Rufus Wainwright’s version (Also from Shrek!…2?) is far and away my favorite version of “Hallelujah”.

This Woman’s Work was in the movie “She’s Having a Baby”. Beautiful, beautiful song and Maxwell, I must admit, did a great job with it. After the song was used on SYTYCD, Maxwell’s version was pretty high on I-tunes for a time. I love the original version, but Maxwell and Michael made it work — the song is haunting and gorgeous on so many levels. (I’m not sure how I feel about Kara crying, though. I think she might be wanting a bambino or two.)

I don’t have much to say about the guys. They pretty much bore me and I skipped over Tim’s Hallelujah. I respect Leonard Cohen’s version namely because the man wrote the song and the lyrics are just flat-out glorious and complex. I’ve heard Cale’s version, as well as, kd lang’s, but Buckley’s will always be the stand-out for me. Just so visceral. Kris Allen’s I Need To Know hits me hard like that as well. Gut-wrenching stuff.

I mainly came here to share this one thing because I found it to be a complete mindfuck. Simon had the audacity to call TODRICK a BROADWAY SINGER after singing a Queen song, and not once said that to ADAM LAMBERT, Theater Boy, during his entire TOP 13 stint blows my mind. Simon Cowell still can’t accept the fact that Kris Allen won while he’s staring at and listening to Kris Allen wannabes with their parade of acoustic guitars and reinvention of songs night after night, both male and female. He’s just messing with us now. All Simon cares about is getting his way — not Adam, not Kris, not any of these contestants. If they lose, it’s their fault, not his, as he clearly stated to Crystal. If America doesn’t vote her the winner, it lands in her lap.

These contestants have had free rein with their song choices. IIRC, David Cook’s year they were all ready having to choose from sucky songs even before top 12. Brooke and Cook both did the Turtle’s Happy Together. That to me is slim pickings.

This year is odd on so many levels. Last year pissed me off, this year confuses me.

I kept going through the list of guys in my head trying to remember what I liked or disliked about their performances. It took me about five times of mentally reviewing their songs to remember to add Tim to the list. Aaron and Casey blah more boring performances.

Todrick and Andrew were the two worst of the night for me. Todrick crapped all over a song I’ve loved for decades. Andrew made me hate even more a song I’ve always hated.

I’m not voting tonight. None of these guys moved me, except in a negative way. I thought Casey and Andrew were better than they gave them credit for but still pretty meh. Aaron was awful. Painful. Alex was okay but nothing special. Ditto Lee. Michael did nothing for me and I even rewound to see if I was crazy and no… Did nothing for me. I can’t remember who that leaves.

Oh, wait. Tim and his wimpy Hallelujah. Yikes.

Y’know, when frickin’ Fireflies is my favorite performance of the night, you know you got trouble. I HAAAATE that song. But now that I said “Trouble,” maybe Alex was better. I dunno. I didn’t really get much out of either of them. I guess I’ll go with Alex for picking a not-so-horrifyingly-bad song.

1. Alex C
2. Lee C-
3. Casey C-
4. Andrew C-
5. Michael C-
6. Todrick D
7. Tim F
8. Aaron F

Does anyone else think that Simon gave Tim nice comments in the hopes his irate fans will be complacent?

Nah, me, either.

I thought his “Hallelujah” was awful, though. I hope all the Rastro fans are throwing hissies that somebody else dared to do their boy’s (perceived) song and it’s all backlash, baby.