Okay, I was way off on the Mariah Carey songs I predicted the lucky seven  would perform tonight on “American Idol.” It’s Lynn Underwood, Remote Island guest blogger.

But who would guess the evening would be SO SERIOUS with not a single hip-shaking dance track in the bunch? Some of the ladies stowed away the jeans and wore glitzy cocktail dresses to show it was a special night honoring the multi-million CD selling diva. And Carly Smithson even covered up her tatooed arm — but not her cleavage – in a body-hugging long-sleeved charcoal  jersey dress.

Yet she still got no respect from a crabby Simon Cowell who has consistently slammed her week after week. Her rendition of  “Without You” was worthy, with impressive power notes, but Simon’s disdain may in the end, help send her home Wednesday night.

 All three of the men pretty much wowed the judges as they tapped into their inner diva to produce an original rendition of a Carey tune.

More and more viewers are gonna believe David Archuleta may have a lock on the title after his controlled, yet thrilling “When You Believe.” And the usually sport-coated teen looked to be wearing leather pants. DEFINITELY SAFE.

Rocker David Cook’s quietly haunting “Always Be My Baby”was an “original breath of fresh air” said Simon. He’s back in his “Hello” and “Billie Jean” mode after a detour last week with “Innocent.” He was close to tears during the judges’ praise - maybe he was extra emotional because his brother, who has brain cancer, was reportedly in the audience. SAFE.

Mariah Carey accurately called Jason Castro unique and that quality, as well as his topaz blue eyes and shy smile, will keep him in the running for several more weeks.  You’d never guess his effortless “I Don’t Want to Cry,” was a Mariah Carey recording.  SAFE.

Syesha Mercado was a little disapponting for me, because I expected her to skate through this week’s theme. I thought she was close to shouting on some of the high notes of the lesser-known “Vanishing.” Simon thought she technically was good, but he didn’t rave. SAFE.

Brooke White tried to reprise the magic of “Let it Be” from a few weeks ago by singing and playing the piano to an unplugged “Hero.”  It was lovely, but Simon was on the money about her voice not being strong enough to carry it.  Then the judges argued whether the song was missing the beef or just condiments…. MAY SAY GOODBYE.

After weeks of ridicule and often landing in the bottom three, cowgirl Kristy Lee Cook could be gaining momentum, and more fans, with her country-flavored “Forever.” Mariah Carey even said she got goosebumps when she sang it for her (in one of those taped segments.)  Paula was “blown away,” but Simon, of course, thought it was “whiny at times.” MAY SAY GOODBYE.

Guest mentor Mariah Carey is a recording superstar with an amazing voice and she looked fabulous in a stretch black jumpsuit. But some of her observations/suggestions were pretty banal. Like telling Carly “you sound really good,” and advising Brooke to “be real and in the moment.”

What did you think of Mariah Carey? How did the lucky seven do? Who are your favorites and hope are SAFE?

Take a wild guess why Mariah Carey is the guest mentor on “American Idol”  tonight (7 p.m. FOX). Yep - she has a new CD to sell titled   E=MC2.  I’m not sure what it has to do with Einstein’s theory of relativity, but as a pop singing sensation with her 1990 debut  “Mariah Carey” and gazillions of records sold since, she’s more than qualified to give the aspiring Idols a pointer or two.

Hey idol watchers, it’s guest Remote Island blogger Lynn Underwood. With a vast Carey songbook to choose from, it should be an unpredictable night. Some of the contestants, especially the low-key,  three-note vocalist Jason Castro, may have trouble interpreting the powerhouse singer’s five-octave signature ballads, upbeat love songs and dandy dance tunes. But one thing’s for sure  - you won’t hear a song from the ”Glitter” movie soundtrack, because not a single viewer would recognize it.

Here are my predictions for tonight’s Carey set:

Syesha Mercado: Once again in the bottom three last week, I’ll bet she was praying to please just make it to Mariah Carey week — and her God-given right to sing “Hero.”

David Archuleta: The teen balladeer should be able to spread his vocal wings with “Butterfly.”

Brooke White: The nanny-no-more could turn the comforting “Love Takes Time” into a Carole King-like folk number.

Carly Smithson:  The intense Irish barmaid should let her hair down and shake it up with “Someday.”

 David Cook:  His fans would go wild if the rocker did Carey’s new single “Touch My Body,” but don’t count on it. It’ll more likely be an alt-rock take on “Vision of Love.”

Jason Castro: A guitar-strumming, acoustic version of “We Belong Together.”

 Kristy Lee Cook: Often cited for her robotic performances, Lee Cook may be able to connect with a lively “Emotions.”

And what about ousted Aussie Michael Johns? Will you miss his sexy Jim Morrison swagger, the way he fondles the microphone, his smoky vocals, his……

Okay  — Let’s focus on the remaining lucky seven.

Which Carey tunes do you think the Idols will perform to ”show who you  are,” as Paula Abdul reminds them each and every week?

Come back to Remote Island for a recap after the broadcast.

Michael Johns? What? American Idol delivered its first shocker of the season tonight when the Aussie powerhouse singer, one of this year’s most experienced contestants, left the show after receiving the fewest viewer votes.

Hey, it’s guest blogger Randy Salas here to fill you in on tonight’s American Idol results show. Now, I’ll be the first to admit that Michael’s rendition of Aerosmith’s “Dream On” wasn’t one of the best performances Tuesday night, but it most definitely wasn’t one of the worst. He didn’t deserve to be in the Bottom 3, let alone get the boot. Blame viewer apathy, I guess. As talented as he is, though, I don’t think it was always reflected in his performances and song choices.

On the other hand, Syesha Mercado and Carly Smithson did belong in the Bottom 3. I was sure it was going to be Syesha, whom I’ve grown weary of. (The whole “I’m too sick too talk but I can still belt out a merry tune” shtick put me off of her for good during the Hollywood auditions — plus the constant mugging.)

So what’s next for Michael Johns? He once had a major-label recording contract but was dropped before he ever released an album. Will he go on to have a successful recording career, like another suprisingly early exit, Chris Daughtry? Or will he just fade away, like a different early-goer, Constantine Maroulis? I’m curious to see what you think.

Oh, and one final thought: I thought it was seriously cruel of host Ryan Seacrest to bring up last year’s safe week for Idol Gives Back, implying that Michael might not be going anywhere, and then confirming that he would be getting the boot anyway. That was horrible timing and shameful.

Music critic Jon Bream here on the Idol beat on Wednesday night. In an attempt to grab viewers and raise funds, AI brought out the A-list. However, not all the advertised names (Hillary, Barack, McCain, Jim Carrey, Toby Keith, Michael Kors, to name a few) appeared. Oh well. Let’s dish about what happened, not what didn’t happen.

Some thoughts:

* The eight remaining finalists need more rehearsal if they are going to sing as an ensemble. Group singing is different from solo singing; it takes work. Their blend and power were lackluster. However, I did like the dancers from So You Think You Can Dance who joined the Idols on “Please Don’t Stop the Music.”

*Jimmy Kimmel was funnier than his gal pal, Sarah Silverman. Ellen got off a good line: “Hi, it’s me, Oprah.” So did Rob Schneider, when he said “You’d think Bono has enough money to fix wha’ts wrong in Africa. He only has half.” Ben Stiller had a funny bit about fundraising a gugillion dollars near the beginning — and the end– of the show. btw, the show ran 9 minutes long.

* Don’t expect Ryan Seacrest to take over for Jerry Lewis on Labor Day. Ryan has to learn how to cry. 

*Having an orchestra play “Maria” from “West Side Story” when Maria Shriver walked to the stage was so Oscars. Oops, this event was in the Kodak Theatre, home of the Oscars.

*Speaking of the Oscars, that Generation Gap bit between Billy (I Hosted the Oscars 8 Times) Crystal and Miley Cyrus seemed like lame filler from the Oscars. Robin Williams’ routine about being the Russian Idol was more on-target for baby boomers and younger viewers.

* I’m soooo glad Mariah Carey made it onto Idol. I’m sooo tired of the Mariah wannabes on AI.

What did you think? Please post your comments here:

Are you ready to be inspired? American Idol did songs of inspiration tonight for Idol Gives Back week, but I didn’t feel too charitable about their performances.

Hi, this is Randy Salas, and I’m the guest blogger providing tonight’s recap. Let’s get going…

Michael Johns does “Dream On” (Aerosmith). Great song choice. It really fits his range perfectly. It started out more subdued than I would have liked, but way to kick it up a notch, Michael. He can be topped, but this was a fab start to the show. He still hasn’t shown what he can do, though – truly.

Syesha Mercado does “I Believe” (Fantasia). I know Remote Island owner Neal Justin loves her, but I am not a fan. This song choice is another eye-roll for me. The diva thing just isn’t working, because she doesn’t have the voice she think she does. That’s proved with the weak intro, were she sings without support and off-pitch. Even when she powers up, she sings without control. Sorry, but the best part was when the backup singers covered her up. Honestly, it wasn’t horrible, but … eh.

Jason Castro does “Over the Rainbow” (Judy Garland), but Hawaiian style. How long before someone makes the Rainbow Connection with this version? (See Kermit the Frog.) Hey, I’m not wild about the arrangement, but he’s certainly committed to it, with some nice emotion. A little more intensity would have been good, but this was a great comeback for him after a few off weeks. If you can get Simon Cowell to rave about a ukulele, you’re doing mighty fine, my friend.

Kristy Lee Cook does “Anyway” (Martina McBride). The country girl tries to stay out of the bottom vote-getters, but I don’t think it’s working. Kristy Lee doing Martina McBride is like Syesha trying to do Whitney Houston or Fantasia. Like Syesha, she can definitely sing, but there’s always that one sour note that puts her off. Again, the best part came when the backup singers overpowered the arrangement. Double eh — despite what the judges say.

David Cook does “Innocent” (Our Lady Peace). Come on, dude, it might be rock, but you still have to enunciate. I love the guy, but this was just OK. The song wasn’t spectacular — and what an odd arrangement. He’s not leaving the show, but it was definitely an off week.

Carly Smithson does “The Show Must Go On” (Queen). I’m a big fan of this song, one of the last that Freddie Mercury recorded before his untimely death — which gives extra weight to the performance. Going in, it’s a great choice for the Irish singer. But what does it say when even a female singer can’t match the range of Freddie in his dying days? The off-key vocals don’t help either. Great background singers, as usual. Carly simply isn’t reaching her potential.

David Archuleta does “Angels” (Robbie Williams) — not “Wind Beneath My Wings,” as I feared. Whew. I like the grand piano shtick, but the low-key vocals aren’t working. He keeps missing the bottom notes. But did anyone really think he wouldn’t bounce back during the big part? It was a good performance, but I’m surprised at how shaky his soft, low range is.

Brooke White does “You’ve Got a Friend” (James Taylor). Taylor had the big hit, but Carole King wrote it — and that puts it squarely in Brooke’s alley. So, yeah, she’s becoming predictable, too — who isn’t at this stage? — but I have high hopes for her. I know little Davie just did the piano, but she would have been better at the keyboards, too. Instead, we’re focusing on her vocals, and they’re OK but nothing special. And what’s with the Air Supply arrangement? Aw, not the big home run I wanted. I don’t think she’s in danger, but the girl needs to crank it up.

Final prediction: Syesha, Carly and Kristy Lee are in the Bottom 3. Kristy Lee finally goes when the results are announced Thursday. Meanwhile, Idol Gives Back airs for two hours Wednesday night. Are you ready for Fergie to perform “Barracuda” with Heart? We’ll find out. 

“Songs of inspiration” is the theme tonight as the singers on American Idol help flog the top-rated show’s Idol Gives Back charity fundraiser (airing Wednesday night). What’s the over-under on how many minutes into the show before wee David Archuleta croons “Wind Beneath My Wings”?

Hey, it’s guest Remote Island blogger Randy Salas here.

I’m only half-kidding about little Davie’s song choice, but two things are for certain: (1) Someone will surely sing that inspirational warhorse tonight. (If not Archuleta, Syesha Mercado?) (2) Archuleta’s predictability could be threatening his status as the odds-on fave to win the competition.

Actually, I’m pumped for David Cook to win it all, lately. The rocker has slowly and steadily been proving that talent and performances can win out over flash and looks. The recent brouhaha over his doing other artists’ arrangements of songs is much ado about nothing. Big Dave has been forthcoming in citing whose work he has borrowed, even when the show’s producers might have glossed over it in editing. He has been following the formula that I’ve always suggested: Once you know the theme, find an artist in your style who has covered it and cover their version instead of the original. It seems to be working.

Michael Johns has the best other shot to win. The Aussie has loads of music experience, but he hasn’t been able to parlay that where it counts: on the show. He’s been coming on stronger in recent weeks, so here’s hoping it continues. It seems obvious at this point that the winner will be a guy. The ladies simply aren’t stronger than this trio.

As for the ladies, I adore chanteuse Brooke White, but she has been inconsistent and took a horrible turn when she landed in the Bottom 3 last week. Carly Smithson has had the inside track based on her professional music background, but she simply has not been able to click with mainstream viewers. I wonder if she would fare better if she dressed more appropriately, as Simon Cowell suggested. Translation: Cover up those tattoos!

The overly braided Jason Castro, I fear, has peaked. That’s not to say that he won’t be successful later, but it doesn’t look as if he has far to go on the show.  Neither do Syesha Mercado and Kristy Lee Cook, who has been among the Bottom 2 for, like, 53 times now. She is waaay overdue and should be going this week.

What do you think of how things are shaping up so far on Season 7 of American Idol? 

Note: If you’re curious in advance about what songs will be performed tonight, TMZ has been posting a spoiler list in the late afternoon each Tuesday in the form of a photo gallery, based on a spy’s report. (It has to be some freelancer in that overstocked band.)

Another note: Come back tonight for my recap as soon as the show ends.