Ladies night on “Idol”

Those viewers ready to turn the show off and crown front-runner David Archuleta the winner may want to think back to last season. Melinda Doolittle was the one to beat and she ended up in third place. On to tonight’s show:

Carly Smithson is first with Heart’s “Crazy on You.” We weren’t crazy about it and it lacked heart.

“Beginning was a little rough for me,” Jackson said. Cowell thought it was much better than last week, but still thinks she hasn’t found the right song yet. “You haven’t chosen that one song that will absolutely get you that moment.”

Syesha Mercado was all R&B on Billy Paul’s “Me and Mrs. Jones” (changing the gender of Jones, natch). Randy hated the song choice. He wants her to belt 100 percent of the time. Abdul like the interpretation. “I thought it was a bit indulgent,” Cowell said.

Brooke White played guitar for half of Carly Simon’s “You’re So Vain” (stopping for someone reason on the second verse). “It was a great song choice for you,” Jackson said.

“Brooke, I absolutely loved it. It was the absolutely perfect song for you. Felt like the artist genuinely picked the song and it didn’t sound old-fashion,” Cowell said.

Ramiele Malubay tackled Thelma Houston’s “Don’t Leave Me This Way.”

Jackson thought it was ok. “It just kind of laid there,” he said.

Kristy Lee Cook is tempting fate in my books by selecting Linda Ronstadt’s “You’re No Good.” Cowell told her she had “real potential.”

If anyone should have been comfortable during ’70s week on “American Idol,” it should have been this season’s rocker chick, Amanda L. Overmyer.

And yet, there she was Wednesday going wayward on Kansas’ “Carry On My Wayward Son.”

Her look can best be described as Cruella De Vil meets Paula Deen and her singing? Paula Abdul can usually find something in the worst performance to compliment. She liked Overmyers foot work.

Cowell called Alaina Whitaker an underdog, even though her version of Olivia Newton-John sstandard Hopelessly Devoted to You was a bit choppy vocally.

What to say about Alexandrea Lushington’s version of Chicago’s “If You Leave Me Now”? Lushington wasn’t happy with it.

Kady Malloy endears herself to “Idol” members by mentioning she sings opera. She tries to put magic in Heart’s “Magic Man.” She just doesn’t have a strong enough voice.

Asia’h Epperson tries “All By Myself” and Cowell tells her the song wasn’t big enough for her.

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