‘SNL’ Ends With Musical Sidney Poitier-Inspired Obama Dedication ‘To Sir With Love’ (Video)

‘SNL’ pays tribute to President Obama with a song from a 1967 Sidney Poitier film

“SNL” ended its first episode after the inauguration of President Donald Trump on something of a somber note. It used the final moments to say “Thank You” to President Barack Obama with a song.

Standing in front of a portrait Obama, Cecily Strong kicked off the song “To Sir With Love.” It’s the theme song to the 1967 Sidney Poitier movie of the same name. In the film, Poitier gets through to a group of trouble-making students in London. The song, sung by the students, is a sign of their respect for him. You can watch the full song above.

The “SNL” tribute, during which Sasheer Zamata joined Strong to finish the song, carried the same themes over to thanking Obama. To be fair, though, some viewers were thrown off by the song’s opening lines and the somber tone — it was decidedly not a comedic sketch.

Here are the lyrics: “Those schoolgirl days of telling tales and biting nails are gone/

“But in my mind/I know they will still live on and on

“But how do you thank someone, who has taken you from crayons to perfume?

“It isn’t easy, but I’ll try/If you wanted the sky I would write across the sky in letters,

“That would soar a thousand feet high,/To Sir, with Love

“The time has come/For closing books and long last looks must end And as I leave

“I know that I am leaving my best friend/A friend…”

Strong and Zamata ended the sketch by pulling up a gift for Obama: A “World’s Greatest President” mug.

And Zamata had one more message to add: “Thank you. Don’t go.”

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