! This Is Diana Ross Week On American Idol !

[remicks]

******

This week the American Idol "kids " (age 29 and under ) will be forced to do renditions of Diana Ross songs . It'll be a great time for viewing TV music whether you otherwise give a whit about IDOL or not . Let's see just how "easy" it is to pull off the Diana vocal magic. :icon_rolleyes: And it'll be a hoot to see her stationed into a chair for once , (chain) reacting to these tiny tots. Will she be touched ? Will she reach out ??

Diana week will probably be the best reason to watch IDOL this season ........

*****

[Salsoul1975]

Miss Ross will be THE BOSS sitting in that seat. Who knows if she'll be SWEPT AWAY by the vocalists; you'll never know if she'll tell one of the hopefuls "DO YOU KNOW WHERE YOU'RE GOING TO". Wouldn't it be something if Tenacious 'D' gets a LOVE HANGOVER and feels on TOP OF THE WORLD after being with Simon? Maybe she'll get into a catfight with Paula, or one of the girl singers-then it would be obvious that NO ONE GETS THE PRIZE. Miss Ross will definitely be WORKIN' OVERTIME this week on Idol!

[remicks]

*****

:icon_lol: :icon_lol: :icon_lol:

Hey that would be hilarious ... if after enduring each contestant repeatedly slaughtering yet another one of hers songs .... she finally storms off and says " I'm sorry NO ONE GETS THE PRIZE ! " :icon_lol: :icon_lol: :icon_lol:


******

[markydefad]

Will Diana's "Supremes" days be considered as song choices? I'm thinkin' they will....I feel I'm gonna hear "You Can't Hurry Love".....

I'm guessin' she will also perform to hype that new cd-- which is quite underwhelming, IMHO. :icon_rolleyes::icon_rolleyes::icon_rolleyes:

[markydefad]

THE MISS ROSS OEUVRE TOP SONG CHOICES....for Idol wannabes

(as compiled by Fred Bronson from Billboard)

1) ENDLESS LOVE - Diana Ross & Lionel Richie (81)
2) UPSIDE DOWN - Diana Ross (80)
3) LOVE CHILD - Diana Ross & The Supremes (68.)
4) WHERE DID OUR LOVE GO - The Supremes (64)
5) AIN'T NO MOUNTAIN HIGH ENOUGH - Diana Ross (70)
6) BABY LOVE - The Supremes (64)
7) COME SEE ABOUT ME - The Supremes (64)
8. STOP! IN THE NAME OF LOVE - The Supremes (65)
9) SOMEDAY WE'LL BE TOGETHER - Diana Ross & The Supremes (69)
10) YOU CAN'T HURRY LOVE - The Supremes (66)

11) LOVE HANGOVER - Diana Ross (76)
12) I HEAR A SYMPHONY - The Supremes (65)
13) TOUCH ME IN THE MORNING - Diana Ross (73)
14) THEME FROM "MAHOGANY" (Do You Know Where You're Going To) - Diana Ross (76)
15) LOVE IS HERE AND NOW YOU'RE GONE - The Supremes (67)
16) YOU KEEP ME HANGIN' ON - The Supremes (66)
17) I'M GONNA MAKE YOU LOVE ME - Diana Ross & The Supremes with The Temptations (69)
18. THE HAPPENING - The Supremes (67)
19) REFLECTIONS - Diana Ross & The Supremes (67)
20) BACK IN MY ARMS AGAIN - The Supremes (65)

21) WHY DO FOOLS FALL IN LOVE - Diana Ross (81)
22) IT'S MY TURN - Diana Ross (81)
23)*
24) I'M COMING OUT - Diana Ross (80)
25) MUSCLES - Diana Ross (82)
26) MIRROR, MIRROR - Diana Ross (82)
27) *
28. MY WORLD IS EMPTY WITHOUT YOU - The Supremes (66)
29) MISSING YOU - Diana Ross (85)
30) YOU'RE A SPECIAL PART OF ME - Diana Ross & Marvin Gaye (73)

31) I'M LIVIN' IN SHAME - Diana Ross & The Supremes (69)
32) *
33) *
34) *
35) SWEPT AWAY - Diana Ross (84)
36) LOVE IS LIKE AN ITCHING IN MY HEART - The Supremes (66)
37) IN AN OUT OF LOVE - Diana Ross & the Supremes (67)
38. NOTHING BUT HEARTACHES - The Supremes (65)
39) REMEMBER ME - Diana Ross (71)
40) LAST TIME I SAW HIM - Diana Ross (74)

41) THE BOSS - Diana Ross (79)
42) MY MISTAKE (Was To Love You) - Diana Ross & Marvin Gaye (74)
43) ALL OF YOU - Julio Iglesias & Diana Ross (84)
44) REACH OUT AND TOUCH (Somebody's Hand) - Diana Ross (70)
45) *
46) WHEN THE LOVELIGHT STARTS SHINING THROUGH HIS EYES - The Supremes (64)
47) ONE LOVE IN MY LIFETIME - Diana Ross (76)
48. I'LL TRY SOMETHING NEW - Diana Ross & The Supremes & The Temptations (69)
49) GETTIN' READY FOR LOVE - Diana Ross (78.)
50) FOREVER CAME TODAY - Diana Ross & The Supremes (68.)

[markydefad]

Jeff just sent me this about song selection speculatin'..

from some Idol worship website... [actually it's from the Entertainment Weekly website...that has clips to watch]

...American Idol finals begin tonight, and the theme is music from Diana Ross (both the solo and Supremes years). Jessica Shaw and I dish who should sing what (as well as Chris S. and Chris R. disrespecting Miss Ross! Le gasp!) on the latest edition of our Idolatry webcast but I thought it would be fun to give all 12 contestants some last-minute song-choice advice. I'll get the ball rolling, and you put your requests in the comments section below.

Gina Glocksen: "You Keep Me Hangin' On"
Blake Lewis: "Upside Down"
Brandon Rogers: "Missing You"
LaKisha Jones: "The Boss"
Sanjaya Malakar: "Stop in the Name of Love"
Melinda Doolittle: "I'm Coming Out"
Chris Sligh: "Where Did Our Love Go"
Jordin Sparks: "Love Hangover"
Phil Stacey: "Ain't No Mountain High Enough"
Haley Scarnato: "Swept Away"
Chris Richardson: "Endless Love"
Stephanie Edwards: "Theme from Mahogany (Do You Know Where You're Going To?)"

[discokicks]

I'm hoping either Melinda or Lakisha belt out It's My Turn....that'll make the night worth watching. I'm looking forward to hearing Stephanie Edwards as well.

[remicks]

*****

How about if the featherweight guys each sing I'M COMING OUT :icon_razz:

And each of the Iwannabeabigstar girls sing I'M GONNA MAKE YOU LOVE ME :icon_razz: :icon_razz:

Too bad Antonella already got booted ... she could've done I'M LIVIN' IN SHAME :icon_rolleyes: :icon_exclaim:
Crybaby Sundance could've done :icon_sad:MISSING YOU:icon_cry:

I'm looking forward to whatever LaKisha chooses ..... would love to hear her turn loose on LOVECHILD ..........


*****

[Salsoul1975]

One of the girls should sing IT'S MY TURN. One of the boys should sing MUSCLES. The entire group should sing WORK THAT BODY.

[remicks]

One of the girls should sing IT'S MY TURN. One of the boys should sing MUSCLES. The entire group should sing WORK THAT BODY.

No they should all come out as an ensemble and sing IT'S MY TURN and take turns to solo by yanking the microphone out of each other's hands !! Do the Diana Ross/Mary Wilson "step aside bitch" thing! :icon_biggrin:


BTW This week American Idol performances are ONE NIGHT only !!!

TONIGHT ! Tuesday !!
Two hours !!!
Hope disco fans will watch !! As good as it gets these days :icon_cool: :icon_cool:

*****

[nrgbeat]

I think Sanjaya should sing "I Ain't Been Licked".

[markydefad]

After seeing Sanjaya do the "hula" last week ....it's time for him to do

"I'M COMING OUT"

Sanjy was wey tina-FEY with those hand movements!!!! :icon_redface::icon_rolleyes::icon_razz:

[remicks]

*****

"Hula's" ... the gay bar in Waikiki located under a giant banyun tree had a most macho bronzed-toned Hawaiian bartender ( straight) who wore tank tops , swim trunks, flaps ... and who ever so often could be talked into doing the hula. Watching him was one of the most erotic things I've ever seen in my life ...this thick trunked surfer type ... dense coal black hair to the shoulders .... a fresh sweet-scented tuber rose/green leafed lei around the neck & draped above his well defined pecs ... ever so smoothly rockin' and swayin' to the melody of the steel guitar ..... like a gentle (yet strong) Kona breeze .... :icon_cool: :icon_cool: :icon_cool:
sigh.....

You ain't lived until you see a man doin' the hula ..........

*****

[nrgbeat]

In case you need to see the hula again.

YouTube - Sanjaya sings "Waiting of the world..."

[markydefad]

I frequented those Waikiki bars first in Nov. 1979 with my new b.f. and we tried to pay ($$$$)the DJ to play 2 things:

1) SARA--Fleetwood Mac (Stevie Nicks was our fave)
2) SPLISH SPLASH--Barbra Streisand (!!!)

Hey we missed our new records ("Tusk" & "Wet")!!! Bad Taste??? G-U-I-L-T-Y!!!! hmmm...in retrospect, it sounds kinda dumb!!! :icon_redface::icon_redface::icon_redface:

The DJ was playing stuff like B-52's. Musta thought we were from Des Moines, Iowa...or St. Olaf, MN.!!!! :icon_razz::icon_razz::icon_razz:

[remicks]

*****

Marky .... if you're refering to Hula's .....you may have encountered the GREAT legendary dj Rick Lopez .... and yes that would very much be like him to be playing the B-52's in 1979 .....as great as he was at spinning disco ...so easy I think it bored him at times ..... it was he who broke my disco heart by pronouncing that disco was old news and tried to convert me to playing the "new wave" sounds of Blondie ...The Police .... etc. .....


......... and yes I'm sure Rick would've talked about you :icon_razz: while we sunned on Queen Surf Beach (that's its real name ! :icon_redface:) the following afternoon ....


btw Rick later dj'd some at The Troc .....


******

[markydefad]

Miss Ross handled herself most admirably as "mentor"; she is maternal, strange as that may seem given her rep--just a couple gaffes..

"You must "PRONUNCIATE" the words (said twice to Gina); you can "pronounce"--but shoulda been "enunciate"; sorry, Miss Ross..

"I"m Gonna Make You Love Me" was a song I did with Marvin Gaye" (uh, it was the Temptations, particularly Eddie Kendricks)

3 best performers:
1) Lakisha--"God Bless The Child" from "Lady Sings The Blues"--didn't overdo it as she might have--pure class
2) Melinda- "Home" from "The Wiz"--not my fave song--wish she'd rocked out on something uptempo--but always better than most everyone else.
3) Jordin--"If We Hold On Together"--treacly inspirational tune (Simon said "gooey") that Miss Ross favored in the Nineties--very good performance

The rest were all flawed--in descending order-
4) Stephanie--mistake to try and do "Love Hangover" in the abbreviated time (2-3 minutes?) they have...what about "Touch Me In the Morning" or "I'm Coming Out" or "Do You Know Where You're Going To?"
5) Phil --"I'm Gonna Make You Love Me"....competent, I guess.
6) Gina--"Love Child"--ok, flubbed lyrics a bit.
7) Chris Sligh--added a contemp arrangement to "Endless Love"--judges hated it--I thought it was kinda interesting--but what do I know?
8. Haley--"Missing You"--lyrics flubbed--but Simon actually said something nice about "stage presence"!!!
9) Blake Lewis --"You Keep Me Hangin' On"--he annoys me
10) Chris Richardson--"The Boss"--he yodeled it. Yikes!! Forgot some lyrics also.
11) Brandon--"You Can't Hurry Love"--boring and FORGOT the words
12) Sanjaya--'Ain't No Mountain High Enough"-- set him free, why doncha babes?...I feel sorry for him now.

tonight Miss Ross performs. Will she wear ANOTHER BLACK DRESS??? Will she perform another "MORE TODAY THAN YESTERDAY"???? (seems to be her song of choice for the TV shows)..ah well, she got some nice props--even though the 2 Chris's supposedly slagged her songs on the EW website (Chris Sligh said "she only has 7 or 8 notes in her songs" (so he couldn't pick one that showed off his wide range, I guess?) & Chris Richardson said they were all chick songs--and he's such a man, he had to yodel 'The Boss"!!!

[nrgbeat]

I liked Phil version "I'm Gonna Make You Love Me".

Melinda and La Kisha didn't impress me as much this week. I thought they could have picked better more familiar songs. Didn't know either one of them.

Chris R, Haley or Sanjaya can go home this week.

[markydefad]

Miss Ross didn't wear BLACK (as she has for the past 5 TV appearances) --vibrant ORANGE was the gown color on my TV--maybe RED on yours; (they backlit her opening "DIVA FABULOUS" pose and it looked like you could see through the dress--yeah, the bod was rockin' for 61 or 62)--but --she did, as I predicted, sing 'More Today Than Yesterday" as she has on the past 5 TV appearances....why, I can't fathom. This is from her somewhat lame new cd, a catchy 1969 [oops--I thought it was later] pop trifle from a Sacramento group called Spiral Starecase. I liked this song on the radio back in the day--but Miss Ross, I don't think this is gonna get radio play in 2007. Why not give another song a chance?...she's done this on Letterman/ Regis & Kelly/ GMA/The Actor's Studio show on Bravo, ad nauseum. :icon_rolleyes::icon_rolleyes::icon_rolleyes:

Now did they (for time reasons) ask her to truncate the opening lines of the song...or did she just "forget them"??? I knew she was not singing the opening lines when she started with...

[afterthought: I just re-watched it on You Tube and she actually starts with the second line..."With each day..."]....I read on some blog by someone who said they knew-- that they did rearrange it to shorten it for time reasons and that Diana was very nervous for some reason....

[Every day's a new day in love with you]
With each day comes a new way of loving you
Every time I kiss your lips my mind starts to wander
And if all my dreams come true
I'll be spending time with you

because the song starts like this....

I don't remember what day it was
I didn't notice what time it was
All I know is that I fell in love with you
And if all my dreams come true
I'll be spending time with you

then go to the "Everyday's a new day in love with you"

Oh Miss Ross....why did ya screw it up???? :icon_eek::icon_evil::icon_question:

As a "mentor" she seemed warm and encouraging--not as spot-on brilliant as Barry Manilow, for example, was--he is an arranger/writer/producer, afterall, and he really gave the kidz great pointers on how to phrase and approach the material. Miss Ross was more of a glam mom/cheerleader--although she did seem to see the weaknesses and strengths of the contestants.

As for her performance...it was certainly not her best. What can I say? I saw her live a couple years ago at the Pantages in Hollywood and she sounded terrific...but on all these TV shows, she's sounded weak. I thought she was off the sauce and ready to kick ass again...so maybe the sauce made her sing better??? I'm just askin'.... :icon_question::icon_question::icon_question: :icon_confused::icon_rolleyes::icon_eek:

I feel sad for Diana. I wanted AI to be a nice comeback showcase for her (it usually sees the artist getting a big spike in cd sales after their appearance)...But, according to the message boards I've read, she's being dissed royally for her performance. And then the oldtimers, like me, say "kidz give her some respect--that was some career she's had." :icon_cry::icon_redface:

[keefelc]

Mark, are they really dissing Miss Ross??? I too thought she looked and sounded better she has in a LONG time. Plus, I was happy to see the hair was not as big as usual!!! :icon_lol:

It was interesting to see what a hard time most of the kids had singing her material. Could it be that Miss Ross is truly talented??? I mean didn't last night's show jump in excitement the minute Diana appeared on stage? She sure showed them the definition of an entertainer.

I too just knew she was going to sing "More Today Than Yesterday" - I always loved this song so I didn't mind. But you know the show probably had her shorten the song because they could have some more commercials!! :icon_mad:

It will be interesting to see if her appearance on the show will improve the sales of her CD. I'm sure it generated interest in seeing her on her current tour!

[markydefad]

So Keefe, you really thought she was good last night??? :icon_eek::icon_lol:

When she was hawking her remake of "I Will Survive" on Letterman & Leno back in the late Nineties...she sang the second verse of that song first ( definitely on Leno) and then sang it again when she got to the second verse. She never missed a note or a word--but it was wrong!!! She made the song very repetitve--the same thing over and over. I thought that was because of the drinking...now, I wonder. You don't ususally see big stars screw up lyrics of songs they've recorded--maybe it happens in live performance--but rarely on TV....maybe she needs to start lip-syncing again like on Ed Sullivan...

I'm so bummed. :icon_cry::icon_cry::icon_cry:

[markydefad]

some sample comments re Miss Ross from the EW website...

jj Thu, Mar 15, 2007 at 12:30 PM EDT
Diana, There is a whale wailing in Los Angeles.

Liza Thu, Mar 15, 2007 at 3:49 PM EDT
Diana Ross was awful last night.I don't know who called her "the best entertainer of the last century". I'm sure they wanted to take those words back after that performance


someday Thu, Mar 15, 2007 at 12:21 PM EDT
I suggest y'all check out Diana on Youtube- her performances on David Letterman and Inside the Actors Studio were just a few weeks ago, and she sounded MUCH better. Yeah, she had a bad night, but, uh, she wasn't auditioning.And the reason she sang that song is because its off her new album, which is EXCELLENT...


Faith Thu, Mar 15, 2007 at 12:24 PM EDT
I think Miss Ross proved the old saying "Those who can't teach" to be somewhat of a compliment.Her performance last night was certainly lacking in vocal strength (which she has never really had to begin with) but her advice to the contestants and her spot-on commentary about each of their strengths and weaknesses shows that she knows what she's talking about.


Beebers Thu, Mar 15, 2007 at 1:55 PM EDT
Diana Ross took the noun "pronunciation" and turned it into the nonexistent verb "pronunciate."

seattlegirl Thu, Mar 15, 2007 at 2:04 PM EDT
Am I the only one that thought Diana Ross's singing was really mediocre..even a bit "pitchy".?? Idol singers were better than her!

Does it matter Thu, Mar 15, 2007 at 2:34 PM EDT
I don't think, what's her name, oh yeah, Diana Ross should have made through the Hollywood Round.

MPHouston Thu, Mar 15, 2007 at 2:37 PM EDT
I loves me some Diana Ross, but sistah you don't never, ever, never, never, ever need to give a performance like that fine mess you performed last night....but I still love you for the diva that you are.


deedee Thu, Mar 15, 2007 at 2:59 PM EDT
Pronunciate is an actual word. However, Ms. Ross should have used enunciate

morely Thu, Mar 15, 2007 at 3:14 PM EDT
Good thing Diana Ross wasn't in the Tuesday lineup - she would have been the one to get axed. Is it possible for a contestant recall, say Leslie Hunt, for some fresh artistry?

Redhead Queen Thu, Mar 15, 2007 at 3:51 PM EDT
Leave Diana Ross alone. The outfit, hair, and the diva stance in 5-in heels easily validates her being the entertainer of the past century.

[discokicks]

Ms. Ross looked great but I'm afraid that's about all the compliments I can give for her performance. I've always liked the Spiral Staircase's hit More Today Than Yesterday...one of those breezy, feel-good late 60s pop hits that I have on an old K-tel album.

But why, oh why, didn't someone suggest to Diana to re-do it as a slow, sultry jazz number...something similar to the style of Cassandra Wilson or Patricia Barber! The smooth jazz, cocktail lounge style is very popular these days amongst those who buy cds.

[markydefad]

I think this song ["More Today than Yesterday"] makes her sound screechy/strident..I've watched some videos of her singing this on You Tube and she has sounded better on some TV shows than others...but the chorus is in her higher range and it gets kinda strident in live performance...and it just repeats and repeats and repeats as a chorus til you finally cut it off...

ah well...some of the blogs say 3 of her cds have already shot up the charts...don't have the stats...but the current one "I Love You" was around 1200 yesterday and apparently got a big jump as well as 2 Greatest Hits collections....

Some folks on message boards have stated that none of the LEGENDS who've performed on AI (Barry Manilow/ Rod Stewart, etc.) have sounded very good in that setting. (is it the room???)..I think the results show could be an hour at this point if ya want to squeeze everything in...the loser didn't even get a chance to redeem himself from his previous night's weak "You Can't Hurry Love" before it was over ...

[markydefad]

But why, oh why, didn't someone suggest to Diana to re-do it as a slow, sultry jazz number...something similar to the style of Cassandra Wilson or Patricia Barber! The smooth jazz, cocktail lounge style is very popular these days amongst those who buy cds.

DK,
This was also my thought for a career makeover...hook up with Tommy LiPuma who works with Diana Krall and do some tasteful jazzy stuff...some standards/ Bacharach/David/Sergio Mendes type material...tasteful arrangements in a softer setting that would compliment her voice...Peter Asher (produced Linda Ronstadt & James Taylor, etc and was half of Peter & Gordon) produced about half of the tunes on "I Love You" and jazz vocalist Steve Tyrell did the others...but I was amazed at how bland and flat the arrangements were....Jeff says it sounds like it was "done on the cheap"...lostsa synthesizers....but a small jazz combo would have been perfect for her...it just seems misguided ....she needs a STONG MENTOR--paging Berry Gordy--to say "NO" to her...otherwise whe goes astray from what she does best...am I obsessing too much???