Tim Minchin's Three-Minute Song | CONAN on TBS

Tim Minchin performs his very tasteful, television-friendly, three-minute song.
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Tim Minchin's Three-Minute Song | CONAN on TBS
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[@darkridr25]

This never ceases to amaze me. He changes his lyrics based upon where he plays this, yet he still manages to nail that clock!

[@CreativoErratico]

he times his solo at the end to fit the clock...

[@jjlonsdale5971]

@@CreativoErratico which in itself is amazing...

[@CreativoErratico]

@@jjlonsdale5971 tru tru

[@kurtsudheim825]

It's only a few word/phrase changes

[@m0sifer]

if you can match the syllables it's pretty easy.

[@matthewrandell5055]

I really like how he changed it for each audience

[@matthewrandell5055]

@Galactic President Superstar McAwesomeville why? It's not a bad thing it's just he has the name of the network and show etc in it

[@matthewrandell5055]

And referencing niche British shows Conan's audience won't get

[@chaosmastermind]

It's called Localization. Anime does it all the time between the sub and dub versions. Otherwise there will be all sorts of references that nobody will get.

[@loverainodie]

Sometimes the box gives you something to work with just by it's nature. Shows his creativity

[@kurtsudheim825]

Kinda has to, refences etc.

[@CyclopsWasRight616]

I'm so grateful to Conan. This was actually the first time I ever took notice to Tim Minchin. I've grabbed everything I could find of his since this, of course. Conan's now my SECOND-favorite ginger male.

[@jjlonsdale5971]

I hope you have the right to use that word.

[@CyclopsWasRight616]

@@jjlonsdale5971 as I have never seen Conan's penis and testes, I'm only speculating.

[@jjlonsdale5971]

@@CyclopsWasRight616 Now I don't know if I should say "I was making a 'Prejudice' joke because you said ginger" or "Sorry for replying to a 7-year-old comment"

[@CyclopsWasRight616]

@@jjlonsdale5971 don't be sorry. Because of you, I have Tim on right now while I'm playing video games :)

[@rees89]

@@CyclopsWasRight616 i like you. give him another listen xo

[@gemmacope6424]

I love Tim so much. I've seen him do this song on English telly a few times but 'raise the rates of the hearts of the people in the pious states' made me double over laughing 🤭

[@DetectiveWoofles]

1:48 "Everybody loves a pianist, but length must have a limit" One guy thought that was hilarious.

[@riverlake4642]

1:48 "Everybody loves a pianist, but length must have a limit" One guy thought that was hilarious.

[@BajanFrenchFry]

He cuts it so close everytime, and I always think the clock's gonna stop at 3:01

[@marysalvi242]

@AeroSphere I knoooow..my gosh, my first time seeing him just a 1:59 : ) video of his, "When You Only Sing in F# led me here to this routine which is simply amazing and so much fun!!

[@Svilly12]

People are laughing, the feed we get here is simply his mic and piano - so the laughs you here are the loud laughs.

[@matthewrandell5055]

Oohhh

[@onnapnewo]

There's microphones hanging over the audience.

[@iurigrang]

That's not true. You can hear his voice change when we hear the laughs, because that's when the the audience mics are engaged

[@aaronadihazarika3824]

Did he say *cuntry*? God this man is a genius

[@matthewomalley3]

And when he did on the Royal Variety Show in the UK, subtly left out that emphasis so as not to offend. The mañs a genius.

[@EarlJohn61]

for China

[@dottedpyjamas]

I just first discovered him in Jesus Christ Superstar (when it was aired here last weekend) and now I'm doing a whole Tim Minchin marathon, kind of making up for the fact that I didn't find him earlier. Everyone can say what they like but THIS here is my definition of great comedy and great talent! Hope he keeps going for a long, long time!

[@marysalvi242]

@trebleclef yup, that's what I do..some one or a song I get hooked on and find all the different gems that are "rare" or just all their regular videos. The one thing about songs (I find the older songs from no matter the genre ) I have so many versions. I"m a singer (though haven't sung in years) and the karaoke channels are fun. Anyway, enjyoy your journey through you tube, and it's possible we'll meet again some where around the joint! ~ take care ~ ☮👋🏾

[@qwertyTRiG]

Did you find "KZbin Lament"? It's never talked about, but it's great.

[@jbrisby]

He told me after a show that he can't actually see the clock...he's got a device under his shirt that pulses at exactly 100 beats a minute, so he just sticks to the beat, and he's guaranteed to end at the right moment.

[@grmmrc]

really?! damnn

[@DinosaurSuccess]

he's like a magician

[@mist6302]

reminds me of hans niemann

[@Makusa-qc2qd]

But how we he know it's the 300rh beat? Plus he changes tempo a lot, so he's not at 100 bpm

[@LibertyWaxlips]

I'm writing a comment in the hopes that people would come to understand how incredibly talented this man is and how this song is literally a nightmare to produce for a songwriter. He takes on the challenge gracefully, restriction on language and the unfortunate nature of the length of the commercially viable attention-span becomes the whole punchline of the entire song. He plays the piano skilfully, sings well and manages to create a comedy song that doesn't stink (which is nearly impossible). This dude is a pro.

[@utkarshsrivastava4013]

Seriously!! I love him . So underrated. Him and Bo burnham >>>

[@Jayden00011]

You've got a box and I wanna be in it My god nobody got it, and its the best part, I died

[@rahuln1998]

Can you please tell me what that is? I didnt get it either lol

[@mathewhutchins2539]

@@rahuln1998 it’s a double entendre. “The box” is a slang term for a television, but he could also be referring to being “boxed in” creatively in order to remain popular and get on TV. Just a clever bit of sarcasm.

[@rahuln1998]

@@mathewhutchins2539 Thanks. Appreciate it

[@jasminlamoureux3381]

@@mathewhutchins2539 or, given the running theme in the song, box means "for China" and he'd like to be in it 😁

[@CandyCaneArms]

@@mathewhutchins2539 I think if that's how you're thinking about it then its a triple entendre...

[@tuckervfx]

The small amount of laughs tell me half the audience didnt get the innuendos

[@BuNNDoGG]

this Guy is so so talented.

[@matthewrandell5055]

he really is

[@qwertyTRiG]

He's so deep. Pity he doesn't appeal to the teenage market.

[@janelleelizabeth]

Australia’s best comedy export

[@masjos7103]

​@qwertyTRiG He can have a dark side, if you want him to

[@greg55666]

Music is like lovemaking--it's simply self-indulgent to take it past three minutes.

[@riparianlife97701]

Everyone likes a pianist, but length must have a limit.

[@NerdCubed]

Excuse me, exposure to Tim makes me feel the need to emote via an emoticon. *ahem*

[@jasonthorpe4154]

What are u doing here?

[@jackabite7]

@@jasonthorpe4154 I'm thinking the same thing lmao

[@sam0fc325]

woah i just stumbled upon this. I guess it does make sense that Dan would like Tim, but I didn't expect to see him here lol.

[@TheDeltaSight]

huh.

[@pupyasko1233]

uh, hi dan, didn't expect you here

[@bananenbarrikade]

I keep trying to sing along but I always switch to the Ruth Jones version. And I love the way he is staring at a clock the whole time with a growing panic. I mean, he's just doing some ace piano playing without even paying that much attention to what his hands are doing or getting the lyrics right. It just comes naturally while he's staring at a fucking clock. Pure talent.

[@copbabycombo1311]

That's what relentless practicing does. Incredible skill he has.

[@mybrainsondrums]

everything about this song, this dude. I love it

[@naluzoniro]

this song in all its versions is a masterpiece

[@LazyFleeceAsmr]

Love, love, love Tim Minchin 😍 💖

[@gaara98250]

I feel like I should have heard more giggling, this was awesome!

[@KristofskiKabuki]

Not only that, he does different versions of it for different occasions. Check out the one he did for the royal variety peformance.

[@adamborison3054]

In this area the brits have us beat: they are a much better audience for Tim.

[@toottootgoestheboot]

Adam Borison us English have got you beat in all areas

[@pugmensuperstar7175]

Jake Jenner true 😂👍🇬🇧

[@ReedoTV]

@@toottootgoestheboot Except for gun deaths and patriotism

[@ryuined]

Very true

[@markurry3149]

@@toottootgoestheboot Especially bad teeth and stupid people. We have alabama, you have the whole country.

[@__-cd9ug]

currently going around listen to every available version of this song

[@Dalittheuntouchable]

He explains how he does it in the song. 300 beats and 100 beats a minute. While I couldn't play this song, I'm not surprised that a more talented musician could.

[@Mejoree113]

The song is not far off 100bpm, but that's just a lyric, the tempo fluctuates throughout the song.

[@supersamuell]

The BBC/British version of this song is better.

[@neos1234125]

+super samuell Unfortunately I doubt many Americans have heard of Are You Being Served.

[@BlueHen123]

+super samuell Yeah, this one kinda sucked

[@majskukka3279]

+BlueHen123 I liked it

[@bucky_b2048]

+Majs Kukka Yeah I liked this one a bit better as well imo

[@riparianlife97701]

He didn't spend much time on the adaptation, and it showed.

[@mattnoble3444]

Two of my favourite gingers

[@MissGeorgiex1]

how does he time this perfectly damnn

[@chrismanuel9768]

Every version of this song is the best version

[@nicoligealyajapal]

man! he's so.....brilliant

[@droktiskzz]

They are listening, probably eith huge smile on their faces.

[@jackorwell8015]

how the hell does he write an enormously long and hilarious song like that, remember all the lyrics and piano stuff and get it all ready for just one appearance on conan.... and get the timing right too?!?! exactly 3:00!!! I guess it comes down to three things: he can do it because he works his ass off, he can do it because he's a massive talent, and he can do it for-china!

[@Johangv]

It's actually easy. It's 300 beats. No more - no less.

[@Fixxer315]

I'm sure he keeps an eye on the clock and uses the piano segment to stretch out or condense the song.

[@johnpaddock7761]

He also adapts the song depending on were he plays it making it more impressive

[@DANGJOS]

+Johangv I feel like he changes the tempo sometimes though. Don't think it's as simple as counting 300 beats

[@Zeppelin616]

@@Johangv It's only 300 beats if he's going at 100 beats/minute the whole song (which he didn't), that's the part that would be hard.

[@Nimicry]

So talented! I wish you were in the states more often

[@elowheez]

He makes me proud to be Australian

[@Zeppelin616]

Well technically he's British but that's ok.. they used to own Australia anyway.

[@doubleflatmusic9624]

@@Zeppelin616 By that logic, hardly any countries exist because they were "owned by Britain".

[@DuckStalker13]

Guys he was born in Perth Australia

[@qwertyTRiG]

@@DuckStalker13 He was born in Britain, because his parents happened to be visiting at the time, but he grew up in Australia. So yes, he's Australian.

[@EnisTortul]

What a horrible crowd.

[@franqueee]

+Enis Tortul talk show audience is different compared with audiences in a concert.

[@franqueee]

+Enis Tortul A* btw

[@SpirusOfH]

Try watching the british version. That's a talk show crowd and yet they're great.

[@riparianlife97701]

I think they send the audience out to be safe. This is America, after all. Can't be clever or controversial.

[@MrCrushus]

lol california isnt the bible belt

[@TheMastaOfMastas]

Talent!!!

[@hyperthreaded]

At 2:59 I thought he wasn't gonna make it

[@TheSealDribble]

That's pure class!

[@kathyjaneburke2798]

The amazing, one & only Tim!

[@Rombizio]

Genius

[@JessCaron]

THAT WAS PERFECT TIMING

[@anna_aisha]

Very good. I will be listening to this for a very long time tonight, I'm sure. Can't believe these Americans - should be ashamed of themselves for not understanding nor laughing at Tim's humor -it's brilliant! (And his piano playing is on another level - I need to technically play the way he dose) So glad I was born in England. :-)

[@thewhippetbeans]

totally wasted on that audience!

[@Charsept]

@Håkon My reply to thewhippetbeans applies to you as well, you backwater xenophobe.

[@bradcallahan3546]

Probably because it wasn’t funny. At all. This wasn’t remotely enjoyable.

[@theamazingfilmguy3070]

@@bradcallahan3546 nobody likes you

[@red5llaw]

ayup. Tim Minchin is GOD.

[@toddshaw6658]

I have a raging hard mancrush for Tims intellect.

[@canofreytes]

this guy is awesome

[@peanutshoulders]

I'm American and I picked up on all the stuff and am a huge Minchin fan. WHY DO YOU HATE ME??

[@two-sense]

We don't hate you personally. We just hate what your cuntry stands for.

[@Trelior]

That's because it's a clever guise. He's saying "For China" and "Country" with slurring and strengthened emphasis, respectively.

[@msdaniellejm69]

Tim Minchin...... you are brilliant. But but just that, you're smart and brave. Thank you. 🤩😍

[@philippthaler5843]

Such a genious!

[@DJK83]

Oh my god... can I favorite this TWICE?

[@Cookieofdoom]

They got it. Stop saying they didn't xD

[@Onodera1980]

He should have his own show!

[@PhilArmstead]

I can clearly hear people laughing. I also hear what sounds like somebody attempting a clap-a-long after the 2-3-4-skin joke.

[@mrjamieallan]

Genius.

[@ratillecebrasquedubitantiu4451]

When it comes to comedy, the Commonwealth always beats the abandoned colony

[@scottferguson102]

This guy is a genious!

[@ImitationJesus]

i'd watch him for 24 hours.

[@themripley]

1 2 3 4...skin.

[@Asherov]

"Pianists for China" is the new DWB

[@Accal1a]

OMG I'd never heard this version before.

[@youtoobsux1]

genius...!

[@TheSeeohhdee]

what an absolute boss

[@FlyingToasterOven]

Brilliant!

[@mariocosta1055]

lel, dat cat stevens vibe at the beginning

[@SmilingJack100]

I quite like how he adapted the words to the US.

[@Tyleulenspiegel]

Speak for yourself. I for one am not one of the pseudo-intellectual, self-loathing worms that look down on my fellow Americans. I think in fact that if you'd listen again you'd notice there were some chuckles, but that (like me) people were enjoying the shit out of it and were enthralled. I think the roaring applause at the end is a pretty good indicator that people "got it" and enjoyed it immensely.

[@peanutshoulders]

Agreed.

[@BritishComedyUK69]

wonderfully clever

[@m3erw]

Is he reading this!?! He is so stunning at everything

[@Surtr92]

tim + conan =epic

[@maurodelarbre4969]

When it's 2020, you realize that Tim actually predicted a corona.

[@Crimethoughtfull]

Conan has Tim Minchin...therefore I now watch Conan.

[@plogplog207]

he looked way more nervous doing this than on BBC

[@AntiChangeling]

People keep commenting that the American crowd is terrible here, but honestly, I just listened to the BBC version and the crowd laughed about the same as this one.

[@svenleeuwen]

Amazing!

[@PianoDiary85]

You don't know music or art unless you know Tim Minchin.

[@mrshaffer34]

This song is hilarious, even if the audience didn't laugh as much as I did

[@mjaynes288]

The audience wasn't mic'ed. We have no idea how much they laughed.

[@DangerousTalk]

Awesome!

[@stalkata]

Nice, nice. Nice.

[@LunaLupa]

a 3 minutes song? he should represent UK at the Eurovision. :)))

[@simoncreaner1660]

that crowd was great haha, they cut the mics which are supposed to pick up the audience but you could hear them anyway

[@naleyandleyton123]

the version of this from ruth jones show is the best

[@Marialla.]

Maybe Tim was just really nervous about being on American TV. I believe in him, though. I think he's going to be a HUGE star over here!

[@meghanbarton5532]

I wish he had been

[@jensonjack]

Two, Three, Foreskin

[@emilysamanthataylor]

genius....

[@supersingerevan]

FRICK. Live in Santa Barbara, going to miss his show because of rehearsal.

[@Techn1colour]

That's because it is.

[@mamaulay879]

This is a Conan O'Brien moment

[@alexanderkartashov8776]

haha he's genius and music is his timer actualy )

[@TheXyz3L]

Awesome

[@ryannicholls3662]

it's pretty funny how this version is censored slightly compared to the original in the UK

[@wwefan234561]

best sogn EVVVVVVVVER

[@masterkayaki]

he played that the second time he was on the show

[@panda4247]

yes, I know other versions, I even like the Ruth Jones version more. But the rhythm and piano part is the same. Of course he can change some words, but a) that can be prepared for that show b) even if he does a little impro, he isn't adding anything, just changing, so the length must stay the same

[@Wakka12321]

What a fucking genius! x)

[@mattyfett12]

but if you actually watch the other versions he changes lyrics etc to make it appropriate and topical to where he is performing!

[@jackstewart753]

So many little jokes squeezed in, worth a few listens

[@ameliaharkness3997]

WHAT IS HE LOOKING ATTTTTT OMG

[@Zeppelin616]

A clock off screen most likely.

[@HevyDevyD]

i don't know what the fuck your taking about i laughed my ass off....

[@Logophilic]

@Dsyncable @Bak3dB3an There are a few Americans that love this lovely lad. I am one of them. This audience is used to the overt slapstick of Conan, and were not prepared for the subtlety of Tim.