In an effort to track the final 3, I’ll be grading and averaging each song. Enjoy.

The final 3 kicks off with Jordin rocking, and I use that term loosely, “Wishing on a Star” by a 70s has-been. Again, it’s a bit tinny and shrill for my taste, her hair looks awful and her dress sucks, but the crowd seems to like it. All I can seem to think about is how much I am looking forward to not seeing Shecrest in a few weeks. I’ll give her a C.

OK, I guess Paula hates Blake, or maybe she had some weird sex fantasy in her jumbled brain when she picked “Roxanne.” He’s messing up the lyrics, looks like a retarded golfer and sounds like a bag of kittens. And the crowd also loves it, but hell, when don’t they? C-.

The first round of the 3 song night finishes off with the person who can actually sing well, Melinda. She’s been charged with singing pre-crazy Whitney Houston’s “I Believe in You and Me.” Nice tone, awful dress. The best thing about it is that you can’t tell it’s a Whitney song. Until the break, which was perhaps the worst series of notes she’s hit all year. Dammit. B. (Clearly the judges could not hear her sour notes over the cheering.)

Jordin’s back with the producers’ pick “She Works Hard for the Money.” It wins the award for best ironic song choice of the night so far. Sounds OK, A for effort for singing a super-lame, old song. B.

All I can say is Blake must be creaming his pants with this one – “This Love” by Maroon 5. Sweet Jesus, I can only imagine how many times he’s sung this while beatboxing and Jamiroquai dancing in a mirror. A for emulation, C for suckiness.

I love Tina Turner. God do I love her. Melinda rocks “Nutbush City Limits,” I would have preferred “Proud Mary” or “What’s Love Got to Do With It?,” but I’ll take what I can get. A.

Jordin again. She’s picked “I Who Have Nothing.” Meh. It’s whiny. Technically more proficient than the rest of her songs today, but I still don’t like her. B+, but only because she was technically flawless.

It’s been a while since my formula-writing days, but I have a new one to posit:

Blake + Negative Soul = Going Home.

That’s what I think of “When I Get You Alone,” anyway. D.

Back to Melinda. I will have it known that I’m deducting a full grade for the outfit. Gail, it’s so on. Vocal perfection and covered in the illusive soul. B+.

Jordin – B+
Blake – --
Melinda – B+ (That’s what you get for the outfit, Gail.)

Boot: Blake