Simply Red Performs Philly Soul Classic With The Roots On ‘Fallon’

Simply Red kicked off a celebration of their 40th anniversary with an appearance on Wednesday’s episode of The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon. Frontman Mick Hucknall teamed with the program’s house band The Roots for a stirring performance of “If You Don’t Know Me By Now.”

Originally written by Kenny Gamble and Leon Huff and recorded by Philadelphia soul ensemble Harold Melvin & The Blue Notes, Simply Red scored a worldwide hit with “If You Don’t Know Me By Now” in 1989. Hucknall and company recently re-recorded the iconic track and released the new version on Wednesday.

Simply Red will embark on their 40th Anniversary Tour at the end of February in South America. The band will spend the fall bringing the trek to the United Kingdom and Europe. Setlists will “feature hits and fan favourites from across their incredible catalogue, and tell the story of the band from their 1985 critically acclaimed debut Picture Book right up to the present day,” as per a press release.

Mick Hucknall represented Simply Red on Fallon at 30 Rock. Drummer Questlove and his The Roots bandmates stuck to the British band’s arrangement of the classic song on Wednesday. A pair of backing vocals provided harmonies.

Watch Simply Red and The Roots performing “If You Don’t Know Me By Now” below: