Tommy Tune - "Puttin' On The Ritz" (Carnegie Hall)

[@franceshadden4062]

So glad he kept his name Tommy Tune. He was born to be this dancer such a joy, makes a person happy.

[@wiener0schnitzel]

In an interview Tommy Tune himself said that this was his favourite performance. He's right! I love this!!

[@larryhamsing4140]

He was 49 years old when he performed this superbly amazing performance.

[@charynoy]

It's just tap. It's not like he did ballet at 49. Anyone can do tap after a few lessons.

[@jjj1951]

@@charynoy So you're a pro?

[@essexpeter6116]

@@charynoy Go on show us yer pirouette.

[@carlosgustavorubio1332]

@@essexpeter6116 andate a cagar, jajajajajajajaja

[@Biboche23]

Still here in his 80s looking great that man is blessed❤

[@teresajones3967]

amazing performance

[@elizabeths4371]

He's amazingly graceful and this was a pleasure to watch

[@garyk.nedrow8302]

One of the few versions of Berlin's hit that is true in tempo and tone to the intent of the original. "Puttin' on the Ritz" is one of the most innovative popular songs ever written -- and it was written by the same composer who gave us "White Christmas." Those two songs represent a range and virtuosity that few other song writers possess.

[@franceshadden4062]

Tommy Tune born to be what he does dancing, his height, his good looking face, his real name never changed it, God did everything right with him, and we love his talent.

[@amymiller6433]

Nice tapping!

[@aleidaandalexisgarzasweeth2708]

@@amymiller6433 It similar to 1978 song.

[@carolroot379]

@@aleidaandalexisgarzasweeth2708 +

[@kimsmith1746]

I loved him in Hello Dolly...playing opposite teeny tiny Joyce Ames.

[@graziacavasino8884]

@@aleidaandalexisgarzasweeth2708 this song was written in 1927 and since then many sang it, Gene WIlder & Peter Boyle in 1974 "Young Frankenstein" and Taco in 1984 included.

[@richardlevy6410]

Brilliant choreography and dancing! TT is a huge talent.

[@martharichler6672]

My Mum took me to this performance in NYC! I love Tommy Tune! He's a joy.

[@v.dargain1678]

Lucky you . I when I was a kid I wished I see Tommy Tune and Riverdance live .

[@waterlily6543]

He sure is just the most amazing talent

[@AdventureswithFern]

All gentlemen tap dancing with Tommy Tune

[@pamelajordan2890]

Wow this just came up what a treat!!!🕺💃 . 🎺📻🎷🎶🎵

[@stepatmoz]

Superb performance! Love Tommy Tune!

[@REESCOMUSIC4EVER]

This is one of the dopest renditions / performances of this song ever! KUDOS SIR!

[@nataliaputyrina7272]

Как вы правы!

[@mskellyrlv]

I saw Tommy Tune and Sandy Duncan in "My One and Only" in the California Theater, in the mid-1980s. That was my introduction to tap in live musicals, and I've loved it ever since. This is the archetype of the art form. He is absolutely the best, ever!

[@davidluebke6930]

I saw the same play at the Chicago Opera House in the early 80’s with Tommy Tune and Twiggy one week and he following Week with Lucy Arnez(Desi’s daughter).

[@mskellyrlv]

Wasn't it awesome?

[@marionlosquadro9845]

So classy and talented!

[@patriciaotoole5930]

Loved tt he was fantastic. So classy

[@GodsChild4Ever446]

Awesome performance

[@marktombazian6490]

Talent is talent...excellent work!

[@sarahleach9997]

He's so tall but a great dancer and singer.a guy doing something he has passion.

[@Womanwithblackdog]

This is beautiful for more than one reason. First, Tommy Tune was amazing and second, but not secondary, there are 8 African American dancers in white tie and tails dancing brilliantly with him. They say that Bill Robinson wanted to dance in white tie and tails but was forbidden to do so for many years. He was told that audiences wouldn't accept a "colored" performer dressed that way. Where ever Mr Robinson was when this was filmed, he must have been smiling. He was the first to win that battle.

[@mga2899]

Well I suspect that Bill Robinson was also smiling in 1943 when Cab Calloway and the Nicholas Brothers were sporting white ties and tails. kzbin.info/www/bejne/lWnceHqqi7Clepo ...and they were the stars..not the backups.

[@georgelackey622]

Why do people always have to make it a race thing? I just saw a group of amazing performers, period!

[@lamarlatrell5045]

@@georgelackey622 because the lyrics of the song are about rich white people going downtown to harlem to see the black people dance

[@TacosYBurritos8P]

@@georgelackey622 The song itself was created as a "race thing". It is a minstrel show performance. Look up the original 1930 lyrics and movie. The song is about ridiculing/patronising the way black people in Harlem at the time dressed up despite being poor. The original movie/dance routine had black dancers in exaggerated outfits doing over the top silly dance moves.

[@Sndyj457]

@@georgelackey622 oh spare me. Let’s drop the faux “colorblind” trope. No one is and nor should they be let’s recognize our differences and celebrate them. Nothing wrong with that🙄

[@alexcasareno7638]

Beautiful!

[@judypetree2589]

The legs on that man are astounding. Love.

[@laurajohnston5801]

Such charisma and elegance!❤

[@nfergus11]

I'm 62 years old and somehow I either missed or dismissed this guy my whole life...and I really enjoyed the little West Side Story subliminal reference action @ 1:57 (Yes I know, Leonard Bernstein wrote that) that's why I thought the arranger may have done that for their own personal tribute to Bernstein hidden in this particular piece, as well as other tidbits/excerpts serving as references to a few other great songwriters, which you maybe can pick out of this number if you listen, like at 2:40... but whoever arranged this version did an excellent job.

[@AAwildeone]

It's Tommy Tune he's gorgeous!!!

[@maryannsaia9094]

Tommy Tune is a wonderful dancer. My mother and I always liked him.

[@fordxbgtfalcon]

He was already pushing 50 here and yet he slays the dance floor!

[@nataliaputyrina7272]

На самом деле... ЗДЕСЬ ему 50??? 🤔

[@aislinnoreilly]

this put such a big smile on my face :)

[@patriciakimbrell5688]

Love the Music and the Dance 💃♥️💃♥️💃♥️💃♥️💃♥️💃♥️💃♥️💃

[@adrnbail]

Being one of the dancers for years with Tommy, I assure you we we just dancing,It wan't 9 EVEN tommy's original idea and we happen to have the black tuxs from a show we had done for years. How do you get to Carnegie hall...practice. Plactice. Platice!

[@pfeifferpack]

Happy birthday Tommy!

[@lusindadionne9941]

Tommy, you are so very graceful.

[@mga2899]

Most of the accolades refer to the man's skilled dancing, but the "Tune" comes in at 2:05 when Tommy lays out a broadway quality belt that is tough to do standing still, let alone after a couple minutes of hoofing.

[@alhambralions5985]

🐝 Such a talent, and still gorgeous to this day. I consider myself lucky to have seen him in Bye Bye Birdie in the 1980s.

[@djnaar]

so cool

[@m.a.packer5450]

"Tommy Tune is a very good dancer. Did you ever see Tommy Tune dance?!?"

[@indridcold3425]

Anyone can tap dance, it's all in those shoes

[@roxannemoore3045]

Just great.

[@tmanqz]

Good old TT, somehow he survived the Fire Island 80's unscathed... he is a survivor.

[@peterdevita6308]

He did! So are you pissed at that!? ASSHAT ! To even make such a comment!

[@davemark3753]

Always loved Tommy. Especially in Carosel.

[@superscienceshow]

Here from Murderville.

[@nataliaputyrina7272]

Бог мой... И поет... и прекрасно танцует. Красота!!!

[@lindarogow5338]

Thank you for an integrated crew 4 14 2021. More diversity. 1988 to 2021.

[@hollybischoff7490]

What a face and body!!!!!

[@joybrooks564]

Im going to go see him when he comes to town. Cant wait

[@LaPenserosa1]

If only I could bend time so that he and Sutton Foster could be in a play together, music by Cole Porter and choreography by Hermes Pan. If only.

[@frostysilverstein842]

I wonder if any of those past Boomer age would know the names of Sutton Foster & Tommy Tune? I often wish I could see more entertainers of today’s culture dancing with icons of the past. I fantasized about Mick Jagger broadening his base by dancing & singing on Broadway with Gregory Hines or Sammy Davis, doing the role in Cabaret that Joel Gray made famous, perhaps singing a sexy song by Cole Porter, some of those lyrics would drive his women fans crazy.

[@frostysilverstein842]

I wonder if any of those past Boomer age would know the names of Sutton Foster & Tommy Tune? I often wish I could see more entertainers of today’s culture dancing with icons of the past. I fantasized about Mick Jagger broadening his base by dancing & singing on with Gregory Hines or Sammy Davis, doing the role in Cabaret that Joel Gray made famous, perhaps singing a sexy song by Cole Porter, some of those lyrics would drive his women fans crazy.

[@alhambralions5985]

You have assembled a true dream cast. If only, indeed!

[@MrCrowebobby]

@@frostysilverstein842 I'm 85 and I know Foster and Tune. Sutton's relatively new still, but Tommy's been around for 50 years.

[@thefelper.7181]

Fantástico! 😃👏🏻👏🏻👏🏻Bravo!

[@michaelandmoecams8020]

Tommy tune was a very good dancer. -Frank Costanza

[@v.dargain1678]

Same . He had the hottest shoes on Broadway for a long time .

[@AuntieMamie]

Tommy Tune nails it and Mr Berlin must have thoroughly enjoyed this premium performance. Tommy Tune is America’s Sweetheart. Who doesn’t appreciate tap? Bravo and kudos. I’m mesmerized. And Mr Tune summed it up perfectly after his precision performance. I just finished his memoir and I got the feeling he has extraordinary humility and never thought he was as superlative as most of us. It was poignant. He had two great lives and someone remaining a personal story. Yet he still looks for love. He’s just one of a kind.

[@Facerip]

MURDERVILLE

[@BravoJr1987]

What a showman 💀💀💀

[@2taggs2]

Will Arnett/"Murderville" brought me here

[@吉田あさがお]

懐かしいですね。アービングバーリンの生誕100年コンサートでしたね。司会はシャーリー・マクレーン。唄い踊るのはトミー・チューン。ダイナミックですね。フレッドアステアとは又違った魅力がありますね。(^^)

[@marcellehernandez9403]

Tiene una gran personalidad y simpatia y sonrisa.

[@吉田あさがお]

編曲も構成も素敵ですね。

[@raymondramos7445]

THE BEST EVER

[@rrose3112]

Never seen before. Wow

[@judylarry6956]

Awesoe

[@silviajuarezfernandez434]

Es hipnotizante !!!

[@chloehall4270]

❤❤❤❤

[@martinnoskey]

Any one here from murderville ?

[@godakira]

Murderville brought me here.

[@arnoldstollar5375]

Kool

[@skyflyer900]

Using all black dancers is due to the songs original 1930 origins. You know the lyrics. Basically about poor people in Harlem putting on there best clothes and going out on the town and spending "their last two bits" and enjoying life. Not about rich people at all.

[@catloran3860]

yeah, the song calls them misfits.

[@Tina-qp7py]

Their dancing is grest. Fred Astaire is my favorite tapper.

[@smooshiebear80]

Except that it WAS about rich people. The whole point of the song was that the rich white people would go WATCH all these black people in Harlem dressed up and dancing. The rich thought it was terribly entertaining to watch them spend the money they had on what they thought were fancy clothes. The original production of the song featured actual black dancers, which was still very unusual on Broadway where blackface was still popular. (Thus the reason Taco’s music video featured dancers with blackface.) It does harken back to the origins, but the dancers were not wearing tuxedos at that time.

[@Mr_Flerb]

...Huh. They really performed the, uh, the original. With all those original words. That is... unexpected.

[@smooshiebear80]

No kidding. Up until about a year ago I had no idea there *was* an original version. I was only familiar with the 1940’s version that Taco remade in the 80’s. Apparently the original lyrics are popular in Europe-I just watched two different versions on a European “The Voice - Kids”. It made me wonder if they even understood the song, since I think they spoke German. (Not because they didn’t know English, but what the lyrics referred to.) It really surprised me. There was a reason why Irving Berlin rewrote the song. Then again, I saw another European or Russian show where they recreated music videos live. A guy did Taco’s version (incredibly well, btw) but it included the background dancers with blackface! I can’t imagine what would happen if someone (especially a white guy) were to sing the original lyrics on American television today!

[@maevaluna7601]

IS IT JUST ME OR IS SOMETHING ABOUT THIS MAN NOT HUMAN IN THE SLIGHTEST

[@omicron942]

It's because he's so tall, looks slightly unusual.

[@MadNotAngry]

Maybe it's cause he is so trim, but Tommy looks taller than 6'6". Impossible to be taht tall and that graceful. I mean, for us mere mortals. Tommy always made elegant look easy.

[@michelelongchamps9946]

Maeva Luna did u know premies are given steroids?

[@mobus1603]

It's that he's 6' 6" and hardly weighs 150 lbs.

[@JustineWittich]

VUNDERBAR!

[@patriciarivera5871]

👌👌👌👌

[@brianwebb942]

Murderville sent me here.

[@bradkays4514]

Taco is still the man! (And not just because today is Taco Tuesday😉)

[@joebob2311productions]

Argyle Austero

[@peterlarsen1000]

Great version....Rosa Larsen

[@timrolfes9761]

Whose lyrics are these?

[@sussmanbern]

We probably won't see a new performance exactly like this. Tommy Tune used the original 1937 lyrics ("where Harlem sits") that poked fun at African-Americans. Since a 1954 Fred Astaire movie version most performances use a revised non-racial version of the lyrics ("where fashion sits").

[@Mr_Flerb]

“Where Harlem sits” is the least of it! I’ve got a pretty high tolerance for racism in historical context, but the whole thing was pretty rank. “High browns” indeed. Also the original line was “where Harlem flits,” I believe.

[@eogg25]

I don't think giving someone a job is exploiting them, They are not serving him, in fact they are backing him up. it probably would have been better for him if he gave the job to white dancers , of course then you would have said why didn't he use black dancers. As far as the white Tux, He is the star and should be highlighted.

[@lenovovo]

Hey eogg25, I most definitely have to give your comment a thumbs DOWN!!! This video is nothing more than black facing. I didn't enjoy watching it at ALL!!

[@eogg25]

@@lenovovo He could have used all white dancers like Fred Astair did years ago but Tommy chose to give these dancers the money and the opportunity to show their stuff. You may see something wrong in this but I see opportunity.

[@TacosYBurritos8P]

@@eogg25 you don't seem to understand what exploiting means. The back up dancers were black because the original lyrics were ridiculing black people. The original 1930 performance was a minstrel show where those original black dancers were very much indeed exploited.

[@smooshiebear80]

@@eogg25 Except that Fred danced to revised lyrics that were making fun of actual rich people trying to out do each other. The original lyrics were about white people dressing down and going to Lenox Ave to watch the black people of Harlem in what they thought were fancy clothes.

[@cotiaratv3651]

Hello, fellow alumni!

[@kuba8604]

Amazing performance, he reminds me of Michael Jackson

[@SnowLeopardMcD]

OK!!!

[@esmeephillips5888]

Every time Fred Astaire had to pick a new partner, he was afraid she would make him look small. Tommy Tune would never have had that problem.

[@jasongirard1420]

Who else is here because of Murderville

[@samyelts8498]

So just wondering is he the maker of this song? Or is Taco?

[@rogermac358]

Written in 1927 and first published in 1929 by Irving Berlin.

[@samyelts8498]

rogermac358 , thank you

[@AlexandrP20]

Putin on the Ritz

[@maxjohnson8025]

where's the pc police

[@TacosYBurritos8P]

protesting at one of your klan meetings

[@mattstamp5691]

Seinfeld brought me here.

[@davidmckesey7119]

Thanks Conan lol

[@druggusyat]

Кто из ЖЖ богемика?

[@kindcounselor]

I keep imagining Fred Astaire.....

[@ladadog3977]

You couldn't stage this today - BLM would burn it down.

[@smooshiebear80]

I saw this version of the song on KZbin sung by kids on a European version of “The Voice.” I just about fell over. I couldn’t believe people were still using the original lyrics, much less children! They were amazingly talented, but it saddened me to that they didn’t really understand what they were singing about.

[@davidpenn8930]

If it had been a stereotypyical line of white female dancers ... ? I thought it made a point without pushing it. ( I'd agree he doesn't have the greatest singing voice. But neither did Gene Kelly or Fred Astaire. It's good enough.)

[@lpi3]

Almost like Michael Jackson

[@angeliqueanzaldo6495]

Para mi bailan mejor los bailarines negros que el principal.

[@mjdayetube]

This performance would never be allowed in 2022. The NYC theater scene is now overrun with the "wokerati".

[@fendertremolo9793]

Anyone can Tap Dance. Is all in those shoes.

[@mobus1603]

Are you kidding? They practice for yeeears, those people. Tommy Tune is very tall. That helps. It makes him...lankier.

[@don4476]

I hear Peter Boyle. Argh.

[@balok63a40]

SOOPER DOOPER!

[@samsonkatsman9453]

It looks and sounds so pale against Taco's signing. Taco was the one who gave the second breath to this song, and made it world famous. The song and its composer, Irving Berlin.

[@GypsyFairy85]

You think "Putting On The Ritz" was not world famous until 1982? You must be living in a dream world!

[@smooshiebear80]

@@GypsyFairy85 Taco made it popular in non-English speaking countries. I think he sang it in at least three languages. And he brought it to a new generation. It was the first one I heard as a kid, along with the bit in “Young Frankenstein.” I learned about Fred Astaire years later. I didn’t learn about the original song until about a year ago when I saw it on KZbin and was slightly horrified at the original lyrics. I’m a white woman from the Midwest who never understood what it would have been like to be black, especially in past generations.

[@billsmith305]

dancing in high heels ?

[@atlasmansouri]

I rather have Fred Astaire, he just had the size and subtlety for this performance , Tommy was good but because of his size he wasn’t as silky as Fred. Just my opinion.

[@esmeephillips5888]

He was the most gifted and versatile singer-dancer to emerge after Gene Nelson and Tommy Rall retreated. The movie business no longer knew how to make musicals that would showcase these men's gifts adequately. The self-consciousness of a Fosse or the self-absorption of a Presley or Michael Jackson were no substitute. Tune had to go to England for 'The Boy Friend', which was a hot mess, and was then sidelined by Hollywood as it ground out inept pastiches of the Golden Age, such as 'Pennies from Heaven' and 'Chicago'. At least a live performance, freed from the curses of CGI and MTV-style editing, shows how Tommy's bubbling charm and precise deployment of energy could sustain a routine; but the orchestration is thin and the chorus perfunctory. Basically it's an embalming of older days and ways, like the revivals of 'No, No, Nanette' and '42nd St' and other pre-war shows or films staged from the late 1960s bc they went over better than original, dance-based ones. TommyTune's heirs have it even worse: their names are hardly known beyond Broadway, while the standard of filmed musical has sunk to 'Cats' and 'La La Land'.

[@seanou2837]

except it's not the original.

[@hugoliquibi4798]

Encore une représentation bien raciste

[@yakovhadash]

i thought tommy tune was a snl joke

[@veedub447]

Is he exploiting black dancers?

[@Siyko]

+veedub447 If you were a dancer, and someone hired you to dance in a broadway show, would you feel exploited?

[@veedub447]

+Siyko yes, I think so.. if the lead was white and all the back up dancers had to be black, I believe that is exploitation. .. Mr. Tune is using them as a contrast to his white skin. and naturally he wears all white and they wear black.

[@Siyko]

+veedub447 It's show business.. they say 'we need a black actor for this role' or 'we need a tall white woman with red hair'. Do you think everyone is being exploited when they're hired for a role they fit?

[@veedub447]

Siyko No not everybody, but when, as a white male you design an act that has eight black males behind you as your muses. I think frankly it is racist , of course you can excuse it by saying 'well that's show business"

[@Siyko]

veedub447 That wasnt my excuse, read more carefully.

[@davidh9844]

Eight tap dancing black men and the white guy gets all the credit. Totally racist, and should be banned!

[@smooshiebear80]

The dancing isn’t racist. These original lyrics to the song, however…

[@paulgee4336]

That is THE WORST performance of that song I have ever heard and seen.

[@TwatMcGee]

Whats wrong with it??