New York Post reports that "American Idol" star Carrie Underwood's version of MÖTLEY CRÜE's bittersweet ballad "Home Sweet Home" (audio stream available below) is outselling the original — 211,000 digital copies to 181,000, according to Nielsen SoundScan.

"American Idol" chose Underwood's rendition of the track as the anthem this season for departing contestants.

It can be heard every Wednesday night, as the latest "Idol" kid is sent off the show with a video montage and Underwood's version as the soundtrack.

"I remember like it was yesterday," said MÖTLEY CRÜE singer Vince Neil about writing the song, "sitting in the recording studio when Tommy [Lee, MÖTLEY's drummer] came up with the piano chords and I almost immediately started humming."

Meeting Underwood helped Neil cope with letting someone makeover MÖTLEY's signature song.

"Knowing that she was a fan made it a lot easier," said Neil, who will be sitting in the audience of "Idol" tonight during the live broadcast for the first time.

"I've always loved this song," Underwood said in a statement. "And besides being very fitting for 'Idol', to me, the title is also very fitting with animal rescue and finding animals their own homes."

Here is Carrie's Version of Home Sweet Home:



According to Star Pulse, Vince would like a week featuring  MÖTLEY CRÜE songs. As unlikely as that might be, it would be kind of cool to see an Idol contestant singing "90,000 screaming watts honey dripping from her pot."

Tonight (We Need  A Lover) from the same album as Home Sweet Home (Theater of Pain)



Here is a better send off song anyway.