The Voice Season 4 • Top 5 Perform

Alas, my dears, I was not around last week, as Bryce needed some assistance to celebrate his 5th birthday. That means the last time I recapped, it was the Top 8 performing. During the results show, we learned that Sarah Simmons and Judith Hill were sent home. I was truly surprised by Judith's dismissal, for I felt she showed true talent during her performances. Last week, the Top 6 performed two songs each, one picked by the coach and the other by the artist, and when all was said and done, it was Holly Tucker who left the show. That means we are down to the final five artists, including the only remaining men, The Swon Brothers, who are also the only group to make it to the semifinals, so each week they are making Voice history. So far, all four coaches are still in the game, with Shakira, Usher, and Adam Levine with one artist, and Blake with two still going for the win. There are three Country artists, and two Pop singers remaining, and it is just a matter of weeks until we learn which the public will prefer this year. Who is your favorite?

Left to right: Adam Levine, Shakira, Blake Shelton, Usher, and Carson Daly

Carson Daly tells us that for the first time ever, the top 5 were sent home to visit their friends and families. And there will only be three performing in the finale next week, so tomorrow night, we will see two acts going home. And even in the best of circumstances, one judge will not be joining the others in the finals. And if Blake has his way, maybe even two. Then Carson introduces Usher, who sings "Twisted". Here is the official single version, featuring Pharrell.

You can find the song on iTunes and Amazon. Carson introduces are first contestants of the night, The Swon Brothers. They are dedicating their performance to friends back in Oklahoma, and they will sing Bob Seger's wonderful "Turn The Page". They are sounding great, and Zach in great voice. It was intense and strong, just what the boys needed. Usher thought they were fantastic, and set the bar high for tonight. Adam loved it, and is so glad they dedicated the song to the musicians back home. Blake is quite proud, and feels they continue to get better and grow as artists. After what feels like a long break, Christina Milian talks to Danielle Bradbery & Amber Carrington. She has a message for Danielle from Tim McGraw, wishing her good luck when she sings his song tonight! Not to be outdone, Adam arranged for another message, when Katy Perry wishes Amber the best of luck singing her personal favorite, "Firework". Both girls are thrilled and excited. Carson introduces the next artist we see, Sasha Allen, who will be singing "I Will Always Love You", which she dedicates to her son and daughter. Whitney Houston has always been an inspiration for her, and this song has extra meaning.

She does a lovely and restrained version of the song, a much more intimate and personal feeling. She certainly sings it her own way, not imitating anyone. It is gorgeous, really, and so heart-warming. Adam is impressed by her, knowing the iconic nature of the song. And he loves that she not only sang it her own way, she also sounded amazing doing it. Usher thought it was amazing, and thinks that voice will keep her in the competition. Shakira is so very proud of her, for Sasha gave a wonderful performance. Shakira's mother has been telling her Sasha should sing Whitney, and this proves she was right. After a break, we visit Amherst, Massachusetts, on her home visit. She sees friends and family and her old job. She has an interview on the radio, and sings 'God Bless America' at Fenway Park! For her first song of the night, she sings "Clarity" by Zedd, the German electronic Dance musician/producer. She sounds great, although it wasn't her strongest so far. Adam just loves her, but feels that is he says that every week - cause it's true. Blake wishes she would stumble, but she never does. Usher is so proud, for she is so consistently good. He is so glad to be her coach. Danielle comes out next to sing her first of the night. But first, we see her trip home to Houston, Texas. She has a large family greeting, and heads over to her high school. There she learns she will be singing the National Anthem for the Houston Astros game. Tonight, she will be singing "Please Remember Me", written by the Country songwriters Rodney Crowell and Will Jennings. Here is the most recent version, sung by Tim McGraw.

She does a great job, showing nice vocal control. I felt it lacked a bit of emotional content. I know she is just 16-years-old, but I would just like to feel more on a song like this. Usher calls her performance "amazeballs", telling her how impressed he is by her poise and grace. Adam agrees, and talks about the performance being so very technically proficient. Blake loves her, and how she never takes a wrong step with her notes. He loves every note she sings. After the break, it is time for Amber, the last to sing her first of the night. She will be singing "Firework" by Katy Perry. She dedicates the song to her best friends back in Texas. The beginning is a bit low, showing a weakness in her range. But once the song picks up, she is bold and strong, and even outstanding at times. It is nice to hear her put a bit of Country in her Pop diva. Blake is impressed, and calls the power of her voice 'Phenomenal'. But he wants her to sing more Country! Shakira knows that is a tough song, but thinks she did very well. Adam admits it is a tough one, but thinks it is the best he has heard the song sound. And he loves that she can sing Pop, and Country, and embraces the fact she doesn't fit in just one place, she defines her own. After a break, we see The Swon Brothers returning home to Oklahoma. Colton and his Grandmother were adorable. They visit the Oklahoma Music Hall of Fame, where they used to work. They are surprised to learn they have been named the Rising Star of 2013, complete with a welcome message by Vince Gill! They have a sold out show in their hometown, truly energizing them for the show. They sing "Danny's Song" by Kenny Loggins, a true classic from his Loggins & Messina days.

They have such a natural sense of harmony, this is really beautiful. The harmonics of the song seem tailor-made for them. This was simple, beautiful, and breath-taking. I am not sure it will save them, but it certainly showed their strength. Usher thought it was another great performance from the boys, and loves how they made Country music so accessible for him. Adam says this is one of his favorite songs, remembering how he learned to sing to the original Loggins & Messina single. He just loves what the boys do, even if this is one of the few songs he already knew! Blake points out he learned from the Ann Murray version, and Adam is lost again. Blake is so proud of them, and thinks this was a great week for them. Next up, we return home to New York City for Sasha Allen, and how she surprises her daughter after school. She also has a radio interview, and then goes on to sing at the Village Underground, where the artists show up to support one of their own. She then takes on her second diva of the night, for she is singing "Bad Girls" by the late, great Donna Summer. She sounds amazing on this, updating the sound with a new and vital vocal. The audience goes wild, the best response from them so far. Adam loved it, and thinks she was great. Usher, who gave her a standing ovation, loved it, and thought it offered a wonderful tribute to Summer. Shakira is so proud, and mentions that "Bad Girls" was the first record she purchased. After an excessively long preview of the new film starring Channing Tatum and Jamie Foxx, it is time for Danielle Bradbery, who will be singing "Who I Am", a song recorded by American country music artist Jessica Andrews.

This is a great song for her, allowing for her youth and ups the cute factor. While singing, she goes out to her family, and singes to her parents. There is a sweetness factor that can't be missed. Usher loved it, and thought she was incredible. Shakira loved it, and thinks she will be able to say "I knew her when..." Blake thinks she is a superstar, and predicts big things for her. After yet another break, it is time for Amber Carrington, who will be singing "Sad", written by her coach and James Valentine, and performed by their band, Maroon 5. But first, we see her visiting home in Texas, and her sisters are just adorable. She sounded relaxed for the radio interview, and excited to visit the boutique where she used to work. She visits with her late mother's parents, a touching moment. Then she heads to the Riverfront to give a concert, where there was no standing room to be had! Back to the show, she sings this really beautiful song, and it sits wonderfully in her register. Her emotional connection is wonderful, and it brought a tear to my eye. Blake loved it, and thinks she hasn't gotten the recognition for her emotional performances, always there. Usher congratulated her for making it this far, and thought her performance was fantastic. Adam is so proud, for he wrote the song with Valentine, recorded it, and he just saw her make it sound so much better than he ever could. He loves her, and couldn't be any happier. After a break, we come back to hear Michelle Chamuel sings a song written by Tony Award-winner Cyndi Lauper and Rob Hyman, of the great band, The Hooters. She dedicates her performance of "Time After Time" to her coach, Usher. Here is Cyndi's iconic version.

Michelle, who had a big moment with Cyndi's "True Colors" in the Top 16 performances, hopes to repeat history tonight. I hate to say it, but this one didn't work as well for me. I think she is incredible, and I love her, but this one got a bit lost in the process for me. She was always on key, never straying. But something was lacking. Shakira loved it and her, and says she is "in permanent crescendo". Adam says he loves her once again. Usher is moved she dedicated the song to him, and thinks she is the winner. Carson breaks in, and quickly signs off, as they are running tight on time. Before the show started, I figured The Swon Brothers would be most likely going home, but now I am not so sure. They had a great night, and I think they proved they have something to give to this competition. But no one really made a mistake, although there were a few stumbles. It wasn't the strongest night for Danielle, nor for Amber. We shall see if it comes down to Country artists, or if Sasha and Michelle will be fighting for your votes to stay for the finals. Speaking of votes, to learn how you can place your vote, visit the official website. In brief, you can vote via a toll-free phone number, online at NBC.com, with the special NBC App, or Facebook. Unlike some shows, The Voice limits the amount of votes people can place per method. You can vote 10 times per phone, or 10 times via Facebook, or 10 times via NBC App between now and 10AM Tuesday morning. The phone number is (877)553-37XX, filling in the 'XX' with the artist number. Those numbers would be The Swon Brothers 01, Sasha Allen 02, Michelle Chamuel 03, Danielle Bradbery 04, and Amber Carrington 05. Don't forget, your iTunes purchase also counts as a vote, if you are so inclined. There is a link to all the songs on the iTunes front page.

Billboard Top 5 • 1974

Clockwise: the Jackson 5; Redbone; Barbra Streisand; Terry Jacks; Love Unlimited Orchestra.

When I think back to 1974, I have to admit, it is a time that is a bit of a blur for me. As everyone I knew were coming into their own, and really discovering themselves. I spent much of my teenage years running away from myself, trying to ignore what I was feeling, and what I was thinking. I turned 14 that year, and while I tried to convince myself and others that I was feeling nothing, no sexual urges or waves of attraction, we all know that was not true. But it was 1974, and there were few positive images of gay people around, and certainly none in Smyrna, Delaware. So I remained "in hiding" and surrounded myself with music. One of the things I dealt with all this was my going to things like dances at the local VFW with a group of friends. And that year, we certainly couldn't escape the wonderful sound of The Jackson 5, who had the #5 song of 1974 with Dancing Machine. The song was just about the ultimate dance song, and had great vocals by Michael and Jermaine.



The #4 song had the most interesting back story, for it was written by Lolly Vasquez, a member of the band Redbone. He was Native American, as were the other members of the band. To the best of my thinking, they were the first Native American rock band to be successful. And they most certainly were, as Come and Get Your Love was the fourth-ranked song on the Billboard charts for the year.



Love Unlimited Orchestra had an interesting story of their own. It was a 40 piece orchestra brought together to back up the R&B vocals of a trio of women, and the bandleader/frontman, Barry White. He was also responsible for writing much of the music they performed. And in 1974, the song they were playing was the #3 song of the year, Love's Theme. It was off the Rhapsody In White album, and was playing non-stop on the radio.



In what seemed to be a year rife with songs with interesting stories behind them, the next might just take the cake. This song was an adaptation of the song Le Moribond by Belgian singer-songwriter Jacques Brel, some consider the greatest troubadour of the twentieth century. With new lyrics written in English by American singer-poet Rod McKuen, it became a huge hit for Canadian Terry Jacks. Here he is performing the #2 song of 1974, Seasons In The Sun.



As one could only expect, I was, and continue to be, a huge fan of Barbra Streisand. I had fallen for her voice years before after listening to her albums with my sister Kathy. By this time, I had loved the albums Barbra Joan Streisand, Stoney End, What About Today?, and had begun collecting her early recordings as well. I also remember listen to the Live Concert At The Forum, and the thrill of hearing the live audience respond. So it was no surprise that I was all over the #1 song on the Billboard charts for 1974. The Way We Were was not only a great song, but it was the theme for a great movie, which had the iconic pairing of Barbra with the astoundingly handsome Robert Redford. The song was written by Alan Bergman, Marilyn Bergman, and Marvin Hamlisch. It won both the Academy Award and the Golden Globe for Best Song for the year. Here is Barbra singing The Way We Were.



You can find all these songs on iTunes and Amazon. And they are all well-worth the price to enrich your collection.

Billboard Top 5 of 1973

Clockwise: Roberta Flack, Marvin Gaye, Paul McCartney & Wings, Tony Orlando & Dawn, and Jim Croce.

When you look back at 1973, it was quite the tumultuous time in America, with national politics going through things no one ever thought possible. In January, President Richard Nixon held his second inauguration. Shortly thereafter, he announced the end of the involvement of US troops in Vietnam, a military action that had begun almost a decade earlier on the orders of President John F. Kennedy. But the honeymoon was soon over, as the Supreme Court ruled on Roe V. Wade, legalizing abortion in the US, and evidence was building in the Watergate Scandal. Vice-President Spiro Agnew was convicted of tax evasion, and Rep. Gerald Ford of Michigan was confirmed as his replacement. And in December, the American Psychiatric Association removed homosexuality from the list of psychiatric disorders. So perhaps it is with all this news coming 'round every corner, both political and social, that the musical tastes tended toward the escapism of fun Pop music. The #5 song from 1973 reached #1 on the US Billboard Hot 100 chart in March. McCartney wrote the song about Linda, his wife and bandmate. Here are Paul McCartney & Wings singing My Love.



Now, I think that Marvin Gaye is a gifted and strong songwriter. Still, I am not sure how the next song made it this high on the charts, no matter how much I love it. Let's Get It On made it to #1 on the Billboard Hot 100 in September for 2 weeks, topped the Soul chart for 8 weeks, and became the most successful single to come out of Motown. The song was sexually charged, and performed perfectly by Gaye, blending earnest feelings with hyped up desire. While I would think the materials was a bit too much for many, it was just right in 1973.



Coming off the success of First Time Ever I Saw Your Face, Roberta Flack was riding in rarefied air, to be sure. She was first known for her gorgeous duets with Donny Hathaway, but soon came into her own as a soloist with a stunning voice. She sang with Donny on Where Is The Love, which sent to #5 on the chart, but soon released Killing Me Softly With His Song, which brought her back to #1, this time for an impressive 5 weeks.



A boy from South Philadelphia, Jim Croce was singer/songwriter of note, parlaying his own music into a string of hits in the early 70s. He was certainly in line to reach superstar status, and in July he had his first #1 song on the Billboard Hot 100, Bad, Bad Leroy Brown. The song spent two weeks atop the chart, and was also nominated for a few Grammy Awards. Unfortunately, it was the only #1 Croce knew, for he was killed in a plane crash in September of the year, and his next success with Time In A Bottle came after his death.



The success of the top song for the year comes as no surprise to anyone who was alive that year. In a time of war in foreign lands, a war much of the country did not understand or support, when Tony Orlando & Dawn sang Tie A Yellow Ribbon 'Round The Old Oak Tree in support of the prisoners of war and soldiers still needing to come home, the public flocked to buy the single. It went to #1 on the US Billboard Hot 100 in April, and spent four weeks on top. In 2008, Billboard ranked the song as the 37th biggest song of all time in its issue celebrating the 50th anniversary of the Hot 100.

Billboard Top 5 of 1972

Clockwise from top left: Roberta Flack, Gilbert O'Sullivan, Sammy Davis Jr., Harry Nilsson, and Don McLean.

Traveling back to 1972, I am afraid I don't have a great deal of insight to offer for it. You see, I was 12, and living in the small town of Smyrna, Delaware. I was going to middle school, and my music was either listening to stuff with my sister Kathy, or listening to the radio when the family was in the car. But that does mean I had some awareness of the top songs of the day, and I do remember all 5 in the top 5 tonight, starting with the #5 song, The Candy Man. Of course, the song was originally a part of the 1971 film Willy Wonka & the Chocolate Factory, sung by a store owner to some kids. The the most famous version, also the most popular, was by Sammy Davis, Jr., and released in 1972. Here is The Candy Man.



The #4 song has an interesting and a bit sordid past. Without You was written by Pete Ham and Tom Evans of the British rock band Badfinger, and recorded on their 1970 album, No Dice. It was never released as a single. Legend has it that while at a party, folk singer Harry Nilsson heard the song, and loved it so much, he wanted to do his own cover of it. He did, and it was party of his late 1971 release, Nilsson Schmilsson. Released as a single, Without You held the #1 position on the US Billboard charts for 4 weeks in a row, and for 5 weeks on the British charts. In a strange tiwst of fate, both Ham and Evans were caught up in financial and legal struggles with management, and committed suicide, Ham in 1975, and Evans in 1983. But the legacy of Without You lives on, both in Nilsson's cover, and a later cover by Maria Carrey.



The #3 song seems an unlikely entry into the Billboard chart at all, let alone in the top 5 for the year. That, however, is exactly the case. No matter how surprising, Don McLean's American Pie caught the ear and the heart of those who listened, and it stormed up the charts to #1. The album tract was 8:33 in length, far too long for radio play. So there were edits made, the single was 4:31, and in a world of the three minute song, it was still long. But folk-rocker McLean's homage to rockers Buddy Holly, Ritchie Valens, and The Big Bopper and the plane crash marked the day "the music died," certainly spoke to the public, who kept it at #1 on the Billboard Pop chart for four weeks. And, by the way, just for the record, the day the music died was February 3, 1959.



Before 1972, Gilbert O'Sullivan was an Irish singer/songwriter who was doing fairly well on the British charts, but fairly unknown elsewhere. That all changed when he released the #2 song for 1972, Alone Again (Naturally). The song was everywhere, and was at #1 on the Pop charts for five consecutive weeks. And while O'Sullivan had success with the follow-up single, Clair, they were the highpoint of his success in the US. While he continued to make music and have an impact of the British charts, he was never able to recapture that lightning in the US.



The #1 song had an interesting story, starting with the writer. Ewan MacColl wrote the song for folk star Peggy Seeger. MacColl was in lover with Peggy, who was the half-sister to folk-rocker Pete Seeger. Unfortunately, MacColl was still married to another. He was married to Jean Newlove, and together they had a daughter, the wonderful and talented Kirsty MacColl. Later, MacColl and Seeger married. MacColl wrote First Time Ever I Saw Your Face for Seeger in 1957, but it remained relatively unnoticed until a cover by Roberta Flack was released in 1972. Flack slowed down the temp, making for a much more sensually-charged performance. In fact, it was a part of Flack's 1969 release, First Take, but shot to fame when it was included on the soundtrack of the Clint Eastwood film, Play Misty For Me. It was atop the Billboard Pop chart for six weeks in a row, and won the Grammy Awards for Best Song for MacColl and Record of the Year for Flack.



It has been said by his family that Ewan MacColl never really liked the song, First Time Ever I Saw Your Face, even though it was his most popular song. What that means, I don't know. But I do know that MacColl and Seeger remained together until MacColl passed in 1989. While the song was the first #1 for Roberta Flack, it was certainly not her last. I guess that just goes to show was a crazy business the music industry it.

AI10 Today & Yesterday

For the tenth time in it's illustrious history, American Idol offers up a top five to the audience to enjoy, and then take an active role in their careers. James, Lauren, Jacob, Haley and Scotty will all be performing two songs this evening, one from our modern times, and one from the 60s. If there is a greater philosophy behind this, other than filling 90 minutes of airtime so Fox can charge a bun of money for commercials, it is lost on me. And since they decidedly left up without a clue as to the identity of the bottom 3 last week, all five of the remaining contestants are on equal footing, or at least that is the impression the producers want to give us. After all, until last week, we knew that Lauren, Scotty and James had not been in the bottom 3. Did that change last week, and they just didn't tell us? Or did Haley and Jacob complete the bottom 3, still leaving the record of the others unblemished? I doubt we'll ever know, but soon, we will know who was in good form, and who wasn't.

Everyone is introduced, and we find out that tonight is important, cause, as Randy says, America and the Judges want to know who is in it to win it. This tells me that I will soon be tiring of this statement, for Randy will be going there time after time. James starts out the evening with the contemporary entry, as he performs Closer To The Edge by 30 Seconds To Mars. He does a nice job, although there are times when he really drifts off the notes. I just find his technique to be really lacking at times, he can get pretty sloppy with his notes, and his breath control is lacking. Of course, the judges all love him, and see none of that. In fact, Randy calls 30 Seconds To Mars a great band, which is somewhat surprising...



Jacob is up next, and he picks No Air, by Jordin Sparks and features Chris Brown. Jacob goes it alone on the duet song, which was a beautiful one perfectly suited to the former AI champions voice. Not so perfect for Jacob. He is incredibly sharp and shrill, and makes a wonderful song and makes it a muddied mess. Jennifer seems to appreciate he has defined himself as the next Chris Brown, and ignores the bad performance. Surprisingly, Randy agrees with me, and he and J-Lo argue about who is right, rather than about the guy in front of them. Steven agrees, but with what, I am not sure.



Lauren is up next, and she is going to sing Flat On My Feet by Carrie Underwood, a true vocal powerhouse and winner of the fourth season of Idol. Cheryl Crow offers the useful advice that Lauren plant herself and sing the damn song, and when Lauren takes the stage, she really takes control of the stage. She owns it, and does a great job. The judges agree.



Scotty is next, singing Gone by Montgomery Gentry. Cheryl loves it, and thinks he sounds great. Frankly, I thought the song showed a certain thinness in his voice, a bit of a hole in his range. But it was certainly more energetic than I thought Scotty capable of being, at least on stage. Apparently, once again, I listen alone, as the judges drool over the performance, and is the 3rd outta four who is in it to win it. Sorry Jacob.



Haley is up next, and we are told she is singing an unreleased song by Lady GaGa, which fascinates me. How does Haley get to sing a song like that? Apparently, Jimmy Iovine suggested this song, which GaGa did at concerts, but not recorded yet. Haley got permission from GaGa herself to sing You And I. Cheryl Crow promises an elusive 'moment' on the show, and I think she sang it well, with perhaps the best vocals of the night. OF course, the judges see it differently. Jennifer thinks it was silly to sing a song no one knows, the audience isn't smart enough to see the singer. She Randy agrees, and even insults the song and Lady GaGa. Steven, as is often the case, says nothing.



James comes back to lead off the 'Songs of the 60s' portion of the night, and sings Harry Nilsson's Without You. That is a great song, and right up his alley. There is all kinds of slippage going on, moving from on key to sharp, and he loses his emotions, as well as a bit of vocal control. Again, he highlights his weaknesses. For the judges, however, not so much. Randy considers it his to lose at this point. Sure there were some bad notes, but that is OK. After all, it's not a singing competition, right? Steven also acknowledges the bum notes, but chooses to ignore them. Jennifer does the same, emphasizing the emotional mess of the situation. Got it.



Jacob sings Nazareth. Go figure. He sings Love Hurts, and hits some notes that are not anywhere on the paper, nor should they. He plows through much of the song, and then pulls out his bag of tricks at the end. What a steaming pot of mess. Shockingly, the judges see it differently, as an amazing performance that put him back in the competition.



Lauren is up next, and is singing Simon Cowell's favorite songs, Unchained Melody. It is a favorite of her parents, sung by the Righteous Brothers. She does a lovely job with it, but is a bit too tentative to me. No bad notes, but a bit hollow. However, the judges think it was beautiful, with nary a bad thought allowed.



Scotty sings Always On My Mind, by Elvis Presley. I think of it as a Willie Nelsen song, but hey, it is a great song. It is kinda sweet, and a bit vapid. A little weak at moments, but no bad notes. The judges love it, and think there is nothing to criticize. I cringe a bit when Crusty starts talking about there being some Puerto Rican in Scotty...



Haley will close out the show with some great 60s rock by The Animals. She will sing House Of The Rising Sun, a brilliant piece, to be sure. Cheryl convinces her to come out singing a cappella, and she just tears the house down. She sings the crap outta this song. Surprisingly enough, the judges agree, and call her the performance of the night. I just don't follow them.



The recap goes on, and it is very obvious that Jacob is the weak link of the night. I thought both performances went way outta control. But it also featured some wonky notes from James, and how Scotty was carried by the back up singers in his first song. The ladies had good edits on their songs, but who knows what America will do.... Guess we will learn tomorrow.

Billboard Top 5 of 1983

It was an interesting year for me. I had finished my internship at the Actor's Theater of Louisville at the end of 1982, officially sealing off my college career. I returned home to work for a bit, getting money together as I went to move to New York City to try my hand at working in the theater. To be honest, I am not sure I would have made the move alone, so moving in with Bill, there to work on a graduate degree at Columbia, certainly made it easier to take such a large step 'on my own.' He was also working an internship at the Circle Repertory Theater Company in the literary department. Shortly after moving at the end of April, Bill heard of an opening, and told me about it. I went in to interview with the Production Manager, Kate Stewart, and soon was working another internship, earning $50 a week, with the hopes of getting a real job in the fall. I started work on the production of the Sam Shepard's Fool For Love, with the original off-Broadway cast including Ed Harris and Kathy Baker, and a replacement cast with Will Patten and an unknown actor named Bruce Willis as an understudy. I began work taking care of the wardrobe, but my role expanded to also include set maintenance. By the start of the fall subscription series, I was hired on as the Master Carpenter, and I was totally stoked. I was on the staff of the theater whose roster included Marshall W. Mason and Lanford Wilson, along with designer John Lee Beatty, all nestled neatly in Greenwich Village, while living with Bill in an apartment in Spanish Harlem. We had no money, but it was a great time of my life.

The fifth most popular song on the Billboard chart from 1983 was the punchy electro-pop song by Eddy Grant, Electric Avenue. Grant lived in England, having moved there with his family from Guyana when just a child. He started making music in the 60s, but didn't start a solo career until the late 70e, and went on to have the platinum-selling song which became a hit worldwide.



The band Toto came together in 1977, made up of some the the best studio musicians of the period. Their rock music was a smooth blend of pop and rock, making seamless records tailored to fit each member of the band. Africa was the second hit from the Triple-Platinum album Toto IV, Rosanna being the first in 1982. Both songs soared on the charts and Africa landed at #4 for 1983.



With torn sweatshirts with cut out necklines, the movie Flashdance made a huge impact on popular culture in terms of fashion, but that was not all. It also contributed several chart-topping songs to the mix, including the #3 song of the year, Michael Sembello's Maniac. Sembello was a songwriter of note, working for some of the top names in the industry, including Stevie Wonder, Michael Jackson, and Barbra Streisand, among others, before releasing a solo album. One cut, Maniac, was added to the soundtrack to Flashdance, and the combination of great song in a hit movie brought the song to #3 on the Billboard chart for the year.



The New Wave of rock music was still in full bloom, and it earned the #2 spot on the year-end chart when Australian rockers Men At Work with their quirky song, Down Under. The song was the second hit for the band, the first coming in 1982 with Who Can It Be Now?. Down Under spent four weeks atop the US charts, an impressive feat for the band.



Bonnie Tyler had her first hit on US radio in 1977 with the song It's A Heartache, and had to wait six years to get her second. The song, Total Eclipse of the Heart, was penned by Jim Steinman, who to many was the King of Bombast, having written several hits for Meatloaf with histrionics normally reserved for opera. But paired with Tyler, Steinman mined musical gold, and helped the singer avoid the tag of one-hit-wonder forever.

Billboard Top 5 of 1982

What a big year for me 1982 was. I had finished my college studies, and in the fall, did a 4 month internship at the Actor's Theater of Louisville in Louisville, Kentucky. After spending a couple of years as the Technical Director of the college theater, I was the intern in the shop to build sets for a renown regional theater, and I loved it. The down side, however, was that I had to pack light for the trip, and not bring my music with me. Instead, I had an alarm clock/radio unit that was my only source of tunes, so I heard plenty of the Billboard top 5, starting with Open Arms by Journey. I was a huge fan of Journey, and thought that Steve Perry had one of the most amazing voices from the period. It was so clean, strong and brilliant, you just had to listen to him. Here they are singing the fifth most popular song of the year.



In late 1981, the Australian band Men At Work released their debut album, Business As Usual. It took a few months to really catch on, but with the help of the first single, Who Can It Be Now?, the quirky New Wave music was soon a steady part of the pop music diet, starting with the fourth most popular song of 1982.



Coming in as the third most popular song of the year is Up Where We Belong, sung by Jennifer Warnes & Joe Cocker from the soundtrack of the movie An Officer And A Gentleman. It was written by the greatly talented Jack Nitzsche, Buffy Sainte-Marie and Will Jennings. Warnes became known for have a deft touch with movie theme songs, but her best was this, dueting with the amazing Cocker.



Daryl Hall & John Oates were on quite a roll in the 80s, and had the number 2 song of 1982 with a catchy song Maneater. It was their first single from the album H2O, and while certainly classic pop, it might be one of my least favorite of their songs. But, with the #2 song of the year, here are Hall & Oates.



J. Geils Band was built around guitarist John Geils, who preferred to have his music served with a steady helping of rock and blues. While having been met with critical success, big-time commercial success alluded them until they took a more pop sound, including the mega-hit Centerfold.

Billboard Top 5 of 1981

It was an interesting year, that is for sure. In the fall of 1980, my college adviser suggested I would be good for me to further explore my new chosen major, theater. Well, actually it was an English major with a mass media minor, but only because the school didn't offer a theater major. Anyway, to do this, she arranged for me to design the set for the a production at the Reading Community Players, a local amateur theater group. The show was Witness for the Prosecution. It was directed by a good-looking 'older' man, who worked for the city, had a show on public access TV, with a strong desire to go to graduate school with the goal to be a playwright. We laughed, worked and tlaked together, and spent much of 1981 doing the same. We worked on a second show for the Players, Steambath, a play which took place in a New York City steambath, complete with a working shower onstage and a Hispanic attendant who also happened to shower naked, and be, in reality, God. Two years later, Bill and I moved to New York City together.

On the radio, it was hard to escape the #5 song on the Billboard year-end chart, Dolly Parton's 9 to 5, from the movie of the same name. Parton, who was a cross between a kewpie doll and a blow-up doll, with a heart of a drag queen, was a Country music queen who did what many thought no longer possible, and parlayed her inherent talent to create hit songs that not only scored on the Country charts, but also crossed over to the Pop charts as well. It didn't hurt it was the theme song of a hit movie of the same name, starring Parton, Jane Fonda and Lily Tomlin.



Talk about parlaying a career move into a Pop hit, Australian Rick Springfield had been making music for over a decade, but took a detour when he was cast as the heartthrob doctor on a soap opera, General Hospital. In the wake of playing Dr. Noah Drake, he released the album Working Class Dog, and the single, Jessie's Girl. Both gave him success he had never seen before.



Five years after their first hit song, Sara Smile, Daryl Hall and John Oates returned to the top of the charts with the catchy Pop song, Kiss On My List. From the album Voices, it was the third song released from the album, and the first to go to #1. According to Billboard, it was the #3 song for the year.



Coming in at #2, the next entry was unusual and a bit quirky, much like the performing behind it. Kim Carnes sang with a gruff edge and an ear for rock, and made the song written by Donna Weiss and 60s star Jackie DeShannon, Bette Davis Eyes appeared on her album Mistaken Identity.



Born in England and raised in Australia, the woman topping the year-end Billboard chart was no stranger to success, having spent much of the 70s singing her way to the top. Olivia Newton-John was a little bit Country, and a little bit Pop, but in 1981, she was also a little bit Disco when she put out Physical, a sexy and rollicking dance song that was Billboard's #1 for 1981.

Billboard Top 5 - 1991

Music was going through another period of change, but my life hadn't changed very much. I was working my butt off in NYC, a freelancer doing all kinds of corporate communications gigs - your basic corporate rah-rah. Sales meeting, computer shows, video sales training, it was still going strong. I had my long hair, with my 'John Lennon' wire-frame glasses, quite the rebel in the corporate world. It would not be unusual for me to show up to meetings with my hair flowing, a t-shirt, shorts and purple flip-flops, charming some, irritating others. I had a clear identity at the time, while music, on the other hand, did not. The rough-hewn sound of Grunge was still forming in Seattle. New Wave music had pretty much started to fade. Some of those bands started to change their sound, either moving toward a pop theme, while others went to a rock vein. This allowed for Pop to reign supreme on the charts. Take, for example, Gonna Make You Sweat (Everybody Dance Now), the song by C+C Music Factory, which was not really a band, but a duo of producers who lined up talent to perform the music. Robert Clivillés and David Cole put together the talent in the studio, with Martha Wash (of The Weathergirls fame) taking the lions-share of the vocals, and hunky Freedom Williams rapping. When it came time to make a video, Clivillés and Cole made the decision to put Zelma Davis in front of the camera, leaving Wash in the studio. She was also left off the credits for the song. Following a lawsuit, it was official, Wash was awarded a settlement, and given credit. None of this managed to distract from the popularity of the song, which hit #1 all around the world, and made it the #5 song of the year.



Mariah Carey broke on to the music scene with the release of her debut album in 1990. That was followed up by her second album in the fall of 1991, Emotions. Still soaring from the success of her debut, the sales for the 2nd took off, including for the first single, Emotions. To date, the album went quadruple-platinum in sales, while the single went gold. The song was written by Carey as well as the guys from C+C Music Factory, David Cole and Robert Clivillés. It was the #4 song of the year.



Paula Abdul had a huge success with her debut album, Forever Your Girl. That was released in 1988, and it wasn't until 1991 when she had the second, Spellbound. The first single, Rush, Rush, moved up the charts, making Gold status sales. The ballad made it to #1 on the Billboard Hot 100, and was the top-selling single from the album.



The King of Pop had his first solo song to top the Billboard Hot 100 in 1972, with Ben. Ten #1 songs later, Jackson was once again on top with Black or White, from his chart-topping album Dangerous. The song made it to #1 across the globe. The song blended dance with rock, including a hot guitar track by Slash of Guns 'N Roses. The video had an intro that featured Jackson's friend, young Macaulay Culkin, and Cheers actor George 'Norm' Wendt as his father. Check out the #2 song of 1991.



Canadian rocker Bryan Adams had his first #1 song in 1985 with the ballad Heaven. His second time to top the US Billboard Hot 100 was in 1991, when (Everything I Do) I Do It For You not only topped the chart, it was also the top-selling single of 1991. While it did appear on his album Waking Up the Neighbours, it went into heavy rotation thanks to being the theme from the movie Robin Hood: Prince of Thieves. The song went on to earn a Grammy for Adams and co-writers Michael Kamen and "Mutt" Lange, named Best Song Written for a Movie, as well as being nominated for an Academy Award.

Billboard Top 5 - 1989

While the 80s were coming to a close, the music was still hitting many a high note. My own life had taken a bit of a back seat, for I was working full-tilt as a freelancer in NYC, and spent much of my time on the road at a variety of trade shows, from Comdex in Las Vegas, to smaller trade shows in Boston, Washington, DC, San Diego, and, well, anyplace with a convention center. I had sworn off dating - I wasn't really very good at it - and instead would work hard, and when I had some free time, visit the family in Delaware. I would hop on AMTRAK with my Sony Walkman in place, playing my cassettes. Somewhere about this time, I might have shifted to the Sony Discman, but I can't be sure...

At this point in musical history, Gloria Estefan was pretty much an unstoppable force. At the beginning of the year, she became a 'solo' act, as the billing became Gloria Estefan, losing the Miami Sound Machine from the title. However, the band, lead by Gloria's husband Emilio, continued to play the dates backing Estefan. The first solo album was Cuts Both Ways, released during the summer. The first single, Don't Wanna Lose You, zoomed up the charts, scoring #1 on the Billboard Hot 100 in the US, as well as many other places worldwide. Surprisingly enough, it lands at #5 on the year-end chart. I thought it would score much higher.



Martika was setting a precedent that we are still fighting today. She was the Hillary Duff/Miley Cyrus of her day, moving from teen/tween programming to the record charts. She went from a lead in the show Kids Incorporated to a movie with Mr T to her first album which spawned the hit Toy Soldiers, her only #1 on the Billboard Hot 100. Her kiddie pop went fairly unnoticed by me, so I don't really have any fun anecdotes or charming stories. Somehow it lands at #4 on the year-end chart.



The next group brought together two bands that were coming to an end to form what was thought of as a rock supergroup. John Waite was the lead singer for The Babys and this group before moving on to solo success later. Keyboardist Jonathan Cain and bassist Ricky Phillips had played with Waite in The Babys. They were joined by guitarist Neal Schon and drummer Deen Castronovo were part of the Journey lineup as that band was breaking up. As a group, they became known as Bad English, with attitude and big hair to burn. With the second single off their debut album, they topped the Billboard Hot 100 with When I See You Smile, the #3 song of 1989.



While she might have been the teen queen of her day, Debbie Gibson, who later changed her name to Deborah Gibson, got her title the old fashioned way, she earned it. She put out her first album at 16, having toured the country playing clubs and bars. On her first album, she had five singles, and all but one landed in the Top 5, and the fifth just missing the Top 20. Expectations were high for the young lady for her second album, Electric Youth. There was no need to worry, as the first single, Lost In Your Eyes, landed at #1 on the Billboard Hot 100, her second chart topper, both written by the youngster. Here she is with the #2 song of 1989, Lost In Your Eyes.



Richard Marx broke on to the musical charts in 1987 with the pop/rock song Don't Mean Nothing. He was discovered by Lionel Richie, and was singing background vocals and musician gigs in LA for a variety of artists. He was also writing music, including top hits for Kenny Rogers, Kim Carnes, James Ingram, Freddie Jackson and Chicago, to name a few. This earned him some studio time, and he took full advantage. His second album, Repeat Offender, was a quadruple Platinum selling effort, and much of that success can be attributed to the second single, Right Here Waiting. The touching power ballad caused heart to go all-aflutter, and earned Marx to top single of the year.

Billboard Top 5 - 1988

It is about time I get back to these Billboard posts, cause they make me happy. They will remind me of music I haven't listened to in a while, and some times I haven't thought about. Like, for instance, 1988. I was on my own, living in Park Slope, Brooklyn, and doing freelance work in Manhattan. Mainly my work was based out of Chelsea, with a company named Zink Communications. It was here I met some great friends, men I still keep in touch with. I worked with Mal and Brian, and in a while, James. We worked on 'How To' videotapes, and other projects. Actually, I had met Mal working at the Circle Repertory Theatre Company [damn, back in 1983, I think], but continued on with him for many years on non-theater projects. Although they often had their fair share of drama. Between the clients, who were corporate in nature, and the company paying us free-lancers, there were plenty of great people, and plenty of those who might have lacked a bit of charm. But that is life, right?

This was also back in the day when I had long, curly/wavy hair that was well below my shoulders, my John Lennon round metal glasses, and was wont to wear my shorts and flip-flops to work. Or wear all-black. Or show up to a meeting with the clients and have my hair held up with a pencil. Yeah, that always impressed the clients like AT&T, Northern Telecom, and IBM. It was also the place where one Christmas party, many of the employees had too much to drink, although many of us free-lancers were fairly sober, cause we had work to do. And one of the women in scheduling not only gave me a full-on 'Christmas' kiss on the lips, she also tried to slip me some tongue. I was a bit shocked, as I was not particularly closeted at all, and she was married. I decided to blame the alcohol and ignore the situation, and it was never brought up again. Such is life.

But it is impossible for me to think about 1988 without coming up with the #5 song of the year, Wild, Wild West by the Escape Club. The song was fun, and the boys were sexy, a combination that means only good. I loved the band, and bought the album right away. In fact, I covered them in a post over a year ago, here. So, without further ado, here is the video.



The #4 song on the list is somewhat of an oddity, not only because it tore up the charts and was played at every conceivable chance, but also because of the way it was produced. Bobby McFerrin's Don't Worry Be Happy was kinda magical, but also, there was no instrumentation on it. The incredibly talented McFerrin created all the sound himself, using his voice and a gifted imagination. In many ways, you could consider McFerrin the earliest beat-boxer there was.



I have to be honest with you, when I read the name of the #3 song, I didn't have a clue. When I think of Cheap Trick, I think of rockers from the Live A Budokan album. When I read The Flame, I was like, WTF? Then I found the video and immediately knew the song, cause it was played all the time. It is a good power ballead, but when push comes to shove, I'll take I Want You To Want Me any day of the week.



Billy Ocean had a bit of a spree in the late 80s, scoring several hits, often affiliated with movies. The #2 song was not tied into a film, but it was part of an album that went platinum, helped no doubt bu the big hit Get Outta My Dreams, Get Into My Car. The international Pop sound that Ocean had was natural, as he was born in Trinidad, and lived much of his life in England.



In the 80s and 90s, singer Gloria Estafan ruled the airwaves. Truthfully, I thought, and still think, she has a beautiful voice, rich and full. She started out as the singer for the Miami Sound Machine, and in 1988 was fronting the band, now billed as Gloria Estefan and Miami Sound Machine. With top billing, Gloria had the #1 song of the year according to Billboard with Anything For You. The song was a worldwide hit, topping the charts on both the Pop and Adult Contemporary side.



I have another admission I need to make. Not only was I a fan of Gloria Estefan, I liked this song way better in Spanish, despite the fact I didn't, and still don't, speak or understand the language. (I think Gloria was setting me up for my fascination with all things Ricky Martin. Damn you, Gloria!] And because I am just in that kind of mood, I want to offer up my favorite version of the song, so give it a try should you so desire.



There you have it, the Top 5 songs of 1988 according to the folks at Billboard. Another strong group, well worth listening to. Especially if you have great memories attached, something I am very guilty of. Enjoy.

Billboard Top 5 - 1987

Wow, this was an interesting year for me - the first time I hadn't worked in the theater for several years. I was working for a multimedia firm, mainly doing slide shows for real estate ventures. Yes, you read that right, slide shows. They were multi-projector shows particular to corporate real estate, and every bit as boring and awful as it sounds. But it paid well. Very quickly I worked my way up to the job of line producer, and was traveling with photographers, overseeing photoshoots of various real estate around the country. While driving around in rental cars, I would listen to the radio, hearing all the songs listed below. And what a great list it is, starting with former lead singer of The GoGos, Belinda Carlisle singing Heaven Is A Place On Earth. I was, and still am a fan of Belinda. When the solo album was released, I ran out to buy it and loved it.And I would be remiss if I didn't mention Belinda's strong support of LGBT rights, having embraced following her own son's coming out. Only made me love her more.



Anyone who watched Family Ties is familiar with Billy Vera & The Beaters romantic song At This Moment. The song was the score to the love scenes between Alex P. Keaton and Ellen, played by Micheal J. Fox and the woman who became his real life wife, Tracy Pollan. Lore has it that Billy Vera had already given up on his musical career, playing occasional dates for the bucks, when a Family Ties producer caught his show, and decided the song would be perfect for the show. The song was originally released in 1981, with minimal success. But when fans of the show started wanting a copy, the album was not available - the record company had gone under. So Rhino Records put out an album, and the song hit #1 on the chart, and remained on the Pop chart for 15 weeks.



George Michael had recently left Wham!, and was wanting to work with one of his all-time favorite singers, Aretha Franklin. So he worked on I Knew You Were Waiting (For Me) to get that done, and it was actually an amazing performance. And while it would be tough to think of many bad efforts by Aretha, I really loved this, and was surprised to see George hold his own [insert giggling here]. The song hit #1 in the US and in the UK. While it was not George's first, it shockingly was Franklin's one and only UK #1. Who'd a thunk it?



Written by Albert Hammond and Diane 'Queen of the Power Ballad' Warren, Nothing's Gonna Stop Us Now managed to get Starship back on top of the charts in April of 1987. This enabled the amazing Grace Slick to be pegged with the dubious honor of being the oldest woman to have a number one song. She was later displaced by Cher, who had the 1999 hit Believe, which I blame for the popularity of autotune, which still is killing much pop music to this day. Anyway, the Starship song also appeared on the soundtrack to the wacky comedy Mannequin, and it was nominated for an Academy Award. It lost the award to (I've Had) The Time Of My Life, performed by Bill Medley and Jennifer Warnes from the Dirty Dancing soundtrack.



This is the year U2 released their monster album, Joshua Tree. The band was already crowned the Band of the 80s by many because of their popularity, both on records and in concert. But the new album took it to a new level, as did the ballad off the album, With Or Without You. I was already crazy for the band, having gotten on the bandwagon when my sister Kim, still in college, gave me the War album in 1983. I instantly loved the Irish boys, and went and bought their earlier music. In fact, Kim and I, along with another friend, went to see them on this tour, during the stop at Giants Stadium. This is a great song, and deserves to be the #! song of the year.

Billboard Top 5 - 1985

25 years ago, I was living in Brooklyn, working Off-Broadway theater in Greenwich Village, a poor, but happy camper. While working at the theater, the radio was often on, so I knew all three of these songs well, although only one or two was really a part of my record collection at that point. And, I am sorry to say, it wasn't the song that was in fifth place, We Built This City by Starship. I apologize because I loved Jefferson Airplane, and thought Grace Slick truly rocked. I might have tolerated the move to become Jefferson Starship, but when they went only by Starship, I had written them off. Listen to Grace and the boys sing this song, and tell me you don't think they are capable of way better...



There is some Pop music you just have to accept at face value - it is what it is. Huey Lewis and the News is one of those - a band that created catchy hooks and fun music, but it wasn't really gonna be breaking any boundary, or moving you with insightful reflection. Don't get me wrong, some music has to be like that, and Huey and the boys did it well. Here is the #4 song of the year, The Power of Love. If I am not mistaken, it was the theme song to one of the Back To The Future movies.



I will admit to having a weird fascination for the # 3 song, Mr. Mister's Broken Wing. Well, truthfully, I had a much greater interest in the song Kyrie, which was released immediately following this one, but liked this one, too. Partially, it was my interest in Richard Page's vocals, as well as the nicely structured musical accompaniment. Could be the beautifully photographed videos that went with the band, but you never know for sure. Just know I liked them, and these songs found their way into my listening rotation.



OK, I was already a fan of Tears For Fears since the first album, 1983s The Hurting. The complex music aligned with the introspective lyrics made the band a perfect brooding English schoolboy-like crush, and I was there. Songs From The Big Chair was released in 1985, and was a great follow-up to the debut, with more polish while still keeping the elements. Here is the #2 song of 1985, the primal Shout.



On one hand, how can you not like REO Speedwagon? I mean, they are a classic American rock band, and don't think they ever released anything as embarrassing as J. Geils Band's Centerfold song. On the other hand, I don't really remember many of their songs when I think of them, more like just a thought of a fun band. When I heard this, I knew the song instantly, but if someone had asked me what was their top song of 1985, I don't know if I would have had an answer. Anyway, this is Can't Fight This Feeling by REO Speedwagon. Enjoy!

Billboard Top 5 - 1983

It was an interesting year for me. I had finished my internship at the Actor's Theater of Louisville at the end of 1982, officially sealing off my college career. I returned home to work for a bit, getting money together as I went to move to New York City to try my hand at working in the theater. To be honest, I am not sure I would have made the move alone, so moving in with Bill, there to work on a graduate degree at Columbia, certainly made it easier to take such a large step 'on my own.' He was also working an internship at the Circle Repertory Theater Company in the literary department. Shortly after moving at the end of April, Bill heard of an opening, and told me about it. I went in to interview with the Production Manager, Kate Stewart, and soon was working another internship, earning $50 a week, with the hopes of getting a real job in the fall. I started work on the production of the Sam Shepard's Fool For Love, with the original off-Broadway cast including Ed Harris and Kathy Baker, and a replacement cast with Will Patten and an unknown actor named Bruce Willis as an understudy. I began work taking care of the wardrobe, but my role expanded to also include set maintenance. By the start of the fall subscription series, I was hired on as the Master Carpenter, and I was totally stoked. I was on the staff of the theater whose roster included Marshall W. Mason and Lanford Wilson, along with designer John Lee Beatty, all nestled neatly in Greenwich Village, while living with Bill in an apartment in Spanish Harlem. We had no money, but it was a great time of my life.

The fifth most popular song on the Billboard chart from 1983 was the punchy electro-pop song by Eddy Grant, Electric Avenue. Grant lived in England, having moved there with his family from Guyana when just a child. He started making music in the 60s, but didn't start a solo career until the late 70e, and went on to have the platinum-selling song which became a hit worldwide.



The band Toto came together in 1977, made up of some the the best studio musicians of the period. Their rock music was a smooth blend of pop and rock, making seamless records tailored to fit each member of the band. Africa was the second hit from the Triple-Platinum album Toto IV, Rosanna being the first in 1982. Both songs soared on the charts and Africa landed at #4 for 1983.



With torn sweatshirts with cut out necklines, the movie Flashdance made a huge impact on popular culture in terms of fashion, but that was not all. It also contributed several chart-topping songs to the mix, including the #3 song of the year, Michael Sembello's Maniac. Sembello was a songwriter of note, working for some of the top names in the industry, including Stevie Wonder, Michael Jackson, and Barbra Streisand, among others, before releasing a solo album. One cut, Maniac, was added to the soundtrack to Flashdance, and the combination of great song in a hit movie brought the song to #3 on the Billboard chart for the year.



The New Wave of rock music was still in full bloom, and it earned the #2 spot on the year-end chart when Australian rockers Men At Work with their quirky song, Down Under. The song was the second hit for the band, the first coming in 1982 with Who Can It Be Now?. Down Under spent four weeks atop the US charts, an impressive feat for the band.



Bonnie Tyler had her first hit on US radio in 1977 with the song It's A Heartache, and had to wait six years to get her second. The song, Total Eclipse of the Heart, was penned by Jim Steinman, who to many was the King of Bombast, having written several hits for Meatloaf with histrionics normally reserved for opera. But paired with Tyler, Steinman mined musical gold, and helped the singer avoid the tag of one-hit-wonder forever.

American Idol in 60 Seconds - Top 5

MTV's Jim Cantiello released his next episode of American Idol in 60 Seconds, a humorous recap of this week in Idoldom. Check out Jim online at MTV here.

MTV Shows

AI9 The Top 4 Revealed

This post was originally written for Rickey.Org.

Tonight another contestant goes home as the Top 4 are revealed. Crusty tells us Lady GaGa and Harry Connick Jr are performing on the results show. The Top 5 sing a medley of Sinatra songs, each getting some solo time, dressed in tuxes.

The Ford Music Video is 1,2,3,4, the Plain White T's hit song. It was cute and subtle for a change. Then there is a behind the scenes look at Tuesday for the contestants, including Big Mike and Crystal waking up with family, thru the excitement of the performances.

Results time, and Lee is asked to stand up, and joins Crusty onstage. There is a prolonged conversation, Simon adding that last night was the first time he thought Lee thought he could win. We discover he is safe. Then, Crusty tells us Lady GaGa is up next.

Lady GaGa opens to the strains of Bad Romance and segues into Alejandro, wearing a black mesh cape and hood over a black fishnet bodysuit with her male dancers in high-waisted biker shorts and well-oiled muscled chests. Have to say, that was not the most exciting show GaGa has put on. Not bad, certainly, but lacking a spark.

There is a clip of Harry Connick Jr during the mentoring, giving all the Idols a hard time. In fact, he also reserves some time for the judges, mentioning 'pitchy' is not something that should be said. Out of tune, yes, pitchy, no. Then he comes out to perform, and wasn't very good. He talks a bit, and then introduces the Top 5 singing some of his songs. They did a nice job. Afterward, Crusty asks about when he first met Frank Sinatra. Seems Frank's only commentary about Harry's nervous performance in front of Old Blue Eyes was to kiss Harry's girlfriend on the lips and tell her she is beautiful. Funny.

We are back with results. Crystal is up next, and we are reminded of her reviews, and sent to stand by the piano. Big Mike is next, and asked to stand at the near side of the stage. Aaron is next, and asked to join Big Mike. Casey is left to join Crystal by the piano. Lee is asked to pick the safe group, and he refuses. Crusty announces the bottom two are Big Mike and Aaron, and Crystal and Casey are safe. Honestly, Casey looks as surprised as I am.

And we discover the person going home is Aaron Kelly. As I watch Rickey weep quietly on Rickey.TV, we see Aaron's journey video. He sings Fly Me To The Moon, with Harry sticking around to play for him. That is a nice touch. Aaron handles it well, with many smiles. Good for him.

AI9 Old Blue Eyes Has Left The Building

Originally written for Rickey.Org

Frank Sinatra takes center stage, his songbook awaiting the Top 5 to prove their mettle. Crystal and the boys, Lee, Casey, Big Mike and Aaron, will be under the watchful eye of Harry Connick, Jr, world renown crooner, star of stage, screen, and album. He is going to lend a helping hand as the Idols take their turn at interpreting entries in the Great American Songbook. Connick is also going to arrange and support all five as best he can, including leading the band.

Talking with Crusty, Harry is all excited about his time with the kids, who are all donning formalish attire, looking quite dapper. After a a commercial break and Crusty plugs the tour, he introduces Sinatra's daughters, Tina and Nancy. They present Simon, a real Sinatra fan, with one of Frank's monogrammed hankies, and he is genuinely happy. Odd moment.

First on deck is Aaron Kelly, and he is singing Fly Me to the Moon. He had an interesting arrangement, but slid all over the place, sometimes sliding a little below or or above the notes. A lot of the notes. Randy and Ellen loved it, while Simon and Kara were a bit more hesitant with their praise. Simon whips out the corny tag, and the 'if Frank was a lion, you were a mouse.'

With his hair tied back, Casey James takes on Blue Skies. Harry really him, and likes his bluesy take on the song. Wasn't the greatest performance, the notes were not great. The judges were uncharacteristically hard on him, including Kara calling him a goat. Harry steps up and says he killed it 2 hours ago, but it seems unlikely that will help him now.

Crusty introduces Sir Anthony Hopkins for no apparent reason, and then introduces Crystal Bowersox, who will sing Summer Wind. Harry seems to really like her, and she starts the performance on the piano bench with him. The first few notes were a little off, but she quickly gets on track. Her phrasing was really nice, and it built beautifully. Randy thought it was sleepy, Ellen thought she swallowed the first part of the song, and Kara appreciates her phrasing - Ugh, she agreed with me - but seemingly little else. Simon thought the first half wasn't good, but it got better. So, we figured out the judges love a screamer - looks good for Lee, I guess.

Looking to continue his renewed career, Big Mike Lynche is up next. He sings one of Harry's favorites, The Way You Look Tonight. Harry digs him, and when they start, I kinda yawn. There is little original here. I am really bored. The judges, however, love him. I am at a loss. Really? That sounded like an out-take from 'My Best Friend's Wedding', not a great performance on the AI stage.

To end the night, we get some Lee DeWyze, singing That’s Life. There are also uncomfortable moments with Harry talking about Lee's looks. There are several really bad notes in there, but I am sure they will go unnoticed. There were also muddled words, his inability to enunciate. Yet, the judges basically announced he has already won. And I am sad.

This was not a good night for me. I liked Crystal best, allowing for subtleties apparently unheard of by the judges. She wasn't perfect, but still above the rest. However, the boys, well, they struggled. Lee's bad notes, and heavy vibrato passed inspection of the judges, who pointed out the same issues with other singers. But we were told he took the night, possibly the entire competition. I suspect Casey, Big Mike and Aaron will be the bottom three, and Casey will go home.