# Memorable one-off SNL musical performances **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [July 27, 2002, 5:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/memorable-one-off-snl-musical-performances/121130 "2002-07-27T17:19:50Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![Capt.Spaulding](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/b5a626/32.png) [@Capt.Spaulding](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Capt.Spaulding)\ **Post date:** [July 29, 2002, 1:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/memorable-one-off-snl-musical-performances/121130/21 "2002-07-29T13:59:54Z")
> [@](#): > > I remember Mick Jagger walking on to tthe stage to sing with Jimmy Cliff in the early 80’s. That was pretty cool. Um…wasn’t it actually **Peter Tosh** that Jagger joined? ---
**Author:** ![Sauron](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/ce7236/32.png) [@Sauron](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sauron)\ **Post date:** [July 29, 2002, 2:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/memorable-one-off-snl-musical-performances/121130/22 "2002-07-29T14:01:02Z")
Yet another semi-hijack to the thread … I recall watching a band (I think it was the B-52s) perform in the early- to mid-80s. One member of the band was jumping all over the freakin’ stage, and I’m fairly certain hit his head on an overhead light or mike or something. It made me laugh, although I bet it hurt like the dickens. ---
**Author:** ![plnnr](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/7ea924/32.png) [@plnnr](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/plnnr)\ **Post date:** [July 29, 2002, 3:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/memorable-one-off-snl-musical-performances/121130/23 "2002-07-29T15:10:29Z")
Lilly Tomlin (who was hosting the second show, IIRC) doing “St. James Infirmary” while the entire band was dressed up as a bunch of nurses. Paul Schaffer still had some hair left (not much -he looked a little bit like a monk). ---
**Author:** ![plnnr](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/7ea924/32.png) [@plnnr](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/plnnr)\ **Post date:** [July 29, 2002, 3:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/memorable-one-off-snl-musical-performances/121130/24 "2002-07-29T15:12:30Z")
Also, Chevy Chase (who had already left the show but was returning as the host) playing “16 Tons” with Tom Scott. Chase played Fender Rhodes and sang (IIRC, he played keyboards with a really early version of Steely Dan - way before they actually got off the ground). ---
**Author:** ![plnnr](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/7ea924/32.png) [@plnnr](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/plnnr)\ **Post date:** [July 29, 2002, 3:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/memorable-one-off-snl-musical-performances/121130/25 "2002-07-29T15:16:29Z")
As I sit here and think about lots of these are coming back to me - let’s see if I can make it three posts in a row: Sevaral members of the Grateful Dead appeared as extras on skits during their second visit (1981?). Then, Bob Weir wore a pair of rabbit ears during their performance of “Alabama Getaway.” ---
**Author:** ![astorian](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/ad7895/32.png) [@astorian](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/astorian)\ **Post date:** [July 29, 2002, 4:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/memorable-one-off-snl-musical-performances/121130/26 "2002-07-29T16:20:28Z")
It was Peter Tosh, not Jimmy Cliff. Mick Jagger came on stage to join Tosh in “You Got to Walk and Don’t Look Back.” ---
**Author:** ![Scarlett67](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/scarlett67/32/7387_2.png) [@Scarlett67](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Scarlett67)\ **Post date:** [July 29, 2002, 4:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/memorable-one-off-snl-musical-performances/121130/27 "2002-07-29T16:56:49Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Equipoise \* > \*\* > > That’s rude. Did I come off like a stupid Valley Girl? > > Plus, I realized my mistake and let everyone know so no one would follow in my footsteps. That they did is not my fault. > > People. Damn. > > Eq \*\* I’m sorry, **Equipoise,** I didn’t intend it to be rude. I did notice that you corrected yourself (and thanks!). I just used your example off the top of my (tired, late-at-night-after-a-long-day) head as an example of the type of thing I wasn’t looking for. I suppose I should have used another name other than Kate Bush to avoid the impression that I was picking on you, which I did not intend to do at all. :smack: No offense intended to **Equipoise** , Kate Bush, or Kate Bush fans everywhere. OK? 🙂 As for > [@](#): > > So let me get this straight. Your “Memorable one-off SNL musical performances” thread has been somehow corrupted by all of our unacceptably mundane (to you), albeit memorable (to us), one-off SNL musical performances? > > Excuuuuse meeeeee!!! I never said anything about “corruption,” and I don’t see that I slammed anyone for mentioning something that didn’t fit the type of thing I was looking for. But I did have a certain category of performance in mind when I started this thread – you know, how each thread on the board usually has a specific and sometimes narrowly defined topic? – and it appeared after several posts that perhaps I hadn’t been clear. That was my fault and I apologize (AGAIN!). I do not mean to disparage anyone’s memories – I myself can think of several regular performances that were memorable and special for me, but don’t fit this topic. I don’t mind the minor hijacks – there are some interesting stories! – but I just wanted to clarify what I had in mind. Sorry if that came off as rude. Again, I didn’t intend it that way. I see some other good examples, some that I’ve seen and some that I haven’t – Paul’s turkey costume, Chevy Chase, Lily Tomlin. Thanks for the refreshers, and reminders of bits I hope to catch in reruns! ---
**Author:** ![Jorel](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/f19dbf/32.png) [@Jorel](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jorel)\ **Post date:** [July 29, 2002, 5:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/memorable-one-off-snl-musical-performances/121130/28 "2002-07-29T17:10:54Z")
I’ve got 2: The Grateful Dead explaining the lyrics to “Looks Like Rain” (I am copying and pasting from David Dodd’s GD lyric site): Regarding “LLR” and the line “Written in the letters of your name.”- During the 1980 simulcast of the Halloween show at Radio City, Al Franken and Tom Davis engaged various members in some very funny skits. Garcia, for instance, gave away his “finger, cut off as a small child” to the person who raised the most money for “Jerry’s Kids.” Phil did a travelouge of NYC and told the world that,while Jerry was known as Captain Trips in the '60s, he (Phil) was known as Col. Cunnilingus (a name he reported that Jackie O gave him)! Weir was asked about songwriting and he proceeded to demonstrate that he merely took events from his life and set them to music (Franken rolls out a chalk board and gives Weir the chalk). “For instance, the song LLR has a line about ‘written in the letters of your name.’ That song starts in the key of G, goes to A, then goes to D, then goes to E, and ends on a C-minor. GADEC Minor was the name of this beautiful girl I knew in Prage - the Soviet tanks roled in in '68 and I had to leave town in a hurry.” Franken, amazed, says “So the song LLR is actually about the Soviet invasion of Czechoslovakia? Amazing.” Of course, Weir delivered this whole spiel with an absolute straight face. ([http://arts.ucsc.edu/gdead/agdl/llra.html](http://arts.ucsc.edu/gdead/agdl/llra.html)) Bill Murray -lounge act- singing “Star Wars! If they should BarWars, please let these Star Wars Staaaaaaaaaaaaaaaay” I laugh just thinking about it. ---
**Author:** ![zeldarae](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/z/f14d63/32.png) [@zeldarae](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/zeldarae)\ **Post date:** [July 29, 2002, 6:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/memorable-one-off-snl-musical-performances/121130/29 "2002-07-29T18:01:17Z")
The classic John Belushi suprising Joe Cocker for an inpromptu duet. ---
**Author:** ![Lamar\_Mundane](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/85f322/32.png) [@Lamar\_Mundane](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lamar_Mundane)\ **Post date:** [July 29, 2002, 6:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/memorable-one-off-snl-musical-performances/121130/30 "2002-07-29T18:23:26Z")
> [@](#): > > I remember Mick Jagger walking on to tthe stage to sing with Jimmy Cliff in the early 80’s. That was pretty cool. [My Bad](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?threadid=128036) ---
**Author:** ![plnnr](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/7ea924/32.png) [@plnnr](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/plnnr)\ **Post date:** [July 29, 2002, 7:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/memorable-one-off-snl-musical-performances/121130/31 "2002-07-29T19:01:10Z")
Jorel: That didn’t occur on SNL. That was a cable simulcast. I know because I wrote the piece to David Dodd that you’re quoting from. ---
**Author:** ![Jorel](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/f19dbf/32.png) [@Jorel](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jorel)\ **Post date:** [July 29, 2002, 8:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/memorable-one-off-snl-musical-performances/121130/32 "2002-07-29T20:00:20Z")
Plnnr- Really? That is very cool. I guess I was mistaken. I hope you don’t mind me quoting you. (and that I did this the proper way) I printed that out a few years because the way you described it was so funny. (again, I hope you don’t mind…and I did this the proper way) ---
**Author:** ![Ivar](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/51bf81/32.png) [@Ivar](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ivar)\ **Post date:** [July 29, 2002, 8:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/memorable-one-off-snl-musical-performances/121130/33 "2002-07-29T20:28:46Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by pldennison \* > \*\*The Halloween 1981 episode where the hardcore punk band Fear appeared. John Belushi, a fan of the band had asked the show to book them, in exchange for which he would make a cameo on the show. They brought about 20 slam-dancing, stage-diving skinheads with them, threw rotten pumpkins at the crew, and yelled “Fuck you, New York!” into the mic (although it wasn’t broadcast). \*\* I could swear the bassist for Fear at this show was Flea, currently of the Red Hot Chili Peppers. ---
**Author:** ![FallenAngel](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/5daacb/32.png) [@FallenAngel](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/FallenAngel)\ **Post date:** [July 30, 2002, 1:13am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/memorable-one-off-snl-musical-performances/121130/34 "2002-07-30T01:13:32Z")
I seem to recall Art Garfunkel walking on stage when Paul Simon was the musical guest (late 70s), Paul looking at him and saying, “I knew you’d come crawling back” and the two of them doing either Homeward Bound or Mrs. Robinson. I was 9 or 10 around the time I think this happened, and I’ve never seen it again since; so it may have been a dream or I could have misremembered significant details. Also, I seem to recall Eliot Gould doing a song called “Dear Abby” from an even earlier show. I thought it was weird at the time to see him sing. ---
**Author:** ![Scarlett67](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/scarlett67/32/7387_2.png) [@Scarlett67](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Scarlett67)\ **Post date:** [July 30, 2002, 2:04am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/memorable-one-off-snl-musical-performances/121130/35 "2002-07-30T02:04:05Z")
Was it the [John Prine song “Dear Abby”](http://www.yimpan.com/Songsite/Lyric/index.asp?sid=1526)? If so, too cool. I’d forgotten about the Belushi/Cocker thing. I have a vague recollection of reading that Cocker wasn’t too pleased about it! ---
**Author:** ![dinahmoe](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/8797f3/32.png) [@dinahmoe](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/dinahmoe)\ **Post date:** [July 30, 2002, 2:05am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/memorable-one-off-snl-musical-performances/121130/36 "2002-07-30T02:05:26Z")
Paul and Linda McCartney each sang a line of Adam Sandler’s “Red Hooded Sweatshirt” song. ---
**Author:** ![scotandrsn](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/a4c791/32.png) [@scotandrsn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/scotandrsn)\ **Post date:** [March 15, 2006, 12:36am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/memorable-one-off-snl-musical-performances/121130/37 "2006-03-15T00:36:31Z")
> [@Scarlett67](#): > > Was it the [John Prine song “Dear Abby”](http://www.yimpan.com/Songsite/Lyric/index.asp?sid=1526)? If so, too cool. > > I’d forgotten about the Belushi/Cocker thing. I have a vague recollection of reading that Cocker wasn’t too pleased about it! My understanding is that Belushi pulled this stunt more than once. The one time that I have seen, Cocker didn’t look thrilled, but then he didn’t look thrilled before Belushi even showed his face, so that may just have been Cocker. I also recall reading somewhere recently (it may be the fairly recent book, “Live From New York…”) that Cocker’s band loved the bit, and Cocker said that as long as they’re happy, he’s happy. ---
**Author:** ![scotandrsn](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/a4c791/32.png) [@scotandrsn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/scotandrsn)\ **Post date:** [March 15, 2006, 12:37am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/memorable-one-off-snl-musical-performances/121130/38 "2006-03-15T00:37:39Z")
And for one of my own, I’ll never forget Madelyn Kahn performing “Making Love Alone” ---
**Author:** ![Eve](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/9e8a1a/32.png) [@Eve](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Eve)\ **Post date:** [March 15, 2006, 12:52am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/memorable-one-off-snl-musical-performances/121130/39 "2006-03-15T00:52:32Z")
> [@scotandrsn](#): > > And for one of my own, I’ll never forget Madelyn Kahn performing “Making Love Alone” That was Bernadette Peters, if I recall. Anyone else remember grumpy old newscaster Edwin Newman’s show-stopping rendition of “Please Don’t Talk About Me When I’m Gone?” ---
**Author:** ![Biffy\_the\_Elephant\_Shrew](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/e47c2d/32.png) [@Biffy\_the\_Elephant\_Shrew](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Biffy_the_Elephant_Shrew)\ **Post date:** [March 15, 2006, 12:59am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/memorable-one-off-snl-musical-performances/121130/40 "2006-03-15T00:59:19Z")
Linda Ronstadt and Phoebe Snow duetting on the Roches’ song “The Married Men.” Not so much for the two of them, though they were fine, as for the presence of a dimly visible and dimly audible Robert Fripp, equipped with Les Paul and twin Revoxes, providing a gentle stream of Frippertronics in the background. John Belushi joining Frank Zappa’s band as samurai tenor sax player. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/memorable-one-off-snl-musical-performances/121130.md?page=1) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/memorable-one-off-snl-musical-performances/121130.md?page=3)