Mandy Patinkin Sings "Somewhere Over The Rainbow" | Letterman

A special impromptu performance of the classic.
(From "Late Night," air date: 7/20/89)
#mandypatinkin #somewhereovertherainbow #letterman
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Welcome to the Letterman KZbin Channel, home to all your favorite clips from Late Night and Late Show - as well as conversations with the writers, producers and performers who helped make it all happen. And for those of you who like Miscellaneous, you may very well find some Miscellaneous here.

[@Maggie_Lister]

I still can’t believe David Letterman posted this for me ❤ I’m honored that the story of my father has made it this far.

[@TheIndicarol]

How cool that you grew up with this song and Mandy.

[@gypsygirl58]

So sorry for your family’s loss. I’m glad you were able to connect with Mandy and Dave. Prayers and hugs.

[@user-ee9ti6qe2e]

Just watched you tiktok video and thank you for sharing your beautiful story and allowing us to also enjoy this wonderful amazing performance

[@derekjason4820]

35 years later, I still get chills. OUTSTANDING.

[@_o__o_]

whack sauce

[@joemontgomery860]

Same!!!! Who knew?!

[@anmarsrose]

Same. That last “somewhereeee” oh my heart!

[@dongiller]

Fun fact: There was a followup performance on August 18, 1989, when Paul had since learned and was now fully prepared to play the full introduction with Mandy.

[@prmaninla]

Everything about this i what we miss with late night today. Spontaneity, beautiful, talent, Paul coming through like a champ... showbiz at its finest!

[@norwegianblue2764]

Well said.

[@JesgateOnDown]

...Spontaneity, lol. No it wasn't.

[@fermata5694]

Yes it's an amazing and beautiful performance, but you can't believe this was impromptu. It's called show business for a reason 🤣🤣

[@prmaninla]

@@fermata5694 I don't know... I know a lot of the shows are scripted, but this is old-school Letterman and certainly doesn't look like it to me. Just the way that Paul reacts, that he doesn't know the bridge to SOTR, etc. These are pros after all.

[@dancalkins97]

My two cents: Paul didn't know exactly what was going on at the beginning and the end, and Mandy directed him with verbal cues and his right hand. He'd probably heard Mandy sing the middle part before where he rushes and goes up on the final "Somewhere...". Mandy also generally sings it in a higher key. I wouldn't be surprised if they did that on the fly.

[@mariuquidiello]

He doesn’t need music he is music himself!! OMG what a sonority in his marvelous soft and melodic voice !!❤️❤️❤️💕💕💕💕👏🏻👏🏻👏🏻🌞🌞!!

[@northernbohemianrealist1412]

Magic. Paul Shaffer showed his chops on this one.

[@davidcarruthers9223]

did he ever…..Paul was magnificent, a totally spontaneous and unrehearsed masterful performance!

[@bassage13]

@@davidcarruthers9223 TV is never "spontaneous and unrehearsed." How can anybody be that naive?!?! Yes, Paul is skilled and experienced and talented, but this was planned and rehearsed, just like everything on TV.

[@halwasserman7905]

Unexpected beautiful performances of this sort always bring a welcome tear to my eye.

[@capsfan3940]

This is posted because some young women lost her father a few days ago and this specific performance was so special to them both. She reached out to Mandy to thank him for this and apparently Mandy talked to her and apparently Dave left a message also somehow, but I have not seen that.

[@robwahl6288]

I saw that that Tik Tok video and it was so beautiful. As soon as I saw this was posted, I HAD to watch it. So perfect!

[@FrumpyJones]

This is not the one maggie was talking about. .. look again. It's from 1989, he has a blue shirt and scruff and mentions cher not being there as he starts singing

[@robwahl6288]

@@FrumpyJones You are right. I am going to look for, what I assume is, another performance

[@mkspangenberg]

@@robwahl6288 She was talking about his performance in Princess Bride. Mandy talks about it on his socials. It is very heart warmning. However, I am sure there are probably many people Mandy has influenced with his singing, me being one. I wore this album/tape out as a kid.

[@kaspinet]

Mandy Patinkin Singing Somewhere Over the Rainbow in front of a moonscape. You've made my day.

[@ThePorpoisepower]

Damn Mandy never ceases to amaze me.

[@uselessinventions]

Thank you for sharing this for everyone. I know Maggie appreciates it and her father does, too!

[@808kiker]

OMG this is lovely !! He sounds like a singer from the 30's

[@Alice_Banda84]

I was thinking the same thing!

[@POObumpoopo]

So many people didn't know he could sing... he's a Broadway legend! The Eva Cassidy version is still my favourite non-Judy one but this one is great.

[@sjm5482]

Wow...and how bout Paul, accompanying so effortlessly. Two masters at work.

[@CWILDESC]

Wow! Among the highlights of David Letterman's shows is when Tony Randall would show up unexpectedly? with Mandy Patinkin in tow to belt out a tune (Mandy, not Tony).

[@vowxhing]

Come back, Dave! We need you now more than ever!

[@dukeallen432]

He’s done enough leave him be.

[@softballhumanoid]

This made me feel all the feels. WHAT A RENDITION! It's instantly my favorite version of this song. How perfectly perfect!

[@joshualebowitz]

Such a sensational performance.

[@cherylf.4616]

That was brilliant! *Standing ovation* 👏

[@aprilcraddock169]

Thanks Mr.David Letterman, for bringing this to us.🎉🎉

[@rayhume1971]

Man. I only know him from the Princess Bride and Dead Like Me. I didn't know he could sing even a little bit, let alone like that.

[@susannariera]

He's been a Broadway star since 1979, friends with Sondheim, 3 Tony Awards nominations (if I'm not mistaken) he won once. Some albums released...yes, he can definitely sing. 😉

[@celieboo]

"Dead Like Me" was an underrated show.

[@elizabethlarson9655]

I remember watching this the first night of the broadcast. I've never forgotten it.

[@franneep]

Ahhh. Just splendid! Goosebumps and all.

[@aislinnm6519]

I am in awe of him

[@catflap001]

Thanks Dave and Mandy. this is the second time I've ever seen it. The first time was the first time it was on TV.

[@veritascurat5283]

I've waited years for this. One of the greatest performances ever. I usually go for classical, metal, and punk. But this? Pure beauty. Thank you for sharing it! 🤘😎🤘

[@kstepko]

This moved me to tears! He didn’t even need accompaniment to sing it!

[@jolenehart3434]

You captured my feelings exactly!

[@NHRebelsthoughts]

Such a Talent

[@mannybravo237]

He passed.....out, then his bodyguard carted his body offstage, what a worthy, well done performance, mister!👏🏽🐦

[@teaching_and_learning]

You win the internet today!

[@mannybravo237]

​@@teaching_and_learninghaha, no way jose, that's like inheriting unruley step kids u can't punish😉😉😉

[@uuclmusic2711]

For those who didn’t know he could sing, he won a Tony in 1980 in Andrew Lloyd Webber’s musical “Evita”. Check it out

[@shellyt556]

He has not passed everyone!

[@FrankBenlin]

Amazing. I remember him blasting through the side doors and knocking down a song and going right back out to the street. Left everyone wondering what just happened. Amazing.

[@Av-vd3wk]

Mandy has his own KZbin channel now, go check it out!

[@KayentaMoenkopi]

I didn't even know Mandy could sing. so blown away.

[@gheller2261]

His foundation of his entire career was built on his success in musical theater and on Broadway. He has sung on almost every television series he was part of.

[@KayentaMoenkopi]

@@gheller2261 That's wonderful to know. I look forward to getting to know his work better. Thank you for sharing.

[@mkspangenberg]

@@KayentaMoenkopi Most people are more familiar wth his screen work so don't be so hard on yourself. I first saw him as a kid on broadway and been crying ever since. He is on tour now so maybe you could catch a show if he is stopping nearby?

[@KayentaMoenkopi]

@@mkspangenberg haha. Thank you so much for the information. Sadly, no one comes to my neck of the woods. Its difficult to see big name acts here. Not even if I drive for an hour to get to the show! But I had forgotten, he was in Yentl, yes? He got a Golden Globe for that I believe. Forgive my faulty memory. That was ages ago.

[@petreyarchives]

Hands down my favorite show in Letterman history. I had it recorded on a VHS tape and watched it over and over. Mandy’s performance plus Larry “Bud” Melman as Cher puts it on another level

[@doloresstirone7758]

Just watched Mandy Patinkin in Yentl and I did not know he had such a beautiful voice.

[@melissas9245]

Mandy was on a show called Dead Like Me. I loved that show. He was one of the best on that show. Jasmine Guy, Rebecca Gayheart. One of my favorite shows.

[@mhayes788]

The most beautiful rendition of one of my favorites. What a beautiful voice!

[@user-iv1yi6cz7o]

MY FAVORITE SONG

[@tanyafield277]

Oh Gideon! Inigo, you have such talent!

[@freckledone1073]

AMAZING

[@saxmidiman]

Absolutely wonderful!!!😍😎

[@IlianaMaura]

Wow, the world needs a lot more of this. Made my whole day. Thank you for sharing. What an incredible voice and performance!

[@GabeHandle]

A young Mandy Patinkin looking like Ben Savage. I knew he had a great narration voice but didn't know he could sing.

[@uuclmusic2711]

Check out “Evita”

[@OpheliaDarkling]

This is the strangest most unexpected performance I've found in my feed 😅 Had no idea dude could sing. Nice!

[@MeMeDaVinci]

I forgot just how talented Mandy Patinkin is. Just phenomenal 😍🤩

[@celieboo]

This is so good.

[@SteveMikre44]

Simply blown away...🌈

[@suzanneh.5094]

Can’t get much better than this. ❤❤❤

[@GiuseppeCivitella-go5ih]

An extraordinary voice and a well trained instrument capable of keeping high and low notes with the proper resonance.Many singers don’t ever get passed the initial melody 🎵 There is the rest of the aria which allows the squiggle which you here after the words .He is a true singer .I estimate somewhere around a mezzo tenor.👍

[@GrayGoosePNW]

Wow! Wow! Wow!

[@bbbart77]

I never knew I would miss Letterman, but I can't watch any of them now.

[@amymaude5798]

Thank You!!

[@pennybowers8001]

Fabulous fabulous

[@Lagolad]

Oh holy cow this is amazing.

[@user-eq2dx2jp6v]

Perfect Mandy ❤❤❤❤❤

[@The_momur]

IS. He’s still with us. It’s so hard to tell with Dave.

[@keefriff99]

This was such a weird and random time/day to post this, I had to check just to make sure he was still with us.

[@The_momur]

@@keefriff99 same, fren. The daily Letterman uploads always send a shiver down my spine. That being said, long live Steve Martin, George Clooney, Sandra Bernhardt, Tom Waits, Green Day and the rest of our team.

[@hedwiglover13]

⁠@@keefriff99This was posted because of a woman on TikTok. She posted a video thanking Mandy Patinkin for this performance. Her father is in hospice care and nearing the end and love of this particular performance is something they had always shared. Apparently Mandy saw her video and reached out to her personally.

[@_o__o_]

rip

[@We_Reddit]

You know him from the princess bride, and homeland, and other dramas... But you probably didn't know him for this.

[@johnseroff7434]

i remember that for weeks after Dave would post the money shot clip of Patinkin at climax. It plays in my mind every now and again and I never cease to be amazed that the gruff old guy from Homeland did this.

[@2_thumbs_up_baby]

Lovely

[@Parkyacar]

Fantastic!!!

[@markdreading631]

I never knew he has such an amazing voice!

[@paulc14]

Just, wow...

[@Megan-wf4sq]

This was incredible!!!!❤

[@josephdirvin401]

Thrillingly talented singer!

[@maryblakley3590]

Clicked as soon as I saw it. It's so good.

[@rex-racer]

Hello, my name is Dorothy Gale. You frightened my dog. Prepare to fly (with a broomstick & your creepy monkeys).

[@MusicalBox]

Wow, I remember seeing this when I was just a kid (26 I guess). As magical today as it was back then. What a voice...

[@DanielMcVicarOfficial]

Amazing!

[@LiquescentAdventures]

beautiful!

[@ruthecker399]

love them

[@terryturner261]

Great actor, great singer

[@PugetSoundFlyer]

Mandy was a legend - Will be missed

[@raymondlin8728]

Beautiful 😊😊😊😊

[@medfordjared]

I remember watching this live. Pretty cool.

[@tomsdotter3228]

I saw him do this at a live show, without accompaniment. The audience gave him a standing ovation.

[@lxjkob]

Inconceivable!! Inigo Montoya!!

[@joshuaspitz1103]

Wow, that was good. Powerful.

[@ChristopherDazey]

This was the first time this was ever sung on the moon.

[@_PrimetimePranks]

Paul and his band can do anything !!

[@nostraa6125]

❤❤❤❤❤

[@MOranstock]

Where do I stand. I dk I just got here myself 😂😂

[@The_momur]

He’s amazing. I’ve only ever seen him in Yentyl.

[@birdman5939]

That was incredible....unrehearsed improvisation....Patinkin must have perfect pitch or got lucky starting the song and not being between the notes.......Kudos to Paul, but that was probably a walk in the park for him...He's a bona fide pro.....

[@bassage13]

Unrehearsed??? Are you seriously that ignorant? Nothing on TV is un ehearsed. Give me a break.

[@GiuseppeCivitella-go5ih]

Paul Schrader with hair ! Wow!

[@user-eq2dx2jp6v]

😂😂😂❤❤❤❤❤ dear daaaaaaaveeeeeeeeeee and all ❤❤❤❤❤❤

[@user-eq2dx2jp6v]

Dave, I have 2 words with you later 😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂

[@ronsandlin9618]

I’m welling up.

[@informedchoice2249]

NIce.

[@moniemaker27]

Can we get when he and Tony robins stopped by for Dixie melody

[@AndrewYeagerBuckley]

It looks like he's singing from the surface of the moon

[@lalouvesolitaire1868]

Magnetic and enchanting. Beautiful singing voice. Very handsome man too. He still is sexy. You can see he is intelligent and a perfectionist. I mis him in Criminal Minds……

[@tag_life]

I wonder if this was posted in relation to the Hollywood Reporter article?

[@darlenemyles1155]

Only with Dave!!!👍👍👍

[@tripaffleck]

what the hell is wrong with me. i started sobbing at 3:00

[@gilbertjtube]

Dammit Walter, don't scare me like that. I didn't see this when it was first posted, so of course, I had to find out why and 😢😢😢😢😢. Thanks.

[@cjsparkster]

Didn’t Dave use a clip from this as his “pencil-through-the-window” sound effect for a while afterwards?

[@mezziestarr]

Pass the tissues...

[@pauljritter67]

🌈💖🌈

[@kstepko]

This song is so much more meaningful to me since learning that the writers’ inspiration had been their parents: Jewish immigrants who escaped the pogroms of Eastern Europe to the United States, “a land they only imagined in their dreams.” ‘The Wizard of Oz’ came out less than two months after Kristallnacht.