SNL performance - 1976/05/22

[gordon]

Hi folks. This is my first post to the board. I went to see GL perform just recently at Massey Hall in Toronto. (The Saturday night show.) Fantastic.

Last fall sometime, during NBC's 1:00 a.m. (ET) 'Classic Saturday Night Live' repeat slot, they aired the episode with the Lightfoot performances (1976/05/22). At the time I taped one Lightfoot song ('Summertime Dream'), but accidentally taped over it later. Aggh. Does anyone on here have it on tape?? I'd like to arrange a copy.

Lightfoot.ca's TV appearances page describes the appearance like this:

SATURDAY NIGHT LIVE - NBC - 1976

Performed Summertime Dream and Spanish Moss, backed by his full band. At the end of Spanish Moss, Lightfoot and the guys pretend to launch into Sundown, but the host comes out and says he was only scheduled to play two songs, but Gord said things went so well, he thought he'd do one more. Buck Henry then summons John Belushi in full samurai garb, who promptly cuts all of the strings on Lightfoot's guitar with a pair of shears.

I watched the whole repeat, and I only remember seeing 'Summertime Dream,' not the other song or the comedy schtick. But I know that in that slot they usually play the whole 90 min. show, so I must have just missed the other segment.

This appearance was discussed on this board here and here.

Thanks in advance for any help!

[ June 02, 2005, 08:42: Message edited by: Minstrel of the Dusk ]

[Minstrel of the Dusk]

Hi folks. This is my first post to the board. I went to see GL perform just recently at Massey Hall in Toronto. (The Saturday night show.) Fantastic.

Last fall sometime, during NBC's 1:00 a.m. (ET) 'Classic Saturday Night Live' repeat slot, they aired the episode with the Lightfoot performances (1976/05/22). At the time I taped one Lightfoot song ('Summertime Dream'), but accidentally taped over it later. Aggh. Does anyone on here have it on tape?? I'd like to arrange a copy.

Lightfoot.ca's TV appearances page describes the appearance like this:

SATURDAY NIGHT LIVE - NBC - 1976

Performed Summertime Dream and Spanish Moss, backed by his full band. At the end of Spanish Moss, Lightfoot and the guys pretend to launch into Sundown, but the host comes out and says he was only scheduled to play two songs, but Gord said things went so well, he thought he'd do one more. Buck Henry then summons John Belushi in full samurai garb, who promptly cuts all of the strings on Lightfoot's guitar with a pair of shears.

I watched the whole repeat, and I only remember seeing 'Summertime Dream,' not the other song or the comedy schtick. But I know that in that slot they usually play the whole 90 min. show, so I must have just missed the other segment.

This appearance was discussed on this board here and here.

Thanks in advance for any help!

[ June 02, 2005, 08:42: Message edited by: Minstrel of the Dusk ]

[charlene]

I think the repeats are only an hour of the 90 minutes show. The times I've seen it rerun there's only been the one song shown and none of the guitar string clipping.

[Minstrel of the Dusk]

Charlene, perhaps you are thinking of the repeats they show on E! or Comedy Central in the U.S. (and used to show on The Comedy Network here in Canada). Those repeats are always cut down to an hour.

However in my experience the 1:00 a.m. (ET) repeats on NBC are always the full 90-minute show.

[ June 02, 2005, 08:53: Message edited by: Minstrel of the Dusk ]

[johnfowles]

Originally posted by Minstrel of the Dusk:

Thanks in advance for any help!

OK Mof the dusk
I sent you a private message which the system tells me you have now read. Is there any chance that you could respond either with a private message reply or an email to my addy that I quoted??
John Fowles
On a trip on down to wonderland, in love among the flowers
Where time gets lost with no straw boss, tallying up the hours

[johnfowles]

Originally posted by Minstrel of the Dusk:

Thanks in advance for any help!

OK Mof the dusk
I sent you a private message which the system tells me you have now read. Is there any chance that you could respond either with a private message reply or an email to my addy that I quoted??
John Fowles
On a trip on down to wonderland, in love among the flowers
Where time gets lost with no straw boss, tallying up the hours

[charlene]

It's odd that they'd show a full 90 minute show and not the whole Lightfoot appearance. What else do they fill in the time with? The show was originally broadcast LIVE for 90 minutes and if they don't show part of the 90 minutes then I'd assume some of the re-broadcast on NBC would be from another show??? Seems odd to me!

[Minstrel of the Dusk]

Charlene:

I was channel-surfing while watching the show, so I assume that that's how I missed the second song and the 'schtick.'

[Minstrel of the Dusk]

John --

Earlier this morning, I sent a message to the Hotmail account you provided.

Originally posted by charlene:
It's odd that they'd show a full 90 minute show and not the whole Lightfoot appearance. What else do they fill in the time with? The show was originally broadcast LIVE for 90 minutes and if they don't show part of the 90 minutes then I'd assume some of the re-broadcast on NBC would be from another show??? Seems odd to me!

It is my understanding that more commercial breaks are necessary nowadays to pay for airtime. I think I read somewhere that the actual minutes of showtime are about 3 or 4 minutes less than it was 10 years ago. So it's possible that they have had to edit some of out of an older program to make room for the extra commercials they need in today's market.

[Borderstone]

I sometimes watch those Early A.M. repeats and as far as I can say,they show the whole 90 mins.

I recall that scene well though,love Gordon's goofy expression! LOL!

[The Rez]

A suggestion Dusker,

Browse.

I've gone to the biggies (Amazon, et. al.) to the littlies (Wal-Mart and googlestuff)just for the curiosity of what might be available.

I've been pleasantly surprized. I got a DVD of 1939's Wuthering Heights (Laurance Olivier) which other sites said didn't exist. But I got it - cheap - and it's great. My all time cry movie.

Same-same music. You will be amazed at whats available but not publicized. Speaking of SNL, they've repackaged the shows in those 1/2 hour segments mentioned above, but every now and again they've done The Music of . . . thing.

Search as far and wide as you computer will let you. Go fishing. See what you catch. And when you do find it, be kind at let an old '49er know (The Gold Rush yr not the football team.)

Blessings on you journey, grasshopper,

The Rez

. . . the Toad from the Wild Ride

NBC just showed the "classic" Saturday Night Live episode featuring GL (6-12-05 in the early morning). It ran 90 minutes and they showed both of Gord's performances, including the bit where John Belushi cuts off his guitar strings when he tries to break into another song. He performed "Summertime Dream" and then "Spanish Moss." I was glad to see that NBC didn't edit out any of his airtime. The performances were, of course, great. Just letting everyone know that it IS possible to catch the unedited episode; you just have to wait for NBC to show it again if you missed it!

[Minstrel of the Dusk]

Thanks for sharing that. Too bad we didn't know in advance.

[byKimberly]

Originally posted by Minstrel of the Dusk:
Thanks for sharing that. Too bad we didn't know in advance.

Anyone remember what episode # that is? I'd love to get a nice recording of that.
Kimberly

[Borderstone]

I watched it last night too! :D In fact I happened to be up talking to a friend on the phone and I was also changing channels at the time when I saw the beginning of the show with Chevy Chase's comic opening,saying hed broken his legs and such. (Unless he wasn't kidding.)

Anyway,the credits start and Don Pardo announced "Musical guest Gordon Lightfoot!",which it also said on the screen. It's a good thing my friend called me,because I had been about to start watching my DVD of "The Dick Van Dyke show". I would have missed it if she hadn't called!

I have seen the performances before but it was great to see the whole show. Some outdated humor,some still funny (President Ford jokes! :D ) Of course,in May '76 I wasn't even old enough to stay up for it (and I hadn't heard of the show yet. Been me. Later!