TV Review: American Idol 2006 - Eleven Start, Ten Survive
Published March 23, 2006
Barry Manilow was the featured guest singer-celebrity on the night of March 21. Eleven finalists performed songs from the '50s and this should have been right up my alley. Well, I am more a child of the protesting '60s, but this decade will receive its time in due course and as the contest progresses.
At this point in the competition every American Idol finalist is a fine singer with the major differences being in genre, style, and nuanced vocals. Now until the day of reckoning the singers will be judged on how well they perform their chosen songs plus whatever special something the voting viewers see in the performers that hits their vibe.
On the chilly evening of March 21, the guest singer of the evening made a surprising announcement. For it was sweet Kelly Pickler who sang Patsy Cline's "Walking After Midnight" and Manilow announced, across the airwaves and to my everlasting surprise, that he had never heard of this song!
"I'm from New York, what do I know from country music?" is how Barry phrased it, at which point I almost fell out of my chair. No matter how young looking Barry appears ... the man is older than me even! And yes country music is hardly his genre but he is a singer, a singer with a major repertoire and extensive catalogue. Patsy Cline's famous song about a heart-broken woman walking the streets late at night as she nurses her broken heart is one of the all-time classic songs of the ages.
In fact, the announcement of Manilow's presence to aid these youngsters in preparing their song performances from the '50s was a surprise in yet another way. Manilow is a singer beloved by the females on the planet and almost as stridently disliked by the male contingent. Myself adores Manilow and his music while husband says he had to hold his nose to purchase a Manilow requested CD for this past Christmas. This demographic preference did show up later via one of the male finalists but more on this later.
For now, how did Miss Pickler do with Patsy Cline's famous song?
Attired in a simple tank and pants accented by a gorgeous in-your-face belt, Pickler sang what had to be the best song pick for her by a country mile. Simon declared she did it "absolutely right".
And yet Pickler doesn't stand out in my mind and I've yet to envision her as a finalist in this thing.
Chris Daughtry, on the other hand, continually shows up in my winning radar although at first I dismissed him as a very unlikely winner. Which is why American Idol has this long lead-up to a final contender because performances get better, quirks are detected, vocal laziness is discerned. The singers are fleshed-out and Chris Daughtry fleshed right into a superstar before my very eyes these past weeks.
Pat Fish is a pop culture and political pundit. When she’s not working on her own blog she contributes regularly right here on Blogcritics.Pat lives in Delaware with her husband. They are owned by four cats, two dogs and one adorable granddaughter. Pat Fish is a published author and her books have drawn attention from her fellow reviewers on Blogcritics. Reviews of Memoirs of Josephine Fish and Mystery and Mirth have been conveniently provided for your reading pleasure.
- TV Review: American Idol 2006 - Eleven Start, Ten Survive
- Published: March 23, 2006
- Type: Review
- Section: Video
- Filed Under: Video: Family, Music: Pop, Video: Reality TV, Video: Television
- Writer: Patfish
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I watch American Idol..I love this show...except this season I don't like how some of the kids are singing adult sexual songs...its just gross.
I predicted Ace would win from the start...I still think he'll either win or be in the top three...he's adorable.
First of all ACE is just a pretty face. The guy can't sing. Period. He should be the next to go.
Second, I've had just about all I can take from Kellie Pickler and her "vote for me because I'm so stupid in a cute sort of way," act. Last night when she said what's a ballsy I wanted Seacrest to whip out his unit and slap her across the face with it and say "that's a balsy bitch now get off the friggin show before I kill you."
ELLIOT!!! man...
My mother used to be a fan of Manilow's, I guess that's why I can like a few of his songs, unlike most guys. Judging from AI last night, he sure does know his musical jargon to be sure.
Admittedly, I find a couple of Barry Manilow songs to be quite terrific. He's of course a talented, prolific songwriter and a legend and a knowledgeable music guy, blah, blah, blah. But he never heard of "Walking After Midnight." He's an icon for a certain segment of the mainstream, to be sure, but one would think his knowledge base would be wide enough to include more than Patsy Cline's "Crazy." I find that whole thing disconcerting.
"Simon knows exaclty what he's doing."
Sometimes I believe that to be true, but Simon's knowledge of anything beyond what the kids are buying in the UK and the US as shown by the pop-music charts can't amount to much. He doesn't know Live or the Red Hot Chili Peppers? Does he listen to anything beyond A-sides? And does he really think Chris' lack of originality and versatility is a positive thing? Ohhhhh-kay, he's entitled to his opinion. My thought now however is that the one judge with even a modicum of sense (if not sensitivity) is just as flawed as loopy Paula and the namedropping "hiphop" dawg who played with Journey.
i found it very hard to believe that Barry Manilow had never heard of "Walking After Midnight".
I believe the song Barry didn't know had a woman as the central character of the song, so Barry, being a guy, would have no need to know it, as he would never sing it himself anyway. I must confess, I have 12,000 songs in my collection and I don't know that tune either.
Re. Simon, well, he is a pop and 'popera' fan, not a rocker, so his ignorance of rockers is not surprising. He is a record executive who is looking for talented pop artists/singers that will sell. Why wouldn't his focus be what's popular in the Top 40 with the younger crowd???
Just for the record, Walking After Midnight was recording by Garth Brooks on the CD where the cover is black and white. Nice little version of it. I haven't heard half the songs on the 50's CD by Manilow, but I have heard Patsy Cline's Walkin After Midnight a million times.
I guess if you're not a Garth Brooks or Patsy Cline fan, or not into country generally, then I guess one would not be likely to have heard it. I guess Barry and I fit all three categories above.
I have watched all the seasons of idol but this is the first time I have rewatched someone's performance over and over. ACE!! He's got something and I would buy his CD in a heartbeat. I hope he wins it all!!
I think that all the contestants can really sing well. But, my favorites are Katherine Mcphee, Ace, and Kelly Pickler. I sure hope that one of them wins--especially Katherine Mcphee.
"A guest from TV Guide was on Fox and Friends this morning and said that Elliott wrestles daily with diabetes and wears a permanent insulin pump"
That guest was obviously not very well informed. Elliot probably does wrestle with diabetes daily and wears an insulin pump, but it is certainly not a permanent device. It can be removed whenever the user so desires. Using an insulin pump for better control and a more flexible lifestyle is a choice made by many thousands of diabetics (including entertainers and sports figures). For further information you can check out www.minimed.com which is the site for just one of the pump manufacturers.
Please stop publishing false information.
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If Katharine McPhee doesn't ring your bells, you better check for a pulse...LOL! And as for Simon forgetting her name, please. Simon knows exaclty what he's doing. She's gonna be a gold mine for him and will be the next American Idol.