Friday on My Mind: Best Jimmy Fallon Musical Performances

It’s time again for Friday on My Mind, our weekly blog post where we look at videos centered around one common theme. This is a collaborative effort between KEXP and King 5 News.

After weeks of speculation, it was officially confirmed this week that former Saturday Night Live cast member and Late Night host Jimmy Fallon will be replacing Jay Leno as the host of NBC’s Tonight Show. This change will take place by Spring of 2014 after the airing of the 2014 Summer Olympics. Jay Leno began as Tonight Show host in 1992 and has been with the show for the majority of 22 years. In 2010, Leno left briefly for 8 months to host his own prime time gig, The Jay Leno Show. He was replaced by Late Night host, Conan O’Brien. Due to poor ratings, Leno came back to the Tonight Show, and Conan O’Brien was given the boot. O’Brien has since moved over to TBS after the whole debacle.

Fallon has been hosting Late Night for four years now since March of 2009. When asked about his new role as The Tonight Show host, Fallon said, “I’m really excited to host a show that starts today instead of tomorrow.” He has always displayed forward thinking tastes in music throughout his time as host, so it is no surprise that he has openly called out KEXP at various times such as when he had Neon Indian on his show as a musical guest back in February 2010. During his introduction for the band, he spoke about hearing them for the first time on KEXP.

There are many musical and music related performances from Fallon's four years as Late Night host, but here are a few of our particular favorites....

The Chickeneers’ - Ho Hey This performance aired on March 28, 2013. It's an all-Clucking Version Of The Lumineers song "Ho Hey" as performed by Jimmy Fallon, country singer Blake Shelton, & comedian and Parks & Rec star Nick Offerman dressed in chicken suits.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PPftVQwyPs0

Jimmy Fallon as Jim Morrison - Reading Rainbow

From an episode of the show that aired on November 11, 2011. Jimmy does a spot on impersonation of Jim Morrison with a Doors-like rendition of the theme song to the beloved PBS children's show.

Jimmy Fallon as Bob Dylan - Charles In Charge

This performance originally aired on March 17, 2011. This time he takes on Bob Dylan. Fallon always proves that he is great at impersonations.

Honorable Mentions:

Jimmy Fallon and Eddie Vedder/ Jimmy Fallon and Florence Welch - Balls in Your Mouth

Fallon wrote this protest song in response to the BP oil spill which caused balls of tar to wash up on shore. Pearl Jam's Eddie Vedder joined Fallon to sing the song during this episode from September 8, 2011.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pHvpPdD0KfU

Here is the reprise of Fallon’s BP protest song, performed a year later, this time with Florence Welch of Florence + the Machine helping out on vocals.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Cy2PHZvDD8A

?estLove and "Captain" Kirk Douglas of The Roots performing as Black Simon and Garfunkel - Thrift Shop

This fictional singing duo performed their version of Mackelmore & Ryan Lewis' "Thrift Shop" last month. They've also taken on songs by Rihanna and Taylor Swift.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oaxkH9sTzuU Jimmy Fallon and Justin Timberlake - History of Rap 4

The fourth installment of the History of Rap aired recently on March 15, 2013. Artists included during this medley included Sugarhill Gang, Beastie Boys, Slick Rick, 2 Live Crew, Missy Elliot, Macklemore and Ryan Lewis, Eminem, LL Cool J, among others.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=B8wfWO06yp8