Exciting for Jimmy Fallon to finally release his first album!
That's not really a question, pal! You are also incorrect! You may remember 2002's "The Bathroom Wall," released while Fallon was still a popular "Saturday Night Live" cast member. The album is mostly remembered for its single, the Prince-soundalike "Idiot Boyfriend." Its music video featured a blonde, pre-fame Zooey Deschanel as Jimmy's girlfriend who is smarter than him.
Oh. So why do I care about "Blow Your Pants Off"?
You care about this one because "Late Night with Jimmy Fallon" almost instantly became a fun, must-watch talk show largely because Jimmy fully embraced the musical opportunities afforded to him. Mixing humor, The Roots and Fallon's own inimitabile imitations (make sense?) proved to be a secret formula that makes the show a joy to watch.
So all my favorite "Late Night" songs are included?
Yes! Neil Young's "French Prince of Bel Air" and "Whip My Hair," The Doors' take on "Reading Rainbow," the first "History of Rap," the David Bowie/Tim Tebow hybrid, the "Friday" duet with Stephen Colbert, "Slow Jam the News," and more are included.
What about celebs? I love celebs. Please tell me this album has celebs.
Yes, we all love celebrities. Not only are they beautiful, they're rich, too! This album includes guest spots from Justin Timberlake, Paul McCartney, Dave Matthews, Stephen Colbert, Eddie Vedder, Brian Williams, and Bruce Springsteen. Oh, and also Big & Rich. The hours of paperwork that was surely necessary to get these musicians to appear is worth it, because the songs are real funny.
Wow! Jimmy got all these guys to re-record their songs in the studio?
Well, no. They're the performances from the TV broadcast.
What? So I could have just put a tape recorder up to my TV set and gotten the album that way?
Yes, you could have done that. It's a free country and that kind of ingenuity is what makes America great. However, these versions are totally remixed and remastered, and it sounds great. Then again, The Roots do play on every track, so it'd be hard for the songs not to sound pristine. There are also a few tracks that were recorded specifically for the album. Like the one from Big & Rich.
Where can I get a tape recorder to put up to my TV?
I don't know. RadioShack? That seems really inconvenient.
Where is the closest RadioShack?
Closer than you think. It's kind of astounding actually.
What's the best song on the album?
I'm partial to the Doors parody, because it shows that the Reading Rainbow theme song is just as profound as Doors lyrics. And also Paul McCartney singing a full version of "Scrambled Eggs," which sprouted from the original dummy lyrics to "Yesterday." That was probably an equally weird moment for Macca and Jimmy. And of course, the technical prowess behind "Slow Jam the News" and "History of Rap" are unmatched in late night history.
Anything else to know about the album?
Jimmy Fallon's naked butt is on the cover.
Is it really his butt?
He joked that he used a butt double on his recent YouTube concert, but also said he had to get a spray tan for the cover shoot. It's a parody of Jennifer Aniston's "Rolling Stone" cover where you can totally see her butt, and she's sitting there all like, "Oh, is my butt showing? I didn't even realize."
Where can I buy this album?
It's on iTunes, silly! And probably record shops and, like, Target, I guess.
