Adam Sandler performed "50 Years" at SNL's 50th-anniversary special, standing center stage with Dan Bulla on keyboard. The song combines lighthearted backstage jokes with earnest lyrics about SNL's legacy, shifting from humor to sincere reflection that undercuts cynicism. Sandler and Bulla received an Emmy nomination for Outstanding Original Music and Lyrics for the composition. Sandler's history of emotional musical tributes and collaborations with Bulla contributes to a genuine, heartfelt delivery. Bulla has worked with Sandler on films and specials and knows how to evoke Sandler's authentic voice. Sandler describes the resulting connection as spontaneous and inspired by SNL.
SNL's big 50th-anniversary special in February was not light on navel-gazing material. Legendary cast members reprised beloved characters, clip packages underscored the sheer volume of comedy the show has produced, and there were countless jokes about the show's creator and executive producer, Lorne Michaels. But none of it was as affecting as Adam Sandler standing center stage under a spotlight and gently strumming his guitar while singing his song "50 Years."
Even when they're cutting, the song's jokes ("50 years of asking an intern to pick up your laundry at 2:30 a.m., not realizing that the intern was Martin Scorsese's kid. Or Nora Ephron's kid. Or Randy Newman's kid ...") are good-natured in tone, and they eventually give way to lyrics about SNL's legacy so earnest and accessible that they curdle any cynicism on contact.
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