Don't forget that Nelly has sung, wrote, composed and co-produced this song and she appreciates Vai's music that is why she asked him to perform alongside her at the Grammys...
I heard from a friend who knew Steve's stage production manager at the time that this was the story. While planning Steve's next tour, PM mentions that he's been asked to do the Grammy's lighting. A short while later, Steve gets a call from his manager. One sided conversation. SV - Yeah. SV - Grammys, sure. SV to room after intently listening - Anyone know the "Like a Bird" song? PM (who is a Canadian) - sings the chorus out of tune. Steve nods. SV - Sure, I've heard that song. I can do it. Next day, both leave for LA. Steve stops at record store on the way and picks up Nellie Furtado's CD. PM can see him up front in the plane, CD in disc man, air guitaring as he's listening to song. Rewinding and replaying (different air guitar licks) over sections. Arrive next day at rehearsal. Both walk out on stage. NF - Hi, I'm Nellie SV - Hi, I'm Steve. What key do you want me to play in? (Many singers change keys for live performances). She tells him but no one can hear. SV - I was thinking we could try a call and answer. What do you think? NF - Sounds good, let's give it a shot. According to Steve's PM, everyone on the set stopped working after about 30 seconds and listened. Two musicians could meet for the first time and play something that great was magical.
A lot of people don't know, Steve Vai (for about the last 5 years) has directed/contributed to the music at the Grammy Awards during commercial breaks...that the public normally doesn't view. He had a few hours to work out this song with Nelly Furtado, and it went off (I think) beautifully. Kudos to both of them for a nice performance.
So cool that Nelly didn’t let ego get in the way of performing along side one of the greatest guitarists of all time. She was as stellar as Vai in this performance. Miss you Nelly Furtado.
The greatness of Vai is this is essentially an acoustic, almost acapella version, and you never think that when you're listening - it sounds like a full band
Whoever had the idea of putting these two together deserves a pat on the back. Would love to see an entire album of voice and guitar with these two talents!
Massive kudos to Steve Vai for crossing over to another genre and making a song like this into a completely unique cover. Screw narrow-minded naysayers on both side.
Sure, Nelly is wonderful, but Steve Vai is one of, if not the, most underrated guitarists of our generation. Sure, we all know who he is, and we all know that he is a brilliant guitarist, but this man should be held in high company alongside Hendrix, Gibbons and Van Halen.
@@chrisjames6327 Yes, my statement is true. If not for the movie crossroads, most ppl would not know him. He is deathly underrated. Its not just me. There are tons of web stories dedicated to how much more well known he should be. And, just bc you know him, doesn't mean everyone else does.
@@RumbleFish69he is pretty well known in the guitar community, so he's not underrated there. As for public, there's just a few that you could actually name to them and actually know who they are: Slash, EVH, Santana, Jimo Hendrix, maybe Chuck Berry and George Harrison. So he might underrated for the public but on the guitar community he's actually well respected
@madden7732 The guitar community is not what I am referring to, and I think I that was obvious. Steve Vai himself has said on more than one occasion that he doesn't feel he's reached the same level of recognition and notoriety as many of his peers, which is why I say that he's underrated. I agree with his statement. Today, you can say the names: Eddie Van Halen, Jimi Hendrix, Jimmy Page, shit, even Stanley Clarke, and people will know these names. But Steve Vai, to this day, will get the occasional "Who's that?" And that, my friend, is what underrated means. I am aware that he is well-respected, but being respected is something else entirely, and I never said that he wasn't respected. I respect the man tremendously myself. I met him at Sunset Studios in 1986, and he even walked into our recording session briefly. This man heard me play and said that I was pretty good, so I will respect him for life.
It's really annoying seeing all of these comments from people saying that Nelly Furtado is talentless and that Steve Vai is above her. This performance is not a competition between the two of them, it's a collaboration between two musicians popular in different groups.
You know, it would be completely undignified and unprofessional for Steve to touch his whammy bar while playing this, or any song! ...Oh, you meant his tremolo.... Never mind!
@BrutalMatteo Comunque ho avuto l'onore di assistere ad un suo live a pordenone. Spettacolo! Inoltre oserei aggiungere che rimane il re dell'effettistica e delle distorsioni.
io trovo che il pulito di Vai sia fantastico! ma indipendentemente dalla chitarra usata! E' il tocco che è magnifico! provte ad ascoltare questo pezzo ad occhi chiusi! è perfetto! poi c'è quel po di flanger che rende il suono ancora più bello!! Steve Vai è un grande!!
came for vai...stayed for vai. I dunno, it would have sounded better with Steve's Fan blowing :( This is one of my favorite things Vai has done for the last 20 years
@IIVanza Io spero di vedere almeno uno dei suoi concerti!! sto aspettando le date per il tour italiano 2010 sempre che quest'anno ne faccia.. Speriamo!! Onore a STEVE VAI
How much did he get for this performance? Fantastic cover Did Steve just play an entire song without touching his whammy bar?? Did Steve just play an entire song without touching his whammy bar??
@paulwall1981 U r exactly right dude... haha they DO sound similar. Maybe due to similar chord progression i guess. And both use similar reverb and chorus effect.
came for vai...stayed for vai. I dunno, it would have sounded better with Steve's Fan blowing :( Perfect! stevieeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee I´m in love. With both of them.
Is that a very tiny mistake right at the end during the harmonics? Or do you guys think it was intentional? I would never say Steve is less than perfect on guitar and it doesn't sound horrible it just seems a bit different than I'd expect!
It is good. But dose anyone esle think it sounds a little like Purple Rain by Prince? I think it dose. Dose any one esle think so. Please feel free to let me know.
@robyscascio ritengo sia il tocco più leggero in assoluto, regola la muscolatura delle dita in maniera eccelsa. Una piuma sulle corde. Ad esempio se la paragoni alla mano sinistra del grande Gilbert noterai che Paul imprime una grande forza quando suona.
![PASULOL รามเกียรติ์ ตอนที่ 4 นนทกพบรัก [Ramakien Ep.4: Nonthok in love]](http://i.ytimg.com/vi/tMUQgmZzf_A/mqdefault.jpg)
Don't forget that Nelly has sung, wrote, composed and co-produced this song and she appreciates Vai's music that is why she asked him to perform alongside her at the Grammys...
Exactly. And I read Steve was thinking acoustic, but Nelly was adamant about electric guitar for this performance. Good call on her part. Sounds cool.
Everyone should be asking Steve Vai to play with them
Steve Vai played the exact perfect notes at the exact perfect time on this.
I heard from a friend who knew Steve's stage production manager at the time that this was the story. While planning Steve's next tour, PM mentions that he's been asked to do the Grammy's lighting. A short while later, Steve gets a call from his manager. One sided conversation.
SV - Yeah.
SV - Grammys, sure.
SV to room after intently listening - Anyone know the "Like a Bird" song?
PM (who is a Canadian) - sings the chorus out of tune. Steve nods.
SV - Sure, I've heard that song. I can do it.
Next day, both leave for LA. Steve stops at record store on the way and picks up Nellie Furtado's CD. PM can see him up front in the plane, CD in disc man, air guitaring as he's listening to song. Rewinding and replaying (different air guitar licks) over sections.
Arrive next day at rehearsal. Both walk out on stage.
NF - Hi, I'm Nellie
SV - Hi, I'm Steve. What key do you want me to play in? (Many singers change keys for live performances). She tells him but no one can hear.
SV - I was thinking we could try a call and answer. What do you think?
NF - Sounds good, let's give it a shot.
According to Steve's PM, everyone on the set stopped working after about 30 seconds and listened. Two musicians could meet for the first time and play something that great was magical.
This is PURE PERFECTION! I wish that GOOD guitarist would accompany singers like this nowadays...
This is magical, Vai shows his true briliance here!
A lot of people don't know, Steve Vai (for about the last 5 years) has directed/contributed to the music at the Grammy Awards during commercial breaks...that the public normally doesn't view. He had a few hours to work out this song with Nelly Furtado, and it went off (I think) beautifully.
Kudos to both of them for a nice performance.
So cool that Nelly didn’t let ego get in the way of performing along side one of the greatest guitarists of all time. She was as stellar as Vai in this performance. Miss you Nelly Furtado.
One of the more beautiful collaborations between pop artists and legendary guitarists.
Vai, proving beyond a shadow of doubt, that he can play melodically, beautifully.
The greatness of Vai is this is essentially an acoustic, almost acapella version, and you never think that when you're listening - it sounds like a full band
This is one of my favorite things Vai has done for the last 20 years
Mine too, brilliant
But here only Nelly did things and saves performance, while Vai just trying to ruine everything by his accompanist feebleness.
Edward Gish Vai is only probably the best guitar player in the world...that s all...
Well, there’s a lot of hendrix in this Guitar playing...more than vai’s himself..
who needs a band when you have STEVE VAI !?
Fills for days. I bet he just hammered out the edges earlier & just went for it live. He's a beast.
2020 and we're here!
@gannon35782024 and still here
Can't fathom why people use their love if Vai to disrespect Nelly Furtado. They worked well together.
It's what Vai would want. He is smiting her with his misogynistic guitar licks. Raping her, in fact.
@@nightshadegatito get a grip.
sh2master you sound like a piece of SHIT. Lol get a life instead of writing garbage low life
Well, technically speaking Vai is a better musician than Nelly.
came for vai...stayed for vai.
Came for Nelly and stay for Nelly
came for Nelly and Vai stayed for Nelly and Vai
Is anyone able to just isolate Vai's playing here? It's genius
No surprise there, given he is actually genius.
Whoever had the idea of putting these two together deserves a pat on the back. Would love to see an entire album of voice and guitar with these two talents!
Massive kudos to Steve Vai for crossing over to another genre and making a song like this into a completely unique cover. Screw narrow-minded naysayers on both side.
Sure, Nelly is wonderful, but Steve Vai is one of, if not the, most underrated guitarists of our generation. Sure, we all know who he is, and we all know that he is a brilliant guitarist, but this man should be held in high company alongside Hendrix, Gibbons and Van Halen.
Vai is probably the most famous guitarist of his generation, bro. Underrated?
@@chrisjames6327 Yes, my statement is true. If not for the movie crossroads, most ppl would not know him. He is deathly underrated. Its not just me. There are tons of web stories dedicated to how much more well known he should be. And, just bc you know him, doesn't mean everyone else does.
@@RumbleFish69he is pretty well known in the guitar community, so he's not underrated there. As for public, there's just a few that you could actually name to them and actually know who they are: Slash, EVH, Santana, Jimo Hendrix, maybe Chuck Berry and George Harrison. So he might underrated for the public but on the guitar community he's actually well respected
@madden7732 The guitar community is not what I am referring to, and I think I that was obvious. Steve Vai himself has said on more than one occasion that he doesn't feel he's reached the same level of recognition and notoriety as many of his peers, which is why I say that he's underrated. I agree with his statement. Today, you can say the names: Eddie Van Halen, Jimi Hendrix, Jimmy Page, shit, even Stanley Clarke, and people will know these names. But Steve Vai, to this day, will get the occasional "Who's that?" And that, my friend, is what underrated means.
I am aware that he is well-respected, but being respected is something else entirely, and I never said that he wasn't respected. I respect the man tremendously myself. I met him at Sunset Studios in 1986, and he even walked into our recording session briefly. This man heard me play and said that I was pretty good, so I will respect him for life.
I don't think he's underrated in the least. Many guitarists, including myself, would say he's surpassed the other guys you listed.
It's really annoying seeing all of these comments from people saying that Nelly Furtado is talentless and that Steve Vai is above her. This performance is not a competition between the two of them, it's a collaboration between two musicians popular in different groups.
Did Steve just play an entire song without touching his whammy bar??
The trem was blocked, just in case if in the middle of the performance the instincts took upon him
He doesn't need a tremolo to bend, he just points at the nut and commands with his thoughts.
You know, it would be completely undignified and unprofessional for Steve to touch his whammy bar while playing this, or any song! ...Oh, you meant his tremolo.... Never mind!
Hahaha yeah man
The legend said he was sick this evening. His feet and hands were broken
Wow, Vai is incredible, he can play anything...
I've never seen him play Jazz though
Amazing and sweet version..😍
I sang this version on stage while back, the best version, brings back memories 💙
2020 y me sigue pareciendo está canción una obra maestra
Puro talento ..sin autotune
2023 still watching..
Always come back to this gem from time to time.
Steve mad a jammer, a real fuckin jammer even more jamery. That mf can make a guitar sing. He's one of the most underrated GOATs of all time.
Nelly you are Beautiful.
...and that's for sure.
Always loved this rendition ✌
He's a very good rhythm player also
Two legends.
lovely duet!!!
I love this so much, she's there all serious and he's dancing around playing haha :)
Apparently Steve was nervous about his tremolo going out of tune, if god forbid, breaking a string so he blocked the trem with a 9volt battery...
I'm happy she got her chance to sing beside God :)
@BrutalMatteo Comunque ho avuto l'onore di assistere ad un suo live a pordenone. Spettacolo! Inoltre oserei aggiungere che rimane il re dell'effettistica e delle distorsioni.
monica is that you ?
I know!!!
Awesome you are very talented
Nice cold evening in NewZealand watching this very performance as a kid ,memories 👌 🥹
i bet he didn't even have to rehearse this with her. Cuz he is just that good. And she sounds nice, too :P.
Concordo in pieno! Finalmente qualcuno che non prende per oro colato ogni cosa prodotta da Vai.
This is my favorite version
I wonder if nelly furtado knew she was in the presence of a god
"I'm like a Hendrix...."
She did. That’s why she humbly asked him to accompany her.
Awesome intro Steve u da man
Love how Steve incorporated some Hendrix style in the rhythm playing.
Lui è nell'Olimpo dei musicisti. Capacità tecniche e di composizione oltre i limiti umani.
Nelly Furtado..❤
io trovo che il pulito di Vai sia fantastico! ma indipendentemente dalla chitarra usata! E' il tocco che è magnifico! provte ad ascoltare questo pezzo ad occhi chiusi! è perfetto! poi c'è quel po di flanger che rende il suono ancora più bello!! Steve Vai è un grande!!
HAPPY BIRTHDAY NELLY!
I didn't notice Nelly Furtado
Amazing!!
Well said ! Favorite doesn't always, actually NEVER means better. I totally agree.
@1988Tiamat
I'm from Finland. Happy New Year to you too.
what a performance
I was first like " wtf? " but this is pretty good. Great guitarist and pretty good singer too.
came for vai...stayed for vai.
I dunno, it would have sounded better with Steve's Fan blowing :(
This is one of my favorite things Vai has done for the last 20 years
This is a gift from god.
awesome!!!
@IIVanza Io spero di vedere almeno uno dei suoi concerti!! sto aspettando le date per il tour italiano 2010 sempre che quest'anno ne faccia.. Speriamo!! Onore a STEVE VAI
I´m in love. With both of them.
Steve vai master !!!!!
2021!!!
How much did he get for this performance? Fantastic cover
Did Steve just play an entire song without touching his whammy bar??
Did Steve just play an entire song without touching his whammy bar??
Nelly Furtado is soooo good! :3
Te amo❤
Great class. :)
Pure Beauty
magical
Perfect!
stevieeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee
I´m in love. With both of them.
Mr. Vai having fun!!!
@paulwall1981 U r exactly right dude...
haha they DO sound similar. Maybe due to similar chord progression i guess.
And both use similar reverb and chorus effect.
came for vai...stayed for vai.
I dunno, it would have sounded better with Steve's Fan blowing :(
Perfect!
stevieeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee
I´m in love. With both of them.
Steve Vai la légende !!! ;)
Vai...👏👏👏
In glorious 480p!!!!
TE AMO Nelly..........
!!! Mój Idol i piękna Kobieta. Duet marzeń !!!
Mr Hendrix Poppy? XD Steve Vai kick ass!!
This is awsome only for Steve Vai
i like it!!... is steve vai!!
How much did he get for this performance? Fantastic cover
he is fckn perfect :)))
grande Steve..:)
I wonder if nelly furtado knew she was in the presence of a god
@1988Tiamat what do you mean europe AND england? the uk is part of europe
assolutamente giustissimo!!
Steve vai 😍
Mego Cool!!!!
Is that a very tiny mistake right at the end during the harmonics? Or do you guys think it was intentional? I would never say Steve is less than perfect on guitar and it doesn't sound horrible it just seems a bit different than I'd expect!
To sounds like a tiny mistake, twice, but I have no problem with that at all
It is good. But dose anyone esle think it sounds a little like Purple Rain by Prince? I think it dose. Dose any one esle think so. Please feel free to let me know.
She should thank for God to accept this performance!!!
Perfect!
stevieeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee
"I'm like a Hendrix...."
My sides! HAHAHAHA
Definitely
I love Hendrix, but Vai is 1000000 times the player he was
Funny. I was reading Joe Satriani Tab for Starry Night; and in the composition during the bridge he actually wrote Hendrixsque in the tempo.
@Scotty Davlin only took 8 months for my comment to set someone off lmao
double LIKE
Ok, I bought it.
Please welcome Steve Vai….. and Nelly Furtado
Steve sei grande
Sweet
You are a bird really ❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️🎉🎉🎉🎉❤️👍
Sing it sister
@robyscascio ritengo sia il tocco più leggero in assoluto, regola la muscolatura delle dita in maniera eccelsa. Una piuma sulle corde. Ad esempio se la paragoni alla mano sinistra del grande Gilbert noterai che Paul imprime una grande forza quando suona.
Steve Vai is the shit