The funniest musical performances ever.

[Blazer]

Okay then humor is important and musicians are no different from everybody else when it comes to having a laugh. Let's talk about the performances where people humor the kind of music they are known for playing, the kind of scene they belong to and most of all themselves.

The Jimi Hendrix Experience covering The Troggs' "Wild thing" at the Monterey Pop festival 1967

The Experience was scheduled to play after the Who's set on the main stage. Those familiar with The Who know that they are impossible to follow in both the intensity of their performance and the sheer anarchy of them destroying their gear. Seeing this as a challenge Hendrix pulled out all the stops but did so in a very humerous way. He played Bob Dylan's "Like a rolling stone" skipping a verse and actually saying "I know, I skipped a verse" and introducing bassplayer Noel Redding as Dylan's grandma. But the big final was a cover of the Troggs' major hit "Wild thing". Where he played Frank Sinatra's "Strangers in the night" during the solo and actually adding even more shtick by changing the line "So come on, hold me tight" into "Suck it to me one more time." He then preceeded to wreck his guitar in the most absurd manner ever thought up. It made for the most hillarious gig Hendrix ever played and his most memorable.

Paul Simon "Still crazy after all these years" live at the Halloween special of Saturday Night live in 1975.

This part performance/part skit came to be when Paul Simon was wondering how serious people would take him if he performed one of his most serious songs wearing a "Special" outfit.

Elvis Costello "Radio-radio" live at SNL

"Saturday night live" is the kind of show that has been planned in advance in detail And with this performance Costello threw everything awry and was banned from the network. But a few years later when the Beastie Boys were to appear on SNL they brought along a special guest. And the stunt was repeated. (but I couldn't find it on Youtube)

[micpoc]

Maybe not what you have in mind, but...

Monty Python's Philospher's Song

[Chuck 909]

Not a musical performance per se. But at the height of the "will the Beatles get back together" mania circa 1979/80, when numbers like ten million dollars were being bandied about by the media. I thought Paul Simon offering them union scale to perform on SNL was hilarious. He was standing there with an NBC check in his hand making his offer. The next week George Harrison is on the show and in the hallway Simon is explaining to him it's for 'the whole band' not just one guy. It was a gag but it was funny as heck. Reportly McCartney wanted to actually do it, show up, all 4 of them and play. I heard John nixed it.

If it would have happened the comedy would have been enormous. The Beatled play and after their songs Paul Simon presents them with a check for 3,000 dollars.

[O- Fender]

[quote=Chuck 909;1041883] Reportly McCartney wanted to actually do it, show up, all 4 of them and play. I heard John nixed it.

QUOTE]

The way I heard it, Paul and John were at John's place and they were watching and wanted to go but were too stoned and couldn't get a cab.

[Chuck 909]

Something like that Too bad, it woulda been great.

[garytelecastor]

Stairway to Heaven by Lynsk Mynyk




The absolute best and finest.

[casterway]

Good on you for posting some vintage SCTV Garytelecastor!

Here's a treat from the same show. They had musical guests too. here's Robert Gordon. Gee...who's that behind him playing that Telecaster???

[garytelecastor]

One more but the best doesn't start until halfway in. Moranis at his best.
Jim Morrison even laughed at this one.



I sometimes find it tough to watch DG vids as it was such a waste of such a great talent. I have learned so much from him and would have liked to learn more.

[micpoc]

A bit before my time (thank you very much), but Ernie Kovacs' Nairobi Trio should probably get a mention...

[Pete Galati]

The Turtles on Mike Douglas - Elenore, The House on the Hill

[dean]

I have no idea why I remembered this one - must be some deeply sublimated flaw in my subconscious . . . or the Ernie Kovacs video. It's all so disturbing . . .



Dean

[Catweazle]

For sheer talent you have to include Victor Borge.

[casterway]

Originally Posted by Chuck 909

Not a musical performance per se. But at the height of the "will the Beatles get back together" mania circa 1979/80, when numbers like ten million dollars were being bandied about by the media. I thought Paul Simon offering them union scale to perform on SNL was hilarious. He was standing there with an NBC check in his hand making his offer. The next week George Harrison is on the show and in the hallway Simon is explaining to him it's for 'the whole band' not just one guy. It was a gag but it was funny as heck. Reportly McCartney wanted to actually do it, show up, all 4 of them and play. I heard John nixed it.

If it would have happened the comedy would have been enormous. The Beatled play and after their songs Paul Simon presents them with a check for 3,000 dollars.

[StuH]

Dana Carvey

[MulliganChebichev]

Foo Fighters - Stairway to Heaven (and yes, Dave knows the words, he's just joking around)

[MulliganChebichev]

Nirvana

[charlie chitlin]

There's a great Elvis performance where he's doing this tender little talking part in the middle of (I think) Only Fools Fall in Love, and he says, "And I'm just standing there....in my underwear....alright....wait a second...let me say it right...." and he starting to crack up.
It's really funny.

[mudshark]

Spike Jones:



Barnes and Barnes:



FZ:

[Chuck 909]

Originally Posted by casterway

Muahahhaa! Thanks for finding that! It jogs my memory now. The previous weeks show Lorne Michaels had offered the Beatles union scale to appear on SNL which was really funny because of the media hoopla and the ridiculous $$ numbers being thrown around at the time, "how much would it take for the Beatles to get back together." I think there was even a TIME magazine cover about it!
So this skit with George really deflated the media silliness in a funny smart-ass way. As if it was a money thing at all :-)


Days gone by.