What Anoop Should Sing Tomorrow

Our music writer David Menconi weighed in on what our American Idol, Anoop Desai should sing this week.

Thei contestants' challenge is to sing a song from the year they were born.

We posed the same question to our guest bloggers. Here's what they said:

Claire Meyerhoff: Here's the challenge with "Year They Were Born Week;" either the song is no longer familiar or it was such a big hit it's hard to do it justice. In Anoop's birth year, 1986, there's another problem and it's called "Whitney." Anoop just better stay far, far away from "Greatest Love of All." But, gosh, there are some cool songs from 1986, like "Human" by Human League. Oh, and that Bangles song "Walk Like an Egyptian," that was, like, totally, like, awesome. But they're not for Anoop. Neither is Cyndi Lauper's "True Colors," but that WOULD be a good choice for Adam! OK, I have to spin the wheel and make a pick, so how about...the Berlin song, "Take My Breath Away." Isn't that from Top Gun?

Lenni Gustafson: Did a bunch of research on the challenge and, after a few hours, came up with what I think is the perfect song for our Anoop. It's not on your list, but it is from 1986. I chose "Love Will Conquer All" by Lionel Ritchie. The words are perfect and the notes are totally in our man's range. I can just see his fabulous eyes working the crowd starting with, "Here we are----". Choosing from your list, I guess it would be Peter Cetera's "Glory of Love" since everybody's crazy about the "Karate Kid".

And, since I did all this research, thought I'd suggest some songs for the other folks in the contest. Starting with the oldest, Danny Gokey (1990), it would be "Crazy Little Thing Called Love" by Queen. Then to Adam in 1982 and it just has to be "Dirty Laundry" by Don Henley. LHM, he could do that song so proud. And for Lil and 1984, she had better pick my main woman, Tina Turner, and "Better Be Good To Me. She's got the energy and she's got the pipes to hit this one out of the park. We have three 1985 babies in Kris, Matt and Scott. I'm picking "Lover Boy" by Billy Ocean for Kris, "One More Night" by Phil Collins for Matt and "No More Lonely Nights" by Paul McCartney for Scott.

1992 does not have many, if any, that I feel are good and/or appropriate, for the 17 year-old cutie Allison. Finally came up with "Justified and Ancient" by the KLF with the extraordinary Tammy Wynette doing the really smooth vocals.

Chloe Paterson: I think Anoop should sing "Holding Back The Years", by Simply Red. There are so many arrangement for him to choose from and it isn't a fast song - he seems to have the most trouble with those. He could easily make it fit his style and show his vocal ability.