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| ALBUM: |
Saturday Night Live: The Musical Performances, Vol 1 & 2 |
| LABEL: |
DreamWorks Records |
| RELEASED: |
1999 |
It's fitting that Paul Simon kicks off
the first in a series of releases that chronicle the rich musical heritage of Saturday
Night Live, television's most celebrated venue for live music. Simon - a longtime SNL
staple - opens Volume 1 of Saturday Night Live: The Musical Performances with his
1986 performance of "Diamonds on the Soles of Her shoes" backed by Ladysmith Black
Mambazo. This, along with tracks like Elvis Costello's defiant selection of "Radio,
Radio," more than anything create a sort of time capsule, especially for long-time
SNL fans. When Elvis stopped his band halfway through the first verse of "Less Than
Zero," and launched into "Radio, Radio," he created a moment that would leave fans
saying "remember when" for the next 20 years.
In his 1990 appearance Eric Clapton delivers one in a string of beautifully re-worked versions of
"Wonderful Tonight," and Billy Joel brought his angry-young-man act to the small screen in 1978
with a scruffy, vibrant "Only The Good Die Young." Both tracks are album highlights. Also represented
well on Volume 1 are James Taylor (The Secret O' Life), Annie Lennox ("Why"), The Grateful Dead
("Casey Jones"), Randy Newman, another early-SNL regular ("I Love LA") and Lenny Kravitz
("Are You Gonna Go My Way"), who's tight band never disappoints live.
Volume 1 contains a mix of performances ranging from 1977 through 1997, while Volume 2 focuses on
SNL's '89 to '99 seasons. Again, highlights of the disc set musical milestones and display the show's
continuing dedication to showcasing artists and performances as diverse as Nirvana and their raucous,
gritty "Rape Me" (1993), Beck's sedated "Nobody's Fault But My Own" (1999), and TLC's "Creep" (1995).
While there is no video counter-part (yet), SNL fans will find it hard to hear R.E.M.'s "Losing My
Religion" (from 1991) and not picture Michael Stipe's ridiculous and endearing suit made from Federal
Express envelopes.
Saturday Night Live The Musical Performances Volumes 1 and 2 are an excellent beginning to what
hopefully will be a long string of releases. The SNL vaults contain classic performances by artists
ranging from Billy Preston and Carly Simon to Elliot Smith and Ricky Martin. For now, Volumes 1 and 2
will have to hold us over while we anxiously await Volumes 3, 4…… .
review by Bruce Hartley
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©
Figgle 2001-2007