Tonight is the night. We are down to the American Idol Season 8 final 3 and they will be performing two songs each tonight. Randy, Paul and Simon picked songs for Danny Gokey, Kris Allen and Adam Lambert to sing and then each of them will pick a song for themselves. It is too close to call the winner (see our Top 3 Power Rankings) so tonight’s performances are vital.
Judge’s Selections
Their are rumors all over the Internet about which songs the American Idol judges picked for tonight’s performances. We don’t know if the rumors are correct but, rather than try to read the judges minds, we will go with the rumors:
- Randy picked Terence Trent D’Arby’s song “Dance Little Sister”
for Danny Gokey. TTD was a breakthrough R&B star in the late 80′s, touted as the next great soul star, who fell to Earth as quickly as he rose. The lyrics have a nice positive message:
Get up ‘outta’ your rockin’ chair grandma!
Or rather would you care to dance grandmother?Hey you! Give up to the ghost
That’s haunting you now
Shout it out
Don’t let it stay inside
And eat you alive
Make up your mind
Don’t you want to stay
This side of the line
I can assure you
When you’re my age
You’ll learn
From all you’ve left behind(You’ve got to)
Dance little sister
Don’t give up today
Hang on till tomorrow
I don’t wanna hear you’re late
Dance little sister
Don’t give up today
Hang on till tomorrow
Don’t give up your staySay now share the weight
And lay your cross down
And let the long reaching arm
Of hope bring you around
It ain’t easy but giving up
Is the easy thing to do
Time is on your side
Would you just watch the clock
And let it tick for you(You’ve got to)
Dance little sister
Don’t give up today
Hang on till tomorrow
I don’t wanna hear you’re late
Dance little sister
Don’t give up today
Hang on till tomorrow
Don’t give up your stayI think the song is a little fast to be in Danny’s sweet spot but he I think Danny Gokey could do a lot with this song. Here is a video of “Dance Little Sister”
- There is some question about what Simon has picked for Adam Lambert. Some believe he picked U2′s “One” and some think he picked Chris Isaak’s “Wicked Game”. I think it is “Wicked Game” , which seems perfect for Adam’s style and there are several electronic remixes for him to use. Here is a video of Chris Isaak performing “Wicked Game”
- Paula selected One Republic’s “Apologize” for Kris Allen and that seems to fit his style very well. This is a contemporary, mid-tempo pop-rock song about a break-up. I listen to One Republic performing “Apologize” and I can imagine Kris Allen. Watch this video of the Timbaland re-mix and see what I mean
Performer’s Choices
Three good choices from the American Idol judges so we should have three really great performances of those songs. Here is what I think Danny, Kris and Adam should choose for themselves:
- It is time for Danny Gokey to step up and boldly declare his faith. He has been slammed for it all season and he hasn’t had a chance to sing an openly Christian song. Randy gave him the perfect opening with an uptempo judges’s choice. The most openly Christian American Idol finalist ever should sing the most openly Christian rock ballad ever sung on American Idol: “Thief” by Third Day .
- Kris Allen should also fly his faith with a little less overt but equally powerful song from Seabird called “Rescue” . Here are the lyrics:
I’m pushing up daisies, I wish they were roses
I feel like I’m drowning but nobody knows it
I’m pushing up daisies, I wish they were roses
I feel like I’m dying, just want you to noticesomehow the grave has captured me
show me the man I used to be
just when I feel my breath is running outthe earth moves and you find me, alive but unworthy
broken and empty, but you don’t care
cuz you are my rapture, you are my savior
when all my hope is gone, I reach for you
you are my rescue
you are my rescueI’m swimming to safety, but even with my best
if I don’t see that rope soon, this might be my last breathsomehow the grave has captured me
show me the man I used to be
just when I feel my breath is running outthe earth moves and you find me, alive but unworthy
broken and empty, but you don’t care
because you are my rapture, you are my savior
when all my hope is gone, I reach for you
you are my rescuedon’t let me drown
can you hear me
cuz I am
“drawlin out” (not sure)
I’m underground
won’t you pull me outthe earth moves and you find me, alive but unworthy
broken and empty, but you don’t care
because you are my rapture, you are my savior
when all my hope is gone, I reach for you
you are my rescue
you are my rescue
yeah, you are my REScue
yeah! you are MY resCUEI’m pushing up daisies, I wish they were roses
I feel like I’m dying, just want you to notice…Once you watch the video below you will see why I picked this for Kris Allen. With these two songs Kris Allen could propel himself to the forefront of American Idol Season 8.
- Adam Lambert has done Robert Plant and he needs to take on Freddy Mercury by performing the most theatrical rock song ever recorded (except maybe some Meatloaf) “Bohemian Rhaposdy” . It has been done on American Idol several times, so it can be done. Interestingly, it was performed by Constantine Maroulis, the American Idol Season 4 finalist who looked for all the world like a “rock god” but who has never charted a song or sustained an extended rock tour. He has, however, been nominated for a Tony Award for his performance in Rock of Ages. Hmmm.
So there it is. We go boldly into the last two shows of American Idol Season 8 with six good songs that can be well performed by three terrific singers; Kris Allen, Danny Gokey and Adam Lambert.
Be sure to put together your American Idol Season 8 by downloading any of the performances from iTunes
I can see danny doing I can Only Imagine. A Christian song but a huge pop hit as well. Thanks for those video bits.