I can't imagine what the audience felt: She looks so unexpected, and that voice is truly just out of this world. Her vocal talent and control is just insane.... Truly unique.

This is simply mind-boggling, stunning, and beyond belief. No one else even comes close to this woman's talent, soul, and power. Amazing! I'm sorry but whoever gives this a thumbs-down is brain-dead... or maybe heart-dead.

MY GOD, that voice. Her singing is practically a food group!

Amazing. She had it all from the very beginning. One of the greatest singers of all time.

I remember this moment in time clearly. The audience and Johnny weren't ready for KDL. She blew the roof off the TV let alone the theater. One of The Carson shows greatest moments.

The voice, unmistakably k. d. lang, gives me the chills.

I saw her live a few years before this at a summer country fair festival in a little outpost called Williams Lake in B.C.. Might have been 200 people there ... Could tell as early as then that she was no average country, R&B singer and was going places. Can't believe I got to see a talent like this in a venue like that.

Holy Guacamole!! Arguably the best singing performance on TV... EVER! ...naah, now that I think about it, no argument at all. There are hard acts to follow...and then there are *impossible* acts to follow! Anyone else have a little shiver go thru them at the end of this song? Just...WOW!

I stumbled on KD years ago. I was crushed when I found out I'd never get to marry her. The most electrifying singer ever!

Holy mother, that voice. That delivery. Stunning.

We were initially supposed to do two songs on the show but a longer than expected Gore Vidal interview left us with only time for one song. kd knocked it out of the park, it was her first US TV performance and, well, the rest is history.

When people say that kd lang is a voice of a generation and the best torch song singers ever, that’s putting it lightly. To be able to see kd lang live in concert is just an experience you have to live for yourself. She gave me the goosebumps! Love kd lang 🥰

I remember watching this with my dad when it originally aired, and being immediately floored by her talent. Not my style of song, but she makes it very clear she's an amazing singer.

The best singing ever, bar none!!!

six dislikes, there's something wrong in the world. She is Elvis with skirt. God bless you K.D

In perfect vocal form here. That pure, soft, beautiful, voice can also be SOOOOO powerful when she unleashes it. Too much of a character, sings with her soul and her entire body. A young k.d. not holding one thing back.

I doubt anyone seeing her for the first time was expecting that. She gives you your money's worth for sure.

Unique, passionate, defiantly individualistic. Don't ever change, you're perfect the way you are!

She's like Annie Lennox, those 2 can sing ANYTHING and do it with such style, elegance and take over your heart...

Nobody....I mean NOBODY...better!!!

I vividly recall being in a room away from the tv when she started to sing and dashing in to see WHO was singing and remember my mouth literally dropping open in shock when I saw her. Became a lifelong fan at that moment.

WOW. Have never seen this clip. I've always thought she was a phenomenal singer, but have never seen her sing quite this way. So, so, so talented.

And a nod to the late, great sound engineer Ron Estes for capturing her sound so expertly.

What a voice, she is good. This woman can sing blues, country, pop, rock, she can do it all single-handedly. And to date, she still kills it the first time around.

Wowzer! My heart just jumped out of my throat and went SPLAT on the ground. Whew. This was an experience.

As soon as she drops to the floor. You knew it was going to be good

All I know is if people don't react to her emotion and vocal skill, they are from another planet!!! Chills from 3:20 to the end!!

Whooeeh, she belted out that song !!! How great.... You'll never see anything like that performance again.

We don't have singers and music like this anymore. First time seeing this in 2021, better than anything I have heard in the last 15 years.

That voice, that magnificent voice!

Young K.D.!!!!! That voice!

Her voice - like liquid velvet - is so powerful she holds the mic well back from her face.

Wow. I honestly don't see how that performance could be improved upon.

She has no equal. There are other terrific singers, but not like kd. I just love her voice and what she does with it.

Earliest k.d.Lang I've seen, what an amazing voice.

This is a masterclass in non-showy spectacularness - of voice and being. Incredible voice - powerhouse but refined and delineated and inward. Incredible charisma. Incredible performer. Incredible sensuality. Incredibly natural. Realness. Raw talent. Being herself. W O W!!!! And gives her whole being before an audience. And has great fellow musicians she is genuinely connected to. No ego. Just a powerful, unselfconcious presence and a musician/songstress to the hilt and from the core. I read a comment below that she's a torch singer. Wow. She is the most un-dull and wonderful and interesting and sweeping torch singer I have ever seen. Honestly, the power of her being is trilling on the heart and soul. P.s. She's so precious the way she flares the skirt out at the end. She has this self-sardonic wit that captivates.

She was a surprise to everyone and so different looking, but that voice, wow!

I have liked her right from the first time I saw her on the Johnny Carson show.Her voice is amazing.

I feel so blessed to have seen her. I love everything about her vocals, her style and her personality.

Kd, is in a class of her own. God bless her, That voice is unreal. No matter what she sings. Totally goes through my whole body. This is what you call genius vocals. She has to be the best I have ever heard, in my entire life, I'm now in my 70s.Still enjoy listening to KD. Every day. Thank you KD, you make me proud to be a woman. 🇮🇪💚

The first time I saw her on Johnny Carson I was in shock.

wow-she is a force of nature!

WHAT A VOICE!!!!

Wowza!! I’ve loved kd since 1985...she was my first concert! Lucky me!! This performance however is THE MOST AMAZING PERFORMANCE OF ANYONE, ANYWHERE!! I can’t wait to see her for the fifth time in Seattle at The Moore Theater!!❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️ I love you, kd!!!

KD sings the Blues from her heart and soul. Damn she's good.

Excellent penformance and what a voice !

What a range!! Wow!! And talk about breath control....so impressing for tons of reasons. Thank you, God, for k d.

No one can sling a song like k.d.lang.

She’s so amazing! Her voice is Godly! When she covers Neil Young’s “Helpless” it tears me up every time! ❤️KD

OMG, she can sing ANYTHING amazingly !!!!!!!!!! I love the Blues.

This song blew me away the first time hearing it. Great song with great words with a great singer singing it.

That curtsey at the end is so darling and endearing.

I love her voice and the way she gets into her music!

This performance should put anyone into shock and awe! OMG! The power and feeling! DAMN!

I'm on KD Lang binge this weekend from interviews to music clips.. eventually a few music videos but so far this clip has got to be my favorite... I almost got the holy ghost with that voice...whew!

The girl is bad to the bone !!! Would love to see her in person because I do love Kd Lang. She is one of the best !!!

Such a TALENT !!!!

I remember that show, clear as day. One of best performances I had ever seen on TV. Her vocals were out of this world.

I sure wish she would do this one again...wow been a fan since

GodDAMN, what a voice.

what a voice - awesome !

What a great performance! What a powerful voice !❤ sends my heart pounding!

I remember this, I loved her since.

Wow. She's always been a fantastic singer.

LOVE me some KD Lang . . hell YES!!!

These comments go back 6 years but I notice some recent ones, which I wish they would put up top here and hope there will be more coming. To see k d lang here over 30 years ago is phenomenal! I'm so happy to know that she became a sucsess. I'll never forget her in her white suit singing Hallelujah in the Canadian National Olympics and the deserving award she won! I pray that she has the happiest retirement years of anyone on earth! Always love k d lang!

Wow. Just...wow.

and I've got chills now :)

Would love to see the concert she did on Austin City Limits around this time or early or mid 80's..she did this song on ACL,too..

So awesome

Can't get enough.

Goosebumps

She sure left it all on that stage! You go KD💕

Thank you Declan John for this rare GEM...More please!!!

The voice !

My God she can sing! Just beautiful

I had never heard of her till I saw this performance when it originally aired, and it made me an instant fan.

Carson knew how to pick ‘em… he had a knack for pure talent. The first of many appearances on his show. Girl crush forever ❤ kd is the best!

Her old stuff is so awesome

Oh my gosh! I have no words, just chills!

Carson had great taste in music and musicians

I played ''Angel with a Lariat'' till I wore a groove right through to the other side.

She has on her cool boots! Great to see & hear her first time on the Tonight Show.

Patsy Cline would be proud!! My God. That voice.

kd lang is amazing. It was so sad to lose Karen Carpenter kd Lang has a similar voice I would of loved to heard them both sing together there voices would of soothed life's problems away. I love the wholeness kd Lang puts in her singing it touches your soul. I havent heard a better voice. Seriously I can't think of anyone today who can sing as good as kd Lang.

Now that's how you do it. This was her big chance to show Canada and the States what she was made of and boy did she show them. She knew what was at stake with this performance and gave it more than her all. It was her defining moment and the rest is history. So lucky to have seen her preform several times. First time was a cold rainy autumn evening on the Canadian prairie in 1985. A place called Caloway Park about fourty mile west of Calgay Alberta. Only about 40 people were there but she played to the crowd like there were 40 thousand present. We all knew that night she would be a star.

unreal voice. Then and Now. Let's see Johnny's face when she's done.

I love her.

GOTDAMN. This is that REAL shit. What an utter badass.

wow, k.d. lays the hammer down here and the band, they’re fire...!

Incredible. To have that voice AND the talent to know what to do with it.

k.d. lang has one amazing voice. I have loved her singing since I first heard her.

I wish she had recorded more could listen to her all day and night.

In case there are any Rush fans seeing this, the guy immediately to her right playing what appears to be an electric mandolin, or something similar, is Ben Mink, who played the awesome electric violin solo on Rush's song "Losing It" from their Signals album. FYI.

incredible...

Lovin' her bluesy vibe! All the way down to the floorboards! Can always count on her to give it all she's got.

Carson’s reaction at the end says it all.

In a strange way I put KD in a category with Joe Cocker in that when she sings someone else's song she makes it hers. I find her talent so overwhelming and an absolute joy to behold.

3:23-3:30... if you could only watch 7 seconds, those would be the seven to watch! What great reverb too -- shocking for an 80's performance!

Amazing performance!! k d ROCKS!