blue moon, you saw me standing alone...

Since it seems the kids are confined to the four volumes of Rod Stewart's The Great American Songbook series, I have spent some time clicking the samples to see if I can hear any of the seven remaining contestants in any of the songs.

What I have is a headache. I don't mean to be rude, but I have discovered that I am not a fan of Rod Stewart's interpretation of the standards. He needs to stick with Maggie. Cannot believe I'm going to actually type this, but I much prefer John Stevens.

Did I just type that?

Nevertheless, the kids have just over 24 hours to perfect these perfect songs, with no "original" alterations, no covers of Live by covers of Sinatra doing a cover of Cole. We're either going to be transformed to the days of big bands or we're going to save on the cost of prescription sleep aids.

Okay, so I've narrowed my wish list. To be honest, choosing a song for Elliott, Taylor, Kat and Paris was the most difficult because this should be their night to shine, if they choose correctly and sing without annoying and extraneous embellishment. So because they have the potential to sing virtually anything in this genre, narrowing it to one was challenging.

On the other hand, Chris, Pickler and Ace posed a different dilemma, as most people are discovering. But I did my best.

And in the spirit of full disclosure, I will admit here and now that all of these selections are among my personal favorites, because, yes, I am supremely selfish and just want to spend that full hour tomorrow night being entertained by hearing some of my favorite standards sung well. Go ahead. Pelt me. But I'm self-centered that way.

And while I'm on the selfish kick, I want all of them to dress the part. I want to see 1940s attire on all of them. (Yes, Chris, I'm talking to you.)

Ace knows his days are numbered, so hopefully he will select a song that is well known, but not too terribly challenging, stay far, far away from the falsetto he loves but can't sing. So I'm choosing for him Blue Moon, even though the lyrics may be a bit prophetic. You saw me standing alone [having a Bad Day...].

What to choose for Pickler. I've seen recommendations for five of the seven, but few for her (and Chris). So I think her best choice would be Makin' Whoopie. She's a crazy, let it all loose kind of gal, and that's a fun little song that she could have some fun with.

And Chris. Oh my. While I think Chris has the voice to take any of these songs and blow us away, I see him revolting against the entire idea of getting shoved into the big band corner. Too bad mister, it's called playing the game. I really hope Chris doesn't phone this one in in protest, so I've chosen for him one of the most beautiful: I Wish You Love.

Oh good, now to the easy ones.

I have one wish. I want to hear Elliott, my favorite, sing You Send Me, my favorite of all of the available songs. That's what I want. I wanted it during 50s night.

I am so dying to see Taylor in appropriate attire, cause I know he's not going to disappoint me. And so, with that appropriate attire, I want What a Wonderful World. I want it bad. Really bad. Thank you.

Paris has been choosing songs that, in some respects, are too mature for her. Problem with the standards is that most are for mature performers. So my choice for Paris is A Kiss to Build a Dream On. It's a fun, beautifully melodic song which won't come off as awkward out of a teenager.

And Katharine, who I totally expect to see in the anchor "pimp" spot, has probably been drooling for this night. The minute I heard the theme I had one song for her, and I've never wavered, never even considered changing my mind, even though she can pretty much choose anything and, if she brings the volume down a few notches and keeps the meaning of the lyrics uppermost in her mind, will save herself another trip to the bottom. Someone to Watch Over Me is the perfect song for her. I hope she figured that out last week.

So those are my choices. Now all we have to do is wait.


SPOILER ALERT! Don't read if you don't want to know!

Elliott is not going to make my wish come true. Credible spoilers indicate he has chosen It Had to be You, which should also be wonderful. But not as wonderful as my selection.

Chris, it seems, will be choosing Night and Day by Cole Porter. Not coincidentially I'm sure, U2 has a version of this very song, arranged very close to the standards arrangement. How much you wanna bet that's what we'll hear tonight?

Rumors are flying furiously that Paris has been battling song clearance issues. (Like this theme wasn't chosen a month ago. Hello AI? Who's asleep at the damn wheel over there?) Seems she just received the go-ahead yesterday for her fifth selection. But no spoilers on what that selection is yet.

Stay tuned for further developments...