Kellie Pickler: Top 12: March 14, 2006 : Blame It On The Sun by Stevie Wonder : )

As I mentioned, the contestants were to select a Stevie Wonder tune. Kellie chose Blame It On The Sun. This is a really cool song that's got a lot of emotion. What I love about the lyrics is that they read like a lovely poem:

"Where is my spirit?
I’m nowhere near it,
Oh yes, my love has gone astray.

But I’ll blame it on the sun,
The sun that didn’t shine,
I’ll blame it on the wind and the trees.

I’ll blame it on the time that never was enough,
I’ll blame it on the tide and the sea,
But, my heart blames it on me."

The song is deep and reflective. It's a serious song, just like How Far; however, the tone and feeling is more subtle, which is what I think fueled the debate about Kellie's performance.

I've watched the video back about a dozen times, and, I really, really like it. It may possibly be my Kellie favorite thus far. I'm not just saying that either : ). However, the judges had different opinions. Let's say they weren't totally wowed, and, Simon, of course, will even take things off topic and make a "Dolly Parton school" comparison, but, you know, getting compared to Dolly ain't such a bad thing : ). Paula felt that Kellie didn't have her typical "razzle dazzle," and, Paula's a very nice lady, but, the thing is... I for one was pretty razzled and dazzled by Kellie Pickler's Stevie Wonder performance. The song was of a genre that Kellie wasn't that familiar with, and I think she rose to the occassion and triumphed. It was a more sedate song than she's done in the past... that's all.

Surprising Results Show March 15, 2006

Well, Kellie was safe, and, I wasn't real surprised by that, but, I'll have a few words on that topic in just a moment. In the bottom three we saw Melissa McGhee, which many expected; however, Melissa was joined by both Ace Young and Lisa Tucker. Wow. That just goes to show you with the American Idol program you can take no contestants' safety for granted, and, that's a really, really important thing for the Kellie Beans to keep in mind. Pick up the phone and vote for the full two hours no matter what! No one is safe. After all, a lot of the bookies and odds-makers like Ace Young to win this whole competition, and, Lisa Tucker is also thought of very fondly. But, sure enough, Lisa and Ace were standing in the bottom three. So, like I said, never ever assume that Kellie's safe and take a night off from voting. Dial and speed dial and speed dial some more and encourage all your friends and family to do the same. Finally, a big, heartfelt thanks goes out to Melissa McGhee, who certainly has a wonderful career in music ahead of her. Take care!