THE MOMENT OF TRUTH IS RIGHT AT HAND; JUST ONE MORE NIGHTMARE YOU CAN STAND: This is the third time Idol has trotted out Songs from Movies night (S2, S3), and the rules seem to be that any song that's been featured in a movie -- whether or not it was written for the film -- is eligible. Whitney Houston's "I Have Nothing" always seems to work, and "Against All Odds" just doesn't. Ever. You don't want to go with something that's too Broadway-based, because you know what Simon's going to say, but other than that this really is our third straight week of Go Ahead, Pick What You Want. What do we want?
Danny Gokey
There are so many opportunities for maudlin songs about longing for his late wife, and I pray he runs in the other direction. Go to the Mighty Mighty Bosstones -- "The Impression That I Get" was featured in Clueless, and it's not much of a singer's song, but he can still have fun performing it -- especially if the Idol Horns Section gets to join him on stage. Sticking with a Bay State theme, what about the Dropkick Murphys' angry little cover of "Shipping Up To Boston" (The Departed), or Elliott Smith's "Miss Misery" (Good Will Hunting). --Adam
His voice seems right for "American Woman" (Austin Powers 2: The Spy Who Shagged Me; American Beauty; one a cover and one just Kevin Spacey humming -- weird that there's no Google front-page soundtrack that uses the Guess Who original), though he'd probably never sing it. "What's So Funny About Peace Love and Understanding" (Bill Murray karaoke from Lost in Translation) would be both better music than we usually get on Idol and also gloriously cynical or improbably knowing. --Isaac
Danny continues to frustrate me. And so I’m going to give him one of my favorite songs, which happens to be precisely perfect for his voice, and see if that could win me over: “I Can See Clearly Now,” which was apparently used in both Grosse Pointe Blank and Thelma & Louise. It also has that start-slow-get-fast thing of which he seems to be such a fan. In the yearning-for-dead-wife department (which I actually think he’s done a nice job of avoiding, just to give credit where it’s due), how about “She’s Like the Wind”? --Kim
Adam Lambert
If he hadn't just done an all-falsetto song, I would have given him "Superfly" by Curtis Mayfield. But since he just did do an all-falsetto song, I say let 'er rip and do "Live and Let Die," GnR style. Don't fight it. --Isaac
Given the number of Broadway-to-movie adaptations over the years, I wonder whether he will take the opportunity to dish up something from a musical. There’s no shortage of Broadway songs unsingable by mere mortals –- “Superstar” would be particularly timely given Sunday's holiday, but there’s also “High Flying Adored,” “Sit Down (You’re Rocking the Boat),” and so on. Sadly, Wicked has not (yet) become a movie, so we’ll have to wait to hear Lambert sing “Defying Gravity.” (PS: in the land of regular movies, I am all in for “Live and Let Die.”) --Kim
It's almost silly trying to predict anything. He could do "Unchained Melody" straight. He could sing the Kellermans theme from Dirty Dancing as a Middle East-influenced rocker. How about applying that falsetto to Prince's "The Beautiful Ones" or "I Would Die 4 U" off the Purple Rain soundtrack or having some real fun with "Kiss" (Under the Cherry Moon)? --Adam
Kris Allen
How about “Bird on a Wire”? AI needs more Leonard Cohen. And the song has some heft to it, to counter his featherweight performance from last week. --Kim
"Upside Down," by Jack Johnson off the Curious George soundtrack. Total wheelhouse pick that might let us hear the guitar. That or Keith Carradine's "I'm Easy" from Nashville, if only because I don't think you can condense "Stage Fright" (The Last Waltz) into 90 seconds. --Adam
I keep wanting him to do something solo acoustic and get him away from Ricky Minor. "California" (Orange County) is a very commercial song, recognizable as moderately contemporary because it was the OC theme song, easily reducible to an acoustic gem, and geographically appropriate. --Isaac
Anoop Desai
I don't know, I'm tired of him and I'm tired of thinking of ways to make me like him. He has a thin boy-band voice and weak boy-band moves. Why not the greatest (and now I'm not being facetious) boy-band song of all time, "(I Want It) That Way" (Drive Me Crazy, featuring Vinnie Chase)? --Isaac
Same recommendation as last week. "In Your Eyes," Peter Gabriel (Say Anything). --Adam
I’ll punk out too. “No One Is to Blame,” Howard Jones (according to IMDB, it’s shown up in a number of movies). --Kim
Allison Iraheta
It's time for her to not-belt, and to do it with something that's not about pursuing or being hurt by a guy. An unadorned "Sounds of Silence"? (The Graduate) "Many Rivers To Cross"? (The Harder They Come). Both good songs, but they won't let her show any personality. Now, "Boogie Woogie Bugle Boy" (Buck Privates)? That could be interesting. --Adam
I totally agree with Adam on the need for something different. That big band sound worked like gangbusters for Kelly Clarkson, so why not Kelly’s little rocker sister? I’d like to hear her sing “Nobody Does It Better,” but it falls into the category of songs-a-sixteen-year-old-really-shouldn’t-be-singing. --Kim
Apparently, there was a cover of "Wish You Were Here" on Lords of Dogtown. That would satisfy Adam's urge to quiet her down a little but still give her a safe place to put her rockerness. If she wants to win, though -- I mean, if she wants the moment -- may I suggest "Falling Slowly" from Once? Possibly strange without the male part, but it could be beautiful, and the hard-living voice could make it just different enough from the original. Also, I mean, the original was sung by a 16-year-old, too, right? So this isn't weird. --Isaac
Matt Giraud
I’m at a loss. I suspect he could do “When Doves Cry,” but I’m not sure I’ll care. This is not a good sign. --Kim
I believe I have said this before, and I'll say it again. Somebody someday is going to do a modern, slowed-down, melancholy version of "Auld Lange Syne" (call it When Harry Met Sally or It's a Wonderful Life) and everyone will love it. It is a universally recognizable and hummable melody, something a trained piano barman should be able to make both contemporary and also communal. You know, the kind of thing that gets everybody shouting along drunkly and pulls mad tips. --Isaac
I still don't have a good read on where he fits. The best idea I have is a piano-centered "Nearly Lost You" by the Screaming Trees off the Singles soundtrack, but I could go anywhere from Lou Reed's "Perfect Day" (Trainspotting) to "Let It Be" to "Would?" by Alice in Chains. --Adam
Lil Rounds
"People Get Ready" (Akeelah & the Bee). Another great melody, one of my favorite songs. Less likelihood of a copycat version, but a clean line to a strong, serious vocal. Probably wouldn't put Lil into voter-safe territory, but what would at this point? I bet the judges scared her off an otherwise inevitable Jennifer Hudson impersonation, by the way, though perhaps given the result last week a judge-irritating impersonation is not such a bad idea for her. --Isaac
Remains in Big Trouble. Avoid The Bodyguard. It's time to really change things up. Is it time for her to do the "Timewarp"? Or, in the other direction, let's see what voice she really has: "Down to the River to Pray", a cappella (O Brother, Where Art Thou?). If she insists on being safe, "Take Me to The River" (Stop Making Sense) is a fair cheat. --Adam
I think it’s safe to say that if I’ve heard of a song, it’s not the right one for Lil to be singing. Thus I offer no thoughts. --Kim
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