If you missed American Idol Wednesday night, then you missed General Larry Platt as he auditioned in Atlanta, singing his original song, “Pants On The Ground.” It was a good call, keeping General Larry Platt for last, because, as the viewers soon found, there was no topping his performance once it was shown. No doubt the American Idol video will go viral on this tune. Even judge Simon Cowell said he had “a horrible feeling that song could be a hit.” That line alone guaranteed that the video would go viral.
The American Idol judges were joined by R&B artist Mary J. Blige in the capital of the Dirty South for the second episode and the second round of auditions. They would hand out a few less gold tickets in Atlanta (25) than in Boston (31), but the tickets that did go out went to pretty talented individuals, like church singer Jermaine Sellers. However, it was the end of the program and General Larry Platt made American Idol the show to watch Wednesday night.
The General stood front and center on the American Idol stage and like several others before him (William Hung, Renaldo Lapuz, that crazy slap-rapper in New Orleans), he did his thing. And as bad as it was, there was something that was fun and infectious about it. After Simon Cowell asked him the name of his song (“Pants On The Ground”), General Larry Platt explained it was about pulling one’s pants up. He then started singing and dancing. The song consisted of two lines of “Pants On The Ground” followed by a third line that ended in a word that rhymed with “ground.” Then there was an extended set of double rhymed lines that ended back at “Pants on the ground.” For example, the song existed, in part:
“Pants on the ground,
Pants on the ground,
You’re lookin’ like a fool with your pants on the ground.”
Simple. Direct. Strangely catchy.
Before it was over, only Simon Cowell refused to get in on the hand-clapping, foot-stomping infectiousness. Judges Kara DioGuardi and Mary J. Blige were laughing uproariously by the time Simon got the General to stop.
At song’s end, General Larry Platt even did a split. The remarkability of that physical maneuver became apparent when Simon Cowell asked the graying gentleman his age. When Platt said he was 62, Simon let him down easy by telling him that he was far beyond the age parameters of the show (28). He added, “But I don’t think this is going to be the last we hear about you. I have a feeling about you, Larry.”
Before the show ended, Simon Cowell shook hands with General Larry Platt. Randy Jackson even got up and sang along with the General. The lobby of the hotel where the auditions were held sang along in part of the segment. The final montage of video clips showed the various gold ticket winners, the American Idol judges, and General Larry Platt singing or with the song “Pants On The Ground” playing in the background.
Just like “You Are My Brother,” “Pants On The Ground” will become a video sensation. Simon says…
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[...] “American Idol” sensation, General Larry Platt, who swept the country with his catchy song “Pants on the Ground,” was an active member [...]
[...] are available at eBay stores. You heard me right, General Larry Platt’s original song “Pants on the Ground” leapt from the American Idol Atlanta auditions to YouTube where it scored millions of hits [...]