Original subtitles

♪ [R & B: "What'd I Say"]

[Clinking]

Always remember your promise to me.

Never let nobody or nothing turn you into no cripple.

[Hydraulics Hiss]

[Bus Driver] All right, rest stop. Forty-five minutes.

Come on, folks, we gotta move.

We leave at 2:45 on the dot. Can't be late.

Hot meals and bathrooms inside.

All right. There's a window out back for y'all to buy sandwiches.

And I suggest you make good use of them outhouses.

Ain't nothing but bushes for you in the Carolinas.

Sir?

- May I help you, son? - Yes, sir.

Seattle?

Who you riding with? Nobody. Just me.

Boy, I can't take responsibility for some blind nigra...

traveling 3,500 miles alone.

Well, I paid for this here ticket, and it says that you have to take me to Seattle.

Don't you be smarting off to me, boy.

With all due respect, sir, I believe I earned the right.

I may have left my eyes on Omaha Beach,

but I ain't asked no charity from Uncle Sam.

I got a job waiting for me in Seattle.

You were in Normandy? Shuttling troopers to the beach.

We took a direct hit.

Sorry, son.

I'll, uh, keep an eye on you myself.

Come on. Take a seat in the back.

[Man] ♪ Any time ♪

♪ You're feeling lonely ♪

[Radio] ♪ Any time I

♪ You're feeling blue ♪

♪ Any time ♪

♪ You feel downhearted ♪

♪ That will prove ♪

♪ Your love for me is true ♪

♪ Any time ♪

♪ You're thinking 'bout me ♪

Til, what the hell do you think you're doing?

Billy, don't get your feathers all ruffled, now.

I met this ol' boy over at the O.C. at Clark Field,

and, well, he plays a mean jazz piano.

I don't care if he whistles "Dixie" out his ass.

He ain't gonna do it here.

Sir.

- Boy, are you blind? - Yes, sir, since I was seven.

Well, let me help you out then.

This is a country band.

We don't play no boogie-woogie.

Yes, sir, I understand. I love country music.

All right. Go on, tell me.

What is it you Jove about country music?

I-I love the stories, you know, about falling in love,

and having love knock you around,

and then the pressures of the world on you so tough, it makes you feel small.

You want to give your soul to God.

You might as well. Your ass belongs to him.

[All Laugh]

- Boy, you sure you blind? - Last time I checked.

8 [Country]

Okay, come on in.

Billy, I think you're outvoted.

Til, one hint of trouble, and your blind nigra's out of here.

Damn.

Here. Hey.

I am gonna have to put some glasses 'fore he scares somebody half to death.

[Bus Driver] Seattle, Washington, folks.

Change bus here for all points north...

Bellingham, Mount Vernon, Vancouver, Canada.

Jo [Trumpet]

♪ [Trumpet Continues]

Hey, that's Diz. "Emanon."

Yeah. What's it spell backwards?

Ah-Ah-Ah, come on, man. Why don't you give me something difficult?

"No name."

Say, daddy-O, what ax you play? Piano.

Just blew in from Tampa, Florida.

Me and my partner, Gossie McGee, came here to fatten up our style.

Cop some licks from some more experienced cats, you dig?

You know what?

Why don't you let me take you inside? Show you around?

- All right. - Yeah.

This is just like my place. [Laughs]

- So what's your name? - Ray Robinson.

- I'm Quincy Jones. - Quincy Jones?

Hey, Jerry. This here's my man, Ray.

He's here to see his friend Gossie McGee, so I figure I'll show him inside...

Don't mess with me, Q. He can come in, but not you.

Vice has been on my ass for letting you underage kids in.

- Get out of here, Q. - Can't you see...

- Get out of here, Q. - He's blind. I got to show him in.

- Get out. - Jive ass.

Hey, Ray Robinson.

- When am I gonna hear you play, baby? - Well, that may cost you.

Welcome, all you cool cats and fine felines.

You come to the place where the sophisti-cats and hipsters...

hang their bebop hats.

So snuggle up and come near,

for tonight is Talent Night at the Rocking Chair.

Let's hear it for Dancin' Al.

♪ [Drums]

Gossie been cattin' around with one of my waitresses since he got here.

He never told me that his partner was a blind 'Bama boy.

Marlene. Demurs just called.

Thurmond's sick.

Well, what about Sassey?

Flat tire.

Okay, 'Bama, why don't you get on up there and show me what you got?

Well, I-I'm not prepared to do my thing right now. Tonight...

This is the only audition you're gonna get, puddin', so either get on up there,

or you and Gossie can haul your asses back down south.

Here, smoke some of this.

[Coughs]

This ain't no tobacco, man.

No, hold it in. It'll calm you down.

All right, Oberon. Get on up there and introduce him.

Yes, ma'am.

Okay, 'Bama.

Let's go.

Yeah.

Now, I got something special for all you satin dolls,

and I don't mean Oberon's big thunder.

[Scattered Chuckles] Now, that's for another show.

Now we got some new blood for you.

Yeah, straight off the bus from Florida,

I give you Ray "Don't Call Me Sugar" Robinson.

[Sparse Applause]

[Man] Oh, this is a shame.

- How y'all doing tonight? - Better than you!

[Laughing]

- Relax, Ray, relax. - I got it.

[Feedback Squeals]

Uh, what do y'all want to hear?

[Woman] How about a little Nat King Cole?

8 [Up-tempo Intro]

Y'all like Nat King Cole?

Ooh-whoo.

Come on, baby. Let's go.

♪ If you ever plan to travel west ♪

'Bama ain't bad.

[Oberon] Yeah, I'd say he saved our asses.

[Woman] It's about time.

What the hell is Ray doing up there?

Auditioning for you, Gossie.

[Gossie] He ain't no good without me.

[Chuckles]

How'd you and the 'Bama like to do a week here at The Chair?

I know a good bass player. A nice jazz trio could score big...

with the right manager.

Manager?

Hmm. Come on now, Gossie. Don't be so small-minded.

You know you've got to give to get.

Well, what exactly do I have to give?

Twenty-five percent. But I'll be getting you other gigs.

All right, next question. What do I get?

What do you need?

- Double scale as leader, plus 10%. - &J [Singing Continues]

- What about the 'Bama? - He's about as green as a blade of grass.

- I can handle him. ♪ Flagstaff, Arizona ♪

- Yeah, he's green. ♪ Don't forget Winona ♪

- & Kingman to Barstow ♪ - So, Gossie, you don't need to worry...

about a hotel room for the 'Bama.

He can flop at my place.

[Chuckles] Hey, you'll never change.

♪ Get your kicks on Route 66 ♪

[Marlene] Ray? You comin' back to bed?

I'm getting some water.

I can see that, but Mama ain't finished yet.

[Oberon] For the first time anywhere,

let's hear it for the McSon Trio.

♪ The buzzard took the monkey for a ride in the air ♪

♪ The monkey thought that everything was on the square ♪

[Marlene, Knocking] Ray?

- When you comin' out? - In a minute.

Mama's got some more blackberry cobbler for you, baby.

Damn.

[Crowd Clamoring] ♪ Straighten up and stay right ♪

♪ Straighten up and fly right ♪

♪ Cool down, papa, don't you blow your top

[Applause, Whistling]

[Ray] Marlene, if you're going to send us out on tour,

we're gonna need more than five bucks a day.

How come we can't get paid after each gig?

You boys will spend everything you make.

Club sends the checks to me, so as I can bank 'em.

I just wanna see my own checks, that's all.

You don't see, Ray. You're blind, baby. Or did you forget?

You want to go out on your own and see how well you do?

[Quincy] Ray. Hey, Marlene, where's Ray?

[Marlene] He's in the back bedroom. And wipe your feet.

[Gasps]

[Quincy] Ray. Six-nine, where you at?

Six-nine. Six-nine.

Lionel Hampton asked me to go on the road with him.

- Lionel Hampton, man. - Yeah, sure he did. Then why are you still here?

And dig this...

His wife, she kicked me off the tour bus.

Told me to come back when I started shaving. You believe that?

Seven-oh, man, could you do me a favor and close that bag for me?

Man, you got two hands. You can close it yourself.

I got two feet too. Could you close the bag?

I'll get it.

Hey, excuse me, sir!

Man, we're gonna be late.

I got to get my own place, Gossie.

Why?

I mean, you got free rent right now.

Like hell, it's free rent.

[Laughing]

Oh, come on, Ray. Why you gonna mess with a good thing?

All I'm saying is, you keep laying that pipe with Marlene,

and I bet you she gonna make us all rich. Hey, sir. Excuse me!

[Honks]

♪ The monkey looked the buzzard right dead in the eye ♪

♪ Said, "Your story's so touchin' but it sound like a lie" ♪

♪ Straighten up and fly right ♪

♪ Straighten up and stay right ♪

♪ Straighten up and fly right ♪

♪ Cool down, papa, don't you blow ♪

♪ Your ♪

♪ Top ♪

- Yeah. - [Cheering]

They're just back from their triumphant tour of the Yakima Valley,

the McSon Trio.

They'll be back right here, same time, same place, next week.

Hey, baby, you sound more like Nat than the King himself.

- What's your name? - Ray Robinson.

Ray Robinson, I'm Jack Lauderdale, Swing Time Records.

Oh, man, hey. Hey, Jack, how you doing?

- Good. - Oh, good, man.

How about us making a record together?

- Oh, yeah, man. Hell, yeah. Let's do that. - [Marlene] Can I help you?

I don't think so. Me and "Cool Breeze" here just talking a little business.

Then you need to talk to me 'cause I'm his manager.

- Well, whichever way the wind blows. - It's blowing.

- Jack Lauderdale, Swing Time Records. - Marlene Andre.

- Marlene. - Gossie McGee.

Great set, baby. We're gonna talk with Mr. Lauderdale here.

Come on, Jack, I'm buying.

I'm gonna come on down there and talk to him.

You are doing a fabulous job.

Hey, Goss, yes, man.

Hey, look, let's talk to him about this record.

No, we're gonna let Marlene handle that.

- You get Oberon to call you a cab, right? - You know what, man? I...

- Great set, Ray. - Goss?

Goss?

[Oberon] Hey, daddy-O, want a smoke?

I got some Gage fresh off the boat. It's clean and seedless.

So that's how it is, huh?

You keep me high while they talk the business?

I ain't the one playing you, man.

Oberon, listen.

You know, Marlene and Gossie are the ones running a game on you, Ray.

What?

They sliced up the pie first night you played... 35% off the top.

Plus Gossie's double scale as leader.

Leader? If anybody leading the band, I'm the one that's the leader.

Forget the bo' humps. You know what? I-I'm gonna go my own way.

Who's gonna book your gigs?

Marlene's got you locked up.

And she ain't gonna give up her golden goose.

[Woman] & Straighten up and fly right ♪

♪ Cool down, papa, don't you blow your top ♪

Ray Robinson, you are fantastic.

There you go. Give me some skin.

- What's that? - Jack's card.

I got his number at the hotel.

Jo [Trumpet]

[Ray] Aw, come on, Q. It's not that complicated.

Now, let's just play it again.

That's a B-flat, C7. Scale it up and triple it off the back end.

♪ [Riffs Back] Yeah. That's it.

♪ [Trumpet] Ray.

What did I tell you about cooking in the dark?

- Are you trying to burn the house down? - Think about it, Marlene.

- What do I need the light for? - You don't need to be cooking anyway.

- We brought you takeout from Oscar's. - Well, get your money back.

I got fried chicken right here. Come on, seven-oh, and try this.

[Quincy] Yeah. It's about time.

Mmm.

- That's home-cooked right there. - No, thank you.

[Quincy] This chicken is the mostest.

Just need a little hot sauce. It'd be perfect. - Yeah.

So what did Jack Lauderdale have to say?

Well, I clocked him coming out the gate. Man was a two-bit hustler.

- Oh, I see. - Turns out that the only hit Swing Time ever had...

was "Open the Door, Richard," which was a joke record.

What about him recording me?

Oh, he'll record you, if we pay the freight.

Scratch a liar, find a thief.

What's that supposed to mean?

This.

You see, I saw Jack Lauderdale tonight,

and he gave me $500 advance on my record.

He also said he'd put me on the road with Lowell Fulson...

and pay me three times as much as you've been paying. - That's a lie.

Ain't no way he's gonna put some blind man on the road. Think about it.

I mean, you need watching out for,

and he ain't got the time to look after you the way I been...

Is that what you been doing? Watching out for me?

Is that why you get paid double what I do?

- Who told you that? - It's true, ain't it?

You and Marlene have been gaming me since I got here.

- Ray, baby, listen... - I ain't got to listen to you.

Look, Ray, I been meaning to talk to you about that.

Then why ain't you talking?

Um,

look, Ray, Ray, let's not do nothing stupid.

I might be blind, but I ain't stupid. Q, get my bag from upstairs.

- What? - Get it.

- Right now? - Now.

Ray, man, we done been through a whole lot.

[Marlene] Ray, now, wait a minute. I can explain everything.

[Gossie] Ray, think about what you're doing.

Ray, now, you're making a big mistake.

That clown is spouting promises he can't keep.

- You'd be a fool to follow him. - Look, Ray.

Ray, we'll make a new deal! Whatever will make you happy!

Deal is you can lay the pipe now.

You trying to break your neck going down these stairs by yourself?

Hang on now. Oh, man.

Ray, I ain't never seen you do nothing like that, man. Never.

That ain't nothing, seven-oh.

[Laughing, Shouting]

[Boy] Stop cheating, Ray.

[Ray] George, you can't catch me. Come on.

Aretha.

Aretha Robinson, have you lost your mind?

Eula Banks, you promised to split every wash basket with me fair and square.

- [Eula] And I did. - Hell you did!

You charge them white folks one thing and pay me another.

- Well, now, who's gonna wash these? - You can. Now pay me my money.

Okay, I'm gonna give you your two little dollars,

but don't you be expecting no more work out of me.

I got all I need out of you. Ray and George, come on!

[Eula] That's right. Get out of my yard and don't y'all never come back!

Come on.

Y'all got to learn to read and write real good,

SO you never have to work for people like that.

Scratch a liar, find a thief. Understand?

[Brothers] Yes, Mama.

[Chattering, Laughing]

[Jack] Smell that, Ray. Smell the success.

We're in L.A., man, the place where the Negro comes to spread his wings.

[Ray] You know what, man? ] know my ears ain't deceiving me.

- Is that Art Tatum? - It sure is, baby. You want to meet him?

Oh, my God. I can't, man. You know, Art Tatum is the most.

So, Ray, we gotta talk about your name, man.

Robinson.

I mean, Sugar Ray got the Robinson franchise all sewed up.

So I'm thinking we go with your middle name, Charles.

- As in "Ray Charles"? - You know, I don't care what you call me, man,

just as long as my name is on the record.

[Chuckles] Well, we gonna toast to that.

What's the haps, Jack?

- Oh, my goodness. - Gimme some skin.

- What's up? Hey, how you doing? - My man.

[Jack] Lowell Fulson, meet your new piano player, Ray Charles.

Ray Charles, the blind sensation.

Ow. Damn. I'm gonna use that on the album cover.

No, man, he's really the sensation.

I-I love your music, Mr. Fulson.

Hey, the man's got taste.

Hey, and the man ain't been on the road with a band before,

so now you take care of him.

- Like my own brother. - [Chuckles]

- Ray, I'm gonna be right back. - All right.

[Lowell] Yeah, you got the one on the left.

[Jack] Now, look here. Let me do the talking.

[Lowell] Hey, I'm the star.

♪ [Up-tempo Piano]

♪ [Piano: Boogie-woogie]

Don't go inside that place. You know what Mama said.

Go home and don't tell Mama nothin'.

Go, George.

George, get outta here.

[Chattering]

Hey, boy, who let you in?

You must be 'Retha's son, huh?

Yes, sir. Ray Charles Robinson.

I've been seeing you sneaking around here.

You like the piano, huh?

Come on. You wanna learn how to play?

Come on over here. Let me show you how to play. Come on.

I'm gonna teach you how to play.

Now, what we're gonna do, I'm gonna teach you three notes, right?

And this is the first note right here.

Play that.

And here's the second note right here.

Play that.

Here's the third note.

Now here's the way it goes. Listen, listen closely now.

Play that.

Good.

Try the other notes.

[Man] Every club we hit,

it's your responsibility to rehearse the band.

Now, these are some lazy-ass bastards, so you

gotta make sure that they don't slough off.

You gotta be ready and dressed to open the show.

Now, Lowell likes to take a little nap before he goes on.

You just do your thing until he feels like coming out.

And then when Lowell's playing, you keep the band sharp.

- There's just one thing. - What?

Did Jack tell you that I have to be paid in singles?

You just do your job, you're gonna get your money.

[Lowell] & Baby, come on down ♪

♪ Your daddy's in the heart of the town ♪

♪ Baby, come on down ♪

♪ Your daddy's in the heart of town &J'

[Chattering, Laughing]

How'd you get the name Fathead anyway?

Why do they call me Fathead?

No, you don't wanna hear about it. [Man] No, tell them.

But, dig, this is what I really wanna know.

Do any of you fine young ladies know where...

we can get us a nice steak this time of night?

You mean, something big, thick and juicy?

[Man #2] Ow! Yeah, that's just what I mean.

[All Laugh] Hey, yo, Fathead, where you guys headed, man?

[Softly] I ain't babysitting no blind cat.

Uh, sorry, Ray, but, uh, law says there's only six to a cab.

Come on, ladies. Let's get out of here.

[Voices Receding]

[Door Closes]

♪ [Piano: Blues]

♪ Every day ♪

♪ Every day I have the blues ♪

♪ Every day ♪

[Band Laughing]

♪ Every day I have the blues ♪

Pay up, baby, that's all right.

Boy, I've been shooting craps since I was 12 years old.

Don't never shoot craps on a white woman's grave. - Why not?

That's bad luck. [Band Laughs]

♪ You know bad luck and trouble keep on

♪ Well, you know I had my share ♪

[Men Muttering]

That's for being late to the bus.

- Wilbur, you a lowdown piece... - You better move on.

Ah, Mr. One-dollar Bill.

[Billy] Five, 10, 15, 20...

[Til] Now,

you like to start counting that again?

All right, damn you.

[Counting, Indistinct]

Listen, man, I ain't no damn seeing-eye dog.

♪ You know there ain't nobody worrying about me

♪ 1 don't see nobody ♪

♪ Nobody crying &'7

[Chatter]

- Hey, yo, Fathead, open up, man. - [Fathead] Who is it?

I gotta take a leak.

Hey, what you doing, man? Close the door, Fat.

Say, Ray, we gonna be in here for a little while.

Use the women's can down there on your right, all right?

- I don't want to use the woman's can. Yeah. - This way. All right.

[Fathead] Ray don't know nothing about this.

[Soft Splashing]

Oh, God! Oh, Oh.

Ray, you all right?

I guess I must have slipped on the wet. There's a pipe broke.

There's water everywhere. You see it?

[Man] Let's go, man. Close the door.

All right. Quit playing, Ray.

We're gonna be in here a while. Now, go on, now.

[Man] Who got time for that?

[Man] So, where you from, Ray?

[Ray] North Florida.

Oh, North Florida boy.

Your people still down there?

No.

[Driver] All right.

Hey, uh, pardon me for asking, but how...

do you get around so good without a cane or a dog?

How do you get around so good without a cane or a dog?

I'm sorry. I didn't mean to pry.

My ears got to be my eyes, man. It's... Everything sounds different, you know?

That's why I wear hard-soled shoes,

so I can hear the echoes of my footsteps off the wall.

So when I pass by an open doorway, the sound changes.

Wow. That's cool.

You know what? You got to learn pretty

quick if you want to get around on your own.

Yeah.

You know, during the war, there was a whole lot I had to learn fast,

or I wouldn't be here.

Seeing that much death ain't natural.

Yeah, seeing death ain't natural.

[Clinking]

Boys, get from round that still.

Y'all know better than that.

Come on. Catch me.

Stay from round this fire. Y'all need to get clean. Dinner'll be ready soon.

Hear me, Ray?

I got you, I got you.

No, you didn't. You missed me.

Stop cheating, Ray.

Okay, you got me.

But I got you back.

I'm not playing no more.

Sissy.

Come on, Ray. Let's go swimming.

Let's go swim in Mom's washtub.

Ray, come on, Ray, play with me.

You better get down before Mama sees you.

I'm a giant.

[Laughs]

Some giant.

Come on, George, I ain't playing this game.

That ain't funny.

Boys, I got some field peas and rice cooking.

And there's that smothered corn left from yesterday.

And if you're real good, I might have two pieces of peach cobbler.

Ray, didn't I tell you to get in this house...

[Basket Thuds]

Dear God, no!

[Man] What's going on?

[People Shouting Indistinctly]

- [Man] That's Aretha's boy! - Breathe, baby, breathe!

Breathe! Breathe, baby! Breathe! Let it out!

Let it out, breathe! Please!

- [Woman] Breathe for your mama, baby. - [Man] Come on, George.

Why didn't you do something?

Why didn't you call me?

[Woman] Help us, Lord!

[Aretha Sobbing]

[Woman #2] The Lord done took him home.

[Brakes Squeal]

All right. Food and piss stop.

Open it up.

Food is hot. You got 45 minutes.

I could eat a horse.

- Where's-Where's it? - Follow your nose. Right over there.

- Wilbur? - What?

45 minutes ain't enough time.

- We need more than that, Jack. - Not to eat, you don't.

Now, if you got other business, you better choose because this bus is rolling on time.

Come on. Mercedes got a washroom in the back.

And you... You can smell it.

- Jeff? - Yes, sir?

- Could you help me in there, man? - Sure thing, Ray.

- [Wilbur] Hey, Mercedes. - Hey, baby.

I hope you wiped your feet before you came in here.

- There you go. Come on. - Here, take that.

Bathroom's right there in front of you.

Okay, I got it from here.

- You want me to fix you a plate? - No, I'm fine.

All right.

Potato pie it is.

- Ooh, let's go, man. - That was a long bus ride, wasn't it?

Come on, man. Hey, man.

The can's down the hall.

I know where the can is. What y'all doing?

Do yourself a favor and leave.

I'll leave when I get ready to leave.

Come on, Fathead, I want in.

This ain't no weed, Ray.

And we ain't snortin' no bitch.

This is boy.

Boy will make your ass null and void.

- So get out of here, man. - "Null and void," just like my life.

I'll be right at home.

Look, I ain't gonna wait all night.

Hell, it's his funeral, man.

Come on, Ray. Let's go get you something to eat.

I'll leave when I get a taste.

- Ray. - What you gonna do, man?

This train's pulling out, brother.

I ain't having nothing to do with this. I warned you, Ray.

- [Man] Come on, man. - I've been warned.

Sit down, brother. Right there.

I'm gonna take you on a little ride.

It's gonna cost you though. You got some cash?

Will this do?

That'll do.

Where have you been? Where are them other fools?

Come on. Get it while it's hot.

You're gonna feel a little pinch.

I ain't giving up on you, boy.

Feel it, baby?

Just take the ride.

It's better than sex.

Ain't nothing better than sex.

[Congregation] ♪ We will walk through the streets

♪ Of the city ♪

[Woman] JI Of the city ♪

♪ Where our loved ones ♪

♪ Have gone on before ♪

[Woman] I On before J!

♪ We will stand on the banks ♪

♪ Banks &J& Of the river ♪

♪ Of the river ♪

♪ Where we'll be ♪

[Sobbing] J; Soon to part no more ♪

♪ Oh, guide me ♪

♪ Oh, I pray ♪

♪ I pray ♪

♪ To Jehovah ♪

♪ Pray Jehovah ♪

♪ Where our true ones ♪

♪ Have gone on before ♪

♪ On before ♪

♪ We will stand ♪

♪ On the banks of the river ♪

♪ Of the river ♪

♪ Where we'll meet ♪

♪ To part no more ♪

[Clinking]

Ray, come on and let me put this salve on I got from Dr. McLoud.

No, I don't like it. It stings.

Boy, get up here.

I paid a whole dollar for it. It better work.

Now hold up your head like the doctor says.

This is gonna make you feel better.

Ray, come on in for dinner.

And stop rubbing those eyes.

[Thunder]

[Bottles Clinking]

[Ray Sobbing]

Ray, I ain't gonna beat around the bush with you. You're going blind.

The doctors say ain't nothing they can do, so we got to do it ourselves.

- Yes'm, I know, but... - Stop it. Stop it right now.

We ain't got no time for no tears.

Ain't nobody gonna have no pity on you just 'cause you're going blind.

- Now wipe them eyes. - Yes'm.

Okay, I'll show you how to do something once.

I'll help you if you mess up twice, but the third time, you're on your own,

'cause that's the way it is in the world.

All right. Now get up.

Remember, you're going blind, but you ain't stupid.

Remember how many stairs there were? - Four.

Good.

You're gonna have to learn how to use your memory.

Now turn around and I want you to hold out your hands...

and use them as your eyes and find the door.

Good.

That's real good, baby.

JJ& [Blues]

♪ Baby, let me hold your hand

♪ Till I make you understand ♪

♪ Oh, baby ♪

- I could get your coat. - In a minute.

♪ Baby, let me hold your hand

♪ I really true believe ♪

This fool makes one record and you'd think he's the star of the band.

But he's got something.

Ain't he?

[Scoffs] His wax won't even hit the charts.

You're still the man.

♪ I want you to know ♪

♪ Our love... ♪

She wasn't that fine. There's something wrong with y'all.

No, man, she's fine, man. She's fine, so you leave her alone.

Look at Ray.

You see that? He feels her wrist 'cause he figures...

that's the way to tell if she's good-looking or not.

You know I had my eye on you all night long.

Oh, well, he's right this time.

You see what a little fame does to "Null and Void"?

Hey, anybody seen that fine-looking gal in the yellow dress?

[Laughs]

- You hear this man? - You snooze, you lose.

[Bass Player] We gonna dock your pay, man.

That's two dollars off your bus ride. Know what I'm saying?

♪ Whoa, baby ♪

♪ Baby, I want you by my side ♪

J/dod

♪ I want you to know ♪

♪ Our love, we will never hide ♪

♪ Oh, no, no, no, no ♪

[Wilbur] All right, who's next?

It's a shame, Jimmy.

You're just gonna piss this right up your arm.

You don't tell me what to do with my money.

All right, come on. Step up, one-dollar sensation.

You wanna keep counting?

What's the matter with you, boy? $50 ain't good enough for you?

That ain't 50. Keep counting.

I guess you want charity...

since that record of yours ain't selling.

[Man] Hey!

They're fightin' back there.

Come on, come on, now.

[All Shouting]

Break it up, break it up.

What the hell's going on in here?

Hold it, man.

The blind sensation don't like the money I'm trying to pay.

- He's cheating me. I quit! - You lying son of a bitch!

Don't be fighting nobody that can see!

Listen, I ain't gonna be running around looking for singles for this chump.

- There's $50 here, Ray. - You see that, fool?

Shut up, Wilbur. Ray, I'll handle your pay myself.

No, I'm tired of this. I'm gonna talk to Jack to tell you to find somebody else.

You sure about that? It's cold out there, baby.

I can take care of myself.

Ray! Ray! Damn it, Wilbur!

- Let him go. - What are we gonna do now?

I [Gospel]

[Ray] "And after the death of Moses..."

The Lord spake unto Joshua, saying,

'Moses, my servant, is dead.

Now, therefore, arise. Go over to Jordan.

"Be not afraid, for the Lord, thy God, is with thee." [Knock On Door]

[Man] Mr. Charles?

- Who is it? - Mr. Charles, my name is Ahmet Ertegun.

May I have a moment of your time?

What do you want, man? I'm at church.

[Breaking Glass, Shouting] I'm sorry. I'll come back later.

You're here now. What do you want?

Well, my company, Atlantic Records,

has acquired your contract from Swing Time.

I'd like to discuss your future.

Hold on, man. Don't jive me now.

I ain't for sale.

May I sit down?

You see, Mr. Charles,

Jack Lauderdale has found himself, shall we say, a little overextended,

and has had to unload some of his talent.

When your name came up, I jumped at the chance...

to work with you... I'm a big fan.

What if I want to go to another company?

There's a guy out there right now that is willing to pay me seven cents a record.

Can you do that?

Man, I could promise you 15 cents a record.

But you won't get it, any more than he'll pay you seven.

What I will do is promise you five cents a record,

and pay you five cents a record.

If you think pennies, Mr. Charles, you get pennies.

You think dollars, you get dollars.

You know what? I like how you put things together, man.

You know what, Omelet?

You're all right with me.

- Ahmet. - Ahmet. What kind of name is that?

- I'm Turkish. - W-Well, you know what?

I guess Jack Lauderdale's bad luck is my good fortune.

You know what, man? I knew that Atlantic Records was bigger than Swing Time, man.

You guys do good music. I dig Atlantic.

You could've fooled me.

Well, you know, I gotta keep my eye on you city boys.

Down home, we call it "country dumb."

[Laughs]

Hey, man, it ain't Turkish.

[Ray] I Went to see my sweetheart ♪

♪ Last night around about 10:00 ♪

♪ She said, "Hold me, sweet papa" ♪

♪ Squeeze me every now and then ♪

What do you think?

Man, nobody wants another Nat King Cole.

♪ 'Cause she's sweet that way ♪

♪ The midnight hour ♪

♪ Has found me lonely ♪

♪ So unhappy ♪

♪ As lcan bed

Ahmet. It's just like Charles Brown.

♪ You left me ♪

Okay, I'll talk to him. ♪ Yes, you left me ♪

Tom.

♪ Without a lover ♪ All right, fellas. That's a cut.

That's a cut, fellas.

Fellas.

- The band can take five. - He just don't get it.

[Ray] All right, cats, take five. You either sound original,

or you've got nothing.

[Ray] Ahmet, what'd you think of that?

Ray, I want to tell you something, and I don't want you to take it wrong.

Then give it to me right then.

I signed you because I sensed something special in you,

not because you sound like Nat Cole or Charles Brown.

I thought you like what I do. We love the timbre of your voice.

We like your virtuosity, your energy.

- But not my music. - Come on, man.

- I didn't say that. - Look, man, Ahmet, this is what I do, man.

I gotta make a living. This is what people want. I don't know no other way.

We gotta help you find one.

Look, let's try a little change of pace, okay?

You're familiar with stride piano?

You kidding me, man? The man that I learned the piano from is a stride player.

- Okay, I got a song. - Uh-huh.

- It's called "The Mess Around." - "The Mess Around." Cute title. Who wrote it?

I did.

- Oh, you wrote it. - Yeah.

Well, sing it to me, man.

- Sing it? - Yeah. It ain't like I can read the lyrics.

Okay, well, it's, uh, key of G.

Okay. Key of G.

Uh-huh.

Yeah.

Yeah, but it's a kind of Pete Johnson thing.

Pete Johnson. ♪ [Boogie-woogie Riff]

Yeah, yeah. That's it.

You like that? Okay, here we go. Two, three, four.

♪ You can talk about the pit barbecue

♪ The band was jumpin', the people too ♪

♪ They're doin' the Mess Around ♪

♪ They're doin' the mess around

♪ They're doin' the mess around

♪ Everybody doin' the mess around ♪

That's pretty good. Let me take it from here.

♪ Now this band's gonna play from 9:00 to 1:00 ♪

♪ Everybody here's gonna have some fun ♪

♪ Doin' the mess around ♪

♪ Ah, doin' the mess around ♪

♪ They're doing the mess around

♪ Everybody's doin' the mess around ♪

♪ Now you see that girl with that diamond ring ♪

♪ She knows how to shake that thing ♪

♪ Mess around ♪

♪ I declare, she can mess around ♪

♪ Ah, mess around ♪

♪ Everybody do the mess around &J'

[Laughs]

Now we got something.

That's all right, right there.

- What do you think of that, Ahmet? - Great, Ray.

Unbelievable.

- Who's that? - Come on.

Ray, I want you to meet my new partner, Jerry.

Mr. Ray Charles, Jerry Wexler.

- Hey. - Don't worry, Ray. You know what I'm gonna do?

I'm gonna step back. I'm gonna watch.

I'm gonna learn how to produce a record.

I'm in awe. That was out of sight.

That's some runnin' and riffin', man.

Well, this'll make you shout, man.

[Deejay] We're listening to that new recording, "Mess Around,"

by Atlantic recording artist Ray Charles.

And we have the gentleman live here in the KCOH studios.

So, Ray, when you're not making your own music...

who do you listen to?

Well, you know what? The fact is, King Bee, I really and truly love gospel.

One of my favorite groups is from right here in Houston,

The Cecil Shaw Singers.

You heard it. Ray Charles endorses Houston's own Cecil Shaw.

Well, we'll be playing gospel all day Sunday,

but right now, let's hear some more of that "Mess Around" by Ray Charles.

[Man] K.B., line one.

King Bee.

Mm-hmm.

Yeah, he's right here.

Miss Della Antwine of the Cecil Shaw Singers.

Hello, Miss Antwine.

You sung tenor in "Jesus is my Shepherd," right?

Yes.

How'd you pick me out?

Actually, I, uh, I hear like you see.

Like that hummingbird outside the window, for instance.

[People Chattering, Dishes Clinking]

I can't hear her.

You have to listen.

[Wings Fluttering]

Yes.

Yeah. Yes, you can.

Uh-oh. You hear that?

What?

Her heart just skipped a beat.

Oh, did you like my record?

The one that King Bee was playin'?

It was very nice.

Different than the others. I...

I've heard a lot of your music.

Was it very nice too?

Look, Miss Antwine, if you don't really like the record,

you ain't got to beat around the bush.

- I mean, my mama never did. - It's not that I don't enjoy your music.

It's just that I feel I've heard it before.

I keep wonderin' what the real Ray Charles sound like.

- Ray Charles? Who's he? - Nobody, if you don't know.

Hmm.

Sorry, I should've kept my mouth shut.

Oh, no, no. Then you wouldn't be you.

You know, it's not like I haven't heard that before.

I guess I just, uh, never really listened, that's all.

Ain't nobody ever put it that sweet, I guess.

You know what, Miss Della Bea Antwine?

You really are a country girl. You know that?

- Yes. - Yeah.

- How'd you know? - I could tell by the way you ordered.

"Let me get molasses with my corn bread."

Were you raised on a farm?

My mother did a little, uh, sharecropping in Florida.

She still there?

God bless her heart, she passed away when I went to school.

Ray, I'm sorry.

[Ray] She never was real healthy.

She just worked herself to death. Poor thing.

That's why she didn't want me carrying around no tin cup.

The kids I went to school with,

they were doing basket weaving and wickerwork.

But not you because of your gift.

Because of my ears.

See, I can mimic damn near anybody,

and I-1 make a pretty decent living at it.

It's just if I change my style up and people really don't dig it,

I mean, what am I left with, you know?

I mean, when you're blind, Miss Antwine,

you ain't got that many choices.

Seem to me like you got all the choices in the world.

God gave you the gift to sound like anybody you please.

Even yourself.

We're here. This is where I live.

Do you think the preacher'd let me in?

I mean, I-I'm a sinner, but I need a little prayer.

His wife don't like me having male company.

Well, tell him there's a soul out here that needs saving.

You know what, Miss Antwine, you really...

got me thinking.

About what?

About my life.

About my music.

About everything.

Ray, don't-don't you think we're moving a little fast?

Listen, I'm gonna go to New York for a couple of weeks,

and when I get back,

you could take it as slow as you want.

All right, Mr. Charles.

All right, Miss Antwine.

I'll see you in a couple of weeks.

Well, hold on now. Let me call you a cab.

I got it. Three blocks up,

left for two, right for one,

15 giant steps and I'm at the Crystal White Hotel.

Hello!

[Ahmet] "Mess Around" was a positive step for us, Ray.

- We're making progress. - [Ray] Come on, Ahmet.

You've been nice to me, man. I haven't given you guys any hits, man.

Atlantic has been good to me, but if you want me to do something special,

I'm gonna need my own band.

Oh, man.

Taking a band out on the road costs a mint, Ray.

I mean, even Joe Morris is struggling.

- His band's had a hit record. - Ahmet, listen, I'm not Joe Morris.

You told me if I think pennies, I got pennies.

I'm thinking dollars, man.

Ruth Brown's got a tour booked in Georgia.

- She needs a band. - I'll take it.

I could write the charts for her.

I-I could do backup, and I can also be an opening act.

[Sighs] Okay.

But you're going to be financially responsible.

You're gonna have to make it work, Ray.

Yeah, I'm gonna make it do what it do, baby. Yeah.

[Knocking]

Ray?

Miss Antwine, it's been two weeks.

It's been three.

Mmm.

Well, where's the preacher at?

- And the wife? - They in Dallas till Monday.

Well, hallelujah.

Della Bea.

That's like a honey bee, right?

Hmm?

Can I call you Bea?

Yeah.

I'd like that.

You know there's only been two cats that I ever really trusted in my life?

There's Jeff Brown... he's gonna be my tour manager...

Fathead Newman, my tenor man,

and now you.

But you gotta do me a favor, Bea.

You gotta always tell me the truth.

I mean, just like you did before.

Don't feel sorry for me just 'cause I'm blind.

How could I pity someone I admire?

- Can I play something for you? - Now?

- Yeah. - No, Ray.

Yeah, right now. Right now. I want...

Ray.

- Ray. - I gotta sing it to you.

[Bea] It's right there. You got it.

[Ray] Okay. Yeah, yeah, yeah, this'll work.

Now you go ahead and play. I'm going to close these drapes.

- All right. - I don't want no neighbors looking in.

♪ Well ♪

♪ I got a woman way over town ♪

♪ That's good to me. Oh, yeah ♪

♪ I got a woman way over town ♪

Ray?

♪ She's good to me Oh, yeah ♪

Ray.

♪ She gives me money ♪

Ray? Ray, that's sacrilegious. ♪ When I'm in need ♪

- What? - It-It's a gospel song.

I know what it is. I wrote it.

I-l mean, you told me to find my own voice.

Well, Bea, this is it.

But it ain't right to be changing gospel music into this.

Yeah, what, it's devil music?

Evil music? Do you think I'm evil, Bea?

Look, I've been performing gospel and blues all my life.

It's who I am.

And if I'm gonna do my own thing, I gotta be natural, right?

I'm singing about my feelings for you.

About how I love you.

What could be more natural than that?

Huh, Bea?

Tell me.

More natural than me and you.

Ray...

[A Cappella] I I got a woman ♪

♪ Way over town ♪

♪ Good to me J [Chuckles]

♪ Oh, yeah ♪

[Jerry] So we bite the bullet. We cancel all the tour dates.

But what the hell are we gonna tell Ray?

[Ahmet] We just have to tell him the truth.

Ruth Brown's pregnant, so there's no tour.

What about LaVern Baker? Get LaVern Baker to take the tour.

She doesn't have a record. There's nothing to promote.

You and Jesse get up there, write a couple of songs. Let's get her in the studio.

It's gonna take a month to put something like that together.

So what are we gonna do? We gotta do something.

Ray's got a whole new band up there.

How the hell did he put together a band so fast?

Boss. Boss, they're here.

All right. Come on. Let's get it together, so we can show 'em this.

Oh, you're gonna let me break this to Ray? - Yeah.

♪ Well ♪ - Why me?

- Because Ruth Brown was your idea. ♪ 1 gota woman ♪

- Ruth Brown was a good idea. ♪ Way over town ♪

- Shh-shh. - Ruth Brown still is a good idea.

♪ That's good to me ♪

♪ Oh, yeah ♪

♪ Say I got a woman ♪

♪ Way over town ♪

♪ Good to me ♪

♪ Oh, yeah ♪

♪ She gives me money ♪

♪ When I'm in need ♪

♪ Yeah she's a kind of ♪

♪ Friend indeed ♪

♪ 1 gota woman ♪

- Ahmet? ♪ Way over town ♪

- Yeah? - We gotta get this on wax.

♪ Good to me J Oh, yeah.

♪ Oh, yeah I

Hear that, New York?

The sound is huge.

But, there's only seven cats on this record.

This is the new Ray Charles, baby,

and there's nothing out there like it,

and you heard it first on the Moondog Show.

♪ Just for me ♪

♪ Oh, yeah I

♪ She gives me money ♪

The Shaw Agency's the best booker on the Chitlin' Circuit.

That's my opinion.

Milt Shaw, meet Ray Charles.

Ray, it was Milt's dad, Billy, who first drew my attention...

to a certain blind pianist when he was booking Lowell Fulson.

Ray Charles, we believe in your talent.

We wanna be in the Ray Charles business.

We've already got you booked on a 10-city tour with Roy Milton's Solid Senders.

Oh, Roy, man, I love him.

And Tangula, the Exotic Shake Dancer.

She is gorgeous.

Ray, I gotta tell you.

We think you're onto something very big here.

Nobody's ever combined R & B and gospel before.

"I've Got a Woman" is a smash,

and you've gotta start thinking about a follow-up, my friend, like now.

You know, that sounds good. I got to run to Texas and take care of some business,

and I'll be right back.

Well, make it fast. I'm ready to sell, sell, sell.

Yeah, as long as you'll book me in front of Tangula.

Della, hold on. Let me get my camera. Let me get one picture.

Ray, y'all stay right there. Ray.

Della, let me get one picture.

Come on, one picture. Della, come on, now. Della.

Be careful, Ray. These are your last steps of freedom, man.

Don't open that door.

Hey, Ray, you gotta carry her over the threshold, Ray.

Come on back out here, Della.

Please, let me get a picture.

Straight ahead, Ray. Straight ahead, Ray.

- To the right. To the right. ♪ Never grumbles or fusses ♪

♪ Always treats me right ♪

♪ Never running' in the streets I

[Fathead] Hey, Ray, you need some help? ♪ Or leaving me alone I

You know what you're doing?

♪ She knows a woman's place I

♪ Is right there now in her home ♪

♪ I got a woman ♪

♪ Oh, yeah ♪

[Bea] Ray? [Knocking]

Ray? [Knocking Continues]

Can I come in?

H-Hold on.

What's going on, Ray?

Open this door.

Hey. What... Why are you locking doors on me, Ray?

[Giggles] You know the place is small.

We gotta have a little privacy.

What we need is a little more room.

You know, we're gonna need some space while we start a family.

Bea, you know I'll be on the road for most of the year.

Ray.

I'm just thinking. What if I'm not a good father?

My daddy was never around.

He-He had three different families.

Well, you...

are gonna have one... - Hmm?

Starting right now.

- Right now? - Mm-hmm.

- What do you think? - Mmm.

Well, it's what I know.

♪ I know, Lord, I know ♪

♪ Hallelujah, I just love her so ♪

♪ Now if I call her on the telephone ♪

♪ And tell her that I'm all alone ♪

♪ By the time I count from one to four ♪

♪ I hear her on my door, you know ♪

♪ In the evening when the sun goes down ♪

[Man] Y'all have lost your minds!

Stop this stuff! [Woman] You oughta be ashamed!

Can't take it no more. Stop it!

- Wait a minute, now. What is the problem? - Take your hands off me!

[Clamoring, Arguing] ♪ 'Cause I know, yes, I know ♪

This ain't right. Y'all sitting up in this bar, listening to this devil.

You're just giving your money to Satan.

That's what you're doing.

Hey, you got a problem?

[Man] Yeah, I got a problem.

That's gospel you're singing.

You're turning God's music into sex.

You're makin' money off the Lord.

[Woman] Don't y'all smile at me!

All of y'all goin' straight to hell.

- She's right. - Robert. Be cool, man.

No. This is wrong. [Woman] Thank you, Jesus.

[Clamoring Continues]

It's okay, it's okay. Go ahead and let him go.

You got a right to believe what you believe.

You can go to hell by yourself.

Boss, you wanna cancel the show?

No, I'm not going to cancel the show. Just find me a Bari player by tomorrow.

I just wanna ask the folks right now.

If all y'all want me keep playing, let me hear you say "Amen."

[All] Amen.

And while you're at it, find me a girl with church training...

that can sing, but without the church attitude. - All right.

Let's go, y'all. Keep it going.

Keep it going. Come on now.

♪ Let me tell you about a girl I know ♪

♪ She's my baby and she lives next door ♪

[Honks]

- [Bea] Ray, you got your watch? - Yeah.

Good. All right, now, baby.

Your blue shirt's on top,

the pants are in between,

and the white shirt's on the bottom.

Here's your glasses.

There you go. [Horn Honks]

Bea, why don't you come go on the road with us? Hmm?

Baby, what would I do on the road?

You do what I say you do. That's what you're gonna do.

I been trying to get a female voice in the band anyway.

Can't you just picture me wobbling around on that stage, big as a house?

Well, I can't picture you no how,

but I know what I can do.

Come on now.

Don't start nothin' you can't finish.

Jeff is waiting.

You know I can't go on the road with you.

Not with your baby inside me.

Mmm. I'm gonna get your shaving kit.

Bea, I got it.

Bea, hold up. Hold up.

Bea, let me get it.

How long you been hiding this from me?

Ray?

I'm your wife.

Bea, I was just so excited to see you.

I forgot to leave it with the band, that's all. Let me get it for you.

- All this is is a little medicine. - Ray.

- That's all it is, baby. - That ain't medicine to nobody, Ray.

- Don't be lying to yourself. - Bea, look, it ain't like I'm dealing it, baby.

I just use itto get a little taste, that's all.

No, you don't taste poison, Ray. It kills people.

- Now, you got to stop this. - I ain't got to do a goddamn thing!

[Stammers] What about me? What about your baby?

Bea,

It ain't like I'm new to this.

If I felt like this was jeopardizing...

my music or you or providing for that baby,

I would stop it in a minute, but I know it won't.

How do you know that, Ray? How do you know that?

You know what? Talk till you're blue in the face.

It don't matter. I'm not going to stop.

- Then I'm coming with you. - No, no.

- You just said to me a second ago... - You know what it is, Bea?

I think it's like you said.

I don't think that the road is the place for you and the baby.

What are you saying to me, Ray?

What I'm saying is, is that when I get home,

I hope that you're here at my house.

Your house?

Jeff, come get this bag.

[Jeff] All right, Ray.

Hey, Della Bea.

You all right?

[Sobbing]

[Engine Starts]

[Woman] I It brings a tear ♪

♪ To my eyes ♪

♪ When I begin ♪

♪ To realize ♪

That's good. Thank you. ♪ lcry so much I

- How's she look? - She's very pretty. Brown skin.

♪ 1 guess I'll drown in my own tears ♪

Yeah, yeah. Oh, yeah. That's great.

I really dig your sound.

Uh, what was your name again, sweetheart?

Oh, Mary Ann.

Mary Ann Fisher. Mary Ann Fisher.

Mary Ann, how would you feel if I asked you to sing...

a torch song with a gospel feel to it?

Well, gospel's all about love anyway, isn't it?

Yeah.

Would it make you feel like a sinner?

Well, Mr. Charles, I love the Lord, the Lord loves me,

but I ain't no hypocrite.

Oh, hello.

You know what, it's hard to fool me,

but it's impossible to fool the Almighty, ain't it?

Why don't we rehearse this song a little bit? - Okay.

Boss, we got to go.

Go ahead. I'll be with you in a minute.

I just really feel you. I feel your spirit.

Boss, are you sure?

There are some things that...

Let's go.

♪ It brings a tear

♪ Into my eye ♪

♪ When I begin ♪

♪ To realize ♪

♪ I cried so much ♪

♪ Whoa, since you've been gone ♪

♪ I was drowning in ♪

♪ My own tears ♪

You're amazing.

So are you, baby.

Come sit next to me.

So, what do you think?

[Knocks] [Jeff] Ray, telephone.

Take a message.

It's Della Bea.

Damn.

Uh, tell her I'm busy.

Come on, man. I ain't lying to Bea.

Uh-oh. Is that the wife?

Shut up.

I'll be there in a second.

Look.

Don't mess with this junk, all right?

All it'll do is make you sick.

Does he have all his fingers and toes?

Yes, he does.

Can he, uh...

Can he see?

Yes.

You wanna hold him?

[Stutters] No, I...

- Come on, Ray. - I wouldn't know what to do.

That's what you came here for.

Use this hand to hold his head.

Okay.

Okay, right there.

[Baby Crying] Shh. Shh.

It's all right.

That's your daddy.

Yeah.

[Voice Trembling] He ain't no bigger than a loaf of bread.

Thank you.

He's not my gift to you, Ray.

He's your son.

You know I'm gonna take care of both of y'all. You know that, right?

I love you.

I love you too, Ray,

but there's something I gotta say.

I know you're a musician, a working musician,

but don't bring the road into our home again,

the home I am making for you and our children.

Bea, I promise I won't do that.

- It's just there's some things... - No, don't say no more.

I ain't no fool.

You know you're the only woman I'll ever love.

[Bottles Clinking]

Ow, Mama!

Mama, help!

Mama, help! Mama, help, please!

I need you!

Mama! Help!

Mama.

[Chickens Clucking] [Men Chattering]

[Cowbell Clanking] [Cow Mooing]

Y'all have a good one now. All right.

Come on, come on.

[Moos]

[Bubbling Loudly]

[Fire Crackling]

[Gasps]

[Insect Chirping]

I hear you too, Mama. You're right there.

Yeah. Yes, I am.

Why are you crying, Mama?

'Cause I'm happy.

Hey, it's Uncle Jeff.

[Chuckling] I got my camera.

Sarah, Sarah. Come on in.

Put the flowers right there behind them.

All right, big smiles, everybody. Big smiles.

Yeah.

♪ Well, now, oh, Mary Ann ♪

♪ You know, you sure look fine ♪

♪ Well, now, oh ♪

♪ You know, you sure look fine ♪

♪ Well, now, oh, Mary Ann ♪

♪ I can love you all the time ♪

♪ Well, now, oh, Mary Ann

♪ I said, "Baby, don't you know?" I

♪ Well, now, oh... ♪

♪ Well, now, baby, don't you know? ♪

♪ Don't you know, baby ♪

♪ That I love you so? ♪

Was that you? Huh?

[Giggling] Hi, Junior.

Come on, Ray. Let's get this boy home,

so he can get something to eat.

You know, they have those cookies you like. Mmm.

♪ Oh, Mary Ann

♪ Can I take you home tonight? ♪

[Jeff] Boss, if we try and make it...

through these cracker speed traps, we're gonna be a little late.

Yeah, well, just stay within the limits.

All right.

Why don't we get that spot in Memphis, huh?

We could have our own place.

Baby, I'm not leaving Houston.

I'll bet she don't do this.

Wait, wait, hold on.

Come on, baby. Good-bye don't mean gone, okay?

I'm not gonna leave my family.

Okay, baby, okay.

No need to get sore.

How about we give me a little more to do in the show, huh?

- How about a solo? - You just don't stop, do you?

I'm going up to New York and do some publicity.

You take a week off and stay here,

find some material, and when I get back we can talk about it.

Okay. Okay.

Okay.

[Man] Yeah, I like that.

[Crowd Cheering]

Mary Ann.

[Ray] You know what? I dig New York, man.

It's like everybody here is making their own sound.

[Jerry] They loved it. Ray, they loved you.

We're gonna get the cover of Billboard.

You know what? I want to do a session while I'm here. How about tomorrow?

- You got the band here? - Yeah, I've got the band.

- Step down. - Everybody except Mary Ann because I need...

a different background, you know what I'm saying?

I've been hearing this thing in my head,

kind of like a dance... between a man and three women.

Sounds fun. Can I watch?

It's a dance of voices, Ahmet.

What do you have in mind? Like three Mary Anns?

Oh, no, no, no. That's too smooth, you dig?

I need something that's more raw.

The Cookies. What about The Cookies?

Cookies are sweet.

♪ If you don't want, you don't have to ♪

♪ Get in trouble, if you don't want, you don't have to ♪

♪ Get in trouble ♪

♪ If you don't want, you don't have to ♪

♪ Get in trouble ♪

♪ Say, you better leave my woman alone ♪

♪ Well, I know you are a playboy

♪ And you've got women all over town ♪

♪ But listen, buddy, if you ever sweet talk my little girl ♪

♪ I'm gonna lay your body down ♪

♪ If you don't want, you don't have to ♪

♪ Get in trouble ♪

♪ If you don't want, oh, yeah ♪

♪ Get in trouble, if you don't want ♪

Jesus, he's on fire, huh?

Maybe we should sign these girls up.

If I know Ray, we won't get a chance.

♪ That woman alone ♪

- ♪ You better leave ♪ - & That woman alone ♪

- ♪ Better leave ♪ - & That woman alone ♪

♪ My woman alone JJ Woman alone ♪

- JIlsaidJ - ♪ Woman alone ♪

♪ You better leave J Woman alone ♪

♪ My I> Woman alone, woman alone

♪ Woman J Woman alone ♪

♪ If you don't want, you don't have to ♪

♪ Get in trouble ♪

♪ If you don't want, you don't have to ♪

♪ Get in trouble ♪

♪ If you don't want, you don't have to ♪

♪ Get in trouble ♪

♪ Hey, you better leave my woman alone ♪

♪ My woman alone, my I

[Harmony] I Woman alone 2

[Tom] Whoo! It doesn't get any better than that, Ray.

You know what? I love it. We're gonna put it out just like that.

You know, I never got a record in one take before.

You cookies sound sweet. Mm-hmm.

Well, you know, when it's happening, baby, it just feels right.

I know what you mean. I got the shivers in this studio.

That's 'cause they ain't paid the heating bill.

I have a question for all of you.

How would you like to go on the road with me?

[Gasping]

[Women Squealing]

Um, um, how much are you gonna pay us?

- Ahmet takes care of all that. - What, you mean he don't listen to you?

Yeah, you better know he does.

Look, don't worry about it. Brother Ray will take care of all of you, honey.

My mama taught me to take care of myself, honey.

Is your mother here?

- No, she's not, but I speak for us. - No, you don't.

Okay, speak-for-us. How about, uh, $20 a week?

- Twenty dollars is good. - We'll take 40 each.

Twenty. [Ray] Forty each?

- You heard me. - Twenty will do.

No, no, no, no. How about 25?

- Twenty-five, we'll take 25. - We'll take 30.

I better say "yeah" before you talk me out of my drawers.

[All Squealing] $30 a week!

Deal?

Oh, yeah.

- Oh, Margie, right? - Yeah.

Look, Margie, from now on, you guys are gonna be called the Raelettes.

- Raelettes? - Does that mean we have to "let Ray"?

Oh, Lord, what am I gonna do with you?

I'm sure you'll think of something.

[Laughing] Ah, yeah.

- $30 a week. - We're going to be Raelettes.

[Piano: "Moonlight Sonata"]

[Woman] It's hot here. It's nothing like Jersey.

[Women Chattering]

[Woman #2] I can't believe she's got on a sweater.

[Woman #1] She's gonna need some strong deodorant.

- [All Laughing] - You know what I'm talkin' about!

[Margie] Ethel, go over there and talk to her.

[Ethel] Oh, gosh. [Jeff] Fathead, come on. You're on the clock.

Bob, you're late. [Fathead] We're two minutes late.

[Bangs Piano] All right, hold on, Jeff.

Listen up. From now on, we're going to sing four-part harmony.

Ethel, I want you to sing alto.

Margie, I want you to sing tenor.

Pat, soprano, and Mary Ann, bass.

I ain't no bass. I'm a soprano.

I'll sing bass.

I mean, where we come from, we can sing anything. - Mm-hmm.

We're talking about singing, sugar, not hog calling.

[Margie] What?

- Oh, that's cold. - Ooh.

Who you calling a hog?

Well, if the corncob fits.

- You better shut your mouth. - Wait a minute, stop now.

Hey, hey, hey! What is all the cackling for?

Mary Ann, sweetheart, I wrote something special for you.

- It's a solo. - A solo?

Yeah, come on down here and let me play it for you.

[Harmonizing] ♪ What kind of man are you? ♪

♪ OhJ

♪ Why do I love you so? ♪

♪ What kind of man are you? ♪

♪ Yeah, yeah ♪

♪ When you love me no more ♪

- Hey, Ethel. - What?

Ethel, come here and see this new piano Ray got.

- Come on, Mary Ann. - It's called a Wurlitzer.

- A what? - You gotta see this thing. It's out of sight.

This thing is out of sight, man.

Baby, I got your drink here for you.

- Don't play that. - Oh, she wants me to play something else.

[All Laughing] [Margie] Anything else.

Yeah.

♪ What kind of man are you? ♪

JI

♪ I just can't satisfy ♪

♪ What kind of man are you? ♪

♪ Oh, yeah ♪

♪ No matter how I try ♪

Oh.

[Men Cheering]

We got some elbow room, gentlemen.

Now this is a car. This is a car.

Uh, uh, uh.

It looks like a damn weenie mobile.

[Laughing, Chattering]

[Jeff] It's two-toned, Ray. Red and white.

Oh, lookee here.

[Jeff] Come on. Let's take it for a spin.

[Ray] Since I'm the boss, you've got to let me drive.

- Don't hit nothing, Ray. - All right.

♪ What kind of man are you? ♪

Mmm ♪

♪ I'm always left alone ♪

- Ooh! Are you okay? - Yeah.

- What room are you in? - 69.

You are so nasty.

That's what I love about you.

No, seriously, what room are you in?

I... I'm in 626.

- [Margie] 624. - Yeah.

Baby, I can't wait to get into your room.

[Both Chattering]

This is 626 right here.

All right, where's the key?

- You gotta go get the key. - I've gotta find it.

- Oh, yeah. - Is that it?

[Chuckles] It might be.

I'm not gonna unbuckle your pants yet, baby. Let's get you in.

♪ Oh, yeah ♪

[Audience Cheering]

[Ray] Miss Mary Ann Fisher, ladies and gentlemen.

[Fathead] Wait till you see what I got in the goody bag.

- Goody bag? - Gonna fly you to the moon, baby.

Let me get your hand, Ray. Right, there are three.

All right. That's for you.

I thought you was my friend, Fathead. The weight is off.

Don't start with me, Ray. The weight is off.

It ain't off. When you get high, man, and you try to cop,

those dealers spank your ass.

You gotta have more discipline.

You know what, man?

I ain't messing up my high tonight,

sitting here with you arguing about nothing.

[Indistinct]

Fathead, just tie me off.

Come on, Fathead. Fat.

Take care of your bad self.

You know so damn much.

- Later, Margie. - Bye, Fathead.

Damn.

[Bottles Clinking]

Ain't nothing free in this world but Jesus.

- Margie. - Yeah, what do you want?

Do me a favor, sweetheart, and pick that up for me.

You're gonna have to get me off.

I'll do it if you let me try some.

[Chuckles] This ain't for no little girls.

- I ain't no little girl. - I understand that.

It's just that this stuff will take you places that you don't want to go.

- See, I wanna share that with you. - Listen to me.

If I ever hear about you doing some drugs, you're through, you hear me?

You believe that more than you believe in Jesus.

Don't say that, Ray.

Ray, Ray, I watch your show every single night.

And every night is new to me,

maybe because it's new to you.

It's like you live every single word.

And then you bend some crazy note and...

[Sighing]

Damn, if you don't break my heart.

You got genius, baby.

I just wanna be a part of that.

[Ray] ♪ You know the nighttime, darling ♪

[Raelettes]; Night and day ♪

♪ Is the right time ♪

♪ Night and day ♪

♪ To be 2 Night and day ♪

♪ With the one you love ♪ ♪ Night and day ♪

♪ Whoa, whoa, baby ♪

♪ Night and day ♪

♪ When I come home, baby, now ♪

♪ Night and day ♪

♪ I want you to hold my hand ♪

- & Night and day ♪ - ♪ Yeah, tight as you can ♪

♪ Night and day ♪

♪ I know the nighttime ♪ ♪ Night and day ♪

♪ Oh, is the right time ♪ ♪ Night and day ♪

♪ To be with the one you love now JJ Night and day ♪

♪ You know what I'm thinking of I

♪ Night and day ♪ Whoa, sing your song, Margie ♪

♪ Baby ♪

♪ Night and day JJ Baby

♪ Night and day ♪

♪ Baby JJ Night and day ♪

♪ Oh, baby IJ Night and day ♪

♪ Do I love you? I

- ♪ Night and day ♪ - & No one above you ♪

♪ Night and day ♪

♪ Hold me tight ♪

Look at him. Look at his knees shaking.

He's got that junkie itch.

♪ Because the nighttime ♪

He's totally hooked.

♪ Oh, is the right time ♪

Yeah, but listen to that sound. He's brilliant.

You can never trust a junkie, man.

What do you want me to do? Listen to him, man.

♪ I said, baby JJ Night and day ♪

♪ Baby ♪

♪ Night and day JJ Baby

♪ Night and day ♪

♪ Whoa, baby, now ♪

♪ Night and day ♪

- Happy birthday! - Happy birthday, Ray.

You know what to do.

Take a deep breath.

Go ahead.

[All Cheering]

- Did he blow them out? - Every single one.

♪ I know the nighttime ♪ ♪ Night and day ♪

♪ Oh, every day is the right time JJ Night and day

♪ Yeah, yeah, yeah IJ Night and day ♪

- 8 [Vocalizing] - & Night and day ♪

- & Yeah, yeah 2 - [Crowd Cheering]

You know what? I want to thank you so very much.

Another round of applause for Miss Margie Hendricks.

- Thank you. - The beautiful Margie, yeah.

And thank you so much and good night.

- Do you see what time it is? - What's the problem?

The problem is I have a contract. That's the problem.

Ray? Ray, you still got 20 minutes left.

[Ray] What do you want me to do?

That fool's gonna hold us to every second in the contract.

Go babysit him. I'll take care of it. Okay.

It's okay.

They're saying we've got a little bit more work to do.

That was the last song in the book, Ray.

You know, Fathead, it ain't never the last song.

Now, band, follow me. Do what I do, say what I say. This is how we're gonna do it.

♪ [Intro: "What Did I Say"

[Man] That'll work.

[Rhythmic Clapping]

♪ Hey, Mama, don't you treat me wrong ♪

♪ Come and love your daddy all night long, yeah ♪

♪ Baby, it's all right now ♪

♪ Oh, it's all right ♪

♪ Hey, hey, hey, yeah ♪

♪ See the girl with the diamond ring? ♪

♪ She knows how to shake that thing ♪

♪ Now, now, yeah ♪

♪ She's all right ♪

♪ Oh, it's all right ♪

♪ Hey, hey, hey, yeah ♪

Can you play it one time for me, son?

That's what I'm talking about now.

Hold on, baby.

♪ You gonna tell your mama, tell your pa ♪

- ♪ Gonna send you back to Arkansas ♪ - Bop, bop, bop.

♪ Mama ♪

♪ Mama, they don't do right ♪

♪ Hey, don't do right

♪ Aw, what'd I say? ♪

♪ Tell me what'd I say ♪

♪ Tell me what'd I say ♪

Where can I get that record from?

I don't know. It doesn't exist yet.

I'll tell Ray he should record it.

♪ And I want to know ♪

Mmm ♪

♪ OhJ

- S Mmm ♪ - S Mmm ♪

- §Oh/J - >Oh ♪

- &S Mmm, oh ♪ - &S Mmm, oh ♪

- & Oh, it's all right ♪ - ♪ Baby, it's all right ♪

- & Yeah, now, it's all right ♪ - ♪ Baby, it's all right ♪

- & Oh, it's all right ♪ - ♪ Baby, it's all right ♪

- & Mama, it's all right ♪ - ♪ Baby, it's all right ♪

- ♪ Oh, it's all right now ♪ - ♪ Baby, it's all right ♪

- ♪ It's all right now ♪ - I Baby, it's all right ♪

Ss Mmm ♪ - Yeah, that's it.

Ss Mmm ♪

♪ OhbMy Oh

♪ Huh, huh 2 Huh, huh 28

I'm telling you. That is out of sight. That's a hit.

It's fantastic, Ray.

But what the hell are we going to do with this? It's too damn long.

Every night we play this, we bring the house down.

I'm telling you. It's guaranteed.

Tom, cut the playback.

Come on out here.

♪ [Stops]

You know what, Ray? You're probably right.

I'm sure you're right. I've never heard a sound like this before.

But how the hell are we going to market this?

We could cut the second verse. Pop back into the chorus.

You cut that, I'll cut you in half.

All right, all right, Ray.

We could, uh, split it up.

Do a side-A, side-B type of thing.

It's been done before. What the hell, right?

Yeah.

It's sexual.

- It's just too damn sexual for kids. - Let's do it.

Yeah, baby. That's why I love y'all, man.

[Jerry] What the hell. It's Atlantic, right?

Atlantic.

We'll release it in summer. There's less censorship.

When school's out, the kids are ready to kick loose. Let's boogaloo.

[Ray] Okay.

Tom, let's see if we can cut this pumpkin in two.

Show me what your genius is all about.

You got it, boss.

Yeah, put one on side A, then put another one on side B.

- That sounds out of sight. - How you feeling, Ray?

I feel groovy, baby.

- I'm talking about the junk. - What?

It's starting to show.

You're scratching all the time. You can't sit still.

Hey, man, have I ever missed a date?

No, you never have.

Who's the one that delivers a record on one take, huh?

Ray, you deliver better than anybody I know,

but I'm not talking to you as a businessman.

Now, come on. Listen to me.

I'm worried about you.

Now, as a friend,

I'm telling you, man... Your slip is hanging.

[Chuckles] Your slip is hanging.

You've been hanging out with us country boys too much, man.

Look, don't worry about this, man.

If this monkey gets too heavy on my back,

I will get an organ-grinder, man, and put him to work.

♪ Say it one more time ♪ ♪ Just one more time ♪

♪ Say it one more time ♪ Just one more time ♪

He's off the Chitlin' Circuit. DownBeat just voted him...

best male jazz vocalist by a two-to-one margin.

Well, if you want to keep him in Philadelphia,

you're gonna find him a bigger venue.

♪ Mmm; Mmm ¢

♪ OhbMy Oh

♪ Huh & Huh ♪

♪ OhbMy Oh

♪ Huh, huh ♪> Huh, huh ♪

♪ Oh, make me feel so good ♪ Make me feel so good

- "What'd I Say." ♪ Make me feel so good now, yeah

♪ Whoa, baby ♪ ♪ Make me feel so good ♪

♪ Make me feel so good, yeah ♪

Forget second billing. Ray Charles headlines at 1,000 per or no deal.

♪ Make me feel so good, yeah ♪ ♪ Make me feel so good ♪

Terrific.

♪ Mmm; Mmm ¢

♪ OhbMy Oh

♪ Huh & Huh ♪

♪ OhbMy Oh

♪ Huh, Huh && Huh, Huh ♪

♪ Oh, it's all right ♪ Baby, it's all right ♪

♪ Said it's all right now ♪ ♪ Baby, it's all right ♪

♪ Said it's all right ♪ ♪ Baby, it's all right ♪

[Bea] Ray, I'm having second thoughts about this.

I don't know nobody in L.A.

[Ray]Look, Bea, I don't want my kids growing up in the South now.

L.A. is where, you know, a Negro can spread his wings and fly.

[Bea] Ray, my whole family is in Texas.

[Ray] That's why we're moving to L.A.

I'll tell you what, Jeff. Tell the boys...

they can go ahead and start their vacation right now.

[Jeff] All right, boss, once I get you inside.

♪ [Ends]

[Bea] Look at that huge coconut tree.

That ain't no coconut tree. Those are palm trees.

- There's thousands of them. - Palm trees, yeah.

- Okay. - And here's the keys to your life, brand-new life.

Oh, Ray.

Ray, this is too much.

Have you seen the dining room?

[Laughs] But, baby, it's October.

You know what, I wanted to celebrate early...

because the band is going to be playing during the holidays.

- [Bea] You are unbelievable. - Look at your presents.

Baby, look at what Santa brought you. You must have been good.

- Go ahead. - Christmas is early, baby.

Go get it. What's he taking?

- Guitar. - He's gonna be a musician just like his daddy.

[Bea] Can you play? [Phone Rings]

[Jeff] Hello?

How'd you get this number?

How do you think I got it?

Put Ray on the phone.

[Bea] It's a mitt.

Ray, telephone. [Ray] Like Willie Mays.

Deal with it, man.

Ray, it's important. Telephone.

I'll be right back. All right.

Who is it?

It's Margie, man.

Junior, come help your mama change your brother's diaper.

I don't want to go. I want to stay and open my presents.

Come on.

- I don't want to. - I don't care. Don't make me tell you twice.

Hello.

Hey, baby, surprise.

I came to L.A. to surprise you.

Surprise me? Are you out your mind? I'm with my wife and kids.

Well, on the road, I'm Mrs. Ray Charles.

- That's on the road. - Yeah, but, baby, come on.

I've got everything set up for us.

Didn't you hear what I just said to you, huh?

Wait a minute, baby. Look, I got a bottle of Bols... - Shut up.

Listen, we record in two weeks, okay? I'll see you then.

- Wait a minute, Ray. - Bye.

Ray!

[Ray] I One of these days I

♪ And it won't be long

♪ You gonna look for me I

♪ And I'll be gone I

♪ Lord, I believe ♪

[Raelettes] ♪ I believe ♪

♪ Yes, I believe ♪ - Oh.

♪ I say, I believe right now

♪ I believe ♪

♪ Yes, I believe ♪

♪ Well, I believe in my soul now ♪

♪ You're trying to make a fool of me ♪

♪ I believe it I believe it &8

Hold, hold, hold. Wait, wait, cut, cut, cut.

Now, y'all know that sounds off.

You know what? The three-part harmony is off.

Let's start it all over again from the top with the band.

[Vocals Only] I I believe it I believe it ♪

Whoa, partner. What was that?

I knew you'd like that, Ray. It's an eight-track.

We just got it. We can record each part separately.

Whoa, Nellie. I can't wait to see that.

[Laughing] What's so funny?

Nothing, partner.

Margie's drunk. Jeff?

Why don't you go home and sleep it off?

Margie, come on. Let me take you home.

No, I'll leave when I'm good and goddamn ready.

She's good and goddamn ready right now.

Why don't you make me leave then, sucker?

Teach you to treat me like some piece of meat.

No, I ain't shuttin' up, Pat.

- Should we get in there? - No.

He's gonna have to make me leave if he wants me to go.

You ain't got to shut up. Jeff, get all of them out of here.

- Every one of 'em out. - See, you're a cold-ass bastard.

No, let go of me, Jeff. You're a cold-ass bastard, Ray.

See, he wouldn't even spit on me if my ass was on fire.

- Damn right I wouldn't. - Put me down, Jeff.

Put me down, damn it!

You dropped your shoe.

[Band Laughing]

All right, come on. Let's get back to work.

Tom, this is what I want you to do.

We're gonna lay my vocals down and finish the harmony parts.

How are we gonna do the harmonies, Ray? You sent the girls home.

I know what I did. Let me take care of that.

You turn that eight-track on, and I'll do the girls' parts myself.

And go out here somewhere and find me a "Oh, Johnny" girl.

Uh, one minute.

What the hell's an "Oh, Johnny" girl?

I think I've got an idea.

♪ Last night you were dreaming ♪

♪ And I heard you say ♪

Oh, Johnny.

♪ When you know my name is Ray ♪

♪ That's why I believe right now ♪

[High-pitched] J I believe ♪

[High-pitched] J Yes, ] believe I I Yes, I believe ♪

♪ I say I believe right now ♪

♪ I believe & & I believe ♪

♪ Yes, I believe J J Yes, I believe ♪

♪ Whoa ♪

[Milt] The sky is the limit, Ray.

I got you a $5,000-a-night raise.

They're gonna up you to 15 per.

Rehearsal in 10 minutes, guys.

Jeff, could you run downstairs and get me some cigarettes?

- Okay, boss. - Thank you.

15 per, huh?

You know, Ray, your contract with Atlantic is expiring in four months.

Yeah. I got the contract. They're gonna double my royalties.

Before we jump back in that pond,

I thought I'd find out what else was out there.

I had a very productive chat with ABC-Paramount yesterday.

ABC? Who told you to do that?

You know good and well Atlantic is family.

Just like the Shaw Agency.

Ray, my job is to get you the best deal possible.

ABC is very interested.

No.

How interested?

How about a $50,000 advance?

Each year for three years.

You produce your own records.

They'll deduct recording costs...

and give you 75%.

Ahmet and Jerry are flying in tonight,

so will you put them off until I can talk things out with ABC?

Well, my mama said ain't nothing wrong with talking.

[Man] Hey, enough of the formalities.

Come on. Let's go back into the office, Ray.

I hope I can call you Ray. I want you to be comfortable here.

Because I'll tell you something.

Everything is gonna be better at ABC.

Moving from an indie label to a major means...

you're gonna sell a lot more records,

as well as attract much larger crowds, both white and Negro.

Well, Mr. Clark, I've been at Atlantic for so long...

I just wanted to give those guys a chance,

you know, to at least match the offer.

Mmm-hmm. Oh, certainly, certainly.

But I doubt they'll be able to.

Remember, we're giving you a state-of-the-art deal here.

Since I'm producing my own records, I was wondering if I could...

own my masters too.

Well, Ray, we've never done that before.

No record company has.

Well, I think I'm going to have to have it that way...

in order for me to leave Atlantic Records.

[Jerry] Ahmet believes we're a family here at Atlantic.

I believe we're family here at Atlantic.

Obviously you don't.

Ahmet wouldn't believe it.

You know what he said, Ray? He said you would never turn your back on us,

never for a schlockmeister like Sam Clark.

[Chuckles] That's rich. Sam Clark's a corporate slug.

Wouldn't know the difference between Earl Hines and Art Tatum.

We let you grow here, Ray.

Man, nobody's taking credit for your talent,

but we nourished it.

We let you do your thing.

Goddamn it, we deserve better than this.

Don't think that I don't appreciate...

everything you guys have done here, Jerry.

Ahmet, I'm very proud of the work we've done here together,

but Atlantic has done pretty good money-wise on my records, haven't they?

Yes, we've done very well, Ray.

You're the ones that taught me that making a record is business...

and to find the best business deal you can.

Now, 75¢ of every dollar and owning my own masters...

is a pretty damn good deal.

Can you match it?

Ray, we would love to match it,

but we just can't.

That's a better deal than Sinatra gets.

I'm very proud of you.

Looks like those boys are gonna get a taste of country charm.

Yeah.

He's gonna be all right, man. [Door Slams]

You guys always do find the best.

♪ Georgia ♪

♪ Georgia ♪

♪ The whole day through ♪

♪ Just an old sweet song ♪

♪ Keeps Georgia on my mind ♪

♪ Georgia on my mind ♪

♪ I said Georgia I

♪ Georgia ♪

Listen to that crap.

I thought you said ABC wasn't going to force nothing on him.

They didn't.

It was Ray's idea.

Something new.

What are we then, Jeff? Something old?

Yeah, what about us?

We've got to eat too.

♪ Other arms reach out to me ♪

♪ Other eyes smile ♪

♪ Tenderly ♪

♪ Still in peaceful dreams ♪

♪ lseed

♪ The road leads back ♪

♪ Toyou ♪

♪ Whoa ♪

[Crowd Cheering, Whistling] [Man] Bravo, bravo!

[Ray] It's a hit record. What the hell is wrong with that?

Some critics are saying you've gone middle-of-the-road.

The orchestra, the choir,

The Perry Como Show, man?

If I feel the music, then that means it's real.

No, it ain't. Ray Charles is a sellout.

He's a blind Liberace, leaving those "Rocking Chair" roots behind.

Quincy Jones. Can we get a picture of these two guys?

- Six-nine. - Hey, boy.

Look here. This interview is over.

I'd love to get you two together, man.

[Jones] Some other time. Look at you.

How's it going, man? You look good.

Let me look at you. You look good too.

You hear what they're saying about me?

They're saying I can't do it no more.

- I've done gone middle-of-the-road. - So crank out another hit.

Let me tell you something. It ain't easy to keep on being greezy, Q.

Where you blow in from?

Paris.

- Bonjour. - Yeah, man.

France is where it's at.

Yeah, man, and all that stuff that you've been playing, man,

it really is out of sight.

You know, we gotta record something together.

I mean, people will really dig it.

So where are you going after the festival?

I got D.C., Richmond, Virginia, Georgia.

Once you get that record out there, you gotta sell it.

The South, man? I'm not doin' it no more.

Come on, Q. Now, that's where the money is, baby.

You know, when I left Seattle with Hamp,

we went down there, man, and it felt like I walked into a prison cell.

You know, a black man is a boy in Mississippi, Ray,

even if he's 80 years old.

I'm never playing to Jim Crow again, ever.

Eh, if that's what you feel, baby.

No, I'm serious, Ray.

I mean, we gotta do something.

Well, you know, what the hell, man.

You're just gonna leave a lot more money on the table for me.

You're welcome to it, man.

♪ [Electric Piano]

- Are you ready to work? - Work on what?

Get over here. You gotta help me with this one.

Percy just sent me some new music.

[Retching]

You know what they're saying about me?

Said I lost something. Said I've gone middle-of-the-road.

They may as well say the same thing about you.

You were the soul of this band.

Now every time you're around, you're just drunk.

Drunk soul of a blind junkie. What a lovely couple.

Why don't you just get out of here?

I ain't drunk, Ray.

I'm pregnant.

Yeah, that's right. I'm having your baby.

You ain't really. You can't do that.

You have to talk to the doctor or something. You gotta get rid of it.

My God! What?

Because I'm not your precious Bea?

I'm not good enough to have this baby?

You lay up in my bed every night.

My bed!

I'm gonna have this baby, Ray.

[Strikes Keys]

- No! No, Ray, no. - Margie, come here. Listen to me.

I care about you. I ain't gonna let nothing happen to you.

I'll pay for everything.

No! This is gonna cost you more than money.

I want you to leave her, Ray. Come and be with our baby.

You out your damn mind. You knew the rules when you got into this.

You know good and goddamn well...

I ain't gonna leave my family.

[Gasps] Leave your family?

You are a damn fool, you know that?

Between the dope and the music and me,

you already done left your damn family.

You know what the sad part about it is, Ray?

You don't even know it.

[Sighs]

You know what?

From now on, it's strictly business between you and me.

[Playing Piano]

Yeah, that's it. That's it, keep that anger.

♪ Hit the road, Jack ♪

♪ And don't you come back no more ♪

♪ No more, no more, no more ♪

♪ Hit the road, Jack, and don't you come back no more ♪

♪ That's right Hit the road, Jack ♪ - That's it.

♪ And don't you come back no more, no more, No more, no more ♪

♪ Hit the road, Jack, and don't you come back no more ♪

- & What you say? ♪ - ♪ Hit the road, Jack ♪

♪ And don't you come back no more ♪

♪ No more, no more, no more ♪

♪ Hit the road, Jack ♪

♪ And don't you come back no more ♪

♪ Now, baby, listen, baby, don't you treat me this way ♪

♪ 'Cause I'll be back on my feet some day ♪

♪ Don't care if you do 'cause it's understood ♪

♪ You ain't got no money You just ain't no good ♪

♪ Well, I guess if you say so ♪

♪ I'll have to pack my things and go JJ That's right ♪

♪ Hit the road, Jack, and don't you come back no more ♪

♪ No more, no more, no more ♪

♪ Hit the road, Jack ♪

♪ And don't you come back no more ♪

♪ What you say? ♪

Hey, Ray, it's Sam.

Can you hear me? It's Sam.

Yeah, hey, "Hit the Road" is our second number one.

Yeah, ABC is taking out ads in all the trades.

Yeah, oh, and congrats on your Grammy nomination.

No, no, no, I know you're gonna win.

Hey, are you feeling all right?

Come on, baby, be happy. You're doing good.

[Mumbling Softly] Thank you, Sam.

I-I really am happy about that.

And, uh, yeah.

I'll stop by Jeff's room and get my money on my way out.

Ray.

Margie, you ain't gotta leave, baby.

I'm on your hit record.

If I'm ever gonna go solo, then now's the time.

Yeah, I don't want you to.

I don't want you to go solo.

Ray, for once, I'm doing something for me.

You remember the hummingbird, right?

What?

The hummingbird, Bea.

[Door Slams] Hell, I don't want you to go.

[Bottles Clinking]

Somebody will fetch you when your bus gets to St. Augustine.

And when you get there, show them this sign and tell them...

that your name is Ray Charles Robinson.

And them sandwiches I made, don't eat them all at once, you hear?

Mama, please don't make me go away.

I'll keep up with the normal kids.

I'll be good, just like George.

This ain't got nothing to do with George.

I've taken you as far as I can, baby.

Them teachers at that blind school, they can teach you things I can't.

And you needs an education in this world.

- I don't want no education. - Shh, don't say that.

I don't. I wanna stay with you.

Stop it, Ray.

I won't have you living hand-to-mouth like me, you hear?

Now listen, if you wanna do something to make your mama proud,

promise me, promise me...

you'll never let nobody turn you into no cripple.

You won't become no charity case, and you'll stand on your own two feet.

I promise.

I love you, baby.

I'm so proud of you.

[Sniffling]

[Crowd Chanting] No more segregation. No more segregation.

[Chanting Continues]

[Siren Blaring]

[Man] Welcome back to Augusta, Ray.

Hey. Good to see you.

[Reporter] Ray Charles! Over here.

Do you believe in the protest, Ray?

Get outta here, will ya?

Ray, I'm sorry about this. Hurry on up inside.

We've got some refreshments waiting for you.

Mr. Charles. Mr. Charles.

You know tonight's show is segregated?

The dance floor's whites only. Negroes can't leave the balcony.

That's how it is, man. You know, this is Georgia.

You think we don't know that?

Negroes been persecuted in this state every day.

Look, man, ain't nothing I can do about that.

I'm an entertainer, and we all gotta play Jim Crow down here.

That's right. Get outta here, boy.

It doesn't have to be that way.

We could change things right here and now!

I'm sorry, son, ain't nothing I can do.

You hear that, boy? It's the way things are.

Ain't nothin', ain't nobody gonna change it.

Get your black ass out of here and take that trash with you.

Hold on, hold on. He's right.

He's right, Jeff. Get them on the bus.

- Get them back on the bus. - [Jeff] Y'all heard him.

Y'all heard Ray. Back on the bus, everybody.

- Everybody back on the bus! - Are you serious?

- Get them on the bus. - What the hell is this?

I can't do nothing here.

Ray, you know me.

I'm not gonna lose money just because you suddenly got religion.

- Nothing I can do, man. - You've got a contract.

- I know that. - You break it, I'm gonna sue your ass.

- And I'll win. - You gotta do what you gotta do.

- I'll win big! - You gotta do what you gotta do.

- I'll own your ass, Ray! - All right.

I'll own you!

Thank you, Mr. Charles. You could be the first.

No, thank you, son. You were right.

You're right.

You will never work Georgia again!

He filed a lawsuit, and it's more than a fine, Ray.

This guy's got juice. He can get you barred...

from ever playing Georgia again.

But he's willing to drop the suit if you'll make up the gig.

[Bangs Piano]

Not if it's segregated.

Ray.

I admire what you're doing, man, but you can't afford this.

Georgia's our highest-grossing state.

I'm not gonna play any more of those Jim Crow joints ever again. You got that?

Yeah, I got it.

- Jeff, get those people in here so we can rehearse. - Come on, y'all.

Let's go, now. Come on. Time to rehearse.

[Ray] & Unchain my heart ♪

[Raelettes] I Unchain my heart

♪ Baby, let me be ♪

♪ Unchain my heart ♪

♪ 'Cause you don't care about me ♪

♪ Unchain my heart ♪

♪ [Crowd Clapping]

♪ Why lead me through a life of misery ♪

♪ When you don't care a bag of beans for me? ♪

♪ So unchain my heart, please, please set me free ♪

Go ahead and dance.

Let's dance, everybody.

[All Clamoring]

- You okay? - Yeah, what the hell is going on?

Just a bunch of kids on stage dancing.

Well, let them dance. That's what they're here for.

Officer, please don't hurt them. Let them keep dancing.

Keep it going. Keep it going.

- ♪ I'm under your spell ♪ - ♪ I'm under your spell ♪

- ♪ Like a man in a trance ♪ - ♪ Like a man in a trance ♪

♪ Whoa, but you know darn well ♪

♪ I know darn well ♪

♪ That I don't stand a chance ♪

- § So unchain my heart ♪ - § Unchain my heart ♪

♪ Let me go my way ♪ ♪ Unchain my heart ♪

- § Unchain my heart ♪ - § Unchain my heart ♪

- & You worry me night and day J - J Unchain my heart I

♪ Why lead me through a life of misery ♪

[Officer] Get off now!

♪ When you don't care a bag of beans for me? ♪

♪ So unchain my heart ♪

- J} Please, please set me free J - J Please set me free ♪

[Ray] & Won't you set me free? ♪

[Raelettes] I Please set me free ♪

♪ Whoa, set me free ♪

♪ Please set me free ♪

[Knocking]

[Man] Mr. Charles, it's Western Union.

We have a telegram for you.

- You have to sign for it, sir. - I'm coming.

Indianapolis Police, I got a report of loud music coming from this area.

Where do you think you're going, pal?

- Come here. - I'm just going to the bathroom.

No. Handcuff this son of a bitch.

You recognize this, Ray? Heroin's a felony.

It ain't like I'm dealing it, man.

I'm not hurting nobody.

No, you're hurting everybody.

Your jungle music is poisoning our kids' minds.

I'm gonna put your black ass away forever.

You gotta understand. I got a wife, I got kids.

I got responsibilities.

Why don't you tell that story to these people? Okay, bring them in.

- Ray, was it a setup, Ray? - How long have you been on heroin, Ray?

[Overlapping Questions]

[All Clamoring]

Ray, are you gonna plead guilty?

[Reporters' Audios Fade]

[Ray] ♪ You give your hand to me ♪

♪ And then you say, "Hello" ♪

♪ And I can hardly speak ♪

♪ My heart is beating so ♪

♪ And anyone can tell;

♪ You think you know me well ♪

♪ But you, you don't know me, no ♪

- David. - Hi, baby.

- David. - Bea, he can stay.

No, baby, come on.

- Bea? - What?

- Since I got back... - Since you got out.

Yeah.

Since I got here, you haven't said more than two words to me.

Ray, what am I supposed to say?

My words don't seem to mean much to you anymore. Maybe they never did.

- Come on, now, Bea. You know I love you. - Are you gonna stop then?

You know what, Bea? What you don't understand...

there's a lot of mean-spirited people out there.

Yeah.

Ray?

You know I had to bring Junior home from school today...

because of what the other kids are saying.

They got mean-ass kids around here.

- We should move to Beverly Hills. - No, no, Ray.

We're not gonna move. 'Cause it's not about where we live, Ray.

It's about what you're doing to yourself.

And those boys worship you.

You want them to end up using that poison too?

- That's not fair. - What's not fair?

What's not fair, Ray? [Phone Ringing]

[Stammering] That's-that's a low blow.

Hello?

Don't jive me, Milt. Don't jive me, man.

Really?

Good, good. Now, tell Sam I said thank you.

All right. All right, then.

- Oh, yeah. - What, Ray? Come on, now.

- Yeah, yeah! - Ray, tell me what happened.

ABC got the case dropped.

The police didn't have a warrant.

They bought them off.

Damn it, Bea, do you want me to go to prison?

No. Ray, I want you to stop lying to yourself,

and they are making that completely impossible.

There's some things you're not understand...

Make me understand, Ray!

Baby, when I walk out that door, I walk out alone in the dark.

I'm trying to do something that ain't nobody ever done in music and business.

But I can't do itif I'm alone everywhere I go.

I don't wanna be alone here, Bea.

Not in my own home.

Look, Bea, if you don't understand me,

then who will?

[David Crying]

I don't know, Ray.

David, I'm coming.

Mama's coming.

[Sam] Ray, we pull you out of the fire,

and you want country music?

Look, I've been singing country music all my life.

As a matter of fact, I used to play with the Florida Playboys.

We've made a big investment in you, and it's paying off handsomely,

for both of us, I might add.

We don't want to lose your fan base.

You know, you got a point there,

but I actually think we have more to gain...

than we do to lose.

Ray, it's a bad idea.

When I came to ABC, you guys put in the contract...

that I can choose my own music.

You want to read that paragraph?

[Briefcase Latches Click]

It's on page three.

I don't need to see it.

I [Jazz]

[Emcee] Good evening, St. Louis.

It's time for the main attraction.

The innovator of soul, the genius himself,

Ray Charles!

[Crowd Cheering]

All right, Ray! Yeah!

Thank you so much. You know what?

I know that a lot of you all don't know...

that I was brought up in the South, you know, [Woman] "What'd I say"!

And every time you turn the radio on in the South,

you hear the Grand Ole Opry.

That's what I grew up singing, so I hope you don't mind.

"Hit the Road, Jack."

I wanna sing something to give you a taste of my country roots.

- "Unchain My Heart"! - "Georgia on My Mind," Ray!

♪ I just can't stop, babe ♪

Tommy, the lights up top and the ones on the mezzanine.

Let's take everything down and hit Ray with a follow spot.

Do it on my count.

♪ To live in memory ♪

In five, four...

♪ Of the lonesome times ♪

♪ Yeah ♪

♪ I can't stop ♪

- § Wanting you ♪ - [Crowd Stops Chattering]

♪ It's useless to say ♪

♪ So I'll just live my life ♪

♪ I'll live my life ♪

♪ In dreams of yesterdays ♪

♪ Those happy hours ♪

♪ Oh, those happy hours

♪ That we once knew ♪

[Horn Honking] [Ray Jr.] Jeff's here.

[Ray] Oh, okay.

Dad, if you can't see...

how can you choose the right color socks?

[Ray] Well, I'm gonna show you right now. Here, let me show you something.

See? Right here?

The 2 right there, I got it sewn in thick, so I can feel it.

So that means 2 is brown, 1 is black, 3 is blue.

- And-And where's 4? - Nowhere.

Four ain't nowhere, you're right.

♪ Heals a broken heart ♪

♪ But time has stood still ♪

♪ Now, time stood still ♪

♪ Since we've been apart

♪ Yeah ♪

[Cheering]

[Man] We're still working on the balcony.

Okay, guys, we've got 10 minutes to load out. Change back at the hotel.

They bought that country jive hook, line and sinker. Ray, you're amazing.

I'm gonna tell you something. That country music, you know why they like it?

The stories, man. They've got great stories.

Hey, Joe. You know what? Ray, I wanna introduce you to Joe Adams.

Hal Ziegler hired Joe as the announcer for the rest of the tour.

Hey, man, I know you. Mayor of Melody.

I used to listen to your radio show in L.A. in the '50s, man.

Yes, we've both come a ways since then.

Yeah. Let me ask you this. What was all that counting you was doing back there?

I was cuing down the lights.

That shuts up the audience, SO you can sing your ballad...

instead of having to scream it.

Well, I'll be damned. Who told you to do that?

No one, it just needed to be done.

See? That's what I'm talking about.

I like to hear a person say, "It needed to be done,"

as opposed to a person saying, "It ain't my job," you know?

You know, tell me about Central Avenue, man.

I know you know Jack Lauderdale.

Hello, New York.

Hello, Boston.

Hello, St. Louis.

Good evening, San Francisco.

[Raelettes]; Bye, bye, love ♪

♪ Bye, bye, happiness ♪

Hey, Ray, I got some good news for you.

We got the cover of Cash Box.

"The Nation's Hottest Selling Album: 'Modern Sounds of Country & Western."

- You are hotter than hell. - That's what they say.

And I've been watching. Your albums are going through the roof.

Your concerts are always selling out.

You have to start thinking about shelters

for your money. You're in a new tax bracket.

[Jeff] Keep your drawers on, Fathead. I got the instruments with me.

Jeff, you know Joe Adams was in the film Carmen Jones.

- Who was the director again? - Otto Preminger.

Yeah, he was also on Broadway with Lena Horne.

She was the star. I was supporting.

Is that a fact?

[Joe] Prepare yourself for an extraordinary evening of music.

Perhaps the most innovative, unique...

and energetic musical voice today.

Please welcome to the stage...

It is my distinct pleasure...

- Please give your warmest welcome... - to the one of a kind...

- I present... - Mr. Ray...

- Ray... - Ray Charles!

♪ Whoa ♪

♪ Bye, bye, love ♪

♪ Whoo ♪

- ♪ Bye, bye, sweet caress ♪ - S Mmm ♪

♪ Hello, emptiness I think I'm gonna die ♪

[Speaking French]

[Speaking Italian]

[Speaking Spanish]

- [Speaking German] - [Speaking Japanese]

[Speaking Multiple Languages]

Ray Charles! [Crowd Cheering]

[Joe] Bea, there's a park...

right at the end of the street for the boys.

You can see the whole L.A. basin from there.

Not even Beverly Hills has views like this.

[Ray] How's it look, Bea?

Huh? You like it, don't you?

[Bea] I don't know, Ray. I haven't seen it yet.

Voila.

This foyer is designed to impress anybody who walks through the door.

There's a big winding staircase, just like Gone with the Wind.

We should get our portraits painted like Rhett and Scarlett.

[Chuckles] Bea, bring him on in here.

Wait till you hear what's waiting for you in the living room.

What is it?

I had them build you a solid marble fireplace two stories high.

Hot damn. How do you like it, Bea?

It's awful big.

It sure is. 8,500 square feet.

The biggest house in the neighborhood.

So, Ray, does this meet with your approval?

Oh, man, this is a palace.

[Joe] You think this is big?

Wait till tomorrow when you see 30,000 square feet of RPM Incorporated.

[Ray] Yeah, headquarters.

This is it, Ray. Your brand-new recording studio.

Did you get everything I asked for?

Totally state-of-the-art.

Tom Dowd built an eight-track mixing console,

two recorders, the works.

This room is bigger than most people's houses.

Got your own private bathroom to your left. - Good.

Right behind you is my adjoining office. - All right.

Step over to your private bar to the left. - Hello.

Got a bottle of Bols right in the center.

You know me pretty good.

[Joe] If you run out just shout. I'll be right next door.

[Ray] This is nice right here.

- This is the house that Ray built. - Yes, it is.

[Ray] & Born to lose

♪ I've lived my life in vain ♪

[Children Laughing]

Ray Junior, slow down! This ain't no baseball diamond.

[Phone Rings] [Woman] Charles residence.

- Mr. Charles? - Get the phone, baby.

Della, bring that boy over. I got a hot dog with his name on it.

Hello?

Yes, I remember who you are.

What?

- Oh, God, no. - Ray?

Yes, I'll get on a plane. I'll be there as soon as I can.

What happened?

Margie's dead.

Oh, God. How?

She overdosed.

I didn't start her.

I didn't let her do dope around me. I wouldn't let it happen.

Yes, I'm sure, Ray. I'm sure you set a fine example.

What about her baby?

You knew?

His name is Charles Wayne.

He was born October 1 in New York City.

He's three years old.

The baby's fine. He's at her sister's.

All right. I'll start sending them some money.

You don't have to. I send them money every month.

[Sobbing]

In five minutes, Mr. Charles will be here, and he will be ready to go.

The charts Jeff is handing out should be turned in at the conclusion...

You're late. That's a $50 fine.

I ain't late.

I give 'em a 10-minute grace period, Joe.

Five minutes after 2:00. He's late. He will be charged $50.

What? You know what? Where's Ray?

You don't have to talk to Ray. You're talking to me.

I'll talk to whoever I damn well please,

and it sure as hell ain't you.

Jive jerk.

Hey, Ray. This fool Joe Adams...

is trying to fine me for being late.

What time did you get here?

What?

Just now. The band's still setting up.

- Jeff never... - I'm not Jeff.

That's a fact, Jack.

Ray, you said the band was my thing.

Itis.

Then Fathead, you go on back to rehearsal.

Ray!

You know how it is. You've been there.

[Jeff] Fathead, go on, now. Let me handle this.

Fathead, go on now.

You want to tell me what the hell is going on?

I'm not doing anything I haven't been asked to do.

Ray's running a business. He shouldn't have to waste time hearing why people were late.

I'm not talking to you, Joe. I'm talking to Ray.

Ray, I know you think I'm soft on the band,

but those cats will do whatever I ask.

But if you come in here with this "running a business" crap,

you're gonna lose some good people. I'm telling you, Ray.

There are musicians waiting in line to play with Ray Charles.

Not for long. Once they get a taste of you.

Ray, you're the leader, man. Be one. Come on, now.

You know what, Jeff? Things have changed, man.

It ain't like the days when it was seven of us on the Chitlin' Circuit.

If you wasn't so busy building a bowling alley you'd seen that.

So you know about that, huh?

I know about everything.

I'm just trying to figure out how you did it.

You think I'm stealing from you, Ray?

If the Shaw Agency is going to give you a cut of the 10% I'm giving them,

I might as well keep the goddamn money in my pocket.

Leave us alone. We need to talk.

- Ray? - You can step outside, Joe.

I'll be in my office.

Ray, now, I know that jealous bastard...

planted that lie in your head.

But I've never stolen from you, Ray, and I never will.

I got myself a small business loan.

And, yeah, Milt Shaw was giving me a little extra, but I'm not a thief, Ray.

Then what about that, Jeff?

A promoter swearing that you did side deals with him,

so you could split my overages.

How could you do that to me?

We've been through so much. We were like brothers.

You know what, Ray?

If we were like brothers,

why are you paying Joe more than you're paying me?

Damn all that, you broke my heart, man.

Well, you know what, Ray?

You broke mine a long goddamn time ago.

Well, then there it is.

You know something, Ray? You're gonna get yours one day.

And I pray to God he has mercy on your soul, you son of a bitch.

Everything all right, Ray?

How the hell do you think it is?

[Honking]

Go tell him. Go tell him, tell him.

Hey, Dad. I made the all-star team. The game's on Thursday.

That's great. Oh, damn.

I'm not gonna be in town. I got to go on tour.

How about I buy you guys some new uniforms?

Tell the coach I don't care how much they cost. - Okay.

Son, you want to take your dad's briefcase inside?

The plane to Montreal leaves at 11:00.

- I'll pick you up at 8:30? - All right.

Did you hear what Ray Junior said to you? - Yeah.

Do you know how much making the all-star team means to him?

I know, but I got things on my mind. We had to fire Jeff.

- What? - He was stealing.

- Jeff? - Mm-hmm.

I don't believe it.

Yeah, well, we're better without him.

♪ My mother told me I

[Applause]

♪ Before she passed away ♪

♪ Said, Son, when I'm gone ♪

♪ Don't forget to pray ♪

♪ 'Cause there'll be hard times ♪

♪ Hard times ♪

♪ Oh, yeah ♪

♪ Who knows better than I? ♪

Excuse me, gentlemen. U.S. Customs.

We're gonna need to see some identification, please.

You just arrived from Montreal?

Yes, is there a problem?

We were alerted there might be drugs on this plane.

What? That's outrageous. I want to call our lawyer.

No lawyers at international checkpoints.

We're going to have to search everyone on this plane.

Mr. Charles, if you don't mind, we'd like to

start with you. I'd like to see your overcoat.

- If I don't mind? - Don't say anything, Ray.

What's this?

Ray, this isn't some judge in Indiana. It's federal.

They can charge you with smuggling, which can mean real prison time.

Our lawyers will do what they can, but...

[Phone Rings]

[Continues Ringing]

Hello.

You can't hide out in here forever, Ray.

It's my house. I'm not in prison yet.

No, it's my house.

You ain't been here more than six days since we moved in.

No, Ray. No! A needle ain't gonna solve this.

- Get out of the way! - The only thing that can help you is God, Ray.

God? Do you have any idea how it feels to go blind...

and still be afraid of the dark?

And every day, you sit there and pray...

just for a little light, and you get nothing.

- 'Cause God don't listen to people like me. - Stop talking like that.

As far as I'm concerned, me and God is even and I'll do what I damn well please.

Goddamn it, if I want to shoot up, I'll shoot up. Move.

Then go ahead. But you walk out that door,

and I'm gonna do something I should have done long ago.

- I'm gonna take my boys and I'm gonna leave. - You're not taking the boys.

You're not leaving. You have no place to go.

- No place? - No.

You think I'm scared of losing this?

Ray, the only thing I was ever scared of losing was you,

because where was I ever going to find another Ray Robinson?

So I put up with some terrible stuff.

And maybe that makes me part to blame, but I ain't scared no more.

You know I love you and those boys more than anything in this world.

No, that's a damn lie and you know it.

You ever look at this? Really look at it, Ray!

Ray Charles Jr.'s "Most Valuable Player."

He was so proud this day...

until you came home too loaded...

to go to his banquet. [Stammers]

No, there is something that you love more than me and them boys,

more than all the women you ever slept with on the road,

- more than all the dope you ever took. - What are you talking about?

Your music.

And if you don't stop using that needle,

they're gonna take away your music and put you in jail.

Is that poison worth losing everything?

[Sobbing]

[Gasping]

[Coughing]

[Retching]

[Nurse] Mr. Charles?

- Mr. Charles. - Yes?

You don't have to go through this.

We have a substitute that can help wean you off heroin.

I've got to do it alone.

I can doit. I can do it.

Don't touch me.

All right. We'll do it your way.

[Gasping, Shivering]

Doctor? Mr. Charles?

Mr. Charles, I'm coming.

He's got no fluids left.

Get an IV in him right away.

- I'll insert the needle. - No needles!

Yes, yes! It's very important. You need it.

No, no! Runner! I've got a runner!

Here, take these.

[Grunting]

[Orderly] Put those restraints on him.

- Arms secure. - No needles. No needles.

[Groaning]

[Sobbing]

- [Clinking Rapidly] - &J' [Rapid Piano]

[Echoing Voices]

No! No!

George, I miss you.

I miss you, George. I miss you.

[Moaning]

[Ray] Okay. Uh-oh.

You might be in trouble right there, Doc.

Hot damn, you whooped my ass again.

I tell you what. I won't lose again the same way twice.

I spoke with the judge in Boston, and he'll agree to probation.

He was impressed with your attorney's arguments,

and he believes you deserve one more chance.

- Oh, that's great. - But youmust complete our program...

- and agree to take periodic drug tests. - You know what? I'll do it.

I know a lot of people don't believe I'm done with this dope, but I'm finished.

Who's George?

[Nurse] Everyone to the cafeteria, please.

Ray, you've come through the worst of the physical reactions.

We should begin psychotherapy sessions.

Uh, look, forget the head shrinking, Doc.

I can handle this.

Mr. Charles,

you're not the first celebrity junkie I've treated.

- Junkie? What are you... - Nobody cons me at any price.

- I'm not trying to. - If you want me to give that judge a positive report,

you will have to earn it.

Doc?

Dr. Hacker? Doc?

[Grunts]

[Panting]

[George] Ray, come on, Ray, play with me.

[Aretha] He ain't there.

[Gasps]

[Clinking]

Talk to me, Son.

I ain't no bad dream.

I'm a part of you.

Even all that dope couldn't keep me away.

Mama, I kept my promise.

You got strong all right.

Went places I never dreamed of.

But you still became a cripple.

Come here, baby. Come here.

[Sobbing]

[George] Ray?

It wasn't your fault.

Now promise us you'll never let nobody or nothing...

turn you into no cripple ever again.

That you'll always stand on your own two feet.

I promise.

[Man] Today, we're here to right a wrong that was done...

to one of our native sons nearly 20 years ago.

In 1961,

Ray Charles was banned from performing in the state of Georgia...

because he refused to play before a segregated audience.

Thankfully, we've come a long way since then.

Some of us have fought for equality through the political process.

But Ray Charles changed American culture...

by touching people's hearts.

So on this day, March 7, 1979,

we, the duly elected representatives of the state of Georgia...

not only proclaim "Georgia On My Mind" our official state song,

we also offer Mr. Ray Charles a public apology...

and welcome him back home.

[All Cheer]

♪ Every time I sing this song ♪

If only your mama was here.

She's here.

She ain't never left.

♪ I sing for ♪

♪ Georgia ♪

♪ Whoa, Georgia ♪

♪ The whole day through ♪

♪ This old, sweet song

♪ Keeps Georgia on my mind ♪

♪ On my mind ♪

♪ Hey, Georgia ♪

♪ Oh, yeah I

♪ Yeah, Georgia ♪

♪ And a song of you I

♪ Comes as sweet and clear ♪

♪ As moonlight through the pines ♪

♪ I feel that ♪

♪ Other arms ♪

♪ Reach out to me ♪

♪ Other eyes I

♪ Smile, hey, hey ♪

♪ Tenderly ♪

♪ Well, all right now ♪

♪ Oh, yeah I

♪ Oh, Lord ♪

♪ Don't you know ♪

♪ Still in ♪

♪ Peaceful dreams I ♪

♪ Oh, I see misty road ♪

♪ Oh, the road leads back to you, girl ♪

♪ Whoa, oh ♪

♪ Oh, Georgia ♪

[Vocalizing]

♪ No peace I find ♪

♪ Won't you hear me now?

♪ It's just this old, sweet song ♪

♪ Oh, I say ♪

♪ Keep Georgia on my mind

♪ Well, on my mind ♪

[Vocalizing]

♪ On my mind ♪

[Vocalizing]

♪ Keeps Georgia ♪

♪ Oh, Georgia on my mind ♪

♪ You know, the little girls that are on my mind

♪ Huh ♪

♪ Yes, it did Jo

[Ray] & Unchain my heart I [Raelettes] I Unchain my heart

♪ Baby, let me be ♪ Unchain my heart ♪

♪ Unchain my heart ♪ ♪ Unchain my heart ♪

♪ 'Cause you don't care about me ♪

♪ Unchain my heart ♪

♪ You got me sewn up like a pillow case

♪ But you're letting my love go to waste I

♪ So unchain my heart ♪

♪ Oh, please, please set me free

♪ Unchain my heart ♪ ♪ Unchain my heart ♪

♪ Baby, let me go && Unchain my heart ♪

♪ Unchain my heart ♪ ♪ Unchain my heart ♪

♪ 'Cause you don't love me no more ♪

♪ Unchain my heart ♪

♪ Every time I call you on the phone I

♪ Some fella tells me that you're not at home ♪

♪ So unchain my heart ♪

♪ Oh, please, please set me free

♪ I'm under your spell ♪ ♪ I'm under your spell ♪

♪ Like a man in a trance ♪ ♪ Like a man in a trance ♪

♪ Oh, you know darn well I ♪ You know darn well ♪

♪ That I don't stand a chance ♪ ♪ That I don't stand a chance ♪

♪ So unchain my heart ♪ ♪ Unchain my heart ♪

♪ Let me go my way ♪ ♪ Unchain my heart ♪

♪ Unchain my heart ♪ ♪ Unchain my heart ♪

♪ You worry me night and day ♪ ♪ Unchain my heart ♪

I Why lead me through a life of misery ♪

♪ When you don't care a bag of beans for me? ♪

♪ So unchain my heart ♪

♪ Please, please set me free ♪ ♪ Please set me free ♪

♪ Won't you set me free? ♪ ♪ Please set me free ♪

♪ Whoa, set me free ♪ ♪ Please set me free ♪

♪ Whoa, set me free ♪ ♪ Please set me free ♪