Beatles songs performed on "American Idol" May 23, 2007

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The show opened with the 2 contenders for the 2007 title, Blake Lewis and Jordin Sparks, doing a duet of "I Saw Her Standing There." Jordin of course sings "I Saw Him Standing There."
Green Day does a full-length cover of the post-Beatles song "Working Class Hero," with images of John Lennon on the screens. The song is also presented as an advocacy performance to end the killing in Darfur.
Season 1 winner Kelly Clarkson sings "Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band" with Joe Perry on guitar. Clarkson flubs the opening lines, while the backup singers sing the correct words. Clarkson's voice sounds like it needs a rest.
Season 2 winner Ruben Studdard sings "Lucy in the Sky With Diamonds" and gives it the old college try. Doesn't embarrass himself one bit, but the song isn't really right for him.
Season 3 winner Fantasia (nee Barrino) isn't there, she's on Broadway in "The Color Purple."
Season 4 winner Carrie Underwood sings the first and third verses of "She's Leaving Home" with her trademark country-twang sneaking through a few times. Bizarre and the eerie lighting makes her look like she belongs in the Haunted Mansion.
Season 5 winner Taylor Hicks sings the first portion of "A Day in the Life" and actually pulls it off, in my opinion.
The cast of the 2007 season sings "With A Little Help From My Friends" as a group number.
The sideshow of the night was Sanjaya Malakar, who blasted through the Kinks' "You Really Got Me" with Joe Perry on guitar, in an energetic and excitingly staged number complete with a wind machine, a blazing light show and even a quick visit to Ashley "Crying Girl" Furl, seated strategically in an aisle seat and crying profusely, as is her true calling in life. Now if Sanjaya could only learn to sing, he'd be great.
Blake Lewis did a sensational beatboxing duet with Doug E. Fresh that I didn't want to see end.
Jordin Sparks won, by the way.
To the best of my knowlege, the only other Beatles songs ever done on "American Idol" were: Clay Aiken performed "Here, There and Everywhere" in 2003, and Taylor Hicks sang "Something" in 2006. Taylor seems to "get" the Beatles' songs. Also, Blake Lewis sang the post-Beatles song "Imagine" earlier this year.

[Orangepeel]

1. I was sure it was leading up to McCartney being on the show

but I was wrong.

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2. Apparently Sir Paul was originally going to be the big surprise guest, but

...at least according to what I read on one of the Idol chat sites, Sir Paul cancelled on The Night Before the event. The producers were in a panic, for yesterday all their troubles were so far away, but they managed to get Bette Midler instead, even though she was in Europe, she flew the all-nighter. She's taking over from Celine Dion in Las Vegas, so she sure could use the publicity. So instead of Sir Paul doing The Night Before or Mean Mr. Mustard or Rock Show or whatever, the big climactic surprise guest star moment was Bette Midler and "Wind Beneath My Wings."

[SteelPenguin]

3. Which seemed really freaking odd

If it had been Sir Paul it would have made sense but all that build up and then...

Bette Midler...

huh?

Ah well.

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4. I think this is what happened:

Sir Paul cancelled The Night Before and the producers were in a panic Yesterday, when all their troubles seemed so far away, because Sir Paul decided he was going to sing For No One. The producers thought, well whatever it is, We Can Work It Out. One last-ditch phone call resulted in Sir Paul saying merely Hello, Goodbye and hanging up. With this show mainly Being for the Benefit of Mr. Cowell and Mr. Fuller, they rang up The Divine Miss M even though it was 3 a.m. in Europe and said, Good Morning, Good Morning. The grateful Miss M said, no problem, I can be Here, There and Everywhere. Besides, I'm replacing Celine and I could really use a shot of publicity. Just tell me I don't have to deal with Mean Mr. Mustard. "Oh no, Miss M," replied Mr. Fuller. Nobody will ever know what Things We Said Today. Her plane was late and the show had already started, so She Came in Through The Bathroom Window. When she couldn't find the stage, she asked Katharine how to get there, but Katharine would only say I don't know, Think For Yourself. Bette brushed passed her muttering "Your Mother Should Know" and when asked why she was there instead of Paul, said he's a real Nowhere Man. Upon passing the Bush Baby guy and his buddy, Bette tried to decide whether to sing "I am the Walrus" or "Everybody's Got Something to Hide Except Me and My Monkey." She merely advised them, "Don't you listen to what the man says." Spotting Mr. Fuller and Mr. Davis she broke into a few bars of "Baby You're A Rich Man." Bette thought to herself, "When I'm 64 I'm sure as hell not going to turn down an opportunity like this. I'm Fixing a Hole in this Rock Show... enough of the Beatles, folks, Maybe I'm Amazed to be here, but it's all thanks to the Wind Beneath My Wings."

[SteelPenguin]

7. lol

[Orangepeel]

10. That makes a lot of sense

It explains the Beatles fest AND why Midler was so freaking bad.

[rurallib]

5. Makes me think of a famous review of a TV show

"Tony Randall Plays The Beatles"
The review stated simply "The Beatles lost."

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6. great line

[RedStateShame]

8. Sounds like they're working on a Branson theater schedule already.

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9. That's where they will end up, if they don't improve this show.