Joe Cocker has recorded it which might be the direction Ben could go in with the gravelling vocals

in x factor parlance any song that has a brass instrument played at any point in the song is close enough to consider it big band

The website says 'by Michael Buble' though. I guess they could still twist it.

Tbh, much of the XF viewing audience and production probably think it's a Buble original in much the same way that they call Relight My Fire a Take That original or If You Don't Know Me By Now a Simply Red song.

Yes I totally agree, but I'm not sure how bothered I am about it.

I don't know that I would prefer to hear OtY perform Begin the Beguine rather than a Jungle Book song, or Stevi perform I Left my Heart in San Francisco rather than whatever he's doing just for the sake of being in genre.

It shows that the mentors/producers have little imagination, but I wouldn't want to hear more songs murdered just so we can say the rules have been adhered to.

I'd rather they do away with themes altogether and just let the acts perform what they want to perform. Let their talent do the work.

"We want to make sure this week is perfect and we really want to show off our vocals and show what we can do as a group." Betsy OTY

It's kind of contradictory when compared to the song they're going to be performing tonight. But let's just see, probably there would be a bit of twist in it.

Summertime (by Ella Fitzgerald) - Yup, a Big Band song.

Lauren Platt
Smile (by Nat King Cole) - Ballad.



Only The Young
I Wanna Be Like You (From The Jungle Book) - Not a Big Band song.

Stereo Kicks
Still TBC!

Ben Haenow
Cry Me A River (by Michael Buble) - Big Band song

Fleur East
Bang Bang (byJessie J, Ariana Grande and Nicki Minaj) - Not a Big Band song.

Jay James
Empire State of Mind/New York New York medley (by Alicia Keys/Frank Sinatra)
-Big Band song

Stevi Ritchie
Mambo Number 5/ She Bangs medley (by Lou Bega/Ricky Martin - Not a Big Band song.

Same as the rest of the themes then. Some curious twisting of an entire genre.

Predictable song choice for Lauren 6 weeks running now.

I don't think she's doing well in the voting. Simon pimping her out like some kind of superstar when she isn't. The public hate being spoon fed.

Can't wait for Stevi and OTY.

The rest, dull and predictable. I absolutely hate Smile and Summertime.

Julie London (original version?). Also Mari Wilson in the 80s.

Get Happy by Judy Garland would have been good, or Mack the Knife. These were both done on Pop Idol by Zoe and Gareth, but have not been done on X Factor I think?.

Anything but Summertime again or Ricky Martin again!

She may not be a superstar to you, but she is very popular, so obvs some people do think she is.

The problem is the public don't realise what and when they're being spoon fed. It all depends on whether they like the act or not. For example Fleur has been given excellent treatment on the show as regards song choices, production etc and in the results shows she is always called early- called first for live shows 1-3, fifth in week 4, and second again last week.For something that's supposedly in no particular order, this is quite a coincidence. Because people like Fleur, this doesn't seem to bother them and they will tend to believe every positive thing about her. So it really comes down to whether viewers are willing to believe what's being presented or not .

For once and for all: Big Band week is just a week with a live orchestra on stage. The judges can pick any song they like as long as the arrangement is in a Big Band style. 'Bang Bang' isn't a Big Band song but it can easily be reworked and performed by an orchestra. I really don't understand why people are getting so uptight about it.

why dont they just drop the theme of the week seeing that there are playing fast and loose with the themes

Big Band my arse, more like what ever suits a certain act is more like it