Ryan Seacrest: (Introduction) Chris Daughtry kickin' us off tonight. Check this out...
Intro clip... Chris: (To camera) I think people will be a little surprised to see what I'm gonna do this week.
Chris: (To Rod Stewart in rehearsals) I'm gonna be doin' "What A Wonderful World".
Rod Stewart: Okay, so you've done a lot of "rock singing"... excuse the expression.
Chris: Yes... yes. And ah, this'll be a little bit of a departure for me.
Chris: (To camera) It has so many values in it that mean so much to me.
Chris: (Singing to Rod in rehearsals) ¯ I hear babies cry ¯ And I watch them grow ¯
Chris: (To camera) It's harder for me to sing a song like this, because I'm used to just belting out to the top o' my lungs.
Rod: (To Chris in rehearsals) You did great my son. (Gives Chris a friendly jab) Let me give you a hug. (Back-slapping embrace)
Chris: Thank you so much.
Rod: Brilliant. Well done.
Rod: (To camera) Chris, who was brought up on heavy metal, I think did a wonderful job. You know, this is a break-out for him. I mean I can't imagine Ozzy Osbourne singing this song for instance. No, er disrespect to Ozzy, but it's er, it's a vocal push.
Chris sings...
¯ I see trees of green ¯ Red roses too ¯ I see them bloom ¯ For me and you ¯ And I think to myself ¯ What a wonderful world ¯ I see skies of blue ¯ And clouds of white ¯ The bright blessed day ¯ And the dark sacred night ¯ And I think to myself ¯ What a wonderful world ¯ The colors of the rainbow ¯ So pretty in the sky ¯ Are also on the faces ¯ Of people going by ¯ I see friends shaking hands ¯ Saying how do you do ¯ They're really saying ¯ I love you ¯ I hear babies cry ¯ And I watch them grow ¯ They'll learn much more ¯ Than I'll never know ¯ And I think to myself ¯ What a wonderful world ¯
(Cheers and Applause)
Randy Jackson: Chris. Yo-yo man. A'right so check it out. Check it out. Right. (Applause continues) For every one... for everyone that thought there wasn't another side to Chris. Dude you just slayed 'em man. You showed a sensitive side and it was 'da bomb'! (Cheers)
Paula Abdul: You have definitely proven to this guy... (Points at Simon) ...beyond the two of us and our opinions, you have shown that you are in this to win it. You broke out of any mold that he thought you were in and you did a fantastic job. (Cheers)
Chris: Thank you Paula. Thank you. (Smiles)
Simon Cowell: Well, I have to take a certain amount of credit for that performance. (Paula laughs)
Randy Jackson: Oh, right. Of course! Of course!
Simon Cowell: I'll tell you why. Because I've said for a while that you have to change your style. I think you've proven the point, by listening to me that you can do...
Randy Jackson: Oh, cut!
Paula Abdul: (Still laughing)
Simon Cowell: ...that you can do better in this competition. Chris, I thought it was a 'great' performance. Congratulations. (Cheers)
Ryan Seacrest: (Meeting up with Chris, center stage) Attaboy. Nice. (Shakes Chris by the hand, laughing) Well?
Chris: I'll let...
Ryan Seacrest: You got...
Chris: (Joking) I'll let him take a little bit of that.
Ryan Seacrest: (Laughs) You got rid of the eye make-up.
Chris: I did!
Ryan Seacrest: And...
Chris: And the beard. I got rid of the beard too.
Ryan Seacrest: (Arms outstretched in wonder) All the judges swaying and smiling tonight for Chris. (Gives out the voting numbers) Chris Daughtry ladies and gentlemen! Way to go buddy.