Summary American Idol - Top Three Performance Show - May 13, 2008

Seacrest tells us that last summer three people took a chance and auditioned: a high school student (David Archuleta), an actress (Syesha Mercado), and a bartender (David Cook). They're all at our mercy now, since this...is "American Idol."

In the audience: Marilu Henner from "Taxi"; Rex Lee from "Entourage"; Emily Van Camp from "Brothers and Sisters" and, late of the beloved "Everwood"; Season One runner-up Justin Guarini; Songwriter Diane Warren

Seacrest calls this a pivotal moment and introduces the judges.

Theme: Contestant, Producer, and Judges' Choice

The video packages include the contenders being informed of the judge's song choices during their hometown visits. David Archuleta gets his from the mayor of Murray, Utah, Syesha receives hers by text in the back of a limo in Tampa, David gets the news via text from Simon while being interviewed on the Fox morning show in Kansas City

Contestant #1: David Archuleta

Song #1: "And So it Goes," Billy Joel (Chosen by Paula Abdul to showcase the timbre of his voice with its level of difficulty. David thinks it's a really pretty song.)

Performance: With a small orchestral opening David sings the beginning of the gentle ballad almost a cappella. Oops he's closing his eyes, Sir Andrew Lloyd Webber must be screaming at his television somewhere. He's very tender, not oversinging, adding a nice blue note at the end. Not thrilling but pleasant.

Randy: He's really happy that Paula chose a dope song for David, he can sing anything and is in it to win it.

Paula: Thinks it was a pure and stunning performance and tonight he is a storyteller.

Simon: Found it a bit predictable but good. The chicks in the mosh pit disagree declaring it outstanding. He smiles at them and says "oh, so now you lot are judging?"

Contestant #2: Syesha Mercado

Song #1: "If I Ain't Got You," Alicia Keys (Keys is one of her favorite artists and she already knows what she's going to do. Which apparently sing it pretty much the way it sounds. Randy picked it because she's really, young, hot, unbelievably talented, and in charge and thinks it's the kind of record Syesha could make and be successful with).

Performance: In a glittery gold gown, with her hair swept to one side Syesha sings the slow and murmury ballad admirably enough, taking good control of her lower register. She hits some decent high notes and some less decent ones, her choppers are impressively white though. She seems confident.

Randy: Calls it an amazing job, he could see her heart beaming and smiling. He says she's peaking at the right time.

Paula: Non-criticizes by saying it's difficult to do a song so identified with such a strong artist but that Syesha looks stunning.

Simon: Says she sang it very well, he criticizes Randy for picking a song in which she would just mimic the original. Randy says she changed quite a few notes and Simon says not enough but that overall it was good and that she looks gorgeous.

Before giving her numbers Seacrest asks if it's been her strategy to hold back until now. She says she's just been really nervous but now she's having fun.

Contestant #3: David Cook

Song #1: "First Time Ever I Saw Your Face," Robert Flack (Chosen by Simon because it is one of the great songs of all time and unlike Randy he wanted David to do something different to show some originality and that it's a very tough song but that David will do well. He jokes that many of his girlfriends think he inspired the title of this song. Fun fact: Simon must really love this song because it's also on Leona Lewis' debut album.)

Performance: David jumps right in. It's a gentle acoustic guitar-based arrangement and he dances around the notes in "eyes." It's a perfectly adequate, clean performance but he's not doing much with it to make it "original" unless you count shouting out the last two "your face"'s as original.

Randy: Has been a fan from day one, he loved the high note at the end but he wished Simon had picked something less predictable than this older kind of song for him because he wanted him to rock.

Paula: Makes one of her only pointed, cogent comments of the season, criticizing her fellow judges for making it about them when it's actually about David. She calls it one of her favorite songs and now Cook is her second favorite person who sings it.

Simon: Admits that it may sound biased but he thought it was one of his best performances to date. David laughs. Simon said he made it original, mostly, it seems out of defense of himself. He concludes "Round One goes to Cook and Cowell."

Contestant: David Archuleta on the stools says he chose "With You" by Chris Brown because he wanted to try something more youthful. He says it's not an easy song to sing.

Song #2: "With You," Chris Brown

Performance: He sings to the mosh pit, he seems to fluff the words, he's hitting a few bum notes and seems a little out of breath. The youthful thing is an awkward fit as he tries to sing about cute little figures and dance by mostly by pointing and bending his knees. He's a little behind the beat near the end. There were some nice moments so it's not a total botch, but it ain't no home run either.

Randy: Applauds him for trying something younger but couldn't believe him singing about his "boo" (David responds with a laugh saying something unintelligible that sounds like it was risky for a white guy).

Paula: Thinks it's perfect for him and he should sing songs like this but that he should shorten up the phrases.

Simon: He also applauds that he didn't do a treacly ballad but that it was like a Chihuahua trying to be a tiger. He thought the dancing was awkward.

Contestant: Syesha Mercado is singing "Fever" by Peggy Lee (among others) because she likes the vibe of the song and wanted to use a chair. She's all of sudden very Southern tonight, saying "chay-eer".

Song #2: "Fever," Peggy Lee

Performance: Syesha, now in a black and silver mindress tries to work a Fosse-type angle strutting and stepping around a stand up bassist at one point, played by apparent multi-instrumentalist Ricky Minor. She starts strong in the middle of her register, the high head voice parts are a little less strong but gets control, she's very playful and cute in a very self-aware fashion.

Randy: Calls the choice interesting but that she sang it amazingly well.

Paula: Reiterates that Syesha looks lovely but is surprised by the choice because it doesn't show Paula who Syesha is an artist.

Simon: Believes she will regret this decision tomorrow since she did a lame cabaret performance when she had a chance to pick a contemporary song.

Contestant: David Cook chose "Dare You to Move" because lyrically it wrapped up this whole experience for him and is surprised that some in the pit have heard of it.

Song #2: "Dare You To Move," Switchfoot

Performance: Strumming an electric, David hits some clunkers right out of the gate, this is sort of an awful song and there's a weird percussion thing going on. (These "Idol" rockers always seem to love these faceless "modern rock" bands). The low parts don't do him any favors and when he begins shouting the chorus it sounds an awful lot like his previous shouted choruses but not as good, this may be the fault of the song, however. The whole thing was pretty mediocre. (At the end of the song a woman holds up a "Cougars 4 Cook" sign.)

Randy: Is knowledgeable in the ways of Switchfoot- he knows the producer! they're from San Diego!- and calls it pitchy.

Paula: Feels like she wanted more and knows it's hard to tell a whole story in 90 seconds.

Simon: Thinks it was an okay middle round overall and it wasn't the best melodic song choice for David.

Contestant: David Archuleta

Song #3: "Longer," Dan Fogelberg (May he rest in peace.)

Performance: The producer's have picked a song in David's wheelhouse. It's the kind of treacly ballad- piano, strings, cozy true love- that Simon figured David would pick for himself. He seems much more comfortable in this zone. The back up singers are back to being too loud. He does his thing of changing up a few of the notes. Solid if unspectacular.

Randy: Thought it was an interesting- read: not so good- choice and gives him a half-hearted "it was another hot one from you."

Paula: Thought it was lovely and she expects nothing more.

Simon: Isn't going to criticize David because he thinks he sang the song very well. But... he thinks the song is horrible and gooey, and makes it seem like he's never heard it. He thinks he did well enough to get into the finals.

Contestant: Syesha Mercado

Song: "Hit Me Up," Gia Farrell (From the "Happy Feet" soundtrack)

Performance: In black pants and white/silver sparkly top she shimmies around the stage to this very fast song whose pace does not play to her strengths. She moves well but this contemporary vibe doesnt really suit her either and she hits some rough patches.

Randy: Randy could sort of see her doing a song like that but it was just okay for him.

Paula: Points out that it was from the "Happy Feet" soundtrack and the judges get sidetracked talking about whether the song is actually about penguins. Paula says she did the song well but doesn't think it's the type of song that defines her and doesn't know if it's going to be good enough to get Syesha into the finals. But she loves her.

Simon: Thinks it was better than the second song but if he's being honest, she had her best moment last week with the Sam Cooke song. He agrees that it was fun and young but it didn't give her the defining moment he would've liked at the end of this show.

Contestant: David Cook

Song: "I Dont Want to Miss a Thing," Aerosmith

Performance: The producers clearly sabotaged Syesha as this song, and Archuleta's, were much better choices for their respective singers, they're also better known to each of the David's fanbases. Cook goes the strings and voice route for the first verse and sounds pretty good. (Except that it sounds like he starts by singing "I could stay away" when it's supposed to be "awake.") He skips to the bridge and hits a nice stride. He shouts the end, maybe because the guitar is overpowering in the mix. (Diane Warren digs it).

Randy: Loved the song but says the performance was just okay for him and it felt predictable.

Paula: Gives a shout out to the song's writer Warren and says "see ya in the finals."

Simon: Calls it one of the great songs of all time and says "David Cook wins the night."

For a top three show this was surprisingly average. It's a two Davids finale for sure.

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