Behind the Lyrics: Radio Radio by Elvis Costello and the Attractions
Elvis Costello and the Attractions were scheduled to perform “Less Than Zero” on Saturday Night Live in 1977. However, Costello abruptly stopped the song after only a few bars and announced to the audience, “I’m sorry, ladies and gentlemen, but there’s no reason to do this song here.”
He then led the band into a rendition of “Radio Radio,” a song that criticized corporate-controlled broadcasting, which apparently angered SNL producer Lorne Michaels.
Michaels was reportedly upset at for shifting to the unapproved song.
There are discussions of this action by Costello led him to be banned from the show. Costello has since refuted this gossip.
This resulted in Costello not appearing on SNL for almost 12 years.
Fast forward to September 26, 1999, and Saturday Night Live was celebrating its 25th anniversary with a special show that included an array of musical performances. Among the performers were Elvis Costello and the Beastie Boys.
The show kicked off with a musical number featuring former cast members and musical guests from SNL’s history. The Beastie Boys then took the stage to perform “Sabotage.” During the performance, the stage went dark, and when the lights came back on, Elvis Costello was standing alongside the band.
Costello and the Beastie Boys then launched into an energetic version of “Radio Radio.” This time, however, the song was met with cheers and applause.
The collaboration between Costello and the Beastie Boys was a perfect tribute to the cultural humor and boundary-pushing spirit of Saturday Night Live. The performance was a standout moment of the show’s 25th anniversary.
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