"Royals" just won't quit. It's pretty amazing that a 17-year-old girl penned a song that has the stamina to dominate the charts for this long. The track has spawned a slew of covers — some good, some out of this world — but, never has Lorde been done quite like this.
Questlove and Captain Kirk Douglas of The Roots assumed their second alter egos as Black Simon & Garfunkel to bring the track back down to its folksier (ahem) roots. Naturally, this all went down on The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon. For what it's worth, "Royals" translates pretty nicely when sung in an angelic two-part harmony. Who knew the subtle aggressiveness of the original could be obliterated with one swift guitar pick? It's almost lullaby-worthy. If only it were longer, it would rock us right to zzz.
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