Songbird on The X Factor
 

I don't watch it, but I read that one of the contestants performed Songbird last night and then failed to get into the final.

Here it is:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_ok6iHWwKAs

I think it's interesting how everyone immediately now associates Eva Cassidy with the song. I suppose Chris doesn't much mind, but I sort of wish more people knew that she wrote it.

Apologies if this has been posted elsewhere.

that wasn't too bad, Eva Cassidy's version isn't too bad, Willie Nelson's version isn't to bad.

for me the ONLY version is at the end of a FM concert, just Christine on the stage - you can hear a pin drop. Perfect.

Gail

http://www.yorkshirepost.co.uk/lates...eon.3569861.jp

Latest X Factor reject Niki Evans has revealed that even if she had got through to the final - she would have given her place to Leon Jackson.
The mum-of-two failed to make it to the final three after her performances of Fleetwood Mac's Songbird and the Whitney Houston song, One Moment In Time.

The school catering manager insisted she was happy to leave - and thinks Leon is the worthy winner of the hit series.

Speaking at a news conference, she said: "Leon is only five years older than my oldest son. There is no way I would take it off a young kid like that. It's a really difficult situation - you want to stay in but how can you compete against an 18-year-old boy when you're old enough to be his mum?

"It's a horrible situation to be in and if they had called my name - I would've said to give it to him instead. I believe in him that much."

She continued: "I so want him to win - not that I don't like Same Difference or Rhydian - but I think their paths have already been carved whether they win or they don't. Leon needs to win to get his dream."

The 34-year-old originally applied for the show after finding an application form intended for her in her dad's belongings after he died - but she was determined not to play on her story to win extra votes.

"Louis wanted me to cry," she said. "We all know why I decided to do X Factor and they did try to make me sing Dance With My Father Again and all the rest of it - but my dad was a real person and it is not just a story.

"He did die only a year ago and I'm not going to sit there with my kids and my mum and drag him through the mud. I think people forget it's not a sob story. I'd rather have my dad here than be on X Factor any day."

As for what she is planning now, Niki confessed she was unsure. "I tried to do this so many times and failed so many times," she said. "I haven't got a clue. I'd love to go on and make an album. I'm too old now. I'm not stupid - people will drop me like a hot cake. Whatever comes I will grab it and run with it as far as I can."

http://www.thisisswansea.co.uk/displ...pNodeId=196092

The mum-of-two went out in style with two great performances. She sang Fleetwood Mac's Songbird, chosen by her mentor Louis Walsh.

Judge Sharon Osbourne said that while she thought the Birmingham dinner lady sang the song well, she thought it was "too laid back" for this stage in the competition.

Dannii Minogue said the performance was beautiful, but Simon Cowell said: "I call it more pretty than beautiful."

Niki followed this with her own choice of Whitney Houston classic One Moment In Time, which even Simon had to admit was a great performance.

Sharon said it was "the perfect song - a brilliant, brilliant performace. You meant every word, you look like a star, you sang like a star."

And Louis rounded things off: "If there is any justice, the people of Birmingham will pick up the phone and call for you... Niki you deserve to be in the final of the competition."

But it was not enough to save her. With the strong fan base for Dannii's boy Leon, two fantastic songs from Rhydian and an emotional performance from Same Difference, Niki found that her dream was over.

Gail expresses my feelings too.

I hate this new version. I hate that diva style of singing, where they put in lots of notes that don't belong, in the style of female singers who mangle the national anthem before sporting events. I think they think it's supposed to be jazzy but it just ruins a great melody.

I do like Willie Nelson's version of "Songbird." It's great to hear it sung by a guy, and by a guy with some muscle, too.

Songbird is a nice song. I do like it. It has that -- something.