Diamonds in the Rough
by The Nittany Turkey
Five Idol-wannabes remain and they’ll be doing the songbook of Neil Diamond tonight. I don’t have anything extremely brilliant to say—American Idol does not lend itself to brilliance of any sort—so what I’ll do is pick songs for the contestants. Here we go.
David Archuleta: “September Morn” or “Until It’s Time for You to Go”
Jason Castro: “Song Sung Blue” or “Cracklin’ Rosie”
David Cook: “Brother Love’s Travelin’ Salvation Show” or “I Am…I Said”
Syesha Mercado: “Love on the Rocks” or “You Don’t Bring Me Flowers”
Brooke White: “Heartlight” or “Play Me”
I’ve increased my odds by waffling and choosing two per contestant. I ought to get one or two right that way.
I think they’ll save “Sweet Caroline” for the group number on Wednesday. “He Ain’t Heavy, He’s My Brother” would be a good one for David Cook, but I don’t know if they’d use it because the Hollies recorded it first.
Tune in at 8:00 PM on Fox to see just how bad a song picker this Turkey really is!
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Tags: Television
April 29th, 2008 at 7:58 pm
Okay Turkey, here are some other songs we might also hear tonight:
I’m a Believer (David Cook could do something interesting with this).
Holly Holy which would be good for Jason.
Kentucky Woman might also be good for Jason.
Ditto, on Sweet Caroline as a group number…but also a possible is Coming to America.
We shall soon see!
April 29th, 2008 at 7:59 pm
There’s also Thank the Lord for the Nighttime…and Red, Red Wine…and Solitary Man.
April 29th, 2008 at 8:00 pm
And Cherry, Cherry.
April 29th, 2008 at 8:00 pm
Soon.
April 29th, 2008 at 8:00 pm
I dedicated Cherry Cherry to David Archuleta, who hasn’t yet lost his.
April 29th, 2008 at 8:01 pm
HA!
April 29th, 2008 at 8:03 pm
Neil has got to be closing in on 70.
April 29th, 2008 at 8:03 pm
I saw the Dimond at the former O-Rena back in 1999. He put on a great show. His voice sounded great.
April 29th, 2008 at 8:04 pm
Still using that black hair dye, I see.
April 29th, 2008 at 8:04 pm
Make that Diamond.
April 29th, 2008 at 8:04 pm
He borrowed a bottle of it from Archuleta.
April 29th, 2008 at 8:05 pm
I think Jason will be awful with those two songs.
April 29th, 2008 at 8:05 pm
Forever in Blue Jeans, not one of my favorites.
April 29th, 2008 at 8:05 pm
You know, I kinda like this.
April 29th, 2008 at 8:06 pm
I think it’s like college dorm sing-around night.
April 29th, 2008 at 8:06 pm
I actually like this better than Neil’s version.
April 29th, 2008 at 8:07 pm
This is a crappy song, which Diamond pulled off with his powerful delivery, which ain’t what Jason’s got.
April 29th, 2008 at 8:07 pm
Nice job, kid.
April 29th, 2008 at 8:07 pm
There we have it: total agreement!
April 29th, 2008 at 8:08 pm
See I think the song needed the lighter touch–that’s why I liked Jason’s take on it. I never thought it fit the Diamond’s voice.
April 29th, 2008 at 8:12 pm
I tolerated it because of Diamond’s voice.
April 29th, 2008 at 8:12 pm
I don’t know about this song choice.
April 29th, 2008 at 8:14 pm
What was your view on that Turkey?
Uh oh. Here comes Brooke.
April 29th, 2008 at 8:14 pm
I slept through it.
April 29th, 2008 at 8:15 pm
This is kinda like Julie Haggerty singing in “Airplane.”
April 29th, 2008 at 8:15 pm
This totally sucks. If she doesn’t go home this week, I’m going to be pissed.
April 29th, 2008 at 8:16 pm
(:
April 29th, 2008 at 8:16 pm
April 29th, 2008 at 8:17 pm
There–the smiley thing worked!
But actually, I’m crying after that awful performance.
April 29th, 2008 at 8:17 pm
She has a nice smile.
April 29th, 2008 at 8:17 pm
So far, nobody has knocked my socks off.
April 29th, 2008 at 8:19 pm
Or yours.
April 29th, 2008 at 8:19 pm
Neil’s being kind.
April 29th, 2008 at 8:20 pm
Yeah….well I felt it would be a tough night since these songs are all so much identified with Neil Diamond that it would be difficult to not be compared with him.
April 29th, 2008 at 8:22 pm
This is going to suck.
April 29th, 2008 at 8:22 pm
Now, these were supposed to be group numbers for tomorrow night.
April 29th, 2008 at 8:22 pm
I bet the kids don’t even know some of these songs.
April 29th, 2008 at 8:23 pm
He looks like a little Mexican kid singing big man’s song.
April 29th, 2008 at 8:23 pm
Yeah, who knew?
What are they going to do? Cracklin’ Rosie?
April 29th, 2008 at 8:23 pm
Soolaimon
April 29th, 2008 at 8:24 pm
Sort of a cop-out way to end the song.
April 29th, 2008 at 8:24 pm
Lame. That’s a good word for it.
April 29th, 2008 at 8:24 pm
This is a good choice for her.
April 29th, 2008 at 8:25 pm
She might do that one gospel style and it might work.
April 29th, 2008 at 8:25 pm
Finally, she’s dropping that Whitney bit and just singing the song.
April 29th, 2008 at 8:26 pm
I spoke too soon.
April 29th, 2008 at 8:26 pm
The little forlorn girl singing to her boyfriend thing works. But the Whitney shit doesn’t.
April 29th, 2008 at 8:26 pm
If she kept it at the level she stayed with at the beginning, it would have been so much stronger.
April 29th, 2008 at 8:27 pm
No retching, though. She should have sung that like Streisand, not like Whitney.
April 29th, 2008 at 8:28 pm
Did he sing two, Paula?
April 29th, 2008 at 8:28 pm
WHAT??????? He hasn’t performed his second song for the TV audience yet!!!!!!!!
April 29th, 2008 at 8:29 pm
Brooke WAS a nightmare. Good for Simon.
April 29th, 2008 at 8:29 pm
RIGHT ON, Simon!
April 29th, 2008 at 8:30 pm
I liked that Syesha did it the “old fashioned” way. He told Jordin that last season. He’s got a hang up about that.
April 29th, 2008 at 8:30 pm
He cuts through the popularity contest crap and gets to the heart of the performances. Kudos to Simon.
April 29th, 2008 at 8:30 pm
A hang up? No, an opinion. Opinions, as we know, are like assholes: we’ve all got one and they all stink!
April 29th, 2008 at 8:31 pm
Which comment was the one about David Cook?
April 29th, 2008 at 8:31 pm
I missed what he said about Jason. Could you fill me in?
April 29th, 2008 at 8:32 pm
Speak for yourself
April 29th, 2008 at 8:32 pm
He said David Cook was just above average.
April 29th, 2008 at 8:33 pm
And Jason?
April 29th, 2008 at 8:33 pm
He said Jason was forgettable. David just above average. Brooke a nightmare. David Archuleta - amateurish.
April 29th, 2008 at 8:34 pm
This is going to make the little girls swoon.
April 29th, 2008 at 8:34 pm
This gonna suck.
April 29th, 2008 at 8:35 pm
You mean the ones they pay to wave their arms in the mosh pit?
April 29th, 2008 at 8:35 pm
I def. heard the Brooke part.
Well, I don’t mind Jason’s singing on this…but I don’t believe these sentiments coming from a kid this young. Especially one wearing dreads.
April 29th, 2008 at 8:36 pm
It would help if he could sing on-key, but he sucks throughout. He’s so college dorm sing-along night tonight that he makes me want to go to the sandwich machine.
April 29th, 2008 at 8:36 pm
This performance is rated IS
April 29th, 2008 at 8:37 pm
Hey will you get me a ham and cheese?
April 29th, 2008 at 8:37 pm
Yet, he’ll be second-best vote getter.
April 29th, 2008 at 8:37 pm
Aw, give the kiddo a break. I thought he did it with feeling.
April 29th, 2008 at 8:37 pm
This sucks.
April 29th, 2008 at 8:38 pm
He’s boring me to death….well, not yet.
April 29th, 2008 at 8:39 pm
I vote him the one most likely to evoke memories of Neil Diamond performances.
April 29th, 2008 at 8:39 pm
I think he did the song from Phantom last week and now wants to stay in a similar mode.
He’s rocking it a bit now but I don’t like it at all.
April 29th, 2008 at 8:39 pm
I thought Brother Love would have been a good choice for him.
April 29th, 2008 at 8:39 pm
Sometimes The Diamond bores but sometimes he’s great.
April 29th, 2008 at 8:40 pm
Maybe Bro Love will be the group song.
April 29th, 2008 at 8:40 pm
Paula remains irrelevant.
April 29th, 2008 at 8:40 pm
Wow. “Brilliant.” Maybe I just didn’t like the song.
April 29th, 2008 at 8:40 pm
Yeah, it worked for me…and it worked for Simon, so I must be right.
April 29th, 2008 at 8:41 pm
I have a hang up about Brooke.
April 29th, 2008 at 8:41 pm
Aw, you got that modesty thing going
April 29th, 2008 at 8:42 pm
What’s your “hang up” about Brooke?
April 29th, 2008 at 8:43 pm
Guess Turkey’s at the sandwhich machine.
April 29th, 2008 at 8:44 pm
I can’t stand her singing.
April 29th, 2008 at 8:45 pm
This one will be a wet dream.
April 29th, 2008 at 8:45 pm
I can’t believe she’s going to take on this song. What a dunce.
April 29th, 2008 at 8:46 pm
Arizona and CA ain’t between two shores.
Stupid idea, Neil.
April 29th, 2008 at 8:47 pm
Arizona’s fine but it ain’t home no morrrrrrrrrre….
(You goin’ back there soon, Brooke!)
April 29th, 2008 at 8:47 pm
This isn’t as bad as I thought it would be.
It probably was a good choice for her because she needs the drama so as to take attention away from her voice.
April 29th, 2008 at 8:48 pm
In summation, Paula…
April 29th, 2008 at 8:48 pm
Yeah, I agree with the panel on this one.
April 29th, 2008 at 8:48 pm
So, a million times zero is what?
April 29th, 2008 at 8:49 pm
I mean CA and AZ are between two oceans…but not like NY and Ca…you know what I mean.
This song is not working for David.
April 29th, 2008 at 8:49 pm
I am so sick and tired of his voice and his mannerisms….AND AND AND….H I S F A C E!!!!
April 29th, 2008 at 8:49 pm
He’s not giving the song enough emotion. He’s just repeating verses.
April 29th, 2008 at 8:50 pm
It’s because he sings them all exactly the same way.
April 29th, 2008 at 8:50 pm
Yeah, that earnest expression is starting to bug me.
April 29th, 2008 at 8:50 pm
But he listened to Andrew Dice Clay about keeping his eyes open—mostly.
April 29th, 2008 at 8:51 pm
zzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz
April 29th, 2008 at 8:51 pm
Geez. Paula’s criticism is so pathetic.
I’m not on the page with Simon on this one.
April 29th, 2008 at 8:51 pm
Okay. It’s almost snack time.
April 29th, 2008 at 8:52 pm
He should of sang Comeen too Mexico, man.
April 29th, 2008 at 8:52 pm
Yeah, let’s get done with Syesha so I can do some work.
April 29th, 2008 at 8:53 pm
It’s the Aussie Victoria’s Secret model.
April 29th, 2008 at 8:55 pm
I saw a news story today that Ryan’s days might be numbered on AI.
April 29th, 2008 at 8:56 pm
Not bad.
April 29th, 2008 at 8:56 pm
This will work if she doesn’t Whitneyfy it.
April 29th, 2008 at 8:56 pm
You can tell she’s out of her Whitneysh element.
April 29th, 2008 at 8:57 pm
Okay, she’s doing better now.
April 29th, 2008 at 8:57 pm
This is probably the best of the night for me.
April 29th, 2008 at 8:57 pm
Sexy!
April 29th, 2008 at 8:58 pm
I do think Syesha has a nice sweetness to her voice when she wants to use it.
April 29th, 2008 at 8:58 pm
SHUT UP PAULA!
April 29th, 2008 at 8:58 pm
Way to end it Simon.
April 29th, 2008 at 8:59 pm
Your verdict on her performance, Turkey?
April 29th, 2008 at 9:00 pm
I liked it. However, Simon is right. She’ll be in trouble this week because she was in trouble last week.
April 29th, 2008 at 9:00 pm
Okay, I see your comment on it now.
I liked it, too.
I think Jason should go home.
I think Brooke will make it another week.
April 29th, 2008 at 9:01 pm
I’m a believer that Brooke has a following.
April 29th, 2008 at 9:01 pm
Jason should go, but Syesha probably will.
April 29th, 2008 at 9:01 pm
But I’m thinking that the producers might think I Am I Said would be a dramatic farewell song for Brooke.
April 29th, 2008 at 9:02 pm
You are probably right. Simon might have jinxed her by closing the show with that particular comment.
April 29th, 2008 at 9:02 pm
Yeah, the best of the night is between Cook and Syesha. But that ain’t the way the voting will necessarily go.
April 29th, 2008 at 9:02 pm
I don’t have to work tomorrow night so I’ll be here on time.
April 29th, 2008 at 9:03 pm
Ahh…Natasha Bedingfield tomorrow night.
April 29th, 2008 at 9:03 pm
I’m betting little boring David is going to win this whole thing.
April 29th, 2008 at 9:03 pm
Who is Natasha?
April 29th, 2008 at 9:03 pm
Well, I’m outta here…seeya tomorrow for the big surprise vote-out!
April 29th, 2008 at 9:04 pm
Natasha? She’s the English blonde who sang “Unwritten.”
April 29th, 2008 at 9:04 pm
Ta Ta, Turkey!
April 29th, 2008 at 9:04 pm
You know the one about the dirty window and the rest is still unspoken?
April 29th, 2008 at 9:04 pm
Nighty-night!
April 29th, 2008 at 9:05 pm
Or UNWRITTEN, I mean.