'American Idol': 'Idol Gives Back'

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Carrie Underwood breathed new life into George Michael's ''Praying for Time,'' slowing down the tempo just a hair, and delivering her vocal with exquisite restraint and feeling; it was like hearing every word of the lyric for the first time, all over again. I'm predicting an iTunes stampede similar to last year's ''I'll Stand By You'' rendition. My only complaint, actually, was the fact that Nigel Lythgoe & Co. didn't call on additional former contestants to populate the program. (Yes, I probably need to quit fantasizing about a Fantasia-Elliott duet, a dream that's been percolating in my brain ever since the duo paired up for that Idol Gives Back package during results night a few weeks back.)

Annie Lennox, who like Underwood, was back for a second year of Idol Gives Back, was equally tremendous on ''Many Rivers to Cross,'' which was all the more powerful since it followed the piece about the Eurythmics' singer's visit with a family of four young brothers orphaned by AIDS in South Africa. Watching Lennox break down at the end of her trip, expressing her heartbreak that the eldest boy, at only 15, had to stoically carry the weight of his family's burdens, was one of those all-too-rare televised moments that got past the celebrity-as-do-gooder veneer, and made you feel like she'd formed a true bond with the people she was visiting. (I also loved Alicia Keys' remark during her video piece about how the world should spend as much time discussing the AIDS pandemic as it does celebrity drama. Tell it!)

Moving from emotionally gripping to just plain enjoyable, I was stoked by Heart and Fergie's rockin' rendition of ''Barracuda.'' Ann Wilson's glorious banshee wail hasn't lost an iota of power over the decades, and Fergie Ferg more than held up her end of the number, delivering a pair of one-handed hand-springs in the process. Carly Smithson: I hope you took notes!

Speaking of Idol inspirations, upcoming mentor Mariah Carey was the final diva on the scene, delivering ''Fly Like a Bird'' with a full Gospel chorus. I sensed a little raspiness going on, which made me skittish that Mariah would either flub or avoid the dog-whistle note at the end of her number, but girlfriend made it happen.

And who knows, maybe I got infected by all the charitable feelings in the air, but I was pleasantly surprised by Teri Hatcher and Band From TV taking on ''Before He Cheats'' — right down to the goofy, Desperate Housewives-themed intro.

Also, side note to Gloria Estefan: We appreciated your efforts tonight, and that unexpected jolt when Sheila E's cymbals went crashing to the floor, but you still have a ways to go before you make up for ''Gloria Estefan Night'' back in season 3.

The only thing that had me a little befuddled was the fact that Miley Cyrus got to perform not one, but two numbers over the course of the evening. I know, I know, she's popular with the kids, and she sang decently, but did she really deserve more screen time than the top eight contestants (and season 6 winner Jordin Sparks, relegated to seat-filler status) combined? I mean, aren't those kids more important to Idol than the Disney Channel star?

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