All language subtitles for cadillac.records.2008.1080p.bluray.dd5.1.hevc.x265

♪ Now when I was a little boy

♪ At the age of five

♪ I had somethin' in my pocket

♪ Keep a lot of folks alive

♪ Now I'm a man

♪ Made twenty-one

♪ And you've got to know, baby

♪ We can have a lot of fun

♪ I'm a man

♪ I spell "M"

♪ "A"

♪ "N"

♪ Man

♪ A full-grown man

♪ Lover man

♪ Go on now

♪ Take it easy now ♪

I'm Willie Dixon.

And I'm making this
here audio recording

so that when you visit
Chess Recording Studio,

you know the history.

Now, the first time a gal
took off her underwear
and threw them on stage

it was on account of
a fella singing the blues.

Now, when the white
girls started doing it,

they called that
rock and roll.

Took a whole lot of people
to make the music that
changed the world.

Yes, sir. This story
ain't just about me.

WILLIE: It all started
with two men.

One a white boy
from Chicago.

Len, when are we
getting married?

WOMAN:
♪ A witness for my Lord

WILLIE: The other
a sharecropper
from Mississippi.

♪ Say, who was a witness?

WILLIE: The year was 1941.

♪ Say, Daniel was a witness ♪

When are we
getting married?

I don't have the money.

I told you I'd be
fine without it.

Well, I wouldn't.

You don't know what
it did to my father.

I can't watch
you go hungry.

(KNOCKING AT DOOR)

Da.

Oh, how you doing,
Mr Feder?

Hi, Dad.

I want to marry her.

Mr Feder,
I don't know if I told you,

but I've been making
plans to get out of
the junk business.

I'm gonna open
a club here.

In the Negro neighbourhood?

Yeah.
It's gonna be for Negroes.

You're taking Shelly
to Negro clubs?

(CHUCKLING)
No, of course not.

(STAMMERING)
No, I'm just...

I'd like you to know
that I'm making plans
for the future.

So, you are serious
about this marriage then?

Yeah.

I mean,
when I can afford it.

Your father and I,
we come from the same
shithole in Poland.

I didn't travel
all this way

to have my daughter
marry some schmuck
from the same village.

What did you say?

What did you say?
Get in.

Leonard.

Don't worry
where I'm from.

My wife's gonna
drive a Cadillac.

Now, who is this here?

Go on,
get in the house now.

McKinley Morganfield?

Yes, sir?

I'm Alan Lomax,

and this is Mr John Work
from Fisk University.

How you doing?

Fine. You?

LOMAX:
I'm recording folk music
for the Library of Congress.

Folk music?

Could you move into the mike
a little bit for me? Thanks.

Play that thing, man.

(GUITAR PLAYING)

♪ I get later on
in the evenin' time

♪ I feel like

♪ Like blowin' my horn

That's what
I sound like, huh?

Yes, sir,
that's what you sound like.

♪ Later on in the evenin',
baby

♪ I feel like,
like blowin' my horn

Feel like
I'm meeting myself
for the first time.

(CHUCKLING)

WILLIE: And he was.
And he knew it was
a man he was meeting,

too big for that
slave shack he was born in

and too big for
that plantation.

♪ Some folks say they worry

♪ Worry blues ain't bad

♪ That's a misery
feelin' child

♪ I most, most ever had ♪

(HORNS HONKING)

WILLIE: Now,
the acoustic guitar
was fine down south,

because there's nothing
but miles of empty fields
out your window.

But in the city,
with all them streetcars
and automobiles,

you couldn't get
yourself heard.

(WHOOPING)

Hey, boy,
ain't nobody want to hear
that sharecropping music.

Take that shit
back down there
to Mississippi.

(LAUGHING)

Hey.

You're disturbing
the peace!

Why you want
to cut me for, girl?

You have been giving
that same smile
to girls all morning.

You must have
three addresses
in your pocket.

Addresses?

No.

You're trouble.
You know that?

I know.

How about you?

You got to go,
before my mama brings
the boys home. Come on.

Maybe those boys
need a daddy.

You're not daddy material.

I'm not good enough
for you?

I don't talk as good as you
or something, huh?

When I heard you
start playing that music

it took me someplace
so good, Muddy.

So good.

Here you go, baby.

Are you the owner
of this club?

Yes, I am.

Isabella Allen.
I make race records.

Len Chess.
How you doing? Wow.

This is a beauty.
God, look at the lines
on this thing.

It's incredible.

You can buy a car like this
making race records?

If you find
the right singer.

Hey, I'd love to know if
you hear someone special.

A record producer, huh?

There'd be something
in it for you.

All right.

Sweet.
That's a beautiful car.

You looking for girls?

Excuse me?
No, I'm opening a club.

I don't mind you getting
men all liquored up

but I lost two daughters
to bluesmen.

Dangerous business you in.

BOY: What are you doing?

WILLIE: When Muddy
met Little Walter,
he was just 17 years old,

but he was the greatest
harp player that ever lived.

That's it.
That's all of it.

(KIDS CHATTERING)

Yeah, man.
Play that for me.

(PLAYING IN HARMONY)

I'll give you $1
if you let me
strum that guitar.

I can busk more
than your dollar.

I'll give you $2.

You a headhunter?

You fixing to chop
my head off with
my own guitar? Man.

Shit, you can't play
better than me.

Let me see
the guitar, man.

(GUITAR PLAYING)

(PEOPLE CHEERING)

Hey, big guy,
your daddy sure
can cook, huh?

You're not gonna
take care of Walter?

Oh, I don't drink
none of that.

Good for you, Walter.
I'll make you a nice bath.

Okay, thank you, ma'am.

Why you got a gun?

In case in any good
guys need shooting.

You mean the bad guys?

I is the bad guy.

(EXCLAIMS)

Hush now, scaring my
boys, and let me hear
some of that harp.

Okay, okay.

(PLAYING GUITAR)

Wait. Wait. Wait. Wait.

Where in the hell you going?
Follow me now. Come on.

No, no, no. No, look here.
You follow this guitar, son.

"Son"?

You can play the shit
out of that guitar,

so I'll follow you
anywhere you want,

but don't you ever be
calling me no "son."

Okay?

I don't need no daddy.

No, boy,
what you need is a mama.

Someone who will feed you
and clothe you

and tell you to get
your behind in that bath.

Well, you know
what they say, now.

A man can't have
too many mamas.

GENEVA: Mmm-mmm.
And you don't need
this. You need soap.

(DOOR CLOSES)

He fit me, Geneva.

I heard.

He fit me.

WILLIE: They was a family now.

Little Walter, Muddy Waters
and Jimmy Rogers

called themselves
"The All-Star Trio,"

but everybody else knew
them as "The Headhunters"

on account of how
they sliced their competition.

Will you help me out here?

Get your own gig,
motherfucker!

Let them play!

(PEOPLE SCREAMING)

Get out of the way, Mud.

Fucking son of a bitch!

This is between me
and this motherfucker.
Get out the way, Mud.

Son...

I told you never to
be calling me that.

I know you did.
But we family now.

Then what
the fuck you doing, Mud?

Give me that pistol.

I ain't trying to boss you.

But you're just
too good to lose.

We'll burn Chicago down
if you don't get your ass
locked up or killed.

You think I never
used this before?

I know you did.

Then you know I'll shoot
this whole motherfucker
up then.

But you ain't got
to use it tonight.

If he foolish enough
to come after you

I'll put the bullet
in him my damn self.

(LAUGHING)

You a crazy motherfucker,
Mud.

Run, motherfucker! Run!

You can get
out of here, too.

I'll talk this peckerwood
into not calling the police.

Oh, okay.

Sorry about that, chief.

(CHUCKLING)

Sorry about the damage, boss.

Yeah, you fucked up
my place. You...

Yes, sir.
It's a damn shame, boss.

Just get out.

Here. There you go.

Appreciate it.

Fucked up my shit.

Ain't never see
them pitchers?
Here's how you do it.

When you get that ball,
you gonna kick that leg over.

You gonna throw that thing
way up there like that.

Been looking
all over for you.

We're just here
working, sir.

I thought we was
all right, boss.

Stop talking to me
like I'm some damn
plantation owner.

What the fuck
you want then?

I want to put you
on a record.

A record?
Yeah, that's right.

You're kidding.

No, sir, boss.

Let me get this
straight now.

We shoot up half
your whole joint,

and now you want to
put us on a record.

Yeah, that's right.

I hear good things
about you.

When do you want
to do this?

Right now.
The studio's booked.

But I got to get my band.

No, you don't.

Not the crazy
harp-playing motherfucker,
you don't. No. Just you.

You want to do this?

Yeah.
Come on.
Studio's booked.

♪ Well,
I'm going away to leave

♪ Well,
I'm going away to leave

♪ Won't be back no more

♪ Going back down south,
child... ♪

WILLIE: Now, Leonard Chess
didn't worry none
about skin colour.

It was the colour of them
bills that mattered.

Just get you enough
green to cover yourself

and then you ain't
no Jew-boy no more.

And you ain't no
coloured boy either.

You're just a man
with a Cadillac.

It's so beautiful!

Do we have enough?

Hi, baby.
Stop with the "enough."

This is America.
The word is "more."

I like the way
your husband thinks.

You must be Muddy.

I'm Revetta.
I love your record.

Thank you.
Pleasure to meet you.

I packed for a week.
Will that be enough?

Yeah, that ought
to be good.

I think she's asking,
how long are you
gonna be gone.

Come here. Hey.

Close your eyes.

A little friend
to keep you company
while I'm gone.

There you go.

Can we afford this?

Don't worry about it.
It's classy.

Thank you.

MUDDY: I tell you,
that's a whole lot of ocean.

Take a hell of a lot
to get me to cross it.

How come you didn't stay
your ass in Poland?

How come you didn't stay
your ass in Mississippi?

(LAUGHING)

WILLIE: Len knew the only way
to make it big was radio.

And that meant taking
Muddy back down South.

Thank you very much.

(SOFTLY) The man don't
need no more Scotch.

(CLEARS THROAT)

I got a hell
of a mortgage.

Shit.

Yeah, I got one of those.

I tell you what.
Throw this record
on the table.

It pays off everybody's.

Leonard...

If people buy Muddy's record,
I got to make more.

Then I'm into you
every month.

Yeah, but I got
to be fair, you know.

I know you got to be fair.

The motherfuckers
bring in the Glenfiddich
and the Johnnie Walker.

But you got to ask yourself,

do they really stand up
to Jackson and Grant?

I don't bribe deejays.

I do.

You realise he doesn't
care about your music.

It's just about
the money with him.

Everybody, this is
the newest race music
right out of Chicago.

You're on your own.

(BLUES MUSIC PLAYING)

WILLIE: Now, in the South,
whites and coloureds didn't
ride around in the same car

unless the coloured man
was chauffeuring.

Fuck Mississippi police.

♪ Well,
I'm going away to leave

♪ Won't be back no more

♪ Going back down south,
child don't you wanna go ♪

You got to bless them.

All right, easy.
Thank you.

Hey, you gotta bless them.

(KNOCKING AT DOOR)

It's very good.

WOMAN: Room service.

Well, hello.

We heard you
on the radio.

Come on in.

No, he don't bite.
And I don't either.

WOMAN: Play it, Daddy.

(WHOOPING)

Yeah.

(WOMEN LAUGHING)

Don't rush it.

MUDDY: Don't step on it now.
That's Chicago's heartbeat.

Go on, now.

You've got such hair.

Play that for me, Daddy.

I lied to you, girl.

WOMAN: Yeah, I like that.

WOMAN: Where you going?
Don't leave us alone.

I'll swing one
over your way.

I'm married.

Yeah,
and they ain't redhead.

That's bullshit.
Mmm-hmm.

WOMAN: Yeah, that's right.
Come on, Daddy. Come on back.

MUDDY: Preacher lay
his Bible down.

(WOMEN WHOOPING)

We're coming straight
to you from down
in the Delta

with Muddy Waters
and his hit record.

That's right.
Sunshine, how you doing?

I want to say a big hello,
if I can,

to everybody down
in Coahoma County.

They got a whole mess
of bluesmen working
Mississippi fields.

When I was out there
I used to sing...

♪ Time don't get no better

♪ Up the road I'm going ♪

So, you know,
I want to thank old
Len Chess here for

giving Muddy Water
a chance to shine.

Does that mean
you're staying
where you are?

Because I know
some labels down here
who'd love to snap you up.

Well, they can try
all they want to,

but I belong to
the Chess family.

We're gonna play
a little something
from Muddy Waters right now.

Lay it on me.

It was kind,
what you said on the radio.

You know,
starting a business together,

it is like
starting a family.

Appreciate that.

Yeah, well, how come,
then, you need me to sign
this thing?

That's what people
do in business.

You know, you got
a power with that guitar.

Amazing.
It even put three women
in your bed last night.

Yeah, but you married.

I like another
kind of broad.
Does that bother you?

What's that
gonna bother me for?

I'm just saying,
it doesn't make me like
them. And that's not me.

I'm not that.

Who is you?

Sign the contract
and find out.

You got a pen there?

All right.

This is the newest race music
right out of Chicago.

And I want you to
remember this name.

Muddy Waters.

MUDDY: The last time I signed
something like this,
I got married.

Well, that's what this is.

Till death do us part.

By the way,
the car's yours.

What do you mean?

You earned it.

(CHUCKLES)

Muddy! Listen!

RADIO DJ:
Now playing Muddy Waters'
Can't Be Satisfied,

WGES Chicago.

GENEVA: It's you!

(GENEVA LAUGHING)

Come on in here.
No! I got to go to work!

Come on in, Mama.

Muddy, don't! Muddy!

♪ Don't you want to go?

♪ Woman I'm troubled

♪ I be all worried in mind

♪ Well, baby, I just
can't be satisfied

♪ And I just can't keep
from cryin' ♪

WILLIE: On a Sunday night,

when no one happened
to be in Len's club,

the Macomba mysteriously
burned down.

Hi, Daddy.

WILLIE: He put the
insurance money into this
here recording studio.

Hi.

Hi, baby. Hi, there.
How you doing?

Look. It's coming
along, huh?

We're late on our
mortgage again, Len.

Yeah.

It's gonna have to wait.

You're gambling our home.

Yeah.
And we're gonna win big.

And if we don't?

I won't let you down, babe.

I won't let you down.

Dave, show her the...
Spin the thing.

Sure thing.

You see this?

WILLIE: Chess Records was
the best studio in Chicago.

Had a sound
nobody could touch.

Tie me up. Come on.

(WHOOPING)

Did everybody see?

You guys better
watch out now.

Little Walter
getting electrified!

He's amplifying
a fucking harmonica.

Wait, Chess.
Let him try it.
Watch it now.

All right. Go ahead.

LEN: Take one.

♪ Forty days and forty nights

♪ Forty days and forty nights

♪ Since my baby
left this town

He's blowing all
over Muddy's vocals.
I got to cut.

No, hold on.

♪ But the rain
keep coming down

♪ She my life,
I need her so

♪ Why she left
I just don't know

Let it ride.

You can't record
a record with harmonica
all over the place.

Yeah, we can.

♪ Forty days...

Okay.

♪ And forty nights

♪ Since I set
right down and cried

♪ Keep raining all the time

♪ But the river running dry

♪ Lord help me,
it just ain't right

♪ I love that girl
with all of my might ♪

It works.

Now that's a record.

You like that?
Yeah.

Walter got a record.
Let's lay it down.

Oh, yeah?

You want to hear?

Why don't you and
Jimmy back him up?

You caught me
on a good day.
Where's Belo at?

Take one.

(WHOOPING)

Boss, this your new shit?

Yeah. You like it, huh?

Go park it, motherfucker.

What?

Park it at your house.

(LAUGHING)

Oh, Jenny,
you see this shit?

Wait till these
motherfuckers see me now.

You my white daddy?

You're getting
carried away again.

Man, oh, man. Oh, boy.
Black folks riding
around in Cadillacs.

Feel like I died
and gone to heaven.

LEN: Walter,
this is Willie Dixon.

He's gonna write
some songs for us.

How you doing?

I like what you do
with that harp, man.

Wrote a killer song for you.
You did?

I know how the girls
love you so much.
It's called My Babe.

My Babe?
This is my babe right
here. Come on, girl.

Hey, Len, I wrote
a song for Muddy, too.

Oh, yeah?
Muddy don't need no help.

Oh, man. I admit
he's good and everything,

but, I mean, all his songs
sound the damn same.

Muddy Waters needs something
that shows him off.

Well, we'll see
what you got.

Here's your riff right there.

Ain't nothing to that.

♪ Gypsy woman told my mother

♪ Before I was born

♪ You got you
a boy child coming... ♪

WILLIE: Now Muddy was Muddy
way before I came along.

I just took his persona

and put it in words
that everybody
could understand.

I mean, it was simple.
He was the cat
every man wanted to be

I mean, it was simple.
He was the cat
every man wanted to be

and every woman
wanted to love.

And Muddy,

well, he just kept
growing into that man.

♪ Everybody knows I'm him

♪ Well, you know I'm
the hoochie coochie man

♪ Everybody knows I'm him

♪ I got a black cat bone

♪ I got a mojo, too

♪ I got the Johnny conkeroo

♪ I'm gonna mess with you

♪ I'm gonna make you girls

♪ Lead me by my hand

♪ Then the world
will know...

WILLIE: People started
realising that if you
can play the guitar

and sing your ass off,
you could be badder
than Superman.

And that was a strong feeling
for a black man in the '50s.

How you doing, darling?

(WOMEN SCREAMING)

♪ On the seventh hour

♪ On the seventh day

♪ On the seventh month

♪ Seven doctors say

♪ He was born for good luck

♪ That you'll see

♪ I got seven hundred dollar

♪ Don't you mess with me ♪

I'm about to lay this
down right now, boss.
I'm ready.

WALTER: You're messing up
my groove, boss.

Who dead?

Your mother.

Your family called a deejay
down in New Orleans.

They've been trying
to find you.

Maybe you need to take
a little time off.

(SIGHS)

What am I supposed
to do with that, boss?

Go home and
bury your mother.

Walter.

Y'all ready?

Shit.

I was in my groove, man.

Now I can't even
find my shit.

Go home.
Nobody's expecting you
to go back in there.

I'm expecting it.

You know how many
harp players out there are
waiting to chop my head?

Not time to be wasting
on this woman.

That ain't "that woman."
That's your mama, boy.

What the hell I know
about mamas?

She let my daddy
give me away
the day I was born.

Well, she did the best
she could, I reckon.

That's why this here
be my mama.

(CRYING)

This here, right here.

You know, Walter.

You and me not gonna
wake up every morning
and get everything we want.

Mostly we got
to take what come.

And half the time,
that's gonna be
a bunch of bullshit.

Yeah. I just got to get
my mind back right.

(EXHALES DEEPLY)

Go on and have you a taste.

I don't need that.
That shit'll fuck me up.

Go on, boy.

It's gonna fuck me up, man.

Cool you out.

Just a taste, huh?

Fuck it.

Fuck it.

(CHOKING)

♪ My baby don't stand
no cheating, my babe

♪ Oh, yeah, she don't
stand no cheating

♪ My babe

♪ Oh, yeah,
she don't stand no cheating

♪ She don't stand none
of that midnight creeping ♪

I can't record this
if he handles the mike
like that.

Don't worry about it.

We're playing
Little Walter's My Babe.

Number one on
the charts this week.

WILLIE: Little Walter was
making a name for himself.

Every club on
the chitlin circuit

wanted that sharp,
swinging jump boy
in the Cadillac.

Now, ain't that sure enough
a goddamn shame?

MAN: What is that?

A big-time recording artist
like Little Walter

driving around in
that broken-down,
no-account short.

(LAUGHING)

Let me out.

Hold on, son.

MUDDY: What is he doing now?

WALTER: "Little Walter and
the motherfucking Jukes,"
huh? Ain't this some shit?

Say, now, which one
of you motherfuckers
is Little Walter?

I am, fool.

Okay.

(PEOPLE CLAMOURING)

Bring your ass over here!

Motherfucker taking money
out of my pocket.

So what?
He's stealing your gigs.

He's stealing my name.

Shit.

♪ My baby don't stand
no cheating, my babe

♪ Oh, no, she don't
stand no cheating

♪ My babe

♪ Oh, no, she don't
stand no cheating

♪ Everything she do
she do so pleasing

♪ My baby...

WILLIE: It was 1955
and we was hooked.

On the music, on the
cars, on the women,
on the life, baby.

Oh, Lord, we had hot hands!

♪ ...she don't stand
no fooling, my babe

♪ Oh, yeah,
she don't stand no fooling

♪ When she's hot,
there ain't no cooling

♪ My babe,
true little baby, my babe

♪ True little baby
♪ She's my baby

♪ True little baby
♪ She's my baby

♪ True little baby
♪ She's my baby

♪ True little baby
♪ She's my baby

♪ True little baby
♪ Come on

♪ True little baby
♪ All right

♪ True little baby

♪ True little baby

♪ True little baby

♪ True little baby ♪

Hey, Mud.
I want you to meet Wolf.

Yeah, I hear we're
from the same place.

Is that right?

Yeah,
Wolf just signed with us.

Yeah.
Welcome to Cadillac Records.

You stay around long enough,
everybody get one.

Well, this old truck,

I own it.

It don't own me.

Listen, I want to offer you
a $100 advance.

I don't borrow
against the store.

You just pay me
what you owe me.

That's fair enough.

Nice meeting y'all.

Take care of yourself, baby.

(IN RASPY VOICE)
"It don't own me."

Motherfucker thinks
he goddamn John Wayne.

He can sing, though.

He gonna have to,
because he ain't getting
the women on style.

Any royalties come in from
Hoochie Coochie Man?

I already gave that to you.

How you figure?

The Cadillac
ain't free, Mud.

Right.

You need money?

Well, Geneva want a house.

I'll take care of it.

All right.

♪ All you pretty women

♪ Stand in line

♪ I can make love to you, baby

(CROWD CHEERING)

♪ In an hour's time

♪ Ain't that amazing?

Where that baby come from?

A woman came by today.

She said she's yours.

She said she couldn't
take care of her any more.

That's my baby?

(SCREAMING)

She's gonna need milk.

I'll go on
and get the milk.

♪ I'm a man

♪ I spell M... ♪

This here be
a real nice home
you're making, Geneva.

Thank you, Walter.

That's why Muddy
can go out there
and fetch the world.

He's got big dreams.

Here, let me help you.

There, go ahead...

What about you, though?
Come on.

You ain't got
no dreams, girl?

(SCOFFS)

Somebody's got to have
their feet firmly planted
on the ground.

That's you, huh?
That's you?
Uh-huh.

Well, I say you take
them off the ground.

Taking care of
all these kids.

You know, you gone
and made a place
for me to lay my head.

Now, come here, now.
Stop for a minute.

Stop for a minute, now.
Come here. Play with me.
Come on.

Come on. Come on.

Have a seat. Come on.

Kick your feet up now.
Here go your drink.

It's nice, right?

Who be taking care of you?

I see you running around here
taking care of everybody.

You know?

Who take care of Geneva?

Walter.

What? What?

I'm Muddy's woman.

He got a lot of women.

He can spare one, huh?

I'm sorry. I know.

I know I'm a motherfucker.
I know.

You got no idea.
I can't help myself.
I want to...

I just want to see
you happy, Geneva.
You know?

Let me make you
happy, baby.

I love him.

You have no idea

how good that man
has been to me.

(CHUCKLES)

I'm half a woman, Walter.

I can't have
any more babies.

I can't give Muddy
any children of his own.

Don't cry, baby.
Don't cry.
No.

Don't ever talk to me
about any of his
other women.

Ever.

Okay.

Hey, Geneva.

Hey, baby.

You must be hungry.
Let me make you
something to eat.

Yeah.

What, you ain't hungry?

He ain't hungry.

You ain't hungry?

You ain't eat nothing.
What, you ain't hungry?

Son?
Muddy.

You ain't hungry? Son?

Muddy, he's just a kid!

You better know I know it.

I'll put a motherfucking
lacing on you, boy.

Now, you better go on
somewhere and sleep it off.
You hear me?

(PANTING)

♪ Oh, smokestack lightning

♪ Shining... ♪

Cut.

You on the guitar,
what's your name?

Hubert, sir.

"Hubert"?

Walter, behave yourself.

Motherfucker's
name is Hubert.
Shut up.

Who do you think you are,
playing that loud?

LEN: Yeah, lower the amp,
not the guitar. The amp.

Get it right, Hubert.

Don't talk
to him no more.

I'm the band leader.

Reckon you ain't never
worked with one before.

You want something done,
you ask me.

I'm gonna tell him
what he has to be doing.

Is that right?

That's right.

Only thing you can do.
That's a mean motherfucker
right there. Shit.

Get it right.

All right, big man.

Go and get your coat.

Okay, then.

Take two.

Hey, baby.

Why don't you stay
for a while?

Better get your girl
out of the ring.

(MUSIC RESUMES)

♪ Oh, smokestack lightning

No, that's all right.
You can have her, baby.

But she come with this.

LEN: He can't hear you, Mud.

I guarantee you he hear me.

(HOWLING)

♪ Oh! Tell me baby

Hey, Jimmy, come here.

I want you to tell Hubert
we'll pay him twice
what Wolf's paying him.

If he's such a band leader,

we'll see if he's
band leader enough
to hold onto his boy.

WILLIE: He was the big,
bad wolf.

Now, the story is
he got his name
from a dead man

who came out the cemetery
and tuned his guitar.

And he been howling
at the moon ever since.

♪ Oh, stop your train

♪ Let a poor boy ride

♪ Whoa,
don't you hear me crying? ♪

(HOWLING)

MUDDY: You all right?

JIMMY: Couldn't you
get a smaller set?

You all right?
Hurry up, man.

I don't want
to miss this game, now.

Oh, baby!

I love this house.

You got it.

Sorry, Jimmy.

Y'all can't come in here.

I'm Chuck Berry.

Chuck Berry's
a country-and-western singer.

Is he?

You know who else he is?
He's me.

(STRUMMING COUNTRY TUNE)

Says he's Chuck Berry.

Let me see some ID.

All right, then.

ID.

This licence says
you're Indian.

That pinup make you
look like a white man.

What the hell are you?

I'm a musician.

And my name is
Chuck Berry.

And I can be whatever
you need me to be

to play in your
fine establishment
this evening.

You part con man, too?

No.

You may sing country.

You ain't doing it here.

Get on, now.

You gentlemen have
a fine evening.

ID.

(SIREN BLARING)

What happened
to your doors?

It was hot,
so I took them off.

It's all right.
Come on, baby.

Come on, girl.

WOMAN: Thank you.

Let me see your licence.

Okay. Okay.
Here, you take
a look at this here.

I'm about to go wax
this record, okay?

Get your ass back
over here, nigger.

Now, you looking
at my licence, huh?

You guys know that "nigger"
ain't the name my mama
gave me, now.

Oh, pardon. I'm sorry.

These motherfuckers
can't read.

(LAUGHING) Okay.
Let me help you out.

You got to sound
that shit out.

(VOCALISING)

Come on.

"Walter."

Mud! The cops got Walter!

Hey, take it easy!

Nigger.

Come on. He works here.

He works here.
Take it easy.
This here nigger?

You feel like a nigger yet?

Hey! Look.

Look. Please.

WALTER: You see that?

Do you see that?
I belong to the Chess family.

Motherfucker!

Hey!

You're gonna need
a new car, nigger.

That's what I've been
telling this motherfucker.

Shut up, shut up.
Would you stop?

Are you fucking
with cops now?

God damn it.

What's the matter with you?

Are you all right, man?

Damn it.

I had no business
being that pretty anyway.

(LAUGHS)

It looks like I need
a new car, Len.

I gave you a new car.
You rip the fucking doors
off it?

It's not my problem!

I gave you
a number-one record, Len.

I gave you a chance to make
a number-one fucking record.

Oh, you gave the little nigger
a chance, huh?

Little nigger don't
need no chance!

I can play, motherfucker!

I'm fucking king
on this shit!

You think I'm
gonna shoot you?

Get some rest.

No, I need a new car.

Enough! What you need
to do is get back to
the Pepsi-Cola, boy.

Let me tell you,
that liquor ain't for you.

What you gonna do, Mud?
You gonna hit me, Mud?

You gonna choke me now?
On the street?

Get off me.

You know,

that Wolf,

the way he stood up
for his sideman,

maybe he could teach
you something, Mud.

Esther, come on!

Find yourself
another harp player.

♪ Well, baby, you know
I can never be satisfied

♪ And I just can't
keep from crying ♪

(PEOPLE CHEERING)

Lay it on, man.

Hubert Sumlin,
ladies and gentlemen.

What you want, miss?

Tell Pot that I ain't leaving.

Pot! Your girl said
she ain't leaving.

I want your things
out of my room when
I get home. I told you.

(ARGUING)

(PEOPLE CLAMOURING)

You can't hide
from the eye of God.

He hunting heads tonight.

(ALL SCREAM)

Muddy, I don't think
I want to be in your
band no more.

You steal him
from me again,

I'll kill you.

He tell you I quit?

He said he felt like
somebody took away
his oxygen.

Walter.

You're family.

You don't have to do this.

I'm gonna miss you.

WILLIE: When you lose that cat
that gave you that sound
that nobody else could,

it hurts.

Hurts more than
losing your woman.

It's good you
brought him in.

See what I was
telling you, baby?

He's different.

I don't know, Len.
He sound a little
country to me.

Maybe we blues him
up just a little bit.

LEN: Willie.

I don't want you
to blues this up.
This ain't the blues.

I don't know
what the fuck it is,
but we're gonna record it.

I don't know
what the fuck it is,
but we're gonna record it.

There you go, baby.
Yeah.

♪ Maybelline why can't
you be true

♪ Maybelline why can't
you be true

♪ You've started back
doin' the things
you used to do

♪ As I was motivatin'
over the hill... ♪

(TYRES SCREECHING)

Hey. Hey there, girl.

Tell Chess

I need a new car.

This ain't the right colour.

You got something
real special.

Thank you, Mr Freed.
Thank you.
Thank you very much.

Do you think you'll
be able to play it?

If I play it, I make
you famous and him rich.

The question is,
how bad do you want it?

I'm sorry.
You said, me famous
and him rich? Yeah?

Well, hold on.
One second.
One second.

Let me switch sides
with you for a moment.

Chuck's a bit
of a comedian.

Well, this is nice.
Yeah.

This is very nice.

I'm sure we can
work something out.

Now, some of you people
might call this race music.

I call it rock and roll,
and it's too fun for
anybody to sit out on,

white or coloured.

white or coloured.

Did he just say
what I think he said?

Yeah.

He just integrated
the airwaves.

Here we are.

Here we are, motherfucker.
Here we are.

Oh, God.

Mr Waters, I am
deeply grateful to you.

You got it, baby.

(ALL CHEERING)

(ALL CHEERING)

♪ Riding along
in my automobile

♪ I was anxious
to tell her the way I feel

♪ So I told her
softly and sincere

WILLIE: Chuck was playing
in segregated cities.

But there was just
a thin rope to separate
coloureds from whites.

And a whole lot of history.

And that's all it took
to bring us all together,

one man
duck-walking across stage.

(LAUGHING) Shit.

POLICEMAN: Please keep
the aisles clear.

Get back over here.

Keep the aisles clear.

♪ The night was young
and the moon was gold

♪ So we both decided
to take a stroll

♪ Can you imagine
the way I felt?

♪ I couldn't unfasten
her safety belt ♪

Why don't you play
like that, Daddy?

Ain't nothing but
the blues sped up.

It's rock and roll.

(EXCLAIMS)

Look at that car!

CHARLES: Len Chess
got two hot cars.

REVETTA: Hey, Muddy.
Hey, Charles.

We're on American Bandstand.
You believe this?

There's the man.
Been a long time.

Chuck Berry!

Hey, is this the boy?

Yeah, that's Charles.

That's your car outside?

The cherry-red one out there?

It's the most beautiful
thing I've ever seen.

Ain't it? Good taste.

Sit down, Charles.
Have a seat.

Chuck Berry.

Charles, Charlie, Chuck.

Mortgage payment
and child support
killing me.

And I ain't booking
the clubs enough.

Len, I was talking
to the accountant,

and he been telling me
I'm borrowing
against my royalties.

Len, Mud, it's coming.
You're gonna miss it.

Yeah. In a minute.

What's going on?
I thought I was
just getting paid.

Records ain't selling.

Is that how come
you got a brand-new
Cadillac in the driveway?

He bought me that Cadillac.

Me, you and every
other motherfucker

cashes a Chess Records
cheque is riding that
man's coattails.

And that ain't good.

Thank you.

In my book,
you're still number one.

You, too, baby.

CHARLES: Hey, Dad,
you got to see this.

CHARLES: Hey, Dad,
you got to see this.

WILLIE: They were locking
up fine black women
for sitting on buses,

stringing up our
little bitty boys
for whistling at white women.

Not paying any mind
at all to old Chuck,

who was reaping
up their firstborn

with this thing
called rock and roll.

$3,000 in his pocket
and he'd be eating
like a hobo.

But he'd do that before
he'd give them crackers
one damn dollar.

Chuck'd rather sleep
in his own car

than to give his money
to one of them
segregated hotels.

The man saved
$100,000 the first year.

Now, he didn't drink,
and, no, he didn't gamble.

He only had one
particular vice.

Good evening, ladies.

You're him, aren't you?

Well, what "him"
are you looking for?

You know.

How do you know I know?

I know everything.

Would you mind coming
to teach me what you know?

I'll teach you everything.

WILLIE: Now,
Chuck wasn't the only one
looking for female talent.

Len was on a girl-hunt, too.

Here she is.

Glad you could make it.

I can get you a drink...

What,
you want me to just do it
right here? Right now?

Well, I am leaving
town tomorrow.

Yeah, baby,
you don't have to
be shy with him.

I ain't shy, fool.

Don't be looking at me
like I ain't wearing
no drawers!

It's just hard to do if
you ain't in the mood.

And I ain't in the mood.

She ain't in the mood.

Come on.

I thought you said
this broad was good.

ETTA: ♪ I heard

ETTA: ♪ I heard

♪ Church bells ring

♪ I heard

♪ A choir singing

♪ I saw my love

♪ Walk down the aisle

♪ On her finger

♪ He placed the ring ♪

WILLIE: He was looking
for a woman that could go
head-to-head with his men.

And he found her.

Miss Etta James.

Hey, Mud.

You got it, baby.

When do I get
you back in here?

You ain't heard?
My records ain't selling.

You're always
gonna sell, baby.

LEN: Cut.

What's going on with
sweet baby girl there?

Sweet?

ETTA: Fuck you, Leonard.
What the hell you
know about the blues?

I gave you a damn good track.
You want it? You sing it.

Now she want me to sing it.
Fine, go home.

Forget it.
Everybody go home.
That's a wrap.

What are you smiling about?

My mistake.
You ain't woman
enough for that song.

I'm plenty woman.
Oh, yeah?

It's about being in love.
You know what that is?

I know about love.
Yeah?

Motherfucker ever
walk out on you?

Huh? Huh?

Fucking not only
did he walk out on you,

he's taking the other
broad down the aisle.

You know what that
feels like, baby? Huh?

Give me another one.

You heard her.
She wants another one.

Take 15.

(PLAYING
ALL I COULD DO IS CRY)

(PLAYING
ALL I COULD DO IS CRY)

♪ I heard

♪ Church bells ring

♪ I heard

♪ A choir singing

♪ I saw my love

♪ Walk down the aisle

♪ On her finger

♪ He placed a ring

♪ Oh, I saw them

♪ Holding hands

♪ She was standing there

♪ With my man

♪ I heard them promise

♪ Till death do us part

♪ Each word

♪ Was a pain in my heart

♪ Oh, all I could do

♪ All I could do was cry

♪ All I could do

♪ Was cry

♪ I was losing

♪ The man that I loved

♪ And all I could do

♪ Was cry

♪ And now

♪ The wedding is over

♪ The rice,
rice has been thrown

♪ Over their heads

♪ For them life

♪ Has just begun

♪ But mine

♪ Is ending ♪

You play a mean
game of pool.

Listen, if I brought up
bad memories, I'm sorry.

But it was good
for the song.

This album comes out,
that old boyfriend
will come running.

I wasn't crying
over no boyfriend.

Oh, no?

Girlfriend?

How'd you learn
to play pool so good?

My daddy.

Hmm?
Mmm-hmm.

Can I get a whisky?

Sure thing, boss.

(CLEARS THROAT)
That's good.

Hard to find time
to teach your kids things.

He ain't teach me shit.
I taught myself.

I don't want
to embarrass him
when we meet.

Tell you who's gonna be
embarrassed is your old man.

Because he's gonna meet
a goddamn superstar.

You know?

And what is he?

A nobody. Now,

I don't want
to embarrass you,

but let me show
you how it's done.

You're batting
a thousand on being wrong.

You see that
picture over there?

What, Minnesota Fats
is your father?

That's the story.

You ought to have him
come by the studio.

I ain't never even
met that motherfucker.

But when I do,
I want it to be
in a fancy restaurant

where everybody wants
my picture and asking
me for my autograph.

That's the dream, huh?

That's my dream.

It's not a dream.

You're gonna cross over.

You think?
Promise.

You gonna promise me
that fancy restaurant, too?

Promise.

The one that's gonna
serve the white man
and his coloured daughter.

Hey, come on.

You sing the blues.
You don't have to live them.

What the fuck
do you know, white boy?

Yeah, you play that
hard act real good.

(SCOFFS)

But I see you.

I see you.

(ALL I COULD DO IS CRY
PLAYING)

(ALL I COULD DO IS CRY
PLAYING)

♪ And all I could do

♪ Was cry ♪

WILLIE: Old Len thought his
chequebook can fix anything,

so he bought out
the restaurant for Etta.

But there's some things
money can't fix.

I can't help you, kid.

Gin. Can I have
a bottle of gin?

I need a bottle of gin.

Gin, please.
Can I have a bottle of gin?

Gin! Can I get
a fucking bottle of gin?

Come on.
Bottle of gin.

Right away, sir.

I guess I got to be him
to get some gin?

What'd he say to you?

Stupid shit.

He didn't even ask
if he could see me again.

That's his problem.
Why you making it yours?

Here you go, sir.

(SCOFFS) You wouldn't
even begin to know
my problems, baby.

Let me.

My mother was a whore.

And that fat motherfucker
just looked me in my face,
and he didn't see himself.

He didn't see
his little girl.
You know what he saw?

He saw the cum stains
of all the other men
my mother fucked.

These chanda-fucking-liers
and these white tablecloths
don't mean shit!

I ain't gonna ever
be good enough for him.

You know they're
gonna break this
when I leave, right?

Fuck it!
I'll do it for you!

Come on, honey.
Listen to me.

You can't let that in.

You know, Muddy,

he sings that hurt.
He don't live it.

He don't nurse it.

Walter, he carries
it around like a baby.

Feeds it on whisky and smack.

You got to let it go.

I can't.

(BLUES MUSIC PLAYING)

(CROWD CHEERING)

Oh, no.

No, I'm not having it.

(CHATTERING)

(SURFIN' USA PLAYING ON RADIO)

That's my song.

No, darling.

(STAMMERING)
No, no, darling.

That's my song.

No, darling.
That's the Beach Boys.

(SURFIN' USA
CONTINUES PLAYING)

That is Sweet Sixteen,
note for note.

Note for note.
Not one change.

Aside,
apart from the lyrics,
about the new...

The new craze sweeping
the nation for young white
boys and girls, surfing.

I've provided
them the soundtrack,
unbeknownst to myself.

You ready?
Yes, I'm ready.

I'm very ready
to make more songs
for the Beach Boys

and all other manner
of white folks to steal.
Yes, I'm quite ready.

You say the devil's name,
he appears.

We need to talk.

Yeah, we do need to talk.
You heard this?

You know what's going on?

Do you know
what's going on?

I'm not laying down
for this.

First, Alan Freed gets
a third of Maybelline.
For what?

Chuck, listen.

No. You listen to me.
Did he write one
part of the song?

One part?
Alan Freed
put us on the map.

This gives him
the licence...

(WHISPERING) Did you take
an underage white girl
across state lines?

I'm not talking about girls.
What's going on?

Don't say shit.
Don't say anything.

Hello, Officers.
Is there a problem?

Mr Berry,
you are under arrest
for transporting a minor

across state lines
for the purpose
of prostitution.

First of all, I didn't
transport anyone anywhere.
I didn't solicit anything.

Gentlemen, I'll have you know
that my very dear friend
Mr Jerry Lee Lewis

has a 13-year-old wife.
Keep your mouth shut.

Are we stopping
by his home on the way?

Emmett Till gets
murdered for whistling
at a white woman.

I know you're pleased
to get Chuck Berry.

Fix this, Leonard.

♪ Everybody's gone surfin'

♪ Surfin' U.S.A.

♪ Everybody's gone
surfin'... ♪

♪ Everybody's gone
surfin'... ♪

You guys got to be
kidding me, man.
Where are you from?

(BOTH LAUGHING)

You set that hair
in the morning?

You ladies
shouldn't be out here
without an escort.

WILLIE: A bunch
of English boys started
playing our music.

Now, it was made in America,

but I guess nobody thought
we were Americans.

Hey, let me help
you with that, fellow.

Fucking hell. It's him!

Mr Waters.

We're big fans.

You're the reason
we got together.

We named our band
after one of your songs.

Yeah?

Rolling Stone.

(CHUCKLES)

All right.

Go on in there.
Fuck them police.

Go on in there.
Fuck them police.

WILLIE: Everybody
knows the Rolling Stones,
the Beatles, Fleetwood Mac,

Led Zeppelin, Eric Clapton.

Everybody know
them names, right?

(PLAYING I CAN'T BE SATISFIED)

Skinny motherfuckers.

(CHUCKLING)

The Rolling Stones
are burning up the charts

with an old
Muddy Waters standard.

Take 10% of Chuck's royalties
and move them to Muddy.

Go on and do it.

Chuck ain't gonna miss it.

WILLIE: The goose that
laid the golden egg
was locked up.

So Len brought in
the old standbys,
including Little Walter.

Chess was desperate
for a hit.

Oh, hey, little girl, now.
Who you belong to, huh?

You mind if I watch?

Go ahead, baby girl.

I grew up on y'all's music.

Watch?

Come over here.

I'll teach you
to blow, baby.

Better watch it, baby girl.
He ain't talking
about that harp.

(BOTH LAUGHING)

Muddy, you're a fool.

I wouldn't mind a little bit
of what you flying on.

You too pretty to be
flying my way, now.

You don't need that amp.

How they gonna hear me?

Everybody's records
are getting sent back.

You want to survive,
do something different.
Play along.

Something different?
What the fuck?

What?

Mud, what you think
about this?

What you think
about this, Mud?

I think we need
to lay this record.

What, I'm just
a sideman now?

Okay, I'll do it, Len.
I'll do it.

I'm broke as the rest
of you motherfuckers
in here, so, you know?

(SCOFFS)

I'm gonna need
a bottle of gin, though.

I'm gonna need
a bottle of gin, baby.

Because I like a taste
before getting fucked.

Somebody taking
care of Walter?

That's right.
Take care of me, baby.

(ORCHESTRA PLAYING AT LAST)

(ORCHESTRA PLAYING AT LAST)

♪ At last

♪ My love has come along

♪ My lonely days are over

♪ And life is like a song

♪ Oh, yeah

♪ At last

♪ The skies above are blue

♪ My heart
was wrapped up in clover

♪ The night I looked at you

♪ I found a dream

♪ That I could speak to

♪ A dream that I

♪ Can call my own

♪ I found a thrill

♪ To press my cheek to

♪ A thrill that I

♪ Have never known

♪ Oh, yeah

♪ When you smiled

♪ You smiled

♪ Oh, and then
the spell was cast

♪ And here we are in heaven

♪ For you are mine

♪ At last ♪

Thanks, baby.
You got it.

Happy anniversary, Revetta.

Thank you.

Where you taking her,
Peppers?

Get out of here.

WVJN just called.
Etta missed her
airtime again.

God damn, it's
the third time this week.
This broad, I'm gonna...

(SIGHS)

I'm sorry, babe.
I got to go figure out
what's going on here.

Don't worry about it.
I'll go look in on her.

That ain't your job, Mud.

Chess.

Go on and enjoy yourself.

(TRUST IN ME PLAYING)

♪ Trust in me in all you do

♪ Trust in me in all you do

♪ Have the faith I have in you

(KNOCK AT DOOR)

♪ Love will see us through

♪ If only you trust in me

♪ Why don't you, you trust me

(PHONE RINGING)

♪ Come to me
when things go wrong

♪ Cling to me, Daddy

♪ Oh yeah,
and I'll be strong ♪

Now, wake up, girl. Wake up.
Look here, wake up!

What the...
What... What you...

Come here. Stand up.

Get up, God damn it,
come on.

Stand up. Get up.

(SHUSHING)
Hey, baby.

Come on, now.

You came to see me?

He fucked up my hair.
I'm going to get a doctor.

No doctors.

Let me get Geneva then.
She knows what
to do with this.

All right, that's good.

Wake up.
Baby, come on, wake up.

Wake up, come on.
It's not funny. Come on.

This the first time
I ever used this fireplace.

Feel like I should be having
marshmallows or something.

(SNICKERS)

Yeah, I'm sure
marshmallows and smack
go real well together.

What happened
to the furniture?

Where's the car?

My mama sold what
didn't get repossessed.

They gonna take my house.

Oh, that's good.

(SIGHS)

Come on.

You got to put
it in my name.

You hear me?
You gonna trust me?
Put the house in my name.

What? What?

Trust me.

♪ Trust in me

(CHUCKLES)

♪ In all you do ♪

Listen.

Listen to me.
I'm gonna get you in
a clinic and get some help.

(CHUCKLING)

I'm gonna pay for it.

It's not a loan.
It's a gift.

So, now you buying me gifts?

Yeah, that's right.

I must be real special.

I must make you
a lot of money.

Yeah, that must be it.

I ain't stupid.

I'm your number-one bitch
since Chuck got busted.

I'm trying
to take care of you.

(CHUCKLING) You gonna
take care of me?

Who the fuck you
think you talking to,
your tight-ass wife?

That's off-limits.

I don't need no man
to take care of me.

So tough.
You look so fucking good.

With these track
marks in your arm?

That's real good.
Well, that's good.

(CHUCKLING)
Yeah, that'll fix
your problems, huh?

Baby, don't worry.

Etta ain't gonna hurt you.

That feels nice.

It feel real good.
Who bought you that?

Did Etta buy you that?
I think she did.

Who bought you that car?

I think I got that
nice car out there, too.

(CHUCKLES)

Don't worry.

I'll do it for you, baby.

Come on. Stop that.

Just say, "Trust in me,"
like all them
other motherfuckers...

Come on, I ain't taking
from you! I'm offering.

God damn it, I don't know
what the fuck to say to you.

I'm not your fucking pimp.

That's not us.
"Us"?

What the fuck is "us"?

A white man and
a black girl?

I been there.

Yeah, but you
ain't been here.

I'm not your father.

And you ain't your mother.

And I ain't gonna hurt you.

I got no reason
to hurt you.

You don't even know
what you have.

What do I have?

(CHUCKLES)

You got a hit record.

What?

You're on top
of the charts, baby.

You crossed over.

Len, I crossed over?

I told you.

(DOOR OPENS)

(CLEARS THROAT)

Geneva a nurse.

Hello, Etta.

Hi.

Are you sure you want Geneva
to stay here or you want her
to come home with me?

(SIGHS)

It's not what you think.

Oh, this is just business?

That's right.

You never hold me like that.

Cross over
and I'll jump
into bed with you.

I bet you'd jump out
that motherfucker quick, too.

What?

What?

You know how Walter
call you his white daddy,

because every time he step
in shit, you there to get
him out of trouble?

And then you bring him
in the studio and you
take away his amp,

the sound that took him
his whole life to make up.

Any other motherfucker
he'd have shot for that,
but he give it up for you.

What you telling
that little girl ain't
got nobody in the world?

That you're gonna
take care of her?

How many strung-out
girls you told that to?

I ain't talking about me.
I'm talking about you
and the baby girl in there.

What if I told you
I had feelings for her?

Bullshit.

(SCOFFS)

Fine.

I'm fucking her,
I'm fucking Chuck,
and I'm fucking you. Huh?

That's what you think, huh?

Ain't that what
you think, Mud?

Well, that's what
the blues is, ain't it?

A whole lot of fucking.

Tell Geneva I'm gone.

WILLIE: They locked Chuck up
at the peak of his career.

He couldn't record
a damn thing.

Goodbye.

Mr Berry! Mr Berry!

(PHONE RINGING)

Yeah?

MAN: Somebody
busted up your store.

What? Somebody broke in?

You better come
and see about it.

Yeah, I'll be right down.

Who is this?

(DIAL TONE DRONING)

WILLIE: Len's world
was changing.

Not only was Muddy
questioning him,

but so were the folks
in the neighbourhood.

Coloured folks who were told
they weren't coloured
no more, but black,

who was told
they had a power.

They had the right to own
their own businesses.

And who was this white man
getting rich off of them?

You want to fuck
around back here?

(GRUNTING)

WILLIE: The south side
of Chicago was getting mad.

Everybody could feel
the change coming.

MAN: Get on out
of our neighbourhood!

NEWSCASTER ON TV:
Screaming fans went nuts again

for rock and roll
star Elvis Presley.

Presley, handsome as
ever, tipped his hat
for the cameras.

Well, there you have it,
ladies and gentlemen,

your new king.

I'm about to win
this money, baby.

Tough luck, boy.

Tough luck?
You lose.

Back up, motherfucker.

No tough luck got this,
motherfucker.

Because this shit here
says my luck is just fine.

What you gonna do,
blow me to death?

Shit.

(GRUNTS) Walter.

Okay. Oh, Jesus. Walter!

GENEVA: Oh, God.

You ain't come
and get me, Mama.

You didn't come and get me.

(WHIMPERS) I've been waiting
for you for a long time.

I'm here.

I found you.

Mama loves you.
Come on, stay with me.

I just got to rest my eyes.

Stay with me.

I just got to rest my eyes.

No. No, stay with me.

(LAST NIGHT PLAYING)

Wait a minute.

Wait a minute.

♪ Last night

♪ I lost the best friend
I ever had

♪ Now you've gone and left me

♪ That make me feel so bad

All right. All right.

All right.

All right.

Thank you. Thank you.

(SIGHING)

All right.

Well, we'll have
to see if we can...

If we can't get
him a new suit.

Get him one of them
boxes with the blue
satin lining inside.

Have him look slick.

I got to use the toilet.

♪ Last night

♪ I lost the best friend
I ever had

♪ Now you've gone and left me

(MUDDY SOBBING)

♪ That make me feel so bad ♪

Can I get you some tea?

No, thank you.

You know, there's a whole line
of bluesmen on your lawn,

waiting to see
if you're dead.

Looking to see
if they owe me money.

Yeah.

Look at that.
You're the first man
ever gave me flowers.

(REVETTA LAUGHS)

LEN: Thank you.

Yeah, well,
don't tell nobody.

They're beautiful.
I'll put them in a vase.

You okay?

I'm good. Thank you.

Mud.
Wolf.

LEN: Shit.

I know Walter was into you
for a whole lot, but he got
anything coming his way?

You know how
he spent his money.

Yeah, I know it.

Look here.

I got $200 to my name.

You're gonna have to help
pay for Walter's funeral.

Who said I wouldn't?

Why he got to pay
for Walter's funeral?

He ain't Walter's daddy.

Is you and me talking?

Walter put a lot
of goddamn money
in his billfold, that's why.

I'm the only
motherfucker
making money?

Looks like it.

That's the man's job,
make money off of you.

You from Mississippi.
You ought to know that.

LEN: How many Caddies
did y'all go through?

Let's get this straight.
I didn't fuck you.

I didn't say nothing
about who fucked who.

You insinuated that
with your bullshit!

You was out with
the fucking jewellery
and the broads all the time.

And you was
a motherfucking saint?

Who here is a saint?

Who here?

Settle down.
No, Revetta, please.

If you act like a boy,
keep asking for handouts,
he gonna treat you like one.

Is you and me talking,
motherfucker?
What is you looking for?

I'm looking to help
bury a fellow musician.

I said I'll pay for it!

Now, it feels good
not to have a daddy.

And as much
as I don't like you,
I want you to feel good

like that, too.

(SNICKERING)

I killed Walter.

I killed him
when I let you
take away his amp.

I'm the motherfucker?

I'm the motherfucker?

(MY BABE PLAYING ON TV)

(MY BABE PLAYING ON TV)

♪ Well, my babe don't stand
no cheating, my babe

♪ Well, my babe don't stand
no cheating, my babe

♪ You know, my babe
don't stand no cheating

♪ She don't, she don't
she don't, oh, God

♪ My babe
I know she loves me,
my babe

♪ Well, my babe
I know she loves me,
my babe

♪ Well, my babe
I know she loves me,
my babe

♪ Well, my babe
I know she loves me

♪ She don't do nothing
but kiss and love me

♪ My babe,
I know she loves me,
my babe

♪ Oh, now, now, now, baby

♪ My baby

♪ Oh, now, now, now, baby

♪ My baby

♪ Oh, now, now, now, baby

♪ My baby

♪ Oh, now, now, now, baby ♪

WILLIE: It was over,

the music, Chess Records.

Everybody could feel it.

Len was getting out
while he could.

(PIANO PLAYING)

(HUMMING)

LEN: So, working on something
behind my back now, huh?

Uh-huh.

What happened
to "Trust In Me"?

(CLEARS THROAT)

I know what
you've been doing.

Yeah, what?

You gonna sell
the company.

(CLEARS THROAT)

You know,
back when I started this,

nobody'd let a black man
do what I got done.

Doors weren't open.

Now they are.

Time to move on.

You gonna be missing out.

You don't think
I know that?

So, you mean to tell me,
this could be the last time
I sing a song for you?

Better make it good.

They don't get no better.

Y'all ready?

(PLAYING I'D RATHER GO BLIND)

PLAYING I'D RATHER GO BLIND)

♪ Something told me

♪ It was over

♪ When I saw you and her

♪ Talking

♪ Something deep down

♪ In my soul said, "Cry, girl"

BOTH: ♪ Cry, girl

♪ When I saw you and that girl

♪ Walking around

♪ Ooh

♪ I would rather
I would rather go blind, boy

♪ Than to see you
walk away from me child, no

♪ Ooh

♪ So you see
I love you so much

♪ That I don't want
to watch you leave me, baby

♪ Most of all, I just don't

♪ I just don't
want to be free, no

♪ Ooh

♪ Ooh

♪ I was just, I was just

♪ I was just
sitting here thinking

♪ Of your kiss

♪ And your warm embrace, yeah

♪ When the reflection
in a glass

♪ That I held
to my lips now, baby

♪ Revealed these tears

♪ That are on my face

♪ Ooh

♪ And, baby

♪ And, baby, baby,
I'd rather be blind, boy

♪ Than to see you walk away

♪ Walk away from me, yeah

♪ And, baby, baby, baby

♪ I'd rather be blind, boy

♪ Than to see you walk away

♪ Walk away from me

♪ And, baby, baby, baby

♪ I'd rather be blind, boy

♪ Than to see you walk away

(COUGHING)

♪ Walk away from me, yeah

♪ Ooh

♪ And, baby

♪ Baby, baby, baby

♪ I'd rather
I'd rather be blind, boy

♪ And, baby ♪

WILLIE: Chess Records
had a hold on Len.

It just wouldn't
let him leave.

He had a heart attack
before he could
turn the corner.

Baby girl,
I got some bad news for you.

Chess ain't leave no will.

That means everything
that belonged to him goes
to the wife and children,

including this here house.

That's all right.

This morning,
a man came by
and gave me this.

What's that?

It's the deed to my house.

He said Len wanted me
to have it in case
something ever happened.

That motherfucker.

He didn't have time
to leave a will,

but he had time
to think of me?

He loved me.

That motherfucker.

(BOTH LAUGHING)

(EXCLAIMS)

(MAN CHATTERING ON TV)

What do you say,
Willie?

What do you say, there?
How you doing?

I'm here.
How you doing?

Oh, I can't complain.
Got some good news.

Remember some
of them English boys?

They didn't forget about us.

Been telling all
Europe about us.

Want us to come
over there and play.

I ain't got no money to get
on no plane to no England.

You don't need no money.
They're gonna pay
for everything.

You're serious?

(CHUCKLING)
We're going to England.

(SIGHS)

I'm a little bit...

A little bit nervous here.

Nervous?
What you nervous about?

You've been performing
your whole life.

Yeah, but not...

Not for these
folks over here.

(STUTTERING)

How am I supposed
to know what they want?

PILOT ON PA: This is
your captain speaking.

We are now beginning
our descent into
Heathrow Airport.

Here we go.

WOMAN: Welcome to London.
I hope you enjoy your stay.

You all right?
Yeah.

(REPORTERS CHATTERING)

REPORTER 1: A pleasure
to see you, Mr Waters.

REPORTER 1: A pleasure
to see you, Mr Waters.

REPORTER 2: Mr Waters!

(CHUCKLING)

They want you,
Mr Waters.
They want you.

WILLIE: We sued Chess Records
for back royalties.

And we did all right.

Well, especially me.

Because I wrote
all those songs that Muddy,
Walter and Wolf were singing.

I got paid.

And I'm still getting paid.

I made enough money
to buy this here studio.

I made enough money
to buy this here studio.

They were going
to tear it down,
but I knew it was history.

♪ I'm a man

♪ Don't matter if you
got the upper hand ♪

WILLIE: We made
the kind of music that
can grow into anything,

rhythm and blues,
rock and roll, hip hop.

Whatever you're playing, baby,

we're right there with you.

(LAUGHING)

Just sprinkle
a little blues on it

and it's gonna grow up
to be big and bad.

We the hoochie coochie seed.

(EVOLUTION OF A MAN PLAYING)

♪ I'm a M-A-N

♪ I'm a big fish
in the small pond

♪ Left to cut you for the city
to get it done

♪ They underestimate me,
try to treat me like a boy

♪ But I flipped it around,
now I'm the one
they can't ignore

♪ I know what I'm worth
and I want every cent

♪ Try to show me again
and I'm gonna click in
this biz

♪ Just to give me what's mine,
nothing more, nothing less

♪ And I'm gonna
give you my all

♪ Nothing less than the best,
please add the respect

♪ I'd have felt enough pain

♪ I'd have been through enough

♪ To get where I'm at,
it ain't a game

♪ I'm a M-A-N

♪ I'm taking a stand

♪ Rub me the wrong way
and you gonna find out

♪ You dealin' with a man

♪ I'm a M-A-N

♪ I'm a man, I'm a man

♪ I'm a M-A-N

♪ I'm a man, I'm a man

♪ I'm a M-A-N

♪ I'm a man, I'm a man

♪ I'm a M-A-N

♪ I'm a man, I'm a man ♪

(ONCE IN A LIFETIME PLAYING)

♪ This is just another day
that I would spend

♪ Waitin' for the right one

♪ Staring at the night
and wishin' I could be the one

♪ To feel the warm sun

♪ You're a dream,
but I'm wide awake

♪ I'm in Heaven,
for heaven sakes

♪ So get ready

♪ Get ready

♪ I'm ready now

♪ Get ready

♪ I could never need you
more than now

♪ You were worth waiting for

♪ You the one that I adore

♪ Hold on to you tight

♪ For once in my life

♪ You were worth waiting for

♪ You the one that I adore

♪ This kind of love
you'll only find

♪ Once in a lifetime

♪ Once in a lifetime

♪ Tell me that
you're living in a place

♪ Where no one else
can find you

♪ Tell me that
you're singing out my name

♪ Hoping that I'll hear you

♪ Tell me, no
and I'll fade away

♪ But this is lovin'
that I won't waste

♪ So get ready

♪ Get ready

♪ I'm ready now

♪ Get ready

♪ I could never need you
more than now

♪ You were worth waiting for

♪ You the one that I adore

♪ Hold on to you tight

♪ For once in my life

♪ You were worth waiting for

♪ You the one that I adore

♪ This kind of love
you'll only find

♪ Once in a lifetime

♪ Once in a lifetime

♪ What are the words
I'm needin' to hear

♪ How do I know
if I'll ever love again

♪ Seeing your face
makes everything clear

♪ Clear

♪ Clear

♪ And I will never be the same

♪ You were worth waiting for

♪ You the one that I adore

♪ Hold on to you tight

♪ For once in my life

♪ You were worth waiting for

♪ You the one that I adore

♪ This kind of love
you'll only find

♪ Once in a lifetime

♪ Once in a lifetime ♪