David Byrne & Margareth Menezes - Dirty Old Town - Saturday Night Live - 1990

This is a video clip that I salvaged from one of my VHS recordings. I consider it a gem, because there is not too much video footage from David Byrne's "Rei Momo" tour available for viewing. This clip is from a musical appearance that he made on Saturday Night live. I highly doubt this will ever be available on dvd.

The song is "Dirty Old Town" from his crossover "Rei Momo" album. Originially, the queen of salsa, Celia Cruz was the female singer on the studio track. However, for his tour, brazilian singer Margareth Menezes was with him. This is right around the time of her "Eligibo" album.

He had a great orchestra with many different musicians from Latin America and South America. Willie Colon once called David Byrne a "soul-less white man". I have to disagree with that heroin junkie. I think he did a pretty good job, and I think he has done a great job at promoting latin music in general.

Anyway, I hope you enjoy this gem.

Category:

Music

Tags:

• TALKING
• HEADS
• DAVID
• BYRNE
• REI
• MOMO
• CELIA
• CRUZ
• MARGARETH
• MENEZES

[ctizengeorge]

they used to air this song a lot in guadalajara,,, I haven't seen the original video since those days...

[RUHOORUHOO]

@ctizengeorge Was there a video for this song?

[smason22]

Very cool. I recall he also appeared on Johnny Carson about this time and performed "Make Believe Mambo," I believe.

[RUHOORUHOO]

Oh that is cool, I hope someone puts that on youtube sometime. I saw him do all of those songs with the same band in Central Park, NY

[MrNegraMusica]

A rare gem indeed! Rei Momo was a landmark, a cult item for those who believe that the afro-cuban experience goes beyond mambos and cha-chas, but it has influenced all music in a definitive way. I think at the time no one really understood what Byrne was doing. Watching this images, recalling that night of 1990, I see that time has given Byrne all its benefits.

[guenterbaum]

thank you! i have wonderful memories of this phase of david byrne.

[CloneHighArgentina]

Gran melodia!!! tantos años y aun vigente.

[darrenhenderson3]

correction, this aired on 11/18/89

[tons333]

a mi gusto, el trabajo de byrne haciendo salsa tiene un resultado algo melancólico para mi gusto... quizá para estudiantes de música les diga algo más, pero como simple melómano mmm...

[mtbakerstu]

This is truly precious. Thanks for posting! My favorite song on the Rei Momo LP...

[conguero1970]

Thanks! I Taped this to when it came on. All Star Line up!

[paulrv24]

Shame on Willie Colon!

David Byrne is amazingly soulful!!!

Thanks for sharing this song of one of his highly underrated Rei Momo!

[bangzoom77]

Great song.. love it!

[Justbechillman]

somebody should make a movie about byrne's life and christian bale should play him.

[Fdoalcocer]

Wow!!! this is a amazing video, thanks for share.

[skorchedutopia]

Dirty Old Town, to me, is the principle of severity in the immigration issue.