SNL Video: ‘Walking in Memphis’ Gets a Staten Island Makeover — Watch
“Viva Las Vegas,” “Cleveland Rocks,” “London Calling.” Now, finally, New York’s last borough (alphabetically and, arguably, qualitatively) has its own song: “Walking in Staten.”
Saturday Night Live‘s latest country-esque video with Pete Davidson also features Big Wet, who you may remember from another collaboration earlier this season, “Squid Game.” It’s tempting to call it a parody since it’s the music of “Walking in Memphis” with silly lyrics. But they brought in the original song’s writer and singer, Marc Cohn, so maybe it’s more of a remake/reboot/live-action reimagining?
In addition to listing off some of the great things about Staten — pizza places, bagel places, pizza places inside bagel places — they also namecheck some of the greats who came from there: Robert Loggia, Wu Tang Clan, cable access star Chris The Hobby Guy. It’s truly a who’s who of Richmond Country royalty.
The song goes from fun send-up to legitimate banger once Method Man shows up, from disses to the Red Sox (“My Yankee hat a statement and middle finger to Boston”) to cutting takes on The King (“Elvis made his little riches by stealing from Little Richard”). But the line of the song — and probably the entire show — comes when he echoes a line from the original. A drunk comes up to Method looking for a fight. “‘Tell me, are you Italian?’ and I said, ‘Man, I am tonight!'”
The sketch ends with Davidson, Wet, Method and Cohn leaning on the rail of a Staten Island ferry. “What’s that out in the water?” asks Cohn, to which Method Man answers, “A dead body.” “Great,” deadpans Cohn.
Elsewhere in the episode, SNL‘s first holiday sketch of this season hit a little too close to home.
Thoughts on “Walking in Staten?” Watch the clip by pressing PLAY above, then grade Simu Liu’s episode and comment below.
This was great. I love the original song, and the send up was really fun. Thanks to Marc Cohn for being a good sport and appearing in it.
Staten is my old stompin’ grounds .. lol
I kept singing original lyrics while dying laughing!!!!
That was brilliant. I didn’t stop smiling/laughing through the entire video. Great job guys!
As someone from Staten Island, this has to be one of the funniest things I’ve seen in a very long time.
Love it