Watch Conan O’Brien Cover White Stripes’ ‘Seven Nation Army’ for Troops
Conan O’Brien recently ventured to Qatar to bring his late-night show to U.S. troops stationed in the Middle East. While there, the host performed a rendition of the White Stripes‘ “Seven Nation Army” alongside Grace Potter and a band of service members. Their full version of the Elephant opener, which featured new lyrics written by O’Brien to fit the audience, wasn’t broadcast on Conan, but the show did provide the whole performance as a web exclusive.
“I should not play guitar / Or shovel pork products into my jaw / There’s no drinking and no smoking and no pork, it’s a living hell / But who cares when you guys have got a fucking Taco Bell,” O’Brien sings on his refurbished take on the White Stripes classic. “And as long as there’s free wi-fi, I’m never going home!”
O’Brien has some prior experience playing the unmistakable “Seven Nation Army” riff, having tackled the track during his post-Tonight Show Legally Prohibited from Being Funny on Television Tour (a trek that included a surprise stop at Jack White’s Third Man Records in Nashville). The White Stripes had previously served as the musical guest for the final episode of Late Night With Conan O’Brien on February 20th, 2009, which also turned out to be the duo’s final performance together.