Norah Jones Is A True Fan Of The Podcast | Conan O'Brien Needs A Friend

Hi, my name is Nora Jones and I feel. ecstatic about being Conan O'Brien's. friend. Wow. Ecstatically. Yeah, I do. That's a that's you know, I've adored. you for so many years and you were uh. kind enough to come on my late night. show uh or shows plural, I'll say, over. the years. Oh, well, I was trying to figure out how. many times. You know what? We could probably look it. up, but you came on. It's okay. As I. said, everybody get going. Nine [laughter]. people in the room started getting on.

their computers. Uh. Oh, no. I'm just got some medical. results. [laughter]. Yeah, you started crying. Um, don't. worry. 6 months is a long time. Uh. [laughter]. um. Oh Jesus. Oh my god. Too long in this job. Yeah. Okay, take it easy. We're sitting here with Nora Jones. I am. not going to waste time bantering with. you [laughter] about your life. expectancy. um you came on many times and in in so. many different guys is because you would. perform uh yourself uh you'd be.

performing your work and then I remember. we did a George week once in honor of. George Harrison. and you know Paul Simon came all these. amazing people came by for the week uh. Danny Harrison was around uh and it was. this wonderful week and you came and I'm. trying to think. I did behind that locked door that. locked door. Okay. It was so fun. That was one of our. actually I remember my band and I cuz we. had done a lot of TV shows together at. that point. That was probably one of our. best TV performances. You know, usually.

you do it and you're like, "H, it would. have been better if this and we were. like, yes, nailed [laughter] it.". Yeah. The problem is you did that on. camera. You turned to the camera and yes, nailed. it. [laughter]. Mid song. Yeah. It was weird. And you said, "Top that other musicians. in the world." Better than George's. version. [laughter]. Yeah, better than you know when you. started dancing and saying better than. Harrison. Yeah, that's right. That put a lot of people off. Uh, [laughter] no, you were uh I Yeah, I was. trying to remember what song it was this.

morning and I could have just typed in. you because we live in that world where. I can type in, you know, Norah Jones, George Harrison, Conan or whatever and it would come up. immediately. But, uh, I can't work my. own phone. I can't turn it on. That's less fun anyway. Yeah, exactly. So, uh, but you, um, you. came on that week and you were always. coming by and performing and I just. loved it every time you came on the. show. I'm a massive fan. And so,

I'm a massive fan. I remember the first. time I came on your show was for for my. first record, 2000 in 2002. Yeah, that's right. And I was so excited. Oh, well that's I. remembered you uh of course that was the. record. Come away with me five Grammys, you know. I remembered at that time. finding out about you, hearing about you. and saying, "Who is this Nory Jones? [laughter] What is this all? I'm very. skeptical. What is this Come Away with. Me album? I better check it out and see.

if it's up to snuff." and listening to. it and thinking, I don't understand how. someone your age at the time or anybody. could come out with an album of all. brand new standards. It was like, this. is all these are all going to be in. standards books that everyone has to. have forever. And I was like everyone. else in the world, like a 85 billion. other people, completely floored. Well, that's nice to say. Uh, yeah. And. I remember whoever was playing guitar. with you, I think you did, um, don't.

know why, and I was, he offered to show. me how to play it on the guitar. afterwards. And so he came into I don't. know who it was, but he came into my. dressing room and he's showing me how to. play the guitar parts. And uh, I was like, I think I got it. [laughter] And then we got into a lot of. stuff, you know, and edits and work and. we got to figure out tomorrow's show. And then I got home completely. forgotten. [laughter]. I think it's a hard song to play on. guitar. Yeah, it's it's probably not in my. wheelhouse. It's not in my wheelhouse. It was either.

Jesse Harris who wrote the song or Adam. Levy who toured with me at the time. But. that's that's really fun. Um I think it was the person who wrote. the song. Then it was Jesse Harris. Well, Jesse, I need I need you to come. back. [laughter]. It's uh I need another lesson. He'll probably send you a video if you. just give me give me your. No, I need him in person. and he he. needs to fly out to LA at his own. expense. [laughter] That I do require. I. want to mention first that you have your. own podcast which I've really been. enjoying.

Thanks. It's Norah Jones is playing along is. playing along and what's nice about it. is that you get these people. It's two. musicians talking and screwing around. and it's a very loose atmosphere. And I. was listening to you with Jeff Tweety. who's one of my favorite humans. Yeah, mine too. And um it was such a. great vibe and I was thinking, man, I'd. like to be on this podcast. And then I. realized, oh right, I'm not a musician. [laughter]. Except you are. Well, not really. But can you Does it.

ever expand out to non-m musicians. if they're playing music with me? I. think my only my way in is, you know, there's so many podcasts, of course. And. you guys were kind of a big inspiration. because over the pandemic I I just. hearing you guys laugh really lit me up. Oh, that's nice. Just like [clears throat] belly laughs. were needed and um it was it felt really. good. And um I you screwing around with. people on this podcast is kind of like. what I want to do except I'm a musician.

so it's a little bit different. No, but it's the same idea. There is. such a we talk about this a lot on the. show that but uh I've been fascinated. all my life with the fact that I have a. um natural uh you know bent towards. comedy but I'm always the grass is. always greener. I'm always peering over. into the music yard. I see that. and thinking, man, that's so cool. That's the cool place to be. I'm over. here with the laughing clowns. [laughter].

They're Well, sorry, not you guys. We. the Oh. Oh, no. No. No. I never don't think of. you as comedians at all. Well, I do. [laughter] I do. I think you guys are hilarious. Thank you, Nora. I mean, what do I know? I'm just a. musician. [laughter]. Thank you. Yes. Yes. You don't have a professional eye. like I do. Couldn't possibly understand. how they clown. [laughter]. But like, but like hearing you with. Kevin Nean just like messing around, I. mean, that makes me so happy. And I feel. like that's kind of what I'm trying to. do with music with with people who I.

know, some who I don't know. And we find. this common place and we're speaking. like the same language. Well, this is what always fascinates me. because I you know you if there's. something that you don't do, you put it. on a pedestal or you don't have a. natural inclination. So when I see you. when I see you sit down in a piano and. play and sing, I think, well, she's superhuman. I am. immortal. you know, uh I said amortal, not immortal. [laughter]. I just want to be really clear. Um but,

uh but I there is such a close. connection between comedy and music. Yeah. There's jamming, riffing, whatever. We. call it riffing. I guess you guys jam. who knows what what everyone calls it. But [laughter] when you sit down and you. you communicate with each other Yeah. and you're doing it musically, and I do. think there's a musical element to when. if I'm with Kevin Nean or any of these, you know, hilarious people, sometimes I.

forget what we're even doing, but we're. all laughing and I can't even tell you. afterwards how we got there. And I think. maybe that's what it's like in music. It's the same. I mean, you you could do. a perfect take of a song and it just. doesn't feel right. Or you can do a. really messed up, messy version of a. song together and it just feels magical. and it it [clears throat] hits the spot, you know?