Neil Sedaka: 'I Think The Songs Will Outlive Me-It's A Form Of Immortality.'

Eighty-three years young, award-winning singer-songwriter Neil Sedaka continues to perform for audiences, and some of his songs are as relevant today as they were when he wrote them decades ago. Joe Scarborough sat down with Neil in Los Angeles to discuss his iconic career, ‘The Immigrant’ song, Rocket records, and more.
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Пікірлер: 120

  • @Flywithdean
    @Flywithdean Жыл бұрын

    What a kind gentle soul / a true legend of music history. One of the best.

  • @brycelandon6387
    @brycelandon6387 Жыл бұрын

    Not everyone in your audience is elderly, Neil. I'm 36; I've been listening to your music since I happened upon it in 2008, when I was 21. I was at a concert of yours in Bowling Green, KY in 2013, and I was the youngest fan there! I wooed the woman who is now my wife with your songs, and now my 20-month-old daughter is listening to your kids album from 2009, "Waking Up Is Hard To Do".

  • @sarac.3259

    @sarac.3259

    Жыл бұрын

    What a lovely story! We are big fans in my family here in the UK. Have seen Neil in concert twice, here in London. Love him to bits. He is still played on the radio quite a lot in the UK.

  • @kennyjoiner2840

    @kennyjoiner2840

    10 ай бұрын

    Thank you Neil for all great memories

  • @cesimone2009
    @cesimone2009 Жыл бұрын

    Thank you Morning Joe for bringing a great legend back. As an immigrant too, I am thankful how we are the wonderful fabric to shape this country. This is a nice breath of fresh air from toxic politics. Much appreciated!! Don't forget to check out a song by Sedaka's duet with his daughter I remember hearing in 1980. 👍👍👍

  • @sisterdoublehappiness9714
    @sisterdoublehappiness9714 Жыл бұрын

    Such a truly lovely man.

  • @brianingarfill1773
    @brianingarfill1773 Жыл бұрын

    Thanks for the GREAT retrospective on a GREAT GUY, HE'S AN INSTITUTION. I was taken back to "O Diana" I heard on the first "juke box" in Ireland in 1961 LOL LOL Didn't realize I'm that old-but I haven't forgotten the words?

  • @lauriethomas179
    @lauriethomas179 Жыл бұрын

    I saw Neil in 76 for my birthday best gift ever. Love you Neil

  • @timbrooks3561
    @timbrooks35618 ай бұрын

    He is an absolutely amazing singer/songwriter! He is the last of a dying breed! I actually got in touch with an individual who wrote three biographies on the carpenters. His name is Randy Schmidt. Randy told me that after Elton John got him back onto the scene, he recommended that he tour with the carpenters in 1975. Randy also told me that during those concert tours in 1975, it transitioned into Neil Sedaka being the headliner, and the carpenters being the undercard, because of all the amazing energy that he had, and all the amazing songs he had from the 1960s!

  • @James_Knott
    @James_Knott Жыл бұрын

    I started paying attention to music around the time of the "British Invasion", but Neil was still on the radio, with many others of that era. I also remember when he re-did "Breaking Up Is Hard To Do" in the '70s. I have both versions in my collection. I just put on the first version. Neil, Carole King and Paul Simon, among others, contributed so much to the music of my generation.

  • @gailhasler8435

    @gailhasler8435

    Жыл бұрын

    Absolutely right 👍💯 from another fan. 👍🤗

  • @barbarahunter3478
    @barbarahunter3478 Жыл бұрын

    I love Neil Sedaka! Many wonderful memories! I played Happy Birthday Sweet Sixteen for my daughter on her 16th birthday!

  • @robinparr88

    @robinparr88

    10 ай бұрын

    Beautiful!

  • @Reflectiveness
    @Reflectiveness Жыл бұрын

    With my highest regard. ❤️

  • @rosemercer212
    @rosemercer212 Жыл бұрын

    Beautiful interview

  • @KCsun258
    @KCsun258 Жыл бұрын

    I started listening to Neil Sedaka when I was a young teenager. I'm 61 now. Does that make me elderly? 🎼 🥸

  • @gerrymac70
    @gerrymac70 Жыл бұрын

    What a guy! I saw him in Glasgow in the 70’s and he still sounds the same. God Bless you Neil!!

  • @robinparr88

    @robinparr88

    10 ай бұрын

    Wonderful wonderful artist!

  • @jonathanlane4496
    @jonathanlane4496 Жыл бұрын

    Absolutely beautiful and talented man. He gave so much pleasure and enjoyment through his music. It’s a crime that he’s not in the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame.

  • @spiritgover4223
    @spiritgover42239 ай бұрын

    Always a class act. With an incredible voice. Which I wish the interviewer would have touched on. Long live Neil!

  • @normancanter6868
    @normancanter6868 Жыл бұрын

    what a genius and a real mensch

  • @Msflamingo-wl4qo
    @Msflamingo-wl4qoАй бұрын

    People older & younger appreciate his music! Thank you, Mr. Sedaka!❤

  • @TheLadsBandLive
    @TheLadsBandLive Жыл бұрын

    Neil, I hope you're reading this. Wanted to let you know I'm 53... a young, not "elderly" 53 😉 and father of two young girls still in elementary school. I grew up listening to your music at home and have passed my love of your music down to my daughters. We listen to your songs on the way to school, at least, a couple times throughout the week, along with all the other great artists from the 50s, 60s, 70s and 80s. Thank you for adding to my life's soundtrack and I love your mini concerts (I just wish I could leave a comment on them).

  • @sarac.3259

    @sarac.3259

    Жыл бұрын

    Me too. He is such a kind man to do these mini-concerts through lockdown.

  • @perkinssolitaire
    @perkinssolitaire Жыл бұрын

    Neil Sedaka, you were my inspiration back in the 60’s and still I sing and play just nine of your songs in my performances on stage as a keyboard and vocalist, I hope you see my post where I can say Bless you for your wonderful music

  • @JuneLynn
    @JuneLynn10 ай бұрын

    What a great interview with Neil Sedaka....I especially love "The Immigrant" that Neil wrote for 2 reasons....he wrote it with John Lennon in mind and also my grandparents and father were immigrants from Italy so I always think of them when I hear it. I have Neil's comeback album, one of his best. Love all of this talented man's music thru the years. Thanks Joe for doing this interview : ))))))

  • Жыл бұрын

    I had the great pleasure of meeting him in 2014. It was at the Los Ángeles International Airport. My children were on their way to México for summer vacation to León, Guanajuato, and he was going to Cabo San Lucas, Baja California. Gracious with his time in the waiting lounge, answering my questions about his songs, etc..... Talked to my children and even in Spanish! A very great hour talking that mid summer morning to a true gentleman-Mr. Neil Sedaka!

  • @Midlife1992
    @Midlife19926 ай бұрын

    Not elderly, 53, and a huge fan of yours, Neil! What a class act talent. Thank you for decades of beautiful entertainment!

  • @bigsong
    @bigsong Жыл бұрын

    My brother and I have a permanent memory of listening to "That Twisting Girl of MIne" by Neil Sedaka back in the 1960s. Twenty years ago, I created a Detroit Cobras style punk version of the song and when I sought the license for the song, i contacted Neil Sedaka's office and his staff asked him about the song. His response: "I do not remember writing that song" I was told he wrote so many songs and many got sold to other publishers without his knowledge.

  • @jmahoney9561
    @jmahoney9561 Жыл бұрын

    Yes, I enjoyed your mini concerts during Covid, thank you for that. 👍🏽😊👏🏾😊👏🏾😊

  • @perkinssolitaire
    @perkinssolitaire Жыл бұрын

    Neil Sedaka, you were my inspiration back in the 60’s and still I sing and p,ay just nine of your songs in my performances on stage as a keyboard and vocalist, I hope you see my post where I can say Bless you for your wonderful music

  • @ruthloebe6752
    @ruthloebe6752 Жыл бұрын

    Thank you Neil Sadaka. I was a part of that audience until right after you had covid 19. Then I had to get a new phone and got kicked off that Facebook account. I hated that. What really shocked and surprised me was that my son then came to me and said mom I have converted to Judaism. What a strange world we live in. He had been raised a Christian, went to war in Afghanistan and come back an atheist for ten years and then and we'll now is jewish. I believe he is confused on his true identity, but you truly know who you are and your music is beautiful and I love it. Thank you again and God bless 🙌 and your family.

  • @alexander3699
    @alexander3699 Жыл бұрын

    Laughter in the Rain is a classic!

  • @dianemarshall4272
    @dianemarshall4272 Жыл бұрын

    Love love love this legend❤ huge fan my whole life.

  • @maryperkins5867
    @maryperkins5867 Жыл бұрын

    Wow!!! Thank you, Joe?

  • @jdsahr
    @jdsahr Жыл бұрын

    I grew up in the 60s and 70s, on classical music, and I was (frankly) a teenage classical music snob. Yes: such a thing exists. But in the late 1970s I accidentally heard "Find Me Somebody To Love" by Queen, and I realized that I had been missing out. Neil Sedaka (and Billy Joel, and others) generated what can only be described as "really good pop" which helped correct the stuffiness of my musical snobbery. I mean, seriously. You can weep at the beauty of JSBach's Ste Matthaus Passione, or Samuel Barber's "Knoxville Summer of 1915" ... but if you can't find a smile in "breaking up is hard to do" or "Benny and the Jets" then I really don't know what to do with you. And seriously: if you yawn while listening to Johnny Cash cover Nine Inch Nails' "Hurt" then you have really serious problems, and you should see somebody about that.

  • @gailhasler8435

    @gailhasler8435

    Жыл бұрын

    ABSOLUTELY CORRECT ABSOLUTELY ABSOLUTELY ABSOLUTELY ABSOLUTELY ABSOLUTELY ABSOLUTELY ABSOLUTELY ABSOLUTELY ABSOLUTELY ABSOLUTELY ABSOLUTELY ABSOLUTELY ABSOLUTELY 👍👍❤️♥️❤️

  • @jdsahr

    @jdsahr

    Жыл бұрын

    @@gailhasler8435 Don't even get me started on Barenaked Ladies, or the Beatles. And Schubert's songs ... oh my.

  • @AndyMangele
    @AndyMangele2 ай бұрын

    Neil Sedaka must be one of the most unassuming musicians that ever have walked the earth❣

  • @RikKarDING
    @RikKarDINGАй бұрын

    In 1976, I was in high school when Neil performed in Manila, Philippines..... I wish I could have seen him live back then.

  • @phil4977
    @phil4977 Жыл бұрын

    I’m 56 so Neil’s songs were before my time however I love his music. He is very much like Elton John insofar as his melodies are so catchy and wonderful to listen to.

  • @artvainio5431
    @artvainio5431 Жыл бұрын

    He is best , PERIOD , listened to his music from 1971 to this day !!

  • @markdanielczyk944
    @markdanielczyk944 Жыл бұрын

    Absolute legend! Hey Neil, not all your fans are elderly, I'm in my early 50's.

  • @johanna1622
    @johanna16227 ай бұрын

    Yes, Neil, you are immortal. I met you in “Laughter in the Rain” and “Breaking Up Is Hard to Do” #2 when I was a young girl. I wish I could sing them as well as you. You are a mentor and inspiration to me! Johanna1💖

  • @louiecolon9494
    @louiecolon9494 Жыл бұрын

    Beautiful music was all he could produce. thumbs up all the way.

  • @daonfpe
    @daonfpe6 ай бұрын

    One of greatest gifts of the musical world to the world! The way, Neil‘s song laughter in the rain just moves me.

  • @jamescc2010
    @jamescc20107 ай бұрын

    Neil is One of my favorite artist with huge talents.

  • @graceonline320
    @graceonline320 Жыл бұрын

    Love Neil Sedaka.

  • @mmp495
    @mmp49528 күн бұрын

    My favorite “Laughter in the Rain” ❤❤❤

  • @mrob75
    @mrob75 Жыл бұрын

    Living Legend!

  • @GrotrianSeiler
    @GrotrianSeiler7 ай бұрын

    What a legend. His lyrics are still amazing. A real humanitarian.

  • @b.marielo9564
    @b.marielo95648 ай бұрын

    Neil Sedaka is so talented. I hope he will be in the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame.

  • @ABTSAPOSTOLICVOICE
    @ABTSAPOSTOLICVOICE5 ай бұрын

    Neil Sedaka one of the most wonderful great artiste Singer and musician...May he live long life.

  • @HE65432
    @HE6543224 күн бұрын

    Neil needs to be inducted into the R&R Hall of Fame!

  • @user-ty6do8yz4l
    @user-ty6do8yz4l9 ай бұрын

    Heck, Neil has outlived most of his fans. The music will outlive us all! 70s forever,forever 1970s! Greatest decade in human history!

  • @mick947
    @mick947Ай бұрын

    What a warm, kind, compassionate and lovely guy Neil is, in stark contrast to morning Joe. Sorry but it needed to be said.

  • @astheworldturns3855
    @astheworldturns3855Ай бұрын

    You are a legend.

  • @armandoanasco4452
    @armandoanasco4452 Жыл бұрын

    Es un icono del pop rock que ha sabido permanecer en el tiempo sin desvanecerse , conservando su voz, calidad y frescura a pesar de los años, es dificil encontrar un icono con esta talla en el mundo de la música. Gran rockero, gran baladista y Gran pianista. Sedaka eres eterno.

  • @ramishrambarran3998
    @ramishrambarran39985 ай бұрын

    They don't make them like that anymore ! A really beautiful voice ! Trinidad & Tobago. West Indies.

  • @nervo6321
    @nervo63215 ай бұрын

    What a beautiful story regarding John Lennon, I would place Neil Sedaka up in the highest echelon of songwriters and entertainers of our generation.

  • @DavidPaterno
    @DavidPaterno11 ай бұрын

    Absolutely terrific

  • @phyllanders9503
    @phyllanders95034 ай бұрын

    Happy 85th Birthday Neil Sedaka. ♥

  • @oraculodasacerdotisa
    @oraculodasacerdotisa3 ай бұрын

    Eu não sou da geração 60/70 mas amo Neil que voz, que musicalidade incrível letras que parecem impossíveis de ser escritas nos dias de hoje.

  • @michaellovett1041
    @michaellovett1041 Жыл бұрын

    Great singer songwriter Why can't the music of today be constructed in the same way.

  • @dottie2557
    @dottie25572 ай бұрын

    I ;just love him.!!!

  • @lefranglais1155
    @lefranglais1155 Жыл бұрын

    Tiny anedote: Sometime in 1970/71 I was driving through the centre of a northen UK city, when I saw two figures holding hands run across the road between cars. They were both wearing big, ankle length brown fur coats - something unusual, I thought. I recognised Neil Sedaka but not the beautiful woman he was with. I later found out he was in concert that week in the same city. No, I didn't see the concert, though I have always been a Sedaka fan, being a youth of the sixties, the greatest pop music era ever...

  • @andrewhanson5942
    @andrewhanson59426 ай бұрын

    Good on ya, Neil! Yup, your creativity is immortal.

  • @adrinathegreat3095
    @adrinathegreat309511 ай бұрын

    He almost constantly had hits in the UK apart from a few years in the mid 60s. Hardly a comeback when from 71-73 he had 4 songs in the UK top 40. Laughter in the rain was a slightly bigger hit making no.15 in the UK in 74, after that he vanished from the UK chart's. Different story in the U.S.

  • @artfulyama9071
    @artfulyama9071 Жыл бұрын

    Should be inducted into R&R Hall of Fame

  • @kennywatkins8762

    @kennywatkins8762

    4 ай бұрын

    Way LONG OVER DUE

  • @rhondamariott5059
    @rhondamariott5059Ай бұрын

    Great guy!

  • @robinparr88
    @robinparr8810 ай бұрын

    Beautiful beautiful person

  • @vogparis09
    @vogparis09 Жыл бұрын

    Neil was another famous alumnus of Abraham Lincoln HS. Grew up in Brighton Beach.

  • @georgesbrodeur9608

    @georgesbrodeur9608

    Жыл бұрын

    Found you! Hi Woody. Your school was a source of incredible talent.

  • @vogparis09

    @vogparis09

    Жыл бұрын

    @@georgesbrodeur9608 Something about the water in Brooklyn.

  • @herbsaint636
    @herbsaint6364 ай бұрын

    A beautiful person

  • @justayoutuber1906
    @justayoutuber19065 ай бұрын

    8 #1's in a row? wow!

  • @billwrubel6313
    @billwrubel631318 күн бұрын

    What a charming sweetheart of a guy..I’ve recently become a huge fan he’s 100% correct his music will live on long after we are all gone..

  • @barkatjaffer3983
    @barkatjaffer3983 Жыл бұрын

    Good

  • @67Stu
    @67Stu Жыл бұрын

    WHY HAS HE STILL NOT BEEN INDUCTED IN TO THE ROCK & ROLL HALL OF FAME ⁉

  • @Eloidevanda-so1ul
    @Eloidevanda-so1ul3 ай бұрын

    Ele ainda esta vivo?

  • @oldtimer7635
    @oldtimer76359 ай бұрын

    Is there somewhere the whole interview, this seems to be just a part of something....?

  • @davidsonowski414
    @davidsonowski414 Жыл бұрын

    Bad Blood 1975

  • @Paul-lm5gv
    @Paul-lm5gv Жыл бұрын

    I'm not a Morning Joe fan but this was great! Maybe he should stay away from politics and just do celebrity interviews.

  • @Shrinksjp
    @Shrinksjp Жыл бұрын

    He also wrote the great song Fallin' for Connie Francis.

  • @silvanaorizi5643
    @silvanaorizi56437 ай бұрын

    What a beautifull jewish man and his voice is the same ❤️✨️

  • @glenbo2464
    @glenbo2464 Жыл бұрын

    Look at what playing so much piano has done to his finger tips ! WOW ! He would have been a great drag queen ! lol

  • @user-ik9mo8wm7q
    @user-ik9mo8wm7q3 ай бұрын

    Did Richard Carpenter fire Neil Sedaka because Neil mistakenly introduced Tom Jones at one of the concerts when he should have allowed the carpenters to introduce him or was he fired from the tour because Richard Carpenter was jealous that Neil was getting too much of the attention ?

  • @brianr10
    @brianr105 ай бұрын

    I was expecting Led Zepplin.

  • @joboygbpedwards
    @joboygbpedwards Жыл бұрын

    RIP LORI KLAUSUTIS.

  • @brandonhaygood5286
    @brandonhaygood5286 Жыл бұрын

    I don't know why I laughed when he said zilch.

  • @BovisStercus
    @BovisStercus Жыл бұрын

    Imagine Neil Sedaka, outside of Governor Greg Abbott's antebellum-style mansion, holding up a big boom box and and playing "The Immigrant" on full volume...like the dude on "Say Anything". (Greg Abbott's Statue of Liberty isn't holding a torch, it's flipping the bird.)

  • @atomicflash1753
    @atomicflash1753 Жыл бұрын

    Why would your property go to public domain after 70 years , what about your offspring ?

  • @brianrobertson6338
    @brianrobertson63388 ай бұрын

    MSNBC loves them some talent from a minority group. He's celebrated because he's a member of the tribe and a supporter of the democrat party. Otherwise, they would just dismiss him.

  • @shaystern2453
    @shaystern2453 Жыл бұрын

    hey it's joe interuppting again

  • @josephjones825
    @josephjones825 Жыл бұрын

    Must be an extremely slow Chinese propaganda day at the hate channel

  • @michaeltudda8462
    @michaeltudda8462 Жыл бұрын

    Love Neil! Joe, is a putz top to bottom

  • @markegan2480
    @markegan248011 ай бұрын

    Love you Neil but lord why would you choose MSMBC to go on

  • @io2503
    @io2503Ай бұрын

    Joe Scarborough with his big hair and disgusting personality destroyed this interview for me. Gross.

  • @abcxyz-nd6xh
    @abcxyz-nd6xhАй бұрын

    >>> It's A Form Of Immortality Fore-sight Fore-runner!

  • @do-beebrothers2550
    @do-beebrothers2550 Жыл бұрын

    The glory of the coming of the dark lord those railroad men 🧛🏼🧛🏼🧛🏼🧛🏼 freed the slaves? 🎩🎩🎩seems a mite out of character, you don’t mind I say so Rodeo 🤠🎲🎲🎲🎲 when I here that whistle blow’n I hang my head a cry. San FranCisco the China dolls under the care of Doctor Strangelove, surgeon general of the Dutch East India opium slave Company. 💀💀💀💀💀

  • @LilMisssmartypants.922
    @LilMisssmartypants.922 Жыл бұрын

    to all Biden voters...do you like paying way more for everything when it was all way more affordable under Trump? do you hate paying the high cost of medical coverage and knowing the dems are forcing you to pay for millions of illegals healthcare as well?

  • @gailhasler8435

    @gailhasler8435

    Жыл бұрын

    I like Biden because he has a heartbeat and is a very decent, humble, honest human being. Unlike your Master, who is nothing more than hateful Criminal grifter and conman who will, hopefully, spend the rest of his miserable life in prison. 🙄🙄🙄🙄🖕

  • @annek1226

    @annek1226

    Жыл бұрын

    And this difficult for you? Staying on topic isn’t your “thing” I guess?

  • @stuartb3609

    @stuartb3609

    Жыл бұрын

    Yet the loudest complainers were those who ponied up $99 each for NFT Trump cards. Why is that? 🤔

  • @LilMisssmartypants.922

    @LilMisssmartypants.922

    Жыл бұрын

    @@stuartb3609 whatdoes that have to do with my question?

  • @yvonneplant9434

    @yvonneplant9434

    Жыл бұрын

    MAGAs, dummy commentors, have forgotten about the pandemic which was a black swan event. They need to research it.