Jimmy Fallon went up against Tonight Show guest Emma Thompson in a segment called “Random Instrument Challenge.” In the challenge, Fallon and Thompson took turns selecting a number off a game board and then attempted to play a basic song on an instrument for the Roots to guess.
In the clip, Fallon’s first pick is “Row Row Row Your Boat,” which he has to play on a trombone. “It’s literally impossible to get a note out of a trombone,” Thompson said. “Unless you have been doing it since you were like five. Good luck!” Things somehow go well and the Roots guess the song almost immediately.
For Thompson’s first turn she has to play “When the Saints Go Marching In” on the recorder. Fallon is also tasked with “I Wanna Dance With Somebody” on the kalimba while Thompson takes on “She’ll Be Comin’ Round the Mountain” on a tiny harmonica. For the finale the pair joins forces for “Bad Guy” (which Thompson claims to have never heard of) on violin and banjo.
Thompson also sat down with Fallon to discuss her new film Last Christmas, which was inspired by the music of George Michael. The actress, who co-wrote the film’s script with her husband, based the film on Michael’s songs. She told Fallon how they sent a treatment to Michael and met with him.
“He was just the loveliest guy you can imagine,” Thompson said. “All of these themes in the movie, he was passionate about homelessness, he had this great social conscience, he was so lovely. I got really enthused and we started to write and then he had that tragic early death in 2016 on Christmas.” She added, “I miss him so much and I wish he was here because I know he’d love it.”
Last Christmas was directed by Paul Feig and stars Emilia Clarke and Henry Goulding. The movie is in theaters November 8th.
