If ever there was a classic song fitting of making the best of these difficult times, it would be Billy Idol‘s “Dancing With Myself.” So leave it to The Tonight Show‘s Jimmy Fallon and The Roots to dial up the rock icon for their latest socially-distanced quarantine performance.
As with previous quarantine versions, The Roots have gotten creative with their musical instrumentation, picking up household items to help deliver the song. In particular, Questlove breaks out some pot lids, a bowl, tongs and a spatula to play along, Black Thought rocks a food processor and spatula and Kamal Gray, Stro, Ian Hendrickson-Smith and Dave Guy are all playing ladles, spoons, plastic tops, lids, plastic bottles and cardboard.
Yes, there are more traditional instruments involved, with James Poysner taking some of the lead on melodica, Kirk and Mark on guitar and bass and Damon keeping the beat while clapping.
The video starts off with the Roots playing and Jimmy Fallon singing before expanding the scope with viewer submitted dance videos. Idol then pops up on the screen to join the virtual jam, taking a verse and eventually sharing the vocals with Fallon while delivering his “sweat, sweat, sweat” backing. Watch the video in full below.
“Dancing With Myself” originated with Idol’s pre-solo band Generation X (or GenX) on their 1981 album Kiss Me Deadly, but it got a second life later in 1981 when Idol released it as part of his Don’t Stop solo EP. After his self-titled solo debut album helped break him in the U.S., the song got a boost stateside charting in 1983.
Idol does have some tour dates scheduled for later in the year, which you can view here.
Billy Idol, Jimmy Fallon + The Roots Perform “Dancing With Myself”
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