Chocolate Cake - Crowded House on Late Night with David Letterman (1991)

A performance of "Chocolate Cake" on Late Night with David Letterman. This was broadcast July 12, 1991 and features Paul Schaeffer and the World's Most Dangerous Band.

[@justmadeit2]

The talent from these 2 New Zealand brothers is astounding. Split Enz and Crowded House made such good music

[@scottweston4370]

Couple of Aussies too... And we take credit for the Finns too! 🤣

[@neilhobson3624]

It’s mad. I liked Split Enz , Crowded House and the Finn Brothers over the years and didn’t even realize that they were the same people.

[@TheStuport]

Great song.....Great performance....AND....Great fun watching CH plum dumb having FUN!! Cheers All

[@harveylee51]

+The Stuport much better than that creepy vid that use to air I hope those trousers they're referring to hold up !! enjoy the day!!

[@jermed2001]

This is weird af.

[@scneese64]

I saw this when it initially aired...people need to just have a sense of humor about this song...great performance! RIP Paul Hester...you were one of a kind....we miss you!

[@Schimechlyn]

Same here, and I loved it. Didn't know they had a new album and immediately went out and bought it.

[@tastemaker_87]

Got to respect Letterman for always having real musicians on his show...

[@bettyswunghole3310]

*Only* Crowded House could have pulled off such a sublime performance!

[@andyjulia]

This song should have ranked higher on the charts. Such fun!

[@harrodsongs]

This is the first time I've really heard Paul Schaffer really let loose on the keys. wow.

[@shawnuel]

Jason Harrod Paul is absolutely NO JOKE!

[@Freyafeline]

I love the Finn brothers and Crowed House and Split Enz! Lighten up and have another piece of chocolate cake and have a laugh! They have put out some great songs.

[@b1akjak]

I wonder what the Yanks made of this song back then (I love it), it pays out American excess, albeit in a light hearted way RIP Paul Hestor. :(.

[@baantalingngam]

Hester

[@b1akjak]

Yeah sorry spelling has never been one of strongest abilities.

[@JonnyContagious]

I think it did for them with regards to their career in the States. They always operated on the periphery of wide acclaim over there and after this song, and this wonderfully spirited performance, the Americans would never fully take them to their heart. Who cares, right? In New Zealand, Australia and here in the UK they were universally adored. Still one of my favourite tracks.

[@b1akjak]

Yep, always loved Split Enz Mark II. :)

[@harrodsongs]

+JonnyContagious Unfortunately I don't think enough Americans heard this song for it to affect their perception of CH one way or the other. The charts were full of dance/pop like Madonna and Janet Jackson. CH was played mainly on college and indie radio. Too bad. "Woodface" is an amazing record.

[@johnparadise3134]

1:48 “Here comes Mrs. hairy legs.” Paul Shaffer’s keyboard solo!

[@alvinburrell]

Man Will Lee is killing that bassline...superb!

[@jeffwolinski2659]

Absolutely!!

[@michaelcottle6270]

He doesn't play like Seymour - Nick's got a really melodic & innovative style that's hard to replicate.

[@kywomanlml]

OMG. This is AWESOME!! What a find. Thanks so much for posting.

[@mustangley]

Neil Finn - straight up Peter Griffin here.

[@c.mckenna1234]

oh NOOOOOO *hides face*

[@dr.zoidberg4313]

Seriously, they should of worn fat suits. That would have been great.

[@liannejenkins5074]

Yeah, they'd be as fat as you

[@rabbi7933]

@@liannejenkins5074 did this or you age well? Now you’re older and fatter.

[@pretorious700]

CH taking the piss out of American culture. Priceless.

[@JamieMonk]

I stayed 3 months in California in summer 1991 and this was the first time I heard Crowded House. Loved the line "the excess of fat on your American bones will cushion the impact as you sink like a stone" :)

[@mrmichael972]

I remember those costumes from when I saw them twice in Australia, Aug 1991. Byron Bay and Tweed Heads. The Byron Bay show, in particular, was amazing.

[@jacklondon548]

I am a Midwestern American and I used to play this song for my kids while warning them of the excesses of our USA lifestyle. We would take road-trips up north and sing along LOFA off as we sank like a stone...

[@jbj27406]

Paul Shaffer and Will Lee are incomparable.

[@peterkirgan6850]

Absolutely brilliant talks about the greedy people in society!! Like Rupert Murdoch & James Packer who want more !!!

[@ramadarose41]

i still believe that this song is why Crowded House didn't make it popular in the States, sad but true. they are spot on, as far as i'm concerned. i went to a local record store last weekend looking for some CH or Split Enz and the manager said, "we don't keep those albums in stock because they don't sell", so i asked, "well you have Hall and Oates vinyl", to which the manager said, "THEY sell!" UGH!! pissed me off because CH's "Chocolate Cake" speaks of much of America's eating it all up

[@cascade3769]

Having a single making it to number 2 in the U.S is more than most bands can dream of.

[@kevbrown4118]

One of the best bands ever: seen them on the Royal Court in Liverpool many years ago, they where great and the memory will stay with me and my wife forever. Love to all who played with the band. Kev&Jude

[@justmadeit2]

+Kev Brown I was there at one of the Liverpool shows in the 1990s, 20th June 1992 ! Great music playlist on my channel if anyone wants to check it out after :)

[@peterkirgan2921]

My drum teacher was Malcolm Green formally Split enz!!!😮

[@dtmac8461]

My brother stole woodface off me when he was four and it was the only thing he listened to for ages. Even now it's still the only CD he ever wants to play, good taste bro 😉

[@jeanetteeastman1638]

Now Neil has a 4 year old Grandson, Buddy! He's already jamming with Dad Liam and "Pop" Neil!

[@faunoram]

The Finn Bros are on fire on this one !

[@charlesstuart8009]

They had no qualms about taking American money though did they?

[@champ10ns08]

Heck, no!

[@aikidosensei8872]

I read that some people in the US didn't like, or at least, were confused by this song and whether it was attacking the US or not, and that this contributed to lower airplay and ultimately to Woodface being a financial failure

[@JonnyCrabb]

AikidoSensei I'm not surprised by that at all.

[@Schimechlyn]

Must've been alot of truth in the lyrics or they wouldn't have been offended.

[@GrandPunkTrainwreck]

After Trump's asinine "most beautiful piece of chocolate cake you ever saw" statement the other day, I had to post this to my FB. Thank you so much for uploading one of my favourite CH songs & a stellar performance :)

[@brucelamberton8819]

To me this song is Split Enz again

[@Mirrorgirl492]

Definitely the Split Enz of the spectrum, was thinking that last night watching them rip up the steps of the Sydney Opera House

[@brucelamberton8819]

If you mean when they did their "farewell" concert in 1996 I was there :)

[@liannejenkins5074]

@@Mirrorgirl492 you're so wrong, aren't you?

[@Mirrorgirl492]

@@liannejenkins5074 About what?

[@liannejenkins5074]

@@Mirrorgirl492 about everything

[@wenduka7]

Loved this song as did most of my friends. We were all big Split Enz, CH, Finn fans (and United States-ian)

[@mikedeveau7075]

It's not my fave Crowded House song, but it does manage to stray the line of comedy/novelty and biting wit rather well.

[@liannejenkins5074]

Don't bother watching it then

[@flipwright1138]

Great song.

[@markgreene6349]

Absolutely fabulous !!!great version with Paul doing the harmonica lead on keyboards... thanks Dave...

[@kittyblingbling]

I love the Finn Brothers

[@laurak1545]

Their trousers giving me Wiggles vibes

[@peterkirgan2921]

My friend Jimmy always wore purple skivvies! If we were @ a party or bar I'd say wake up Jim!!!!! Lol

[@simfaithguitar1]

I thought the same thing.

[@mikestevenson576]

Tim Finn shows up to preside over the end of Crowded House's viability in the U.S.

[@peterkirgan2921]

The Finn brothers are the best!¡ I've met them through my old drum teacher ĥe was an original before Noel Crombie took over Lol I had 2 tutor's?? Gary Haines & Malcolm Green!!😅😅😅

[@figgettit]

must have been so much fun to sing the fat on bones line ON LETTERMAN TO HALF OF AMERICA.

[@michaelcottle6270]

Whoever greenlit this song as the first single off Woodface made a colossal error. Insulting America to their face was never going to regain the ground lost by Temple of Low Men. Woodface is a spectacular album packed full of great singles - Chocolate Cake is probably the 5th or 6th best song, maybe even lower. If America had bought Woodface in the quantities it deserved they wouldn't have had to push so hard on Together Alone & Paul Hester might have stayed in the band. This one decision probably robbed the world of at least two peak era Crowded House Albums. A real "Sliding Doors" moment

[@johnforde7735]

Bold move singing "the excess of fat on your American bones will cushion the impact when you fall like a stone..." to an American audience. Apparently, this song lost Crowded House the American Audience.

[@GoodMrDawes]

What a performance. National Treasures

[@madjack1950]

What a great band, fantastic song !

[@Rushscored4]

Magic band ❤

[@shaund.2273]

This is an absolutely fantastic performance!!!!!!

[@Gazza72]

The big difference between these two brothers is,Tim thinks he's a superstar where as Neil is a superstar

[@Radagast-]

Surely, only a fat american could take offence at this? And only then if they didn't have a sense of humour!! Anyway, I don't think Neil Finn is terribly bothered about his status as the world's greatest diplomat being under threat... The New Zealand government nominated him (and Tim), for an OBE for services to music in New Zealand in 1993. He commented that apparently there hadn't been a music industry in New Zealand before he came along. The suggestion being that his government was getting on the bandwagon.

[@burnlastsunday]

New Zealand had the Verlaines, the Chills, the 3D's...others. Music scene there was just fine.

[@spencermccullum1]

You're wrong... He said the NZ Government WAS UNAWARE of the NZ music industry... He was not self promoting.. Pls check out his words accurately

[@drexlspivey5828]

The same thing happened when EMF were on the show, there was session musicians doing a lot of the work, why is that? I don't get why the bassist is playing guitar and some random is playing the bass?

[@jeffwolinski2659]

This pretty much was the standard for musical guests on Letterman, they integrated with the house band.

[@jml-rj5re]

Huge mistake as the first American single from Woodface. Four Seasons in One Day or Fall at your Feet are the obvious choices.. Still a great live performance.

[@morrisonAV]

I agree with your statement. Those other two songs are a lot more fun. I don't disagree with the sentiment of "Chocolate Cake" but still..... ;-)

[@kathrynjarlov5166]

Love them.

[@SteveGuion]

OMG! This is so awesome!!!

[@kgrlsd]

Great performance!

[@icanwaitanotherday]

I remember seeing this and LOVING it!!! Great stuff

[@rgclark2129]

Tim Finn really didn’t fit the vibe of the band

[@izziOnBass]

wow! Is that Will Lee on Bass?

[@gonzaloreyes8782]

Finn brothers pure talent

[@DJBiscuit]

yeah, there's no excess in new zealand. brilliant comments below.

[@tesscasebolt2406]

I LOVE it!!! LOL

[@regis387]

These guys were/are sooo good.

[@barttheanorak]

Pity they've been forced to rely on Letterman's house band for most of the accompaniment.

[@liannejenkins5074]

No they don't you're very wrong about that aren't you?

[@howardrobinson4938]

Don't get cooler than that.

[@MaxWaldron]

Concidering the subject matter, l wonder how this song went down in the U.S.A. A bit close to the bone isn't? Albeit true.

[@donnaspears1970]

❤❤

[@bytoriasnowdoggy]

Dig it!

[@vandalorianvandalorian4769]

Artie Fuffkin really ROCKED that organ. The Brothers Finn, Fabulous as ever.

[@carlkermode899]

To this day I never knew that was the same guy who was in TIST. Every day is a school day.

[@deontemerritt91]

I was born in 1991 that is the year my mom graduated from high school I love myself I love there music even "Don't Dream Its Over" classic song from the 80's.

[@woobla500]

This was an excellent live rendition by DA HOUSE...but lol at that guy with the blond mullet.

[@llewellynGS1]

Oddly prophetic considering 2007....

[@ShamayaDevi]

Why are musicians always good looking?

[@flipwright1138]

Paul kicked arse on this.

[@tstruffel241]

This is soooo funny.😂😂😂😂😂

[@erikhertzer8434]

What the hell happened at 2:44?

[@inthesurf0766]

Weird shit man

[@Resenbrink]

great keys by schaeffer

[@mattyboywalker9094]

Errr is that a different bass player ? And is the original bass player playing acoustic guitar. I thought Neil Finn also played guitar

[@johnpomp972]

It's Will Lee on bass. He was the house bass player on the Letterman show. That is Nick Seymour playing guitar and yes, Neil usually plays guitar Looks like they were just having fun and making us of the talents of Paul Shaffer and the Letterman house band.

[@loveiseternity]

The music union meant they had to use letterman’s band or something I recall

[@eronifitiao6660]

Who’s playing the electric guitar?

[@primrose64au]

Excellent.... lol

[@escapemac]

I used to have that Crowded House tape.

[@liannejenkins5074]

I bet you never

[@peterkirgan2921]

I still have got it it's the woodface album

[@kimberlyarlene4094]

Never realized how odd this song is. Weird choice for a single very dated now. 😀

[@liannejenkins5074]

Don't listen to it then

[@stuartcarswell2815]

It's genius... A deserved and clever poke at bloated American capitalism

[@nickdryad]

That was the record company position too. Crowded a House stood their ground. It really summed up the 80’s manifesto of ‘Greed is Good’ and History has shown that it was on the money. Is it dated? I don’t think so. Look at the America now. Not much has changed. So much fakeness now.

[@kimberlyarlene4094]

Terrible choice. People were very patriotic in 1991. Everyone had a yellow ribbon. Wrong single for the time.

[@Lupi33z]

this song would be banned in PC 2018

[@davehib1]

awesome. digging the trippy karaoke vibe. paul hester... the man was a showman. May he rest in peace with some bizarre bongo drums buried next to him. I can't say the same for that guy's blonde mullet. I hope it is in hell.(not the bassplayer - just his hairstyle obv.) hmmm...

[@vid888vid]

Extremely good live version. Wonder if any Republican Americans in the audience were offended? ... Tim looks like he's got some real beef on his shoulders here... I always thought he was skinny - but NOT here.

[@SPLYSsg]

日本に来てください🇯🇵😊🎉

[@asburystantheeighth2786]

Were they serious with that look? Being ironic... Taking the piss?

[@danmccarthy4700]

Seriously? Look up some of the Split Enz videos from the late 1970s when Neil had just joined them. This is really, really tame in comparison.

[@johnpollock3246]

Nothing like the way Neil and Tim dressed when Split Enz were going in the 1970s. They wore make up then.

[@erikhertzer8434]

Tim doing a Tom Jones impersonation with that get up

[@Schimechlyn]

They were wearing the same garb (leisure suits) as on the album cover. This song is from the point of view of lounge lizards, which their decor' mocks perfectly.

[@tosgem]

The performance that ruined and ended their career

[@daynatg6824]

What an utterly ridiculous and completely untrue statement. 🙄

[@MedinaMcKee]

Most awkward brothers dancing ever.

[@kellylee7449]

Trump love his chocolate mud cake