Original subtitles

Captioning made possible by Warner Bros.

[Late in the evening intro plays]

♪ Ahh ♪

♪ ahh ♪

♪ ahh ♪

♪ ahh ♪

♪ ahh ♪

♪ ahh ♪

♪ first thing I remember ♪

♪ I was lying in my bed ♪

♪ couldn't of been no more than 1 or 2 ♪

♪ and I remember there was a radio ♪

♪ comin' from the room next door ♪

♪ my mother laughed the way some ladies do ♪

♪ well, it's late in the evening ♪

♪ and the music's seeping through ♪

♪ next thing I remember ♪

♪ I am walkin' down the street ♪

♪ I'm feelin' all right ♪

♪ I'm with my boys ♪

♪ I'm with my troops, yeah ♪

♪ why must I be a teenager... ♪

♪ And down along the Avenue ♪

♪ some guys were shootin' pool ♪

♪ and I heard the sound of a cappella grooves, yeah ♪

♪ singin' late in the evening ♪

♪ and all the girls out on the stoops, yeah ♪

♪ then I learn to play some lead guitar ♪

♪ and I was underage in this funky bar ♪

♪ and I stepped outside to smoke myself a "j" ♪

♪ and when I come back to the room ♪

♪ everybody just seemed removed ♪

♪ and I turned my amp up loud ♪

♪ and I began to play ♪

♪ and it was late in the evening ♪

♪ and I blew that room away ♪

♪ ahh ♪

♪ ahh ♪

♪ ahh ♪

♪ ahh ♪

♪ ahh ♪

♪ ahh ♪

♪ the first thing I remember ♪

♪ when you came into my life ♪

♪ I said, I'm gonna get that girl ♪

♪ no matter what I do ♪

♪ well, I guess I've been in love before ♪

♪ and once or twice I been on the floor ♪

♪ but I never loved no one the way that I love you ♪

♪ and it was late in the evening ♪

♪ and all the music's seeping through ♪

Evening there, brother.

Hi.

Hi there, brother.

Can I talk to you for a minute?

Yeah, do you mind if i--

yeah, do you mind if I talk to you?

Go away.

Excuse me there, brother,

can I talk to you for a minute?

Got any spare change, man?

Excuse me, brother,

could I talk to you for a second?

Brother, you got a second to spare there?

Excuse me, brother, can I talk to you for a minute?

Hi there. Can i--

do you have a minute?

Excuse me, brother, can I talk to you for a second?

No, thanks. Not interested.

Well, do you mind if I walk with you?

Are you from Cleveland

or are you just visiting?

I'm really not interested.

How do you know you're not interested?

You don't even know what I'm going to say.

I know.

This is not my first airport.

Hey, you're into music, brother.

That's great, beautiful.

You ever hear of George Harrison and Stevie wonder?

You know what?

They're into the baghavaghita.

They wrote songs about it and everything.

Can--can I give you something?

No.

It's free.

Here. No, thanks.

No, thanks.

Uh, I got a lot on my mind right now.

Krishna has a lot to say

about a troubled mind, man.

You should check this out.

No, thanks.

You said that your mind is troubled.

Why don't you check it out, brother?

You know, this is such a minor point,

I hate even to bring it up,

but I have a brother.

We're all brothers.

No, I mean, I have a real brother.

We're all real brothers.

This real brother used to sleep

in the other bed in my room.

Look, look, all I'm saying to you

is if you want to purify your existence,

get into your spiritual self,

check it out.

Ok, ok. Hari krishna.

Ok, ok, Harry chapin.

[Music plays on radio]

Man: Did you see the bird?

Second man: Yes, I did.

Takes a lot of chops to prove it.

Radio dj: Back soon with the boss of bosses.

Will you please buzz on down?

I'm going to bribe it up

with some rock n' roll concert tickets

coming up after we take a break with the news.

News flash: He calls them niggers, I call them trash.

I'll let you know what's going on

in the world out there.

And keep it beautiful.

If you're in the park system,

keep your pants up and your eyes open.

[Changing channels]

[Man laughs]

We--we--we--we were up for a while.

Commercial announcer: And the track is slow going on Broadway,

except by your favorite watering hole.

We've got to keep up our reputation.

So, come on down tonight to the agora

for our weekend stretcher with the Jonah levin band.

Hey, man, how come you came so late?

Second man: I thought it was Friday.

See, they done told me it was the 20th and 24th.

Third dj: ...52nd street, and some motown memories...

The tempting temptations...

Hello.

Uh, Jonah levin.

A reservation for 5 rooms.

Hey, junior, what time's the first set?

Clarence, come right in.

I mean, taking a bath's

usually a private moment for me,

but I don't mind sharing this time with you.

What time's the first set?

9:00.

But we leave at about 8:15.

That's it, huh?

I am, after all, a Caucasian.

I understand and I sympathize.

Clarence Franklin on piano.

Danny duggin on drums.

On bass, John dibatista.

Lee-Andrew Parker on lead guitar.

[One trick pony intro plays]

Ok, we're going to play one trick pony.

[Whistling]

♪ He's a one trick pony ♪

♪ one trick is all that horse can do ♪

♪ he does one trick only ♪

♪ it's the principal source of his revenue ♪

♪ and when he steps into the spotlight ♪

♪ you can feel the heat of his heart ♪

♪ come rising through ♪

♪ see how he dances ♪

♪ see how he loops from side to side ♪

♪ see how he prances ♪

♪ the way his hooves just seem to glide ♪

♪ he's just a one trick pony ♪

♪ that's all he is ♪

♪ but he turns that trick with pride ♪

♪ he makes it look so easy ♪

♪ he looks so clean ♪

♪ he moves like god's immaculate machine ♪

♪ he makes me think about all of these extra moves I make ♪

♪ all this herky-jerky motion ♪

♪ and the bag of tricks it takes ♪

♪ to get me through my workin' day ♪

♪ one trick pony ♪

♪ He's a one trick pony ♪

♪ he either fails or he succeeds ♪

♪ he gives his testimony ♪

♪ then he relaxes in the weeds ♪

♪ he's got one trick to last a lifetime ♪

♪ but that's all a pony needs ♪

♪ yeah, that's all he needs ♪

Here I go, papa!

Jonah: One trick.

Whoo!

♪ He looks so easy ♪

♪ he looks so clean ♪

♪ he moves like god's immaculate machine ♪

♪ he makes me think about all of these extra moves I make ♪

♪ and all this herky-jerky motion ♪

♪ and the bag of tricks it takes ♪

♪ to get me through my workin' day ♪

♪ one trick pony ♪

♪ one trick pony ♪

♪ one trick pony ♪♪ one trick pony ♪

♪ one trick pony ♪♪ one trick pony ♪

♪ one trick pony ♪♪ one trick pony ♪

♪ take me for a ride ♪

♪ one trick pony ♪♪ one trick pony ♪

[Applause and cheering]

Audience: B-52s!

B-52s!

B-52s...

Announcer: The agora proudly presents the b-52s.

[Applause and cheering]

Let's go.

Audience: B-52s!

B-52s!

B-52s!

[Applause and cheering]

[Rock lobster intro plays]

♪ Skeedoodle-a ♪

♪ skeedoodle-a ♪

♪ when you want to party ♪

♪ you better look down in the deep ♪

♪ we're all crushed in and rabid ♪

♪ with rock lobster ♪

♪ ahh ♪ ♪ ahh ♪

♪ ahh ♪ ♪ ahh ♪

♪ ahh ahh ♪ ♪ ahh ahh ♪

♪ rock lobster ♪

♪ Yeeoh ♪

♪ yeeoh ♪

♪ ahh ♪

♪ ahh ♪

♪ ahh ♪

♪ ahh ♪

Danny: ...And he's among them and running, man.

And the baby's flying through the air.

And, like, he's going for it.

And he makes one of these bomb catches.

And he's got it, man.

And I mean, we was cheering.

I'm going, "yay!" You understand?

Excuse me?

It goes booch!

Ha ha ha!

Excuse me?

Excuse me?

Ok, I got 2 Heineken,

I got 2 Remy,

a sloe gin fizz,

and a Jack Daniels neat.

Club policy is 1/3 off the menu.

Who wants to sign?

Warner Bros. Going to pay for it.

Waitress: Oh, come on.

You guys aren't with Warner Bros.

I got to turn in a slip.

So, you know, who's it going to be?

Jonah: Just leave it here.

We'll straighten it out later.

[Music plays]

Come on in.

Richie?

Who's Richie?

[Arf arf]

He's my dog.

I picked him out of a garbage can

when he was just a tiny puppy.

Literally a garbage can.

Incredible.

I know.

I was outside the kitchen in the alley,

you know, behind the club

just grabbing a smoke or something.

And I heard this little, tiny whimper,

and it was him.

It was Richie.

Richie.

I used to have a dog.

Oh, what happened, did he die?

Oh, no.

He's very much alive.

He's my ex-dog.

He lives with my ex-wife

in my ex-apartment.

Oh.

Do you have any kids?

I have a son.

Your ex-son?

Nah, he's not in the ex-group.

He'll always be my son.

Yeah.

What's his name?

Matty.

You live alone?

I have a boyfriend, if that's what you mean.

But we don't live together.

I mean, he loves me and all,

but we don't live together.

How long you been divorced?

Well, I'm actually just separated.

Separated.

So, you'll probably try and get back together.

Where is your boyfriend?

On the road.

He's a roadie.

Travels a lot?

A lot, yeah.

What do you do when he's gone?

So, when I got my job waitressing,

I just quit my other job.

I mean, it doesn't pay as much as my first job,

but I get to hear all the rock n' roll I want.

So, you know.

You really love rock n' roll.

Oh, Christ, yeah.

Kept me sane when I was a kid.

Why is that?

Oh, because we were always moving around the country.

My dad--well, my dad's firm,

they would transfer him to a different city

about every other year, so, you know, so...

What does he do?

He's an engineer.

Like, I was always having to change houses,

change schools, you know, change friends.

I think that's when I really got into A.M. radio.

'Cause it didn't matter where I was in the United States,

they were always playing the same songs.

That was like the thread that ran through my life.

A.M. radio and rock n' roll

kept me sane.

Oh, don't use that one.

That one's perfumed.

Come on, look here.

Use this one.

Anyway, wh--oh.

I guess I must've been somewhere around 13, 14.

Anyway, around there.

You know, the real awkward time.

And I decided that I was going to be a singer

like Janis joplin, you know?

Get up on stage and scream,

drink a lot of southern comfort,

meet cute guys.

And so I told my mom--

I told my mom that I was going to be a singer.

My mom, she says,

"doral, I never knew you could sing."

So, I hopped up right there

in the living room in front of the TV,

and I sang the first two verses

from Bobby McGee for her.

Blew her mind.

♪ Busted flat in Baton Rouge ♪

♪ waitin' for a train ♪

♪ feelin' near as faded as my jeans ♪

♪ da da-da ♪

Those are the drums.

♪ Da da-da ♪

♪ Bobby found the diesel down ♪

♪ just before it rained ♪

♪ he rode US all the way in-- ♪

Etcetera, etcetera. It goes on.

♪ In the blue light ♪

♪ of the Belvedere motel ♪

♪ wondering as the television burns ♪

♪ how the heart approaches what it yearns ♪

♪ in a fever... ♪

Marion, it's me.

Marion: Jonah?

What are you doing at up this hour?

Yeah, I know it's early.

Well, I had a bad dream,

and I woke up,

and I decided to call.

What happened?

Sounds like there is something really wrong.

Nah, just a weird dream in a motel room.

Hold on, I can't hear.

Matty's got a television show on.

Where are you?

I'm in Cleveland.

Just wanted to hear your voice.

What? I can't hear.

I say, I'm in Cleveland.

And I just wanted to hear your voice,

and know that Matty's fine.

Yeah, he's fine.

Christ, long distance calls at 6:30 in the morning.

I thought the police were going to tell me

you're dead or something.

Nah, not dead.

I'm in Cleveland.

[Music plays]

Um, Matty would really like to see you.

He's a little upset about things.

Jonah: Well, he could stay with me for a couple of days

when I get back after our date.

Mmm.

Jonah, I made an appointment

for a meeting with the lawyers.

We both have to be there to sign.

Why do we both have to be there?

Well, that's what I said.

Yeah, well, uh, I don't know about you,

but I don't particularly look forward

to having your lawyer and you and my lawyer...

Marion: I know.

I don't look forward to it either.

Well, that's why we should call them and say--

I don't think we should talk about it

right now, ok?

Ok.

Ok.

Well, good-bye.

Ok, good-bye.

[Click]

Your daddy said to give you a big kiss.

You're going to go spend a couple of days

at his new apartment when he gets back.

Danny: Ok, here we go.

"2 bands perform at the agora."

We got reviewed.

"The agora presented an evening

"of diverse musical styles last night

"when it paired a new wave band, the b-52s,

"with the veteran Jonah levin band.

"The b-52s are the latest darlings

"of the new wave of rock

that is sometimes called punk."

Uh, skip that shit. Let's hear about US.

♪ Lord, I am a working man ♪

♪ and music is my trade ♪

♪ I'm travelin' with this 5-piece band ♪

♪ I play the ace of spades ♪

♪ I have a wife and family ♪

♪ they don't see much of me ♪

♪ god bless the absentee... ♪

"This highly regarded band

"of the late sixties and seventies

"hasn't appeared in Cleveland for some time.

"Perhaps this accounted for the muted reception

"that greeted their performance

muted reception?In the early show last night."

They call that a muted reception?

♪ ...and music is my knife ♪

♪ it cuts away my sorrow ♪

♪ and purifies my life ♪

♪ but if I could release my heart ♪

♪ from veins and arteries ♪

♪ I'd say, god bless the absentee ♪

♪ I miss my woman so ♪

♪ I miss my bed ♪

♪ I miss those soft places ♪

♪ I used to lay my head... ♪

"The drummer, whose name I didn't get..."

Oh, great.

"Was as solid as a metronome.

"The bassist and piano player

"were equally competent

if uninspiring."

Uninspiring?

"However,

"lead guitarist, Lee-Andrew Parker,

"was a real gem

"playing some of the most mellifluous solos

this reviewer has heard in a long time."

Hey.

What's mellifluous?

I think it means about the same as bodacious.

♪ My son don't need me yet ♪

♪ his bones are soft ♪

♪ he flies a silver airplane ♪

♪ he wears a golden cross ♪

♪ god bless the absentee ♪

♪ lord, this country's changed so fast ♪

♪ the future is the present ♪

♪ the present's in the past ♪

♪ the highways are in litigation ♪

♪ the airports disagree ♪

♪ god bless... ♪

"The band's 50-minute set

"consisted of some familiar levin compositions,

"though he left out soft parachutes,

"his anti-war hit of the late sixties.

"Levin himself seems somewhat less ambitious these days

"or maybe we just caught him on an off-night.

"The fire of his earlier works

"seems to have dimmed somewhat,

"although sparks were still visible at times

last night in the agora."

That's it.

Clarence: Ah, who gives a shit.

Fuck 'em.

Fuck 'em, right.

Yeah, fuck him.

Who gives a shit?

Yeah, who gives a shit?

Would you read that part about me again?

He's mellifluous.

What are you doing here?

I used to live in this apartment house,

and thought I'd come by and see my old room.

Hmm.

I thought you were supposed to be in Dayton.

I came home early.

How come, weren't you working?

Yeah. But they canceled everything

but our weekend show.

Um, I just can't imagine them folding.

Christ, that club was around for a long time.

Well, it's gone now.

Yeah, I remember this place.

The fern is doing very well.

Yes, the fern isdoing well.

It's doing very, very well.

You spray it regularly, do you?

I spray it every day, and I talk to it,

give it lots of encouragement.

[Whispering] You haven't told her about our separation.

No, absolutely not.

I didn't think it would be wise at this time.

It's just beginning to sprout new leaves.

Where's Matty?

It's only 2:00.

He's got his play group on wednesdays.

Oh, yeah.

I'll bet he'll be surprised to see me.

My mother came down for a few days last week.

Oh, that's nice.

How's old Florence doing?

Well, she's fine, I guess.

You know, it's the same old story with her.

The broad hints about reconciliation,

that sort of thing.

After 2 days, I am ready to scream.

I'd like to talk to you about Matty.

No yogurt.

No strawberry yogurt.

Well, you were the one who liked strawberry yogurt.

Boy, you get a little separated,

and you can just forget a few strawberry yogurt.

Talk to Matty about what?

Well, he's got this idea

that he wants to be a songwriter

and play in a band.

Role model identification.

I wish you could supply him

with some other role to model himself after.

I don't see anything wrong with the model he's got now.

Well, it hasn't turned out to be so great for you.

I don't know. Hasn't been bad.

It's been 15 years.

14.

It's the longest adolescence I have ever seen.

[Sighs]

Well, admit it. In 6 years you'll be 40 years old.

Now, you've gone directly from adolescence

to middle-age.

In 6 years I'll be 40 years old.

In 16 years I'll be 50 years old.

In 26 years I'll be 60 years old.

In a mere 66 years,

I'll be 100 years old.

A grown man living in a kid's world.

"Grown man living in a kid's world."

You don't always have to be sarcastic.

Well, I'm not always sarcastic.

Well, I was sarcastic in the late seventies--

maybe '77-'78--

but, really, since February '79,

I have hardly been sarcastic.

You see, that is sarcastic.

Well, what do you expect?

Grown men living in a kid's world.

What do you think I'm doing out there,

cashing in my "e" tickets

for a ride through the magic kingdom?

You think I'm playing my gigs

in the haunted house?

No. What I mean is,

you have wanted to be Elvis Presley

since you're 13 years old.

Now, that is not a goal

you're likely to achieve.

He didn't do so well with it himself.

Don't you think that it's time

you gave up the illusion?

Wait a minute.

I know that voice.

That's the voice of the infamous Dr. Engelhart

about to deliver her "be a grownup" speech.

Isn't that so, Dr. Engelhart?

I really think you ought to examine

your hostility to Dr. Engelhart.

I have no hostility to Dr. Engelhart.

I'm just tired of hearing engelhart's toy phrases

come out of your mouth.

They're not toy phrases.

She observed--i'm merely passing on the observation--

that kids play rock 'n' roll,

kids listen to it.

Really? Well, is she aware that Anna Freud--

Anna Freud--

happens to love rock 'n' roll?

She came backstage and sold US some blow in akron, Ohio.

That's where she lives.

Do you want a cup of coffee?

Yeah.

Any stimulants will do.

Look, everybody's getting older.

I'm not saying it's bad.

It's just... I don't know,

when you get to a certain age,

rock 'n' roll is...

It's kind of pathetic.

You know... I gotta go.

It's been great, as usual.

What are you so afraid of anyway,

young girls won't like you when you're on the road?

I'll tell you what I'm afraid of.

I'm afraid of you boring me to tears.

Yeah. You know, Marion, you used to, you know--

you're so fucking boring!

[Crying]

I'm sorry.

I don't know what you want.

You want me to drive a cab?

You want me to give guitar lessons

to 13-year-old kids?

I'm a player.

That's what I do.

No. I just want...

I just wanted...

I wish that when you were here,

you were really here.

I mean, really with US.

Not just sleeping here

or talking on the phone here

or trying to write songs here,

but...here.

A family.

The road is the road.

This was supposed to be home.

It's a great day for baseball

here at yankee stadium.

The New York Yankees take on the Boston Red Sox.

On the mound for the Red Sox, their ace,

the fantastic starter-- Dennis eckersley.

I'm frank nesser,

and I'm Phil rizzuto.

We'll be broadcasting the game today.

We should be ready to begin right now.

Eckersley has finished his warmups.

The first batter for the Yankees will be...

Reggie Jackson.

Reggie Jackson,

just entering second grade at the little red schoolhouse

down in greenwich village.

Ok.

Reggie digs in.

Look at the concentration on him. Incredible.

Here comes the pitch...

Swung on and missed. Strike one.

And eckersley is looking very sharp today.

He's throwing smoke up there, throwing smoke.

Reg knocking some dirt off his spikes.

Eckersley looks in, he takes a sign.

Around comes the left arm, here comes the pitch.

And it's... Swung on and missed.

Good swing. Good swing.

It was a very good swing.

It was a miss, but it was a good swing.

Looked like he's going for the bleachers,

didn't it, Phil? It certainly did, frank.

He's almost up to fractions now, the reg.

Yeah. That second-grade class

is moving at a fantastic pace.

It's just amazing that a guy can learn fractions,

completely finish his reading assignment,

and still be in there on the last day of the pennant race.

Well, that's just the kind of kid he is.

Eckersley looks in for the sign.

And the pitch...

Reg swings-- it's swung on.

That could be outta here. It's big trouble.

Reggie's going around first and second.

It could be a home run.

This could be the play at the plate.

And here he comes down the third base--

holy cow! I don't believe it.

I don't believe it.

And eckersley is arguing the call.

He's saying he missed the plate.

Did you hit that plate?

Yes.

Well, it's a home run for reg.

♪ Who knows my secret broken bone? ♪

♪ Who feels my flesh when I am gone? ♪

♪ Who was a witness to the dream? ♪

♪ Who kissed my eyes and saw the scream ♪

♪ lyin' there? ♪

♪ Nobody ♪

♪ who is my reason to begin? ♪

♪ Who plows the earth, who breaks the skin? ♪

♪ Who took my 2 hands and made them 4? ♪

♪ Who is my heart, who is my door? ♪

♪ Oh, nobody ♪

♪ nobody but you, girl ♪

♪ mm-mm ♪

♪ nobody but you ♪

♪ nobody in this whole wide world ♪

♪ nobody ♪

♪ who makes the bed that can't be made? ♪

♪ Who is my mirror, who's my blade? ♪

♪ When I am rising like a flood ♪

♪ who feels the pounding in my blood? ♪

♪ Oh, nobody ♪

♪ nobody ♪

♪ nobody but you ♪

♪ nobody but you, girl ♪

♪ nobody in this whole wide world ♪

♪ nobody, girl ♪

♪ no, nobody... ♪

"...lawful for the wife and the husband

"to live separately and apart from each other

"for the rest of their lives

"and free from interference, authority,

"or control by the other

as fully as if he or she were single and unmarried."

♪ No-no-no-nobody but you, yeah ♪

♪ yeah, nobody but you ♪

♪ nobody in this whole wide world ♪

♪ nobody ♪

♪ nobody ♪

♪ mm-mm, nobody ♪

♪ nobody ♪

[Answering machine beeps]

Man: Hello, Ziggy.

We're just sitting out here waiting to play some music.

So finish with the divorce

and get your ass back on the road.

Everyone says hi.

[Beep]

Dad, mommy wants to know

if this is the weekend I'm staying at your house.

Call back. Bye.

[Beep]

Jonah. Bernie wepner.

Listen, Walter fox is willing to meet you at his apartment

and give a good listen to some of your new material.

Uh, call Debbie for the address.

I don't have it right in front of me.

Bernie promises, Bernie delivers.

Jonah, I don't mean to rush you,

but, uh... Why don't you play

what you consider your strongest material first.

Uh, ahem, well--

I think it's very important

for you to make the right record at this time.

Not from, uh, just a career standpoint,

but from--really from a whole industry point of view.

Because you're known as someone

who's been around for a while,

and people feel-- perhaps erroneously--

that they know you,

and they don't pay as much attention as they might

to something that's new, that's--that's flashy.

Not necessarily flashy, but, uh...

New and...

Cal?

I want to hear what you think.

You know, through the ears of A.M. radio.

Well, you can have my opinion

for whatever it's worth.

For what it's worth, Cal,

you have uncanny A.M. ears.

20 years of A.M. ears.

That's what they're calling this profile piece

that billboard is doing on me.

20 years of A.M. ears.

Did I tell you they were doing a profile on me?

No.

Congratulations, Cal.

Ahem. Uh...

This song is called ace in the hole.

It's been going over really well

in the clubs that we've been playing.

The only thing about it is that, uh...

We alternate verses.

I sing the first verse, and then Clarence Franklin,

who's our keyboard guy in the band,

he sings the second verse.

So when you hear the second verse,

you have to sort of imagine it's another voice.

Ahem.

♪ Some people say Jesus, that's the ace in the hole ♪

♪ but I never met the man, so I don't really know ♪

♪ maybe some Christmas, if I'm sick and alone ♪

♪ he will look up my number ♪

♪ and call me on the phone ♪

♪ he'll say ♪

♪ hey, boy ♪

♪ where you been so-- ♪

Oh, come in, dear.

Cal, this is my wife lonne.

Nice to meet you. How are you?

How do you do?

This is Jonah levin.

You remember Jonah.

Hello. Hello.

He's been playing US

an exciting new song.

I'm just looking for a match.

Well, don't go any further. Here you go.

Oh, thank you.

Sit down, dear.

This is exciting material.

Just a voice and a guitar.

I'll take it from the second verse.

[Starts to play]

♪ $200, that's my ace in the hole ♪

♪ when I'm down, dirty, desperate ♪

♪ that's my emergency bankroll.. ♪

[Ring]

Whoever it is, tell them I'll call them back.

Hold on.

♪ If you wanna get some quality ♪

♪ that's the price you'd have-- ♪

[Inaudible]

I've gotta take this call.

Hello, my friend.

Well, you've heard the good news, I suppose.

No?

Well, your record is getting

major across-the-board acceptance.

[Chuckling]

Are you happy?

Good.

The billboard on the strip is of no value saleswise.

I told you that.

No, no, no. It's not the money.

My friend, I'll gladly spend the money.

If you--if you want the billboard,

it's yours.

Ha ha ha!

Well, you should be.

Ok.

Good-bye.

Good-bye.

I'm sorry, Jonah.

That--that's a nice song.

What else have you got?

Well...

[Strumming guitar]

Could do a ballad, if you want.

Uh...

This is called long, long day.

♪ It's been a long, long day ♪

♪ I got some rundown shoes ♪

♪ ain't got no place to stay ♪

♪ but any old place will be ok ♪

♪ it's been a long, long day ♪

That's nice.

Uh, please don't misunderstand me,

but it just misses.

It's pretty, but... Top 40 is getting

much more sophisticated these days, and, uh...

It's very hard for a ballad to make it.

The song's got no hook.

A hook.

A hook--repetition of a catchy phrase.

I know what a hook is.

You got no hook, my friend,

you're at an incredible disadvantage in top 40.

You know, I'm rotating 12 songs right now.

12 songs. That's it.

All right. You get yourself a new eagles,

a new Donna summer,

a feels like I'm in love again.

You gotta make room.

Look, this is just a voice and a guitar.

I said--i mean, if i'm playing with my band--

you wanna play with your band, that's fine.

You can bust an act that way, too.

That's the way frampton did it.

Of course, a lot of people will tell you

that it ain't music in those big halls.

It's spectacle.

But here's my point. Are you listening?

And this is what I said in my profile.

Music, spectacle--

what's the diff if it sells records?

That's true.

That's what I said to the guy at billboard.

I said, "now, listen,

"I'm a funny kind of guy,

"but I will go out on a limb and I will tell you

"that the stones--

"the stones are the only group

"that ever successfully combined

music and spectacle."

Hmm?

Maybe Springsteen.

How about Albert schweitzer?

Who's Albert schweitzer?

You know, Africa, disease.

He played the organ.

Albert schweitzer--the king of music and spectacle.

What label is he on?

[Laughing]

Cal, I think Jonah's just kidding you.

Hey, I like a good joke, if it's funny.

♪ Riding on this rolling bus ♪

♪ beneath a stony sky ♪

♪ with a slow moon rising ♪

♪ and the smokestacks drifting by ♪

♪ in the hour when the heart is weakest and ♪

♪ memory is strong ♪

♪ when time has stopped ♪

♪ and the bus just rolls along ♪

♪ roll on, roll on ♪

♪ roll on, roll on ♪

♪ roll on, roll on ♪

♪ ooh ooh ♪

♪ Some people say music ♪

♪ that's the ace in the hole ♪

♪ just your ordinary rhythm and blues ♪

♪ and your basic rock 'n' roll ♪

♪ well, you can sit on top of the beat ♪

♪ and you can lean on the side of the beat ♪

♪ you can hang from the bottom of the beat ♪

♪ but you gotta admit that the music is sweet ♪

♪ Where you been so long? ♪

♪ Don't you know me? ♪

♪ I'm your ace in the hole ♪

♪ oh, yeah ♪

♪ ace in the hole ♪

♪ lean on me ♪

♪ don't you know me? ♪

♪ I'm your guarantee ♪

Whoo!

♪ Some people say music ♪

♪ that's their ace in the hole ♪

♪ just your ordinary rhythm and blues ♪

♪ your basic rock and roll ♪

♪ well, you can sit on top of the beat ♪

♪ you can lean on the side of the beat ♪

♪ you can hang from the bottom of the beat ♪

♪ but you gotta admit that the music is sweet ♪

♪ hey, junior ♪

♪ I'm your ace in the hole ♪

♪ I'm talkin' to you ♪

♪ hey, junior ♪

♪ hey ♪

♪ I'm your ace in the hole ♪

♪ I'm talkin' to you ♪

♪ hey, junior ♪

♪ yeah ♪

♪ I'm your ace in the hole ♪

♪ I'm talkin' to you ♪

♪ hey, junior ♪

♪ hey ♪

♪ I'm your ace in the hole ♪

Uh...

Um, king Curtis.

Uh, Donny hathaway.

Otis Redding.

The greatest.

Dock of the baywas just becoming a hit

when his plane went down.

Sam Cooke.

Johnny, wanna play some rock 'n' roll deaths?

Yeah, I'll play.

Ok. Put up 20.

20.

Um...

Uh, Jimi Hendrix.

♪ Maybe, baby ♪

Late, great buddy Holly.

Uh, Bobby Darin.

He's not technically rock 'n' roll, you know.

Yeah, he qualifies.

Splish splash. Queen of the hop.

That was early stuff, man.

Later, he was strictly Vegas.

No, and then that Tim hardin tune.

If I were a carpenter.

If I were a carpenter.

Well, I still don't think

he technically qualifies,

but let's not quibble.

Anyway, now that you mention it,

Tim hardin.

He's not dead. You're out.

Bullshit I'm out. He od'd.

He did not od.

Croce.

You're out. Take his bread.

Croce's good.

We should have 2 separate categories--

for the ods and for the plane crashes.

No, no, no. Now that we're playing for money now,

let's just get the names together.

Ok. Mama cass. Cass Elliott.

Ritchie valens.

Larry McCoy.

Lynyrd skynyrd.

You only get one point.

That gets only one point.

Lynyrd skynyrd.

The fifties rock 'n' roll guy.

Be-bop-a-lula.

Gene Vincent.

The guy from Chicago.

Um...blew his brains out.

Uh, Terry... Terry something or other.

There must be some English guys who died.

We just don't pay attention that much.

Um, English...

English dead people.

English dead. English dead.

Oh, oh. Eddie Cochran.

He's not English. He died in england.

Who was it? Eddie Cochran?

Yeah. Summertime blues.

All right. The first drummer

with the average white band.

Robbie...

Right.

I don't know his last name.

Robbie od'd at Cher's friend's house.

I'm running out of names.

Right.

"Od'd at Cher's friend's house" was his last name?

No. That's where he...

♪ See my baby ♪

Frankie lyman.

Uh, let me see.

Janis joplin.

Joplin's good.

Elvis.

Yeah. He's dead.

♪ It's been a long, long day ♪

♪ I got some rundown shoes ♪

♪ ain't got no place to stay ♪

♪ but any old place will be ok ♪

♪ it's been a long, long day ♪

♪ good night ♪

♪ good night ♪

♪ my love ♪

♪ I've sure been on this road ♪

♪ done nearly 14 years ♪

♪ can't say my name's well known ♪

♪ you don't see my face in rolling stone ♪

♪ but I've sure been on this road ♪

♪ good night ♪

♪ good night ♪

♪ my love ♪

♪ slow motion ♪

♪ half a dollar bill ♪

♪ that's what I say to myself ♪

♪ juke box in the corner ♪

♪ shootin' to kill ♪

♪ it's been a-- ♪

♪ it's been a long, long day ♪

♪ I sure could use a friend ♪

♪ don't have much else to say ♪

♪ I hate to abuse an old cliché ♪

♪ but it's been a long, long day ♪

♪ it's been a long ♪

♪ long ♪

♪ long day ♪

Let's just try and get this boy going.

Please, god.

Please let's light him.

♪ Half an hour ♪

♪ change your strings and tune up ♪

♪ sizing the room up ♪

♪ checkin' the bar ♪

Hey, jughead,

when we gonna play the rising sun?

♪ Local girls unspoken conversations ♪

♪ misinformation ♪

♪ plays guitar ♪

♪ they say Jonah ♪

♪ he was swallowed by a whale ♪

♪ but I say there's no truth to that tale ♪

♪ I know Jonah ♪

♪ he was swallowed by a song ♪

[Harmonica solo]

Lee: Would I mind coming down

and sitting in with the band

just to check out

and see if everything feels good?

I need the money, he's saying.

I don't mind.

So he tells me to go to this rehearsal studio

on west 52nd street.

I go there...

And there's nobody there.

It's a fucking audition.

No guitars, nothin'.

And, uh--

what's this club like?

Well, it was a folk club on the circuit

where everybody worked--

pussy time.

Tom Paxton, Dave Van ronk...

New lost city ramblers, Bobby Gibson...

Lee: Play something...

Phil ochs.

And then when everybody went electric,

it became a blues club--

j. Geils band,

Paul butterfield blues band,

Sonny Terry and brownie mcghee.

This was the first club I worked right after I married Marion.

Clarence: Hello, my dear...

She used to travel with--

Clarence is here.

The bigger the cushion, the better for pushin'.

Man, that was a good time.

What the fuck is this?

It's closed.

I don't believe this.

I don't believethis.

Maybe you got the dates wrong.

No! I don't have the dates wrong.

25th, 26th, 27th.

Son of a bitch, he just confirmed with me 3 weeks ago.

I don't believe this.

You got his home number?

595-1991.

Son of a bitch!

[Pinball machine plinks]

Well, look, anyway,

I appreciate your talking to me.

I know it's not your problem.

Well, look, uh...

[Phone conversation becomes indistinct]

That was his wife.

Like to kill the son of a bitch.

Well, he's gone.

Took all the money from their joint account,

left her and 2 kids.

What about our bread?

Well, what about our bread?

Let me tell you something:

We been friends a long time,

but I can't live on no $400 a week.

It doesn't cover my alimony or my dope bills.

What dope bill?

You haven't bought anything in years.

Fuck you, years!

You're not the only one

with alimony and dope bills.

But I am the only one with enough brains to notice when it's not working.

What did I do--

close that joint just to fuck up Clarence Franklin?

Come on, hold it. We got enough money to buy plane tickets.

Calm down.

Ain't your fault the club closed, man.

Look, I'm sorry.

Bernie should've checked this out.

[Sarcastic] Check it out.

Yeah, well, somebody should've checked it out.

I'm sorry, too.

Hey, well, then just quit.

Don't threaten me, just do it.

Maybe that's just what I'll do.

♪ After the rain on the interstate ♪

♪ headlights slide past the moon ♪

♪ a bone-weary traveler ♪

♪ that waits by the side of the road ♪

♪ where's your cold wind? ♪

[Acoustic guitar solo]

♪ Dream we are lying on top of a hill ♪

♪ headlights slide past the moon ♪

♪ I roll in your arms ♪

♪ and your voice is the heat of the night ♪

♪ I'm on fire ♪

♪ in a phone booth ♪

♪ in some local bar and grill ♪

♪ rehearsing what I'll say, my coin returns ♪

♪ how the heart approaches what it yearns ♪

♪ how the heart approaches what it yearns ♪

You know...

Maybe I shouldn't be here when Matty wakes up.

No, I'm sure it's all right.

Well, you haven't lost your magic touch.

Oh, you haven't, either.

I figure...

Post-separation agreement sex has got it all over premarital.

Well, I don't know.

Premarital wasn't bad.

You threw in some new moves that I don't remember.

Must be getting a lot of practice.

No. No, I'm not.

Ah, yeah, yes, you are.

You were always good at that stuff anyway.

So were you.

Yeah, so was I.

You were good, and I was good.

Everything was always good.

Yes, that's the way it was.

Then how come it ended up in such a mess?

I don't know. Listen...

Let's get in a couple more laughs here

before we slip into our postcoital depression.

Here's a joke for you:

There was a rabbi, a minister--

Jonah, look, I told you this wouldn't be good for me.

No, you didn't.

You didn't say that.

Well, you know,

I knew I was gonna have to pay for it later.

Yeah, but why does later have to come so soon?

You mean, why doesn't it come after you've gone

so you won't have to deal with it?

Hey, I was just-- I was just trying to kid around.

Oh, look...

Look, Jonah, you can't just come here

and fuck me anytime you want and then go on your merry way.

I'm not on my merry way.

No, I'm sorry,

but I don't care about the band anymore.

I care--oh, Christ.

No, I don't care about the band breaking up,

I care about our marriage breaking up!

You left Matty and me!

I don't know, Jonah.

I just-- I just don't know.

If you love something, somebody,

you have to give, you have to be there.

Anyway that's how it is for me.

Jonah--

hey, Matty.

Hey, Matthew.

You ok?

Yeah.

Everybody's yelling, so I woke up.

I know, sweetheart.

Come to bed, I'll tuck you in.

I want daddy to tuck me in!

Ok.

We'll--we'll both tuck you in.

Jonah: Ok, back to bed you go.

Is it too late for a story?

Oh, yeah. You know what time it is?

It's after midnight.

That's not so late. Once I stayed up till 2:00.

You did?

Well, tonight's just not a good night for a story.

So you have sweet dreams, and...

I'll see you in the morning when the sun comes up.

You aren't here in the morning when the sun comes up.

Would you just go back to sleep, ok?

[Music starts]

♪ The boy's got brains ♪

♪ he just don't use 'em, that's all ♪

♪ the boy's got brains ♪

♪ he just refuse to use 'em, that's all ♪

♪ he says, the more I get to thinking ♪

♪ the less I tend to laugh ♪

♪ the boy's got brains ♪

♪ he just abstains ♪

Got any, uh, light-Gauge fenders, 9s?

Yeah, we have the extra-light.

Ok, great, I'll take, uh--

♪ the boy's got a heart ♪

♪ but it beats on his opposite side ♪

♪ it's a strange phenomenon ♪

♪ the laws of nature defied ♪

♪ he said, it's a chance I had to take ♪

♪ so I shifted my heart for its safety's sake ♪

♪ the boy's got a heart ♪

♪ but it beats on his opposite ♪

♪ oh, Marion ♪

♪ I think I'm in trouble here ♪

♪ I should've believed you ♪

♪ when I heard you sayin' it ♪

♪ the only time ♪

♪ that love is an easy game ♪

♪ is when 2 other people are playing it ♪

Hi, Jonah levin... Hi.

To see Bernie wepner.

Oh.

You can go right in.

There's a radio and records convention in Chicago,

the last 3 days of the month.

You're available.

It's a big deal. You know, everybody in the business is gonna be there--

record people, radio people.

They're gonna do a salute-to-the-sixties night,

and they got a lot of big acts.

They got Sam and Dave.

The lovin' spoonful's gonna reunite for this.

Tiny Tim.

They're even trying to get Dylan.

They want you to do soft parachutes.

I think I can get you 2,500.

Bernie, we don't even do that song anymore.

I don't know if you know it,

but the war's been over now for some time.

Look, a hit's always a hit, huh?

It's 2,500.

Who knows? Maybe the Beatles will show.

Oh, I'm sure--I'm sure the Beatles will show. Definitely.

When they hear that the Jonah levin band is gonna do a...

Salute-to-the-sixties night.

Salute-to-the-sixties night,

no question in my mind they'll show.

Yeah, well, they don't want the band. They just want you.

Oh, shit, I can't do that.

What are you talking about? The guys'll understand.

Look, they know what the business is about.

Walter fox is gonna be there, ok?

Trust me.

[Cheering and applause]Sam and Dave: ♪ I'm a soul man ♪

♪ I'm a soul man ♪

♪ yes, I am ♪

♪ I'm a soul man ♪

♪ I'm a soul man, yeah ♪

♪ just grab a rope ♪

♪ let me pull you in ♪

♪ say, darlin' ♪

♪ I'll give you hope ♪

♪ and be your only boyfriend ♪

♪ yeah ♪♪ yeah ♪

♪ yeah ♪♪ yeah ♪

♪ I'm talkin' about a soul man ♪

♪ I wanna be, oh, yeah ♪

♪ I gotcha, soul man ♪

♪ soul man ♪

♪ I wanna be a ♪♪ soul man ♪

♪ soul man, soul man ♪

♪ I love her ♪♪ soul man ♪

♪ I need her ♪♪ soul man ♪

♪ whoo! ♪♪ yeah! ♪

♪ Huh! ♪

♪ Sam and Dave got soul, y'all ♪

♪ what you sayin', fellas? Heh! ♪

♪ Soul man ♪

♪ soul man, now ♪

♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪

[Music ends]

[Cheers and applause]

Oh, man, it's a long--

it's a long story.

Emcee: And while people listened and danced,

it was possible to believe in magic.

And a group from New York City

captured that spark with an unmatched vitality.

One of the best-loved bands of all time...

The lovin' spoonful!

[Applause]

John Sebastian: 1...2...

Ah-1, 2, 3.

[Do you believe in magic]

♪ Do you believe in magic ♪

♪ in a young girl's heart ♪

♪ how the music can free her whenever it starts? ♪

♪ And it's magic ♪

♪ if the music is groovy ♪

♪ it makes you feel happy like an old-time movie ♪

♪ I'd tell you 'bout the magic that would free your soul ♪

♪ but it's like tryin' to tell a stranger 'bout rock 'n' roll ♪

♪ do you believe in magic? ♪

♪ Don't bother to choose ♪

♪ if it's jug-band music or rhythm 'n' blues ♪

♪ just go and listen ♪

♪ it'll start with a smile ♪

♪ that won't wipe off your face ♪

♪ no matter how hard you try ♪

♪ your feet start tappin' ♪

♪ and you can't seem to find how you got there ♪

♪ so you just blow your mind ♪

♪ ahh, magic ♪

Tiny Tim: ♪ those stars above you ♪

♪ think nothing of you ♪

♪ do you believe in magic? ♪

♪ Do you believe in magic? ♪

♪ Do you believe, believe? ♪

♪ Do you believe in magic? ♪

♪ Do you believe, believe? ♪

[Music ends]

[Cheers and applause]

Emcee: The year was 1967.

Sergeant pepper,

perhaps the most important rock album of all time,

was released and instantly recognized as--

♪ ♪♪

Are those the same changes as in the dressing room?

[Plays off-key]

Entertainers stepped directly into the fray,

addressing the issues with their songs.

Along with Bob Dylan...

Ok, we're ready.

And Joan baez...

Watch those wires.

No performer more thoroughly expressed

the emotional temperament of the age than Jonah levin,

whose brilliant anthem soft parachutes

stands as an enduring monument of this period.

[Applause]

[Tuning]

[Begins to play]

♪ Soft parachutes ♪

♪ 4th of July ♪

♪ villages burning, returning ♪

♪ the bodies all laid in a line ♪

♪ like soft parachutes ♪

♪ Last year I was a senior in Emerson high school ♪

♪ had me a girlfriend ♪

♪ we used to get high ♪

♪ now I'm flyin' down some Vietnam highway ♪

♪ don't ask me the reason ♪

♪ god only knows why ♪

♪ soft parachutes ♪

♪ 4th of July ♪

♪ villages burning, returning ♪

♪ the bodies all laid in a line ♪

♪ like soft parachutes ♪

[Music fades and ends]

Man: Hey, Houston.

Hey, handsome.

How you doin'?

Fine.

Hey, Albert schweitzer,

what's the good word?

Nice set you did tonight.

Very music-and-spectacle.

Hey...

Cal Van damp.

What's the good word with you?

Well, you're the bright boy.

I figured you'd know.

[Chuckles]

Steatopygous.

What?

Steatopygous.

It means a large rump...

A fat ass.

Why is that the good word?

Well, it's like, see--

what if I was-- if I was to say to you,

"Cal, you have a very fat ass"...

You could be offended.

But if I say,

"hey, good evening, Cal,

you sure look steatopygous,"

then you don't know what the fuck I'm talking about, do you?

Hope you don't have any plans

for getting your records played on any radio stations.

Not really, no.

Well, you shouldn't,

'cause you won't get any.

Nice talking to you, schweitzer.

Real little prick, don't you think?

Gee, I couldn't tell.

Couldn't tell?!

Some more red wine, please.

Yes, sir.

Ah!

Jonah, Jonah.

Sit down. Jonah's leaving.

I'm gonna put a fist right in his mouth.

He's leaving.Either he leaves, or I do.

Excuse me, John.

Look, Cal says that Jonah called him a fat ass.

I'd like Jonah to leave right now.

I'll call him tomorrow.

Thank you.

Hey, John.

Hello.

Come over here.

Hello.

Hello.

Do you remember me?

I sure do.

You're...

Walter.

Walter.

Walter, uh, has asked me

to discreetly get you out of here

before you do any more harm to him

or yourself.

He mumbled something about...

Cal Van damp's ass.

Did you say something about that?

You know, I did.

[Clearing throat]

I mentioned that it was fat.

It isfat.

Yes, well, uh,

putting veracity aside for the moment...

Walter feels that your presence here could be disruptive,

so he has asked me to entice you to leave.

To entice me to leave?

Well, actually, he just said, "get him out."

I added the word enticement.

I thought it was a more appealing exit line.

You know who's here tonight?

Dick and deedee.

You know what the whole buzz is around over here?

They're getting back together.

I think so.

I think it's gonna happen again.

What enticements could he have in mind?

Oh, he had none. He had none.

What enticements do you have in mind?

Thank you.

Why do you have this room here

when you have the big suite upstairs?

I don't. I just thought we might make some music

while the occupants are out.

Oh, where are they, at the party?

I don't really know.

You mean they could come in here at any moment?

It's unlikely, but it's possible.

You're crazy.

That's part of the enticement.

♪ When I was born, my mother died ♪

♪ she said bye-bye, baby, bye-bye ♪

♪ I said where are you goin'? ♪

♪ I'm just born ♪

♪ she said I'll only be gone for a while ♪

♪ my mother loved to leave in style ♪

♪ that's why god made the movies ♪

♪ well, I laid around ♪

♪ in my swaddling clothes ♪

♪ until the doctor came and turned out the lights ♪

An incredible save!

♪ Then I packed my bag ♪

♪ and my nametag ♪

♪ and stole away into the night ♪

♪ hopin' things would work out right ♪

And that's why god made the movies ♪

♪ say you will, say you will ♪

♪ say you'll take me to your lovin' breast ♪

♪ say you'll nourish me with your tenderness ♪

♪ the way the ladies sometimes do ♪

♪ and say you won't, say you won't ♪

♪ say you won't leave me for no other man ♪

Hey, dad?

Huh?

Maybe if I'm going to be sleep over at your house,

maybe I should bring some of my toys.

Yeah, that'd be a good idea.

Which toys would you bring?

Oh, maybe my parcheesi set...

Or my trains...

Mm-hmm.

And some other stuff.

Oh, yeah.

You missed a spot right over here.

I did?

Don't shave directly across your lips.

Good.

Very good.

You're an excellent shaver, I must say.

Thanks, dad.

Those, uh, new songs of yours,

i--i was distracted when I first heard them,

but I agree with my wife. They're very impressive.

Thank you.There's something there.

I'm going to call in Steve kunelian.

He's a young producer that I think someday will be very important.

Kathy, uh, send in Steve for a minute, will you?

Thank you.

You'll like him.

I think he has a good sense of the top 40.

He's got a good sense of what's danceable, too.

He's very top 40 oriented.

That's the kind of album you should cut, don't you agree?

Yeah.

Steve, Jonah levin.

Hi. We met in Chicago.

I remember.

I want you two to collaborate.

Keep your eyes out for singles possibilities,

something that has integrity,

but still commercial.

Great. When do we start?

Anytime next week.

Good for you, Jonah?

Yeah, fine. That will give me a chance to rehearse with my band.

Oh, your band. I have an idea about that.

Well, now's the time to discuss it.

I've been working with a rhythm section that I really like.

I'd like to use them.

Jonah, is that a problem for you if you use Steve's rhythm section?

Yeah, it is a problem.

See, I always work with my band.

You worked without them in Chicago.

That was a big mistake.

I shouldn't have done that.

And, uh, I just can't do it again.

See, I've been with them for 10 years now.

Can we do an experimental session?

Not without the band.

I, you know, I don't-- you know, i--

not without the band.

Boys, let's don't make a melodrama out of this.

Steve, why don't you work with Jonah's band?

Uh, I'll be with them in a moment.

I'm going to have to kick you guys out of here.

I have some people waiting.

It seems we have a plan of action. Steve?

Absolutely.

All right, my friend?

Yeah. Yeah.

Well, it's, uh, it's good to see you again.

Nice to see you.

Are you happy?

I really appreciate this.

Listen, i--i never figured that you'd ever want

to see me again or talk to me or--

Jonah...

Jonah...

You wouldn't by any chance be fucking my wife?

Because that wouldn't be conducive

to a good artist/record company relationship.

What was I going to say?

"Yes, Walter, I am sort of fucking your wife."

Is that what we're doing, sort of fucking?

Well, what are we doing?

Why did I come here?

Why'd you call me?

You're here because you came.

And I called you because...

Because you needed a job and I was sympathetic.

Oh, is this my job?

I don't hire my lovers.

I can still actually score my points on the honor system.

No, I'm not the one who's desperate.

Look, I don't want to make my record

because you told Walter to give me a break.

You've got that all wrong.

You ought to learn to take a friend's help when it's offered.

Did you tell Walter to let me record?

No.

It was entirely his idea?

No.

I'll be 45 years old on my next birthday.

The exact date I have succeeded in erasing from my memory.

I don't particularly like the record business.

I don't enjoy going to the conventions.

I don't like going backstage.

I don't smoke dope.

I gave it up when they were still calling it reefers.

I lost interest 10 years ago.

You, on the other hand, you want this record.

You need it.

I'd like to see you get it.

Take a friend's help when it's offered.

♪ Some people say music that's their ace in a hole ♪

♪ just your ordinary rhythm and blues ♪

♪ your basic rock 'n roll, and you can ♪

♪ sit on top of the beat ♪

♪ you can lean on the side of the beat ♪

♪ you can hang from the bottom of the beat ♪

♪ but you got to admit that the music is sweet ♪

♪ hey, junior ♪

♪ I'm your ace in the hole ♪

♪ I'm callin' you ♪

♪ hey, junior ♪

♪ hey ♪

♪ I'm your ace in the hole ♪

♪ I'm talkin' to you ♪

♪ hey, junior ♪

♪ hey ♪

♪ I'm your ace in the hole ♪

♪ hole ♪

♪ hole, hole ♪

♪ hole ♪

♪ whoo ♪♪ hole ♪

Hey!

Steve: That's great. I really liked that.

Why don't you come on in, we'll listen to the playback.

Jonah, I have some ideas I'd like to talk to you about.

The electric piano that Clarence is playing on the bridge,

there's a beautiful thing there.

I think we could have some strings in there.

You know, nice, nice, nice heavy kind of string section.

Texturally, it'd be beautiful.

I think it's worth the time and the money

to go in and book a session.

Ha.

What do you think, Clarence, strings on, uh...

Ah, come on. It'd tear your heart out.

You see, it's not that we don't want to have our heart torn out,

it's just that we're trying to make a ballsy record here, you know,

and we don't want it to be, uh...Lush.

I want to make a ballsy record, too.

Riv-river deep, mountain high,

now that's a ballsy record, wouldn't you say,

with strings in it?

So we open it up texturally,

then maybe we could add saxophone on the end,

on the solo, on "roll on, roll on" part?

Oh, no, you can't take out Lee-Andrew's solo.

Listen, for crying out loud,

he's all over the record.

No, Lee-Andrew is the lead guitarist in this band and--

sure, he is. Sure, he is.

This doesn't take away from Lee-Andrew.

I'm sure he'd love it, too.

Just broaden things a little bit.

You know, don't you want to try for some airplay on this?

You tell Lee-Andrew that you want to replace his solo with a sax.

Now, listen, you know, what do you think I am,

just a knob-Turner here?

I made--i made a couple of records myself, you know.

I know what I'm doing.

I'm not here just to play with you.

I know what I'm doing.

Why don't you just listen?

♪ Roll ♪

♪ on ♪

♪ roll on ♪

♪ roll on ♪

♪ roll on ♪

♪ roll on ♪

♪ roll on ♪

♪ Some people say music ♪

♪ that's their ace in the hole ♪

♪ just your ordinary rhythm and blues ♪

♪ your basic rock 'n roll ♪

♪ you can sit on top of the beat ♪

♪ you can lean on the side of the beat ♪

♪ you can hang from the bottom of the beat ♪

♪ but you got to admit that the music is sweet, yeah ♪

[String instrumental]

♪ Where you been so long? ♪

♪ Don't you know me? ♪

♪ I'm your ace in the hole, oh ♪

River deep, mountain high.

♪ Ace in the hole ♪

♪ lean on me ♪

♪ don't you know me? ♪

♪ I'm your guarantee ♪

[Music fades out]

Walter: Very exciting. Very.

Well...

You certainly accomplished what we set out to do.

I think so.

Absolutely.

I want to hear it again.

I must say that on first listening, it's very... Powerful.

Happy, Jonah?

Yeah, I like a lot of it,

but see, now, he said that anything that we didn't like

we didn't have to keep. And I think--

this is the most commercial thing you've cut in a long time.

It's great.

You really should--you should be very pleased.

Is that the way it's gonna be on the final record?

Yeah, the sax solo was--

hey, we don't have to take it.

We'll just Walter we don't like it.

You tell him. It's your band, your record.

So you tell him.

[Music plays]

♪ Roll ♪

♪ on ♪

♪ roll on ♪

♪ roll on ♪

♪ roll on ♪

♪ It's been a long, long day ♪

♪ got some rundown shoes ♪

♪ Ain't got no place to stay ♪

♪ but any old place will be ok ♪

♪ it's been a long, long day ♪

What's the problem?

Can I come in?

Sure, come on.

[Sighs]

Were you recording tonight?

Yeah, I was in the studio.

Uh, am i-- am I interrupting?

Well, I was watching Mrs. Miniver... Greer Garson.

A classic.

Um, my boy is asleep?

Mm-hmm. After a bitter battle

about whether he should be allowed to stay up and watch love boator not.

Who won?

Who do you think?

Did he beat you with logic or with tears?

A combo, actually.

Wait, I want to show you something.

Matty's been working on a song.

"Hey, baby, don't be cruel.

"I'm gonna pick you up,

"and we'll have a date at the pizza parlor.

"You can have a pizza, and I can have one, too.

"But you didn't want a pizza, so I said...

So long, babe."

See that?

And you were worried that he was going to be a songwriter.

Who knew we had a borderline genius.

Well, there's maybe a little too much emphasis on pizza,

but basically...

You got any percodans?

No, but I got some aspirin in the bathroom.

What's wrong?

The same.

Uh, I got a pain.

You really should watch it, you know.

You just like to take pills.

Who me?

That's the truth.

You sound like Matty.

I am Matty, just older.

Here's your aspirin.

It's not what I really need.

What do you need?

A job.

A job?

A hug?

Jonah, what are you talking about?

I figure the band is broken up.

That's crazy. Uh, what about the album?

Gone.

Well, I don't understand.

I thought you said everything was going well.

You said everything was going well.

You remember the time that we were doing it on the kitchen table

and the baby-sitter walked in?

Yes, I remember that.

You jumped off and hid behind the refrigerator.

I just sat there with my pants down trying to act composed.

She looked like a man-eating rabbit.

She did? I was the one who was sitting there bare-assed.

You were the coward.

[Sniffles]

We had some good times.

[Sniffles]

Didn't we?

Yeah, lots.

Jonah, what happened tonight?

♪ Honey, you lied when you said you loved me ♪

♪ that I was a fool to care ♪

♪ but I'd rather go on believin' your lies ♪

♪ than livin' without you ♪

♪ are you lonesome tonight? ♪

♪ Are you lonesome tonight? ♪

I'm very sad.

♪ No one gives their dreams away too lightly ♪

♪ they hold them tightly ♪

♪ warm against cold ♪

♪ one more year of travelin' 'round this circuit ♪

♪ then you can work it ♪

♪ into gold ♪

♪ they say ♪

♪ Jonah, he was swallowed by a whale ♪

♪ mmm mmm mmm mmm ♪

♪ but I say there's no truth to that tale ♪

♪ I know Jonah was swallowed by-- ♪

I think I left my glasses in the studio this afternoon.

Ok.

♪ Here's to all the boys who came along ♪

♪ carrying soft guitars ♪

♪ in cardboard cases ♪

♪ all night long ♪

♪ and do you wonder where those boys have gone? ♪

♪ Do you wonder where those boys have gone? ♪

♪ He's a one-trick pony ♪

♪ one trick is all that horse can do ♪

♪ he does one trick only ♪

♪ it's the principal source of his revenue ♪

♪ and when he steps into the spotlight ♪

♪ you can feel the heat of his heart ♪

♪ come risin' through ♪

♪ see how he dances ♪

♪ see how he looks from side to side ♪

♪ see how he prances ♪

♪ the way his hooves just seem to glide ♪

♪ he's just a one-trick pony ♪

♪ that's all he is ♪

♪ but he turns that trick with pride ♪

♪ he makes it look so easy ♪

♪ he looks so clean ♪

♪ he moves like god's immaculate machine ♪

♪ he makes me think about ♪

♪ all of these extra moves I make ♪

♪ and all this herky-jerky motion ♪

♪ and the bag of tricks it takes ♪

♪ to get me through my workin' day ♪

♪ a one-trick pony ♪

♪ He's a one-trick pony ♪

♪ he either fails or he succeeds ♪

♪ he gives his testimony ♪

♪ then he relaxes in the weeds ♪

♪ he's got one trick to last a lifetime ♪

♪ but that's all the pony needs ♪

♪ yeah, that's all he needs ♪

♪ What was that? ♪

♪ Whoo ♪

Captioning made possible by Warner Bros.

Captioning performed by the national captioning institute, inc.

♪ He looks so easy ♪

♪ he looks so clean ♪

♪ he moves like god's immaculate machine ♪

♪ he makes me think about ♪

♪ all of these extra moves I make ♪

♪ and all of this herky-jerky motion ♪

♪ and the bag of tricks it takes ♪

♪ to get me through my workin' day ♪

♪ one-trick pony ♪

♪ one-trick pony ♪

♪ one-trick pony ♪

♪ one-trick pony ♪

♪ one-trick pony ♪

♪ take me for a ride ♪

♪ one-trick pony ♪