A List Of Things Thrown Five Minutes Ago

INTRODUCING THE HARD CHOICES ACCORDING TO RANDY, PAULA N'SIMON: We don't have a comprehensive "songs we'd recommend week" for this week in Idol because the leak of the judges' choices threw some of us for a loop. I mean, really: I am a big fan of [relatively obscure late-80s soul singer whom I've recommended for this show before], and he's a perfect match for Hokey Gokey's voice, but that song, really? Are they trying to sabotage him with an obscurity? I will just plead with him not to go inspirational ballad for his second choice, and if he goes "Tears In Heaven," there will be no stopping my wrath.

They selected a decent song for Kris, and I'd like to keep him upbeat for #2 -- the Jack Johnson/G. Love cover of "Holiday" works for me, and yes I'll keep recommending Jack Johnson for him until he does it. As for The Lambert, either of the potential Simon choices works for him, obvs, though being relatively low-key they destroy my suggestion of his covering Leadbelly's "In The Pines". I now assume he'll want to go Glambert for his other song, and our continuing recommendation of Guns n'Roses still holds -- anything where he can strut and extend the upper range. Can he attempt DLR-era Van Halen?

Your recommendations, hopes and dreams are welcome. Yes, we can get into the spoilered songs too.

e.t.a. Isaac's picks:

Danny Gokey: "Black," Pearl Jam. From the same era, roughly, as his presumptive Judges' Pick, but it balances out his adult-contemporary leanings and would work well with his voice, I think.

Kris Allen: "Toxic," Britney, but the Mark Ronson version. I know I pimp this every chance I get, but this is a great pop song, slightly more menacing than Kris is used to, but also something that could be reworked to fit his style, attitude, and instrumental strengths. Or another reworked Britney song, "Baby (One More Time)," Marty Casey or Fountains of Wayne version, which has a nice rising chorus. In both cases, the cover is in Allen's wheelhouse but is obscure enough that it would sound inventive to an audience that for the most part remembers only the original.

Adam Lambert: It's sad falsetto week, isn't it? It's probably too soon for "Hazards of Love 4 (The Drowned)," and something like "I'll Follow You into the Dark" seems too on-the-nose. Like Kim always says, it's impossible to predict what he'll do (especially in a "sing anything" week), but assuming he plays it straight, let's go with "Oh Lately It's So Quiet," by OK Go. Catchy, unknown to the majority of Idol's audience (so it will seem like a Lambert original), and by an artist that has no qualms about licensing its songs. Kulash is a really good rock singer, too, so I think it's a good fit.

Related: Richard Rushfield with five reasons why Danny, Kris and Adam each will & won't become TNAI.