This Week in American Idol History: The Top 5 – Then You Can Tell Me Goodbye

We’re down to five and with the somewhat, although not totally, shocking elimination of Carly Smithson last week, we’re beginning to expect the unexpected on Season 7! This week, the remaining five must find a way to make the music of Neil Diamond “their own.” Nothing against Mr. Diamond, but considering the average age of the remaining contestants (21.6), wouldn’t it make sense to bring them into the 21st century at this stage of the game?

Historically, the top five have each sung two songs in this round, and contestants from previous seasons have noted that the stress level really increases at this stage of the competition. Will this finally send Brooke “reboot” White over the edge? Can Jason Castro handle not one, but two songs with which he is unfamiliar? Will anyone sing “Sweet Caroline” (the song Carly had picked)? While we don’t have the answers to these burning questions, we can take a look back and see how the previous seasons have gone down.

Season Six – Bon Jovi

Because no one was eliminated the previous week, the sixth season’s top five actually had six performers. And, unlike previous years, they only had to sing one song in the “fake” top five! This week, however, two people would be eliminated with the votes combined from both weeks. Jon Bon Jovi was the guest mentor and the Idols were tasked with singing songs recorded by his band. And, fortunately for them, unlike previous years, they only had to sing one song in the “fake” top five!

Phil Stacey kicked off the evening with his now-signature performance of “Blaze of Glory.” He started out in the audience and really connected with the song. Randy called it Phil’s best performance ever (except for country night), and Paula said it was the best opening number of the season. Simon wasn’t quite as positive. He said Phil seemed like a “bad actor playing a rock singer,” and predicted that Phil wouldn’t make it through to the next week.

Jordin followed Phil and sang “Living on a Prayer.” She dressed the part of a rocker, and although her performance was good, it was odd to hear her singing a rock song. Randy didn’t think it was her best. Simon was weirded out by Jordin’s hairdo, and said her singing was out of control. Jordin admitted it was a rough week for her.

If Jordin had a hard time singing Bon Jovi, LaKisha was completely out of her element. She even admitted to never having heard of the band, certainly not a positive thing. But her performance of “This Ain’t a Love Song” was solid. Randy and Paula liked it well enough, and Simon was beside himself! In fact, he told LaKisha he could kiss her, and did just that.

Blake decided to take a risk and beat boxed his way through “You Give Love a Bad Name.” Prior to the performance, it was clear Jon Bon Jovi wasn’t convinced this would work, but surprisingly, it did. Randy called it the most original version of a song ever performed on the show, and Paula called it Blake’s night. Simon recognized that half the viewers would love it and the other half would hate it, but said Blake did the right thing.

Chris Richardson had the unenviable task of following Blake. In addition, he chose “Wanted, Dead or Alive,” the song that Chris Daughtry had nailed the previous year and continued to sing on the summer tour. Chris R. changed it up a little to fit his R&B vibe, but it paled in comparison to Daughtry’s version. Randy liked the R&B twist, and Paula said it was a great night for him. Simon said that while Chris did as well as he could with the song, he didn’t think it would be enough to keep him around.

Melinda closed the night with “Have a Nice Day.” While she was clearly out of her comfort zone, she sang the song with attitude and won over all the judges. Randy liked Melinda’s Tina Turner vibe, and Paula called her a rock star. Simon said Melinda was in a different league from the other performers that night.

On results night, there were two separate eliminations. Melinda, Phil, and LaKisha were called to center stage. Melinda was first to be declared safe, leaving a very nervous LaKisha, and a surprisingly relaxed Phil, standing with Ryan. It was a toss-up at this point, but in the end, Phil Stacey was eliminated. Melinda and LaKisha were in tears, but Phil kept smiling and said he felt blessed to have been on the show.

Remember, the previous week Ryan had tormented Jordin by leaving her until last as the fake elimination proceeded. This time around, he apologized for messing with her and proclaimed her safe. Blake and Chris joined Ryan center stage, and they told Ryan what good friends they had become. Chris said he’d go home for Blake, and that’s just the way it turned out.

Phil found his niche in country music, and after the summer tour, signed a contract with Lyric Street Records. His first single, “If You Didn't Love Me,” was released in January 2008, and his debut CD will be released this Tuesday (April 29) – you can buy it now through Amazon.

Since leaving Idol, Chris has focused on songwriting. He co-wrote “What’cha Got 2 Lose” for Blake Lewis’ debut, Audio Day Dream, and has also written songs for Jordin and Phil. He has also released a single, “All Alone,” on iTunes and is said to be working on his debut album.