I thought it strange that the stipulation was that they sing an actual Bon Jovi song tonight. On the nights with Diana Ross, Gwen Stefani, etc., they just had to do a song by someone who "inspired" the singer coaching, or one of the same genre. I feel like the girls were kind of at a disadvantage last night.
However, I really think everybody did well. Jordin is my personal favorite, and although her song was a little rough, I think she should get some credit for picking a more challenging one. I thought Phil was amazing last night. He had been dangerously close to being voted off, but the last few weeks has seemed to surge.
At this point, I'm always sad to see anyone leave, because we've come down to the really good singers after weeding out the ones who shouldn't have been in the top 12 anyway like Sanjayah and Halie.

I wouldn't like to call the bottom two tonight, except that Melinda must be safe. Jordin's was the worst performance of the night but who would ever have said she would do a Bon Jovi cover? I would have thought she aced last week's vote so should still be OK. Chris must be vulnerable although I actually liked this week's performance. I just didn't get the Lakisha enthusiasm - she's gone off the boil in recent weeks and although last night was OK I certainly wouldn't rave about it and was surprised by how much Simon Cowell did. Who knows where Blake fits in - for the first time in a long time I watched his performance again because I couldn't make my mind up. Finally I decided I liked it and he deserves to stay but he may well have put a lot of people off. Phil I really liked again and he just seems to be going up as Lakisha goes down.

What the heck does all of that mean for the bottom two? I'm going to guess Chris and Lakisha, with Phil in the bottom three. This is definitely a good Idol season.

Well, I thought it was a good show last night--(luv me some Jon Bon Jovi, that guy's never going to get un-handsome ).

The only performances that bothered me were Jordin and Chris. Poor Jordin, out of all the bazillions of Bon Jovi songs she could have picked, she went for one that not only was totally unsuited for her voice but is probably one of the most popular with fans. I'm not really a Jordin fan, but I do think she's really good. Just an unfortunate performance last night.

And Chris--oy. Don't like him anyway, but dude had to go ruin my favorite Bon Jovi tune. I knew someone had to pick it, but did it really have to be him?! (I think Phil could have done that one nicely, actually...) *sigh* Sorry, I still think he needs voice lessons and needs to learn how to use his instrument. He's just got a weak voice, in my opinion.

Still rootin' for Melinda. Is there anything that girl can't sing?

Boy, did I open up a can of worms on the Blake performance! Sorry, I'm just an old dude that likes his rock music un-hipped and un-hopped.

I agree with Taesma on pretty much everything, she pre-empted me:) LOL saves me typing all that. Jordin still moved me despite the drawbacks of her choice. Blake? I'm in love.. that boy is brilliant. It's going to be tough in the finals.. I wish three of them could win.

Well, I completely agree with Phil and Chris leaving tonight. They were the last two on there that I felt didn't deserve to win it all. The only problem is that in my mind, any one of the four remaining contestants deserve to win. Melinda and Blake would be my top two choices, but on a good night Lakisha and Jordin can blow me away too.

Next Wednesday's show will be painful...

Yes. Next week we get treated to Barry Gibb. Can't wait.

Can't say I'm looking forward to Barry Gibb week. This is the stage at which anyone could go - even Melinda although frankly they should stop it, give her the title then fill in for a few weeks. It's funny how people suddenly start voting (or not voting) at this stage. Melinda and Blake would be my choices for final two as well but he should do something about his hair before then. Sorry to digress us back to hair in a Sanjaya moment - but what was he thinking?

Didn't we already have a Bee Gee night a year or two before? Is the show running out of inspiration, or out of artists that they can get to coach the contestants? My wife suggested an Ozzy Osbourne night. My response was "Sure sweetheart, that will certainly fly".

Well, while I'm picturing Blake, Lakisha, Jordin and Melinda biting the head off a bat on the proposed "Ozzy" night ~ I'm really in a fix this year. I always, so far anyway, have had a good bet about who will be the "top two". This year I really don't, and it's making me slightly annoyed . Clearly, Melinda will be there but will the other be Blake or Jordin? I think it's mostly safe to say that Lakisha will likely be voted off this week, no matter how she manages a Bee Gee. One thing about Barry, though...I can see either Blake or Jordin having the right song to work with, if they get smart about it. My guess is that Blake will grab something and "Blake" it so notably so as to leave Jordin in the dust. But I'm so uncertain. Her voice is so priveleged and a good ballad could do it for her. But, if I may say so, second place won't matter a whole lot, one way or the other. Without question, I'm saying Melinda Doolittle is the unbeatable winner here. Who could really beat her?
In retrospect, I hope her path is better than Taylor Hicks looks to be happening. But, I reckon we'll have to stay tuned...

I've mentioned before several times that I'm not a fan of "beatboxing". American Idol is a singing competition, and not "who's the best human sound effects" competition. I think the Barry Gibb written/Bee Gees songs might have finally buried Blake. The second song that he performed, I'd never heard, or heard of. Randy said that every song didn't require it and that it was getting old. Simon backed him up. Of course Paula, was her usual Paula. I understand that a lot of other people was impressed with his "uniqueness" on the Bon Jovi song from last week. But, his style of doing things got old to me a long time ago. Lakisha's version of "Staying Alive" had good intentions, but it didn't work out. Melinda and Jordin both had their share of bad moments,(Jordin singing Streisand?) but I see them still both being in the front-running. Hard to say. Either Blake or Lakisha could go tonight.

Ohhhh, Lemmy. I agree. I was one of the ones who applauded Blake for a good showing on that interesting Bon Jovi spin BUT (here's my guess) he got a big head from all that back-patting and did way too much "Blaking" last night. It was, in a word, dreadful. And in another word: unnecessary . I also thought the whole show last night had more bumps in it than smoothness. For the very first time I can honestly say that Melinda didn't grab me. She was OK, indeed, but not her usually standout self. Jordin? Well, not so hot, either, but probably the best of the night (in my opinion and based on her first tune). More agreement, too. Barbra Streisand, of all singers to do? And not very many of those notes sounded quite right to my untrained ears. I'm going to be a coward and not pick who I think might be heading east tonight (because I still don't feel confidant enough with voting patterns to think it through; I'm still feeling the pain/confusion of that "Sanjaya" popularity ). If I sent one home, all on my own and based entirely on last night, it'd have to be Blake, though. But, knowing how America does these matters, he may get a good bit of the votes simply for being the only male vocalist left to vote for? Whatever happens, he really blew it last night...

I agree with both of you, too. I've never been a big Blake fan, although I did think his rendition of "You Give Love a Bad Name" was very cool last week. He definitely has a lot of talent when it comes to mixing, arranging, etc. and will no doubt make a name for himself as a producer, if not an artist. Last night he definitely crossed the line, though. Gats used the word "unnecessary" and that sums it up perfectly.
I thought it was such a great show last week, and this week was a let down pretty much across the board. I'm saying Blake or Lakisha for the ax tonight, but neither of the others were great last night either.

It looks like I echo the same thoughts about the show that have already been expressed. Jordin was the best act last night for me, but that's not saying much. As Gatsby said, even Melinda wasn't on top of her game. Blake didn't seem like he was taking it seriously and I was far less than impressed with him. He's got talent, but overdid the beat boxing. Lakisha wasn't horrible, but wasn't good either. She's been on a consistent slide since the beginning, though, so I'll predict that Lakisha is going home tonight.

Well - looks like we were right to have reservations about Barry Gibb night. Now if we all suspected no-one would be able to make much out of the choices available why couldn't the Idol team? It was like April Fool's night and I feel sorry for all of them. I accept that if you make a terrible song choice or sing a good song badly you're probably off but given that choice what could any of them do? Having said that, Blake made me hide under a cushion. No and many times more ...no. I do worry that if he went the top three would be very samey, but I suspect Lakisha will walk this week. Honestly, after those performances it's hard to get too worked up about it.

Jordin was the star.. I love her versatility and vocals and I can see her winning the whole game.
Blake's first try was a wash out.. he bit off more than he could chew there. His second had quite a few rough spots but otherwise was quite cool and interesting.
I do agree the beatboxing is getting a little old.. he has to conserve that for the right times.
Melinda was pretty good and on point with the vocals, but she doesn't move me as much as Jordin. I like Lakisha but I see her dropping next.

Well, despite my lack of concern I cared in the end. Either I'm getting old, the contestants are getting nicer, or the Idol producers are getting much better. I don't think Lakisha was ready, but I think she does have an amazing natural talent. I hope they don't kill it at the record producing stage.

At this stage it has to be Melinda and Jordin for the final but I still wouldn't bet on it. Blake's performance next week is make or break. Melinda is so professional, I think she'll have taken everything from this week to heart and will come out fighting next week.

I was disappointed, yet not too surprised that Lakisha was voted off. She made it far in the competition. Personally, I think it's highly possible that she'll get a recording contract. She has a great set of pipes, but has some difficulty in some genres. The songs that fit her, fit her well. As far as next week, I think the vocal coaching is over with. There's no telling what will be heaped upon them next week. I've always sounded like I was down on Blake. I'm not, where it comes to his singing. He has a good voice. Maybe he'll take the judge's criticism to heart and stick to just that. If he doesn't he may be the next one to go, unless he can put his own stamp on something and make it plausible. If it comes down to Melinda and Jordin, that's going to be one heck of a showdown. I'm for Melinda, my wife is for Jordin. I told her that either one winning the competition would be fine with me. Whoever the "runner-up" is between them will be assured of a career. Then you can run to Wal-Mart in the next few months, and buy their CDs!

Isn't the "Final Three" show where the judges pick the songs for them? A song they think will best showcase their talents, or something? I can't remember ~ but I believe that's what they did last year. And, if I'm recalling it right, whoever Abdul gets to pick for is in a mighty fix ...

I thought this week was ho-hum. Nothing memorable. I feel it largely had to do with the Barry Gibb collection. These songs seem so dated no one could escape that black hole. None of them could capture Gibb's disco-era falsettos and even when Blake tried it was cringeworthy. There's little soul to that music, hits constucted by soaring production values with a trademark singing sound. I still can't make out a single word of "Night Fever" yet it was a huge success that I find myself still enjoying whenever I happen upon it. Being comprehensible was not a prime objective of the Bee Gees success. That is hard to get away with on a singing competition.

I'm glad the final three have come down to this. I hope whoever stays earns their place in the final two this week. I think Jordin would benefit most from being the winner. The other two would be better off making less mainstream fare than the Idol winner typically produces. Oddly, if I had my choice for a final two it would be Jordin and Blake. I'd rather see Melinda robbed now than on a one on one with Jordin. I think Melinda is a far better vocalist than both of them but I would find a Jordin and Blake finale more interesting because their styles are so different and because they skew similar demographics it would be harder to predict who would win. By the way has there ever been two female finalists?

Normally, I would say that the final three are all winners, whether they're crowned or not. Whatever happened to Diana DeGarmo? I've never seen a CD by her. Is she involved in any of those relentless Idol "rewind" or "backstage" shows? I've seen more out of William Hung, than I have of her.

She's been rather busy, actually. Doing musical theater--she was in Hairspray on Broadway for awhile, and did some touring show of something. She has one album out and she's working on another one, I think. Miscellaneous minor tv stuff, too.

Not too bad, I guess. More than many formal Idolists.

(Heheh...I just noticed I said 'album'. Does that give away my age? )

You're right, gats - last year the final three had songs chosen for them by the 3 judges. I haven't heard if they're doing the same this year or not. I remember Simon picking "Over the Rainbow" for Katherine, and it being so perfect for her voice. And yes, whoever gets Paula's pick.....