American Idol Finale, Part 1: Who's Our Idol?

3. Crystal Bowersox, "Me and Bobby McGee"

Aha! Here's the winner. Crystal's revamp of "Me and Bobby McGee" jutted with spontaneity, tearing through the rage-red Idol stadium like Janis Joplin through a fleet of minibars. "Me and Bobby McGee" was my third or fourth favorite Bowersox performance from the season ("Give Me One Reason" and "Long As I Can See the Light" are tops, no doubt), but this performance roiled with rambunctious fun. Contrary to what mumblecore mullet-man Alex Lambert says, I'd like to see Crystal trill an entire album of Janis covers. In fact, "Mercedes Benz" would've been a smarter choice than "Me and Bobby McGee." Shocker! Whatever. Crystal will win and dreadlocks will flutter across the nation's flag. The end.

2. Crystal Bowersox, "Up to the Mountain"

Old-hat Patti Griffin singles aren't my first candidates for "relevant 2010 hits," but that's what Bowersox plans to give us. Sigh. Fine. Thankfully, what could've been Crystal's stodgiest performance transcended time, attached itself to a wagon-chasing star, and doubled as a confessional monologue. This is a girl who knows she's approaching Vesuvian impact -- arriving at the mountain, if you will -- and she's flabbergasted to see her own trajectory ahead of her. The tears at performance's end evidenced her personal stakes in winning, too, which was touching. She held it together better here than during her "People Get Ready" performance in Inspiration Week, and I think voters will appreciate that too.

1. Crystal Bowersox, "Black Velvet"

1990, I missed you too! Simon Fuller chose the mysteriously huge Alannah Myles hit for Crystal's fantastic rasp, and the Toledo triller knocked it out of the park -- making my evening as coolly retro as I could ever want. If you eliminate this performance's ludicrous Miss Piggy staircase and otherwise awkward blocking, you'd have a world-class rendition. This marks the second time Crystal has improved upon the original artist's version ("Give Me One Reason" is the first, bien sur), adding staggering high notes and bolts of Bowersox brass.

Now that Crystal is the undisputed winner, will voters take up the charge and do their part? My feeling's yes. DeWyze may boast recent momentum and underdog appeal, but I think that fervor plateaued during last night's show. Crystal's fan squad just invigorated itself, and now it's her turn to rule with an iron grit.

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