Music

Watch Jimmy Fallon, the Roots & Mariah Carey do "All I Want For Christmas Is You" with elementary school instruments

by Tyler Munro

Last night before Late Night went to tape, the Roots joined Jimmy Fallon to play special guest Mariah Carey’s classic “All I Want For Christmas Is You.” The twist is that they used the kind of instruments you’d find in an elementary school music class: Fallon plays the kazoo and tambourine and Questlove dons the Wooden Clacker (which he plays with an afro pick) with the rest of the Roots on the recorder, Fisher Price xylophone, bongos and more.

It is, for lack of a better phrase, nauseatingly smile-inducing, especially with those kids singing back-up. This is so well done we can ignore Mariah Carey’s mandatory (and super unnecessary) vocal runs towards the end there. And speaking of unnecessary, no, we’re not sure why she’s wearing what looks like toy sheriff’s badges on her breasts. Maybe it was cold in there?

Anyways, this is great. If it doesn’t make you smirk even a little bit, sorry, but you’re soulless.

(This isn’t the first time they’ve covered a track with classroom instruments. Carly Rae Jepsen joined in back in June when they ran through “Call Me Maybe.” That one was kind of annoying, though.)