Number 8: Call Me

Call you? Thought you'd never ask...

Ringing in at  #8 is 'Call Me' from the movie 'American Gigolo.'  When our girl picked this 1980 chart-topper by Debbie Harry as her choice for 'songs of the movies' week, I thought: “Yeah baby!”  I don't know about you, but I just love the glitzy style and flashy excess of the '80's.  Not only did Michael Jackson reign supreme and ‘Hair Metal’ was all the rage (RIP Jani Lane, 'Cherry Pie' was fun listening to), the decade featured some of the best female rockers and girl bands like Heart, The Pretenders, Joan Jett & the Blackhearts, Patty Smyth & Scandal, Pat Benatar, The Bangles, The Go-Go’s and, of course, Blondie.  Like Madonna's 'Into the Groove' and Olivia Newton-John's 'Physical,' the riff-heavy ‘Call Me’ had clinched its place as one of the greatest nightclub dance hits of the decade.

Dressed to kill in a retro-stylish 'stained glass window' mini-dress and high 'electric' boots (sorry, but I just can't refrain from BATJ references if my life depended on it), Haley gave one of her most entertaining performances in this cover.  As another '80's pop icon, Cyndi Lauper, reminded us in one of her greatest hits, 'girls just wanna have fun.'  And it sure looks like Haley had a blast in this performance grooving with the guitarist, strutting around the stage, doing that sexy hair toss (twice, for effect), and just rocking out a great Blondie classic.  It's also evident that her confidence and swagger have improved by leaps and bounds since Top 24 week (see last week's entry on 'Fallin'), when JLo noted that she was tentative in her stage movements from thinking too hard about where she needed to go next and that she should just try to ‘feel it.'

I am totally at a loss as to how Haley ended up in the Bottom 3 after this performance.  This cover is better than any in recent memory by Fergie, Gwen Stefani or Shirley Manson and really showed her fun-loving and spontaneous side.  For two blissful minutes, Haley took me back to an era I will always fondly remember.  That's it for now.  Have a great week and I'll see you all back next Wednesday for No. 7 in the countdown.  Seacrest, out!