It’s the end of the Season….

And lots of questions arise:

IS THIS the last show for Simon?

Will Kris somehow beat Adam?
Can Kara win the fans over?

Will Idol help out my review next year and get really embarrassing contestants?

Tonight Kris and Adam will perform 3 numbers…

* A song they previously did on the show

* A song picked for each of them by Simon Fuller, the show’s creator.

* A brand new song the winner will use as his first single.  A song written by Kara.

So let’s get to it…

Round 1

Adam re-performed “Mad World” by Tears For Fears, which he had originally done back during the theme week ofThe Year they were Born.  
IF you don’t remember hearing this song, that’s probably because this was the night American Idol went over their time and those that DVR’d the show missed out on Adam singing.  So, it was a smart move by Adam to perform a song that many people would consider ‘new’.

Kris’ rehash is “Ain’t No Sunshine” which he originally did for the Top 9’s theme week of the iTunes top 10,000 or whatever it was called.  He was solid then, and he was solid tonight. 

I’m with Simon…Kris wins round 1…just barely.

Round 2

            Simon Fuller is the creator of the Idol franchise and certainly one of the most influential people in Music history.  I didn’t know what to expect from his choices, but felt for certain it would be some hit single by a previous Idol winner (or contestant).  

Instead, Fuller picked 2 socially-conscious songs.  No, not the Black Eyed Peas, “My Humps”.  And not, “Cotton Eye Joe”.

Instead, Adam sang Sam Cooke’s classic, the civil-rights anthem, “A Change is Gonna Come”.  It was a weird choice for Adam, though he did it as a straight ballad without a hint of protest. 

Kris was given Marvin Gaye’s unforgettable, “What’s Going On?”  While not bad, it just was flat.

Round 2…Adam

Round 3

            Finally, it’s the song that will be the first single of the Winner’s post-Idol career. 

            As it has been since Season 1 the ‘Winner’s song’ takes the basic motif form of:

Whatever I believe and conceive, I will achieve

This is my dream, this is my one shot,you can’t take it away from me, as I will give it all I got.

Yada, Yada, Yada, I can do it, there’s nothing to it.  Blah Blah.

            This song was co-written by Kara, along with Cathy Dennis, who has been managed by Simon Fuller for decades. Dennis was the singer behind, "All Night Long (Touch Me)", and has since written Britney Spear’s “Toxic”, and Katy Perry’s “I Kissed A Girl”.

            But, “No Boundaries” is a forgettable medley.  I don’t even think Kara liked it herself but she was so hampered by the strict enforcement of the “I can try, I can do it” theme that she had no choice.

            Let’s face it, except for Fantasia Barrino’s “I Believe” which was boosted by our perceived triumph of Fantasia’s dreams from her humble beginnings, the rest of the singles kinda stunk. 

So the prediction is easy:  Adam

Thank you for joining me this season.  It was the hardest season yet to review as I’ve said. 

Please feel free to send me comments, criticisms or your own analysis.

Have a great off Season.  See you in 2010.