Bill Murray’s “Nick the Lounge Singer” made a big return for Friday’s 50th anniversary of “Saturday Night Live,” or the “SNL50: The Homecoming Concert.” Murray introduced himself as Nick Valentine before launching into a monologue with Paul Shaffer, ex-SNL pianist and David Letterman’s former musical director, on piano.
“We’re here on Valentine’s day,” Murray told Friday’s audience. “I promise you, it is just a coincidence — the day is not named after me. February fourteenth has been Valentine’s Day for a good many years now, probably before I was even born, I think probably longer.”
The pair were later joined by Maya Rudolph, Cecily Strong and Ana Gasteyer — with Murray introducing the trio as “three of the most beautiful ladies a man could ever hope to meet” — who provided backing vocals in a performance Marvin Gaye and Tammi Terrell’s “You’re All I Need to Get By.”
Murray’s Nick the Lounge Singer character appeared during the show’s third season, when he delivered a very original take on the “Star Wars” theme song in the Powder Room on Meatloaf Mountain. With Shaffer on keys, Nick the lounge singer sings some classics before belting through that “big hit out of ’77!”
“Star Wars!/ Nothing but Star Wars/ Give me those Star Wars/ Don’t let them end/ Star Wars/ If they should bar wars/ Please let these Star Wars… stay,” he sang while entertaining skiiers.
The star-studded “Homecoming Concert,” hosted by Jimmy Fallon, will feature performances by Lady Gaga, Bad Bunny, Miley Cyrus, Backstreet Boys and Post Malone. The lineup also includes Mumford & Sons, Jack White, David Byrne, Robyn, Eddie Vedder, DEVO, Brittany Howard, Chris Martin, Bonnie Raitt, Brandi Carlile, Jelly Roll, the B-52s, Preservation Hall Jazz Band and the Roots will also perform, alongside more recent additions Cher, Dave Grohl, Ms. Lauryn Hill, Snoop Dogg, St. Vincent and Wyclef Jean.
