From Abbey Road to Studio 8H: The First Member of The Beatles to Perform on ‘SNL’
Saturday Night Live was and remains a home for musicians. Much of the show is based around music, from its sketches to shorts, and of course, iconic performances from some of the best in the industry. Therefore, getting The Beatles to reunite on SNL would have been a real coup for the show’s creator Lorne Michaels. While that wished-for reunion didn’t happen, one Beatle did make his Studio 8H debut in the 1970s, becoming the first of the quartet to do so.
Who was the first member of The Beatles to perform on ‘Saturday Night Live’?
George Harrison was the first Beatle to appear on SNL in 1976. He performed with Paul Simon, singing an acoustic version of the 1969 Beatles hit, “Here Comes the Sun.”
Harrison also collaborated with Simon on the 1966 hit “Homeward Bound,” which the latter originally performed with Art Garfunkel. This November 1976 appearance was the second time Simon performed on the late-night comedy sketch series.
Harrison also appeared on the episode’s cold open, where he confronted Lorne Michaels about his $3,000 promise to The Beatles to appear on SNL. “I’ve come all this way,” Harrison told Michaels. “It’s $3,000. That was the deal!”
Michaels responded, “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. As far as I’m concerned, I mean, you could have the full $3,000. But the network…”
Michaels then offered $250 to Harrison for introducing the show. He did, opening the episode with, “Live from New York, it’s Saturday Night!”
What other members of The Beatles performed on ‘SNL’?
Only two members of The Beatles performed on SNL. George Harrison and Paul McCartney made their Studio 8H appearances in 1976 and 1980.
McCartney’s first appearance on the NBC comedy series was as a musical guest on May 17. 1980. He performed “All-Night Television” and “Coming Up.”
While Harrison only appeared once on SNL, McCartney would become a fixture at 30 Rock. He was featured as an SNL musical guest four times.
McCartney performed “Get Out of My Way,” “Biker Like an Icon” and “Hey Jude,” in February 1993. In December 2010, the entertainer sang “Jet,” “Band on the Run,” “A Day in the Life,” “Give Peace a Chance” and “Get Back.”
Almost two years to the day, McCartney returned to Studio 8H to sing”My Valentine,” “Cut Me Some Slack” and “Wonderful Christmastime.” McCartney was also a featured performer during SNL‘s 40th Anniversary special in 2015.
Did Ringo Starr or John Lennon ever appear as hosts or in sketches?
John Lennon was the only former member of the Beatles who didn’t appear on SNL as a host or musical guest. However, there was a moment when Lennon almost took Michaels up on his cash offer alongside Paul McCartney.
Ultimate Classic Rock reported that McCartney was visiting Lennon in New York City, where they were watching SNL together. They planned to head over to 30 Rock as a gag to collect Michaels’s money.
However, both were reportedly too tired to head over to the studio. Therefore their SNL appearance never materialized.
Ringo Starr did appear on SNL, but not as a musical guest. He hosted the series in December 1984 and appeared in several hilarious sketches.
As SNL approaches its 50th anniversary, Paul McCartney, 82, and Ringo Starr, 84, are the only surviving members of The Beatles. John Lennon died in December 1981 and George Harrison in November 2001.
