Original subtitles

[Crowd Cheering, Whistling]

[Man] Rock 'n' roll!

[Woman, Weakly] I, uh — I got a —

a little song I want to sing to you...

that I learned when I was...

just so high.

It's — It was really the first...

blues I ever heard...

by this funny little man...

named Furry Lewis.

It went —

It went —

♪ Let me call you sweetheart ♪

♪ I'm in love ♪

♪ With you ♪

- ♪ Let me hear you ♪ - Jesus Christ!

♪ Whisper ♪

♪ That you love me too ♪

♪ Keep the love light burnin' ♪

♪ In your eyes ♪

[Voice Cracking] ♪ So blue ♪

[Shutter Clicks]

♪♪ [Rock]

[Woman] ♪ Every time I touch you ♪

♪ My heart skips a beat ♪

♪ Every time I kiss you ♪

♪ I feel love from my head to my feet ♪

♪ Somethin' deep within me, baby ♪

♪ Is sayin' you should be mine ♪

♪ Don't you know, baby, somewhere ♪

♪ I got to I got to draw the line ♪

♪ Tell me, baby ♪

♪ Whose side are you on ♪

♪ Are you with me ♪

♪ Or am I all alone ♪

♪ Whoa, baby ♪

♪ Where you been so long ♪

♪ Since I need you ♪

♪ Oh, won't you please come home ♪

♪ And every mornin' I wake up ♪

♪ I can't hide my tears ♪

♪ After all the lovin', baby ♪

♪ We've had through the years ♪

♪ It's a lonely season, baby ♪

♪ For you to leave ♪

♪ Leave with no reason, babe ♪

♪ I just can't help believin' ♪

♪ This time you're really, really leavin' ♪

♪ Oh, baby ♪

- ♪ Whose side are you on ♪ - [Crowd Cheering]

♪ Are you with me ♪

♪ Or am I all alone ♪

♪ Whoa, baby ♪

♪ Oh, where you been ♪

♪ Where have you been so long ♪

♪ Since I need you ♪

♪ Come right on home ♪

♪ Oh, baby ♪

♪ Whose side are you on ♪

♪ Said I need you ♪

♪ Uh-huh ♪

♪ Oh, baby ♪

♪ Where you been where you been, where you been ♪

♪ So goddamn long ♪

♪ Since I need you ♪

♪ Well, honey, honey, come home ♪♪

[Screams]

♪♪ [Ends]

All right! Yeah!

Pass me them peanuts, would you, baby?

- They're cashews. - God, you know everything.

I need something new.

Uh —

I got no fuckin' life, Rudge.

I can't get laid.

Nobody wants me.

Uh ‒

Well, that ain't all. I can't do things half-assed anymore.

I gotta sound good. I got to sound great, and I don't.

It's nobody's fault, man. It's just...

I just got too much work.

We all work too hard, don't we, eh?

Sometimes in the morning, my pee is so tired...

I have to wake it up with vodka before it'll come out.

That's tired!

You listen to me.

I would like to have some time to myself before I kick off.

And after this Florida show, I am gonna take a year off.

- You come into an inheritance? - No, man.

- I can't dredge up the sincerity anymore. - Wrong.

- Don't tell me "wrong"! - Wrong, wrong, wrong!

I'm fucking running the Green Bay Packers here!

- You're giving me sandlot in Dixie! - I don't want a year off a year from now.

Jesus Christ! You've got 29 people working for you!

- I don't care. - Okay. You want out, eh?

Let's call in the dogs, then? Piss on the fire?

I taught you that.

I know you taught me that.

Three million dollars' worth of dates...

we're talking about canceling here.

This is a fucking business!

Like Chevrolet and Sara Lee.

This is no "You don't feel so good today.

Screw the promoters. Call off the tour. Take a nap."

It's up against the wall now. And start shitting that art!

Don't anybody give me that "tired artiste" bullshit!

I'll give them two dozen badass lawyers to drive them crazy with!

And if anyone thinks I'm jiving...

just take a good look up here in my eyes.

Well...

I guess you told me.

Yeah.

[Rudge Exhales Sharply]

Rose, you're one of the best singer ladies in the history of the world, pure and simple.

Don't fuck it up.

Sweet cheeks.

Sweet cheeks.

Come on.

Sweet cheeks.

- Hey. [Chuckles] - I'm so tired.

Hey.

Hey, you want to eat some Chinese?

All 900 million of 'em.

[Together] Rack jobbers rule.

Ready?

- "Yassir," Mr. Rudge. - Ah.

Hop on the desk, then, eh? Send 'em in.

- [Rudge] Hey, come in. - [Woman] Get out of the way.

[All Talking]

[Indistinct]

Hold it a sec. Calm down.

Settle down. Listen. Quiet!

- Quiet! - How about some flesh?

Whoa. Eat your little heart out, Richard.

- Tell him, kid. - [Man] Rose, what have you been up to?

Same as everybody ‒ hanging out, having a good time...

- staying stoned, and getting laid! - [Whooping]

Hey, ask about the advances for the Florida show.

Is that hometown concert really sold out?

We got four or five seats in the parking lot going for a bill apiece...

and after that, we're clean.

Rudge wants a roof over the place so he can hang 'em from the chandeliers.

- We're taping it for our television special. - What network?

We got two of the networks fighting for it already.

I've sold it to 15 countries. I see a gross of four million.

And I do the singing. Me.

Rose, how do you feel about doing a concert back home?

I think it'll be nice. They're my own people.

I know them, they know me, they understand me...

- and I understand them. - You look tired, Rose.

Honey, if you had to work for a living, your ass would be draggin' too.

- [All Laughing] - So after my hometown show...

I'm thinking about taking a year off.

- [Woman] "A year off"? What? - [All Murmuring]

Sure, she's gonna take a year off.

- The Virgin Mary's stepping off the bench to fill in for us. - [Reporters Laughing]

♪♪ [Musicians Jamming]

Hold it! Hold it!

We got 20 minutes. Want to tell me who all these people are?

I want everybody that doesn't belong in this dressing room...

to get the hell out right now!

[Man] This is my family. This is my sister.

Let's go, honey. Out!

- You don't belong back here. - This is my sister.

- You too, Brunhilde. - They're all my blood.

Let's go. Out!

Come on. Can't you hear? Out!

You can party after the show. The band doesn't listen to me.

Nice big ones there. Save some for me sometime.

- Smells like jockstraps in here, y'all. - Mm-hmm.

- Danny, let me see the list. - Here.

- Let's cut "Fire Down Below." - Come on. You always like that one!

Well, let's cut "Keep On Rockin"' then.

- Rose, the set's all right. - No, it damn well is not!

Rosie, all those tunes you sing wonderfully.

- If I want to cut a song, that's it! - Okay.

- Let's cut it. - Oh, shit. I'm sorry. I ‒

Hey, you're in good voice. The mama's in good voice, huh?

Here. Here.

That's for you, baby. That's a stopwatch.

I got 35 good minutes in me tonight.

When I start to sing, keep track of my time.

Don't let me go past 35 minutes...

or you'll hear from me, motherfucker!

That's a new one.

[All Chanting] Rose! Rose! Rose! Rose! Rose!

[Chanting Continues, Faint]

[Gargles]

[Exhaling Forcefully]

[Growing Louder]

[Shouting]

[Chanting Continues]

This is your night, baby!

You own it! You own it.

Look out, New York!

[Chanting Continues]

♪♪ [Rock]

Rose, I don't want you to say "motherfucker" tonight, all right?

There are important critics out there that we need, you hear?

There are cameras all over the place.

So please don't say "motherfucker," all right?

- Okay. - Go get 'em, baby!

[Man] Ladies and gentlemen, the Rose.

[Audience Cheering]

Hiya, motherfuckers!

♪ It's midnight in Memphis ♪

♪ And all the boys are out tonight ♪

♪ Oh, midnight in Memphis ♪

♪ But my true love is not in sight ♪

♪ The neon is glowin' ♪

♪ But I just don't see the light ♪

♪ I'm followin' my footsteps ♪

♪ Tryin' to find myself a friend ♪

♪ Oh, baby Followin' my footsteps ♪

♪ Tryin' to see where they might end ♪

♪ I'm tryin' to break these blues ♪

♪ But I can't even get them to bend ♪

♪ Midnight in Memphis ♪

♪ Well, you take me away ♪

♪ Midnight in Memphis ♪

♪ It's a long, long time ♪

♪ Before the day ♪

♪ Burnin' down on Beale Street ♪

♪ Can you hear that engine roar ♪

♪ Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah ♪

♪ Burnin' down on Beale Street ♪

♪ There's a girl in every door ♪

♪ Yeah, yeah It doesn't matter what you got ♪

♪ They're askin' even more ♪

Play it for me one time, boys!

♪ I heard the river risin' ♪

♪ Risin' up over my head ♪

♪ Yeah, heard the river rise up ♪

♪ And this is what it said ♪

- ♪ Tell me what it said ♪ - ♪ "I don't need no live ones ♪

♪ I just take care of the dead" ♪

♪ Oh, midnight in Memphis ♪

♪ Take me, take me away ♪

♪ Midnight in Memphis ♪

♪ It's a long, long time ♪

♪ Before the day ♪

♪ Whoa, midnight in Memphis ♪

♪ Midnight in Memphis ♪

♪ Midnight in Memphis ♪

♪ It's a long, long time ♪

♪ Before the day ♪

♪ Before the day ♪♪

Goddamn!

- Howdy, New York City! - [Cheering]

How you doin'?

Long time no see, huh?

You want to know how I keep this tired, battered old body in shape?

- [Cheering] - I'll tell you how.

The same way we're gonna get the whole goddamn world into shape ‒

drugs, sex, and rock 'n' roll!

Drugs, sex, rock 'n' roll!

[All Chanting] Drugs, sex, rock 'n' roll!

Drugs, sex, rock 'n' roll!

[Chanting Continues]

[Audience Cheering]

- Yeah? - You see what's going on down there?

What do you want me to do? They keep handing her bottles.

Shit!

Thank you.

Sometimes people say to me...

"Rose, when was the first time you ever heard the blues?"

You know what I tell 'em? "The day I was born."

[Cheering]

You know why?

- You know why? - [Audience] Why?

'Cause I was born a woman.

Ah!

Oh, we got some noisy females in the house tonight!

Being a woman is so interesting. Don't you find it?

What are we, ladies?

We are waitresses at the banquet of life.

Get into that kitchen and rattle them pots and pans.

And you better look pretty goddamn good doing it too...

or else you're gonna lose your good thing.

I mean, why do we do that?

I'll tell you why. We do that to find love.

Oh, I love to be in love. Don't you love to be in love?

- Ain't it just great to be in love? - ♪♪ [Drums Beating]

Ain't it just grand laying there late at night in your bed...

waiting for your man to show up?

And when he finally does...

long about 4:00 in the morning...

with whiskey on his breath and the smell of another woman...

- on his person ‒ - [Cheering]

Honey, I can smell another woman at 500 paces.

- [Cheering] - That's an easy one to catch.

♪♪ [Drums Beating]

Oh, mama getting nasty.

So what do you do when he comes home...

with the smell of another woman on him?

Do you say...

"Honey, let me open up my lovin' arms and legs.

Dive right in there. The water is fine"?

Is that what you say, girls?

[Women] No!

Or do you say, "Fuck this shit!"

[Cheering]

"I had enough of you...

you asshole!

Pack your bags!

I'm putting on my little waitress cap and my high-heeled shoes.

I'm gonna go find a real, good, true man.

A man to love me for sure."

I'll tell you something. I'll tell you something.

At one time, I actually thought I found myself one.

- ♪♪ ["When A Man Loves A Woman"] - When he held me in his arms...

♪ When he held me in his arms and said "Baby, baby, baby ♪

♪ You are the only one for me" ♪

♪ When a man loves a woman ♪

♪ Can't keep his mind on nothing else ♪

♪ He'll trade the world ♪

♪ For the good thing he found ♪

♪ If she's bad, he can't see it ♪

♪ She can do no wrong ♪

♪ Turn his back on his best friend ♪

♪ If he put her down ♪

♪ When a man loves a woman ♪

♪ Spend his very last dime ♪

♪ Trying to hold on ♪

♪ To what he needs ♪

♪ Give up all of his comfort ♪

♪ Go out and sleep out in the rain ♪

♪ If she said "Baby, that is how it's gonna be" ♪

♪ When a man loves ♪

♪ A woman ♪

♪ Give up everything ♪

♪ That he has ♪

♪ Try to hold on ♪

♪ To her precious love ♪

♪ Cryin', "Baby, baby, please ♪

♪ Don't treat me bad" ♪

♪ When a man loves a woman ♪

♪ Down deep in his soul ♪

♪ She can bring him such misery ♪

♪ If she's playing him ♪

♪ For a fool ♪

♪ He's the last one to know ♪

♪ Lovin' eyes don't ever see ♪

♪ So this man says ♪

♪ He loves me, he loves me ♪

♪ He gives me everything ♪

♪ Everything, everything that he has ♪

♪ Trying to hold on ♪

♪ To my precious love ♪

♪ Crying, "Baby, baby, baby don't you treat me ♪

♪ Treat me bad" ♪

♪ Oh, oh, oh ♪

♪ Oh, I need him ♪

♪ When a man loves a woman ♪

♪ He can do her no wrong ♪

♪ He could never hold another girl ♪

♪ Why you tell me you love me, baby ♪

♪ And run out on, on, on the sly ♪

♪ Baby, baby ♪

- ♪♪ [Stops] - [Cheering]

♪ This is a man's ♪

♪ World ♪♪

♪♪ [Resumes]

♪ You know, you know ♪

♪ Oh, yeah ♪

♪ Change has got to come ♪

♪ In this man's world ♪♪

- ♪♪ [Ends] - [Cheering]

- Baby, hurry up. - Why didn't you let me change my clothes?

We've only got 30 minutes to get to Billy Ray's.

- Relax. We got it covered. - Everyone's got it covered, eh?

[Scoffs] What's up? What's the matter?

- What's happening? - [Groans] Jesus, I'm ‒

I'm hungry, I'm tired. Feed me, hold me, make me happy.

Wait a minute. I've got something. Here.

- What you got in that? - Vitamins ‒ C and B12.

- Ah, cookies and milk. - [Chuckles]

- Kid stuff. - Yeah, keep it that way, eh?

- You want to check my arms? - No, no.

- Clean so long, my scars have healed. - I'm not checking your arms anymore.

That's all behind us, eh? Come on.

- I look like shit! - You look like a star.

I don't feel like going to Long Island to see a bunch of hillbillies!

Billy Ray's been begging to meet you. I promised.

Then why don't he come to see me?

[Harmonizing] ♪ Hear the whistle blow ♪

♪ A hundred miles ♪♪

- Billy Ray ‒ - Shh!

Yeah, that's it.

- [Indistinct Conversation] - Billy Ray ‒

What?

Remember Rudge Campbell?

- Yeah, yeah. - This here's the Rose.

Hi. How are you doin'?

- Ooh. Hello, Sturdly. - How are you, ma'am?

I wish this little cherry was in my bag.

- Can you diddle that thing? - I sure can.

Oh, I don't believe you.

You are a fine young piece here.

[Laughs Nervously] Billy Ray, this is Rose.

- Oh, hi. - Hi, Rose.

Gosh, I've loved you for so many years.

- You have, huh? - Yeah, I have.

[Man] Yes, she has. In fact, she did...

one of your tunes on her latest album.

Yeah, I heard all about it. It's a pleasure meeting such a dainty lady.

How did we miss getting together for all these years?

Uh, careful planning.

Well, I'm looking forward to hearing the rest of your catalogue.

I sang "Huntsville Prison" tonight, and the place went apeshit.

- Go ahead, tell him. - They did, yeah.

I've heard a lot of good things about your record of "Huntsville."

- Did you? - Yeah.

OI' Dee here says it's about the best he ever heard.

- Says it even cut Loretta's. - Nah. You never said that.

But I'm gonna be straight with you: It didn't show me much.

Not much at all.

You think I'm kidding you, don't you?

Uh... I kind of hope so.

This world's too full of bull already, lady.

Now, understand me: I don't begrudge anybody their due...

but I'd appreciate it if you didn't record any more of my tunes.

It'd be different if you knew what they was about.

That's the way I feel about it.

And I want to tell you something else too.

I don't appreciate you coming in here and talking all that trash ‒

especially to my son.

Rose!

Shit, Billy Ray! You didn't have to do that.

Rose! Baby, wait!

Rose? Hey, come here! Listen! Wait!

Listen, that was horrible.

How could you let him talk to me like that?

What was I supposed to do?

If I knew, what the fuck would I need you for?

You just stood there.

Listen, he's an asshole. What can I tell you?

That ain't it. That doesn't make me feel any better.

Angel, you don't have to let that old stuff get to you.

What do you care about some redneck? You're the star.

Why didn't you tell him that?

You're trying to sign him, ain't ya?

- What? - You're trying to sign him.

- I don't ‒ I don't believe this. - You're trying to sign him.

- She's only kidding, God. - Dying to meet me!

My ass! You dragged me up here for a bunch of clout!

It goddamn backfired on you, didn't it?

- No, wrong! - Don't say that to me!

- [Man] Hey, baby, eat me. - Get lost!

- Fuckin' lowlifes! - Calm down!

Don't tell me to calm down.

- I'll calm down if you sit on my face. - Yeah? Is that right?

- [Rudge] Jesus, you are a maniac! - [Horn Honking]

- You go through life like it was some jack-off dream! - Fuck you...

fuck him... and fuck them all!

- Christ! - [Honking Stops]

- [Man] Hey, come on, help! - [Man In Truck] Goddamn hippie.

- What happened? - He passed out.

Lars, get the first-aid kit.

- Lady, this car's taken. - I want to get out of here.

So does the cowboy in the trailer. Billy Ray owns the car for the night.

Yeah? I got a great idea. Let him walk. Let him walk.

- Let him walk. - Hey, come on. I don't need this.

Hey —

[Sobbing] Let him... walk.

Hey, uh, don't worry, lady.

You just bought yourself a car and a driver.

Rose!

Rose, come here! Come back!

Rose!

What are you looking at?

- Do you know who I am? - Yeah.

You're the Rose.

- Is that all? - Excuse me?

Is that all you're gonna say?

I don't know. Uh, I always liked your music.

A lot.

It's all right, honey. You don't have to fall down and wet your pants.

[Chuckles]

My name's Houston.

Are you from Texas?

- Yeah. Waxahachie. - Waxa-what?

Waxahachie.

I think it's got the highest rate per capita...

of insanity, suicide, and incest...

of just about anyplace else in the country.

- But it's Fun City on a Saturday night. - [Chuckles] Is that right?

[Chuckles] Where you headed, lady?

Oh, I don't know. The big city.

- New York. - Goddamn!

I picked myself a live one tonight.

Bright lights, big city.

Bright lights, big city. You smokin' tonight, son.

Here. Have one on your old mama.

Hey, thanks.

[Men Laughing]

♪♪ [Country]

[Glasses, Cutlery Clinking]

[Indistinct Conversations]

[Woman Laughing]

I heard that, Stan!

[Men Laughing]

[Man] Jesus Christ. Look what the cat dragged in.

Those pies sure lookin' good, don't they?

- Jell-O don't look bad either. - No, it don't.

You, uh ‒

We don't serve hippies.

That's okay, 'cause we don't eat 'em neither.

[Cook] Arlene.

- Okay, Jack. I'll take care ‒ - I would like...

ham and Swiss on rye, hold the mayo, and a beer, please.

I'd like a BLT with the mayo and some pickles.

[Quietly] Do yourself a big favor...

and just order something and go, okay?

I mean, no trouble, you know?

- Suits the shit out of me. - Okay.

Sure. Give us the ham and cheese and whatever else ‒

What the hell are you looking at?

Damn! Ain't you Paul Newman?

Get lost, bimbo.

Take some Danishes. I can put 'em in a bag.

Okay?

- Whatever you got that's quick. - Okay.

- Rose ‒ - Pal, I'd haul ass if I was you. Know what I mean?

- I know what you mean. Soon as we get our stuff. - It's coming.

I don't know about you, but I'm ready to kick some ass!

Take this whore out of here.

If your dick is as small as your brain, you're in trouble.

You know what I mean?

- My God, no! - You want that?

- Want to give yourself a break? - Please! Take it to go!

Please go! Just get out of here!

Got yourself a break, bad boy.

- Go, please. - Show's over, folks.

The man's just gonna continue eating his soup.

- Oh, my God! - Sorry about that.

Oh, God! Jack, get some ice!

Doggone! You slapped that sucker silly.

I thought that was great.

- That was just like being on TV. - Let the good times roll.

[Man On Radio] Five hundred students were arrested...

as they surrounded a recruiter from Dow Chemical.

Student leaders claimed that women and children...

were being burned to death as a result of U.S. troops using napalm...

I don't know how human beings can behave that way.

and chemical defoliants sprayed on Vietnamese jungles...

were destroying the Vietnamese food supply for gener‒

[Switches Off]

Huh.

Houston...

you look like you need a drink.

And you know what?

Your mama's gonna buy you one too.

That's right. We're gonna put our dancin' shoes on...

we're gonna buy ourselves a drink.

Good deal, Lucille.

♪♪ [Faint]

- [Screaming] - Rose!

George! Big George! [Shouting]

Gimme some skin, man. How you doin'?

- Fine, baby. - My old pal, this is my new pal.

♪ Letter to Daddy ♪

♪ His address is heaven above ♪

♪ I've written "Dear Daddy, we miss you" ♪

- Oh, man! - Paul, you freak!

- ♪♪ [Drum Roll, Rim Shot] - [Audience Applauding]

Holy shit! Your hair has a hard-on.

Who's the Young Republican with you tonight?

Come on, don't dump on him. He saved my life twice tonight.

♪ Listen ♪

♪ The postman says that's best to do ♪

♪ Be-doo-be-doo ♪

- ♪ I've written a letter ♪ - Excuse me, sir.

I've got a nickel bag. Very pure.

No lactose, no quinine.

You could run this horse all the way to Aqueduct and win.

Mama don't ride the horse no more. Didn't you hear?

I'm clean. What are you drinking, Houston?

- Tequila. - A bottle of tequila...

a couple of glasses, and no cracks.

Oh. How daring.

[Audience Applauding]

I used to be a big star too, Miss Hudson.

My sister, Henry.

Freaksville.

Come on, relax.

Did you hear about the Polish lesbian?

- She liked men. - ♪♪ [Rim Shot]

♪ I love you ♪♪

Reminds me of the dream I had once in the Philippines.

- ♪♪ [Ends] - Thank you, thank you.

All right.

Thank you. Thank you.

Thank you, bitch ‒ Butch. I'm sorry.

Excuse me.

Right on. Well, thank you.

You're a wonderful, wonderful audience.

We have somebody in the audience too who just tried to sneak in...

a little while ago, which is impossible for her.

[Wicked Laugh]

She used to live right upstairs. Every night, we'd say...

[Loudly] "Are you sleeping?"

[Wicked Laugh] She never was.

Where's the 10 bucks you owe me, motherfucker?

How rude!

She did a concert earlier tonight...

where she personally slayed thousands, sang her guts out.

I want to send her a drunk. Waiter, send her a drunk on me.

Ladies and gentlemen, will you welcome, please ‒

probably get in trouble for pointing her out ‒

the incredible Rose!

- [Cheering] - All right!

- Hey, mama! - ♪♪ [Drums Beating]

Rose! Rose! Rose! Rose! Rose! Rose! Rose!

All right!

Stand by, Rosie. We got a surprise for you.

All right, gentlemen, hit it for the woman!

- ♪♪ [Upbeat] - [Shouts]

[As Rose] Hi, you motherfuckers!

Oh, man! That drag queen's doing me!

♪ Here comes ol' Ruby steppin' right on time ♪

♪ Here comes a stripper bringin' on the night ♪

♪ Here come the boys faces hidden from the light ♪

♪ All through the shadows they come and we go ♪

[Indistinct]

♪ They got one thing in common ♪

♪ They got the fire down below ♪

- Come on. Come on. - No! No!

♪ Here come a rich man in his big long limousine ♪

♪ Here come a man All you got to have is green ♪

♪ Here come the banker the lawyer and the cop ♪

♪ One thing for certain It's never gonna stop ♪

♪ When it all gets too heavy ♪

♪ They come and they go ♪

♪ Yeah, they go Yeah, they go ♪

♪ They got one thing in common They got the fire down below ♪

[Rose Screams]

♪ It happen out in Vegas Happen in Moline ♪

- ♪ Blueblood streets of Boston ♪ - Diana! Whoo!

♪ Went on yesterday ♪

♪ It's going on tonight ♪

♪ Somewhere there's somebody treatin' somebody right ♪

Hello, gorgeous.

♪ She's lookin' mighty fine ♪

Talk about your secondhand Rose, huh?

Oh, you're a horny little bitch.

♪ Streetlights flicker bringing on the night ♪

♪ Slippin' into darkness Slippin' out of sight ♪

♪ All through the shadows ♪

- ♪ Oh, they come and they go ♪ - ♪ They go, they go, they go ♪

♪ They got one thing in common ♪

♪ They got the fire down below ♪

[Screams]

Are you in town for good or for fun?

♪ It happens out in Vegas It happens in Moline ♪

♪ In the blueblood streets of Boston Up in Berkeley and out in Queens ♪

♪ It was going on yesterday It's going on tonight ♪

♪ Somewhere there's somebody treatin' somebody right ♪

♪ I'm looking out for Rose She's lookin' mighty fine ♪

♪ Walk the streets with Nancy Find her every time ♪

♪ When the streetlights flicker bringin' on the night ♪

♪ I'll be slippin' into darkness ♪

♪ Slippin' out of sight ♪

- ♪ All through the shadows ♪ - ♪ They come and they go ♪

♪ Oh, they go Oh, they go ♪

♪ They got one thing in common ♪

♪ They got the fire down below ♪

♪ They have one thing in common ♪

♪ They got the fire down below ♪

Whoo!

- ♪ Fire, fire ♪ - Whoo!

♪ Fire ♪

- ♪ Fire, fire ♪ - Far fuckin' out!

♪ Fire ♪

♪ Fire, fire ♪

♪ Fire ♪

♪ Fire, fire ♪

♪ Fire ♪

♪ Fire, fire ♪

♪ Fire ♪♪

Are you trying to get in my bloomers, sonny?

- Workin' on it. - Oh!

You brown-eyed motherfucker, where you been all my life?

♪♪ [Ending Flourish]

- Whoo! - All right!

[Tires Screeching]

[Houston] ♪ I'm calling to tell you ♪

♪ That I love you ♪

♪ I'm calling up to tell you that I care ♪

Whoo!

♪♪ [Vocalizing]

Aw, ever polite, honey. Ever polite.

It's the way my mama taught me.

Which mama was that, baby?

Look at this place. Look at this place, honey.

I'm rich, you know. I could buy the whole damn place.

- Yeah? You like being rich? - I sure do. I do.

Someone's spreading the rumor that being rich is a drag...

but whoever is spreading that rumor is dead-ass broke.

- Damn straight. - Were you ever rich?

- Not like that. - No? What?

- Once I went down the Little Bighorn River in Montana. - Yeah?

I didn't see another soul for six days.

Felt like I owned the whole thing.

Were you really alone for six days?

Yeah.

I ain't been alone in about 300 years.

- Three hundred years? - Yeah.

Three hundred years.

♪♪ [Houston Whistling]

♪♪ [Vocalizing]

You're something else, lady. Something else.

Mister...

so are you.

[Houston Chuckles]

Mmm!

Thank you. That's very good.

Do you think I'm sexy?

You kiddin'?

Come on. The Rose wants to know.

I think anybody who talks about themselves in the third person is loony tunes.

You don't fool around, do you?

I don't have time.

You have time for me.

You want to go steady? You want to go steady? Hmm?

Do ya? Huh?

What the hell? I'll just stop at the nearest five-and-dime...

get you a box of them chocolate-covered cherries.

Oh, God. Do you remember them?

Mm.

Wrapped all up in gold paper...

with little cracked hearts all over 'em?

And on Valentine's Day...

boys and girls used to exchange them with Valentine's cards?

- Mm. - Oh.

I wish I'd known you when I was in high school.

I wished you had too.

I wish I had a girl...

with hair this color.

Oh, I don't need charity off trash like you.

Come on, what is it?

Huh? What's the matter?

- I hate this mushy love stuff! - What are you talking about?

Wake me up when the killing starts!

I'll tell you something...

something about me that's so weird, you won't even believe it.

- Yes, I will. - No, you won't.

I bet you I will.

All right.

Here goes.

Um, once...

when I was in high school...

I got drunk one night, and I ‒

I, uh ‒

I took on the whole football team.

You always tell Christmas stories like this, Rose?

You're shocked, ain't ya?

No, I ain't shocked.

I woke up on the 50-yard line.

I'd hate to tell you some of the places I've woke up.

You know, I waited all my life...

to go back there like somebody...

like a star.

I just want to hear that hometown applause, you know?

I want 'em to push and...

scream and scratch and bite...

to get a view of the one and only Rose.

- [Chuckles] - And she'll shove it right in their teeth.

Shove what?

Herself. Me.

OI' rich and famous me.

[Phone Ringing]

Yowza.

Oh.

Oh, Jesus.

Oh, Jesus, I'm sorry.

No, I'll be there as soon as I can.

I was wrong. I was wrong.

Oh, God.

I was supposed to be at a recording session.

Oh, Jesus. Oh, Jesus.

God, am I gonna get it.

Do I look old?

Where is everybody?

Hey, baby, what's shakin'?

Where were you?

Rudge, this is my friend Houston Dyer.

Houston, this is my manager. This is Rudge Campbell.

Howdy. Nice to meet you, sir.

Terrific.

Keep everybody waiting for hours. What do we get in return?

A fuckin' cowboy!

[Chuckling] They said you'd never show up...

but I said, "She'll show up."

And guess what? She shows not one hour late...

not two hours late, but five fucking hours and $3,000 late.

- I should have my head examined. - These are real, live people you're talking to ‒

Listen, sonny! This woman and me go back...

to when you were still in high school, whacking off before sixth period!

I'm in business with her! I talk to her any way I like...

because Miss Me-Gimme-Mine treats me any way she likes, so butt out!

Don't you talk that trash to him or to me either anymore.

Oh, I'm very sorry. My mistake.

I just thought we had an appointment to make some money.

[Houston Exhales Sharply]

Whoo!

What a bummer.

Shook you up, eh?

It's his favorite trick.

You know...

I just don't understand these people.

I was late, and he was pissed off...

so he did a show about it.

That's all we ever do around here.

- Sure got a scuzzy mouth on him ‒ - Shut up!

He's a magician, and he don't need help from a piece of meat in a chauffeur's cap!

Jesus.

[Rose] Houston? Houston!

Come here!

- Rose, close that door. - No, no, no.

- I gotta get out. - Dyer, I can't let you go.

He's right about you, you know that? He's right: Miss Me-Gimme-Mine.

- I want Chinese now! - Close that fucking door!

No!

- I'm going, Rose. - No! No!

[Tires Screeching]

Rose, this ain't gonna work.

- Yes, it will. - It ain't gonna work!

You're not going anywhere without me.

- Get out! - Never.

- I said get out. - Make me.

I don't need this shit, lady.

I never did! Never fucking did!

- [Horn Honking] - [Man] Asshole, move your car!

I didn't come back for some hoochie-coochie woman to blow my mind!

- I ain't no hoochie-coochie woman! - [Horns Honking]

[Man] He can't park in the middle of the street!

Lady, for chrissake, get that goddamn car out of here!

What the hell's the matter with you?

- Get that goddamn thing out of here! - [Arguing, Indistinct]

Move it! What's the matter with you?

Go eat your meter, goddamn it!

Hey, lady! Come here, you crazy lady!

Dyer? Dyer?

- Whoo! Men! My favorite. - Hey, lady ‒

- Did you see a guy come through here? - That's all we got here.

- Houston Dyer ‒ - What's the matter with you?

- Houston ‒ - Hey, miss!

My Lord, look at this. Ooh!

- Hey, lady ‒ - Dyer!

- Houston! - Get the hell outta here! What is this?

I picked myself a peck of pickled peckers this time!

Dyer! Houston Dyer!

Honey, don't hide it till I try it.

Oh, God! Honey, you keep watering that. I know it's gonna grow.

That's what we need: a change in atmosphere. Wanna borrow my towel?

Dyer!

[Man] Where's Esther living?

- [Man #2] She's got 3 1/2 rooms — - There you are!

- All right, everybody out. - [Men Protesting]

Bingo in the lounge, shuffleboard on the forward deck.

Don't dawdle. Come on, dolls.

Move your butts. Ooh, this one came as a raccoon!

Lovely smile you have. Chop, chop. Into the casino.

There'll be a masquerade ball outside. Prize for the best costume.

Thank you so much for coming.

If I don't get a kind word in the next four seconds...

I'm gonna do something fierce.

And a-one, and a-two ‒

[Chuckling] At ease, sailor.

Take a break.

Oh, Dyer...

I'm awful sorry.

I got a big mouth.

Gee, it's kind of nice in here.

- Are all steam rooms like this? - Mm-hmm.

Why do you want to walk out on me?

It ain't you so much as it is your life.

It's like a grenade range.

And... it's me too.

Lordy.

What do you mean, it's you too?

Ooh, a mystery.

Come on, Houston. I told you about the football team.

See...

I'm really a sergeant in the fuckin' army.

Right now I'm AWOL. I was supposed to be back...

at Fort Campbell three weeks ago.

- You mean you ain't no chauffeur? - [Chuckles]

No, ma'am. No, ma'am.

No chauffeur, not the Lone Ranger.

I been had.

Sometimes I get scared maybe the army's all I know.

I've been in since I was 18.

- Eighteen? - Yeah.

Yeah. Me and Benson Burkham, we joined on my birthday.

You know: hot food...

roof over my head...

socks all lined up in a row.

It was a beautiful thing.

And then it kind of went sour.

You're thinking about walking away from the army for good, ain't ya?

Yeah.

Houston, you don't have to go back.

You don't. You can stay with me.

I'll take real good care of you.

[Door Opens]

All right, lady, let's go. Party's over.

I had a good time. I sure did.

- [Men Chattering] - Whoa, you got it, baby.

What's the name?

[Rudge] We've had enough of this lot.

Rudge, after the Florida show, we are canceling all bookings.

Here we go again. What's wrong now?

Everything. It's my life, man. My life is like a grenade range.

- Well, that's specific, anyway. - I'm gonna wait in the car.

Can I have your autograph?

- Why don't you tell the truth? - Can I have your autograph?

You find some hustler, right?

You're with him a fast 10 minutes...

and just 'cause he hasn't picked your pocket yet...

or told you you look like Petunia Pig...

you think he's the white knight!

Listen, Rudge, there's very few real men left.

I got myself one now, and I'm gonna hang on.

Listen to me. After that Florida show...

he and I are going away together, and that is that.

Lay off for a year, they'll bury you in the remainder racks!

I'll take my chances. Give me my goddamn bag.

Wait a minute! What's he feel about it?

He don't know about it yet.

- Here we go again. - Let's get out of here!

You can't just leave.

You gotta be crazy. You got your whole career.

Stay with me until after I do that show back home...

and I'll go anywhere with you.

I'll go to the woods, the mountaintop. Anything. Anywhere.

Out of the state? Out of sight?

- How about out of the country? - Out of the world.

[Houston Chuckles]

Oh, Rose, Rose!

- You gotta be wacko! - Yeah, I know.

What are you gonna do about it?

You're in love.

- All right. - I don't want anything crazy.

Okay, okay.

[Indistinct Conversations]

Great. That arrangement is marvelous.

[Woman] Hey, man. Come on. Just concentrate.

Different strokes for different folks.

What?

- Ouija girls. - Oh, right.

Here you go.

Hey. [Chuckles]

Sipping whiskey.

Lynchburg, Tennessee.

Population: 517.

[Chuckles] Waco, Texas: population...

94,632.

Ha! Everybody wants to be a shit-kicker.

Yeah.

You ‒

You and Rose are really getting along, eh?

- Yeah. - I'm just, uh ‒

I'm just really glad she's found a friend at last.

I've seen them come and go...

and I've always hoped one might stick.

Give her an anchor.

You don't think she's drinking too much, do you?

♪♪ [Acoustic Guitar]

You ever been on the road with a rock 'n' roll band?

- First time. - You're gonna love it.

♪♪ [Humming]

[Drunkenly] ♪ Why don't you let me call you sweetheart ♪

♪ I'm in love with you ♪

♪ Mm, let me hear you whisper ♪

♪ That you love me too ♪

♪ Keep the love light burnin' ♪

♪ In your eyes of blue ♪

♪ Let me call you ♪♪

- Where am I? - ♪♪ [Stops]

I never know where the fuck I am!

All these fucking clouds look just alike.

[Man] Easy, honey.

Rosie.

- Sweet Rosie. - [Sobbing]

Welcome to rock 'n' roll.

♪♪ [Rock]

[Rose, Background Singers] ♪ Children of the earth ♪

♪ Listen what I say ♪

♪ You made rock 'n' roll ♪

♪ What it is today ♪

♪ No two-bit fascist ♪

♪ Is gonna shoot us down ♪

♪ So come on, children ♪

♪ Bring your guns bring your guns to town ♪

- ♪ Keep on rockin' ♪ - ♪ Keep on rockin' ♪

♪ Keep on Rock 'n' roll gonna never die ♪

♪ Keep on rockin' ♪ ♪ Keep on rockin' ♪

♪ Keep on Rock 'n' roll gonna never die ♪

♪ Keep on rockin' Keep on rockin' ♪

♪ Keep on Rock 'n' roll gonna never die ♪

♪ Keep on rockin' Keep on rockin' ♪

♪ Keep on Rock 'n' roll ♪

♪ Gonna never die ♪♪

[Audience Cheering]

Thank you, St. Louis.

[People Chattering, Laughing]

[Rudge] Everything okay?

Hey, Don!

What a great job! Thank you so much.

[Continues, Indistinct]

Chief, would you like to come meet Rose here?

Rose? She's a little bit high. Rose?

It's Police Chief Morrison here and his wife.

- He gave us extra protection tonight. - How you doing?

- You have a mighty generous manager. - Oh, ho!

I've heard ol' Rudgie called plenty of things.

That's the first time I've ever heard him called "generous."

Excuse us. Don! Dennis, would you bring him over?

There you are. Rose, Don Franks...

handling Midwest distribution.

Give me a hankie. What a shvitz! I'm dying.

Honey, you were sensational tonight. Incredible! Insane!

The band was so together!

Ah! It just put me away. Really. I wet my pants.

- Don't you want to go change? - My shorts were in flames.

- Rose is getting tired. - How can you tell?

- Don's a very good friend of ours. - Let's go home.

- Rack jobbers rule. - They don't rule me. Sorry.

Hey.

What are you doing here? You don't belong here.

Don't go telling her "tired." She's got commitments, responsibilities...

and these people are important.

Look, the lady needs a rest.

Yeah, when I tell her. Excuse me.

And when she's finished her business. We've got a partnership.

- What song are you singing now? - I'm having a word with your friend.

I'm really tired. I'll see you on the plane tomorrow.

Take me to bed. Take me to bed.

You got a picture? I'm not sleeping over.

Listen, call me tomorrow. We're not leaving till late.

- I've got something extra ‒ - It's cool. Dennis got you covered.

- Right. - All right, let's get out of here.

[Indistinct Conversation]

[Man] When are we getting the fuck out of here?

[All Protesting]

Keep it cool, man. Keep it cool, huh?

- Hey, Dennis. - I'm sorry, but they don't know when this thing's gonna clear up.

Oh, Christ. Can't we even wait on the plane?

- I'll check it out, all right? - Okay, fine.

- Dennis, you want your fortune told? - No, thanks.

Tarot cards aren't my bag.

- Houston, let me see your tongue. - Beg your pardon?

Don't be a putz. Let me see your tongue.

- Let me see your real tongue. - Come on.

That's the tongue I know.

Listen, toots, you look a little green around the gills.

Drink this.

- Vitamins, minerals. - That looks... really far out.

Drink it, honey.

You need it. You got to keep up your strength, you know?

Come on, don't be a chump. Drink it.

Oh, my brave boy.

I'll get you straightened out when we go away.

- I think this'll do it. - I think that'll do it for sure.

Ick. [Gags]

Terrible, ain't it?

Who ordered a dozen raw eggs?

[Man] Raw eggs, right here!

And a dozen raw beers too! [Whooping]

Houston, look.

Look what the army did to those poor little boys.

- Oh! - [Low Chuckle] You'd better let them little boys be.

You know me better than that by now, don't you, dear?

- Here we go. - Hey, Colonel.

Whoo-hoo! Colonel!

I think she's talking to you.

- Yeah! - You talking to me?

Honey, you know I'm talking to you. Come here.

Come on over here. Airborne, Houston. Airborne.

♪ Hit the silk and check your canopy and take a look around ♪

♪ The air is full of troopers set for battle on the ground ♪

♪ Till we join the stick of angels killed on Leyte and Luzon ♪

♪ Shout "Geronimo, Geronimo" ♪♪

[Whooping]

Okay, everyone.

We're getting our clearance for Memphis soon.

The fog has lifted.

Right. Who's this, then?

Rudge, this is Mal.

This is Mal. He's gonna be traveling with me.

My personal bodyguard, my personal masseur.

This troupe gets bigger every day.

♪ And if free don't mean ♪

♪ For nothing ♪

♪ Let's just say this one's on me ♪

♪ Yeah ♪

♪ You know I sold my soul to rock 'n' roll ♪

♪ I bought these devil chains ♪

♪ My baby wants me home ♪

♪ Can't refuse him ♪

- Whoo! - ♪ I sold my soul ♪

- ♪ To rock 'n' roll ♪ - Come on, baby!

♪ It's time to take that train ♪

♪ The one that goes from heaven ♪

♪ Straight to Houston ♪

♪ Whoa, I need a short vacation ♪

♪ Resting in ♪

♪ Baby's arms ♪

♪ But the road goes on ♪

♪ Forever, forever, forever ♪

♪ It keeps on going, but I'm gone ♪

♪ Oh, oh ♪

♪ I sold my soul to rock 'n' roll ♪

♪ Bought these devil chains ♪

♪ Oh, baby wants me home ♪

♪ Can't refuse him ♪

♪ Sold my soul to rock 'n' roll ♪

♪ It's time to take that train ♪

♪ The one that goes from heaven ♪

♪ Straight to Houston, oh ♪

♪ Did you like it ♪

♪ Was it good ♪

♪ Don't it make you want to cry ♪

♪ Oh, yeah, did you like it ♪

- ♪ Am I good ♪ - Yeah!

♪ Is it worth another try ♪

♪ I sold my soul to rock 'n' roll ♪

♪ It's time to take that train ♪

♪ The one that goes from heaven ♪

♪ Straight to Houston, oh ♪

♪ The one that goes from heaven ♪

♪ Straight to Houston, oh ♪♪

[Cheering]

Whoo!

[No Audible Dialogue]

Beautiful, beautiful!

Keep moving!

[Man] What the hell's the matter with security?

[Excited Chattering]

Oh, baby, baby!

Oh, I'm so hot!

Oh!

Oh, Sarah. Goddamn! How you been?

Houston, this is Sarah Willingham.

Sarah, this is, uh ‒

this is Houston Dyer.

Looks more like Galveston to me.

- [Water Running] - [Sarah] God, your hair looks beautiful.

[Rose] It looks great wet, doesn't it?

- The color is wonderful. - Thank you, honey.

- Does that feel good? - Don't be a nit.

Of course it feels good.

Sarah, don't get carried ‒

Sarah, you're getting it all over my face.

- Do you have a license for this, madam? - Mm-hmm.

That feels wonderful.

Oh, girl.

- Sarah ‒ - What?

- Oh, Sarah. - What?

You're gonna get me all fucked up again.

Rudge told me you were fucked up.

I love how you say "fuck."

Sounds like tea and crumpets at the Ritz-Carlton or something.

I missed you.

I gotta tell you something.

Something wonderful's happened to me.

Wonderful.

That guy, Houston Dyer ‒

A real man.

He's solid. He's not like any man...

I ever met in my whole life.

He likes me. He doesn't care what I did before...

he doesn't care what I am, he doesn't care who I am.

He makes me so happy.

I can see.

Yeah, I guess it shows.

You know, mine was a poetry teacher at Bennington.

He was 30, and I was 18.

I'm jealous of you, Rose.

I want what you have.

[Rose] Oh, shh, shh, shh.

Shh.

[Sobbing Softly]

[Sarah] Shh, shh, shh, shh.

You're beautiful.

I love you.

[Rustling]

Why? Why?

Listen to me! Let me explain!

Shut up!

You fuck! Why don't you listen to me?

- Rose! - You pig!

You stupid ‒

[Groans]

- Oh, God! - [Groaning]

I'm sorry. Baby, I'm so sorry.

Oh, baby, baby, baby, I love you so much.

- [Dennis] Hold on, will you? - Why can't you find him?

- Rudge, it's Bernie. - I can't talk to anybody ‒

- Why the hell can't you find him? - Jesus! - Excuse me!

Madeline, would you mind going and brushing your hair?

Yeah, go brush your hair. Why the hell can't you find him?

- I didn't lose him! - I ain't so sure about that.

- Come on, Mal. - Where are you going?

If you can't find him, I will.

We're leaving tonight for Florida. Remember: hometown.

You're gonna show 'em all, right?

[Man] Step up, ladies and gentlemen. See the show.

It's about to start. Five minutes to showtime.

See the most beautiful girls this side of the Mississippi.

[Indistinct Conversations]

- Hey! - [Man] Hey!

Is there a dude in here by the name of Houston Dyer?

- My ass is in here! - Get out of here!

Ah, I hope your goddamn chickens die!

You lousy farmers!

- [Man] What the hell was that? - [Woman] Did you see her hair?

God, I was such a good lay.

How could he just go off and leave me like that?

Tell me, Mal. What's wrong with me?

Nothing.

I should've ‒

I should've gone to college.

- Wait a minute ‒ - [Horn Honks]

Whoa, whoa, whoa, whoa!

Clear the area for you there, trooper.

[Horn Honking]

[Many Horns Honking]

♪♪ [Jazz]

Ah, the hell with him.

I don't give a damn about him anyway.

Positive?

Nope.

Well, what are we gonna do now?

Sonny, there's only one thing left to do.

What's that?

Go home.

- Did you find her? - No.

The only thing I do have is that...

she and the kid tore up downtown Memphis last night looking for Dyer.

They never went back to the hotel.

Black coffee, honey.

She better show tonight...

or I'll break her fucking feathers for her!

God, look at this.

[Chuckles]

Oh, Lord.

- Feels funny, huh? - It sure feels funny.

- Does it look littler? - Oh, you said it.

Littler and poorer...

and dirtier...

and meaner.

This is where I went to high school.

Hmm?

The football field.

I got me some memories of the football field.

This is the vacant lot where I got my first kiss.

Eddie Pompadour was his name.

- "Eddie Pompadour"? - Eddie fuckin' Pompadour, dear.

I was 12 years old.

His name wasn't really Eddie Pompadour...

but I called him Eddie Pompadour 'cause he had this Elvis Presley complex.

Went to his hair, you dig?

There was a little swoop in the front.

- [Snickers] - I thought he was it, man.

See that? That's my house over there.

- Yeah? - Yeah.

- See those two people out in the yard? - Uh-huh.

That's my mother and father.

Come on, man. Let's go.

- [Phone Ringing] - [Woman] Honey, would you get the phone?

[Man] Can't you get it? - What a wonderful answer!

[Rose] There's Leonard's Grocery!

You feel like a Dr Pepper, buddy?

[Mal] Sure.

[Tires Screeching]

[Horns Honking]

Is there something I can do for you, ma'am?

Don't you know who I am?

Nope, I can't say I do.

Give me a MoonPie...

and a Dr Pepper, Mr. Leonard.

- Oh, it's Mary Jo ‒ uh, Rose Foster. - [Laughing]

- How have you been, Mary Rose? - Okay.

What brings you back to these parts?

Jeez!

Maybe next time you'll know who I am.

- I am the Rose. - Hmm?

The Rose!

Oh, my God! This is her!

Looks exactly like her, doesn't it?

God, I don't believe it!

- [Men Talking] - [Machinery Rumbling]

[Honks]

[Man] Forty-nine's good.

Fifty-one, please.

Fifty-one, please.

[Man] Check, one, two.

So. So. Sin. Test.

- [Indistinct] - [Man] Okay, that's good on the highs.

Check the crossover and bring it up around 300.

Buh. Bottom.

Buh. Test. That seems to be getting real close.

If you could give me more volume, I'd appreciate it. Bango. Two.

[Man #2] Will you shove 53 up?

Thank you. Jimmy, try that flood again.

[Phones Ringing]

- We're sold out. - Your name's on the list.

- Sorry, no tickets. Standing room only. - Rose tour.

Rudge, I checked out every hospital and sheriff's office from here to Memphis.

- She'll be here. - I'm worried about her.

Don't worry about her. She'll be here.

She needs this concert. She'll crawl on her hands and knees to get here.

- [Tires Screeching] - Hey, hold it!

You can't go in there, lady.

[Shouts]

Hey, stop that woman!

Lady, you got to stop your car!

Hey, lady!

[Horn Honking]

- [Dennis] Well, I'll be damned. - What did I tell you?

[Coughing]

Ah! I made it.

Yeah. Yeah, I see.

Yeah. And, uh ‒

- I've been doing some thinking. - Yeah?

Yeah. And it's definite, Rudge.

I'm gonna take a year off.

[Rudge] Uh-huh.

- And, uh ‒ - Yeah, go ahead.

Uh...

I, uh ‒

I don't want to hurt the band none, you know, so I think ‒

I think it's a good idea if we...

keep 'em on salary...

after tonight, you know, just until I ‒

I can decide when ‒

when to come back and all.

Stuff like that.

Are you finished?

Yeah, I'm finished.

Do you know what this is?

- No. - You ought to. You signed it.

It must be my contract.

Right. Good.

I've been reading it.

I've been reading it and thinking about it.

For the last couple of nights, I've been thinking about us.

About all those filthy holes we played.

All those nickel-and-dime hustlers I had to bargain with...

every time you opened your mouth.

And not all for you. For me too, see.

Because I loved it. I loved it!

I loved getting hold of a selfish, hopeless junkie...

and turning her into a performer they're willing to mortgage Australia for.

Do you want to play Brisbane? London?

Do you want to play Paris? Do you want to play Tokyo?

And then...

last night I woke up, and I thought...

"Fuck all this.

Did we go down the road together or didn't we?"

And I came to a decision:

Either you fulfill all the commitments you asked me to make for you...

or you fulfill none of them.

Do you get it?

You're not singing tonight.

- You're crazy. - The concert's off.

What do you mean?

It's my show. I'm the promoter. If I want to blow it, I'll blow it.

Everyone will get their money back. I'll pay them myself. By the way...

get yourself another manager.

I don't want you in my life anymore.

You can start your vacation right now.

You're fired.

[Door Opens, Shuts]

[Man Over Intercom] Can I have your attention, please?

I want all stadium personnel...

to meet with the production crew...

in five minutes at the north end of the stadium.

Thank you.

Rudge!

Rudge!

Rudge! Stop! Stop!

Where are you going?

Turn around, motherfucker!

Stop!

Turn around! Don't you walk out on me!

Can't you hear me?

I'm talking to you!

Come back here!

Come back! Come back!

I'm talking to you!

Where are you going? Where are you going?

[Whimpering]

Where are you going?

Where's everybody going?

[Sobbing]

- Houston! Oh! - Rose!

- I missed you! - Houston!

Gosh, I thought I'd never see you again.

[Houston] We were meant to be.

I missed you so much. I tried to stay away, but I couldn't.

Houston, Houston.

- Where have you been? - Taking care of some business.

Houston, Rudge fired me!

- Fired you? - He fired me!

I came to talk to him and get everything straightened out...

and he fired me!

He can't fire you. Hell, he works for you!

Houston, you don't understand. He's the promoter.

He pulled the goddamn rug right out from under me.

Oh, God. What am I talking to you for?

Who the hell are you, anyway? God!

I'm your own private brown-eyed motherfucker, remember?

Oh! Oh!

Oh, you. Oh, you.

What am I gonna do now?

Where am I gonna go? I got nowhere to go.

Shit! I'm so goddamned mad!

I feel so bad. [Sobbing]

- Take it easy. - I feel so bad.

We'll just go away from here.

We'll go away someplace where we can breathe.

Houston, all I know is how to sing, you know?

I can't walk out on that...

for something that I don't know nothing about.

My whole life is falling apart, and you want to buy me a sleeping bag.

Oh, baby. Sleeping bags are nice.

Cozy.

We'll just go till we don't want to go anymore.

- Where we gonna go? - How's Mexico grab you?

I'm a sucker for adventure.

I really am.

You love me.

Houston, there's something...

I want to tell you.

Come here.

Come here. I want to whisper.

Rose.

[Man Over Intercom] Parking in the rear, please.

I don't even have a sound check on her yet.

Are you out of your mind? We have to find her...

get her to this concert, and forget these other commitments.

I don't pay you to think.

Are you insane? You want to go into that truck...

and tell these people you don't know where she is?

Am I insane? I spent four years in the trenches...

with a certifiable Section 8.

I won all the marbles, see?

I played my ace in the hole.

Yeah. Maybe you'll end up winning...

but I think your little game stinks.

Oh!

Whoa, whoa! Ain't nature wonderful?

Doggone. Haulin' ass down to Mexico!

- Gotta make myself beautiful. - You're already beautiful.

Yeah? You supposed to wear glasses or what?

- [Chuckling] - Look at that!

Look at that. You see that neon sign up there?

- You gotta pull up over there. - What for?

That's Monte's, the first place I ever sang.

- I thought we were going to Mexico. - Come on. Please?

Give me a break. I want to see if they still know who I am.

♪♪ [Upbeat Country]

[People Cheering]

♪♪ [Ends]

[Applauding]

♪♪ [Slow Country]

Whoa-oa-oa! Rosie's back!

[People Cheering]

Rosie! Rosie!

[Laughing] Rosie!

- How are you, sweetheart? - Monte! Oh!

- Goddamn! Good to see you! - How are you, Rose?

Glad to see you. You look wonderful. How's it feel to be a big star?

- I'll be right back. Stay right there. - I ain't goin' nowhere.

Hiya, Rose.

Hello, Milledge!

Honey, you still here?

Hey, your mother know you're out with a hippie freak?

Oh, Christ. Some things never change.

- Here we go. - Now, now.

- Heard you were in town, Rose. - Yeah, I'm in town.

Monte, are we gonna do some serious juicin'...

or are we just gonna bullshit all night?

Come on. Bourbon, double.

A shot glass for you, right?

And a little bourbon. Ooh!

- What are you doing way up here? - Came to see you, fool!

You did, huh?

I miss you. You're wonderful. You're a great human being.

And your boyfriend? What's he want? What do you say, son?

Oh, he don't look so happy.

Give him a Thunderbird and a ginger ale. Chase it with Ripple.

- What do you really want? - Give me a beer.

Yeah, beer. Coming up.

Here we go. All right, beer.

[Chuckles] There you go.

Here's a glass for you, here's the bottle, and there's the beer.

- ♪♪ [Ends] - [People Cheering]

- I want another one. - A big one, right?

The usual. A great big one for the Rose.

Sing one song, and all the drinks are on the house!

- Is that right? You got it! - Okay!

Ladies and gentlemen! [Whistles]

The Rose is going to sing a song for us.

- Give her a big hand! - [Applauding, Cheering]

- Twelve-bar blues in E? - Certainly!

- Where you going? - To do what I do.

- Are you with her, man? - Yeah.

- Really? - Yeah.

Got any reds?

All right.

You want to score? I'm holding the greatest dope in the world.

I got whites, reds, windowpane...

super smack, anything you want.

Man, take a fuckin' hike.

It was gonna be for free, man.

Monte, come on. Give me a beer.

♪ Oh ♪

♪ You know women don't like this woman ♪

♪ 'Cause I always speak my mind ♪

♪ But the men are crazy 'bout me ♪

♪ 'Cause I love to take my time ♪

♪ If you're gonna love this woman ♪

♪ Gotta love me with a thrill ♪

♪ 'Cause, baby, if you don't ♪

♪ I got to find a man who will ♪

- ♪ Love me with a feelin' ♪ - ♪ Love me with a feelin' ♪

♪ You got to love me with a feelin' ♪

♪ Love me with a feelin' ♪

- ♪ You got to love me with a feelin' ♪ - All right!

♪ Or you don't love me at all ♪

♪ You know I'm the kind of woman ♪

♪ I don't want no halfway stuff ♪

♪ If you're gonna turn me loose, baby be sure I had enough ♪

♪ You know the cops once took me in ♪

♪ But I did not need the bail ♪

♪ I just shook it for the judge and he ♪

♪ He put that cop in jail ♪

- ♪ You got to love me with a feelin' ♪ - ♪ Love me with a feelin' ♪

- Rose, remember this? - ♪ Love me with a feelin' ♪

- ♪ You got to love me with a feelin' ♪ - Come on, you guys, get up!

- ♪ Or you don't love me at all ♪ - Get on your feet!

Remember the Lakewood game? Remember the Lakewood game?

Hey, she was good. She was so ‒

- You wanna do it again, Rose? - Hey, no.

Line forms right behind me. I'll be first.

- You want sloppy seconds, man? - Fuckin' A!

- [Woman Screams] - Stop that!

Stop, please!

- Come on, kid! - It's supposed to be a party.

Get her out of here before the trouble starts.

Get her out of here.

No!

- Rose, we gotta go. - Man, you spoiled everything! Spoiled it all!

Let's get out of here!

These low-rent motherfuckers ain't never gonna appreciate you!

They don't know!

- Come on! - You ruined it!

- Get in this car! - You ruined it!

- You ruined it! - Just get in there!

- You ruined it! - Get in!

Who the hell do you think you are?

- [Buzzer Sounds] - Fuck off!

It's Rudge.

He wants me back.

He says anything, anything I want.

He's crawling ‒

Don't look at me like that.

Please.

Don't look at me like that!

Oh. Jesus, I'm sorry.

I did it again.

Jesus, I wish you loved me.

Oh, please.

[Sobbing]

Where are you going?

Where are you going?

Hey!

Where are you going?

Houston!

Where are you going?

Please!

Please.

Where's everybody going?

[Truck Horn Blaring]

Damn! Damn, Sam!

Sam! How you been, baby?

Hello, sweet lady.

- I'm fine. How are you doing? - Sam, I gotta go.

Rose, I'm gonna take the liberty of giving you a gratis balloon...

of some of the finest shit this side of Marseilles.

I don't do that shit.

Rose, this is the best there is.

The best there is.

But I don't ‒

It's the best, Rose. Let me help you.

- Just for old times' sake. - But I ‒

For old times' sake, Rose. My own works.

- You know why? - Why?

'Cause you're the best. Be good to yourself, okay?

- Okay. - I love you.

[Horn Honking, Traffic Roaring]

Pan to the side. All right.

I think you'd better get her here pretty soon, okay?

Don't worry. She'll be here. She'll be here.

[Tires Screeching]

[Punching Phone Buttons]

Get off the goddamn phone!

Get off the fuckin' phone! [Sobbing]

Get off the phone! Get off ‒

- Shit! - [Man] One, two, three!

- One! - One, two, three!

- Two! - One, two, three!

- Three! - One, two, three ‒

[Tires Screeching]

- One, two, three! - Six!

- One, two, three! - Seven!

- One, two, three! - Eight!

[Cadence Continues]

[Sobbing, Gasping]

[Quietly] Operator ‒

Operator ‒ Operator, get me the stadium.

I don't know the fucking number!

What do you mean, "information"?

Operator!

Operator!

- [Coins Rattle] - Oh, shit!

Shit!

[Quietly] Operator...

please ‒ please help me.

Oh, thank you. Thank you.

I ‒ I gotta ‒

I gotta find the stadium.

[Man Over Intercom] Parking lot A is full. Please go to parking lot B.

Do not park in undesignated spaces.

- [Continues, Indistinct] - ♪♪ [Soft Rock, Faint]

Baby, where are you?

Uh...

I'm ‒ I'm at school.

[Whistle Blows]

No, my high school.

Uh ‒

How's the house?

Standing room only.

You-You have to come pick me up.

No, I-I can't make it by myself.

I'll be waiting. I‒ I'm ‒

[Coughing]

I'm at the phone booth...

in the ‒ in the parking lot.

Hey, you sound sick.

No, I'm all right.

No, I'll make it. I'll make it.

Don't worry about me. I'll be fine.

I'll be just fine.

Okay.

Everything's cool.

[Dialing]

Hello, Mom?

Yeah. Yeah, it's me.

Oh, uh ‒ no, no.

No, you don't have to come.

No, too much traffic.

And crowded. It'll be crowded.

Real crowded and everything.

Daddy?

Daddy, is that you? Are you on the phone upstairs?

Well, I miss you too.

I miss you both.

Uh ‒ No, no, no.

No, I already told Mama.

Uh, I don't want you to come.

It'll be ‒ It's too much trouble.

Oh, no, I'm wonderful.

I'm fine. I'm fine.

Everything's great. Great.

Great. Everything's great.

Uh, no. Um ‒ Um ‒

But we're taking right off after the concert.

We're gonna ‒ gonna go to New ‒ New Orleans.

But I'm gonna try and get back for Easter.

Um ‒

You know, I ‒

I'm ‒ I'm so tired of the road.

No, I'm so tired.

I want to stop so bad.

But you know, there's only one way to do that.

You've just gotta ‒

You just gotta... make up ‒

make up your mind you're gonna stop.

Oh, yes. I promise.

I promise.

Um, say ‒

say hi to ‒

Say hi to Karleen and Marge, okay?

I love you.

- Bye. - [Whistle Blows]

- [Coins Rattle] - [Man] Hit the showers!

[Shouting, Clapping]

♪♪ [Rock Intro]

[Man] Is this on? Okay.

[Tapping Microphone] Give me something.

Uh, I have no ‒

Get ready, everybody.

♪♪ [Rock Anthem]

[Clamoring]

This ain't gonna work. We're going to a hospital.

[Mouths Words]

♪♪ [Continues]

- ♪♪ [Ends] - [Cheering Continues]

It feels real good to be home.

[Cheering]

And ‒

And, uh ‒

And you're my family.

Thank you for coming.

I, uh ‒ I didn't mean ‒

I didn't mean to be late.

Uh...

do you forgive me?

[Cheering]

Well...

I ‒ I forgive you too.

What are we waiting for, boys?

Boys, stay with me, baby.

Come on. Mama's home.

Mama is home.

♪♪ [Ballad]

♪ Where did you go ♪

♪ When things went wrong, baby ♪

♪ Who did you run to ♪

♪ To find a shoulder ♪

♪ To lay your head upon ♪

♪ Baby, wasn't I there ♪

♪ Didn't I take good care of you ♪

♪ But oh, no, I can't believe ♪

♪ You're leavin' me ♪

♪ Stay with me, baby ♪

♪ I'm beggin' you to stay with me, baby ♪

♪ Yeah, stay with me, baby ♪

♪ I can't go on ♪

♪ Who did you touch ♪

♪ When you needed tenderness, baby ♪

♪ I gave you so much ♪

♪ And in return ♪

♪ I found happiness ♪

♪ Baby, what could I do ♪

♪ Maybe I was too good ♪

♪ Too good to you ♪

♪ Oh, no, I can't believe you're leavin' me ♪

♪ Oh, oh, oh ♪

♪ Oh, stay with me baby ♪

♪ Why don't you, why don't you just stay with me, baby ♪

♪ Yeah, stay with me, baby ♪

♪ Remember ♪

♪ You said you always gonna love me ♪

♪ Remember ♪

♪ You said you'd never ever leave me ♪

♪ Remember, remember ♪

♪ I'm asking you, begging you ♪

♪ Oh, oh ♪

♪ Oh, oh ♪

♪ Stay with me, baby, baby, baby ♪

♪ Why don't you stay with me, baby ♪

♪ Stay with me, baby ♪

♪ I can't, I can't ♪

♪ Go on ♪

Well, I'm a young woman...

and I can get plenty of men.

But honey, keepin' 'em is the hard part, ain't it?

Yeah. Sometimes ‒

Sometimes I find I try so hard.

♪ Maybe this time ♪

♪ I should be the one to go away ♪

♪ 'Cause honey, ain't it my turn to have somebody ♪

♪ Grab hold of me and say "No, don't go, you can't go" ♪

♪ Oh, stay ♪

♪ Stay with me, baby ♪

♪ I'm begging you to stay with me ♪

♪ Stay with me, baby ♪

♪ I can't, I can't ♪

♪ I can't, I can't ♪

♪ Oh, yeah, yeah, yeah ♪

♪ Stay with me, baby ♪

♪ Why don't you stay with me, baby ♪

♪ Stay with me, baby ♪

♪ I can't ♪

♪ I can't go on ♪♪

[Cheering, Applauding Subsides]

I, uh ‒ I got a ‒

a little song I want to sing to you...

that I learned when I was...

just so high.

It went —

It went —

It went ‒

[Weakly] ♪ Let me ♪

♪ Call you ♪

♪ Sweetheart ♪

♪ I'm in love ♪

[Voice Cracking] ♪ With ♪

♪ You ♪♪

[Quietly] Where are you going?

Where is everybody going?

[Audience Screaming]

- Call a doctor! - Come on!

Where's the first aid?

♪♪ [Soft Piano]

♪ Some say love ♪

♪ It is a river ♪

♪ That drowns ♪

♪ The tender reed ♪

♪ Some say love ♪

♪ It is a razor ♪

♪ That leaves ♪

♪ Your soul to bleed ♪

♪ Some say love ♪

- ♪ It is a hunger ♪ - [Door Creaks]

♪ An endless aching need ♪

♪ I say love ♪

♪ It is a flower ♪

♪ And you ♪

♪ Its only seed ♪

♪ It's the heart ♪

♪ Afraid of breaking ♪

♪ That never ♪

♪ Learns to dance ♪

♪ It's the dream ♪

♪ Afraid of waking ♪

♪ That never ♪

♪ Takes the chance ♪

♪ It's the one ♪

♪ Who won't be taken ♪

♪ Who cannot seem to give ♪

♪ And the soul ♪

♪ Afraid of dyin' ♪

♪ That never ♪

♪ Learns to live ♪

♪ When the night ♪

♪ Has been too lonely ♪

♪ And the road ♪

♪ Has been too long ♪

♪ And you think ♪

♪ That love is only ♪

♪ For the lucky ♪

♪ And the strong ♪

♪ Just remember ♪

♪ In the winter ♪

♪ Far beneath ♪

♪ The bitter snows ♪

♪ Lies the seed ♪

♪ That with the sun's love ♪

♪ In the spring ♪

♪ Becomes the rose ♪♪

♪♪ [Ends]