American Idol’s performance shows during top-16 week will be live, so the spoilers about the performances themselves won’t be as forthcoming as the ones from seven days ago. But a poster to the DialIdol Forums is claiming to know the 16 songs that the Idol backing band has made for this week, which is–gag me with a spoon!–1980s week. But the tipster isn’t revealing who picked what songs, so there’ll be at least some element of surprise on tonight’s show. Full list–featuring Whitney Houston, George Michael, and a little bit of speculation!–after the jump.
1-Everytime you go away
2-what about love
3-tainted love
4-the greatest love of all
5-father figure
6-open arms
7-rebel yell
8-the rose
9-bette davis eyes
10-celebration
11-call me
12- always something there to remind me
13-whats love got to do with it
14-hurts so good
15-we built this city
16-every breath you take
According to posters on idolforums.com, Danny Noriega has let it slip on his imeem page that he’s been listening to “Tainted Love” a lot lately, so that’s a likely match; also, overwhelming favorite David Archuleta is apparently going to take on Steve Perry and Arnel Pineda and sing “Open Arms,” which is a risky strategy given that he’ll be singing said song in front of ex-Journey member Randy Jackson. I’d peg rock and roll nurse Amanda Overmeyer to sing “Bette Davis Eyes,” which works well with her raspy voice; perhaps she’ll also tone down her hair and makeup for the occasion, and just glop on the eyeliner instead. Given that Jason Castro was instructed to ditch the guitar, the likelihood of him singing “Hurts So Good” is low–perhaps Brooke White will take on that song, while Castro tackles “Every Breath You Take”?
Also: “We Built This City”? That’s gotta be the pick of that a cappella guy, because… yuck.
spoilers [dialidol.com, via idolforums]
“ex-Journey member Randy Jackson”
that line is so funny to read. he played on ‘raised on radio.’ i barely count that. now if steve perry could replace mr. yo dog, then we’d be in business.
@Maura Johnston: “What About Love”? Could Carly do Heart two weeks in a row?
Also, “The Rose” is from a movie about Janis…could that be Amanda’s pick? Or maybe she’ll just top last week’s performance by being both raspy and out of tune while covering the worst song of the 80s (”We Built This City”). This should be a treat!
I wish I lived in a world where an Idol contestant would be all “fuck this nonsense” and demand to sing, like, “25 O’Clock” by the Dukes of Stratosphear or something.
Where’s Huey Lewis? “The Power of Love” or “Doing It All For My Baby” would have been killer.
At least someone is doing “Father Figure”. Imagine how great George would be as a guest judge.
@Thierry: I’m tired of people calling “We Built This City” the worst song of the 80s. I could probably name 50 just off the top of my head that are worse than that (including “Sara” and “Nothing’s Gonna Stop Up Now”).
Does anyone know how these songs are chosen? Are the contestants given a slightly larger body of crappy songs (say, 40) and they then must select? I need to know that no one actually picked We Built This City out of the blue.
@dippinkind: Don’t forget “Bette Davis Eyes”, which was originally recorded by Jackie DeShannon in the late 60s (or maybe it was the early 70s).
@brasstax: true, 1974
I can’t hear “The Greatest Love of All”, without immediately visualizing that insane interview Whitney did on MTV’s Fanatic?
+ Watch video
THE GREATEST LOVE OF ALL IS INSIDE ME!!!!!!!
@brasstax: I don’t know. It’s (unfortunately) the karaoke go-to song of a friend of mine and I’ve had to hear it far more often than necessary. Can we agree though that Starship were very high on the list of the worst band of the 1980s?
@Thierry: Not counting “Find Your Way Back,” sure. I could sign that pledge.
@brasstax: So, pretty much the entire Starship catalogue.
Considering today’s news, I’m going to call “Father Figure” for David Hernandez.
I predict: Carly will sing “Bette Davis Eyes” (ugh) and Amanda will sing “What About Love” (since she can’t do Janis, she might as well continue Ann Wilson). And Jason Castro will probably do “Everytime you Go Away” (so he can make those puppy dog eyes to camera). I really hope Danny Noreiga will do “Rebel Yell.” And if Chikeze does “Celebration,” I will be very disappointed.
I would bet, though: it is going to be two nights of awesomely bad and bland wedding-band-esque performances.
I hate that I know that “We Built This City” is the worst song of the 80s. Oh, the useless information that fills my head…
Dammit! I was hoping that Pete Wentz … errmmm, Danny Noriega would be singing “The Rose”, since he is quite the Pretty Pretty Princess.
But, “Tainted Love”? I’ll go along with it, as long as he comes out in leather, as the “Boy” to Ryan Seacrest’s “Daddy”. (Okay, so that won’t happen either. Unless they come up with BD/SM Idol or something.
@rhythmchyc: I can one up the self-hatred, since I hate myself for knowing that Blender magazine subjected a writer to having to listen to that song for 24 hours straight.
@scarletvirtue: I’ll go along with it, as long as he comes out in leather, as the “Boy” to Ryan Seacrest’s “Daddy”. (Okay, so that won’t happen either. Unless they come up with BD/SM Idol or something.
He could always do the Marilyn Manson version. I’m sure the judges would lavish him with praise for making it his own…
I wish I lived in a world where an Idol contestant would be all “fuck this nonsense” and demand to sing, like, “25 O’Clock” by the Dukes of Stratosphear or something.
Or Minor Threat’s “Cashing In.”
@Thierry: Hmmmm, good idea. Didn’t even think of that one!
It’s not a risk to perform OPEN ARMS in front of Randy, IF YOU KNOW YOU ARE GREAT. Clay Aiken sang Open Arms in front of Randy and look how far Clay went.
I’d guess that Amanda would be singing REBEL YELL. But you could be right about Bette Davis Eyes since what’s her face (who sang that song) had such a raspy voice.
I wonder what David A. will sing, hE’S BEEN DOING GREAT THE PAST FEW WEEKS
8:13 PM: Either your tipster is stupid or deliberately misleading. 0-2 so far.
@DHMBIB: yeah i apparently missed the tmz post from the dress rehearsal. damn my aversion to irony-challenged gossip sites!
@Maura Johnston: No worries, of course.
Just a reminder to all Idolator readers — don’t believe everything you read on “teh internetz” [except for what you read on Idolator -- all of which is completely 100% accurate -- Eds.]…
Especially when said “things” relate to the most popular show on the teevee that many people would like to take down.
Man, I’ll 80s night over 70s night anyday. Although I forgot how much I love Heart songs last week.
Man, what a god-awful list of 80s songs! This is why Idol has been so suck this year… the song choices are booooooring.
Whoever is singing “The Greatest Love of All” should not only be voted off Idol, they should be taken out back and put down.
needs more (much more) Howard Jones.
@sicksteanein: well, that’s why someone picked ‘what about love’ i guess. also because ‘alone’ is totally overdone at this point.
@GhostOfDuane: YES!
“We Built This City” should only be allowed if the singer has to imitate both Mickey Thomas and Grace Slick. And I hate that I know this, but “The Rose” is from 1979.
@GhostOfDuane: YES!
“We Built This City” should only be allowed if the singer has to imitate both Mickey Thomas AND Grace Slick. And I hate that I know this, but “The Rose” is from 1979.
No “Welcome To The Jungle”???
Meh.
it’s intersting that two of these 80’s songs are originally from 1964 (Tainted Love by Gloria Jones and Always Something There To Remind Me by Sandie Shaw). And of course Danny will sing one of them, as he is a rebel who will not be bound by these decade restrictions.
@ARCHROCKS: So nice of you to visit, David. I thought they’d have you hidden away from the rest of the world and Teh Interwebs.