Yes, it’s true that this season’s American Idol finalists have taken delight in spurning the song requests that all of us have been posting here at PopWatch for the last several weeks. And indeed, some wise person once said that insanity is repeating the same activity over and over again and expecting a different result. But who ever said PopWatch was a place of mental stability? In that spirit, here are my final attempts to sway Taylor Hicks and, pictured, Katharine McPhee (who are both awaiting your letter grade of their work to date) to create my ultimate Idol season finale. Won’t you do the same?
Taylor: Okay, I get it — loud and clear — the gray-haired dude is not about to tackle ”Lady Marmalade” (his loss). But my good friend Doni from Kentucky emailed me last week with a suggestion that’s even more must-hear: Michael McDonald’s "I Keep Forgettin’ (Every Time You’re Near).” Trust me, Taylor, sing it, and things will never be the same again.
Katharine: All of you know I’m immune to the McPheever (symptoms of which include an occasional shrieking noise in the ears and severe ego-tosis), but I could possibly (maybe) (almost) catch it if Katharine took on Pat Benatar’s ”We Belong.” It’s delicate, but not so delicate that Kat won’t be able to go for the power notes (which she seems intent on doing); plus, it’s got a clear, gorgeous melody. Now, sing it. SING IT!
Comments (1-30) of 83 Add your comment
dude, you totally forgot that Taylor sang ‘In the Ghetto’ on Elvis night – one of your picks and did a kick’n job too.
Good choice for Katharine. I agree. When she sings softly (as in “Somewhere over the Rainbow”, “Someone to Watch Over Me” and “Black Horse and the Cherry Tree”) she sounds good, but when she belts it out (I’m still partially deaf from “Who Wants to Live Forever) she sounds like crap. She could probably do well with “Foolish Games” by Jewel or Gordon Lighfoot’s “In the Early Mornin’ Rain” a la Eva Cassidy.
OMG….if Taylor sang “I Keep Forgettin’”, I think I may pass clean out!!!!! He is at his best, IMO, when he channels the great McDonald. Seriously, it would be the end of me!!
I think Taylor would sound awesome singing a Blood Sweat and Tears song like ‘Spinning Wheel’. Katherine; maybe a bluesy song like Bonnie Rait’s “Love me like a Man’.
Go Taylor!
If only Taylor WOULDNT sing… the joy I’d feel…
Katherine should sing “Dont Know Why” by Norah Jones and she’d be fabulous… Since I have to catch the McFeever now that my faves Elliott and Chris are gone, I think that’ll be great for her.
Taylor: Imagine by John Lennon
Katharine: I’m a Woman by Peggy Lee
I think Elliott should sing Ordinary People… oh wait…
Kat should sing “Lady Marmalade” then she would definitely lose – she can channel Christina Aguilera yet again which she tries to do every week without success. At this point anything Taylor sings will be better. Love the Michael McDonald suggestion AND even Spinning Wheel ( that however could verge on karaoke for Simon…) GO TAYLOR!
Taylor should so win.
KAT KAT KAT KAT KAT I LOVE HER!!!
Not sure if Taylor has sung this or not, but my friend suggested Taylor sing “If you don’t know me by now” by Harold Melvin and the Blue notes.
Katharine…hell, I don’t know…”Total Eclipse of the Heart” by Bonnie Tyler…I like that cheesy song, and since i don’t have McPheever, I might as well watch her sing something i enjoy (then again, I also enjoy “Against All Odds” and that turned out horribly)
Taylor should totally sing “Life is a Highway” by Tom Cochrane!!
Kat should TRY and sing something by Sarah McLachlan… then we’ll see if she is any good.
isn’t this the week they have to sing some cheesy song picked for them? do they really have a choice of what to sing?
I would rather hear Chris and Elliot sing a duet of “Teddy Bear’s Picnic” than hear those two sing anything, but I guess their fans have better things to do on Tuesday nights than sit around dialing the phone for two hours. (Don’t blame me, I’m in Canada and we can’t vote).
If we must hear the gruesome twosome, Katharine is definitely the lesser of two evils when she does something soft. “We Belong” is a good pick, but she might do well with something by Norah Jones like “Come Away With Me” or “Turn Me On”. If she wants to do something more bluesy she could do “Bring it on Home to Me” which Taylor might be able to pull off as well.
Suggestion for Taylor – Bob Seeger’s “We’ve Got Tonight”
Both choices are good songs. We Belong is especially pretty and perfect for Idol. Although, you’re mistaken if you think Katherine is the one with the bigger ego. All that mugging, twitching, self-hugging, and yes, falling on the stage are not just Taylor being swept up in the moment. It’s grand-standing, vain and distracting millions of voters from his alternating between mumbling and growling.
For Taylor, I would recommend either Tim Buckley’s “Dolphins”, or “Hard To Say” by Sister Hazel. Both are in his range, and while “Dolphins” is very powerful when done right, it’s a bit melancholy– better to go with the crowd-pleasing, blues-rattling “Hard To Say”. And it would be a fun song he could get his whole body behind.
I have been wanting for the longest time for someone to pull the unexpected double whammy of adding Dwight Yoakum-ish twang to the old Olivia Newton John nugget, “Make a Move on Me”. Katherine could simultaneously stun critics and break hearts with that song if she felt it.
Taylor should channel Joe Cocker again and sing “With a Little Help From My Friends”
I have caught the McPheever, and I am so happy about it. Katharine should sing a great American standard, or, maybe, a jazzy Norah Jones (or Madeleine Peyroux) tune. That’s what she does best. As for Taylor, what about Joe Cocker’s “Unchain My Heart” or a Van morrison’s song.
Kat should sing Angel from Sarah McLachlan or Mariah Carey’s Without You.
I would love to hear Taylor sing Warren Zevon’s Werewolves of London. Katherine needs some rock and roll, like Heart’s Magic Man.
Why doesn’t Taylor sing a medley of his audition songs since that’s the only time I was impressed with him.
Kat should sing “My Favorite Things” ala Julie Andrews.
Bring back Elliott, it was a tie wasn’t it?!! Whaa.
I think Taylor should sing “Have a Little Faith in Me” by John Hiatt (I think that’s his name – damn, getting old sucks!). It’s a slow song, but I really think that he could do that song justice. Another I’d like to see him do is “I Am” by Jonny Lang – it’s a song written by Prince and it has Taylor’s name all over it.
As for Katharine, I really don’t care what she sings, as long as she doesn’t win this competition.
I think it should be Pantera Night.
Taylor should sing either the song he originally auditioned with and play some harmonica as well,
and/or ‘Moondance’ by Van Morrison.
Katherine can sing anything she wants as long as she comes in second place.
Meier,
“Waaalk! Are you talking to me?!” lol. Yeah Pantera night. And Simon should “Run to the Hills” on Iron Maiden night.
Seriouly, Kat should sing “You’re No Good”- Lyrics by Clint Ballard Jr., originally performed by Ellie Campell and later covered by Linda Rondstat. She is close to Rondstats vocal range so I think that the song would fit her.
Taylor “I keep Forgetting (Every Time Your Near) by Michael McDonald or “Minute by Minute” by M.M. and the Doobie Brothers. Doni has it right, and Taylor would execute both brilliantly. If not “New Orleans” by Gary US Bonds.
Katharine should sing anything by Donna Summer, Kat has the same mid-range as Donna, I noticed the day she sang Someone to watch over me….
Taylor should try anything by Peter Gabriel…..
I think the perfect song for Katharine would be “Shadowboxer,” with that sultry, sexy vibe.
Taylor: Honky Cat or Rocket Man by Elton John; Never Been to Spain or Joy to The World by Three Dog Night
Katherine: Ironic by Alanis Morissette; I Will Remember You by Sarah McLachlan
Katherine should sing “Blue Bayou” by Roy Orbison and later covered by Linda Ronstadt. I think she’d do great with that song.
Taylor should definitely go with a Blood Sweat and Tears song, as suggested by some others here. “Spinning Wheel” would be a good choice.