Carrie: I grew up in Checotah, lived there my whole life. It's just a very small town. We have one stop light. There's just really not that much stuff that city folk would... (laughs) ...would enjoy doing where I'm from, but we make do. (laughs) ...Life on the farm is pretty simple. Whenever my dad needs help in the mornings, I'll get up real early and help him go feed the cows or put out hay, or if they get out, I'll help him put 'em back in. When I was little, you know, I would actually go sing to my cows. (laughs)
Carole (Carrie's Mom): This is the only place that she's ever lived in her whole life, and so, you know, it's just... it's just home! Carrie: I'm the baby of the family. There was such a big age gap between me and my sisters. You know, they had each other while I had my mom!
Carole: Carrie is a very good person inside. She... I think she probably loves animals more than she does people. Carrie: (Picking up her pussy-cat) You're the lady, huh... huh! (Carrie makes out to kiss her cat on the face - we see more footage of her stroking a tiny rabbit!)
Carole: But she's kind. She's loving...and... (choking up) she's a very good daughter!
Panel-Bites:
Carrie sings...
Randy Jackson: Yo! Wow! ... Okay... the good part for me is that I's glad... I'm glad to see you return to like your country roots. You know, 'Martina', that whole song, you had a good time. I like the guitar, the fiddle jumping off. That was hot. Performance-wise, pitch-wise... I don't know. I never felt like you quite got on with where the singers and the band was, in the right key. It's like... you were just under almost like the whole song. I don't know, it's just never quite caught on. (Audience boos - Carrie smiles) ...It's true. It's true. I don't know, when you listen back to it, you'll... you'll see what I mean. When you hit the chorus, it was kind of there, but then it slipped back... I don't know. I... It was a little weird for me.
Paula Abdul: It did sound a little bit...(Audience jeers) ...It's a great thing that you have so many fans, Carrie... (Carrie laughs) ...'cause you do. Ahm, at this stage of the game, I think that you need to pick songs that both celebrate your strong vocals and show your personality. I think this song did show the fact that you love singing country music, and it was great to see you smile. But I think it kind of threw away your... the way you have great vocals. And I... I didn't feel that. (Groans)
Randy Jackson: Cowell?
Simon Cowell: I don't think anything you say is going to make much difference tonight, to be honest with you. (Simon grins a little) Mind you, that applies to every week. (Paula laughs, Randy laughs.) And I'll tell you why, because last week you were completely out of kilter. It sounded like somebody else had chosen your song last week. Ah... this week it sounded like you chose the song. I personally don't understand this kind of music, but I think the people who are voting for you... well, I'm English. Uhm... is, I think they will absolutely love you after that. That's what I think. (Cheers from the audience and a big smile from Carrie.)
Ryan Seacrest: Carrie Underwood doing some Martina McBride tonight... way to go darlin'! Now, in the past, some of these songs have been tough for you to learn 'lyrically'. What's your process now for memorizing the words?
Carrie: Oh, I already knew this one, so... (laughs)
Ryan Seacrest: (laughs) This was a gimme?
Carrie: Yes, it was a gimme. I already knew it...so...