FLASH FRIDAY: Tom Cruise Sings! The Superstar Croons Tunes Ranging From Meat Loaf To ROCK OF AGES & Beyond

This week, in honor of Tom Cruise's epic TONIGHT SHOW performance we look back at his best musical moments!

Stop Right There

Being a Broadway star is one thing, but to claim a spot atop the Hollywood heap as a true blue movie star is a whole other achievement in the most prized entertainment echelons. To actually become one of the biggest movie stars in the world is another. Then, to remain in that position for years, even decades? Nearly impossible. Only a handful of top-tier tinseltown talent has ever achieved such a momentous feat as to stay a box office draw and international mega-star for decades and it is indisputable that Tom Cruise is one of the lucky, inscrutable few. We all know he can sell a film and act well, but is there more to the man behind some of the biggest blockbusters in movie history? Well, as it turns out, he is a pretty damn convincing and compelling song and dance man, too! Earlier this week, Cruise appeared on THE TONIGHT SHOW WITH JIMMY FALLON and took the audience - and, subsequently, the world - by absolute surprise with a simply spectacular showing in performing a highly theatrical series of familiar tunes, albeit lip synching all the while, ultimately climaxing in a breathtaking turn as both Meat Loaf and Ellen Foley in a lip sync extravaganza set to the sounds of Jim Steinman's epic BAT OUT OF HELL duet and worldwide karaoke go-to "Paradise By The Dashboard Light". The lyrics of the song were the words on every entertainment enthusiast's lips watching the clip: "Stop right there!"

Nevertheless, those familiar with Cruise's career know that he has shown off his triple-threat skills a few times before. Of course, his early breakout performance as the star of popular 1980s film RISKY BUSINESS found him lip synching along to Bob Seger's "Old Time Rock N Roll" in a legendary pair of tighty whiteys and few will forget his endearing "You've Lost That Loving Feeling" sing-a-long in TOP GUN, while the 1990s saw him let loose with some spontaneous singing in JERRY MAGUIRE. Plus, even elicits a tear in his tune crooned in WAR OF THE WORLDS.

Yet, it was not until the dense and complex meta-movie musical MAGNOLIA at the turn of the millennium that Cruise actually performed a full-out musical number onscreen, if you can call it that given the sensitive and elegiac rendering - but, the heartbreaking and soul-baring few sung lines he enacts in the film are ample proof of his commitment to a performance and commanding musicality, when required. Since then, Cruise has participated in an all-out movie musical showing him at the absolute top of his triple-threat game as rock star Stacee Jaxx in the big screen version of long-running 80s hair metal jukebox hit ROCK OF AGES, singing such scorching rockers as "Pour Some Sugar On Me", "Wanted Dead Or Alive", "Paradise City" and "I Want To Know What Love Is", among others. Now, with this TONIGHT SHOW lip sync spectacular setting the internet ablaze with millions of hits in mere days and setting tongues wagging on whether Cruise can actually pull off a musical live onstage, it is a perfect time to take a look back at some of his most musical and theatrical turns onstage, onscreen and beyond.

Wise Up

So, now, let's revisit some of Tom Cruise's most theatrical and most musical moments of all time.

First up, see Cruise shine in an early role while mouthing and singing along to a classic rock staple in RISKY BUSINESS.

TOP GUN gave Cruise another chance to show off his considerable karaoke skills.

Also, Cruise rocks out along to the car radio in JERRY MAGUIRE.

MAGNOLIA offered Cruise one of the best parts of his career - and a searing musical moment, too.

Cruise elicits a tear with this musical moment to remember in WAR OF THE WORLDS.

Jennifer Lopez welcomes a surprise guest during her performance at the 2010 MTV Movie Awards.

Cruise tributes a tune he himself brought to a new generation via RISKY BUSINESS at a birthday celebration.

Tom Cruise previews his ROCK OF AGES movie musical debut with a live Comic Con sing-a-long in 2013.

Tom Cruise devours the role of Stacee Jaxx in the big screen version of ROCK OF AGES.

Cruise and Julianne Hough team up for "Wanted Dead Or Alive" in ROCK OF AGES.

"I Want To Know What Love Is" provides fine fodder for Malin Akerman and Cruise to duet with in ROCK OF AGES.

Tom Cruise belts out "Paradise City" on the ROCK OF AGES movie soundtrack.

Lastly, see Tom Cruise on this week's THE TONIGHT SHOW WITH JIMMY FALLON making lip sync history.

What Tom Cruise musical performance has impressed you most of all? Furthermore, what song would you like to see him take on the future? Considering his remarkable skills onscreen, perhaps we will see him explore a new facet of his talent by bringing his star power to Broadway some season soon - who knows, maybe even in a musical! Until then, these clips are a good start to help the unfamiliar wise up to his copious triple-threat abilities.

Photo Credits: NBC & Warner Brothers.