Paul McCartney Closes SNL 50th Anniversary With ‘The End’ and Iconic ‘Beatles’ Hits

Paul McCartney returned to Studio 8H in a spectacular appearance for the ‘SNL 50: The Anniversary Special’. Before entering the stage to end the star-studded episode with some iconic Beatles songs, the 82-year-old Beatles legend had just finished a small surprise gig at New York’s Bowery Ballroom earlier in the week.

‘Abbey Road’ songs dominated McCartney’s set, which began with a hazy cover of ‘Golden Slumbers’ and flowed smoothly into the melancholy ‘Carry That Weight.’ When McCartney finished his performance with ‘The End,’ the album’s last song, the audience erupted in cheers. Upon hearing him sing the well-known line, “And in the end, the love you take is equal to the love you make,” the crowd applauded.

McCartney, who has made eight appearances on ‘Saturday Night Live’, has never hosted but has made many cameos in 2006, 2013, and 2015 and has been a musical guest in 1980, 1993, 2010, and 2012. Ten years ago, he also took part in the show’s 40th anniversary special.

Image Courtesy: Getty Images 

Comedians Alan Cumming, Dana Carvey, and Bill Murray have all made several sketches in which they mimic McCartney over the years. Even the well-known rock star has been mocked in lighthearted ways.

Along with a stellar cast that included Steve Martin, Tom Hanks, Scarlett Johansson, Ayo Edebiri, and Bad Bunny, the anniversary special also featured a number of former cast members, including Eddie Murphy, Amy Poehler, and Andy Samberg. 

–Farheen Ali