Here Comes the Homeward Bound Sun

 

Paul on SNL

 

February 13, 1993 -- One of my all-time favorite Paul McCartney appearances:  Saturday Night Live.  I have such vivid memories of watching this live. 

Live From New York - It's Saturday Night!

  

Liver From New York - It's Saturday Night!

By Madeleine Schatz

The Harrison Alliance

October/November/December/January 1976-77

 

On Wednesday night (November 17, 1976) Patti and Jennie called to tell me that George would be taping the “Saturday Night” segment on Thursday the 18^th.  Thursday morning after I got to New York I started calling different people and places who I hoped could give me information about the taping, press party, etc.  I wasn’t getting much of anywhere and eventually went to the Hotel Carlyle, where George was staying.  Some people I knew were waiting in their car and asked if I wanted to wait with them, so I got in the car and we waited together.  While waiting, we got out and talked to the chauffeur, but he wouldn’t/couldn’t say who he was driving.  After a while, it became apparent he was driving George though.

After waiting a while, we saw some people leaving the hotel with 33 & 1/3 t-shirts and other promo stuff.  Then around 4:30, we saw George coming out.  Olivia was with him, as well as some other people.  We got out of the car and went over to George.  Someone asked him “do you mind if we take pictures?” and he didn’t mind, so we were taking pictures and people were asking him stuff.  Someone asked for an autograph, but then seeing he was carrying a lot of stuff (including a pair of shoes) and had no hands free to sign, she said, “Oh I guess you could do it another time.”  He was really nice, sort of quiet and shy like he usually is.  He was slowly getting into the car and asking Olivia where she wanted to sit – “we’ll sit in the back” and “we’ll sit in the front” sort of thing, like in Yellow Submarine.  They eventually sat in the back of the car then left.

Our car was facing the wrong way on the other corner, so we had to go all the way round the block to go downtown to follow the limo.  By the time we got to NBC, they were already inside.  We parked there for a while but then figured the best bet would be to go back to the hotel as we figured we’d never get into the taping.  There were a million entrances and an underground garage, and someone inside had told us we’d never have a chance of getting in, that it was for invited guests only.  Before going back to the hotel, we went out to eat.  A little while after we got back to the hotel, the limo came back to pick up some more people to go to the taping.  We talked to the chauffer again, who once again couldn’t tell us anything definite, and then said, “Did you ever think of following limousines?”  We took that as a hint to follow him when left, so we pulled the car so that it was facing the same direction as the limo and waited.  As the limo left, we followed it all the way to NBC, really close.  We managed to park our car fairly near the limo.  Someone in the car had to go inside to make a phone call and while she was inside, NBC people in there were saying there were free standby tickets to see George Harrison.

There were about 25 people there and we joined them.  Everyone was pushing and shoving.  We were all worried about keeping our place on line, as we weren’t guaranteed in, only if there was enough room.  Finally, they said there was room for everyone, and we were let in.  This was around 7:00, and the taping was to begin at 8:00.  The rest of the time they’d been setting up/rehearsing.

We were shown seats in the balcony (last row), but the place was so small it was really good.  Paul Simon was closer to us than George, but George was facing in our direction, so we could see him really well.  We were told that they’d be taping “Here comes the Sun,” “Homeward Bound” and “Bye Bye Love” and that our main problem as an audience was going to be keeping it fresh, applauding each time as though it were the first time.  Of course, that was no trouble for us since everybody was so freaked out that we’d gotten in.  In our section there were mainly Beatle/George fans so we were kinda wild – we were really into it.  The announcer came on and explained what was going to happen, what songs, etc.

Then George and Paul came onstage and sat on high stools with their guitars.  While they were getting settled, George as asking if it would be okay to move the mike out just a bit because the guitar was hitting it.  He said it sort of quietly and slowly and he was trying to move the mike a bit.  Then Paul said could they move the mike because George’s guitar was hitting it, and someone moved it a little, then they went on with getting ready to tape.  It reminded me of “Let it Be” the part when George got the shock from the microphone.  It was such a funny feeling and I said, “Isn’t it a lot like ‘Let it Be?’” She agreed.

When they were ready to start, Paul had to introduce George – “My friend, George Harrison.”  There was an applause sign which came on at the appropriate time but we didn’t even have to look at it, we just applauded naturally.  (In the end, they weren’t even using it, because we applauded twice as much as they need us to!)  Some people in our section were clapping to the music but were told not to do that; it was so difficult no to because it was such a natural reaction to the music.   George and Paul went through the three songs with no mistakes, but then were going to do it again and after that, they never got through it without a mistake.  They’d do the first song and then would make a mistake in the 2^nd one and have to start over again.  They went through mainly the first two songs – I think they only did “Bye Bye Love” twice.  There were cue cards for George during “Homeward Bound” and when it came to the line about “the movies and the factories,” one time he forgot to sing “movies” and made this funny “woops” noise and then said, “You’ll have to put a red line under ‘movies.’”  (Later we sat in a different place and we could see that there was a red line under ‘movies.’)

The best part was the mistakes and the in-between parts.  In between, they had to adjust the cameras.  They asked for requests from the audience and people were calling out all different George songs.  He did a bit of “Dark Horse” and a bit of “She Said She Said,” and even a bit of “Yesterday!”  He did “Rock Island Line” as well – all the way through, with everyone clapping along and having a great time.  Then it was time to start again, and they kept going through the same songs over and over; one of them giggled or played a wrong note or something, and they would have to start over again with Paul saying, “My friend, George Harrison.”  Each time they made a mistake they had to start to form the very beginning.  It got really funny.  We had to applaud each time; the producers of the show were worried about everyone keeping the applause lively but after a while, it got so funny that we were applauding more than we had been at the beginning.

 After a while, they said there was going to be a break and they were going to show films.  They showed “True Love,” “Crackerbox Palace” and “This Song.”  After that they showed little bits on the monitors of what they had just taped, but after a while turned the sound off.  It was quite a long break; some people thought the taping was over and left.  When they were ready to start again, they wanted the audience to move closer together to fill in spaces left by the people who’d gone, so everyone in our section was moved.  We ended up downstairs on the floor – only a few yards away from George but behind him, so we had a great view of his back.  We could see the front view on the monitors, though so it was okay.  we were quite close.  They were warming up and joking around, and George said something about “So where’s the $750 then?”  (his share of the offer to the Beatles)

They said they’d go through the two songs and after that, Paul would do the introduction to the films George had brought.  They went through that over and over.  By this time George looked like, “Oh, we have to do this song again…”  A guy came to powder their faces a couple times.  Eventually, they got everything right but ended up having to do one more “just in case something happens, so we’ll have another one.”  When it was over, Paul and George went to a backstage area.  We weren’t supposed to go that way but quite a few of us did, and we were just standing there.  George walked back and forth a couple times, then went into a room and closed the door.  We were kind of just waiting around, but eventually, some ushers came and very rudely escorted us out via another route.

We went outside and waited. We waited in the car for a while, then went inside and waited in the lobby for a while, went back out – we weren’t sure which exit George would be using, the 49^th street or the 50^th street one.  When there was no one else around, the doorman told us it would be the 49^th street and we cut through the building to that exit.  We waited and waited and finally, George came out, surrounded by NBC people saying things like “clear the way,” “move over, he’s tired,” “let him through.” People were trying to ask him questions, tell him they liked the show, take pictures, as he was going out to the car.  Someone shouted “long live the Rutles” but I don’t know if he heard it or not.  He was sitting in the car watching everyone for a while, then as the car pulled away he waved to everyone out the back window.

By this time, it was quite late (about 11:30) and we had to work the next day, and also figured we couldn’t make it back to the Carlyle before the limo, so we got ready to head for home.

I remember we were saying we all had to be sure and give thanks the following week (Thanksgiving Day).  We had been so sure we’d never get in; we just couldn’t believe we were actually in there.  It was a funny feeling.  We kept saying, “It’s so hard to believe George Harrison was sitting there.”  I’ll be floating for a while!

It's all right

 

November 18, 1976 -  George Harrison (and Paul Simon ) perform on Saturday Night Live and it is George's best television performance ever.   

Harrison and Simon

 

Live From New York ...

 

December 8, 1984

A big thank you to "Brother Michael" for finding this great photo.   If you have never seen Ringo on SNL from 1984, it is worth checking out.   Funny opening scene.  

George on SNL in 1976

Photo by Bob Gruen 

My mind isn't working lately, but I am pretty sure November 18, 1976 was when George and Paul Simon recorded their performance  on Saturday Night Live.   One of my all time favorite performances.    But when I look I see November 20 given as the date.   My memory is all scrambled, but I thought the performance was not recorded live, but two days earlier. 
 

Remember that time when you.....

The Paul SNL Christmas tradition

30 Rock

Who would believe it?

This short story about George on SNL in 1976 is from the Jan/Feb 1977 issue of the Write Thing and was written by Regina Vogal.

Who would ever believe that an NBC-TV employee would stop me on the street and ask if I wanted to see George Harrison tape a television program?   Well, that's exactly what happened on November 18 (1976).  NBC had just disclosed that afternoon that George would not be appearing live on Nov. 20th Saturday Night Live but on a pre-recorded segment to be taped that night to a private audience from 7-10pm.

We decided to go to NBC studios at the end of the taping, but we arrived early.  We started to walk around when an employee told us where George was taping.  the "private audience" was the ground floor filled with NBC personnel and friends.  People were being picked up off the street to fill the balcony, which consisted of about 75 people.   We had missed a good deal of the show, but saw Paul Simon do "Homeward Bound" and George do "Here Comes the Sun" for at least four tapings, along with seeing George smile after someone screamed out "Dark Horse" as a request, and also the time time when Paul Simon introduced one of George's films as CrackerJACK Palace.  About two hours after the taping, George came out and met a small crowd before he left in his limo.  Not bad for an ordinary Thursday night!

An offer the Beatles (almost) couldn't refuse

I enjoyed watching the 40th anniversary of Saturday Night Live this past Sunday night.   As a teenager in the 1990's, I never missed SNL.   As a matter of fact my best friend and I were known as "Wayne and Garth" (with me being Garth) among my circle of friends.   Catch phrases from SNL were part of our daily lives.  One of my happy memories as an early Beatle fan was watching Paul McCartney on live television in 1993 on the show.    I loved the whole "Chris Farley Show" skit with Chris and Paul because how many of us fear that if we talked to Paul THAT is what we would sound like?    I also loved the 'Red-hooded Sweatshirt' song that Paul and Linda did a small cameo on while Adam Sandler sang.   Good memories.

The Beatles have been a apart of SNL history going way back, which isn't surprising because the Beatles, while broken up, were still hot when the show premiered in 1975.    


By 1976, everyone was begging the Beatles to get back together for a reunion performance.   In early April 1976, People magazine had an article about Sid Bernstein  (who wasn't named at the time) offering the Beatles $230 million for a reunion concert.   That is an insane amount of money even today.   As we know, the Beatles turned him down.  

This lead of one of the funniest Beatle SNL moments of all time.   On April 24, 1976,  Lorne Michael's, the producer of Saturday Night Live,  very seriously looking into the cameras and offered the Beatles a whooping $3,000 to perform on Saturday Night Live.  

He goes on to say how the Beatles would only need to sing three songs to get the money.   And that "you know the words, it will be easy."   He also tells them that they can split the money up however they want and if they want to give less to Ringo, that is up to them (poor Ringo...always the butt of every joke!).     He shows the camera the check from NBC made out to the Beatles for $3,000 to show that he is indeed serious about this.

For the millions of people watching the show at home, especially the big time Beatle fans, this was hilarious.   But we didn't know until an interview in 1980 that two special fans were watching as well.   John Lennon and Paul McCartney were together that night in 1976 in the Dakota and they were watching SNL on T.V.    John explains in the famous Playboy interview:

PLAYBOY: "Aside from the millions you've been offered for a reunion concert, how did you feel about producer Lorne Michaels' generous offer of $3200 for appearing together on 'Saturday Night Live' a few years ago?"
LENNON: "Oh, yeah. Paul and I were together watching that show. He was visiting us at our place in the Dakota. We were watching it and almost went down to the studio, just as a gag. We nearly got into a cab, but we were actually too tired."
PLAYBOY: "How did you and Paul happen to be watching TV together?"
LENNON: "That was a period when Paul just kept turning up at our door with a guitar. I would let him in, but finally I said to him, 'Please call before you come over. It's not 1956 and turning up at the door isn't the same anymore. You know, just give me a ring.' He was upset by that, but I didn't mean it badly. I just meant that I was taking care of a baby all day and some guy turns up at the door... But, anyway, back on that night, he and Linda walked in and he and I were just sitting there, watching the show, and we went, 'Ha-ha, wouldn't it be funny if we went down?' but we didn't."
PLAYBOY: "Was that the last time you saw Paul?"
LENNON: "Yes, but I didn't mean it like that."

The thought that John and Paul saw this funny skit live on TV totally blows my mind!   And that a discussion was had about going down to the studio?!    Of course in 2000 a film called Two of Us, tells the story of what would happen if they did go down to the studio that night (I have never see it, so I have no thoughts on it).

But the gag did not end there.   On November 20, 1976 George Harrison was a musical guest on Saturday Night Live.    At the beginning you see George and Lorne talking and they are saying,

 Lorne Michaels: ..I mean, how do you think I feel? I feel terrible about it!

George Harrison: You're saying that now. I've come all this way. It's $3,000, that was the deal!

Lorne Michaels: I understand. But it was just one of those mix-ups. I mean, it's..

Then there is some dialogue with Paul Simon and it goes back at the end  to George and Lorne's discussion:

George Harrison: Fine, I'll tell you one thing, you ought to get in straigt in the future, you know..?

Lorne Michaels: If you don't go on tonight, it'll break his heart. You see, I thought that you would understand, you know, that it was $3,000 for four people, that it would just be $750 for each of you. I mean, as far as I'm concerned, I mean, you could have the full $3,000. But the network..

George Harrison: It's pretty chincy..

Lorne Michaels: Well, I'll tell you what. I know there's $250 available for the opening, for the person who says "Live, from New York, it's Saturday Night".

George Harrison: [ smiles excitedly, and turns to the camera ] "Live, from New York, it's Saturday Night!"

Fast forward now to February 13, 1993 and Paul McCartney is on SNL as the musical guest.   Similar to the George Harrison sketch in 1976, Paul and Lorne are in the hallway talking.    They are saying,

 Lorne Michaels: I just assumed George would have given you the money..

Paul McCartney: No, I-I never even heard from George..

Lorne Michaels: I mean, I can't be responsible for that. I mean, he said that he would take care of the band.. [ notices Alec enter ] Ah! Alec, how's it going?

So the joke from 1976 has not been forgotten and it is remembered from Beatle fan as one of the funniest Beatle television moments.  


Much of the information came from
 http://snltranscripts.jt.org/
http://www.beatlesinterviews.org/db1980.jlpb.beatles.html

Ringo on SNL

Fun Fact:  Ringo Starr is the only Beatle to have hosted Saturday Night Live.   George and Paul both appeared as performers, and Paul did a few skits, but Ringo was the only one to host the show.   It was on December 8, 1984.    This photo was taken during a rehearsal for the show.  

Sleep in Heavenly Peace

I hope that most of you were able to see Paul McCartney on Saturday night Live last night.  I found it to be very enjoyable.  I loved Paul's performance of "Wonderful Christmastime" with the children's choir.   They sounded so good!   And those lucky kids got to sing on national television with Paul McCartney.   They had such beautiful smiles on their faces.   Of course the children's choir earlier had sang a beautiful rendition of "Silent Night" in memory of the children and staff murdered in their elementary school on Friday morning.  

I want to send out my deepest sympathies and heartfelt prayers out to all of the teachers and students at Sandy Hook elementary school.   Those of you who know me, will know that I am an elementary school teacher.   I do not do "Beatles" things for a living (although it shocks me how many people think that I get paid for this and do it as a full time job!).   From 7:15am - 4:00pm I am working as a reading teacher at the elementary school that is down the street from my house.    I am a Title 1 teacher, which means I teach kids who are having some trouble learning how to read.   I have small group of Kindergarten - 5th grade kids in my room for about an hour a class.   So I teach the same age kids as those who go to Sandy Hook.   If I wasn't in Illinois and lived in Connecticut instead, I very well could teach there.   As one teacher said, this was the 9-11 for teachers.   But yet I still love my job.   I love the kids, even when they are misbehaving and do not listen.   And I would do whatever it takes to keep my students safe.   That is what I do.    I have heard people say that schools should be canceled tomorrow, and honestly that thought never crossed my mind.   I have lessons that need to be done tomorrow.   The kids are having their holiday music concert in the morning.   I am so sad and confused by everything that happened, but it does not scare me away from my job.  

I have strong views about guns that I keep to myself all the time.   So  I won't go babbling about guns except to say that things should have changed since December 8, 1980 and December 14, 2012.   And I do not see much change happening.  

Remember that War is over (if you want it).   Take the time this week to mend broken relationships with loved ones, rekindle an old friendship, forgive someone who has hurt you and spread love to those in need of love.   Try to end all of the "wars" going on in your personal life because our time here is short.   You never know what might happen to you or to someone you love.

Sending all of my loving to all of the Beatle fans around the world,
Sara S.

Meeting George

This story was in the August/Sept 1977 issue of "The Write Thing" fanzine and was written by Mitchell Borofsky of Brooklyn, NY.

I know that George was be in for Saturday Night Live, so I went down to NBC on Monday of that week. They told me something would be happening on Thursday. I went down Thursday and waited until 4 in the afternoon, when he showed up. Now, I had never seen George on the street before so I didn't know what to expect. I heard from some people that he had been a bitch in previous years. A photographer told me to go outside and see if a limo had pulled up. Right outside the building was a limo. I heard somebody in it say George, but I took no notice of it. Then a guy standing there with long hair turned around and it was him. I asked him if that was him singing on "I must be in love" by the Rutles, but he said no. I then asked him if he was appearing at some benefit for United Farm Workers, to which he replied, "no but you should go anyway."

I came back at night and was able to get into the studio with my friend Mitchell and club member, Larry Tepper. In the studio George was great. He was kidding around, singing, etc. A sample of his bumour: "Instead of the cameras moving into us why dont' we move into you," or when they were doing "Here comes the sun" for the 10th time he said, "if we do this one more time, it really will come up." Larry asked him to sing "Dark Horse" and he did the complete song for us. Other songs he did that were not shown on TV were "Rock Island Line," bits of "Yesterday", "She said, she said" and "Don't let me wait too long" I saw him downstairs and gave him a Dark Horse t-shirt that my friend Mitch and I made up. He said, "thank you, thank you."