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![The Beatles]()
"Help," The Beatles. Energetic and pleading simultaneously, this John Lennon-sung No. 1 hit from 1965 came from the movie of the same name. But that mix of angst is what amateur aspirants aren't likely to nail, says Bruce Dickinson, producer and A&R/Marketing Consultant for Sony Legacy: "You may have problems in your own life, but The Beatles' performance is a perfect storm of the talent of the whole band mixed with the essence of John Lennon, all perfectly produced and delivered. It's a pivotal song in the Beatles catalog. I don't know how you can expect to equal it - and if you don't, your performance will both fall flat and sound flat to anyone who has heard the original."![U2]()
"With or Without You," U2. U2's first No. 1 song, this 1987 moody, operatic tune stayed at the top for three weeks. "The range of this song is absolutely incredible," says Phil Anderson, owner of Powersound Studios. "It's probably Bono's best vocal exercise, and yet it does not sound like it at all. When he sings that song, it becomes an anthem and a hymn combined. Any attempt to replicate that performance by any other great singer would be a disaster."![Billy Joel]()
"Piano Man," Billy Joel. Who doesn't know how to sing Joel's first hit from 1974? Everyone except Joel, says Brad Simon, co-founder of the artist management/PR firm The Simon Perry Group. "Don't sing - don't hum it, not even when bathing," he urges. "It comes across as disingenuous and amateurish when copied. Billy is our country's greatest storyteller, he speaks more than sings to us - making him nearly impossible to imitate. You can't sing his song without seeming [drops into a British accent like Simon Cowell's ] like some utterly awful karaoke singer!"![Aretha Franklin]()
"Respect," Aretha Franklin. You gotta have some chops - and some guts - to take on the Queen of Soul's signature tune, which landed at No. 1 in 1967. "What pop tart gets so big in her britches that she thinks she can compete with The Queen?" asks Rich Savoie, guitarist/manager for Boston indie band Sad Marvin. "Get a grip, kids, you're not going to compete with the original - and it almost seems like you're personally attacking Ms. Franklin when you mangle this song. Leave the big soul epics to the masters. Crawl before you run."![Jennifer Holliday]()
"And I Am Telling You," Jennifer Holliday. Yes, some "Idol" aspirants have gotten away with this song, but as Nick Mitchell proved this season, the 1982 showstopper from the Broadway musical "Dreamgirls" is a vote-killer (even if you're not vamping). "It's a very difficult song to sing, and fraught with pitfalls waiting to ensnare inexperienced vocalists," says Justin Guarini, "Idol's" Season One runner-up, who is still a musician and also blogs at Fancast.com. "Bottom line, this song is like old luggage, we can't get rid of it. I hope future crops of Idols steer clear of this beautiful song and let us keep fond memories of when it was fresh, and done right."![Kiss]()
"Rock 'n Roll All Nite," Kiss. Even Kiss couldn't hit the charts right away with this anthem: The studio version didn't crack the Top 40 at first - but the live take went to No. 12 in 1975. As a true band song, it's not really for a solo voice. Adds Don McGhee, CEO McGhee Entertainment - and Kiss's manager. "When choosing a song, contestants should recognize what aspect of the song made it a hit - whether it be lyrical or musical content. (In 'All Nite') the harmonies and mix both on-stage and on the album are far more advanced than can be produced on the set of 'American Idol.' I wish that the contestants would focus on what constitutes a strong live performance and apply vocal stylings that can be adapted to fit their personalities."![Marvin Gaye]()
"Let's Get It On," Marvin Gaye. Gaye's second No. 1 hit in 1973 is seductive and blatant - and most contestants just don't have the tenor to tackle it. Notes Mike Farley, veteran music publicist and "Idol" blogger at PremiumHollywood.com: "Iconic singers like Marvin or Stevie Wonder or Aretha Franklin have a place in the stratosphere of the vocal talent meter, and no amateur can ever compare. Too often we see very young, sometimes underage contestants singing about love - or worse, lovemaking - and it just isn't believable. The lyrics do matter when you're trying to sell yourself to millions of voters."![Celine Dion]()
"My Heart Will Go On," Celine Dion. It's man overboard for most singers who tackle the 1997 Oscar winner for Best Original Song, which was sung for the $2 billion film "Titanic." "It's a surprisingly difficult song to sing, given that it's a 'classic' American song form piece, and a ballad," says Chieli Minucci, leader of the Grammy-nominated jazz group Special EFX. "A song like this will quickly expose a singer's flaws, since it requires a clear display of the three basic rules of good singing - pitch control, rhythmic interpretation and expression, all while reaching quite a wide pitch range. Only a true, legit singer should attempt this."![Michael Jackson]()
"Don't Stop 'Til You Get Enough," Michael Jackson. MJ was at his disco best with the second of his solo No. 1 hits, but the general consensus is that any Michael Jackson song is gloves-off for amateurs. "First off, the song won't display much of the contestant's vocal range," says Mr. Ozwald, producer and founder of Crown Digital Records. "Michael remains in the same key for the majority of the song, and he does it in the way that only Michael can do. If you're even a little pitchy, this songs is going to highlight that and you're going to sound awful. There's no room to recover later, either, because if you can't get it right early, you're not going to pick up the slack anywhere in this track. It's an amazing record, but let's leave this one to Michael."![Queen]()
"Bohemian Rhapsody," Queen. Who knew opera could fit on the pop charts? Yet Queen made it so in 1975, hitting No. 2 in America with a song that was inducted into the Grammy Hall of Fame in 2004. But singers trying to duplicate it onn "Idol" should be saying "no" to the "Bo." "Freddy Mercury's vocals are simply inimitable, and the layered studio multi-tracking vocals are impossible to duplicate live," explains music industry vet David Hazan now chief marketing officer of The Bizmo.com digital music start-up site, but once considered as a fourth judge on "Idol." "On the other hand, just thinking about Simon's (and the other judges') expressions while listening to the all-but-certain resulting train wreck makes me laugh."10 Songs to Avoid Like the Plague
Sing these, and say bye-bye to stardom.
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- 10 Songs to Avoid Like the Plague
