A Little Less Conversation

This page contains general information about the song "A Little Less Conversation". For information on a particular performance of this song, click on a performance link in the table below.

[back to top] Performances & Results

# Season Episode / Theme Slot Contestant Approval Rating σ Result
1
38055 Wild Card
Open
1/8
Lewis Jon PeterJon Peter Lewis
38
 
27 2Safe
2
38846 Final 4
Elvis Presley
6/8
Daughtry ChrisChris Daughtry
28
 
20 7Eliminated
3
Billboard Hot 100
1/12
Tohn JackieJackie Tohn
36
 
20 7Eliminated
4
Elvis Presley
4/9
DeWyze LeeLee DeWyze
72
 
21 2Safe
5
Open
1/10
Treco MatheneeMathenee Treco
31
 
21 7Eliminated

[back to top] Summary

The vagaries of time being what they are, "A Little Less Conversation" was one of Elvis Presley's least successful singles, from one of his most forgettable movies...and today, it stands (particularly among the younger generation) as one of The King's better-known songs.  Credit its widespread use as a popular theme song over the past 10 years, ranging from major sporting events to hit movies to political campaigns.

Credit American Idol too, because while neither Jon Peter Lewis nor Chris Daughtry exactly set the stage on fire with this number, both performances were memorable in their own way – Lewis's for a crazed, jelly-legged dance interlude; Daughtry for a dark, brooding delivery capped by a near-strangled scream.  Producer Nigel Lythgoe stated publicly in an interview that he thought Lewis "actually did it better."  And, by a small but significant margin, the Idolsphere agrees.

What We Thought

Has Lythgoe lost his mind?  Has the Idolsphere lost theirs, too?  Come on, people!  We don't even want to put Jon Peter Lewis in the same sentence.  With Chris Daughtry.  In terms of vocal talent, the two are lightyears apart.  So calling Lewis's performance of "Conversation" superior to Daughtry's could be described as ludicrous, uneducated, naive, impossible, and preposterous.  And we'd call it all of that and more, if it weren't for one minor detail...We, uh, happen to agree with them.  We liked Lewis's version better too.

In all seriousness, neither man did this song justice.  We think "Conversation" still has one strong performance left in it for a future Idol rocker (perhaps a woman this time?), minus the silly dancing or unnecessary alt-rock affectations  Just sing it as a straight-up, hard-blues-rock number.  The lyrics are dead serious, so you should be too: no smiling or preening to the camera.  Do it right and you might get the ultimate compliment from the judges: you actually went on the American Idol stage and sang a rock song better than Chris Daughtry.

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