According to Insider TV here are the song choices for the contestants:
Taylor Hicks: “Levon” by Elton John and “Living for the City” by Stevie Wonder. The new single he’ll be performing is “Do I Make You Proud” written by Tracy Ackerman, Andrew John Watkins and Paul David Wilson. Paul Wilson and Tracy Akcerman have worked with Lisa Stansfield, Al Green, Tina Turner, the Spice Girls, and S Club. Paul Wilson did horn arrangements for The Winans, so the dude got some soul. Thanks folkgirl
Katharine McPhee: The standard “Over the Rainbow” and “Black Horse and the Cherry Tree” by KT Tunstall. The new single she’ll perform is called, “My Destiny” written by Hanne Sorvaag.
I was hoping that Taylor would pick “Living in the City”. It was one of his best performances, in my opinion. I was rooting for “Something”, but “Levon” is a good choice too. I think it’s smart to pick tunes from earlier in the season. That way they can sound like brand-new songs to the audience. And maybe he’ll change up the original arrangements.
Katharine has chosen two songs she’s sung very well. I think “Someone to Watch Over Me” would have been a good choice. It’s a song she performed beautifully from earlier in the season. It’s a little risky to try “Over the Rainbow” again so soon–re-capturing “magic” can be a risky proposition. And hopefully she’ll re-choreograph at least one of the songs rather than spend the whole evening on the floor. Heh.
