Roots welcome Bachmann with pointed song

[November 23, 2011]  NEW YORK (AP) -- Jimmy Fallon's house band the Roots didn't have a warm welcome for Republican presidential contender Michele Bachmann when she appeared on the NBC show early Tuesday.

As Bachmann strode on to the stage at Fallon's "Late Night," the show's band played a snippet of a 1985 Fishbone song called "Lyin' Ass B----."

The song begins with a distinctive "la la la la la la la la la" refrain -- the only words audible before Bachmann, smiling and waving to the audience, sat down.

The song itself, about a relationship gone wrong, isn't political. Among its cleanest lyrics: "She always says she needs you, but you know she really don't care."

Roots' bandleader Ahmir "Questlove" Thompson said later Tuesday that the song was a "tongue-in-cheek and spur of the moment decision.

"The show was not aware of it and I feel bad if her feelings were hurt," Thompson said. "That was not my intention."

Bachmann's campaign had no immediate comment.

Fallon joked on Twitter that Thompson was grounded. The show itself didn't have any comment.

The Roots frequently make sly, often obscure, song choices as Fallon's guests are introduced.

When Fox Business Network's Lou Dobbs came out, they played part of Genesis' "Illegal Alien," a reference to Dobbs' frequent commentaries on the topic. Current TV host Keith Olbermann, formerly of MSNBC, heard part of Klymaxx's "I Miss You." Kathie Lee Gifford was saluted with UB40's "Red Red Wine," a reference to the drink she often shares on-air with "Today" co-host Hoda Kotb.

[Associated Press; By DAVID BAUDER]

AP Music Writer Nekesa Mumbi Moody contributed to this report.

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