The eleven remaining hopefuls were back for another go-round of Beatles songs.

When "American Idol"'s Final 11 took to the stage, it was for an encore night of performances selected from the LENNON/McCARTNEY songbook. The hopefuls were give a second shot at choosing a BEATLES song that would earn them praise from the judges, but only a few succeeded.

Stellar performances lauded by the judges included DAVID ARCHULETA and SYESHA MERCADO.

AMANDA OVERMYER got the audience rocking with the Beatles' "Back in the USSR." RANDY JACKSON felt she'd made a good song choice, but "when you started, it was a little pitchy. Then you started feeling the crowd and the energy at the end. I would have to give you a seven out of 10." Paula agreed, but felt it would be a good idea if Amanda mixes it up a little. She said, "I would love to see you do a vulnerable ballad at one point." Simon felt Amanda was predictable -- and shock of shocks -- felt that Paula had a point. He said, "At least one week, do what DAVID COOK did and do something that is a bit of a surprise. Otherwise, you are in danger of becoming boring."

KRISTY LEE COOK chose JOHN LENNON's "You've Got to Hide Your Love Away." Randy commented that it is one of his favorite Beatle songs. "It was an interesting arrangement," he said of her performance. "The whole song should have been emotional. It was boring and safe." Paula told her, "Sometimes with these songs, it is safer to stick with the melody. It was good." Simon was blunt, saying: "I think you need hypnosis. You are not a good performer. The last two seconds were okay. It is like musical wallpaper. You notice it, but you can't remember it." Then he added, "You were better this week."

David Archuelta gave his all on "The Long and Winding Road" -- and it paid off. Randy enthused, "They are right to clap. David Archuleta has brought the hotness back to his game. One piece of advice: That is the kind of song you could have sung a couple of runs and got by on. Take the liberties." Paula praised: "This is, for me, the most exciting and wonderful performance. The purity of your sound was identifiable. That you could rise above adversity doesn't build character, it reveals it." Simon agreed, pointing out, "Last week was a complete mess. This week, I thought you were amazing. You absolutely made the point I was trying to say to the previous contestant. You not only perform a song, you sell it. That was a master class."

MICHAEL JOHNS took a chance on "A Day in the Life," trying to condense a very long song into his limited time on the "Idol" stage. Randy chastised, "It wasn't one of your best performances. I don't think you have chosen the right song. You have that big, old voice. You of anybody can just sing. It wasn't one of your good ones." Paula agreed, but added, "I caught sound from dress rehearsal and you were phenomenal." Simon's evaluation was: "It was a mess. You didn't hit the right notes. The song went all over the place. It doesn't work as a minute and a half. You have to start sorting yourself out. You have to nail the song like David. That was not good enough, sorry."

Last week BROOKE WHITE earned kudos from the judges for her performance of "Let It Be." This week, her song choice was "Here Comes the Sun," to less dazzling reviews. Randy said, "Your performance was awkward for me for the first time. You were never really connected to that song. It never jelled." Paula tried to put a positive spin on things, saying, "What was hot for me, you can't help but smile when you watch you sing. What it did show is you have good low tones. It could have been more challenging." Simon said, "I just knew when you were choosing that song that you would be dressed in yellow and the lighting would be yellow. I thought the performance was terrible. From the horrible dancing to the absolute lack of conviction, it was forgettable. That is what it is all about: song choice."

David Cook went with a funk vibe on "Day Tripper." Randy remarked, "I love seeing you every week. You keep it interesting. I don't know if it was your best performance, but it was another solid week for David Cook." Paula observed, "You are ready to go sell records." Simon, however, wasn't as positive: "I don't think that was as good as you thought it was. You have lost your element of surprise. Last week you were terrific. I was a fan of the LIONEL RICHIE song. I didn't like that version [of 'Day Tripper']."

Up next was CARLY SMITHSON who went for the ballad "Blackbird," telling the judges afterwards that she selected that song because it spoke to her. Randy thought it was another great performance: "Very nice. Very controlled. Very emotive." Paula told her, "You have an amazing tone to your voice." Simon said, "It is the second Beatle week and you pick a song about a blackbird. I don't think that was a smart thing to do. I thought the song was indulgent. I didn't like the song at all."

JASON CASTRO learned a bit of French to sing "Michelle." Randy felt it was "interesting, but very subdued. I don't know if I really got it," he said. "I didn't think you were connected with it." Paula thought it might be because Jason was away from his guitar. "It was an intimate song that became more like a polka. You have to work on that." Simon reflected: "This is a very weird show tonight. I am not sure it was a good idea of doing Beatles again. This is all getting a bit strange. Jason, you are lucky this is a TV show and not a radio show, because your face sold that. You are charming and not obnoxious and have a goofiness that made it work. If I was listening to it on the radio, it would have been off."

"Yesterday" was Syesha Mercado's choice, which she sang simply -- accompanied by a guitar. Randy rated her: "You changed some things around. In my estimation, it was a very, very good performance tonight." Paula said, "It is great to see how you let yourself be very vulnerable. That vulnerability is where you need to be. I would work on connecting more with your eyes." Simon declared, "I thought that was probably your best performance so far. It wasn't incredible, but you chose the best song. You chose the song Brooke should have sung. I liked the arrangement. I thought you sold it well. It should keep you in this competition."

CHIKEZIE put a unique spin on PAUL McCARTNEY's "I've Just Seen a Face." Randy commented that there were some good parts and some bad parts. "I liked it when it went to the fast part. The harmonica was weird. It could be a great country song." Paula disagreed. "I think you are showing who you are. When you sing a ballad, you are so on pitch. You did it again. Two weeks in a row. For Simon it started off okay, but then went downhill. "The harmonica was atrocious, and then it turns into 'Achy Break Heart' at the end. Not a song to be proud of. It was like a lot of different artists. It was gimmicky."

Closing the show was RAMIELE MALUBAY with "I Should Have Known Better." Randy wasn't jumping up and down, but "I liked it. You showed the confidence that is in there. It was all right." Paula rated it definitely better than last week, saying, "There is something about your voice when you sing ballads that lets you show your range. I want you to get back in that zone and show what you've got." Simon told her, "The problem is I like you a lot. You have a fantastic personality. The tracks sounded amateurish. You chose a really mediocre song that didn't show you off."