Jimmy Fallon & the Roots Played Classroom Instruments with Shawn Mendes

It's been a while since Jimmy Fallon and the Roots trotted out one of The Tonight Show's "Classroom Instruments" segments. In the recurring bit, the host and Tonight Show band grab children's toys to plink out a hit song with a musical guest. Past segments have been all over the place, from a tinny rendition of Metallica's "Enter Sandman" to Ed Sheeran's "Shape of You." They've even changed up the formula at times to do a version of Migos' "Bad and Boujee" played on office supplies or play souped-up Nintendo Labo toys with Ariana Grande.

This time they joined forces with Canadian singer Shawn Mendes to play "Treat You Better" off his second album, Illuminate. He stopped by the show just one night before the AMAs, at which he's up for two awards: "Favorite Artist - Adult Contemporary" and "Favorite Social Artist."

Half the fun of Fallon's "Classroom Instruments" segments is that everyone in the room looks like they're genuinely having a good time and not taking themselves too seriously. That is absolutely true this go-round, especially with Fallon looking awfully proud of himself at the end of each chorus, craning around to the members of The Roots as though he had proved them wrong on some private bet. It almost makes you wish there was a little more behind the scenes of what goes into orchestrating these loose performances. Almost. 

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Dustin Nelson is a News Writer with Thrillist. He holds a Guinness World Record but has never met the fingernail lady. Follow him @dlukenelson. dnelson at thrillist dot com