This week's theme: '60s British invasion
By RANDY A. SALAS
(MINNEAPOLIS) STAR TRIBUNE
"American Idol" finalists learned two things on Fox' s top-rated singing competition last week:
(1) Don't forget the lyrics. Viewers ousted iffy professional backup singer Brandon Rogers last week for the most serious lapse among the performances.
(2) Don't shoehorn a classic pop song into your "style." The judges chided several "Idol" wannabes for taking too many liberties with their arrangements.
The theme of tonight's show -- songs from the mid-'60s British invasion -- will be the first real test for front-runners Lakisha Jones and Melinda Doolittle, who so far have managed to stay within their comfort zone of female-driven R & amp;B numbers.
They and the other contestants must avoid taking an unlikely song and hammering away at it until they think it fits the judges' motto of "make it your own." The secret for the singers is to choose a song that already fits their style and then sing the heck out of it.
Matching them up
With that in mind, here are the kinds of British invasion songs suited for each contestant, listed from best to worst based on recent performances:
1. Lakisha Jones: "Go Now." This is exactly what I mean: Before the first incarnation of the Moody Blues turned this R & amp;B song into a 1965 top 10 hit, it was recorded by American soul singer Bessie Banks.
2. Melinda Doolittle: "Time Is on My Side." The Rolling Stones scored with their 1964 remake of another bluesy American tune, originally done by New Orleans singer Irma Thomas.
3. Jordin Sparks: "Downtown." The lights are much brighter when this fresh-faced youngster sings, so what could be better than the 1965 "urban" hit by Petula Clark?
4. Blake Lewis: "Needles and Pins." The edgy beat-boxer would have viewers on pins and needles with this nicely syncopated 1964 song by the Searchers.
5. Gina Glockston: "You Really Got Me." She rocks, and so did the Kinks with their raw, highly influential sensation from 1964.
6. Chris Sligh: "She's Not There." The 1964 Zombies classic is challenging enough to show off his voice but also has the energy to keep things interesting.
7. Stephanie Edwards: "You Don't Have to Say You Love Me." AllMusic calls Dusty Springfield "the finest white soul singer of her era." Edwards could tap into that vibe and turn her 1966 hit into a burner.
8. Chris Richardson: "Ticket to Ride." The Beatles' 1965 chart-topper would hold up well to the contemporary stylings of the Justin Timberlake clone.
9. Haley Scarnato: "Don't Let the Sun Catch You Crying." She needs something sweet and memorable to wow the audience, and this heartfelt 1964 ballad by Gerry and the Pacemakers could be it.
10. Phil Stacey: "Don't Let Me Be Misunderstood." The bald guy has been remarkably inconsistent, but the 1965 Animals hit could get him back on track musically and lyrically.
11. Sanjaya Malakar: "Telstar." The earliest hit of the British invasion, a dazzling 1962 number by the Tornados, is ideal for the weak-voiced contestant, who should have been kicked off the show long ago. It's an instrumental.
"American Idol" airs tonight at 8 p.m. on Fox, with guests Lulu and Peter Noone of Herman's Hermits. Results will be revealed at 9 p.m. Wednesday.