Fallon/Black go Extreme
May 5, 2015 3:16 AM Subscribe
Jimmy Fallon and Jack Black remake "More Than Words" The inimitable Jack Black guests on The Tonight Show 5/4/15 and joins Jimmy Fallon to cover Extreme's More Than Words (SLYT).
Jack Black really has an amazingly lovely voice for an insane man.
posted by umberto at 4:15 AM on May 5, 2015 [41 favorites]
posted by umberto at 4:15 AM on May 5, 2015 [41 favorites]
That was fun! And they clearly exercised their artistic liberty in picking the dog for the couch scene.
posted by Ashenmote at 4:24 AM on May 5, 2015
posted by Ashenmote at 4:24 AM on May 5, 2015
Was Kyle Gass busy or something?
posted by Optamystic at 4:29 AM on May 5, 2015 [2 favorites]
posted by Optamystic at 4:29 AM on May 5, 2015 [2 favorites]
"Fallacious D"
posted by Optamystic at 4:31 AM on May 5, 2015 [5 favorites]
posted by Optamystic at 4:31 AM on May 5, 2015 [5 favorites]
My sixth grade self loves this more than words could ever say.
posted by fancyoats at 4:43 AM on May 5, 2015 [11 favorites]
posted by fancyoats at 4:43 AM on May 5, 2015 [11 favorites]
Presented side-by-side for your convenience.
posted by He Is Only The Imposter at 5:21 AM on May 5, 2015 [3 favorites]
posted by He Is Only The Imposter at 5:21 AM on May 5, 2015 [3 favorites]
Jack Black always reminds me of the horse that saith Ha! among the trumpets when he sings in that particular way.
posted by winna at 5:30 AM on May 5, 2015 [2 favorites]
posted by winna at 5:30 AM on May 5, 2015 [2 favorites]
Am I way off in my belief that this is one of the Great Songs?
posted by blue t-shirt at 5:32 AM on May 5, 2015 [2 favorites]
posted by blue t-shirt at 5:32 AM on May 5, 2015 [2 favorites]
Am I way off in my belief that this is one of the Great Songs?
yes
posted by thelonius at 5:37 AM on May 5, 2015 [29 favorites]
yes
posted by thelonius at 5:37 AM on May 5, 2015 [29 favorites]
I like the attention to detail, both on Fallon's fingernails and on the hair sweep.
posted by leotrotsky at 5:49 AM on May 5, 2015 [4 favorites]
posted by leotrotsky at 5:49 AM on May 5, 2015 [4 favorites]
IS THERE A HELL? Hell is a literal place! Hell is not the grave. Some heretics, like the Jehovah’s Witness’s or the Mormon Church teach that Hell is just the grave. This is a lie from Satan! The Bible states clearly that Hell will be two slightly out-of-sync versions of "More Than Words" playing in two windows at the same time.
posted by Wolfdog at 6:00 AM on May 5, 2015 [28 favorites]
posted by Wolfdog at 6:00 AM on May 5, 2015 [28 favorites]
The date-rapiest song of the 90s.
posted by Joseph Gurl at 6:01 AM on May 5, 2015 [14 favorites]
posted by Joseph Gurl at 6:01 AM on May 5, 2015 [14 favorites]
I'm old school... b. 1955. Every generation gets stuck on its heroes. But these guys have consistently impressed me. Fuck Her Gently. Fallon's duet with Neil Young. And now this. These are two extremely talented "young" entertainers. Happy to see it!
posted by rmmcclay at 6:06 AM on May 5, 2015 [1 favorite]
posted by rmmcclay at 6:06 AM on May 5, 2015 [1 favorite]
No. This is not in any respect one of the great songs. It's a very ordinary song that stands out mainly by virtue of having really fucking terrible lyrics.
It's a tribute to Fallon and Jack Black here that my impulse to marvel at their attention to detail and ability to handle the singing outweighed my dislike of the song enough that I made it almost 2/3 of the way through the video.
posted by Ipsifendus at 6:14 AM on May 5, 2015 [3 favorites]
It's a tribute to Fallon and Jack Black here that my impulse to marvel at their attention to detail and ability to handle the singing outweighed my dislike of the song enough that I made it almost 2/3 of the way through the video.
posted by Ipsifendus at 6:14 AM on May 5, 2015 [3 favorites]
When did Jack Black turn into Meatloaf?
posted by bondcliff at 6:16 AM on May 5, 2015 [5 favorites]
posted by bondcliff at 6:16 AM on May 5, 2015 [5 favorites]
There is no reason for this to exist, nor for me to be somehow pleased that it does. Yet it does, and I am.
posted by usonian at 6:20 AM on May 5, 2015
posted by usonian at 6:20 AM on May 5, 2015
Great, I'll update the list.
124,022 "orientated"
124,023 Top Gear (new version)
124,024 Canon in D (with starlings)
124,025 Pamela Geller
124,026 Hugo award threads
124,027 More Than Words
posted by swift at 6:31 AM on May 5, 2015 [8 favorites]
124,022 "orientated"
124,023 Top Gear (new version)
124,024 Canon in D (with starlings)
124,025 Pamela Geller
124,026 Hugo award threads
124,027 More Than Words
posted by swift at 6:31 AM on May 5, 2015 [8 favorites]
Undoubtedly admirable, but a tad too on the nose.
Yeah - despite Jack Black's extreme hamminess, it feels suspiciously sincere.
posted by cotton dress sock at 6:36 AM on May 5, 2015 [1 favorite]
Yeah - despite Jack Black's extreme hamminess, it feels suspiciously sincere.
posted by cotton dress sock at 6:36 AM on May 5, 2015 [1 favorite]
Semi-related: Jimmy Fallon & Blur perform an acoustic version of "Tender".
posted by Fizz at 6:45 AM on May 5, 2015 [5 favorites]
posted by Fizz at 6:45 AM on May 5, 2015 [5 favorites]
It only took 25 years to get that horrible song out of my head, now I'll have to wait another 25. Why does Jimmy Fallon insist on glorifying the demons that tried to take down Western civilization? Every time I see him I think of Albert Brooks' warning to Holly Hunter in Broadcast News.
posted by any major dude at 6:56 AM on May 5, 2015 [5 favorites]
posted by any major dude at 6:56 AM on May 5, 2015 [5 favorites]
If you really loved me, you'd express it physically in some way you don't seem ready or inclined to.
posted by straight at 7:02 AM on May 5, 2015 [10 favorites]
posted by straight at 7:02 AM on May 5, 2015 [10 favorites]
Whiniest song of the early 90s?
posted by straight at 7:07 AM on May 5, 2015 [1 favorite]
posted by straight at 7:07 AM on May 5, 2015 [1 favorite]
I'm torn. I can't stand Jack Black's wink-wink-only-serious hammy schtick, but I love this song (haters to the left).
posted by uncleozzy at 7:07 AM on May 5, 2015
posted by uncleozzy at 7:07 AM on May 5, 2015
That was actually great, but I'll be the one opening the first bottle of champagne celebrating the death of irony. At various points of my life, I would have given anything to have had the musical talent of either of those gentlemen, talent that they put into the service of mockery and disdain. Never liked Zappa's "wit" either.
Yes, lawn, OFF!
posted by Chitownfats at 7:16 AM on May 5, 2015
Yes, lawn, OFF!
posted by Chitownfats at 7:16 AM on May 5, 2015
Love both of these guys, but this seems like a straightforward cover of a minor hit with Jack Black making funny faces?
posted by gwint at 7:19 AM on May 5, 2015 [5 favorites]
posted by gwint at 7:19 AM on May 5, 2015 [5 favorites]
I JUST got this song out of my head after starting a Facebook fight about it last week. Sigh.
But if there is any chance that MeFi can help me find this video my partner has been looking for forever, this will be the thread where it happens. So, help us, MeFi:
He claims that at some point, many years after More Than Words actually came out, probably in the early-mid 2000s, someone made a parody video from the perspective of those two guys sitting around doing nothing in the front of the video in a few shots. Just, showing what those guys were doing all the time the camera wasn't on them. He insists this was hilarious, mostly because there was no earthly reason for someone to come along all those years later and make this parody video of what was a pretty dumb song/video to begin with. Now he can't find it to show it to me.
Any chance anyone knows what this is?
posted by Stacey at 7:21 AM on May 5, 2015
But if there is any chance that MeFi can help me find this video my partner has been looking for forever, this will be the thread where it happens. So, help us, MeFi:
He claims that at some point, many years after More Than Words actually came out, probably in the early-mid 2000s, someone made a parody video from the perspective of those two guys sitting around doing nothing in the front of the video in a few shots. Just, showing what those guys were doing all the time the camera wasn't on them. He insists this was hilarious, mostly because there was no earthly reason for someone to come along all those years later and make this parody video of what was a pretty dumb song/video to begin with. Now he can't find it to show it to me.
Any chance anyone knows what this is?
posted by Stacey at 7:21 AM on May 5, 2015
I just do not understand the hate on this song, I think it's lovely. Granted, I was a teenager at the perfect time to fall for this song, but there are so, so many more worse, cheesier, more obvious love songs with even stupider lyrics, I've never understood why this one incites such disdain. Maybe because you couldn't escape it for a stretch when it was popular? Too many cheek-to-cheek 9th-grade Homecoming dances to this song, followed by heartbreak because he/she just 'likes you as a friend'?
Not sure. Maybe I'm just happy to hear a V7 chord* sung, confidently in tune, in 2-part harmony.
Really, the chord progressions are pretty great, for those who care: that V7 at the end of the verse is actually a V7/IV, resolving to IV, which then moves to iv to I. It's a nice, downward feeling progression that moves smoothly into a typical vi-ii-V-I resolution (with I think a 9 added there in the vi chord, not sure, my ear training is pretty rusty). It's a well-crafted song, sung well. But haters gonna hate.
posted by LooseFilter at 7:52 AM on May 5, 2015 [11 favorites]
Not sure. Maybe I'm just happy to hear a V7 chord* sung, confidently in tune, in 2-part harmony.
Really, the chord progressions are pretty great, for those who care: that V7 at the end of the verse is actually a V7/IV, resolving to IV, which then moves to iv to I. It's a nice, downward feeling progression that moves smoothly into a typical vi-ii-V-I resolution (with I think a 9 added there in the vi chord, not sure, my ear training is pretty rusty). It's a well-crafted song, sung well. But haters gonna hate.
posted by LooseFilter at 7:52 AM on May 5, 2015 [11 favorites]
Yes, I was also 14 or so when it came out, so I have a certain fondness for this song, the video, and Jack Black. But I can't really defend it in any tangible way.
(LooseFilter - I think the hatred comes partly from this being the Only Song Extreme is really known for (despite a pretty long run) and the fact that it was drilled into our heads for about 5 straight years)
posted by getawaysticks at 7:57 AM on May 5, 2015
(LooseFilter - I think the hatred comes partly from this being the Only Song Extreme is really known for (despite a pretty long run) and the fact that it was drilled into our heads for about 5 straight years)
posted by getawaysticks at 7:57 AM on May 5, 2015
just do not understand the hate on this song, I think it's lovely.
Part was its ubiquitousness for a while. Part is the fact that it can be read as a man pressuring his girlfriend for sex (Nuno Bettancourt says that it's about not making the words "I love you" become meaningless, but demonstrating love, which, well). And part of it, for me, is knowing that they had a lot more good songs (I want you to go watch Bill and Ted's Excellent Adventure and imagine the mall chase to different music than "Play With Me", or the "is it or isn't it" part of "Watching Waiting" (which sounds like it may be about the Crucifixion).)
posted by mephron at 8:22 AM on May 5, 2015
Part was its ubiquitousness for a while. Part is the fact that it can be read as a man pressuring his girlfriend for sex (Nuno Bettancourt says that it's about not making the words "I love you" become meaningless, but demonstrating love, which, well). And part of it, for me, is knowing that they had a lot more good songs (I want you to go watch Bill and Ted's Excellent Adventure and imagine the mall chase to different music than "Play With Me", or the "is it or isn't it" part of "Watching Waiting" (which sounds like it may be about the Crucifixion).)
posted by mephron at 8:22 AM on May 5, 2015
We need a word for bands achieving huge success with breakout singles that are unlike pretty much anything else in their catalogue: a metal/hard rock band being best known for an acoustic ballad, a punk band having huge success with a quiet, reflective song with acoustic guitar and a string section, an electronic synth-heavy band having a major hit with a guitar-centric song, etc.
posted by ricochet biscuit at 8:23 AM on May 5, 2015 [2 favorites]
posted by ricochet biscuit at 8:23 AM on May 5, 2015 [2 favorites]
Part is the fact that it can be read as a man pressuring his girlfriend for sex
OK, that I can concede, but I guess since I first heard it as a naive teenager, I still think they're talking about simple physical affection. But honestly, I mostly never pay attention to lyrics (bad habit, I'm an instrumentalist) so often miss obvious stuff like this.
posted by LooseFilter at 8:27 AM on May 5, 2015 [1 favorite]
OK, that I can concede, but I guess since I first heard it as a naive teenager, I still think they're talking about simple physical affection. But honestly, I mostly never pay attention to lyrics (bad habit, I'm an instrumentalist) so often miss obvious stuff like this.
posted by LooseFilter at 8:27 AM on May 5, 2015 [1 favorite]
It really is a great song absent the gross lyrics and any allergic response to the visual posturing. It's a great song that is also a terrible song and also it was too overplayed and often covered badly by dudes with guitars.
It's complicated.
posted by cortex at 8:28 AM on May 5, 2015 [12 favorites]
It's complicated.
posted by cortex at 8:28 AM on May 5, 2015 [12 favorites]
Here's my favorite version of "More than Words" (previously)
posted by porn in the woods at 8:52 AM on May 5, 2015
posted by porn in the woods at 8:52 AM on May 5, 2015
Haha. I somehow missed this song first go 'round and since I'm old and broken, my addled brain criss-crossed the song title and I started hearing "More Than Words" as "More Than This" -- the great old Roxy Music song -- and I couldn't click fast enough to see and hear Jack Black and James Fallon covering that.
Joke's on me, of course.
But at least I have a reason to listen to Avalon this morning.
posted by notyou at 8:53 AM on May 5, 2015 [2 favorites]
Joke's on me, of course.
But at least I have a reason to listen to Avalon this morning.
posted by notyou at 8:53 AM on May 5, 2015 [2 favorites]
Wow I never read it as Date Rapey, but I can see it in retrospect
The song came out when I was seven; maybe if I'd been through puberty I would have interpreted it differently.
posted by Ray Walston, Luck Dragon at 8:56 AM on May 5, 2015
The song came out when I was seven; maybe if I'd been through puberty I would have interpreted it differently.
posted by Ray Walston, Luck Dragon at 8:56 AM on May 5, 2015
I said it in the Kristen Wiig thread and I'll say it again here, Saint Colbert cannot come soon enough to rescue us from Fallon.
posted by Ber at 8:57 AM on May 5, 2015 [2 favorites]
posted by Ber at 8:57 AM on May 5, 2015 [2 favorites]
There is still an adolescent part of me that dreams of picking up a guitar, slamming the pick down against the strings, and having it sound like the guitar at the beginning of Mutha (Don't Wanna Go to School Today).
posted by Wolfdog at 8:58 AM on May 5, 2015 [1 favorite]
posted by Wolfdog at 8:58 AM on May 5, 2015 [1 favorite]
notyou, I would love to hear them cover that song, too, but I gotta say that Norah Jones (and Charlie Hunter) realized the greatness in that song.
posted by LooseFilter at 8:59 AM on May 5, 2015 [3 favorites]
posted by LooseFilter at 8:59 AM on May 5, 2015 [3 favorites]
All right, the changes are ok, yes nice melody, yes nice harmony, good blend, just too much of a good thing. Left me feeling diabetic even then.
posted by cotton dress sock at 9:04 AM on May 5, 2015 [1 favorite]
posted by cotton dress sock at 9:04 AM on May 5, 2015 [1 favorite]
Adult Hair Metal is such a weird genre.
posted by i_have_a_computer at 9:04 AM on May 5, 2015 [1 favorite]
posted by i_have_a_computer at 9:04 AM on May 5, 2015 [1 favorite]
One of my favorite scenes in any movie is in High Fidelity when Jack Black comes on stage with Barry Jive and The Uptown Five (formerly Sonic Death Monkey) and he opens his mouth and covers Marvin Gaye and everyone is like "holy shit, he can sing!" Pure joy.
posted by windbox at 9:17 AM on May 5, 2015 [10 favorites]
posted by windbox at 9:17 AM on May 5, 2015 [10 favorites]
This seemed like a great song until some of the high school boys I knew took it way too literally and used it as leverage on their girlfriends.
posted by desjardins at 9:28 AM on May 5, 2015
posted by desjardins at 9:28 AM on May 5, 2015
Semi-related: Jimmy Fallon & Blur perform an acoustic version of "Tender".
hey, new blur album :P thanks!
posted by kliuless at 9:30 AM on May 5, 2015
hey, new blur album :P thanks!
posted by kliuless at 9:30 AM on May 5, 2015
(And the new Blur album is great)
Jack Black might be my spirit animal.
posted by Joey Michaels at 11:08 AM on May 5, 2015
Jack Black might be my spirit animal.
posted by Joey Michaels at 11:08 AM on May 5, 2015
I just came in here to say it's not really a SLYT if there's two L's in the post.
posted by PeterMcDermott at 11:45 AM on May 5, 2015
posted by PeterMcDermott at 11:45 AM on May 5, 2015
I always get this song mixed up with Silent Lucidity.
Or rather, I get Extreme mixed up with Queensrÿche because of these two songs.
posted by Mister Moofoo at 1:33 PM on May 5, 2015
Or rather, I get Extreme mixed up with Queensrÿche because of these two songs.
posted by Mister Moofoo at 1:33 PM on May 5, 2015
Scorpions' Wind of Change made the overplayed-metal-ballad trifecta when I was in hs.
posted by Mister Moofoo at 1:35 PM on May 5, 2015 [2 favorites]
posted by Mister Moofoo at 1:35 PM on May 5, 2015 [2 favorites]
No love for Whitesnake?
posted by desjardins at 1:44 PM on May 5, 2015
posted by desjardins at 1:44 PM on May 5, 2015
Nope. None whatsoever.
posted by bondcliff at 1:45 PM on May 5, 2015 [2 favorites]
posted by bondcliff at 1:45 PM on May 5, 2015 [2 favorites]
*unfriend*
posted by desjardins at 1:59 PM on May 5, 2015 [1 favorite]
posted by desjardins at 1:59 PM on May 5, 2015 [1 favorite]
It's always the unexpected and crazy-ass harmonies in hair bands that gets me. Hole Hearted by these guys, holy shit, do you remember Nelson? Then that live, unplugged thing on an awards show from Bon Jovi, and even though I personally don't consider them a hair band, there's Tesla. Holy damn I like long-hair harmony.
posted by ersatzkat at 3:42 PM on May 5, 2015 [3 favorites]
posted by ersatzkat at 3:42 PM on May 5, 2015 [3 favorites]
Tesla's Love Song is one of the best of all time.
posted by desjardins at 3:44 PM on May 5, 2015 [4 favorites]
posted by desjardins at 3:44 PM on May 5, 2015 [4 favorites]
and here's some swear-word laden advice I offer with sincerity and no small amount of affection - love the music you love and anyone who doesn't like it can go fuck themselves - life's too short for guilty pleasures - just have pleasures without all the goddamned irony
posted by ersatzkat at 3:48 PM on May 5, 2015 [5 favorites]
posted by ersatzkat at 3:48 PM on May 5, 2015 [5 favorites]
desjardins, I'm working up the nerve to do an open mic night and the set list includes a few of these kinds of songs:
1. Somebody Save Me - Cinderella (in a semi-crazy flamenco style)
2. Traveling Alone - Jason Isbell
3. Don't Know What You Got - Cinderella
4. Number of the Beast - Djali Zwan style
5. Rest in Peace - Cast of Buffy the Vampire Slayer
6. Closer to Fine - Indigo Girls
7. Nothing But A Child - Steve Earle
8. Heaven - Warrant
9. Home Sweet Home - Motley Crue
10. Hole Hearted - Extreme (I uhh don't have this down yet, but that's the goal, great song)
11. Invincible - Pat Benatar
This is pretty much a crazy set list but like ersatzkat says, love the music you love.
posted by kmartino at 4:20 PM on May 5, 2015
1. Somebody Save Me - Cinderella (in a semi-crazy flamenco style)
2. Traveling Alone - Jason Isbell
3. Don't Know What You Got - Cinderella
4. Number of the Beast - Djali Zwan style
5. Rest in Peace - Cast of Buffy the Vampire Slayer
6. Closer to Fine - Indigo Girls
7. Nothing But A Child - Steve Earle
8. Heaven - Warrant
9. Home Sweet Home - Motley Crue
10. Hole Hearted - Extreme (I uhh don't have this down yet, but that's the goal, great song)
11. Invincible - Pat Benatar
This is pretty much a crazy set list but like ersatzkat says, love the music you love.
posted by kmartino at 4:20 PM on May 5, 2015
kmartino - swap Invincible for All Fired Up and you have a guaranteed attendee. You know....if you do the set near me. (Closer to Fine was my party duet of choice all through college.)
posted by greermahoney at 9:57 PM on May 5, 2015 [1 favorite]
posted by greermahoney at 9:57 PM on May 5, 2015 [1 favorite]
No Portuguese flag in this video. There's supposed to be a Portuguese flag.
posted by mcrandello at 2:35 AM on May 6, 2015
posted by mcrandello at 2:35 AM on May 6, 2015
"All Fired Up" on acoustic would be great! Going to take a while to figure out how to compose it, but I think it's the better closer. Thanks for the suggestion greermahoney.
posted by kmartino at 6:20 AM on May 6, 2015
posted by kmartino at 6:20 AM on May 6, 2015
Loved the harmonies. At first.
But then the song ravaged the dorms like a monster or a plague, it was everywhere, you could see it spreading like a miasma from doorway to doorway. It intoxicated people, leaving behind these mad, howling creatures who would go into a trace, sighing, positioning their heads just so. The sound of their off-key keening as they compulsively sung along...it haunts me to this day.
I did think that Nuno Bettencourt was hot, though.
posted by desuetude at 10:59 AM on May 6, 2015
But then the song ravaged the dorms like a monster or a plague, it was everywhere, you could see it spreading like a miasma from doorway to doorway. It intoxicated people, leaving behind these mad, howling creatures who would go into a trace, sighing, positioning their heads just so. The sound of their off-key keening as they compulsively sung along...it haunts me to this day.
I did think that Nuno Bettencourt was hot, though.
posted by desuetude at 10:59 AM on May 6, 2015
« Older I hear you can turn left on a red, too. | America's Music Triangle Newer »
This thread has been archived and is closed to new comments
posted by fairmettle at 3:49 AM on May 5, 2015