(AUDIO RESTORED) William Shatner "Sings" 'Rocket Man' 1978

[@TTony-tu6dm]

Paul McCartney was asked about Shatner’s interpretation of “Lucy in the Sky with Diamonds”, and his response works for this as well: “It’s wrong, but it’s so wrong it’s great”

[@juderangel]

I came looking for the legendary videos of Shatner singing, and I came across your comment. Paul McCartney is my favorite artist hahaha

[@braidennuggies]

paul is better than shatner at everything including acting

[@10th_Doctor]

@@braidennuggies Uwe Boll is better at directing than Shatner is at singing.

[@braidennuggies]

@@10th_Doctor probably

[@toby099]

How is that relevant

[@stflaw]

I think we're all missing the truly impressive aspect of this performance; he managed to time his cigarette to the song almost exactly.

[@joecraig6701]

Back then proper smoking was taught in acting classes. A lot of actors did cigarette ads for extra income, like John Wayne and Yul Brynner , both of whom died of lung cancer.

[@olgamurillo4421]

that's a blunt man

[@joshthej3di681]

Kirk was high af

[@DemetriusSorvo]

I don't think that's a cigarette.

[@danpatrick9080]

That's so funny

[@christophercoles4401]

The greatest thing about Shatner's "singing" performances is that you can never tell if he's serious or if it's a goof. That's genius!

[@Shlankyman545]

He’s very serious.

[@christophercoles4401]

@@Shlankyman545 He appears to be but .... I don't know.

[@mvader7188]

Father of spinal tap...

[@christophercoles4401]

@@Koji-888 It was the '70s. Today he'd get cancelled just for smoking.

[@KonElKent]

Per his most recent memoir, "Boldly Go...", projects like The Transformed Man and Has Been are very serious. But he's not above having a laugh, like his rendition of "Tears for Caesar" in Free Enterprise.

[@Matt_The_Hugenot]

I love the way Shatner acts his way through the song, it's like a lesson from your drama teacher on three different ways to interpret lines.

[@Soufriere84]

People always seem to forget Shatner is classically trained. He knew _exactly_ what he was doing in this. I wonder if it was a stealth reference to Freudian personality theory. Or maybe I give Shatner too much credit. :P

[@TheHutchy01]

I certainly had some teachers like Third Shatner but that was due to the vodka.

[@rely9]

Acts?

[@garymckee6200]

Still holds up as one of the truly fearless yet disastrous performance of a song at an awards show

[@jaysonmcewen4056]

Was it, though?

[@colcocon6021]

Check out his rendition of “Lucy In The Sky With Diamonds”. He’s gotta get an album out - he owes it to the people.

[@RobotronSage]

im fucking dying lmao

[@sandraclowdus6549]

FActoid = ALLWAS got the woman. Janas,robot girl, Temtress aliens. got the woman,, Bill.

[@ab8jeh]

disastrous? This is the best version.

[@darkprose]

Nice work. I really don't want to live in a universe where this never happened.

[@ruthchambers8899]

William Shatner holds up very well on the reruns of Star Trek. As a matter of fact, the whole original ST holds up just fine.

[@lfkk4640]

I want THIS version played at my wake! Dressed like the partied out version. 🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣

[@ShipperTrash88]

Me Either 🤣🤣🤣

[@thegiftedone]

My condolences 💐

[@brendansheerin8980]

I lived in a universe where this never happened. So i moved

[@damianjones6666]

This is the pinnacle of human culture. Can anyone top that?

[@crustyferret8956]

The phrase ‘Third Shatner’ really should have superseded ‘Magnum Opus’ by this point in popular culture

[@nerovondoom6298]

We all strive to reach the third shatner level but fail.

[@samwoodson9603]

President Bush, a third Shatner just manifested on the stage of the Saturn Awards.

[@RichC_Youtube]

Yes. There is the 3rd Shatner that's been going all nite & wants to take a road trip to vegas.

[@adderon]

There's a third Shatner in all of us. Polyp-like in nature

[@MichelleAnnM]

I love how the first two Shatners seem annoyed at Party Shatner's appearance.

[@jasonphillips5816]

There is only room for one Shatner on the planet

[@LEGOJediMaster]

@@jasonphillips5816 two*

[@michaelleroi9077]

Because he won't pass the spleef!! Bill was and IS a HUGE cannabis consumer.

[@Slappap]

My ideal t-shirt is a graphic tee of all 3 of them like a 3 wolf moon shirt

[@nickrct]

@@Slappap Agreed...pause at 4:20 and thats exactly the screenshot I would want on my 3 Shatner Moon Shirt

[@user-pp1on4fk7d]

When something is so terrible it's wonderful.

[@imfsresidentotaku9699]

No, just wonderful.

[@DCI-Frank-Burnside]

A lesson for us all. If you think you're doing shit, don't try to improve. Do the counterintuitive thing of attempting to become more shit, it may well turn into gold.

[@sirmount2636]

It’s wonderful. Not bad @ all.

[@imfsresidentotaku9699]

⁠​⁠​⁠​⁠​⁠​⁠​⁠​⁠@@DCI-Frank-BurnsideHow do you know that Shatner thought he was “doing shit,” let alone “attempting to become more shit”? Not to mention, that’s a terrible lesson that this is not teaching.

[@DCI-Frank-Burnside]

@@imfsresidentotaku9699 I was merely echoing the O.P's sentiment in more meandering terms.

[@KrillLiberator]

Oh wow, he really leans into this. It truly *is* glorious. Forever legendary.

[@failinginamerica]

there’s a lesson here about committing to an original idea no matter how insane and ridiculous it seems. this truly is an original interpretation; explains why it’s so controversial, and also why we’re still talking about it almost 50 years later

[@doomguy1001]

1978: Shatner "sings" Rocket Man 2021: Shatner becomes Rocket Man!

[@edwinmalachy]

and after blowing all those CARBON emmisions from that rocket goes on to spew about "saving the earth from "climate change". HAHAHA

[@scottchapman9931]

@@Antsylum Kerosene is a bi product of petroleum. Rocket fuel is Kerosene. You should research the facts before you speak or post, makes you sound smarter

[@Hylianmonkeys]

This is the most painful set of replies ever.

[@edwardcoe7293]

@@scottchapman9931 Sunshine, you really haven't researched this. Aviation fuel is generally kerosene, or similar. But rocket fuel is a bit different and comes in a lot of forms. Space rockets are usually powered by mixing liquid hydrogen and liquid oxygen, the combustion product of which is water. So directly, there is no carbon emission; however, there will be carbon emissions involved in the production of the liquid hydrogen and oxygen, and there is a greenhouse effect of water vapour in the atmosphere (though this is less well understood than other effects. All that said, the emissions involved in the occasional space launch, compared with the vast emissions involved in daily air travel, and road use are infinitesimal.

[@mytube001]

@@edwardcoe7293 While it is true for the rocket Shatner flew on, Blue Origin's New Shepard, it's certainly not true in general. The rocket engine used on New Shepard does indeed burn only hydrogen with oxygen, producing nothing but water vapor as exhaust, but the vast majority of rockets launched throughout history and the most active ones today, burn refined kerosene (usually RP-1) with oxygen. It's equivalent to commercial airliners in terms of exhaust products, being mostly carbon dioxide and water, along with soot as not all the carbon in the fuel reacts with oxygen during the combustion process in the rocket engine. Many rockets also combine kerosene-burning engines with solid rocket boosters, where the fuel typically is powdered aluminium metal which burns with ammonium perchlorate as oxidizer. The exhaust is pretty nasty. The third major category is the hypergolic fuels, often some variant of hydrazine combined with nitrogen tetroxide. Horrible substances when unreacted.

[@ShenanigansBurner23425]

Hearing his dramatic reading of this song changes you. You will never be the same.

[@colcocon6021]

Check out his interpretation of “Lucy in the sky with Diamonds”. You may never recover.

[@Hylianmonkeys]

​@@colcocon6021THANK YOU FOR THE RECOMMENDATION. IM SO EXCITED TO HEAR IT.❤❤❤

[@colcocon6021]

@@Hylianmonkeys My pleasure. While you’re at it, check out Leonard Nimoy’s valiant attempt at “Where is Love”. Epic.

[@levonpoe]

I agree

[@RobotronSage]

@@colcocon6021 LOL

[@ancel4452]

When Third Shatner showed up, I laughed myself into a coughing fit so hard i started aeeing stars and that honestly improved it so so much

[@rokulus7910]

Every couple years or so something reminds me of this and I watch it again. Third Shatner's entrance gets me every damn time.

[@sophiaandre139]

I read your comment as Third Shatner made his apparition. I laughed myself into a coughing fit, too.😂

[@Sedan1973]

The more I see this, the more I think this is the best performance of the song. Comedy aspects aside, he understands the song on a spiritual level.

[@leftifornian2066]

He high

[@garym6315]

That's why I love these Shatner performances - he is treating it as a role he is performing just as he would in any scripted dialogue from an acting role. Singers are more just singing a nice tune and telling a story.

[@BenLewis-ni1zb]

It’s absolutely brilliant.

[@harkavianbalvis6623]

​@@leftifornian2066 as a kite by then

[@guyledouche7939]

It may be the greatest piece of art ever created.

[@Yaaziel]

I saw this live. The adults thought I was crazy that I wanted to watch this show.

[@plaidpvcpipe3792]

Lucky man.

[@CommodoreFan64]

You lucky lucky man! 👍

[@theshapeexists]

I was actually on the moon watching him perform this on earth.

[@scottchapman9931]

@@theshapeexists You must have ben very high at the time. And maybe still are.

[@joe9873]

​@@CommodoreFan64 for the MANGS!!

[@JT_O4]

The look on Shanter#2’s face when Shanter#3 pops out from behind Shanter#1 is priceless. Wait, what?

[@Orion3741]

This clip shows the man's versatility. And at 90, he went into space. Unbelievable life.

[@tamhaswoods9056]

The way he manages to imitate Stewie Griffin's mannerisms is sensational.

[@ericortega1745]

It's amazing how he copied Stewart Gilligan Griffen

[@JayeGkm]

🤡

[@crisgash1179]

Are you serious this was like in the 70s

[@JakeTheComicBookDude]

This was just a year before Star Trek: The Slow Motion Picture.

[@imfsresidentotaku9699]

No, Stewie Griffin was imitating William Shatner’s mannerisms. That was a parody of this.

[@dumbbo1]

Today, October 13, 2021, The Shat Man officially became a ROCK-IT-MAN!

[@lizab.stough9396]

I have occasionally used the term "Shatner!" scatalogically.

[@itsamechrispratt380]

​@@lizab.stough9396 LMAOOOOOO

[@marieaprilgismondi2661]

Shared this today in honor of 90 year old William Shatner being released from the Earth's Gravity and really making his way where no man of his age has gone before. Thanks for the remaster. It's great!

[@dphalanx7465]

Same here; had to experience it again. I'm just amazed that seemingly _none_ of the commentators over the last couple days have referenced this!

[@VooDooMaGicMan81]

All the world's a masonic stage...

[@twelvepetaledlotus1721]

Finally someone who knows!!!!

[@ianguy85]

Technically, because it was a sub-orbital flight, he was not released from Earth’s gravity

[@carollively6008]

Beyond awesome

[@williambarron4755]

It’s a great thing to see someone capable of self amusement at this high of a professional level. In front of the songs writer no less.

[@28toxicdavid38]

He's so powerful that he really split into 3 parts that night. Truly a timeless classic.

[@RagingEggs]

If this was the only thing on the internet it would be worth it. Thank you, Bill. Thank you.

[@kylep120]

Happy 93rd Birthday, Captain!

[@jonnylawless6797]

Admiral, you uncultured swine.

[@Soufriere84]

Amazing audio restoration. Like you said, Shatner deserves no less than your best. His "singing" is a guilty pleasure of mine. Somewhat ironically, the "original" version has since been nuked by KZbin.

[@danieljames1065]

Brilliant! A true Shatner fan can only agree. He knew exactly what he was doing

[@lothre]

This is one of the single greatest moments in film and music history, and i am proud to say, i was there when it happened

[@daviddegraff5137]

I wasn't there, but I had permission from my parents to watch the award show

[@FilmSchool-om3ew]

Question, if indeed you were there, while he was on stage how did they replicate his to other personas? Did they use a film projector or did the audience only see 1 Shatner?

[@raymondboxraymondbox972]

Good job on this. By far the best quality version. God i love it. It's almost as though his belief in how good it is is some kind of madness and we are all just along for a ride around Shatner's breadbasket

[@neilchuckbarnard857]

If you really really think about this songs lyrics and listen to Shatner sing it in the wee small hours then this performance is truly quite a power one. 😇

[@firetrucksrule5383]

Incredible job, always considered this singing of this song one of my favorite guilty pleasures but I've honestly never heard sound so satisfying. Everything was very clear the instruments were much more prominent and Shatner was balanced into the music nicely, very well done.

[@Gterr1971]

That's right folks ! You watched it ! You can't unwatch it !

[@skylergulley3949]

Someone said this should of been a post credit scene in Rocketman movie but with Chris Pine as Shatner

[@Deadeye313]

If chris pine did this, we could shut down the internet. It couldn't get any better.

[@TheHutchy01]

That'd have been the greatest moment in cinema since Citizen Kane

[@uppercutgrandma4425]

bUt hE bELiEveS iN a gOd tHaT iSn'T dIsNEY!!??!!

[@jaycarson9709]

If somebody could get Chris Pine to do this I'm sure somebody with a lot of ca$h, like Howard Stern, would pay good money just for the "it was SO funny I pissed myself" hilariousness of it ! Hell... at this point... I'd settle for a deep fake swap out of Shatner for Pine.

[@Joselitty]

😂😢 I WISSHHH

[@kattrakee]

He’s a Legend !! His talk-singing of other songs as well is unique and so-genius 🌟!

[@maximilian7346]

I love Shattners surrealistic point of Humor.

[@matthewwalsh3399]

Oh please he's DEAD ASS SERIOUS

[@Soufriere84]

@@matthewwalsh3399 He WAS dead ass serious back in 1978, sure. At this point, 40+ years later? He's a bit more willing to poke fun at himself and enjoys trolling everyone.

[@gordons-alive4940]

He was totally sincere when he started doing these.

[@moultriemanicmechani]

That's the special Romulan blend tobacco 😉

[@fshoaps]

This is not meant to be taken as a joke, whatsoever.

[@mvader7188]

He is the MAN. His spoken word version of who's the real shady deserves to be in the library of Congress.

[@wideawake5630]

I thought all published material is there.

[@inglesconalan5360]

The best, the most unforgettable performance of this song ever. I love it. James T Kirk IS the Rock-It-Man!!!

[@IronHorse1722]

I don't think that was tobacco. Also, he must have been a time-traveller. Went to the year 3008 and saw Zap Brannigan in a karaoke bar... the rest is future history from the past.

[@suz6173]

After watching this again, I agree. Looked more like a joint.

[@jameslincoln92]

It was a cigarette, you idiot. Do you really think they would have let him smoke shitty marijuana? Cigarettes are better anyway if you wanna get things done.

[@colcocon6021]

@@jameslincoln92 I assume you have incontrovertible proof it was a cigarette?

[@scottchapman9931]

@@colcocon6021 I assume you have incontrovertible proof that it wasn't a cigarette.

[@colcocon6021]

@@scottchapman9931 Are you for real? Have you HEARD his rendition of “Lucy in the sky with Diamonds”? Come ON!!

[@Lil_____889]

i never thought i would get to see captain kirk from star trek singing rocket man by elton john, but here I am watching this wonderful presentation i love my life

[@KathrynCurtiss]

I absolutely love William Shatner. Grew up watching him in so many endeavors. Fangirling. This is fabulous. Thank you very much for sharing this! (I've never seen it before.) You should share it with him. Especially since he took that trip to outer space.

[@paulpuretz1388]

Magical performance....

[@angelface101ful]

I saw this reference on Family guy and never knew what this was referencing but this is pretty awesome lolol

[@rjh7101]

7 years in and this is still glorious

[@johnvoice815]

Thank god for yt. We'd never get to see these gems otherwise.

[@VS-en4fb]

Thank you so much for this, I listen to this all the time! This is so underrated and a surreal, powerful, amazing cover of a timeless and brilliant song by an actual legend.

[@gondwanalon]

A magnificent mix of sarcasm and droll sarcastic humor. Love it! Can’t stop laughing!

[@MrMalak2k6]

I have been restoring and archiving things recently and this sounds really good! I know it takes work. Thank you!

[@rickricky6421]

This is the video I’ll look for on the sad day when he leaves us for another dimension

[@thegreygoon1699]

He's on the verge of tears on that last "it's gonna be a long long time"

[@TRJ2241987]

It must have blown peoples minds to see three William Shatners on screen at once singing and reacting to each other properly in sync over what started out as a live stage performance in 1978. I don't believe this had ever been done before this and with the television quality of the 70s it probably looked more realistic than how it looks here as well

[@SS-zg6of]

Awesome sir. Thank you for restoring this - first time i've heard it but I know Shatner was a real stand up comic! No sir you are not the man we think you are back home, and it has been a long long time.

[@gabrielleb.2946]

May God bless you for posting this :-)

[@LeScenariste]

Every now and then I come back to this video to restore my faith on humanity.

[@lorddemonoss3945]

Now that is some awesome weed.

[@ulisesvera4025]

This is so raw. Pure genius. Its beautiful, truly.

[@avrilc8715]

This is really good, I heard the original and this is a lot better. It feels like your in a studio without the audience

[@hornsofdio6634]

A true legendary man/persona replication of an equally legendary artist/musician`s work is truly a sight / sound to behold

[@jamesgeis]

It WAS a long, long time, but he's finally going to be the Rocket Man he always wanted to be on October, 12, 2021.

[@CommodoreFan64]

You might want to edit your comment, as it's getting delayed to 10-13-21 due to very high winds.

[@firstlast-nb3tn]

10/13 aliyah day (means going up)

[@worldflutes]

This is brilliant work restoring the audio. I know some might think it's dated, but that arrangement and that band are crushing it. That style was so much fun to play.

[@createmorebiz7652]

I'm listening to this, while watching Bill's flight into space on Blue Origin... Live Awesome!

[@josephboyce4522]

I have watched this video a dozen times, and the more I watch it, the weirder it gets. Truly bizzare.

[@NigelGlycerin]

Brilliant. A beautiful version of a wonderful song. Sung with such depth and meaning. Only Mr. Shatner could portray 3 of life's meaningful moments within a song. Act 1 Reflection with a ciggarete and or vape. Act 2 Sheer determination to be a Rocket Man. Act 3 An absolute fucking rocking it Rocket Man !

[@garyreid2178]

I was 12 when I saw this iconic performance. It is the best performance that I’ve ever seen in any award show before and since. Nothing can beat William Shatner’s performance of Elton John’s Rocket Man. In an episode of Family Guy, baby Stewie gets the honor to perform Rocket Man in the same style as William Shatner. It wasn’t meant to outshine Shatner but it was a reminder of that performance. The Science Fiction, Fantasy & Horror Awards was a dream come true for me because it was an award show for all things sci-fi, fantasy and horror. It is now known as The Saturn Awards. The last time I saw a clip from the Saturn Awards, there was a tribute to George A. Romero’s Night Of The Living Dead. And an appearance by comedian Sam Kinison. Great work on the audio clean up. Bravo, sir!😎👍👏

[@markg9178]

never gets old

[@YASBEN1510]

Something is special in this song. Thanks for sharing.

[@cyberzonie631]

This is an absolute masterpiece

[@mikesmithz]

Now this is art! One of the greatest performances ever caught on film. The stuff of legends!

[@lisas5211]

I'm so glad I have been alive to witness this.

[@LarsTkk]

Thanks for doing the restoration work, I really like this video and song by William Shatner :)

[@sarasmith4412]

This is so great on so many different levels. ❤

[@Doc64]

Pure Genius!!

[@phtewartthmith7157]

I love the old synth sounds. I'm happy to have seen this historic piece of entertainment... now I never have to watch it again lmao. LOVE YOU SHATNER!

[@fluffhead9774]

Thank you Tim. Sending love to Florida ❤

[@niteprowler709]

Excellent restoration and in doing so you've gained a subscriber.

[@pilotgal6191]

Thank you for this...especially on 10/13/21, the day Bill got to see it all for himself. As he said, “I hope I never recover from this.” Way to go, Rocket Man!

[@sammcbride2149]

Shatner, we love you man.

[@DrDoohickey]

So long since I've seen this! Thanks for the restoration. Helps me cringe so much more vividly. Awesome.

[@TheRealKaiProton]

Great restoration, for a Great song, with a great man.. you think Shatner is the kinda person who can turn his hand to anything, and no matter how corny or cheesy it seems it will always turn out amazing.

[@VoteForDemocracy]

Loved it! Lol! Fine audio restoration, thanks for posting. William Shatner! It's been a long, long time. So happy for you! Enjoy! And safe voyage home again. Engage!

[@teresasparks9194]

And I'm gonna be........high................ as a kite. Such a great dude. Anyone else see how much fun he's having???

[@Ajb897]

sheltering at home.. won't watch the news.. need an escape.. what better than Bill Shatner to ease the pressure.. we are all so lucky to have experienced this masterpiece in our lifetime..thank you, and hang in there everybody

[@moonlytunes]

This video lives rent free in my head.

[@Topplethepyramid]

Congrats on becoming a real rocket man mr Shatner!

[@terrencekerelchuk]

Fantastic job with the audio restoration!

[@witeskyn7]

Hey captain.....You finally made it! 😀

[@richwiz2]

What a wonderful job by everyone involved in the production of this terrific video.

[@shoreknightseer3152]

That man is a world treasure!

[@davidwesley2525]

We Must Protect Bill at All Costs. 😅😅😅😅😅😅😅😅😅😅😅😅😅😅😅😅😅

[@SlickArmor]

Well I'll say this you did a nice job restoring the audio. We'll just leave it at that.

[@Streksti]

I’m in stitches….this cured my depression

[@colcocon6021]

It stopped me from killing myself.

[@justinbarber5463]

I love Shatner, had never seen this, absolutely love it. Have missed him on screen since brilliant Denny Crane on Boston Legal. A professional and a character!

[@pamlloydthompson8854]

Live Long and Prosper, Mr. William Shatner. What a monumental day it is that this is the day Commander James T. Kirk launched into space for the first time.

[@adamv4344]

So nice

[@mixmastermurphy]

Oooooh yeah... that's the good stuff.

[@marcuswalters8093]

I got that reference.

[@grandma74107]

I love this😂 you're the man Shatner!

[@BillHalliwell]

G'day Thomas, Thank you very much for this restoration job. Now, one can study the effort Bill Shatner puts into this performance. I know it's roundly written off as kitsch and awful but, no, this is a highly examined, definite and sophisticated performance. Critics should just get a microphone and a sound source and try doing this themselves. It's nowhere near as 'easy' as Shatner makes it look. It takes meticulous timing (which he doesn’t get 100% right - I'd say 98%) to pull off a song like this where you are speaking and the music is played for a singer. Shatner would say he did this because he can't sing, but he's being coy. I've heard him sing; he really can. Anyway, thanks again! Cheers, BH

[@wideawake5630]

Rocket, man. Great prop work not inhaling that cig. I scoffed at this at the time and I see why but I do appreciate it now. Thank you.

[@plaidpvcpipe3792]

Shatner is such a great actor.

[@marysheeran519]

I've heard about this for so long. It really is interesting - and you really don't know if he's serious or not - and the wondering is part of what makes it work. That also sums up the 70s. So fantastic. I think it's brilliantly done.

[@UberNeuman]

I can hear the five shots of bourbon in his voice. lol.