spoilers?...

NOTE: Seems this list of song choices is correct. [Reports are now trickling in from dress rehearsal.] And, performance order is reported to be: 1) Elliott; 2) Paris; 3) Chris; 4) Katharine; 5) Taylor.

I've been examining this list for about an hour or so, trying to decide for myself if it's real, if it's fake, if it's a dream or a nightmare. And, of course, trying to decide whether to pass it along.

Then I figured why not. If it's fake, we'll know soon enough. If it's real, we'll know at the same time. And whichever it is, it will give us something to talk about as we await the very long stretch of time between now and showtime.

Seems this morning Ryan announced on his radio show the song list for tonight. What's interesting, aside from some of these selections, is that yesterday, in an experiment, I watched (did not participate - just gawked...) as a fake spoiler list was written, posted on one message board, which then found its way to another message board, then another, in a matter of minutes. It was truly fascinating in a perverted sort of way.

Now this supposed real list, the one that was announced this morning by Ryan and on radio stations across the country is out, containing many of the titles found on the goofy list created just yesterday. So either it's real (and a couple people somewhere are eerily prophetic) or it's somebody's idea of payback.

Whichever. I'll let you decide for yourself. And again, we'll know for sure soon enough. (Actually I am much more interested in finding out who's singing second rather than who's singing what tonight.)

Here's the list, birthyear song first, with salt sprinkled generously about...

Taylor Hicks: Play That Funky Music (White Boy) by Wild Cherry. Oh boy. Something by George Harrison/The Beatles.

Funky Music could be totally funky, break every rule of convention known to this show and cause hundreds of thousands of fans to stand and cheer in unison, totally disregarding yet another Simon putdown. The other choice is intriguing, because it's not currently on the charts (partially, perhaps, because George Harrison is, well, dead...) but the Beatles #1 album is currently on the charts, busting the whole idea that the current song had to be a.) a single done by a breathing person or b.) a new piece of music done by a breathing person.

And the fact that those who have rights to the Beatles music have notoriously refused to clear the songs to the show, gave me immediate pause to the legitimacy of the list.

Paris Bennett: Kiss by Prince. Be Without You by Mary J. Blige.

Okay, before y'all start screaming that Prince recorded Kiss in 1986, it's important to note that Tom Jones had a charted hit with it in 1988, so it is fair play. I don't know how age appropriate it is for Paris, but this spoiler has been floating for several days now, so I feel relatively confident in its accuracy.

Elliott Yamin: On Broadway by George Benson. Home by Michael Buble.

Oy. Another On Broadway. We're teetering on the edge of overplay with this song, but the typical Elliott family cryptic clue people have given credence to this as his selection.

Katharine McPhee: Against All Odds by Phil Collins. Black Horse and a Cherry Tree by KT Turnstall.

We've known about the Cherry Tree spoiler for awhile, so there's no surprise there. And if On Broadway is teetering on the edge of overkill, Against All Odds could push us over it.

Chris Daughtry: Renegade by Styx. I Dare You by Shinedown.

So there it is. The longer I look at this list, the more I believe it could be true. But the longer I look at this list, the more I hope it's not.

Your thoughts?