By 2000, Jimmy Fallon was already two seasons in as a cast member of Saturday Night Live (SNL). On December 9 of that year, he and SNL castmate Horatio Sanz co-wrote the song “I Wish It Was Christmas Today,” and performed it on the show with Chris Katan and Tracy Morgan. The song was such a hit that the foursome returned with the song the following week and performed it on SNL again before Christmas.
Though that was Fallon’s first song presented on SNL, it wasn’t his last. Fallon released his debut solo album The Bathroom Walls in 2002 and a follow up Blow Your Pants Off a decade later, which earned him a Grammy.
After leaving SNL at the end of the 29th season in 2004, Fallon continued acting and writing and has collaborated with everyone from Dolly Parton, Ariana Grande, Meghan Trainor, and more on songs after becoming host of The Tonight Show in 2014.
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Comedic, and full of Fallon’s retro, gaudy flair, his songs manage to become instant earworms. Here’s a look at the seven songs Fallon has written in nearly 25 years.
1. “I Wish It Was Christmas Today,” Saturday Night Live (2000); Julian Casablancas (2009)
Written by Jimmy Fallon and Horatio Sanz
First premiered on Saturday Night Live in December 2000, Fallon performed his song “I Wish It Was Christmas Today” along with co-writer Horatio Sanz, and their fellow castmates Tracy Morgan and Chris Kattan. The song quickly became a holiday standard on the show and got a proper recording years later when The Strokes’ Julian Casablancas recorded it for his iTunes/Amazon bonus track for his solo debut, Phrazes For The Young in 2009.
All I know is that Santa Claus
Don’t care about breaking or applying laws
I wish it was, I wish it was
Wish it was, wish it was, oh
I don’t care about anything else
Christmas is almost here
And I don’t care what the newsman said
Christmas is full of cheer
I don’t care about anything
Except hearing those sleigh bells a-ring-a-ding-ding
I wish it was Christmas today
In the good old U-S of A
2. “Idiot Boyfriend,” Jimmy Fallon (2002)
Written by Jimmy Fallon and Gerard Bradford
In 2002, Fallon released his debut album, The Bathroom Wall, which featured stand-up material along with five songs, which he co-wrote with his future The Tonight Show producer Gerard Bradford, including “Idiot Boyfriend.” In the video for the song, about a guy who already knows he’s about to screw up his relationship, actress Zooey Deschanel plays Fallon’s girlfriend.
[RELATED: Dolly Parton Casts Miley Cyrus and Jimmy Fallon in Christmas Special]
The remaining four original songs, co-written by Fallon, include “(I Can’t Play) Basketball,” ‘Drinking in the Woods,” Road Rage,” and “Snowball.” Bradford is also featured playing guitar on the album, along with Mark Ronson on bass and keyboards. In 2003, The Bathroom Wall was nominated for a Grammy for Best Spoken Comedy Album.
I know what you want
And I know what you need
But I’m gon’ screw it up, yeah
‘Cause I’m an idiot
And I’m your boyfriend, yes, I am
And I’m gon’ take you out
And leave my wallet home
Then I’ll use your cell phone, baby
Long distance, and I’m your boyfriend
3. “Walk of Shame,” Jimmy Fallon, featuring Dave Matthews (2012)
Written by Jimmy Fallon, Mike DiCenzo, and Gerard Bradford
For Fallon’s second album, Bradford returned to co-write a few tracks on Blow Your Pants Off, including “Walk of Shame,” featuring Dave Matthews. The album also features guest appearances from Paul McCartney, Bruce Springsteen, Justin Timberlake, Stephen Colbert, Eddie Vedder, Brian Williams, and Big & Rich and won a Grammy Award for Best Comedy Album.
I woke up
Rubbed my eyes
Tried to remember
What the hell I did last night
This ain’t my bed
This ain’t my room
Had a crazy night
Now I know what I got to do
4. “Ew!” Jimmy Fallon and will.i.am (2014)
Written by Jimmy Fallon and will.i.am
“Ew!” debuted on The Tonight Show on October 6, 2014 and featured Fallon and will.i.am as their teenage girls alter egos Sara and mir.i.am. The song, which features the duo singing about all the things that gross them out, debuted on the Billboard Hot 100 at No. 26. A fan of Fallon’s teen sketch character Sara, will.i.am wanted to write a song that the girls could sing.
“Alot of times people in our indsutry always say ‘Yo, let’s hook up, let’s connect, and nothing ever happens,” said will.i.am during an appearance on The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon in 2014. “So I was like ‘Let me not let that happen and just make the song right now.” A week later, will.i.am sent Fallon a full song and they merged their lyrics.
Look at look at this. OM-effin-G, what the eff?
You’re gonna freakin’ flip, like, seriously freakin’ flip
Cuz Sally’s mad at Iggy because Iggy’s booty’s more biggy
And Sally’s booty’s twiggy so she called her friend Cybie
Now Sally’s gonna get impleggies
What’s impleggies? Implants, silly. Ew!
I’m freakin’ for real
I think silicone butts are ew, ew!
5. “It Was a… (Masked Christmas),” Jimmy Fallon with Ariana Grande and Megan Thee Stallion (2021)
Written by Jimmy Fallon, Ariana Grande, Megan Pete (Megan Thee Stallion), Gregory Hein,, Ido Zmishlany, Myles William, Rami Yacoub
In 2021, Fallon revealed his first hoiliday collaboration on The Tonight Show, feautring Ariana Grande and Megan Thee Stallion. With an ’80s retro vibe, “It Was a… (Masked Christmas)” poked fun at everyone wearing masks during the holidays during the pandemic.
The song was Fallon’s first single since he previously hit the Billboard Hot 100 with the 2014 single “Ew!” his previous collaboration with will.i.am.
[RELATED: Jimmy Fallon Drops Song, Video with Ariana Grande and Megan Thee Stallion]
It was a masked Christmas, we stayed in the house
We covered our nose and covered our mouth
But it’s Christmastime
We’ll be in line for a booster (for a booster)
It was a masked Christmas
We hopped on a Zoom (hopped on a Zoom)
I can only get Wi-Fi in the laundry room (laundry room)
But it’s Christmastime
We’ll be in line for a booster
I need somebody to hold tonight
‘Cause it’s gonna snow (’cause it’s gonna snow)
I need somebody to hold me tight
And never let go (never let go)
So say that you’re coming home
You know it’s Christmas Eve
Last year, I was here alone
Don’t tell me this year’s the same (say it’s not the same)
The same
6. “Almost Too Early For Christmas,” Dolly Parton and Jimmy Fallon (2022)
Written by Jimmy Fallon, Ido Zmishlany, Sarah Solovay, Victoria Zaro
In 2022, Jimmy Fallon revealed his next holiday collaboration with Dolly Parton, a comical song called “Almost Too Early for Christmas,” which they revealed on Halloween and released before Thanksgiving. “Everyone starts this debate [around] Thanksgiving of ‘Can we listen to holiday music?'” said Fallon. “‘Do we play Mariah Carey now?’ I say, ‘Yes.’ If it’s a good song play it whenever you want. So I thought it would be funny if I wrote a song called ‘Almost Too Early For Christmas’ and put it out [on] Halloween.”
Parton appeared on the Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon several times, even singing holiday songs with the host. In 2020, the pair also recorded Mariah Carey’s holiday hit “All I Want for Christmas is You” for Parton’s 47th album A Holly Dolly Christmas. In 2023, Fallon also appeared in Parton’s upcoming holiday film Magic Mountain Christmas.
[RELATED: Jimmy Fallon Shares Duet with Dolly Parton “Almost Too Early for Christmas”]
“Well, I have a crush on Jimmy Fallon, but I’m big now, I can’t excuse myself on that,” revealed Parton in a 2021 interview. “I think he is precious. He’s so funny. We get along so good.”
It’s almost too early for Christmas
Too soon to be singing this song
There’s still Halloween decorations
And haters will say that it’s wrong
Let’s turn on the lights for Mariah
Tell Rudolph to shine up his nose
It’s almost too early for Christmas
But why don’t we see how it goes?
Why don’t we see how it goes?
So jingle bells
And deck the halls
I’m coming home
I miss you all
I’m giving thanks
For Santa’s sleigh
So grab your deer
And make it rain
7. “Wrap Me Up,” Meghan Trainor and Jimmy Fallon (2023)
Written by Jimmy Fallon, Meghan Trainor, Gian Stone, Sean Douglas
For the 2023 holiday season, Fallon returned with a new song he co-wrote with Meghan Trainor “Wrap Me Up.” The theme of the song is someone offering themselves to their significant as a Christmas gift: You don’t need a wishlist / Wrap me up / It’s like Christmas magic / Wrap me up / I’m the whole damn package.
[RELATED: 5 Addictive New Christmas Songs From the 2023 Holiday Season]
“If you know me, you know that I love the holidays,” said Fallon. “I love holiday music, and if it were up to me, I would listen to ‘Jingle Bells’ in August. I’ve always wanted to do something with Meghan Trainor. She’s a friend of the show, she’s an amazing performer, songwriter, and she said, ‘Yeah, I’d be down to do something with you. What ideas do you have, for like a holiday song?’”
In 2023, Fallon also revealed that he’s working on a Christmas album. “I’ve been working on one for a couple of years,” said Fallon. “It’s silly, there’s comedy songs, there’s traditional songs on there, there’s a couple of duets. It should be a good mix.”
Is it a tie? (No)
An ugly sweater? (Nuh-uh)
Matching pajamas? (No)
So something better? (Uh-huh)
Is it boujee like Gucci? (No)
Man, I thought I had it
No, baby, you’re looking at it
Come on, wrap me up (wrap me up)
In your arms this Christmas
Wrap me up (wrap me up)
You don’t need a wishlist
Wrap me up (wrap me up)
It’s like Christmas magic
Wrap me up (wrap me up)
I’m the whole damn package
Photo: Theo Wargo/Getty Images for The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon
