Adam Sandler says singing ‘Chris Farley Song’ on tour made him emotional: ‘We loved him so much’

“When that song starts, I go, ‘Oh f—, alright, don’t cry, don’t do that.’ Still. I’ve sang it about a hundred times already, but it rocks me.”

Nearly 25 years after legendary comedian Chris Farley’s death, Adam Sandler is still finding ways to honor his Saturday Night Live costar and friend.

The Hustle actor, who embarked on his Adam Sandler Live stand-up comedy tour back in October, revealed that he still finds it difficult to sing his tribute to Farley, titled the “Chris Farley Song,” onstage each night without getting misty-eyed.

“The first few times we played that song, I would tear up, and I couldn’t really sing it well because I get so emotional,” Sandler said on Thursday’s episode of the Happy Sad Confused podcast. “And then I got kind of like, I felt it and was able to get it out there.”

“It’s weird, but when that song starts, I go, ‘Oh f—, alright, don’t cry, and don’t do that.’ Still. I’ve sang it maybe a hundred times already, but it rocks me,” he continued. “I think it’s ’cause we show video of Chris, and I see his face, and I remember his dad and I’m friends with his brothers, his mom, and everybody, and they still miss him a lot. It gets me.”

Although it’s not easy, Sandler said that he enjoys talking about his late friend, who died of a drug overdose in 1997, during his routine. “I love hearing the crowd go nuts for Farley. Every show I do, by far the biggest applause of the night is talking about Farley,” he said. “Every time I mention his name here and the audience goes nuts, it feels great.”

Other comedians who knew Farley like David Spade, Sandler noted, have a hard time listening to the song at times too. “David came out and did five shows, and he’s like, ‘Man, sometimes I can’t listen, I’ve gotta walk away because I get so upset,” he said. “We loved him. We loved him so much. He was as cool as it gets.”

Adam Sandler performs the ‘Chris Farley Song’ on ‘Saturday Night Live.’.
The Wedding Singer star first debuted his musical tribute to Farley while hosting Saturday Night Live in 2019. The acoustic ballad recounts the pair’s friendship, his most hilarious SNL sketches, and the aftermath of Farley’s death.

“Hey buddy, life’s moved on, but you still bring us so much joy / Make my kids laugh with your YouTube clips or Tommy Boy,” Sandler sings. “And when they ask me who’s the funniest guy I ever knew / I tell ’em hands down without a doubt it’s you.”

Watch Sandler discuss singing the song onstage in the interview above.