When it comes to Jimmy Fallon’s musical parodies and sketches from The Tonight Show, you’re typically in for something entertaining. If you ignore the beer pong and the lip syncing, there is plenty of fun being had with classic rock and other popular music, including those moments when Fallon gets to play mimic.
The host has played Tom Petty before, but this time he allows guest and real life rock and roll personality — a stretch, but he does have a band — Kevin Bacon take a turn at putting on a wig and imitating the rock legend. The results are a version of “Free Fallin” that should’ve remained lost forever. It’s a follow up to Bacon’s last appearance on the show where he showcased an early version of The Beach Boys “Fun, Fun, Fun.” That was also pretty forgettable.
This version of “Free Fallin” is better than other “demake” with Bacon on The Tonight Show, with a focus on horses. You can’t go wrong with horses usually, unless we’re talking meatballs at IKEA or low quality dog food. Horses are majestic and deserving of a song. They just might not be deserving of this song.
I think Bacon is actually playing the guitar here, though. That’s something I do enjoy about these Fallon bits, especially the Styx remake he put out at the beginning of the summer with Paul Rudd. Having Rudd actually sing on the song actually puts it above the original just a smidge.
(Via The Tonight Show)
