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| 'Saturday Night Live' logo. Found on Wikimedia Commons. |
On this day in 1975, ‘Saturday Night Live’ aired its first
show on NBC. The show was an overnight sensation, propelling many of its cast
members to comedy stardom and becoming one of the longest running shows in
television history.
‘Saturday Night Live’ has also become a big player in the
music industry. The show has introduced countless new artists and bands to US
audiences and cemented their places in popular culture. Musical performances
have even made for some of the most iconic moments in the show’s 43-season run.
In honor of its 42nd anniversary, Vinyl Bay 777,
Long Island’s music outlet, is taking a look back at some of the most iconic
musical moments from ‘Saturday Night Live’s’ run. Here are seven times ‘SNL’s’
musical performances have shocked the world, made people laugh and made
history.
1.
Elvis
Costello, “Radio, Radio”: Making his American television debut on ‘Saturday
Night Live’ in 1977 with the Attractions, Elvis Costello made quite an
impression. Told by his record label to play “Less Than Zero,” Costello obliged…
for about 10 seconds. He then stopped his band and prompted them to start
playing “Radio, Radio,” a then-unreleased song about the sanitization of radio,
a song he was told specifically not to play. The stunt got Costello banned from
‘SNL’ for 12 years. (video)
2.
Sinead O’Connor, “War”: One of the most hardcore
political statements made on ‘Saturday Night Live’ didn’t even come from one of
their sketches. When Sinead O’Connor stepped in as musical guest in 1992, she
shocked the world by tearing up a picture of Pope John Paul II during a cover
of Bob Marley’s “War.” She was trying to bring awareness to the problem of
sexual abuse in the Irish Catholic Church, but her protest fell on deaf ears
and angered many viewers. (video)
3.
The
Replacements, “Kiss Me on the Bus”: There are only a few artists that have
gotten themselves banned from the ‘Saturday Night Live’ stage, The Replacements
being one of them. During the band’s stint as musical guest in 1986, the band
came out extremely drunk and during their second song, “Kiss Me on the Bus,”
guitarist Bob Stinson mooned everyone who tuned in to the show that night. (video)
4.
The
Blues Brothers, “Soul Man”: The Blues Brothers was one of the most iconic
and successful skits in ‘Saturday Night Live’ history. John Belushi and Dan
Aykroyd performed many times as “Joliet” Jake E. Blues and Elwood J. Blues on
the show, but their most recognizable performance was their cover of Sam &
Dave’s “Soul Man.” It was because of performances like this that The Blues
Brothers became more than just a skit. After they performed several times on
the comedy show, Dan Aykroyd and John Belushi started performing together as
The Blues Brothers in real life with actual blues musicians backing them up. They
even recorded several albums. (video)
5.
Arcade Fire, “Afterlife”: There aren’t many
artists that get an extra half hour special following their ‘Saturday Night
Live’ performance. But while Arcade Fire were promoting their 2013 album ‘Reflektor,’
the band did just that. Following their final performance on the episode
proper, the cameras followed the band as they ran to a nearby theater for a
22-minute, star-studded mini-concert special. (video)
6.
Green
Day, “East Jesus Nowhere”: There are many more iconic performances than
Green Day’s musical performances on ‘Saturday Night Live’ in 2004, but in my
mind none too many that are as funny. Blurring the line between bit and
performance, when the band started playing “East Jesus Nowhere,” Will Ferrell came
out with a cowbell and proceeded to play with them, calling back to the iconic cowbell
sketch from 2000. Rather than dismiss him or get angry, Billie Joe Armstrong
conducts him to hit the bell at the right time so it complements the song. (video)
7.
Funky 4 + 1, (1981): ‘Saturday Night Live’ made
history in 1981 by having Funky 4 + 1 on as a musical guest. Before their
performance, a hip-hop group had never performed live on national television. (video)
These are just some of the most iconic music moments in ‘Saturday
Night Live’s’ 42-year history. Aside from the comedy gold it has produced over
the years, the show has also been a major platform for helping new artists
break through and for more established ones to promote their new music. The
show still pushes the boundaries of comedy and music, continuing to create even
more iconic moments for a new generation of viewers.
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Find music from ‘Saturday Night Live’s’ most iconic
performers and more at Long Island’s top new independent record shop, Vinyl Bay
777. We have thousands of titles to choose from in an array of genres. Browse
our wide selection of new and used vinyl records, CDs, cassettes, music DVDs
and memorabilia in our Plainview store or online at vinylbay777.com. With more
titles being added to our selection all the time, you never know what you might
find at Vinyl Bay 777.
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