Foo Fighters Close Their Jimmy Kimmel Week With a 'Baker Street' Cover

Foo Fighters ended their week on Jimmy Kimmel Live on Thursday 29 October with a cover of Gerry Rafferty's "Baker Street". The show confirmed the closing performance in an Instagram post the same day.

Dave Grohl had previewed the song earlier in the week in an interview with host Jimmy Kimmel. He called "Baker Street" one of his favourite songs of all time. When the band played it, they did not add a synth or saxophone player. Lead guitarist Chris Shiflett played the song's famous riff himself, on guitar.

The original is a 1978 hit. It reached No. 2 on the Billboard Hot 100, the American singles chart that ranks songs using sales, radio play and streaming. Rafferty had six solo entries on that chart. He died in 2011 from liver failure, after a long battle with alcoholism.

For viewers who know the 1978 record, the clearest difference is the lineup. The saxophone and keyboard parts that many listeners associate with the song are absent. A guitar carries the melody instead.

The band's week on the show also included older material. They performed "Window" from Your Favorite Toy, their 12th studio album. They also played "This Is A Call" from their 1995 self-titled debut album.

Jimmy Kimmel Live airs on weeknights at 11:35 p.m. Eastern (10:35 p.m. Central) and episodes stream on Hulu. The guest lineups were mixed. Dave Grohl and Connie Britton appeared on the 27 October episode, Owen Wilson and Gabourey Sidibe on 28 October, and Gavin Newsom and Emma Roberts on 29 October. Nayanna Holley was also listed on all three of those episodes, alongside Foo Fighters.

Fans who missed the performance can find video of it online. A YouTube upload titled "Foo Fighters – Baker Street" shows the band playing the song during the residency week.