# Best TV musical performance you've seen **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [January 17, 2012, 2:26am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-tv-musical-performance-youve-seen/609760 "2012-01-17T02:26:46Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 4
**Author:** ![fiddlesticks](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/fiddlesticks/32/18129_2.png) [@fiddlesticks](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/fiddlesticks)\ **Post date:** [January 21, 2012, 1:04am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-tv-musical-performance-youve-seen/609760/61 "2012-01-21T01:04:28Z")
God bless the internets that I can bring up this Concrete Blonde cover of [Everybody Knows](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=axnCMV-on9Q) anytime I want instead of it being only a vague memory I have doing high school homework late on a Sunday watching 120 Minutes and being absolutely transfixed by it. ---
**Author:** ![Number](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/number/32/242_2.png) [@Number](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Number)\ **Post date:** [January 21, 2012, 1:48am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-tv-musical-performance-youve-seen/609760/62 "2012-01-21T01:48:04Z")
Well, that version of Everybody Knows is miles better than the one they did for the _Pump Up the Volume_ soundtrack. I’m still a little bitter about the time I went to the record store to buy that CD, only to find their cover on it instead of the Leonard Cohen original. It was missing several other good songs too. ---
**Author:** ![Hodge](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/5f9b8f/32.png) [@Hodge](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hodge)\ **Post date:** [January 21, 2012, 2:35am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-tv-musical-performance-youve-seen/609760/63 "2012-01-21T02:35:16Z")
> [@MadTheSwine](#): > > This was posted here a few years ago, the day after it aired(Don’t remember by who). > > [http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2\_NVsPM87eI](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2_NVsPM87eI) > > Nicole Atkins on Letterman. I like the posters Intro-Roy Orbison as a chick, fronting a band of elves. 😉 > [@Kelby](#): > > I think I’m in love… Hands off, I was there first. I bought that CD solely because of that Letterman clip and the rest of it is just as good. Her latest release, “Mondo Amore” from last year, also kicks ass with a harder 70s rock edge. With pipes like that, it’s a travesty that she’s not a superstar right now. ---
**Author:** ![brocks](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/7feea3/32.png) [@brocks](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/brocks)\ **Post date:** [January 21, 2012, 2:51am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-tv-musical-performance-youve-seen/609760/64 "2012-01-21T02:51:39Z")
> [@jjimm](#): > > [This is the performance](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qemWRToNYJY) that turned Adele from star into supermegastar in the UK. I don’t get why she isn’t sued by [Keane.](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Oextk-If8HQ) ---
**Author:** ![Leaffan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/leaffan/32/299_2.png) [@Leaffan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Leaffan)\ **Post date:** [January 21, 2012, 3:11am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-tv-musical-performance-youve-seen/609760/65 "2012-01-21T03:11:36Z")
> [@EinsteinsHund](#): > > First I have to thank the OP for providing a link to the Elvis Costello SNL performance. I read a couple of times about that incident, but never found it online. > > My contribution is another SNL performance, Neil Young’s absolutely wild and stunning rendition of [“Rockin’ in the Free World”](http://www.totallyfuzzy.net/ourtube/neil-young/rockin-in-the-free-world-live-video_ce1b2fe4a.html) from 1989. [Here’s a blog post](http://neilyoungnews.thrasherswheat.org/2005/12/rockin-saturday-night-live.html) providing some background to the performance, in which it is referred to as “one of the most intense live television studio performances ever”. Funny. When I read the OP title I was going to suggest this Neil Young appearance. I saw it when it was originally broadcast. I’ve always liked Neil Young and this just blew me away. ---
**Author:** ![Boyo\_Jim](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/87869e/32.png) [@Boyo\_Jim](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Boyo_Jim)\ **Post date:** [January 21, 2012, 3:54am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-tv-musical-performance-youve-seen/609760/66 "2012-01-21T03:54:33Z")
> [@minlokwat](#): > > I’ll either get laughed at or flamed for this. > > A few years back on the finale of America’s Got Talent (yeah, like I’m the only frickin’ person who watched it) they had the\*\* Blue Man Group\*\* perform **the Who’s** _Baba O’Riley_. > > I went from, “Well this’ll be stupid”, to “Hey this isn’t too shabby” to “Goddam, they knocked that out of the park.” > > Maybe not the all-time greatest TV performance but one that caught me totally by surprise. > > You can see it [here](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YN-MUx6dg6w) and judge for yourself. This was absolutely sensational! They may have out-Who’d the Who. For my own choice – the concert _Supernatural_ by Carlos Santana and guests, followed closely by _BlacK & White Night_ by Roy Orbison and Friends. ---
**Author:** ![jjimm](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/ba8739/32.png) [@jjimm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jjimm)\ **Post date:** [January 21, 2012, 4:09am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-tv-musical-performance-youve-seen/609760/67 "2012-01-21T04:09:15Z")
> [@brocks](#): > > I don’t get why she isn’t sued by [Keane.](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Oextk-If8HQ) I really don’t hear the resemblance at all, apart from a piano that goes ding ding ding ding ding. ---
**Author:** ![crypto](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/b3f665/32.png) [@crypto](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/crypto)\ **Post date:** [January 21, 2012, 4:24am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-tv-musical-performance-youve-seen/609760/68 "2012-01-21T04:24:39Z")
I will go with [this](http://m.youtube.com/index?desktop_uri=%2F&gl=US#/watch?v=X6P5ecZkKVQ), christina’s 2004 Grammy performance. ---
**Author:** ![crypto](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/b3f665/32.png) [@crypto](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/crypto)\ **Post date:** [January 21, 2012, 4:50am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-tv-musical-performance-youve-seen/609760/69 "2012-01-21T04:50:01Z")
I was going to post as a joke Chevy Chase’s serenade of Goldie Hawn on the worst talk show of all time, the Chevy Chase show. Believe it or not, I could not find it on YouTube so you all have been spared. ---
**Author:** ![Boyo\_Jim](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/87869e/32.png) [@Boyo\_Jim](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Boyo_Jim)\ **Post date:** [January 21, 2012, 5:00am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-tv-musical-performance-youve-seen/609760/70 "2012-01-21T05:00:42Z")
> [@Stink Fish Pot](#): > > I was going to post as a joke Chevy Chase’s serenade of Goldie Hawn on the worst talk show of all time, the Chevy Chase show. > > Believe it or not, I could not find it on YouTube so you all have been spared. Oh OG, I saw that. Atrocious. Didn’t that show just last a week or two? Where’s the brain bleach? ---
**Author:** ![salinqmind](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/3ec8ea/32.png) [@salinqmind](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/salinqmind)\ **Post date:** [January 22, 2012, 1:54am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-tv-musical-performance-youve-seen/609760/71 "2012-01-22T01:54:09Z")
Pink - Glitter In The Air, Grammys 2010. A so-so song, but one didn’t expect to see her doing THAT while she was singing! Awesome! ---
**Author:** ![crypto](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/b3f665/32.png) [@crypto](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/crypto)\ **Post date:** [January 22, 2012, 1:59am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-tv-musical-performance-youve-seen/609760/72 "2012-01-22T01:59:41Z")
> [@Boyo\_Jim](#): > > Oh OG, I saw that. Atrocious. Didn’t that show just last a week or two? > > Where’s the brain bleach? If it was on, I didn’t catch it. I thought they burned that tape, and when I couldn’t find it on YouTube, I thought I figured correctly. Brain bleach! Perfect! ---
**Author:** ![NDP](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ndp/32/55_2.png) [@NDP](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/NDP)\ **Post date:** [January 22, 2012, 4:09am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-tv-musical-performance-youve-seen/609760/73 "2012-01-22T04:09:11Z")
For me, the first one that comes to mind is [The Heavy on Letterman performing “How You Like Me Now”.](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LBhtCT6iduk&list=FL_V350iHBxNXf45DY4-U96Q&index=2&feature=plpp_video) ---
**Author:** ![Jackmannii](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jackmannii/32/311_2.png) [@Jackmannii](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jackmannii)\ **Post date:** [January 22, 2012, 5:06am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-tv-musical-performance-youve-seen/609760/74 "2012-01-22T05:06:04Z")
I still have fond memories (“eh? speak up!”) of an ABC “In Concert” show, circa 1973, featuring B.B. King, the Guess Who and Electric Light Orchestra. I was not a major fan of any of the acts, but they were all on that night. ---
**Author:** ![DonLogan](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/51bf81/32.png) [@DonLogan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DonLogan)\ **Post date:** [January 22, 2012, 1:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-tv-musical-performance-youve-seen/609760/75 "2012-01-22T13:35:39Z")
Gwen Stefani jumping on Letterman’s desk impressed the hell out of me, although in my memory it was a different song, and she was standing singing right in his face. [![]( " - YouTube") ](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tafSynVsRq) U2’s video of the ZooTV show in Sydney is by light years the best perfomance/TV production of a concert I’ve ever seen. ---
**Author:** ![lisiate](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/f05b48/32.png) [@lisiate](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/lisiate)\ **Post date:** [January 22, 2012, 9:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-tv-musical-performance-youve-seen/609760/76 "2012-01-22T21:05:22Z")
> [@Novelty\_Bobble](#): > > Later with Jools Holland is pretty hard to beat for the quality of the performances. I don’t know what it is about their set-up but, regardless of the type of act they have on, they always sound their best. Even though you may not be a fan of their work. > > Some classics that caught my attention. > > [Grounds for Divorce](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pM3nrtuRHp4) by Elbow > [“That’s not my name”](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KTulPWcN-gg&feature=fvwrel) by the Ting Tings > ["The Suburbs"](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=npIKkauSVqU)by Arcade Fire > [“Pyro”](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wBpaXEgI0TQ) by Kings of Leon > And something a little less obvious, [“The Look”](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wEvoY-ygd-A) by Metronomy. > > I not suggesting these as favourite bands of mine, but I think the show in general tends to give a great live platform. If you can’t sound good here …forget it. Very true, it’s worth watching even when you’ve never heard of any of the acts. ---
**Author:** ![Mixolydian](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/da6949/32.png) [@Mixolydian](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mixolydian)\ **Post date:** [January 27, 2012, 4:37am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-tv-musical-performance-youve-seen/609760/77 "2012-01-27T04:37:35Z")
I didn’t see it live, but this performance does it for me… [Van Morrison & The Chieftains - On Raglan Road](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cLCYH36ahpE) ---
**Author:** ![cdsilv](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/a9adbd/32.png) [@cdsilv](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/cdsilv)\ **Post date:** [January 27, 2012, 4:53am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-tv-musical-performance-youve-seen/609760/78 "2012-01-27T04:53:35Z")
Josh Groban on Ally Mcbeal, their 9/11 show… [![]( " - YouTube") ](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hRaw8IiL92o) First time I’d ever heard of him ---
**Author:** ![Oslo\_Ostragoth](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/a9a28c/32.png) [@Oslo\_Ostragoth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Oslo_Ostragoth)\ **Post date:** [January 27, 2012, 6:04am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-tv-musical-performance-youve-seen/609760/79 "2012-01-27T06:04:41Z")
> [@DonLogan](#): > > Gwen Stefani jumping on Letterman’s desk impressed the hell out of me, although in my memory it was a different song, and she was standing singing right in his face. > [http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tafSynVsRq](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tafSynVsRq) > > U2’s video of the ZooTV show in Sydney is by light years the best perfomance/TV production of a concert I’ve ever seen. Bad link. ---
**Author:** ![Jim\_s\_Son](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/e19adc/32.png) [@Jim\_s\_Son](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jim_s_Son)\ **Post date:** [January 27, 2012, 8:07am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-tv-musical-performance-youve-seen/609760/80 "2012-01-27T08:07:05Z")
From the sadly defunct “Night Music” show, I flipped when I saw Ivo Papazov and his wedding band from Bulgaria. Seriously, doesn’t that sound like a made up name? [![]( " - YouTube") ](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DLQcknhApjM) [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-tv-musical-performance-youve-seen/609760.md?page=3) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-tv-musical-performance-youve-seen/609760.md?page=5)