Fantasy Idol...A Chance for More Points

What if you were a contestant on American Idol Season 8? What songs would you choose each week? How would the judges rate your performances? Well, that's what this week's "extra credit" activity is: Pretend you are a contestant on American Idol's Season 8, and choose your song selections for each week (along with an explanation as to why you chose each song). Now, there are a couple of stipulations for the game:

1. Since this........ is AmERican Idol (you should read that in the voice of Ryan Seacrest), you cannot choose the same songs as any of your fellow contestants (including me). The American Idol producers would not allow the same song to be performed twice on the same episode...that would make for bad TV. So, you'll have an easier time picking songs if you get your answers in sooner.

2. You also may not choose any of the songs the "real" contestants have chosen for each episode. That would make this game too easy.

3. So, please select one song for the first eleven weeks in the competition (audition round through Top 3). For the finale (Top 2 Week), you will be performing 3 songs from the Nokia Theater stage....you must select 3 songs for the finale. You must make selections for every week...and explain why you chose that song. This activity is worth an extra 50 points!

Here are my picks:
Audition - Foolish Games by Jewel. I think this is just a pretty song that would sound good a capella for the auditions...plus, I don't know that I've ever heard someone sing it as an audition, so it would be original.

Top 36 - The Longest Time by Billy Joel. I think it would give me a dramatic edge to sing this song a capella from the stage...just the voices of me and my background singers, who would hopefully be having an "on" week.

Michael Jackson Week - Will You Be There. This is not a quintessential Michael Jackson song, but every time I hear it it brings back a rush of memories. This song is from the Free Willy soundtrack, and it's actually a really pretty song. I would employ a gospel choir to back me up on this performance. And I know Free Willy is a cheesy movie, but you have to admit that when that boy stood on the jetty with his arms in the air as the giant orca jumped over him and soaked him with water...you know at least a couple tears came down.

Grand Ole Opry Week - Crazy Dreams by Carrie Underwood. I just love the sound of this song and the content about playing air guitar, singing into a hairbrush, and being a dark horse is just too good to pass up. AND....since this is fantasy Idol, I would learn to play the banjo just for this performance.

Motown Week - If I Were Your Woman by Gladys Knight. I just think this is a powerful and soulful song...but it's sung from a place of desperation which would allow for some good emoting.

Top Downloads Week - Mercy by Duffy. I love this song and it's sassy and upbeat. And it's a Top Download.

Songs from the Year You Were Born - Hurt So Good by John Mellencamp. This song gets stuck in my head every time I hear it....hopefully that would help the viewers to remember my performance. The song has a little edge to it, but it's a crowd favorite that everyone loves to sing along to.

Idol @ the Movies Week - Kiss from a Rose by Seal. I love the dark mood that this song sets and I would love to do a cool interpretation of it. First, I have to figure out what in the heck the lyrics mean.

Disco Week - Young Hearts Run Free by Candi Stanton. I first heard this song in the Romeo + Juliet movie my freshman year of high school. I love it! It's another one that gets stuck in your head and just won't let go. I think that would be advantageous in this competition.

Rat Pack Standards Week - The Best is Yet to Come. Man, I love this song. I think it would maybe be a good omen that would send some votes my way. And I think it would be vocally challenging and would show my amazing precision when it comes to hitting all those notes (remember: "fantasy" idol).

Rock Week - Piece of My Heart by Janis Joplin. This is probably one of the greatest rock songs of all time. And the real reason I want to sing it is because I want to kick the microphone stand down in the middle of my performance...that would be appropriate for this song.

Top 3 - Killing Me Softly by Roberta Flack. I was born about 20 years too late because most of my favorite music is older stuff. I love this song. It was actually written based off of someone's reaction to hearing Don McClean perform American Pie. And I love that it's a song about music...that's a whole endless conundrum that gets all tangled up in my brain.

Top 2 - Good Old Fashioned Lover Boy by Queen. Queen is my favorite band ever, and this is one of my favorite songs ever...and it would allow for some sauntering and sass (Adam Lambert style). Somethin' to Talk About by Bonnie Raitt. I love the flirty attitude in this song and I think it would go over well at this stage in the competition. The Story by Brandi Carlile. This is not a very well known song, but Brandi Carlile is a very folksy singer with a very rocker voice. It's a beautiful song and I'd love to introduce America to it.

So, there you have it...Remember you can't choose the same songs as anybody else...so you should get your selections in sooner rather than later. Please post your picks in the comments section below this blog (the bottom of this particular blog...NOT the bottom of the page). If you can't figure out how to comment, please let me know and I'll walk you through it.

50 easy points could soon be yours!