leaps and bounds better than anything she’s done so far. I thought it was really pretty.

David Archuleta - “Smokey Mountain Memories” - The main thing that struck me about this song was that the lyrics are just beautiful. And this was David A.’s best performance in several weeks - seemed like the perfect song for him.

Kristy Leigh Cook - “Coat of Many Colors” - She’s definitely way more comfortable with a country song, don’t y’all think? Tonight’s performance didn’t blow me away, but it was solid - she did a nice job with the song.

Syesha Mercado - “I Will Always Love You” - My first thought was “OH, PLEASE BE SO CAREFUL WITH A SONG THAT WHITNEY DID.” Also: I did not understand why it was necessary for her to sit on top of the piano. But still, she did a nice job with a legendary version of this classic song.

Michael Johns - “It’s All Wrong But It’s All Right” - Nice ascot. Is that an ascot? Anyway. As far as his performance is concerned, I TRIPLE LOVED IT. I think the whole bluesy thing TOTALLY worked for him. His version of this song was absolutely incredible. Plan to purchase it on iTunes tomorrow.

Should go - Ramiele

Will go - Kristy Leigh

Best of the night - The husband and I just had a lively IM discussion about this very topic with FryDaddy. Because D and I think Michael Johns was the best, but FryDaddy holds unswervingly to the opinion that David Archuleta stole the show.

And that is all fine and good because clearly Michael Johns was the best. HE ROCKED AN ASCOT, FOR CRYING OUT LOUD.

Oh, I kid.

Only I’m not kidding about the whole Michael-Johns-was-the-best thing.

If you’d like to add your own post about this week’s AI, add a link to your specific post (not just your general URL) below. Thanks, y’all!

This is take two of this week’s AI post, and if memory serves the first thing I said in my original post was that the theme of last night’s show - songs from the years the contestants were born - would no doubt make me feel like I was 109.

But you know, in retrospect last night’s show didn’t make me feel like I was 109 at all.

In fact, I didn’t feel a day older than 102.

And if you think I can remember all the song titles from last night, then CLEARLY YOU HAVE OVERESTIMATED MY SHORT-TERM MEMORY.

Ramiele Malubay - “Alone” - Big song. Big voice. But a little pitchy on those big notes. I thought she was leaps and bounds better than last week, and she is definitely talented - but she still hasn’t wowed me performance-wise.

Syesha Mercado - “If I Were Your Woman” - I barely remember this song from when it was released, but I definitely remember her performance from last night. She did really well. And this may sound nit-picky but I really don’t mean it that way, I am merely making an observation: I still don’t feel like I have any sense of who she is. It feels like there’s an emotional distance between her and the audience - and I wonder why that is?

Carly Smithson - “Total Eclipse of the Heart” - There’s no question that she has an incredible voice. But she’s not really doing anything unique with the songs that she sings - which is why this song just felt like a cover of Bonnie Tyler’s version from 1983. And unfortunately, I don’t think that’s good enough to keep her in this deal for more than a couple of weeks.

Jason Castro - “Fragile” - I loved this performance. I think maybe I’m just a sucker for someone who plays the acoustic guitar with a really laid-back vibe. And I mentioned last night that this song reminds me of riding around with my high school friend Ricky and having Very Philosophical Discussions, so there’s definitely an element of nostalgia there that appeals to me. So while Jason needs to step it up a little in terms of showcasing his originality, I think he did well enough to stick around for next week.

Chikezie - Some Luther Song - I like it better when Chikezie sings upbeat stuff because his enthusiasm is contagious. And I am all about some contagious enthusiasm. But still, he has a great voice, and I think that as he gains confidence as a performer, he’ll get stronger in terms of singing ballads. And last night’s song wasn’t nearly as bad as the ballad he tried to sing the first week, so that’s an improvement. Right?

David Archuleta - “You’re The Vision” - This was probably my least favorite performance of the night, and I typically enjoy the young David Archuleta. But the song was wrong, all wrong for him - there was nothing fun or youthful or carefree about it. I told Big Mama earlier today that I wonder if this is when being 17 starts to hurt him a little - because he hasn’t really figured out who he is musically. And the songs he’s choosing - or that someone is choosing for him - reflect that.

Brooke White - “Every Breath You Take” - I thought this song was a huge mistake before I watched the show. Then I saw her performance and realized I was wrong. I did agree with the judges that the whole thing got a little cheesy when the band came in, but regardless, she took a song I’ve never really liked and made it totally interesting. Well done.

Michael Johns - “We Are The Champions” - Hands-down his best performance so far. I was tickled to death for him. And sort of proud. He really took command of the stage, and while his vocals probably weren’t the strongest of the night, he had that audience in the palm of his hand.

Kristy Lee Cook - “God Bless the USA” - I would have never, ever suggested this song, because I think it’s a little tired, but it was absolutely a great choice. She seemed comfortable and confident. Good for her.

David Cook - “Billie Jean” - I thought it was brilliant. TRIPLE LOVED IT. We immediately rewound the DVR and watched his performance again. And loved it even more the second time. Which I guess means that I QUADRUPLE LOVED IT. Oh yes I did.

Should go: Ramiele

Will go: I’ve changed my mind since last night…now I think that either Kristy or Carly will go.

Best of the night: David Cook

If you didn’t get your link added last night, you can do that now…just add your specific URL to the Mr. Linky below. Thanks, y’all!

Edited to add: we had a little Mr. Linky malfunction (my fault, not Mr. Linky’s), so some of you may have to add your links again. I am so sorry. No kidding: this blog has given me a run for my money today. But that is okay. Because I’m totally putting it in time out and it had BETTER NOT talk back to me.

Yay, Beatles. Again. For the second week in a row.

Yay. Woohooyay.

Don’t I sound enthusiastic?

Amanda Overmyer - “Back in the USSR” - I still think those pants from last week are rockin’. In case you were wondering. And does anybody remember Billy Joel’s version of this song? I haven’t thought about it in years, but I found myself wishing for it a little bit tonight. I think Amanda is great, and I’m officially a fan, but I think this was the wrong song for her - she seemed bored, almost. And I think she’s doing the same thing over and over each week. At this point it’s time to switch it up and surprise us just a little bit. I still don’t feel like I’ve really heard her sing.

Kristy Lee Cook - “You’ve Got To Hide Your Love Away” - Okay. This is tricky. Because she started off really, really well - to the point that I was thinking we had a comeback of gigantor proportions. But as soon as the band kicked in, she got a little off-pitch and seemed to lose her footing. It was better at the end, though - and even with the rough parts, it was leaps and bounds better than last week.

David Archuleta - “The Long And Winding Road” - So that? Was GREAT.

Michael Johns - “A Day In The Life” - I don’t think there’s ever been an Idol contestant I’ve wanted to enjoy more than I want to enjoy Michael Johns. But y’all? Week after week I feel like he’s just a little bit short of being really memorable. And tonight was the same sort of deal. I wanted him to just BREAK OUT and wow us, but it felt like both he and the song were sort of scattered. And that makes me a little bit sad.

Brooke White - “Here Comes The Sun” - For what it’s worth - and it’s no reflection on Brooke - I think that this song is really, excruciatingly boring. And Brooke seemed just a wee bit uncomfortable without having a guitar or a piano or anything in between her and the audience. But still. I love her voice. And furthermore, I thought that her dress was absolutely adorable.

David Cook - “Daytripper” - I could have done without the Roger & Zapp-like voice box action, but I thought this performance was pretty memorable. However, I think he has to be careful not to look like he’s doing his very best Daughtry impersonation week after week. I think he’s going to have to mix it up a little bit next week and show us that he can do something different.

Carly Smithson - “Blackbird” - This is actually one of my favorite Beatles songs - thanks to Sarah Mclachlan’s cover of it back in the early 90’s. And while I liked this performance, I didn’t love it. I don’t even know if I can explain why. I think that she’s super-talented, but she didn’t do anything tonight that blew me away.

Jason Castro - “Michelle” - I’m worried before he even starts because I think it’s dangerous to sing a song that has different languages in it when you don’t in fact speak those languages. And like “Here Comes The Sun,” this song is just a little boring to me. And because it’s a little boring, I don’t think Jason’s personality came through. I would have loved for him to do a crazy new take on it - really rock it out - but as it stands, it was just a’ight for me.

Syesha Mercado - “Yesterday” - I think this was her best performance so far. Hands down.

Chikezie - “I’ve Just Seen A Face” - So the arrangement was a little strange and surprising - to say the least - but hey, I wasn’t bored. Which is more than I’ve been able to say the rest of the night. And in the end, I really liked it.

Ramiele Malubay - “I Should’ve Known Better” - Hey y’all? I totally think that Paula picked out her outfit. I really do. And as for the singing, she still doesn’t seem entirely comfortable on the stage. She did better this week, but I felt like she got lost in the song.

Should go - Ramiele

Will go - Ramiele

Best of the night - In all honesty, y’all - IN CASE YOU DIDN’T NOTICE - I was bored out of my mind tonight. And it felt like the contestants were in the same boat that I was. But if I have to pick the best, I’d say David Archuleta.

Here’s to hoping that next week is better.

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