So they announced that everyone on tonight's "American Idol" would sing songs from the year of their birth. Danny Gokey started by singing "Stand By Me," the 1961 classic.
1961? Wait, is this guy 48 years old?
It turns out that Mickey Gilley happened to record it in 1980, the year of Gokey's birth. Sure, that's what we think of whenever someone mentions Ben E. King's soulful classic -- some guy in a Stetson sang it in Pasadena, Texas.
Still, we won't complain. He sang it well, on a night when so many people settled for OK. Kris Allen and Scott MacIntyre did OK jobs; Lil Rounds neatly re-created the Tina Turner experience. That's fine, but this year it's not enough.
Here are a few of my comments; please add yours:
1) Life seems different without Megan Joy up there, dancing oddly. Please check my previous blog, which is a brief interview.
2) This is tough to believe: Someone (Lil) had heels too high for a Tina Turner song; someone (Allison Iraheta) had hair too red for a Bonnie Raitt song.
3) Still, both women sang with great power and Allison showed her individual flair. I really want them to survive; the show -- like the world -- doen't have enough women.
4) After showing a baby picture of Kara Dio Guardio with an angry expression, Ryan Seacret said she "looks like she just made a poopie." Hey, Simon Cowell often has that look; can we assume he's making poopies behind the desk?
5) We'll sort of accept Anoop Desai gloating about the victory for his beloved University of North Carolina. Still, we would have preferred to see him weeping about a loss.
6) Anoop also apologized for sort of talking back to Kara. That happened in the first "American Idol" year, when Justin Guarini apologized to all the judges. Hey, let's not be so wimpy; those judges are adult millionaires who can take a few knocks.
7) It was a great night for Matt Giraud of Kalamazoo. Taking a song by another Michigan guy (Stevie Wonder), he sang it with style and zest.
8) Then all other memories were wiped away by one stunning performance. Adam Lambert is a master showman; he also has the great voice to support that showmanship. That's one reason why being OK isn't good enough.
9) My should-go, based only on tonight: Scott at the bottom, with Kris second from last and Anoop third.
10) Will go? Definitely not Kris, who happens to be Zac Efron-cute. I'll say Scott will go, with Lil second from the bottom and Anoop third. Paula told Scott to step away from the piano; he did and everyone else said he shouldn't have. You can't win.