Jimmy Fallon teary-eyed on "Saturday Night Live Special: Goodnight Sweet Prince"

The former SNL cast member Jimmy Fallon was teary-eyed on Saturday as he introduced the 'Saturday Night Live Special: Goodnight Sweet Prince"

"Prince has been a special presence here at Saturday Night Live for the last four decades. From his debut on the show as a 22-year-old in 1981, to his surprise performance at the after party for the SNL 40th anniversary... tonight we wanted to pay tribute to him by looking back at his performances over the years and by remembering what he meant to us. It was a lot," said an emotional Fallon.

"Other people may have been on the show more times, or performed more frequently, but there was something different about a Prince performance. It was special. It was an event. It was Prince.

"Times have changed, styles have come and gone, but no matter what, Prince has never not been cool."

He was emotional as he wore a purple tie. He continued: "Larger than life, fashion, music, you couldn't take your eyes off him. I mean, he had his own color. Who has their own color? He owns purple... The guy was just amazing. He lived his music, and... it just came through him."

As he encouraged the performances he said, "Prince, if you're in the room, I dare you to come up and say something with us."

"The crowd parted (and) you see this little afro floating toward you," he said about the likes of Beyoncé and Jay Z clearing a path for the singer. Prince sketches, Prince SNL performances filled life in the show.

He said, Prince played with Chris Rock, Maya Rudolph and himself singing backup, "I held Prince's gloves," said Fallon. "It was the last time I saw him."

Goodnight Sweet Prince! Rest in Peace!