butterfly in the sky, I can fly twice as high

November 14, 2011 6:46 AM

Jimmy Fallon, as Jim Morrison, sings the "Reading Rainbow" theme.
posted by flex (64 comments total)

If you can't access the NBC video, here is a YouTube link.

(later on in the show, Jimmy Fallon admitted to Adam Sandler that he stuffed a washcloth in his pants)
posted by flex at 6:46 AM on November 14, 2011

Am I the only one who wondered why the Doors had written a song about a meteorological phenomenon situated just west of London?
posted by The Ultimate Olympian at 6:52 AM on November 14, 2011 [2 favorites]

As much as I love the train wreck that is the Craig Ferguson show every night, I maintain that Fallon is probably the funniest, and most creative writer/performer working the night shift these days. He is just the funny bastard next door, who every one in a while comes up with something brilliant.
posted by timsteil at 6:58 AM on November 14, 2011 [5 favorites]

That could easily have been a mid-late period Doors song.
posted by dobie at 7:02 AM on November 14, 2011 [10 favorites]

That was astonishingly excellent.
posted by AugieAugustus at 7:05 AM on November 14, 2011

Goodnight Moon will never be the same for me.
posted by swift at 7:08 AM on November 14, 2011 [3 favorites]

Something else brilliant from Fallon.
posted by MrMoonPie at 7:09 AM on November 14, 2011 [2 favorites]

readers on the storm...

sorry.
posted by quietalittlewild at 7:12 AM on November 14, 2011 [7 favorites]

I like how he gives a knowing look at the camera when he says "I can go twice as high."
posted by Bunny Ultramod at 7:12 AM on November 14, 2011 [1 favorite]

someone told me about this last night and i had fallon confused with kimmel as i rarely watch late night shows since i rarely find them funny.

i have a newfound respect for jimmy fallon. he's actually a pretty good singer and kinda hot.
posted by sio42 at 7:14 AM on November 14, 2011

He's a talented individual, but I never thought he was very funny. The Doors parody was pretty cool though!
posted by Malice at 7:17 AM on November 14, 2011

I would have bet anything that you couldn't get three minutes of funny out of that concept. As it turns out, I would have been wrong.
posted by .kobayashi. at 7:19 AM on November 14, 2011 [4 favorites]

Hi Neil Young is really good, too.
posted by shakespeherian at 7:22 AM on November 14, 2011 [2 favorites]

(*his)
posted by shakespeherian at 7:22 AM on November 14, 2011

i have a newfound respect for jimmy fallon

What happened there? When he was on SNL, he was smarmy and unfunny and you just wanted to punch him in the face. These days he's much more charismatic and he's pulling off these really sharp bits of comedy.

He clearly has better writers, but that's not all of it. For one thing, he manages to go five minutes now without cracking up and laughing at absolutely nothing.
posted by PlusDistance at 7:25 AM on November 14, 2011 [3 favorites]

Not sure if this got its own FPP, but History of Rap 3 happened a few weeks ago. Yes, each installment has dropped in quality, but it's still brilliant.
posted by moviehawk at 7:27 AM on November 14, 2011 [1 favorite]

I think Fallon's turning into a good interviewer, too. He's following the Craig Ferguson "just talk about stuff and see what happens" method more than the traditional "So let's talk about your project" style, and it works.

I really rarely watch late night talk shows but when I do catch Fallon I'm always a little pleased at how well he's turning out.
posted by padraigin at 7:28 AM on November 14, 2011 [2 favorites]

readers on the storm...

sorry.
posted by quietalittlewild

Flagged. Because that was my goddamned joke that's why. People! I implore you.
posted by timsteil at 7:31 AM on November 14, 2011 [1 favorite]

Good lord this is brilliant. Down to the salami he's packing in the too-tight leather pants. I unironically love "The End" and its goofy post-beat poetry, but it sure is fun to see it parodied.
posted by Nelson at 7:32 AM on November 14, 2011

That was pretty amazing, he seems to have a pretty wide range vocally. I think the best performance was when Stephen Colbert and him did a cover of Rebecca Blacks Friday.
posted by lilkeith07 at 7:32 AM on November 14, 2011 [1 favorite]

Wait, is this "Riders on the Storm"? Or is it "The End"? Or oh god have all The Doors songs run together into one pretentious endless hippie screech?
posted by Nelson at 7:33 AM on November 14, 2011

For one thing, he manages to go five minutes now without cracking up and laughing at absolutely nothing.

This is because he has the benefit of Will Ferell not deliberately trying to get him to crack up. When Ferell got bored with a sketch, which was often, or sensed weakness in a fellow cast-mate, he'd go for the kill. He's a lot like Tim Conway in that regard.
posted by Slap*Happy at 7:39 AM on November 14, 2011 [7 favorites]

My guess, also, is that SNL was shot live late at night, whereas Fallon's talk show is taped earlier in the day, so maybe he's not quite so fucking stoned.
posted by shakespeherian at 7:40 AM on November 14, 2011 [2 favorites]

he nailed that voice. the director added a lot with those cross fades and dissolves that were all '60s style. plus, if you notice, the instruments were near perfect, including Krieger's SG and Manzarek's Gibson organ and Fender Rhodes bass keyboard.
posted by Ironmouth at 7:45 AM on November 14, 2011 [6 favorites]

When he's not performing these flashes of brilliance, he looks like he's afraid that he's gonna be yanked off the air at any moment. Jimmy Fallon is totally unparalleled at pretending to be someone with talent.
posted by cmoj at 7:46 AM on November 14, 2011 [2 favorites]

The title of the Related Post "Trouser Snake On A Stage" is infinitely funnier after watching this video.
posted by darksasami at 7:55 AM on November 14, 2011 [1 favorite]

I'll give him credit for getting the voice down so well.
posted by Kitty Stardust at 8:08 AM on November 14, 2011 [1 favorite]

90% of the time, I really despite Jimmy Fallon and I resent that anyone ever gave him his own show. But I will give credit where due, and his deadpan perfect musician impersonations are genius. And I can forgive a lot for "I can go twice as high."
posted by Tomorrowful at 8:09 AM on November 14, 2011

I record Fallon every night. Right now, he is about the freshest of the late night talk shows (although Ferguson is right up there too)

I love the Water War skits. For something so simple, it is just absolutely hilarious.

Would have linked but the Fallon site seems to be borking on vids right now. Just do a search at latenightwithjimmyfallon.com/video/ for Water War. The recent one with Hugh Jackman was crazy.
posted by lampshade at 8:10 AM on November 14, 2011 [1 favorite]

Hi Neil Young is really good, too.

Has the 'THAT'S WHAT THE CAT SAID' meme been explored yet?
posted by jimmythefish at 8:18 AM on November 14, 2011

As much as I love the train wreck that is the Craig Ferguson show every night, I maintain that Fallon is probably the funniest, and most creative writer/performer working the night shift these days.

Fallon has improved quite a bit, he's steadily gotten better as he's grown comfortable with the show. I used to like Ferguson, but he's painful to watch now.

BTW, Fallon's Bob Dylan doing the Charles in Charge theme is pretty good as well.
posted by CosmicRayCharles at 8:20 AM on November 14, 2011 [2 favorites]

That is by far the best Bob Dylan impersonation I've ever heard.
posted by swift at 8:30 AM on November 14, 2011

He should have exposed himself on stage and then had LeVar Burton arrest him.
posted by orme at 8:31 AM on November 14, 2011 [3 favorites]

I can't look at Fallon without remembering those CapitalOne commercials he did. Dude, you're making good money with your little TV show. Why shill for the goddamn credit card companies?
posted by Burhanistan at 8:34 AM on November 14, 2011 [1 favorite]

plus, if you notice, the instruments were near perfect, including Krieger's SG and Manzarek's Gibson organ and Fender Rhodes bass keyboard.

I was about to quibble that there was an anachronism--they took the resonant (front) head off the kick drum, which was more of a seventies than a sixties thing. Alas.
posted by Zerowensboring at 8:47 AM on November 14, 2011

Wait, is this "Riders on the Storm"? Or is it "The End"? Or oh god have all The Doors songs run together into one pretentious endless hippie screech?

It is more or less generic pastiche, but I think "When The Music's Over" is a large part of its DNA.
posted by ricochet biscuit at 8:54 AM on November 14, 2011

This was an excellent parody, but I want to take this time to remind everyone of an important related issue:

People- vaccinate your children against The Doors. Vaccination provides full immunity, without any manifestation of symptoms. It's not like when we were all kids, and someone would get The Doors, and then everyone in the neighborhood would contract it. It's preventable now. The Doors is not a "harmless childhood disease."
posted by TheWhiteSkull at 8:56 AM on November 14, 2011 [18 favorites]

I wasn't a fan of Fallon on SNL, but I've grown to love his late night show. I like that he usually doesn't even bother doing a second half of an interview segment and instead just challenges the celebrity to a game of some sort.
posted by drezdn at 9:04 AM on November 14, 2011

People- vaccinate your children against The Doors.

Also know that there are LOTS of parents out there who vaccinate their kids the natural way people have been doings for THOUSANDS of years. Know the truth, Google FIND A DOORS PARTY IN YOUR AREA or DOORS PARTY or DOORS LOLLIPOP.

I can provide you with a fresh batch of Doors in Nashville Tennessee. Shipping of suckers, spit, and Q-tips available tomorrow. $50 via PayPal.
posted by Foci for Analysis at 9:13 AM on November 14, 2011 [5 favorites]

Doors fans aren't made, they're born...
posted by chambers at 9:17 AM on November 14, 2011 [3 favorites]

Needs more cowbell.
posted by stormpooper at 9:22 AM on November 14, 2011

People- vaccinate your children against The Doors.

You guys and your paranoid conspiracies involving "Big Zep".
posted by grubi at 9:27 AM on November 14, 2011

People- vaccinate your children against The Doors.

Oh pfft. I got The Doors in 1969, like everybody else in first grade. Our parents would send us to The Doors parties when one of us got infected, and we all turned out just fine. Well. I've still got a chronic case of Jefferson Airplane, but IT'S NOT CONNECTED AT ALL.
posted by zomg at 9:38 AM on November 14, 2011 [4 favorites]

You guys and your paranoid conspiracies involving "Big Zep".

Wait till you hear about PEAK FLOYD.
posted by LionIndex at 9:39 AM on November 14, 2011 [2 favorites]

That was...better than I expected.
posted by jquinby at 9:40 AM on November 14, 2011

I'll have my daughter listen to that tonight instead of story time.
posted by hot_monster at 9:44 AM on November 14, 2011 [1 favorite]

lilkeith07: That was pretty amazing, he seems to have a pretty wide range vocally. I think the best performance was when Stephen Colbert and him did a cover of Rebecca Blacks Friday

Tangentially related, but I've noticed this trend with reversed videos on Youtube including the one linked above. Is this some attempt to prevent automatic detection/deletion by Youtube or the networks/producers?
posted by hincandenza at 10:11 AM on November 14, 2011

People- vaccinate your children against The Doors.

Indeed. Oliver Stone is the prime cautionary example.
posted by Philofacts at 10:26 AM on November 14, 2011

Is this some attempt to prevent automatic detection/deletion by Youtube or the networks/producers?

Exactly that.
posted by zsazsa at 10:42 AM on November 14, 2011

And now, all of my bedtime reading to the children will be done in a faux-Morrison voice in my head.

They lived with their Mother...in a sand-bank
underneath the root
of a very big...fir tree

YEEEEAH!
posted by jquinby at 11:31 AM on November 14, 2011 [1 favorite]

"I think "When The Music's Over" is a large part of its DNA"

There was a bar I used to go to that had "When The Music's Over" on the jukebox. I played it every time I went in there along with Traffic's "The Low Spark of High Heeled Boys". I like to get my money's worth.
posted by MikeMc at 11:33 AM on November 14, 2011

"There's a difference between hearing and listening. You white people, y'all can't hear Jimmy."

Oh, I can hear Jimmy. Jimmy Fallon!
posted by jwhite1979 at 11:38 AM on November 14, 2011

That night Max made mischief...
of one kind...
and...
another.

And his mother told him: son!
Yes mother?
Son you are a...
Wiyyyyyy-yiiiiilld Thing!
YEEEEEAAAAAHHHHH!

And Max said Mother...
Yes son...
I'll eat you up!

YEEEEEAAAAAHHHHH-OOOHHHHHHHH....
posted by rusty at 11:43 AM on November 14, 2011 [4 favorites]

if you notice, the instruments were near perfect, including Krieger's SG and Manzarek's Gibson organ and Fender Rhodes bass keyboard.

I'm totally mesmerized by the backing band. I mean, it's not actually them (right? Is it?), but it looks like them, and they nail the sound spot on... Tribute band? Did he introduce them at all?
posted by anastasiav at 11:45 AM on November 14, 2011 [3 favorites]

If you look closely at the backing band, you can see that they're not actually playing in sync to the music. (Fallon is actually singing, though). So the music was either pre-recorded, or there are actual musicians (who were chosen for their talent, not their looks) playing off-camera.
posted by 1970s Antihero at 12:05 PM on November 14, 2011

It is more or less generic pastiche, but I think "When The Music's Over" is a large part of its DNA.

Good call. The outfit Fallon's wearing is even similar to the one in this performance. Not that Morrison's wardrobe was ever terribly diverse.
posted by dephlogisticated at 2:12 PM on November 14, 2011

JIMMY FALLON ROCK THE HOUSE!
posted by timsteil at 3:37 PM on November 14, 2011

JIMMY FALLON ROCK THE HOUSE!

That is the whitest thing I've ever seen. Once-great new-wave rockers freshening up their old song with a black guy and turntables. Changing the lyrics from, "fun nasty fun," to, "fun natural fun." WTF. Kinda depressing.
posted by cmoj at 3:52 PM on November 14, 2011

This was near-perfect.
posted by I_Love_Bananas at 4:13 PM on November 14, 2011

I can't find any references to who the musicians are backing him on this. does anyone know?
posted by I_Love_Bananas at 4:23 PM on November 14, 2011

So the music was either pre-recorded, or there are actual musicians (who were chosen for their talent, not their looks) playing off-camera.

Well, if the guys in camera shot are faking it because they look the part, I'd assume that the actual music is being played by The Roots, who are Fallon's house band. (The best band in late night!) (Actually, one of the best bands ever, anywhere, period.)
posted by hippybear at 4:41 PM on November 14, 2011

I gotta tip my hat as well - his Morrison shout actually gave me a tiny inkling of how shocking and weird and amazing it must have been to see the Doors back when they arrived on the scene. To get that vibe from a parody? Nicely done.

As for innoculating kids against the Doors, I don't know if that's such a hot idea. If future generations of disaffected 14 year olds can't shoplift copies of "Wilderness" from the future equivalent of Waldenbooks, how are they going to work out all that pretentious, poetic angst?
posted by chaff at 7:51 PM on November 14, 2011 [1 favorite]

This kind of pure genius makes me feel like an absolute waste of space.
posted by pjaust at 1:52 PM on November 15, 2011

Jimmy Fallon as Neil Young singing "Pants on the Ground." I think pop culture just imploded.
posted by cereselle at 8:31 AM on November 17, 2011 [1 favorite]