Original subtitles

what's good

huh

[Music]

hey rico

this is it

[Music]

there is a train

it leaves the station at a quarter after

five come on

[Music]

and it's direct that's right from union

terminal right there in public square a

quarter after five right where does it

arrive

hey maurice i need that cover here we go

rename on my goal

[Music]

get off

[Music]

[Applause]

[Music]

[Applause]

[Music]

the boys are coming home the flags are

flying high and momma's

[Music]

it'll be just like it was before

the band is tuning up to play your

favorite song so like you

used to

every day

it'll be just

[Applause]

[Music]

[Music]

soon it will be

just like it was before

[Applause]

[Music]

so grab your sleeves

[Music]

how long you've been back so a couple

days place looks terrific still the best

club in cleveland how about my house bad

huh you need me up there on keys my

chops are better than ever mine is

looking for an accordion player for a

wedding you still do that

gig's a gig i'll tell them

yep something will turn up the cream

always rises to the top

all these swanky gloves

[Music]

[Applause]

[Music]

here

fill these out please both sides on that

one signature there there and there back

to me when you're done yes ma'am it'll

be just like it was before

what division

37th

what was that uh solomon islands yeah at

bougainville

[ __ ] that must have been holy hell

something like that yeah when'd you get

back a couple weeks ago doing cash or

college

oh no i need the cash

find something quick pal

i've been to three funerals this month

nobody's talking about it because those

guys came back fine a while ago

what happened

they wanted a way to make it stop find

something quick

[Music]

it'll be just

[Music]

[Applause]

[Music]

i'd like a good night's sleep our roster

is pretty full and our patrons come to

hear the standards not original tombs is

that too much to ask my pal loved you at

the wedding i can toss a few more your

way i need a shot of whiskey holes i

gots an empty flask

[Music]

before you know it

it'll be just

like it was before

[Music]

i'll take the slow knights

let's see we just got a new headliner

[Music]

just 18 years old

baby face gals love him

[Music]

i'm sure i was playing circles around

him when i was 18. yeah well you're not

a team now are you

oh yeah some of us had a little service

to take care of maybe you saw something

in the papers

we're all thankful for your service

but i got nothing for you here

i'm dying here

whole town's giving me the same run

around the only thing i live for is to

play

if i can't play it what's the use of me

making it back home that's a bit

dramatic

you want to try out for the community

theater guild

[Music]

[Music]

they want illusion and they achieve it

we all relive the past and never want to

leave it the world is ending and we're

pretending

[Music]

[Applause]

[Music]

this is andre baroosh for the american

songbook of popular music brought to you

by bayer aspirin

nbc radio and metro goldwyn mayer are

looking for the next great swing band to

write their very own song in honor of

our boys in uniform

yes

it's the american songbooks tribute to

the troops a winning band from each

state will compete in a nationwide

broadcast live from the palace theater

in new york on december 16th to

determine who will appear in a

spectacular new motion picture musical

and be immortalized in hollywood history

that's me

to a t

he might as well have said hey donnie

come and get your prize

i could write it in my sleep

but the trick is the

delivery

and the difference that i have is i was

there

i made it through

now my number one priority

is to put a band together that did

to

every horn and clarinet

will be a military vet

and be playing with authority

accordion genius plays weddings at seven

years old

then the piano like fish take the water

by nine its fats wallet down cold

tunes of my own start to work themselves

out i'm a 12 year old irving berlin

all of that promise and none of the

payoff i'm still playing weddings i take

on my day off from bombing around

drinking gin they say

cream rises but what if nobody taste it

if that

cream rises and spoils it's gonna be

wasted

but donnie nowitzki could be frank

sinatra if someone would give him a

break

in fact i'd be better cause i play piano

and he can't read music they're fake

donnie novinski spent four years in

battle i carry the scars when i croon

frankie sinatra skipped out on the army

get half the time sings out of tune he's

so flat like

they say

creep

rises but what if nobody knew

it that cream rises and rots then

somebody blew it

donnie novitskiy is finally looking at

one little crack in the door

get it to open and right there behind it

is everything i'm working for the

picture dining

to polish italian pruning his tunes

smoking his stogies genuine vet of an

army battalion then tailored suits if i

cut out pierogies

[Music]

[Music]

[Music]

[Music]

has strong ammunition plenty of talent

and burning ambition whose songs are

authentic as well

from living through four years of hell

donnie needs something to block out the

memories

[Music]

so make it all worth it and give it a

meaning going from cleveland to

hollywood screaming

[Music]

he's gonna win first prize

don't know if it's good

he's ready to

[Music]

[Applause]

[Music]

[Applause]

[Music]

how's the house tonight good lining up

outside already and of course skip's

running late if he wasn't such a good

piano player i swear i would find

someone else

i'm looking for jimmy campbell we're not

open yet yeah the back door is

did you used to play with a cat who went

by the name of rubber the drummer that's

the one maybe a few gigs right out of

high school you went to the air corps

navy what is this my my pianist will be

here any minute i was army i was 37th

infantry rubber said you're good listen

i don't mean to be rude i'm trying to

get ready for you

if you wait in line and pay like

everyone else don't find out you know

tell me tonight what are you smoking

but do you not know tell me tonight do i

not know

[Music]

uh

name's donnie and i'm thinking about

starting a band all that i'm getting a

law degree i don't we'll make it work

okay

there is this contest on the radio the

nbc thing bingo they just announced the

statewide competition

it's going to be held here in cleveland

we have the hometown advantage what do

you say i suppose you'd be the band

leader

naturally yeah

so that's yes that's a jesus christ

you're relentless

you're welcome is rubber on drums

no he didn't make it back oh geez yeah

so

do you know any other guys

who served but young good-looking like

us

[Music]

it's radio what does it matter

if we win we get to be in the movies

do you know any

i know a guy he kicks it on base his

regular gig is at oliver's place he's

better than anyone when he's not high

jesus he's army too i'll take my chances

then yep i can tell ya that i know a guy

meet me at the rio lounge tomorrow he

plays at the rio no no he drinks there

we're ready to open jimmy let him all in

[Music]

all right i got another one i got

another one another one a pirate walks

into a bar with a ship's steering wheel

on the front of his pants yeah the

bartender says hey captain you got a

steering wheel stuck to your crotch yeah

pirate says are it's driving me nuts

jimmy you skinny son of a [ __ ] what

wind blew you heather this is donnie

novitskiy hey donnie me davey's lady

donny here made it through solomon

islands

well i'll tickle your catastrophe yeah i

liberated dachau jesus man so jimmy told

me about your band idea i messed around

about you so my cousin marries this

polock right

turns out this guy

played accordion at her wedding when he

was something like what 10 years old you

know the difference between an accordion

and hitler no

one perpetrated years of oppression and

humiliation on the polish people

but the other is hitler

you see i am not only witty in myself

but the cause that wit is in other men

i have no idea what you're saying but i

hope it means you're it's shakespeare

and yeah that means he's in you're great

great great great so now all we need are

a couple horns and a monster on drugs i

know a guy his trumpet is hot a barrel

the last all this bastard is not but

maybe we break him between you and i

let's do it all right then get your

jokes ready cause i know a guy

[Music]

take it again from bar four

[Music]

what's that note right there

b-flat

how do you miss a b-flat it's a b-flat

trumpet

i'm trying my best mr radel i know

heartbreaking isn't it

i'll see you next week and ask your

father if he's got the money to get your

teeth fixed maybe that'll help

geez nick you're trying for teacher of

the year yep

listen this is the guy who thinks we

belong in a band together yeah who else

is on trumpet i am not playing second no

it's just you yeah we need a trombone

and a drummer he has to have served

i know a guy a former marine he blows

like a champ and his licks are obscene

a bug up his ass but i'd say worth a try

cause if you want perfect and i know a

guy

[Music]

isn't happening i think it's really

happening

i hear it and we're ready to open let

them all in i am not playing second

[Music]

[Applause]

[Music]

five minutes two places everyone

[Applause]

he made it back home in one piece more

or less a genius on drums on brain

matter

shy

then i know a guy

[Music]

i can tell ya

[Music]

[Applause]

when the chips were down

he earned uncle sam right now

now he's just returned to our hometown

[Music]

forgive me

[Music]

huh

[Music]

that's such a big treat

[Music]

the boys

[Music]

well

[Applause]

[Music]

[Applause]

[Music]

boys

[Music]

i am so glad that i decided to play with

you guys the best decision of your life

oh no no no that was hanging onto the

steering wheel of my jeep while it was

flipping three times three times i'm

telling you three times do the shell hit

three flips of the jeep and three

operations on my back how about that

that's something johnny which reminds me

i can now take my pain pill but only

after the gig see because they slow me

down how much slow do you get what do

they put you in reverse

you write a catchy tune novitskiy catchy

enough to win a contest

oh i got more where that came from okay

and hotshot next time you play a solo

let's get down off the ceiling once in a

while okay it's all one color selfish

i don't know how to break this to you

it's a solo it's selfish by definition

yeah it's out of line i can go play with

dwight anson he's doing the contest

dwight ants you survive a pow camp to go

play with a hack like that you know

there's a fine line between jazz and bad

okay so

i'm just saying you all need to play my

group it ain't on the page it ain't on

the stage or

practice makes perfect

get local broadcast is in three weeks so

i want to try out a few tunes see what

flies

joe agreed to let us play a set here

sunday night no i have dinner with my

family every day it'll be after dinner

i'm not going out late on a sunday so

make it another night no

we are booked here for a set sunday at

nine that's the deal

the future i need more notice

i need a schedule i got a wife and kids

and three other standing gigs how much

is it gonna pay when we win this contest

tonight was your only freebie private

every gig i play is food and shoes for

my kids

all right i'll make sure we get

something standard rate it's fine sunday

i'll have all the charts sunday

what day of the week is

it's sunday

it's sunday

oh no no that's fine i'm not doing

anything hey anybody need a lift swing

by the rio yeah sure make it try this

one a giraffe walks into a bar and says

the high balls are on me

no i don't i don't get it wait see

giraffes are really tall

if you're gonna be a band leader you

better learn how to talk to people so

now you're gonna pile on too huh i i was

on the reed

my ship explodes i'm in the water with

my dead friends i play to forget that

[ __ ] not reliving so now you're saying

my band's a shipwreck

forget it my class load's too heavy this

semester find another sack

wait okay robert said that you were good

enough to go all the way to new york

with us someday

are you just gonna throw that away

that's kind but i barely remember the

guy my best buddy in the 37th we talked

about starting a band when we got back

hitting it big

in new york

he made me promise to look in on his

wife if anything happened to him

so

so i'm an [ __ ] because i've been

walking past her door

i can't make myself knock

she'll want to know how it happened

how bad was it

bad

friendly fire

don't uh don't tell her

make sure she's okay you owe him that

but

here's some free legal advice

don't go to trial unless you're prepared

to lose

i'll see you sunday

[Music]

looking ahead to the end of the month

we're happy to announce our tribute to

the troops contest will be broadcast

from the beautiful ohio theater it'll be

a special audience to be a part of as

your applause will factor into our

judge's decision

[Music]

hey what's the big idea aren't you a

little old for ding dong ditch

i

you're julia

do i know you no no i

i recognize you from your picture

well i hope there's no picture of me

looking like this

are you gonna make me yell down the

sidewalk or do you want something i'm

donnie nowitzki

i was a buddy of michael's in the 37th

who is it

uh just a friend of michael smith i

would have called first i didn't have

the number uh i didn't mean to be rude

i'm sorry i'm a mess i was baking a cake

for church i don't want to bother you i

know it it's no bother

he mentioned you a lot in his letters

how did you find me

michael gave me the address

and you're supposed to check in on me

i'm just awfully sorry

well i'm i'm getting along

so i i have some pictures of michael

from when we were over there

you too i didn't think to bring them uh

maybe you want to see them sometime

sure i could come back uh you could come

for dinner

i i don't want to impose how about

thursday

say 5 30

sure

if you're sure i'll see you then

[Music]

so

[Music]

hmm

[Music]

[Applause]

[Music]

wow

[Music]

sorry i'm late honey how was your day

fine did you help grady with his

homework

didn't have time

[Music]

[Music]

we have a few bottles of coca-cola or

you could have milk

do you know what he likes to drink

julia do you know what he drinks i don't

know him at all ma i'm late for work

was he with michael when he died

he didn't say then don't ask him he'll

tell you if he wants to remember your

uncle never spoke a word about the first

war after he got back not for the rest

of his life so i don't ask questions he

doesn't talk and we just sit across the

table in silence next to baseball it's

the national pastime

i just want to know what happens what do

you think that will get you sleeping

through the night closing a chapter

maybe just getting out the door

i didn't make you late this time

you know what i want even more

is to be just who i was before

[Music]

pick up ketchup on your

way self-assured future all secured that

was

julia

quick to trust saw the world as just

that was

julio

[Music]

hardly any of which

[Music]

a gold

[Music]

a distinction that's really defining

my whole life

while it feels like it does

i feel guilty because

there are days when i just want to be

who i was

ma i'm not saying i trade the life that

i had with him for a minute

that was a once-in-a-lifetime love and i

know i was lucky to win it

and i'm told to be proud

all the newsreels and magazines

practically shouted

but i'm never allowed

to admit there is nothing remotely

[Music]

not a doubt how her life plays out that

was

[Music]

[Applause]

[Music]

that's what widowhood does

i resent it because

there are days when i just want to be

momentarily free

and happily

who

i

was

[Music]

[Applause]

[Music]

i'll get it people just don't arrive

fashionably late anymore

oh yeah

boy you look very nice uh thank you uh

come in

ma this is donnie nowitzki how do you do

june adams it is a pleasure to meet you

which one of you plays oh i used to back

in high school

1876.

you want to try it out

yeah maybe later oh i hope so please

please please have a seat at the table i

have to get busy in the kitchen but i

have some deviled eggs you can have as a

fancy appetizer

i'll have those out in a jiffy just

mom's nice

she works hard at it yeah

yeah and your dad

oh he's traveling for work a salesman oh

what's he sell

uh frigidaires of all things must be

hard to lug around

michael talked about you working at

halle brothers department store at the

cosmetics counter

and you sing oh i can find my singing

two solos in church these days oh i'd

like to hear you well unless you find

yourself in our lady of mercy this

sunday that's pretty unlikely

wow mom

yes

the top of the paprika shaker fell off

and like they say you can't put the

genie back in the bottle

i am so sorry no no no no

i

i am so embarrassed

your mom is probably a gourmet cook

my mom passed when i was 13.

i'm sorry no i haven't had a good

home-cooked meal and i don't know how

long

i'm very grateful for this

so i have these photos

maybe we should wait till after dinner

uh no let's look now

it's fine

[Music]

that was in boot camp when we met

that picture's in fiji

it's right after we landed i had a tan

about 10 minutes off the boat because

i'm half italian

but

he was full polish so he was a boiled

lobster

it happened every summer

this is a patrol

i'm sorry

why don't i let you go through these

later

that's uh probably a good idea yeah

i am i see you wrote michael on these is

that what you called him

we had a nickname for him

rubber

that's the one he had it since high

school and i got really good at the

jokes

i guess that's what you get with a last

name like trojan

exactly

all righty then dinner is almost ready

julia oh you didn't touch the eggs we'll

have them with dinner mom

were you there

where

bougainville island when he died

i hate deviled eggs

be sure to tell my mom you like the

roast even if you don't it's her

specialty

[Music]

[Music]

um

[Music]

is

[Music]

is

[Music]

uh you did not tell me you get to do the

big finale

what are you doing here well he's here

now and the choir could sure use a tenor

under 60. i don't know

your daughter's voice oh it's beautiful

it's really high

i can't keep a single wine glass in the

house

do you sing swing

i used to

well listen i

i put this band together and we're

playing a set tonight at the blue wisp

i was wondering if you'd come by to hear

us

tonight i have to work early tomorrow

it's one set

nine o'clock you'll be home by ten

promise

what do you say

[Music]

the blue width yeah on superior and west

third nine o'clock half hour set

all right all right

i think he just looks great as i am sure

he'll say i know it's not a date so

don't you look at me that way you just

deserve a break from staying home with

me all day i got the radio and posterity

are we okay i got 100 hands of solitaire

that i can play and if you're still out

late i'll teach myself to knit crochet

[Music]

hey before we go folks

there is a young gal here tonight with a

spectacular set of pipes and i was

hoping to have her sing something

donnie no what are you doing you didn't

say anything about this what are we

supposed to play

how about a standard something everybody

knows that's why they're called

standards right wayne yeah donny come on

give her a hand

julian

how about first steps you could do that

right i guess i can try it what key

put it in c guys wait i gotta transpose

[Laughter]

[Music]

dancing's more customary

[Music]

and as it happens i'm just in the mood

to do a two step to step

[Music]

no need to be so shy

[Music]

[Applause]

i don't remember the bridge he doesn't

remember

[Music]

the temple is all wrong i don't know

yeah it is

okay davey kick it up oh thank god

[Music]

[Music]

[Music]

is

[Music]

you'll be dancing through rehearsals

[Music]

[Applause]

i can't believe you put me on the spot

like this let's take a table it's not an

apology admit it

you're glad i got you up there

that's not an apology either yeah come

here fellas come here

you could officially meet julia this is

davey's laddick how do you do can we get

you a drink oh i hardly ever drink you

want to trade livers

jimmy campbell so glad you came johnny

simpson nick cradle great chops miss you

should really sing pro oh best i could

hope for is to teach the kids choir at

church

don't teach

and here comes lieutenant wayne wright

now watch he won't shake your hand

because he'd have to wash his own 10

times after ma'am sorry to bow out but i

should be heading home good evening

everyone family yes ma'am kids

emily and uh grady

well they have a very talented father

it was nice to meet you

what was your last name again trojan go

ahead fill in your own joke oh no no no

no i'm only asking you see i i have

trouble remembering things you see a

shell hit my jeep and it flipped three

times three times i'm telling you my

goodness well see i remember whole songs

just listening to him once you know but

uh other stuff

weeks at a time

nothing but the way i see it i'm one of

the lucky ones you certainly are you

made it back home no lucky i don't

remember

hey jay

i am going to change my name

to donnie nova

tonight's the last time that we are

introduced with my old poker name

from now on we are the donny nova band

what do you say i could see that on a

marquee you are doing every marquee from

coast to coast right because we know

fellas don't we we know

it can be all over like that one minute

to there next minute you're not and that

is why we gotta win make the most of it

because the guys who didn't make it back

they got nothing

like michael

but no not michael excuse me fellas it's

late and i have to work in them not

julia that no you are all swell tonight

a real pleasure don't go don't go i'm

sorry look nice to meet all of you

break a leg

who the hell is michael you say one ugly

thing and i'll rip your face off i was

gonna say you found a winner but you can

go to hell i was gonna say the same

thing donnie she should sing with us uh

harmonies duets maybe yeah yeah but

she's not a vet there goes your gimmick

she has every right to be in the band

michael was her husband

he's my best friend in the 37th

he didn't make it

[Music]

it'll be just

[Music]

i have nothing more or less to prove

[Music]

ah i suppose i shouldn't be surprised i

wanted to catch you before the store

opens i have to get in there i'll be

late i've been waiting for two hours

parents warn their kids about people

like you

listen i'm awfully sorry about last

night you did your good deed you checked

in on me i'm fine time served the guys

really loved you

i want you to come sing back up with the

band

i don't think that's a good idea well

davey says he can get us a gig at

oliver's nightclub that's really close

you're looking for window dressing that

department is on the sixth floor oh a

wisecracker you might be watching too

many pictures well enough to know not to

get myself in a no-win situation

like walking in there every day to wait

on a bunch of rich old ladies i don't

need to be

rescued what if i do

starting is daunting true trusting in

something new

fearful your luck will be

reversed

come to a rehearsal tonight

if it doesn't work out

you'll never see my face again

but if it does it'll be a

heck of a lot more exciting than singing

a solo in church

all right i'll give it a try but there

are a lot of things i want to know about

michael

first steps first

[Music]

no you've got a mistake in the voicing

where bar 74 the chords coming off the

bridge i should be on the fifth move

everyone else up no it's fine trombone

on the third in that register is

breaking rule number one everywhere and

i'm breaking the rule wayne relax this

guy won't fall but a mute and it weighs

touching my stuff with your sweaty hands

my germs can survive in my sweat it's 40

proof come hey hey hey come on can we do

those bars everyone

one two three four

[Music]

[Applause]

hallelujah

so just

breathe through the instrument

breathe through the end of the phrase

and as everyone

plays and gets

[Music]

it's good watch out i'm proud and tall

you're making it minor should be major

you're doing proud and tall and it

should be proud and tall proud and tall

again

[Music]

that's why i chose the base holds me up

when i'm half cropped we're gonna break

soon how about a pot of coffee hey when

you guys play those stabs at the end we

jump on that syncopation more make the

fall off bigger they should have

choreography there

pornography right

i hear nick gives lessons piss off nick

nick stop it's a good thing you're one

of the best because putting up with you

is an enduring stance but i know that

all this is worth all the sweat because

when we name the

to half winners out of chaos and money

to burn no more need for teaching the

promised return to life the way it was

and we can have this all because

i look to my left and look to my

right i see other guys fight the same

fight and during those few short hours a

day the noise in my head goes away

and i

[Music]

breathe through the end of the phrase

and as everyone plays

[Music]

[Applause]

[Music]

sweden

[Music]

pick up the tempo jazz up the beet cake

up the band ticker tape in the street

tank to the floor now don't be discreet

so to cut loose go and grab some tweet

cause you deserve it

go out and have a ball can you deserve

it

[Music]

[Music]

ain't gonna come

[Music]

out

[Music]

[Music]

hallelujah

[Music]

[Applause]

[Music]

[Applause]

[Music]

uh

[Music]

i look to my left and look to my right

and see other guys who fight the same

fight

i'm feeling the rush i'm feeling the

high

i'm feeling the rules don't apply

[Applause]

[Music]

[Music]

wow

[Music]

[Applause]

that was a dummy nova band ladies and

gentlemen now you remember that you

heard him here at oliver's before they

hit the big time

proud sure love the two of you thank you

yeah how about two manhattans oh why not

hey i even remembered the bridge well

you did more than that you knocked it

out of the ballpark it feels fantastic

doesn't it it sure does hey daddy yes

sir say private that was aces can you do

tomorrow night

i'd have to ask the guys it'd be the

same set okay well the same set's fine

ask the guys let me know bob those

drinks are on the house

have a good night folks thank you oliver

thank you

how about that it was you deserve it

that did it they like that one the best

oh it's got a real duke ellington flavor

but those surprise cords are a little

stan

kenton how do you know about stan kenton

michael's record

uh-huh i should have guessed

speaking of michael yes

well you gotta admit that donnie nova

has a terrific ring to it and so i was

thinking i married michael trojan

my name is julia trojan naturally

naturally but

what if you used your maiden name julia

adams it sounds made for the picture i'm

not gonna change who i am it might be a

distraction to somebody it's a

distraction it's because they're 12 year

old boys i've learned to live with that

but wouldn't it be great if you could

see no don't push me julia

do it hey

think of all the record sales with our

names

there's no reason to get upset not

getting the same think about it up on

the marquee the donny nova band

featuring julia adams michael's buried

in some place called manila

i'll never get to manila i never got to

say goodbye a lot of things just

vanished with no explanation and i want

to know

how his hands were folded in the casket

if his uniform was pressed if his hair

was combed right a million things that

keep me up at night and i don't need

anything else erased certainly not his

name

but trust me

you don't ever want to see manila

just want answers

look

it's the donnie nova band featuring

julia trojan

that's the deal take it or leave it

dear

let's go tell the guys we got another

gig

and then you can walk me home donny nova

[Music]

so i said to him i survived mustard gas

and pepper spray i guess that makes me a

seasoned veteran

i'm okay i'm okay this is me

julia

as much as i know you'd like to i can

take myself to bed

thank you very much

what if he's like this on game day here

it doesn't even show at all i think you

got bigger problems is that so

you really think you deserve it as a

winner

uh-huh it's a solid blue structure good

hook can't go wrong with that

i think dwight anson might have a better

song

how do you know what kind of song dwight

anson's got there's no rule against a

side man playing with more than one band

i got that rule

look i want to play with you and the

guys but i need to win teaching barely

covers my rent you would do this to your

brothers

careful buddy you don't get to judge i

will knock your goddamn teeth out i see

how will you play for dwight anson stop

please just walk me home

shows in a week

i'll be on the bandstand with the best

song

walk me home

[Music]

[Applause]

he always said you wait when we make it

big

we are taking the train straight

to new york 515 to grand central first

class all the way

and when we win the state broadcast oh i

bet that's exactly how they're going to

send us the cleveland limited i bet so

who the hell am i kidding we're up

against huge big bands okay we're barely

a combo

one of them is going awol one of them's

going to fall off the bandstand

michael would have done it better all of

it

tears somewhere

ah

listen

when i was young i had no need for

compass or for guide

a starry chart of instinct was imprinted

here inside

and unaware that days of doubt and loss

would soon begin

one true course to follow was the one

i found within

what's that shakespeare

what did davey give that to you

neither bard nor beard

it's me silly

you really wrote that

they're just little poems but

writing them helps me get through it all

let me see absolutely not they are

private

is it a diary or poems

well just poems okay then what's the big

deal

i'll return it in the morning

come on i'm i'm a guy in need of

inspiration you'll make fun of them i

won't

maybe

i won't trust me

okay don't stay up all night reading

them

get some sleep

gave up on that a long time ago

[Music]

did i just take a step

towards somehow being home

[Music]

closer to who i was

[Music]

[Music]

do

[Music]

this is one of my poems word for word

just read it down with me

once

[Music]

who would make me feel like nothing

could take him from

it's me it's really good julia it's a

little overwhelming look the stands are

here it becomes the bridge see

it's almost like a gershwin song you

know

gershwin's got nothing on you

but then he's dead so there's that

i don't know what to say say that this

can be our song for the contest no but

we have a song you deserve it and your

lyrics are perfect my lyrics

are snappy they're for kicks you have

honesty

you have sensitivity you have

lady parts

[Applause]

maybe that's it

whatever it is this song is better the

contest is in a few days we need nick on

the band stand with us he'll know this

one's a winner come on

i'll have all the charts finished by

tomorrow okay i'll stay up all night i'm

good at that it's not about the troops

donna the hell it isn't

it's your story

what better tribute to the troops

it's a solo for a woman

you wouldn't even get to sing

it's the donnie nova band featuring

julia trojan

that was a deal

singing about michael

doesn't that just beat all

i think it will

this song

will get us to new york

everything hangs on new york

and it looks like we got our song

[Music]

[Applause]

so

[Music]

[Applause]

ladies and gentlemen

what a sizzling tune i can't say for

sure but this contest may have just been

sewn up

once again this is gene and ryan your

host for tonight's broadcast brought to

you by bear aspirin just in time for the

holidays

our last contestants are six of our boys

just home from the war and a young lady

whose husband gave his life in the

pacific with a song for all the gold

star women out there the donny nova band

featuring julia trojan

[Music]

once upon a time

i would wake beside a man

who would make me feel like nothing

could take him from me

[Music]

once i thought forever was real

i thought my life was ideal

i thought that nothing could still let

you see

[Music]

once i learned how wrong i had been that

sometimes dreams can cave in

and

then

once i learned the hard way

faith and never after was done and i

gave up ever wondering where

love will come and find me

[Applause]

[Music]

[Music]

oh

[Music]

many years you let go the chance is

wasted in so many ways

[Music]

[Applause]

[Music]

[Applause]

[Music]

[Applause]

i should

[Music]

come

[Music]

[Applause]

[Music]

letting go of what

might have been

and letting something else

[Music]

love

will come and find me

[Applause]

[Music]

[Applause]

[Music]

[Applause]

judge's momentous decision thank you

roger

the winning song that will represent the

great state of ohio is love will come

and find me

[Music]

this is going to change every one of our

lives

for all of us vets out there we

appreciate this more than we can say

julia

um uh well this is certainly more

exciting than singing the solo in church

thank you so much thank you on behalf of

everyone here at the beautiful ohio

theater on the reef ghost of lake erie

congratulations and good night one and

all

[Music]

[Applause]

thank you all

bring in the house curtain well done

gene oh such an honor

uh bobby can you come take the picture

please all right fellas uh get together

there that's it closer all right here we

go big smiles

perfect mr nova congratulations i'm

roger cohen producer uh let me go over a

few things with you right away sir

these are the papers that explain

everything that will happen in new york

rules time restrictions so forth two

things are most important the broadcast

is on sunday december 16th

but there's a preliminary off air on

wednesday the 12th to determine which

bands will make the broadcast a

preliminary

wasn't this the preliminary for new york

well it's only a two-hour program mr

nova wait a minute sweetie

uh furthermore you're responsible for

travel and accommodation expenses for

any and all personnel whether on-air or

support staff we have to pay for

everything

yes

sir even if we go cheap that's gonna

cost close to a grand we don't have that

kind of money uh nobody does who can

afford that

only enough bands to make a two-hour

program that's hilarious jack benny but

the punch line is we can't go listen the

public believes all 48 states are being

represented here that's just not what

you're selling what are you the legal as

a matter of fact i'm getting logical no

no no what we're selling here is bayer

asprin in case you didn't notice i

fought hitler so you can sell aspirin

this isn't about you it's american

songbooks tribute to the troops sir we

are the troops

actually you're just a contestant and

you have until

friday november 16th to call nbc and

confirm or forfeit your we should at

least be entitled to travel what you

think you're entitled to may not be

compatible with broadcasting a

nationwide music contest with enough

time to sell they're [ __ ] aspirin

watch it pal

look if you're not happy with this

opportunity we're handing you we'll give

it to the runner-up new york won't know

the difference everyone just heard us

win who

a couple folks in cleveland come on kid

rule number one if no one saw it it

didn't happen

so if by some miracle we raise enough

money in time we gotta call you to tell

you we're gonna pay our own way put

ourselves up and then we still gotta

audition with no guarantee we'll even be

on the broad don't touch me

i don't make the rules

well who does

because maybe they take suggestions like

throwing us out a plane see how many of

us make it parachuting in or a three-day

march hey it's winter so we lose a few

toads we don't ask for much we dig our

own latrines clean water what's a little

dysentery between friends hey you

remember that right because you were

there

right or were you in your [ __ ] corner

office

this copy is yours again congratulations

it's a swell tune

how many bottles will it take to make

this one go away i can think of

something quicker

it never ends

[Music]

there is a train

it leaves the station at a quarter after

five

and it's direct

from union terminal right there at

public square a quarter after five and

where does it arrive at grand central

station

the cleveland limited of new york

central railroad has first-class pullman

cars for big-time movie stars and we're

going to take one

i see it all

the leather seat the steak will eat and

then that train conductors

will save right this way

we've reserved this just for you

you've been waiting for this day

it's the least that we can do

let me take your bags my friends

you've been carrying those far too long

trouble times are at an end

and we're waiting to hear your song

it's a privilege sir may i say

ride this way

[Music]

and in times square the hotel astor

stands 11 stories high a first-class

grand hotel the lobby's in a movie that

i saw last month as well with garland

and walker

and on the top

a rooftop garden with a band stand in

the sky

cream of the crop

when dorsey swings and ella sings

[Music]

[Music]

right this way

we've reserved this just for you

you've been waiting for this day

[Music]

it's the least that we can do

you've been fighting for far too

long

after bunks on cargo ships

and after trenches in the rain

[Music]

[Music]

to fight my way

[Applause]

[Music]

i think

that we are entitled

to travel first class

don't you

how

whatever gigs

whatever dates whatever bookings we can

get

we take them all

if there's a club in town where we can

play a set

we are not finished yet there's

and all of the wrongs will be made right

this way

[Music]

[Applause]

we've been waiting for this day

[Music]

[Applause]

is

[Music]

they're waiting to hear our songs

[Music]

[Applause]

[Music]

[Applause]

[Applause]

[Music]

foreign

[Music]

foreign

[Music]

[Music]

you know who tells me no

you know who tells me i don't think so

you know who tells me no

no

[Music]

you know who tells me wait

you know who tells me that ain't so

great you know who tells me

[Music]

[Applause]

if you don't have something nicer to

say know who tells me

you know who tells me that's a no-go you

know who tells me

[Applause]

you know who tells me quits

you know who tells me you ain't worth

spit you know who tells me quite

[Applause]

[Music]

what you say

[Applause]

[Music]

you know who tells me stop

you know who tells me you don't have

what it takes

[Music]

[Applause]

[Music]

so

[Music]

um

[Music]

[Music]

you know who tells me

[Music]

[Applause]

we know

[Music]

[Applause]

[Music]

[Applause]

nobody

[Music]

[Applause]

[Music]

the boys

[Music]

[Music]

[Applause]

[Music]

now i

i have already started the intro chords

right and rubber's at the drums

and he looks out at all these troops and

he knows they need something to pick

them up and not a sappy ballot

so he starts

he starts taking off on the drums

and i look at him

and he says faster

bumps it up again says faster kicks it

up again

right and he yells

now sing

so

so i start singing like my life depends

on it and it's not a love song anymore

oh no no it is

it is a uh oh i don't know uh

you know it's it's a battle call or

something

i swear he

he turned that camp into the band stand

on the top of the new amsterdam that

must have been something

say when's your when's your father back

in town

it'd be nice to put him on a guest list

maybe the big booth at the pavilion i'll

check where do we stand on the help sell

bayer aspirin fund uh

the pullman train car tickets

for all of us and the rooms at the astor

for that long it's gonna run two

thousand two hundred

we only got three gigs lined up this

week we're gonna need at least five or

six a week to make it

i went down to my dad's old factory

yesterday see if i could pick up a few

hours that's a terrific idea except all

those fellas see me on stage

they think i'm really something and then

they see me working down there on the

line with them those fellas think you're

something because you're one of them

yeah cleveland zone

i got a theory

when you are from lake erie

you're better than the average joe

though buried in snow

it's time to let the whole world know

it takes a place this dreary give a guy

the right amount

[Music]

yeah keep writing with this one we might

get more gigs than we need

[Music]

it's time to let the whole

[Music]

[Music]

to give a guy the right

amount of the righteous amount

it's time to tell the world we count

[Music]

i just heard an old friend from chicago

was in the band that won for illinois oh

yeah they're gonna go hell yeah he's

loaded we're still nowhere near we still

got time

say aren't you running late i know how

your wife falls to pieces if you're off

your schedule that's the thing i

i guess she fell to pieces because of my

schedule

i forget they're not my troops

you can't run a household like you run a

platoon i've been staying at the hotel

euclid the past week

[ __ ] lieutenant i'm sorry give me a

break you're loving this

get your things and come to my place

no i'm staying consider that in order

you screwy nut case

you keep things spotless right

what do you think

i think i just got a living made

[Music]

[Music]

is

[Music]

how about today's plane dealer full page

and let me see for faster pain relief

the donnie novaband demands genuine bear

aspirin that's the picture they took at

the contest you know i forget a lot of

stuff but i think i'd remember getting

paid for them without our permission

that's irksome no that's shitty irksome

is your use of the word irksome

uh we're scrounging for every penny

we've got what not even half the money

raised donny what is there a plan b

greyhound stay at the y not if i can

help but with no on-air guarantee why

spend the money what about driving

driving to new york in the winter do you

know what it's like to have a car flip

three times

so you're getting ready for the big trip

next month sure thing well i sure hope

that the weather doesn't make getting

there tough no nbc is sending us on the

cleveland limited pullman car that's

right

well jeez how about that that must be

costing them a fortune

it's the least they could do

huh well that is good to know

say well you know what i had a band

cancel on me can i book you guys again

for tomorrow night i know it's last

minute but you'd be saving my butt how

about i toss in an extra 50. guys you

know what

i'm really in a bind make it an extra

75. i suppose wow you drive a hard

bargain kid

100 extra that's the best i can do help

a guy out

yeah sure thing yeah we could do that

for you oliver tomorrow night that is

swell hey break a leg tonight

johnny what's that bring the total to

it's 936 dollars and 78 cents

how do you do that i have no idea

[Music]

[Music]

by storm in just three weeks

hello joe it's oliver

listen i need your help with something

it's about the donnie nova bear

al it's joe oliver called now don't give

me any of your crap you're gonna help me

out with the donnie nova band

[Music]

[Applause]

you just is a very nice set my dear hey

buddy

whiskey coming right up mr zlatic

ever thought of giving up the bottle

nope

come on just for a week what do you say

listen

i am not suffering from what some people

call alcoholism

i'm loving every minute of it

i'm being serious

julia i know

i know there's not enough whiskey in the

world to wash away what i saw in those

camps but i'd

i owe it to myself to try

and let that suffice most forcible

feeble

thanks bud

cleveland's finest back at the pavilion

[Music]

winners are endless the lake is polluted

the ball team is losing

the mob is returning

[Music]

[Music]

can hear me

[Music]

we love you cleveland

[Music]

[Applause]

[Music]

oh it turned colder

yeah the streetcar will be here soon say

have you told your boss you need that

week off from work yet oh yes

he's okay with it uh sure it just means

i'll no longer be working there

what are you talking about he said i had

to make a choice between taking time off

and the security amount no julia

everything happens for a reason i'll

grab all the overtime i can and as many

lipsticks as i can fit in my

unmentionables on my way out

yeah well when we win this thing you

won't need that lousy job anyway

what if we don't even make it on the

program we will but what if we don't win

we will yeah but what if we don't

then i guess you can sell frigidaires

with your

father my father

doesn't sell frigidaires

go on

he sells insurance and lives in an

apartment with his secretary about maybe

six blocks down that way

i don't know what to say you don't have

to say anything i just

wanted to be honest

thanks

i want you to be honest

about what you said you were there

i'm tired of waiting i want to know he

died julia

what else is there to say everything

was it quick

did he suffer was he trying to save stop

it you don't want to know a year and a

half it's all i've wanted to know

was he scared

what was the last thing he said were his

eyes there were no eyes

jesus christ julie

it's not like the movies

okay it's just not like the movies there

was no face no hands to fold there's no

hair to comb

just stop it

i am still waiting

hill 700 was this big hill that we had

to keep from the jabs

michael and i were in a trench on the

side of the hill

going on three days without sleep

there were these pill boxes above us

these bunkers

they were just fired down we were

trapped

so that night it starts raining

and michael says one way or another we

got to try to make some headway

we got to toss some grenades make a run

at them or fall back

okay so michael throws first and it must

have gotten pretty close because they

started firing down again

it's dark they're firing

it's raining and i have my grenade in my

hand and i pull the pin and the grenade

drops

right into the mud

i know the spoon's released now and i

start reaching for it and i can't see it

and michael's reaching around down there

he's trying to grab it and i say get out

i jump out and i roll down the hill and

i know he has to be behind me he has to

be i said get out

i rolled into a foxhole and i felt it go

off

if

any he wasn't next to me where i thought

he'd be

so i i climbed back up there

it was just black you know i sat in that

pit all night and i tried to keep the

rain from washing things away

good getting in the mud

julia wait julia

i'm tony just go home

for god's sake go home donny

i don't know how much longer we can wait

the guests were told you begin at seven

and it's already 7 15. table 4 just sent

back the chicken another bus went by and

she wasn't on it mr nova we have a full

house can i use your phone

certainly

now you'll open with love will come and

find me the contest nobody we'd like to

save that one for the end to remind

people to listen for the big broadcast

coming up well if they're not all asleep

by then

it's really getting late applause is

seven two six three eight then it's fine

we'll open with level come and find me

it's fine

hello this is adam yes

hi it's donnie novitskiy is julia there

uh well you see we're supposed to go on

at lakewood's supper club 20 minutes ago

is she on her way i am so sorry donnie

she has come down with a terrible uh

well well she is very sick it came on is

she there yeah she wanted to call but

we didn't have the number for the new

club you see let me speak to her no no

no no no no no she really can't get out

of bed dear i am so sorry she'll call

her when she's better

i'll make sure of it

all right then all right

goodbye let's just play the gig and mrs

trojan she's ill i'll be singing

everything tonight let's go fellas

[Music]

hey she out

what's this mean for new york are we not

gonna go does this mean that we can't go

your father used to have people do that

to me

call and lie for him

i'm sorry

as bad as what you or i have been

through it is

nothing compared to what he has he made

a promise to michael to look after you

he kept his promise you

made a promise to that man just show up

and sing

your father probably told me the truth

only once in our marriage

he said [ __ ] happens

the trick is not to step in it

and if you do for god's sakes june don't

just stand there it was his fault ma

he's here and michael isn't and it's his

fault

[Music]

i want to believe everything happens for

a reason no

no no

no

everything happens just that everything

happens an event or a death a

catastrophe

any reason as to why

is a reason you supply it just happens

everything

happens it's not fate no great plan it's

not destiny

putting faith in that cliche gives your

own free will away

when things happen

and they will happen

you can waste your whole damn life

assigning bits of philosophic meaning

to the failures and misfortunes

intervening

and i'll tell you what you get

just a lifetime of regret

no

no no

there is no reason for why everything

happens

it's the changing of a season

it's a fact and it's a constant and the

only sane response is to adjust

not to wish it hadn't happened

when it must

now the church will tell you one thing

and your friends perhaps another

but if i were you i'd listen

to your slightly daddy mother

who lost out on her own fair share of

good times and of laughter listen

what matters when things happen

is what

[Music]

happens after

[Music]

hmm

[Music]

foreign um

[Applause]

[Music]

your resignation

it's a poem

to you and the guys

um

there's so much that i didn't see

i am so sorry you don't have to

apologize neither do you

we both know who you're raising this

money for

we won't have enough to go the way you

and michael dreamed but that's okay

we can take the bus and say who cares

where i'm letting him down you know how

michael and i met

first day of rehearsal for our high

school production of desert song

i was sulking in the back because i

didn't get the lead he plops down next

to me and he says

don't sing because you need to get the

lead

sing because you just need to sing

and then he says the girl who got the

lead stuffs her bra with so much kleenex

one cigarette ass she'll go up like the

hindenburg

that's the michael i knew

sing because you just need to sing

anyone heard from donnie rehearsals

still on for tonight we can rehearse all

we want what's the point without julius

it's fine just a 24-hour bug i think

they both have something you don't get

over in 24 hours a lot of land mines

there we got to worry about our next gig

falling apart every time they have a

spat you're a selfish bastard you know

that

they deserve all the happiness in the

world

what is it with you marines

you always got to be better than the

rest of us

jesus it's annoying

and stop picking up my clothes if i want

them in the drawer i'd put them in the

drawer

nick learned to survive

means you never trust

once you've seen the worst in man then

how do you adjust

and i stand here helpless

my arms extended knowing full well

darling

your wars not ended

welcome home

my boys

welcome home

my sons

welcome home

my husband

welcome home my love

welcome home

welcome home

welcome

it's a chorus

it's a variation on taps you didn't have

to set it to music it just came to me

i love it donnie but

we can't no one would sit still for this

it wasn't meant for the bandstand it's

about you and the guys no apologies

but play this in public be the last time

we get a booking

we're playing the va hall tomorrow maybe

i could rewrite the words

make it a love song something for them

it's still welcome home but a girl to

her fella

home from the war exactly yeah she's at

the door yes and he's

coming down the street

like it's michael here

maybe i'll write it like it might have

been

i think you should

what's our last gig before we have to

hitchhike to new york

it'll be perfect better put on some

coffee it's going to be a long night

any number of

ways for this to go

funny thing about it is they say write

what you know

girl can meet her boy

it's as simple as can she come to terms

with what she had

and what she has

and i stand here breathless my mind's

still weighing what my choices might be

and yet i'm safe

[Music]

[Applause]

[Music]

[Applause]

[Applause]

oh sleepless nights praying

[Music]

[Music]

my

[Music]

welcome home

[Music]

thank you

thank you you guys are going to clean up

in new york next week thank you oh thank

you

you make us all real proud we'll all be

listening yeah i gotta tell you folks

when you tune into the contest there's

no guarantee that we will be on it

see there's another preliminary that nbc

is making us go through

and even if we make it they get to claim

that they have a bunch of genuine

american heroes

and i hear julia sing that word hero

and i wonder who that guy is

because i don't know a single one of us

that feels like one

that's just a word that someone pins on

you

i think the

oh and most of the time i think the

wrong guy came home hold on hold on

that's enough of the

sappy speeches for one night besides

that's my department oh listen

he needs nbc when you've got cleveland

how about a big parade

[Music]

paid your dues and we owe it to you so

listen for the past few weeks everybody

at my club and that the blue whispered

at the pavilion have all been paying a

little extra cover charge and the guys

here at the va have all chipped in darn

right and now you've got it made

so this

is from cleveland with love

four rooms at the hotel astor reserved

and paid for and

seven tickets on the cleveland limited

pullman car

first class

knock them dead

[Music]

[Applause]

[Music]

[Applause]

[Music]

so

[Music]

so

[Applause]

buddy

take the moment in and remember here and

now

as the starting point of how we will

conquer new york city

buddy do you realize we are on a

first-class train

and the world is our domain on the way

to new york city

it's the same aspiration shared by

thousands of civilians it's that mythic

location where they go to make their

millions so buddy it's traditional and

we take our place in line

with the rest who hope to shine in the

lights in new york city

on the journey to get there we've got

swell accommodations

crystal glass where i bet they're gonna

keep filled with libations

brother

it's the fantasy and we're living it in

style

getting closer by the mile on the train

to new york city

[Music]

no i

[Music]

[Music]

i'm not gonna sleep with all those

lights this hotel's got the biggest beds

i've ever seen in my life you won't be

in it there's a bar downstairs well is

your view better no it's the same i'm

telling you what about jimmy and donny's

we can see down 45th street but the best

is julius oh let's see it now a lady

doesn't let just anyone into her hotel

room hotel rooms let's see some night

club

remember tomorrow is a big day so don't

do anything stupid

brother

make the most of it there was only one

first time and tonight's the first time

it's a special occasion the fulfillment

of the vision we should plan our

invasion with our military precision

buddy we're unstoppable

like a catchy gershwin charm

like a giant ape king kong on the top of

new york city

[Music]

take the shortcut

[Music]

they've got more art than venice

broadway shows without the mermaid and

the calves are a menace could have used

one on a german

brother

get a load of that tell the others i got

lost better ask how much it'll cost

nothing's free in new york city

[Music]

is

[Music]

is

[Music]

here

[Music]

[Applause]

[Music]

so

[Music]

uh

[Music]

[Applause]

[Music]

[Applause]

[Music]

who are hoping they will rise to the

highest of the highs

when the crowd is

[Music]

[Applause]

new york

[Music]

[Applause]

[Music]

[Applause]

[Music]

oh

you still know how to be a gentleman and

walk a girl to her door well it's harder

than it looks you're being very

respectable no i mean that last martini

made it harder to walk than it looks

thanks hey so let's say we all do lunch

at uh at the edison before going to the

studio tomorrow or sardi's oh i have

always wanted to go to sardis

[Laughter]

oh that

sounds wonderful

let's do that

well um

good night

if we

were

in an mgm film

we would kiss and walk through that door

there

if we

were

in a radio play

we'd admit

we're friends but there's more than

if we were singing hammerstein songs we

could fix

[Music]

but this is life

with the heartache it brings

and we know that these things

if we were in a hemingway book

we would laugh and drink till the

morning

if this were a valet then i might sweep

you off your feet without warning

[Music]

or fill noir with a dangerous affair

i would ask if you'd care to stare

but this is life

and i'm wondering if we should play it a

different way

maybe perfect nights of celebrations

[Music]

might be overrated

life's

more complicated

we could write our own take on it

or leave well enough along

[Music]

shake on it

shake on it

no one planned for a moment like this

there's no perfect script that provides

us

words to say

or the

[Music]

you

know

that's right

but this is life

so at least for today

we should probably

say

[Music]

goodnight

[Music]

[Applause]

well done fellas well done we'll be

letting you know by tomorrow night it

says here you're at the plaza correct

that's right

paul i could have the next band start

setting up please absolutely

don and overbend

donny nova band we're ready for you go

ahead take your places thanks very much

tom

it's nick radel nick how are you old

sport did you fellas make it are you in

uh we find out tomorrow hey tell you

what your route for illinois we'll root

for ohio and we'll both make it a sunday

deal hey we should have lunch tomorrow

i'm over at the plaza bring over i'll do

that so good to see you

stuck up prick

this is the donnie nova band featuring

julia trojan how do you do it here we

have our director james hopped and of

course you know the program's host mr

andre baruch it's such an honor to meet

you sir what's the name of your tune son

love will come and find me again it's

music by me lyrics by julia here now

listen we're running behind so just give

us a verse course out or force bridge

course out whichever

sure thing all right

guys just the last chorus to the end

go ahead whenever you're ready

[Music]

the more

[Music]

that's great that's good

that's a fine voice you have there miss

thank you and it's really a terrific

tune thank you look it says here you're

all veterans is that true yes sir all

just back yes sir and the young lady my

husband was in the 37th infantry

he died in battle

my condolences man

you know we have a few vets here and

there and some of the bands but nobody's

walked in here with everyone having

served that's

that's really something yes sir it is

this is a story folks can really get

behind

we want to in the broadcast and because

of the military angle we're putting you

up last the finale

mr howe thank you so much you really

made it yes ma'am so go have yourselves

a swell couple of days off here in the

city and we'll see you sunday

paul let go ahead and have him sign the

release forms now put us ahead on sunday

now these forms are the releases that

allow us to broadcast your song the name

of your song is love will come and find

me again and you two are the soul

composer and lyricist yes ma'am very

well then sign here both of you we'll

see you sunday at the palace theater use

the stage door on 47th street thank you

this is your copy oh and congratulations

thank you so long gentlemen

all right who's next we're up to texas

the boogie woogie wranglers

oh jesus christ

well good thing we're sponsored by

asprint

did you see him no please don't wait in

the wings only then expand up should be

out here with the next step to the left

please just keep this area clear yeah we

checked all the other dressing rooms

he's not here i don't understand it what

did he say after the microphone well he

had to take care of a few things but

he'd be back by showtime we got him he's

here jesus j what the hell are you

trying johnny i'm sorry you've got to

see this

new york public library lost section oh

for god's sake we are on and two more

numbers i know i know donny when you

gave me the release form this morning we

gotta tell me how to get ready

listen you should have shown me this

form earlier look look this clause right

here what it's the underlying rights to

your song what's that

you signed away the rights to your song

and this clause they're only obligated

to use us as walk-ons what i don't get

it it means that if we go out there nbc

and mgm will own your song outright and

they can have frank sinatra or anybody

else sing it in the picture while we

fake playing along in the background

like a bunch of monkeys and if you ever

want to perform the song again yourself

you pay them royalties to do it

did all the bands have to sign this

thing they must have i don't think any

of them understands what they've signed

that's what they're counting on what are

we gonna do you can't just give your

song away we can't go out god damn it i

say walk away donny you can say i came i

saw i said [ __ ] it

hey i'm with them let's just go

screw these people

all they want to do is use our uniforms

and wave us around like flags we're not

props donny and we are not for sale

we've already given them everything we

got we are goddamn united states

veterans and they wouldn't know real

sacrifice if it slapped them in the face

that's what we got to do

we got to slap him in the face

julia

do you remember every original word that

you wrote for welcome home

yes you could sing it right now

wait can you sing every original word

that you wrote or not

yes

if we go out there

we gotta play something that they would

not dare put in a movie

we got to play something that bing

crosby or frank sinatra would not have

the balls to sing

because in five minutes we could be in

every living room in america

and we could let them hear what we go

through every goddamn day so let's tell

them the truth

let the guys who made it home know that

somebody out there has got their backs

welcome home

you're talking about a suicide mission

blow it up yeah

blow it up donnie are you sure

we could be blacklisted or worse now

we've all been through worse

this is no naive hollywood dream

it's a gutsy risk we'll be taking

times like this

you hold on to what's real

that's the honest statements we're

making

i'll march back into battle once more if

i'm fighting it for

what's true

what happened over there

that's true

what this ban means to all of us

it's true

and what i feel for you julia

it's true

no matter how tough it is no matter how

much time it takes i need to be with you

and that is true

cause this is life with the craziness of

the reality of the necessity of

being manly

with you

[Music]

[Applause]

[Music]

[Applause]

our final group of the evening hails

from the great state of ohio featuring a

band of heroes representing the army the

navy and the marines yes folks each and

every one of them triumphantly back from

the war

and wouldn't you know their soloist is a

young lady who carries her gold star as

proudly as anyone could she sings

tonight from heartbreaking experience a

song called love will come and find me

again

i'm sure everyone listening joins me in

the certainty that her brave fallen

soldier up there will hear her every

word so without further ado i invite you

all to welcome to the stage the donny

nova band featuring julia trojan

[Music]

[Applause]

[Music]

[Applause]

okay johnny

faster

faster

faster

now shane

johnny made it home

most of him at least

had three operations but the pain has

not decreased you could learn to survive

means you never trust once you've seen

the worst in man then how do you adjust

davey cracks a joke

claims to be all right drinks a fifth of

vodka in his kitchen every night and i

stand here trying like mother mary with

my private friend a brief to carry

welcome home

[Music]

welcome home

[Applause]

[Music]

filling every minute just to keep the

ghosts away

[Music]

[Music]

focuses on fighting what he finds

[Music]

[Applause]

[Music]

trying to pretend

what he doesn't talk about won't matter

in the end

donnie made it home but thinks it wasn't

fair

how he made it out but left his body

there donnie doesn't sleep because the

nightmares come

johnny wants an answer tony looked for

absolution and i give up anything if i

could give him some and i stand here

helpless my arms extended knowing full

well darling your war's not ended

welcome home

my husband

welcome home

[Applause]

[Music]

[Music]

my husband

[Applause]

[Music]

god

[Applause]

the donny nova band ladies and gentlemen

what an extraordinary evening of

surprises this has been

our director this evening has been james

haupt and here he is now with the

judge's decision on which song and its

talented creators will appear in a new

mgm motion picture musical thank you

james

ladies and gentlemen

the winner of the bayer asked britain

american songbook of popular music

tribute to the troops song competition

is

[Music]

it's hard to believe it's up on the big

screen yeah that was memorable and

sinatra

sounded just like i thought he would no

one's gonna see this turkey

congratulations illinois yeah bravo

chicago you know i was under the

impression we were the losers

excuse me mr nova i am lawfully sorry to

bother you but could i have your

autograph sure thing what's your name

betsy

i recognized you in there before the

lights went down i i hope you don't

think we're rude leaving before the end

no no not at all it's a real stinker

i have your newest record

i love your voice miss trojan thank you

a future concert at the rainbow room

tomorrow night you know

so folks here in new york let their kids

go out on the town alone

no they're coming with me

they love you just as much as i do i

hate that swell you know me and my

family will never forget hearing you on

that contest last year it changed our

lives so

thank you

oh my father served

he'll give me that back

you bring this to the stage door

tomorrow night

they'll let you and your family back all

right i'd like to meet him yes sir

[Music]

bobby socks are soon

at night

backed up by my

[Music]

oh no no no no no no

chicago shay perry nightclub is proud to

present the kickoff engagement for the

nationwide tour of the boys and a girl

that have captured america's hearts

direct from their sold out run at the

world famous rainbow room in new york

it's the donny nova band

what you say

[Music]

hello atlanta we love your southern

hospitality

[Music]

philadelphia you do show love for your

brother

[Music]

[Music]

you know i keep telling them to go play

someplace else but they just keep coming

back cleveland welcomes home the donny

nova bearings

[Music]

you know who tells me you don't have

what it takes and you will never

[Music]

body

[Music]

[Applause]

[Music]

[Applause]

[Music]

[Applause]

mm-hmm

[Music]

[Applause]

[Music]

[Applause]

[Music]

[Applause]

[Music]

[Applause]

[Music]

[Applause]

[Music]

[Applause]

[Music]

[Applause]

[Music]

[Applause]

[Music]

[Applause]

[Music]

[Applause]

[Music]

[Applause]

[Music]

so

[Music]

um

[Music]

ah

[Music]

ah

[Music]

[Applause]

[Music]

foreign

[Music]

the dwight anson orchestra ladies and

gentlemen what a sizzling tune i can't

say for sure but this contest may have

just been sewn up

once again this is gene and ryan your

host for tonight's broadcast brought to

you by bear aspirin just in time for the

holidays

our last contestants are six of our boys

just home from the war and a young lady

whose husband gave his life in the

pacific with a song for all the gold

star women out there the darny nova band

featuring julia trojan