Music really does heal. Jimmy Fallon recently lost his mom and tonight was his first show back since the funeral. The team wanted a special show back and decided on a whim to ask Taylor Swift if she would come to perform since she had been in town to perform on SNL and attend her album release party!
Swift agreed without hesitation and performed a song off Reputation called “New Year’s Day.” Fallon introduced her saying:
“We have a big, big, big performance tonight. Her new album, Reputation, is crushing. It is CRUSHING. It came out on Friday and it sold over a million copies. She was fantastic on Saturday Night Live this weekend, and she wasn’t scheduled to be our musical guest tonight, but she’s her. We love her, performing a brand new song for the first time tonight: Taylor Swift.”
WATCH TAYLOR SWIFT PERFORM “NEW YEAR’S DAY” ON JIMMY FALLON
There is a line in the song that talks about squeezing hands three times, something Fallon had done with his mom in the hospital before she passed to let her know he loves her. It’s something his mom used to do when he was little. It was a beautiful moment and the whole audience was moved. One of the producers of the show shared in a series of tweets:
“But at the desk, you could hear his voice break when talking about our musical guest Taylor Swift, and that’s because he knew what he was about to say… Jimmy’s words about his mom were beautiful. “Mom, I’ll never stop trying to make you laugh. I love you.” I was crying. We all were. The story about his mom squeezing his hand 3 times to say “I love you” when he was a kid, and then him squeezing her hand in the hospital – he hadn’t told any of us that story… More on that in a second. First, a quick word about Taylor Swift. She was not scheduled to do our show today. But we wanted something special for this first show back, so we asked her on a complete whim, since she had been in town doing SNL. She said yes with zero hesitation. She sang “New Year’s Day.” No one had heard it. Suddenly she sings the line, “Squeeze my hand 3 times in the back of the taxi.” I nearly gasped. Tears. I think everyone in the audience started sobbing. I could see Jimmy silhouetted at his desk dabbing his eyes with a tissue. We all lost it. It was a beautiful coincidence in a beautiful performance. “Hold on to your memories, they will hold on to you,” Taylor sang. That hug between Jimmy and Taylor after the song was 100% real emotion. Whatever you think of Taylor, she did something beautiful for Jimmy and our show today, and we’re forever grateful. Thank you to Taylor, the Roots, Higgins, our whole staff and crew, and to all the FalPals, fans, and everyone who reached out to and supported Jimmy and his family. I can tell you it meant everything to him.”
She sang “New Year’s Day.” No one had heard it. Suddenly she sings the line, “Squeeze my hand 3 times in the back of the taxi.” I nearly gasped. Tears. I think everyone in the audience started sobbing.
— Mike DiCenzo (@mikedicenzo) November 14, 2017
