Meghan Trainor’s ‘All About That Bass’ Meets Jimmy Fallon And The Roots

On Thursday of this week, Meghan Trainor teamed up with Jimmy Fallon and his house band, The Roots, to give her hit song “All About That Bass” the classroom instruments treatment.

In the video, Jimmy sets the beat with an ancient electronic keyboard, like he always does in his classroom instruments versions. Then he, Meghan, and The Roots pound out a catchy, fun version of “All About That Bass” with things you’d find in your average kindergarten classroom: a xylophone, a triangle, a kazoo, sticks, and wooden blocks, and some hand-clapping simulator the percussionist Questlove is playing.

In order to keep the song friendly for the late-night network audience, a naughty word that occurs in the first verse — and which is distorted in the radio edit so little ears won’t hear it — comes out as gibberish in the classroom instruments version. However, the gang does sing one of the song’s more controversial lines, just as it appears in the song.

“Go ‘head and tell them skinny bitches that.”

“All About That Bass” has been a smash hit this summer by a relatively unknown artist from Massachusetts. Up until she hit it big with this summer’s earworm, Meghan Trainor mostly released her tracks independently through YouTube, according to The Wire.

Despite a couple of naughty words that may give parents of young children pause, “All About That Bass” carries a positive message for girls and women. It’s about women accepting their bodies for what they are, and casting aside the rail-thin, photoshopped, and air-brushed version of women’s beauty that the media tries to promote.

“I won’t be no stick-figure silicone Barbie doll, so if that’s what you’re into then go ‘head and move along.”

Despite its catchy tune and positive message, “All About That Bass” has generated its share of controversy. Late last month, as this Inquisitr report reveals, a Korean songwriter alleged that Meghan and her songwriter collaborator plagiarized portions of the music from “All About That Bass” from a 2006 K-Pop hit — a song which itself bears similarities to a Phish song from 1989.

Other pop culture reviewers have claimed that the song’s pro-women message isn’t actually pro-women at all. Feministing writer Chloe takes exception to the song’s line “My mama she told me don’t worry about your size, she said boys like a little more booty to hold at night.”

“Loving yourself because dudes like what you’ve got going on is a pretty flimsy form of self-acceptance.”

Still, put aside all the controversy and enjoy “All About That Bass” for what it is: a catchy, upbeat tune with a good overall message. And enjoy Jimmy Fallon and The Roots’ classroom instruments take on it even more!

[Image courtesy of: Rolling Stone]