Top 12 contestant Amanda Overmyer performed The Beatles "Back in the USSR" on the March 18, 2008 episode of American Idol. The episode was the second consecutive week of songs from the Lennon-McCartney songbook. "Back in the USSR" was originally on the album The Beatles.

Randy Jackson said it was the perfect song choice for her, though a bit pitchy in the beginning. He gave it a 7 out of 10.

Paula Abdul felt it was a little sketchy at first. Also it ahead of the beat. She would love to see her do a vulnerable ballad at some point.

Simon Cowell thought the performance was predictable and "a bit of a mess" at parts. He said that Paula, to a point, was right. She needs to do something that is a surprise. She's in danger of becoming boring.

• Google Blog Search: Back in the USSR Amanda Overmyer
• Idol Chatter: "Back in the USSR" Amanda Overmyer
  • Beatles Part II. I can't be expecting another She's a Woman, but a couple of pleasant surprises wouldn't hurt. (I'm a Loser was a brilliant idea for Kristy Lee, by the way, MikeR. Wish I'd thought of that ...)
  • Amanda will have to come up with a socks-knocker. Back in the USSR -- maybe.
  • As usual for me, the words "bar" and "band" swim into my consciousness, very closely allied. Don't think there's much else she's capable of. I'm underwhelmed.
  • Randy detects pitchiness. Paula finds it "sketchy" and hears timing problems (true). But she loves Amanda. Simon says it was predictable and a bit of a mess in parts, and says she's in danger of being a bit boring. A bit? Amanda defends herself rather rabble-rousingly but not particularly effectively.