American Idol 9: The Top 4 theme is..

Next week, Jamie Foxx mentors the Top 4 as they take on Songs of the Cinema. If you’ll recall, Foxx mentored the Top 5 last year for Rat Pack week.

After the jump, check out the 34-song list the kids will use to pick their songs. Yikes! The theme has potential but the set list is lame. The songs are so played out and are so overdone and cheesy that the judges can only complain about lousy song choices. Seriously.

And Jamie Foxx? What is he selling this year? Really. The only mentor who didn’t come on to sell a new album or other product was Shania Twain, and I would've enjoyed hearing her perform. Why don’t they just do away with the singing competition and just have the Idols do product placement spots for all the guests and mentors that have stuff to sell - interspersed by endless judges’ babbling.

Oh, and do I understand correctly that the Idols will all get to sing only 1 song each and no duet? Wow. American Idol is totally losing it!!

Song list after the jump!!

• (Everything I Do) I Do It For You – Bryan Adams
• (I’ve Had) The Time of My Life – Bill Medley & Jennifer Warnes
• A Whole New World – Brad Kane & Lea Salonga
• Aquarius/Let the Sunshine In – The 5th Dimension
• Arthur’s Theme (Best That You Can Do) – Christopher Cross
• Beauty and the Beast – Celine Dion & Peabo Bryson
• Can I Have This Dance – Vanessa Hudgens, Zac Efron & the Cast of HS Musical
• Can You Feel the Love Tonight – Elton John & London Community Gospel Choir
• Can’t Fight the Moonlight – LeAnn Rimes
• Danger Zone – Kenny Loggins
• Don’t You Forget About Me – Simple Minds
• Endless Love – Lionel Richie & Diana Ross
• Evergreen – Barbra Streisand
• Eye of the Tiger – Survivor
• Flashdance (What a Feeling) – Irene Cara
• Footloose – Kenny Loggins
• Have You Ever Really Loved a Woman – Bryan Adams
• I’m Alright (Theme from Caddyshack) – Kenny Loggins
• Into the West – Howard Shore and Annie Lennox
• Iris – Goo Goo Dolls
• It Might Be You (from Tootsie) – Stephen Bishop
• Kiss From a Rose – Seal
• Let the Riverrun – Carly Simon
• Moon River (from Moon River) – Audrey Hepburn & Henry Mancini
• Mrs Robinson – Simon & Garfunkle
• My Heart Will Go On – Celine Dion
• One Night Only – Jennifer Hudson, Deena Jones & The Dreams
• Over the Rainbow – Judy Garland
• Separate Lives – Phil Collins and Marilyn Martin
• Summertime – Ella Fitzgerald & Louis Armstrong
• Take My Breath Away (Love Theme from Top Gun) – Berlin
• Up Where We Belong – Joe Cocker & Jennifer Warnes
• We Don’t Need Another Hero (Thunderdome) – Tina Turner
• You’ll Be in My Heart – Glenn Close & Phil Collins

American Idol 9: The Top 5 Theme is..

Well, Ryan announced it yesterday. Harry Connick Jr. will mentor the American Idol 9 Top 5 next week as they tackle the songs of Frank Sinatra.

Also, Harry Connick Jr will be the first 'Idol' mentor to arrange the songs, write the orchestrations for the contestants and perform. He will also be performing on Wednesday’s results show. Lady Gaga will also appear to perform Bad Romance/Alejandro.

Wow. Another entertaining theme! Seriously. When I think about it, just the thought makes me want tto die for a minutes thinking these bland people singing this songbook. They haven’t done justice to any of the themes thus far, and I don’t see this being the exception. Granted they all can sing - to a degree - but they have no real Sinatra type swagger!

That said, I hope the Top 5 can demonstrate their “pure musical” chops while changing the songs up a bit to express themselves. If they can do that, then it would be a great evening of entertainment. However, if they just sing the songs in a copy of Frank Sinatra style, no matter how well they sing them technically, to me, that’ll just be like sitting around listening to people’s vocal lessons. Go Figure!

Song list after the jump!!

• All or Nothing At All
• All the Way
• Anything Goes
• As Time Goes By
• Blue Moon
• Blue Skies
• Come Dance with Me
• Come Fly With Me
• Come Rain or Come Shine
• Fly Me to The Moon (In Other Words)
• I Get A Kick Out of You
• I Love Paris
• I Only Have Eyes For You
• I’ve Got a Crush On You
• I’ve Got the World on a String
• I’ve Got You Under My Skin
• In The Still of the Night
• In The Wee Small Hours of the Morning
• It Had to Be You
• It Was a Very Good Year
• Just One of Those Things
• Love and Marriage
• Love is Here to Stay
• Love Walked In
• My Funny Valentine
• My Kind of Town
• My Way
• New York, New York (From “On the Town”)
• Night and Day
• One For My Baby
• Pennies From Heaven
• Put Your Dreams Away
• Someone to Watch Over Me
• Somethin’ Stupid
• Strangers in the Night
• Street of Dreams
• Summer Wind
• That’s All
• That’s Life
• The Best is Yet to Come
• The Good Life
• The Lady is a Tramp
• The Way You Look Tonight
• They Can’t Take that Away From Me
• What Is This Thing Called Love
• Witchcraft
• You Do Something To Me
• You Make Me Feel So Young
• You’re Getting to Be a Habit with Me
• Young at Heart

American Idol 9: The Top 6 Theme is..

A few weeks ago, I wrote something about Shania Twain mentoring the Idols. Now, it's confirmed and no, they're not doing a country theme in general. Instead, they will tackle Twain's catalogue.

Personally, I love Shania because she’s always mixing it up and never gets stuck doing just country or just pop. She has a truly good singing voice, too. I also like the idea of a Shania Twain week.

That said, I'm afraid most of her songs are not really a guy-friendly material. Although the Season 7 guys did really well with Mariah's songs, so we'll see who the real artists are this time. And the girls this season were forced to sing Elvis, The Beatles, and The Rolling Stones. It's only fair! Haha.

Song list after the jump!!

• All Fired up, No Place to Go
• Amneris’ Letter
• Any Man of Mine
• Black Eyes, Blue Tears
• Come On Over
• Crime of the Century
• Dance with the One Who Brought You
• Don’t!
• Don’t Be Stupid (You Know I Love You)
• (Don’t Gimme That) Once Over
• Forever and for Always
• From This Moment On
• God Bless the Child
• Home Ain’t Where His Heart Is (Anymore)
• Honey I’m Home
• I Ain’t No Quitter
• If It Don’t Take Two
• (If You’re Not In It For Love) I’m Outta Here!
• I’m Gonna Getcha Good!
• I’m Holdin’ On to Love (To Save My Life)
• I’m Jealous
• It Only Hurts When I’m Breathing
• It’s Alright (Club Mix)
• Ka-Ching!
• Lost My Heart
• Love Gets Me Every Time
• Man! I Feel Like a Woman
• Nah!
• No One Needs to Know
• Party for Two
• Rock this Country!
• She’s Not Just a Pretty Face
• Shoes
• Thank you Baby! (For Makin’ Someday Come So Soon
• That Don’t Impress Me Much
• There Goes the Neighborhood
• Up!
• What Made You Say That
• When You Kiss Me (Green)
• Whose Bed Have Your Boots Been Under?
• You Lay a Whole Lot of Love on Me
• You Win My Love
• You’re Still the One
• You’ve Got a Way
• Waiter! Bring Me Water!
• Whatever You Do! Don’t!
• When
• When You Kiss Me
• Wild & Wicked
• The Woman in Me (Needs the Man in You)

American Idol 9: The Top 7 Theme is..

Ok. Ryan already announced last night that Alicia Keys will mentor the the Top 7 for next week's Inspirational theme. Well, I expected that because every time they have Idol Gives Back, they usually pull out this theme.

I wonder how the remaining finalists will do this year. I mean, inspirational songs night always reminds me of the poor David Cook and his palm-writing and his sad, earnest face - thanks for the great studio version of Innocent because somehow it redeemed his lackluster live performance.

I saw the list of songs the Idols will choose for next week and I'm surprised that there are some actual good relatively current songs on this list, mixed in among the usual cheesy dreck.

Please stay away from ANYTHING sung by Celine Dion, Andrea Bocelli, Josh Groban, Debby Boone, Bette Midler or Barbra Streisand. Way too much cheese and bombast in most of those songs. Oh and anything by Creed - Yes Lee, I’m looking at you on that last one.

LOL at some Idol coronation songs! Yikes! Somehow I doubt anyone will pick any of those or even Live Like We're Dying, which is too damn difficult to sing - Kris is great at it, but he’s got a lot of practice!

Check out the song list after the jump!!

• Your Love Keeps Lifting Me (Higher and Higher) – Jackie Wilson
• A Moment Like This – Kelly Clarkson
• Amazing Grace – Susan Boyle
• Angels – Robbie Williams
• Anyway – Martina McBride
• Aquarius/Let the Sunshine In – The Fifth Dimension
• Better Days – The Goo Goo Dolls
• Bridge Over Troubled Waters – Simon & Garfunkle
• Calling All Angels – Train
• Changes – David Bowie
• Dare You To Move – Switchfoot
• Don’t Dream It’s Over – Crowded House
• Don’t Stop – Fleetwood Mac
• Dream Weaver – Gary Wright
• Drive – Incubus
• Everyday People – Sly & The Family Stone
• Flying Without Wings – Ruben Studdard
• From a Distance – Bette Midler
• Go the Distance – Michael Bolton
• Greatest Love of All – Whitney Houston
• Hands – Jewel
• Heaven Help Us All – Stevie Wonder
• Hero – Chad Kroeger featuring Josey Scott
• Higher – Creed
• Holding Out for a Hero – Bonnie Tyler
• I Am Changing – Jennifer Hudson
• I Believe I Can Fly – R. Kelly
• I Can See Clearly Now – Jimmy Cliff
• I Hope You Dance – Lee Ann Womack
• I Turn To You – Christina Aguilera
• I Will Survive – Gloria Gaynor
• I’ll Be There – Jackson 5
• If You Believe – The Wiz Original Broadway Cast
• I’ll Stand By You – The Pretenders
• I’m Coming Out – Diana Ross
• It’s My Life – Bon Jovi
• I’ve Had The Time Of My Life – Bill Medley & Jennifer Warnes
• Lifted – Lighthouse Family
• Live Like We’re Dying – Kris Allen
• Live Like You Were Dying – Tim McGraw
• Livin’ on a Prayer – Bon Jovi
• Living in America – James Brown
• Lovely Day – Bill Withers
• My Heart Will Go On – Celine Dion
• My Wish – Rascal Flatts
• Only Hope
• Over the Rainbow – Judy Garland
• People Get Ready – The Impressions
• Rainbow – Sugar Ray
• Reach Out and Touch (Somebody’s Hand) – Diana Ross
• Reflection – Christina Aguilera
• Return to Innocence – Enigma
• The River of Dreams – Billy Joel
• Show Me What I’m Looking For – Carolina Liar
• So Small – Carrie Underwood
• Stronger – Mary J. Blige
• That’s The Way God Planned It – Billy Preston
• That’s What Friends Are For – Dionne Warwick, Elton John, Gladys Knight
• The Boxer – Simon & Garfunkle
• The Impossible Dream – Frank Sinatra
• The Prayer – Andrea Bocelli & Celine Dion
• The Time of My Life – David Cook
• The Is My Now – Jordin Sparks
• Up Where We Belong – Joe Cocker and Jennifer Warnes
• Walking on Sunshine – Katrina & The Waves
• We Are the Champions – Queen
• What a Wonderful World – Louis Armstong
• What the World Needs Now is Love – Jackie DeShannon
• When you Believe – Mariah Carey
• Wind Beneath My Wings – Bette Midler
• World – Five for Fighting
• You Light Up My Life – Debby Boone
• You Raise Me Up – Josh Groban
• You’ll Never Walk Alone – Barbara Streisand
• You’re My Best Friend – Queen
• You’re the Inspiration – Chicago
• You’ve Got a Friend – Carole King