American Idol

Casey James has chosen Okay, It's Alright With Me by Eric Hutchinson for his personal song choice. He picked it because he loves the song, and when he heard it, thought it was a song he could have written, so it's a good representation of himself as an artist. Casey has his trusty guitar with him, and I have to say I liked it. If this is representative of the type of artist he is, than I like this type of artist. It's not as rocking as I would have thought he would do, but it's ... unique. Looking at his family in the audience I have to ask if it's Raggedy Ann Day. What in the world is that woman wearing?

Randy Jackson tells Casey the funny thing about the lyric is the song was just alright for him as well. He wanted to hear more, more that was unique and interesting, and says you can't do a safe, kind of interesting song. It didn't really work for him. Ellen DeGeneres notes it's the moment like Randy said, live or die, do or die, or live or die, or sink or swim, Lefty Tighty Righty Loosey. She corrects herself to Righty Tighty Lefty Loosey. She felt the same way as Randy and wishes Casey would have brought it, as it's the night you need something bigger than that. He has a great voice, but he needed to blow them away.

Kara DioGuardi brings up that it's hard to pick a song that not many people know, especially tonight, as you have to really be fighting for it. When you pick something that's a first listen for much of the audience, you can't make it your own and take it to the next level, and she doesn't think it worked in his favor. Simon Cowell realizes it's not going well for Casey, and says it's arguably the most important night of his life, and he's lucky he has two song choices. He compares it to like the salad before the dinner, with the hope something more substantial is to come. He thought it sounded like Casey was busking for a couple of dollars instead of competitng in the most important night in his life.

Crystal Bowersox gets stool chat with Ryan Seacrest and already has her guitar and harp with her. She chose Come to My W indow by Melissa Etheridge, because it's always been a favoite of hers, and it's a song about passions and love and things like that. What she wants to accomplish tonight is to have fun, and Ryan adds it should also be to get votes. She looks absolutely terrific tonight and starts off with the harp, then kicks it off with her voice and guitar. She sounds really good on it, which isn't surprising since they're really similar artists. I don't think it needed the harp, though, I must say.

Randy tells Crystal it's that time in the competition where they're looking for a winner, looking to see who's going to blow it out of the box. He didn't love the arrangement personally. It's an amazing song, though. What he did like is her vocal on it. He thought the arrangement was fighting her, yet her vocal rose above it. Ellen agrees that it's a good song choice, and it's the exact same type of song she wants to sing. It's the artist she wants to be, and it's her comfort zone. She thinks Melissa would be very proud of her.

Kara agrees with the others, saying she did get a little lost in the arrangement, as her tone doesn't have the rasp and edge of Melissa, so acoustically it would have been stronger. It was still a good vocal, but she thinks Crystal is capable of a moment, and hopes she has one tonight. Simon agrees with the others, as it's not the most stunning version of the song we'll hear. Having said that, what he likes about her and what she did tonight, from the very first day to now, is she hasn't compromised herself as an artist, and he has a lot of respect for her. She came out here and just decided to do what is her. it was a very honest performance, and he feels she made the right choice. She feels good to have sung a favorite song, and she has her mic stand, good friends, her health, and her son's health, and that's what it's all about ... Yep.

It's Lee Dewyze's shot for some stool chat, and Ryan notes he thinks Lee became a different guy back at home. Lee says it was good to go home and see everyone that's supporting him out there. He went out there with expectations, and it was more than he could ask for. He wanted to bring the energy back here. He's chosen to sing Simple Man as he's always loved it, and all the lyrics always rang true to him. He always likes to pick something he can relate to, as it makes him get it more. He has the absolutely perfect voice for this song. I'd have to say after round one, he's in the lead. This is amazing.

Randy tells Lee it was a great, great song choice, and he can see him making a record like that. What he loves most is that while he sounded amazing, someone here is feeling like he can win it. He tells Ellen, "Lee's ready." Ellen seems to agree and says that's what they're talking about. That showed them he's taking it seriously. She is so proud of him, because when they met him he was like a baby lamb, like a little, shy, gentle, quiet thing, and now he's like a gazelle or impala, something that springs out.

Kara found that what Lee did tonight was what every contestant needs to do. He showed them everything he's got. He picked a song with meaning for him, which is so important, and in her opinion, round one goes to Lee. Simon asks Lee why he chose that song, and he explains that when he plays it, he's so happy to be playing it, and he thought about picking something more current, but he wouldn't have connected to it the same. If Simon is being honest, he thinks the contestant song choices so far have been okay, but that song was absolutely on the money. He thought it was brilliant. PIcking up on Kara's point, he didn't win round one, but crushed the other two.

Casey went back to Texas and met boatloads of fans, female fans. He finds out that Randy and Kara picked Daughters by John Mayer for him. Randy says they picked it because the whole idea of the song is a great direction for Casey, as he's kind of a commercial singer/songwriter. Kara thinks Casey needs to show his vulnerable side, and she thinks it's a viable song for him as every artist needs to know their audience, and his audience is women and girls, and that's who this song talks to. This is one of my favorite John Mayer songs, and the jury is still out on it in the beginning, and as he reaches the chorus, I don't think he's comfortable with it. He nods to someone in the audience, and I'm hoping it's Raggedy Ann or his mom. At the bridge, Casey picks it up and shows that vulnerability a little bit and finds his comfort zone with it.

Randy tells Casey the first song he did tonight he wasn't so much in favor of, but he thinks this fits him like a glove, and he hopes he continues in this direction. Ellen agrees and thinks it was beautiful for him and thinks there will be a lot of daughters and mothers and maybe even sons voting for him. She liked it a lot. Kara tells Casey it showed the more artistic side to him and that's where he struggles, and that's really where he shines. She's happy with their choice and thinks he did a good job and changed it up where he needed to without straying too much from the original.

Simon has been cracking up behind Kara this whole time. He thinks it was a much better song choice than the other one, but his only issue was like Randy "bleated" about before about arrangements, this one was a pretty lazy arrangement, as they chose a song where the climax is a pretty limp guitar solo, and he holds them responsible for not giving him a better vocal moment. Kara says the song isn't about that and tries to explains as she and Simon get into an argument, as he tells Casey he sounded very good on it, and he has the whole night, but the song didn't have the wow factor.

Crystal goes back to Northern Ohio and greets her fans, getting a text saying that she is singing Maybe I'm Amazed by Paul McCartney, picked by Ellen. She likes that choice. So do I. Ellen says tonight she loves the song and it's amazing, like Crystal, and she wants her to surprise people. Everyone knows what she does, and she wanted to show some range and let her tear this thing apart. She sings without her guitar tonight, surprisingly enough. As my son walks through the room, he says this is so Crystal, and I have to agree with him on that one. She takes the catwalk for a bit and sings to the crowd. She's definitely showing her range and that she can rock it out without her guitar.

Randy tells Crystal it was aan great song, great vocals, and announces, "America, we've got someone else in it to win it right here." Ellen says she couldn't have asked for more, that's what she was hoping she'd do and she did it. Ellen seems on the verge of tears I thnk. Kara notes Crystal didn't change it up much, but what she did was show parts of her voice we didn't really hear until tongiht. She really pushed and not using an instrument was a huge risk for her. Crystal did a lot of risky things, and Kara thinks it paid off.

Simon must admit when he heard the song choice he was a little surprised, but what she proved after that was that she has soul. She walked outside of her comfort zone, and he thinks after that she may be thainking Ellen next week for putting her in the final. Ellen and Randy fist bump. Crystal says it wasn't outsid eher comfor zone, and she thinks she looks good. Is she talking about her boots they joked about or the song?

Lee came back to my area, coming home to the Northwest suburbs of Chicago. He gets his text message from Simon while he's on the airplane, and finds he's singing Hallelujiah. Simon explains tonight we've heard it before, but probably never like we're about to hear from Lee. He likes him as a person, and we always talk about a moment, and this is his night, and he wants him to do something that shows he has the potential to be a great artist. Lee sings with his guitar, and I have to admit I dismissed Tim Urban singing it earlier this year, as to me it's Jason Castro's song. But tonight Lee isa bringing tears to my eyes with this version. I'm forcing my fingers to type as my mouth is hanging open. Simon's right. This is his night.

The audience gives Lee a standing ovation, and Randy tells him he's been waiting all season to see who's going to throw down the whole gauntlet to try and win the whole thing. He has to give it up to his boy (Simon), as he set Lee up. Randy thinks this is Lee's biggest moment at the biggest time in his career on this show. It was unbelievable. Lee looks ... scared ... or amazed. He says thank you to Simon, as when he first found out whe was singing it, he was worried, but he followed through with it and is now so happy he did it. Ellen is sure glad he listened to Simon and if he had doubts, that he trusted him, as there's nothing more to be said, as it was stunning.

Kara tells Lee this is what the show is all about, someone who starts the show in one place and ends up here tonight in an incredible epic moment. He is the heart of the show this season and he just owned the entire night. Simon is very proud of him because when they sat down last week, he put himself where Lee was. He was working in a store before this looking for a break, and this show has given him a break. Most impotantly tonight he proved he is a fantastic singer, great person, and he really hopes for him that he makes it to next week. Lee says he felt the first one, but the second one it was one that pulls everything out of you. He watched everyone singing along and it was a moment, and then to get the reactions from the judges ... and he trails off, but we know what he means.