In a new edition of “First Drafts of Rock,” Jimmy Fallon and Kevin Bacon have revised The Clash’s 1982 hit “Should I Stay or Should I Go.” In the segment, which has previously included versions of “American Woman” and “Free Fallin’,” the pair dress up as the punk band to perform their take on the song on vocals and guitar.
In this version the lyrics are slightly more simplistic, with Fallon (as Joe Strummer) crooning, “If I stay I will be here/ But if I go I won’t be here/ If I go I will be there/ And if I stay I won’t be there/ So just to recap go means there/ And if I stay then that means here.”
Things take a turn midway through the track as Fallon adds, “I got a coin that I will throw.” Bacon (as Mick Jones) responds, “Heads I stay, tails I go.” “Where’s the coin, Mick, do you know?” Fallon asks, searching his pockets. “Wait I thought you had the coin, Joe,” Bacon says. The exchange devolves into a back and forth on coin sorters, Magic 8-Balls and Rubik’s cube before the pair build to a final, repeated joint verse of “A Rubik’s Cube can’t answer questions.” Fallon concludes the track by shrugging, “You know what? We’re just gonna go.”
Bacon and Fallon have frequently teamed up for these first draft versions of classic rock hits. They’ve previously rewritten everything from Tom Petty’s “Free Fallin’” to The Beach Boys’ “Fun Fun Fun” and The Kinks’ “Lola.” Chris Stapleton joined the duo for a version of ZZ Top’s “Legs” a few years back as well.
Bacon also joined Fallon for an interview during his appearance on The Tonight Show, in which he discussed touring with his band Bacon Brothers and his Showtime series City on a Hill.