Eddie and the Cruisers (1983) - full transcript

They say rock 'n' roll never dies, but one early morning in 1964, Eddie Wilson's car took a dive off a New Jersey bridge with the troubled rock idol at the wheel. His body was never found. Twenty years after the lead singer of Eddie and the Cruisers disappeared, the band's songs are hotter than ever. And renewed interest in the band leads television reporter Maggie Foley to pursue a tantalizing mystery: What if Eddie is still alive? The circumstances surrounding his death are just shadowy enough to make it a distinct possibility, and someone (could it be Eddie?) has been ransacking the homes of the surviving band members in a desperate search for tapes of the group's visionary, never-released album. As Maggie interviews the former band members, the pieces of the puzzle start to fit - but only until still deeper mysteries begin to surface.

Eddie!

Eddie! Eddie!

Eddie! Eddie!

Eddie! Eddie!

Eddie!

Eddie! Eddie!

The dark side's comin',

now nothin' is real

she'll never know

just how I feel

from out of the shadows

she walks like a dream

makes me feel crazy,

makes me feel so mean

ain't nothin' gonna save you

from a love that's blind

you slip through the dark side

and cross that line

on the dark side

oh, yeah

on the dark side

oh, yeah

the dark side's comin' now

nothin' is real

she'll never know

just how I feel

from out of the shadows

she walks like a dream

makes me feel crazy,

makes me feel so mean

ain't nothin' gonna save you

from a love that's blind

you slip through the dark side

across that line

on the dark side

oh, yeah

on the dark side

oh, yeah

in the summer of '63,

"on the dark side"

was the number one song

in the country.

It's even bigger now.

That's joann carlino.

She was Eddie's girl.

Sallie plays the bass.

Wendell on sax.

Kenny on drums.

The guy on piano

is frank ridgeway.

He wrote all their lyrics.

Called him the word man.

On the dark side

oh, yeah

Wendell?

That was August of 1963.

Died of a heart attack.

He was only 37.

March 15, 1964.

It was a little after 5 A.M.

Eddie's car went off

the raritan bridge.

It must have been

a hell of an accident.

Who says accident?

You saying he was murdered?

Could have been a suicide.

All right, so what's

our hook gonna be?

What about the idea

that Eddie's still alive?

You mean, Eddie lives?

It's possible.

They never found his body.

I get it.

Eddie swam away from the car,

had Jim morrison

waiting for him onshore,

and then Amelia earhart

flew them both to Paris

where they're all

living together in sin.

Look, there are a lot of holes

in this story.

Now something was going on

with that group.

Something that nobody

knows anything about.

Get to the point, Maggie.

Did you ever hear of a poet

named Arthur rimbaud?

French lit 105 was required.

Okay, kiddies, you wanna

sit back in your seats and listen?

Sure.

"A season in hell:

"A spiritual and confessional

autobiography.'

"Arthur rimbaud was a genius.

"His writings were a quest.

"A search for perfection,

"an attempt to find

total freedom.

"At the age of 19,

"Arthur rimbaud

committed suicide.

Not of the flesh,

but of the mind and soul."

What's that supposed to mean?

It means he never wrote

another word

and disappeared off

the face of the earth.

He was not seen nor heard from again

for nearly 20 years

until he reappeared in a hospital

in marseilles on his deathbed.

Thank you.

It's a terrific story.

I just don't see what

this has got to do with Eddie Wilson.

You know where Eddie was coming from

the night of the accident?

He was coming from

a recording studio

where he just finished

taping an album.

You know what the name

of that album was?

"A season in hell."

So what you're saying

is that Wilson's pulling a rimbaud?

I don't know.

But if he is, we've got ourselves

one hell of a story, don't we, guys?

You think you can get

your hands on those tapes?

I went to satin records yesterday.

I figured that the master

had to be sitting in their vault.

I wondered why they never

released this album.

You know what I found out?

The tapes are missing.

Someone checked them out

on march 16...

1964.

The day after

Eddie supposedly died.

And that's gonna be our hook.

...Get up on the Jersey

side of the Holland tunnel,

the Jersey turnpike

and the garden state...

Sidewalk surfers

ride the streets in super vans

beach fires light the faces

of the gypsy caravans

open up your door

and let those lake pipes roar

into the

wild summer nights

oh baby,

those wild summer nights

wild summer nights

oh baby, run wild

summer nights

run wild

summer nights

Back on the charts again.

Eddie and the cruisers doing

"wild summer nights"

from their hit album,

"tender years."

And this is Scott muni, wnew.

- Mr. ridgeway.

- Hey, nice catch.

"And so I dare to hope.

"Though changed, no doubt,

from what I was when first

"i came among these hills.

"When like a roe,

i bounded o'er the mountains.

"By the sides of the deep rivers.

"And the lonely streams.

Wherever nature led.

"More like a man flying from something

that he dreads.

Than one who sought

the thing he loved."

So, what's wordsworth gettin' at?

He's saying that places stay the same,

but people change.

Okay. Do people change or don't they?

Now that's worth talking about.

All right,

have a nice weekend.

And remember, I don't wanna

see any of your faces

for at least 48 hours.

As I walk along, I wonder

a-what went wrong

with our love

a love that was so strong

and as I still walk on

I think of the things

we've done together

a-while our hearts were young

- I'm a-walkin' in the rain

tears are fallin'

and I feel the pain

a-wishin' you were here by me

- to end this misery

- the big time.

And I wonder

I wah-wah-wah-wah-wonder

why

- why, why, why, why, why

- joann?

She ran away

and I wonder

a-where she will stay

my little runaway

a-run, run, run,

run, runaway

hi.

Hi.

I'm a-walkin' in the rain

tears are fallin'

and I feel the pain

a-wishin' you were here by me

to end this misery

and I wonder

I wah-wah-wah-wah-wonder

why

why, why, why, why, why

she ran away

can I help you 9w5?

Yeah.

Tell Tony Eddie and the cruisers

are here.

She got a love

that'll get you down

now people let me

put you wise

sue goes out

with other guys

here's the moral and the story

from the guy who knows

I fell in love

and my love still grows

ask any fool

that she ever knew

a-keep away from-a

runaround sue

(keep 6w3)'

away from that girl, now

I know what she'll do

runaround sue

oh-oh-oh-oh-ohh

all right!

Keep away

from that girl now

- all right!

- Yeah!

Are we cruisin' or what?

Hey, Wendell, you're on

the keyboards on this one.

Hey, big papa,

where you goin'?

You gotta listen to my new song.

You're the one

who knows what goes.

Hey, sallie,

never bullshit a bullshitter.

You make the music.

I make the deals.

Get some sleep.

Let's get on the music!

One, two,

one, two, three, four!

Betty Lou

got a new pair of shoes

Betty Lou got a new pair of shoes

Betty Lou ah-whoo,

ah-whoo, ah-whoo

Betty Lou got

a new pair of shoes

well, she walked

to a shoe store

picked out a shoe

she tried on a twelve,

but that wouldn't do

Betty Lou, Betty Lou

got a new pair of shoes

Betty Lou got

a new pair of shoes

Betty Lou ah-whoo,

ah-whoo, ah-whoo

Betty Lou got

a new pair of shoes

hold it! Hold it!

Wait a minute!

Wait a minute!

- What's the matter?

- What's the matter?

Where you racing to?

Where's the fire?

No fire.

That's the way

the song was written.

It goes that way, upbeat.

What's the problem?

Uh, the problem is,

I'm just saying words.

You know, you gotta give me

a little room

so people know what

I'm singin' about.

Hey, you lose the beat,

people miss a step.

We want 'em to dance.

Lose the beat, miss a step.

What, are you a moron, sal?

Do you believe this guy?

Look, sal,

i like your stuff.

But it just ain't

what I was lookin' for.

You understand?

Forget it!

You had your mind made up

before you even started.

So what am I knockin' myself out for?

Look, I don't wanna

argue with you, sal.

You wanna get another opinion

on the subject?

No! Forget it.

- Joann, what do you think?

- What are you askin' her for?

Why not ask her?

She's got a brain.

I don't know anything?

She knows, huh?

Everybody you bring in

this band's an expert.

Except sallie.

Sallie's just

a dumb Guinea, right?

You dumb Guinea.

Hey, kid, come here.

Who? Me?

Yeah, you.

Come here.

Now you heard what

we were talkin' about.

What do you think?

Well, I think he's right.

I think it needs a caesura.

See?

My way, with a caesarian.

A what?

Tell him.

What's your name?

Frank.

Tell him, Frankie.

Uh, a caesura?

That's a timely pause.

A kind of a strategic silence.

That's exactly right.

If you want,

I'll give you an example.

Okay, "one evening

i took beauty in my arms.

"And I thought her bitter.

And I insulted her."

Sounds like shit, right?

Okay, wait a minute.

Wait a minute.

Now I'll do it with a caesura.

"One evening I took

beauty in my arms.

"And I thought her bitter.

And I insulted her."

Now that's got class.

Now does that have class,

sallie, right?

Hey, kid, you can stay.

Excuse me?

Oh.

Can I help you?

Maggie foley.

I work for media magazine.

I'm doing a story

on Eddie Wilson.

And, well, I thought

you might be of some help.

Well, what do

you wanna know?

Well, I'd like you

to tell me about the past.

I wanna know what it was like

to be a cruiser.

Uh, miss...

Maggie.

I'm sorry.

There's nothing personal on this.

I'd like to help you.

I really would, but...

Frank, there are a lot

of unanswered questions about...

yeah. Well, I understand

what you're up against,

but that was then,

and this is now.

And, uh...

I don't care

to be interviewed.

Look, frank,

I'm not here to make

a carnival out of your life.

Now I have something

very different in mind.

I am going to do a tribute

to a group of guys

who were ahead of their time.

You don't understand.

The night Eddie died,

the cruisers died with him.

Frank, what happened that last night

at the recording studio?

The night that Eddie died?

There's no way on earth

I'd go into that with you.

Frank? Why not?

Maybe...

Maybe because Eddie's dead

and I'm alive.

He was my friend.

You, I just met.

Oh...

- Hello?

- Word man!

- Who is this?

- This is the master of voices.

Maker of choices.

Your old buddy.

- You don't remember.

- Doc?

Hey there, word man.

Hey there, word man.

Whatever happened to you?

Well...

What you been up to?

Well, it's been

a long time, doc.

It sure has, kid.

So, what's up?

You need me, word man.

You need me bad.

Oh, is that right?

Look, kid, we gotta talk.

How soon before you

get your ass over here?

Well, where are you?

Right back

where we started, kid.

Asbury park.

All right,

you near-beer fans.

Remember

mock, lng?

Charlie and Inez foxx?

Summer of '63?

Well, James Taylor and Carly Simon,

i bet you don't!

My man, my man!

The word man!

Long time, kid.

Doc, how you been?

Oh, man,

hits just keep on comin'.

Hey, you haven't

changed much, huh?

You still a kid?

Don't bother returnin'

the compliment.

Give me that stuff,

will you, frank?

Sit down.

Hey, man, this joint

ain't as bad as it looks.

I mean, the pay ain't bad.

You can't beat the hours.

Besides, there's a college nearby.

They tell me I'm becomin'

quite a cult figure around here.

Hey, doc, that's great.

So, uh...

You ever write that book?

No.

I never got around to it.

So, what did you ask me down here for?

What's so urgent?

You talk to that chick

from media magazine?

Guess you know what's been happening

with the cruisers lately.

Something's bustin', kid,

and it's bustin' fast.

Way I see it,

Eddie's my ticket out and yours.

Doc...

We did one album, 12 cuts.

You're makin'

a big deal out of nothin'.

I'll tell you about nothin'.

Nothin's what we got on the reissue

of the old album, man.

After Eddie died, I sold the rights

all back to lew elson.

That bastard, remember him?

There's nothin'

i can do about that now.

But this movie thing, man.

You heard about

the movie deal, right?

"The Eddie Wilson story."

The way I see it,

they gotta have a script, right?

They gotta have locations,

period stuff.

Stuff like that.

That's where we come in, man.

Technical consultants.

They gotta come to us.

I mean, who else they got?

And there's more.

There's gotta be parts in there

for both of us.

I mean, not that we should

necessarily play ourselves,

- I ain't saying that.

- Doc, doc, doc, doc.

It sounds like you can't miss.

I wish you all the luck in the world.

Hey, kid,

guess I lost my touch, huh?

I can't convince you,

who can I convince?

All right, listen, Frankie.

Give me a ride home.

My car's kind of out of commission.

Besides, uh,

somethin' I wanna show you.

Sure, doc.

Any way you wanna play it.

You know,

i was thinkin', Frankie.

I mean, it's just an idea.

I know you're gonna hate it.

What is it?

I was thinkin' about bringin'

the group back together.

"Eddie & the cruisers

featuring sal amato.

Appearing nightly at 8 and 11."

Now dig this.

I checked them out last week.

He's got this

Eddie Wilson lookalike.

No, he ain't half bad.

He's startin' to make a little noise.

But you know sallie,

the kid's a nickel-and-dime operation.

Now here's my plan.

I figure we get rid of the losers

and bring on the cruisers.

You, the clone, sallie, Kenny.

Some dude on sax

and the chick, uh...

- Joann.

- Yeah, right, joann.

I hear she's back,

you know.

She was out in Vegas

at Caesar's palace.

Where is she now?

Over around wildwood.

I hear she's choreographing

at one of the big hotels

on the boardwalk.

Anyway, I get the group

back together, right,

get a little seed money,

get some publicity, right clothes,

open up at the right joint

at the right time...

And, Frankie,

we come back big!

Eddie and

the original cruisers!

Hey, why not do

a James Dean, huh?

Hit the junkyards.

Blowtorch Eddie's car into little pieces

for the tourist trade.

Only do me a favor,

leave me out of it.

I'm sorry, kid.

It's okay. Forget it.

Shit.

Uh, they may look like

shacks on the outside.

You'll be surprised

at the interior.

Maid's day off.

This was waitin' for me

when I got home last night.

Looks like we got

the same decorator, doc.

They got my place this morning.

Ah!

- It's like the old joke.

- Hmm?

We might be paranoid,

but it don't mean

they ain't after us.

Who is they?

Music lovers.

Why?

We must have somethin' they want.

What?

- Can't you figure it out?

- No.

Well, try.

I mean, come on.

What could we have

that's worth stealin'?

My Robert hall suit?

Your wilkerson blades?

Oh, come on, doc.

Gimme a break.

What are they after?

The tapes.

See it now?

A touch of class

for Tony marts.

Thanks.

What's this?

Poetry?

Yeah.

Rimbaud.

You know anything about him?

Sure.

Um...

He was quite disreputable,

mean...

Perhaps even ruthless

and perverse.

"A tortured soul,

but still one of the greatest

poets that ever lived."

Would you like it?

No, thanks.

I gotta go.

Here.

Take it with you.

A present.

I'll just borrow it.

Okay.

See ya.

Joann was telling me

you write music.

Thinks you might be good.

We'll give you a try.

You know what I want

is songs that echo.

The stuff we're doin' now

is like somebody's bed sheets.

Spread 'em out, you soil 'em.

Ship 'em out to laundry, you know?

But our songs,

I wanna be able to...

Fold ourselves up in 'em forever.

You understand?

That's the most you'll

ever get outta me, word man, ever.

Ladies and gentlemen,

the holiday inn

is proud to present

a group that's been

bringing us hits

for nearly 18 years.

How 'bout a big hand

for some Jersey boys

who really made good.

Eddie and the cruisers,

featuring sal amato!

Betty Lou got

a new pair of shoes

Betty Lou got a new

pair of shoes

Betty Lou got

a new pair of shoes

Betty Lou got a new

pair of shoes

Betty Lou, a-whoo,

a-whoo, a-whoo

Betty Lou got

a new pair of shoes

what do you want, pal?

I'll have a pabst.

She cracked up

over the style and fit

walkin' down the street

in her brand-new digs

Betty Lou, Betty Lou

got a new pair of shoes

Betty Lou got

a new pair of shoes

Betty Lou, a-whoo,

a-whoo, a-whoo

Betty Lou got

a new pair of shoes

she walked in the shoe store

picked out a shoe

tried on a twelve

but that wouldn't do

- Hi.

- But that wouldn't do

Betty Lou, Betty Lou,

got a new pair of shoes

- oh, hi.

- Betty Lou got a new pair of shoes

- Betty Lou, a-whoo...

- I have a table down front.

- Would you like to join me?

- No, uh...

If sallie knew I was here,

he's just crazy enough

to call me up onstage.

Didn't you tell him

you were coming?

I wasn't sure what

his reaction would be.

You know, I interviewed him

between shows.

He said some very nice things

about you.

He told me that you were some kind

of genius with words.

Regular whiz kid.

Frank, why did you

come here tonight?

I just wanted to see

how things turned out

for an old friend of mine.

Is that all?

I guess I also wanted to see how things

might have turned out for me.

Can I buy you a drink

after the show?

Maybe.

Okay.

The dark side is comin',

now nothin' is real

she'll never know

just how I feel

from out of the shadows

she walks like a dream

makes me feel crazy,

makes me feel so mean

ain't nothin' gonna save you

from a love that's blind

the dark side is callin' now,

nothin' is real

she'll never know

just how I feel

from out of the shadows

she walks like a dream

makes me feel crazy,

makes me feel so mean

ain't nothin' gonna save you

from a love that's blind

you slip to the dark side,

you cross that line

on the dark side

oh, yeah

on the dark side

oh, yeah

- not bad.

- What?

- I said not bad.

- Not bad?

Eddie, what's with you?

The kid can't play.

He can't sing

and he can't write.

So what's not bad?

He's got somethin' we need.

Like what?

Words and music, doc.

Words and music.

All right, now let's

get on with the music.

See what I'm doin'?

Do it like I'm doin'.

It's rock 'n' roll,

all right?

Do that.

No, no, no, no, like this.

Like this.

- Relax.

- Did he say not bad?

All right? Come on.

Aw, they're right.

I can't do this.

No, man, now come on.

Just concentrate. It's easy.

It's like getting laid

or riding a bike. Come on.

See? Loosen up.

Get your hands up there.

Yeah, come on.

Let go.

Go, go.

See?

You got it, Frankie.

Yeah!

Yeah! You got it!

Yeah.

Yeah! Yeah!

Get over here.

The dark side's callin' now

nothin' is real

she'll never know

just how I'll feel

from out of the shadows

she walks like a dream

makes me feel crazy...

You on vacation or what?

Ain't nothin' gonna save you

from a love that's blind

you slip to the dark side,

across that line

on the dark side

oh, yeah

on the dark side

oh, yeah

ain't nothin' gonna save you

from a love that's blind

you slip to the dark side,

across that line

ooh, on the dark side

oh, yeah

on the dark side

ooh, yeah

that was the memory Lane

voice of Eddie Wilson!

The original sound

of the cruisers!

And I'd like to take you on

another little journey now.

How many of you remember

that old feeling?

Sand in your shoes?

Ants in your pants?

A secret weapon

in your wallet?

That's you, right?

Yeah.

How 'bout the feeling of

that magic, magic night.

The first time.

How many of you

remember that?

I wanna see a show

of hands. Come on.

Ah, ah.

Slow dancin',

submarine races.

Hickeys.

How 'bout those wild nights

when you were cruisin'

with your favorite girl?

And the top was down

and the music

was blasting, hmm?

That was the inspiration

behind "wild summer nights."

One, two, three, four!

Wild summer nights

oh baby, those

wild summer nights

wild summer nights

oh baby, run wild

summer nights

strangers cruisin'

down the south strip

cool cats searchin'

for some hot lips

night-shift neon ribbons

flash forever

rebels, lace midnight

and black leather

shipwrecked pirates claim

their treasures in the sand

sidewalk surfers ride

the streets in super vans

beach fires light the faces

of the gypsy caravans

open up your door

and let those lake pipes roar

into the

wild summer nights

oh baby, those

wild summer nights

summer nights,

summer nights

wild summer nights

oh baby, those

wild summer nights

oh baby, run wild

summer nights

run wild

summer nights

all right.

All right!

When the moon hung

soft and low

catching stardust

in the light

you held me closer

and closer

there was magic

in the night

a sweet love song,

a melody

that I still can recall

two young hearts

filled with dreams

to walk away with it all

whoa, whoa, tender years

won't you wash

away my tears?

How I wish you were near

please don't go,

tender years

a summer love,

a beach romance

sought her kisses

in the sand

two young hearts

filled with fire

lost in never-neverland

whoa, whoa, tender years

won't you wash

away my tears?

How I wish you were near

please don't go,

tender years

oh, yeah!

Whoa, whoa, tender years

won't you wash

away my tears?

How I wish you were near

please don't go,

tender years

all right!

All right!

Eddie Wilson is a part

of yesterday, sure he is,

but he's as much a part

of this group today as I am.

You know, we're still together,

him and me.

And never a day passes

that I don't think

he's around somewhere.

Out in the street.

Around the corner.

Not far away at all.

Forever they will haunt me

but what can I do?

Those oldies but goodies

reminds me of

you, you, you, you

whoo-hoo-ooh-ooh!

The cruisers with sal amato!

Let's give 'em a big hand!

Once more for this

really great group.

Ladies and gentlemen,

here they come!

Here they are!

Take a bow, sallie!

Okay, thank you very much.

Don't go away. Stick around.

There'll be dancing till dawn

to the keyboard sounds

of our very own

Regina Lewis. Thank you.

Son of a bitch.

Son of a bitch.

What comes walkin'

through the door!

Word man himself!

It's like I been tellin' everybody.

When you're hot, you're hot.

Where you been hidin'

yourself, word man?

Aw, teaching high school

in vineland.

Never left the

garden state, sal.

- No lie?

- No.

You...

Sit down. Sit down.

I used to wonder about you.

- Yeah?

- Yeah.

I figured maybe you

moved to California.

You're writin' for movies under

an assumed name or somethin'.

- Want a beer?

- Hey. Thanks.

Word man, I just got

interviewed for television

by media magazine.

Yeah, they had

a whole crew there.

Lights and cameras,

everything.

That's great, sal.

What'd you talk about?

Me.

You hungry?

Want a slice?

Nah.

No' no' no' no' no:

You know what she

really wanted to talk about?

Those old tapes,

"season in hell."

She said somethin'

about 'em being missin'.

Wanted to know if

i knew where they were.

- What'd you tell her?

- I told her I don't have a clue.

For all I care, they could

have gone down with Eddie.

You understand?

Sallie, you were on

those tapes, too.

If they find those tapes,

what's in it for me, huh?

I just about broke my fingers

trying to play that stuff.

Well, they must be

worth money.

Somebody's willing

to pay for 'em.

But we ain't gonna see

a dime from that.

They'll find a way

to screw us.

They always do.

Guys like you and me,

they“.

They strike oil under your garden,

all you get is dead tomatoes.

I get the picture.

It's still Eddie, isn't it?

They could care less

about me.

It's more Eddie they want.

Aw, sallie.

Hey...

You ever wonder

what it might have been like

if he was still around?

I used to wonder.

It ate me up.

I figured Eddie was

my one shot at the bigs.

I thought we could go

all the way together.

After he died, I got crazy.

And some nights,

it's like Eddie's still alive...

And I get mad at him

all over again.

I'm mad at him for livin'.

And I'm mad at him for dyin'

the dumb way that he did.

Sure, it gripes me when I think

of how big we could've been.

The time is right

you hold me tight

and love...

We signed a $50,000 contract

to do another album.

That was a lot of money

in those days.

They gave us

a $10,000 advance

and the offers

started pourin' in.

They all wanted

the cruisers.

Yeah, we were on such a high

we thought

we'd never come down.

Anyway, one night

doc was reading off a list

of potential dates

and I heard him mention

Benton college, my old school.

Nobody wanted to go

and the money was short.

Also, Eddie felt that it

wasn't our kind of place.

That we wouldn't fit in.

But I wanted to go.

Oh, god,

how I wanted to go.

Can you believe this?

Hey, I didn't know

we were goin' to summer camp.

You know,

there's 600 guys here

that haven't seen a girl

since new year's.

They bring 'em by train,

by car, by the busload.

Cattle cars, they call 'em.

Sounds like zoo parade.

Round 'em up!

Move 'em out!

South Philly

was never like this.

Come on, you guys.

Get off my back.

Strike one!

- Hello, girls.

- Stop, stop.

Robert's on the mound.

Get this.

It's an ice cream convention, man.

Oh, they're gonna do a sacrifice.

No, they're gonna

sacrifice you.

Well, how does it feel

to be home, Frankie?

Look at this.

What do we have here?

Yeah, right.

Real group of pistoleros,

you guys.

Hey, word man.

This shindig tonight,

how we supposed to dress?

Hey, wait a minute.

What is the big deal?

- We've played colleges before.

- Yeah, sure.

We played Saint something

down in Delaware

and "fairly ridiculous"

up in Madison,

but we ain't never played

no finishin' school like this.

This is a mistake.

We don't belong here.

These people are different.

I'm telling you,

they're gonna eat us up!

They're just a bunch of college kids.

No better than you...

hey! I didn't say better.

I said different.

You wanna remember that.

Well, what do you think?

What do I think?

I'm scared to death.

Aw, hell, joann, come on.

When I graduated

from high school,

I asked my guidance counselor

what he thought I should do.

He talked about

being a beautician

or a typist or a nurse.

But that was already

reaching for the moon.

And the whole time,

he was checkin' me out.

Oh, here's a bright one.

Doesn't really matter

what kind of job you get.

Because in a year, you'll be

married and pregnant

with the first of six.

And they won't

be college material

any more than

you are, cookie.

Case closed.

Hey, listen, these people,

they're way behind you.

I don't think they think so.

Hey, ridgeway! Frank!

What are you doin'?

- Livingston, how are you?

- Okay.

Hey, this is frank ridgeway,

my old roommate.

- This is Lois wilkes.

- Hi, Lois.

Joann carlino.

How you doin'?

Keith Livingston.

- Nice to meet you.

- Hi.

So, uh, what, are you

up for the weekend?

- Yeah.

- Rites of spring?

- Yeah.

- Well, that's perfect.

Know who they got playing

tonight at the dance?

They got the cruisers.

You know, the mean-ass black group

out of Newark, the cruisers?

Oh, yeah, I heard of 'em.

You know,

when that Lois girl asked me

where did I go to college,

i didn't know what to say.

Ah, you told her you worked

in the city. Fine.

Whether we were

pinned or lavaliered?

Hey, look.

You're good enough

to be here.

You mean, I'm good

enough for you.

That's it, isn't it?

Sometimes I think

you're too good.

How do you know I'm not?

You know I didn't mean that.

Come on.

Eddie said different.

Yeah.

Thanks for the date.

- Are you being sarcastic?

- No.

You're welcome then.

Let's go back.

Showtime yet?

I'll just change

into my other stuff now.

- No.

- It'll only take a minute.

I said no.

You stay like that.

Hey, man, you got

some fine college here!

All the advantages!

You got high Ivy walls,

lecture halls.

Full-dressed balls.

And you got the cruisers,

for the nasty stuff,

for the get-down music

and the hanging tough!

Better grab a woman,

no mention your name!

'Cause after tonight,

she'll never be the same

when the lights go out

and the clock winds down,

better find me a woman

and go downtown.

No hand-holding baby,

who'll nip and tuck,

I wanna girl off the streets

who knows how to...

I need a woman's

special touch

I need a lover's

soul to trust

I want you, baby,

you know it's true

there's just one thing

i would do for you

never say

get down on my,

down on my knees

oooh, baby,

I'm a live wire

a loaded pistol,

I'm ready to fire

you know I want you

by my side

I ain't beggin',

i got my pride

never say

get down on my,

down on my knees

all I need is

to set my soul free

all I want is you

to walk the night with me

all night and day

you give me lovin'

with a blind heart

I want you, baby,

I'll never stop

oooh, baby,

you're my one desire

I'm a man

that you can't deny

never say

get down on my,

down on my knees

yeah

down on my,

down on my knees

yeah

down on my,

down on my knees

yeah! Yeah!

Do you wanna rock 'n' roll?

Are you ready to rock 'n' roll?

All right! Cool down!

Sit down. Sit down.

Come on! We gotta cool out

before we can get runnin'!

Hey, yeah!

I wanna thank you people

for making the scene.

Shaw's just starting now,

I'm gonna come clean.

I'm gonna present

the cruisers one by one.

On drums, just goin' through

a phase, Kenny Hopkins!

On sax, the bruiser,

Mr. Wendell Newton!

On bass,

"long tall" sallie amato!

And last but not least,

your favorite and mine,

joann carlino!

Hey, Eddie!

You forgot somebody!

- Who'd I forget?

- The guy on the piano!

Ridgeway!

Oh. Oh, yeah.

On piano, we got, uh...

Toby Tyler.

Stage name,

show business nom de plume.

Why, he's that little boy

that ran away from home

and joined the circus,

isn't he?

Snuck into the tent

without a ticket

so he could see all

the wild animals inside?

The savage beasts?

The clowns?

The freaks?

Let's hear it, everybody,

for Toby Tyler!

- Frankie!

- All right, here we go!

Turn up those lights.

My mama told me she didn't

like that rock 'n' roll

said oh, mama, mama

mama, you just don't know

I don't wanna

hang up

my rock 'n' roll shoes

well, I get that feelin'

every time

i hear them blues

the music's got the beat

that will keep you alive

the kids are rock 'n' rollin',

from 8 to 85

I don't wanna

hang up

my rock 'n' roll shoes

well, I get that feelin'

every time

i hear them blues

the next day,

i told him I was leaving

and I'd take the bus back.

And what did he say?

He said, okay, sure.

Go ahead.

I'll just call up the union

and have 'em send someone else over.

Like so much

busted plumbing.

And he asked me

to take a walk with him.

He didn't say anything

for the longest time

and then he turned to me,

and he said,

"word man...

"We need each other.

Words and music."

And he crossed his fingers

showing how they go together.

"Remember, words and music."

So you stayed.

Yeah, I stayed.

But "season in hell."

Frank, how much influence

did rimbaud have on Eddie?

Looking for ghosts?

Maybe.

You don't really think

Eddie's still alive, do you?

I guess not.

But what about the coincidence

of "season in hell"?

Frank, what happened

to those tapes?

Hey, look, it didn't work.

The record company hated it.

They never released the album.

Frank, I wanna get ahold

of those tapes

and play them on my show.

Let's let them be heard

and let the people decide

whether they're any good.

I don't know where they are.

Honest.

I'd like to find them

as much as you would.

Frank?

Is that why

you stopped writing?

'Cause they told you

that you weren't any good?

Words and music, remember?

Without Eddie,

there wasn't any more music.

Night, Maggie.

Good night, frank.

I'm serious.

Doc wants to get

sallie's band and us

to go back on

the circuit again.

The guy is out of his head.

It's just old songs

and old memories.

- It'll make you crazy, man.

- Yeah.

Just a phase, huh, Kenny?

Yeah, sure.

We had some fun times

for a while there, huh?

Yeah.

Oh, I liked being on top.

What's not to like?

Back of the caddy balling

some chick, you know.

One of our tunes come

on the radio, whoa-ho!

I mean, who was better

than me, right?

Well, there was something special

about that time, you know.

I miss it.

You don't fool with

the memories, huh, Frankie?

I'm not so sure I can stop.

Okay.

Okay, but if you're

gonna do that,

then you gotta take a look

at the whole story, man.

I mean, there were

bad times, too.

The fights, the arguments,

the hassles!

Things I'm sure that you've

forgotten all about,

Toby Tyler.

Hey, did he play hell

with you that night, huh?

- Yeah.

- Yeah, right.

You remember sal and doc

at each other's throats?

Eddie and joann not being able

to talk to each other?

Nobody talkin' to each other?

Remember Wendell dyin'?

- I remember.

- Yeah, right.

Heart attack, right?

Man, you still don't know

what went down there.

What are you talkin' about?

Where the hell you been?

Heart attack, my ass!

What, do you live in a cloud?

It's time you grew up.

Let's go.

Wendell?

Come on, Wendell!

Let's go! We gotta go, man!

Wendell?

Hey! Wendell!

Hey!

Stupid son of a bitch.

Uh...

The other day, I buried

one of my best friends.

He was the best

sax player I ever heard.

And they tell me

i gotta come up here

and entertain you people now.

I don't think

I'll be able to do that.

When the moon

hung soft and low

catching stardust

in the light

you held me closer

and closer

there was magic

in the night

oh, tender years

won't you wash away

my tears?

How I wish you were near

please don't go,

tender years

- hi.

- Hi.

God, you look great.

I just came from rehearsal.

Still, you look terrific.

I'm so glad you called.

You know I wanted to

so many times, but...

Now, you know,

this revival of our music,

I couldn't help thinking

about you.

And remembering

the good times we had.

I just had to see you

again, joann.

We had fun,

didn't we, frank?

Yeah.

You know, I've never

been able to let go.

To let you go.

I'm glad you're here.

Hey, you know,

I've seen all the guys.

- You did?

- Yeah.

Kenny's in Atlantic city

dealing Blackjack

at one of the casinos.

- Really?

- Yeah.

Doc's a deejay

back in asbury park.

- Did you see sallie?

- Oh, yeah, yeah.

He's knockin' 'em dead

with the oldies but goodies.

Can you believe

he's still playing "Betty Lou"?

Only now he's finally

doing it his way?

Without the caesura?

Yeah.

How do you feel,

them playing our old songs

on the radio again?

I guess it's fun.

But, you know,

the strangest things

have been happening lately.

I keep getting

these phone calls.

I pick up the phone

and someone plays

"tender years."

Then they hang up,

a couple of times a day.

And last week, somebody

broke into my house.

They got my place, too.

And doc's.

What's going on?

Who is it?

It's gotta be those old tapes.

"Season in hell."

See the writing on the wall

ivory towers bound to fall

voices whisper in the wind

I can hear them calling

love is the fire burning,

and I want to burn

darkest now before the dawn

times we know will...

hey! What the hell are

you guys doing?

I've heard enough!

Just relax. There's nothing

can't be fixed.

- Am I right?

- This won't fix.

This is a disaster.

You wanna be a poet?

Try greenwich village.

Well, listen, another couple

of weeks, we can work this...

doc, take six weeks.

I still wouldn't know

what to do with it.

You wanna know what

you can do with it?

I'll tell you what you can do

with it, you son of a bitch!

Hey, I put up 10 grand

and I expect something

for my money!

This is what I been

waiting a year for?

A bunch of jerk-offs

making weird sounds?

You're not gonna see

a red penny!

- Easy, Eddie!

- Hey, wait, come on, man!

He's been under a lot of pressure

since Wendell died.

- Let me talk to him.

- You ain't talking to nobody!

So we'll work

something out!

- Bullshit!

- Doc, don't do me any favors.

I don't need this.

Lew? Lew?

Lew!

Shit!

Are you crazy?

We had the money in our hands

and you blew it!

You blew it!

- Hey, come on, come on.

- Eddie! Eddie!

Eddie! You're wrong!

You're wrong!

Now listen to me!

I love ya!

I've known you longer

than anyone else,

but you're wrong!

They want "on the dark side"!

What are we giving 'em?

Some damn opera!

I don't even know

what you're after!

I want somethin' great!

I want somethin' that

nobody's ever done before!

Why? We ain't great.

We're just some guys

from Jersey.

If we can't be great,

then there's no sense

in ever playing music

again, sal.

I blame this on you.

It was you!

We were doin' good

till you came along,

and you got us all screwed up!

Eddie, wait!

Eddie, the music is great.

Those guys are wrong.

It really is.

Eddie, what is this place?

I used to hang out here

when I was a kid.

There used to be this old guy

who owned the place.

What a dreamer.

He would sift

through the garbage

and put aside bits and pieces.

Come on,

I'll show you.

Come on.

He actually believed

that you could build a castle

out of a bunch of 'gunk.

What a crock.

Holy shit.

What a phony.

Here we are, guys.

Right where we belong.

You got your edsels...

Norges...

Dumonts...

And Eddie Wilson.

Together at last,

creating our own

incredible monument

to nothing!

Here's to nothing,

fellas!

Here's to nothing!

There were so many things

i wanted to say to him.

So many questions

i wanted to ask.

But Eddie and I,

we had a deal.

We never talked

about the future.

We thought

the present was so fine.

Why ruin it by planning ahead?

But as Eddie drove off,

i knew.

I knew it then.

There wasn't gonna be

any future.

In the morning,

they told me Eddie was gone.

They hadn't found his body.

That was always

the hardest part to accept.

Frank, I know you're

gonna think I'm crazy,

but I have to tell you something.

Last night, there was a car

sitting in my driveway,

a '57 Chevy

just like Eddie's.

Joann, that car was destroyed

in the accident, remember?

I know, but whoever it was

must have seen me looking

out the window.

He blinked

his headlights high,

then low,

then high again.

Just like Eddie.

It can't be.

I can't be him.

Well, who then? Who?

It's not Eddie.

No, whoever it is that's watching you

is lookin' to cash in on those tapes.

- But it is not Eddie.

- Oh, frank.

I know where those tapes are.

After the accident,

I had to say goodbye

in my own way.

I went to satin records,

got the tapes

and drove back

to palace depression.

Take me there.

Watch your head.

- You there?

- Yeah.

Come on, hold my hand.

Come on.

Up there!

All right,

then give me a lift.

- Okay.

- See it?

I feel something up there.

I don't know what it is.

It's a box.

It's a wooden box.

Got it! Got it.

Let's go. Come on.

Okay.

It's gonna be a left soon.

Just past the gas station.

There's some of you,

you know.

Yeah, I see.

That one was

always my favorite.

Hello?

Who is this?

God damn it, who is this?

Oh, frank.

No, don't.

It's okay, it's okay.

That's it!

Huh?

It's Eddie!

He's coming over!

That's our signal!

It means get ready!

I...

I have to go.

He'll be here any minute!

L gotta go!

Oh, frank, I'm sorry.

I gotta go.

Eddie?

It is you!

Yes, yes, sure.

I have them!

Yes, I'll be waiting.

Yes, yes, Eddie.

I'll be alone.

Yes.

Oh, hurry.

Please hurry!

Frank? Frank!

Hey, baby,

what's the holdup?

Eddie?

Come on. Let's get on

with the music!

Frank!

Frank!

What are you doing?

Son of a bitch!

You! You! You!

(Okay, 0k3)!-

why did you do this?

Shortcuts, kid.

I never could do things

the easy way.

Aw, doc.

Why this whole game?

The car business?

I figured...

Joann had the tapes.

I knew she wasn't

gonna give 'em to me.

Maybe you would, man.

Maybe she'd give 'em to you.

What would you do

if you had the tapes, doc?

Try me.

Just try me.

I'd have it made.

For once in my life,

I'd bring home a winner.

I'd like that.

I once asked Eddie

why he kept you around.

You know what he said?

He said doc's a dreamer.

And the world

needs dreamers.

He was the only real friend

i ever had.

Here.

Come on, kid,

your ticket to the bigs.

Come on. Take 'em.

I'm gonna do this

for all of us.

I mean that.

I'm gonna make

you proud of me.

Listen, I'm gonna make

the sweetest deal you ever heard.

They don't know it yet,

but they're gonna be dealing with

doc Robbins, the big bopper,

and I'm gonna be

comin' on strong!

Stayin' long, talkin' loud,

and drawin' a crowd!

Hey, man, Eddie and the cruisers

coast to coast!

I ain't just talkin' Jersey!

Go get 'em, doc!

Let's go inside.

The dark side's callin' now,

nothin' is real

she'll never know

just how I feel

from out of the shadows

she walks like a dream

makes me feel crazy,

makes me feel so mean

ain't nothin' gonna save you

from a love that's blind

you slip to the dark side

across that line

on the dark side

oh, yeah

on the dark side

oh, yeah

The innocence

of the fifties was over,

and so was rock 'n' roll

as we knew it.

We were entering a new age.

An age of confusion.

An age of passion,

of commitment.

Eddie Wilson saw it coming.

"Season in hell" is a total

innovation for its time.

It was a signal of greatness

yet to come.

Eddie Wilson

was a step ahead of us,

and I don't think we've

caught up with him yet.

Eddie's been dead

for almost 18 years.

But his music

is as alive today

as the day he recorded it.

For me and for everyone

who listens to music,

Eddie Wilson lives

and always will.

Fire

fire

love is the fire burning,

and I want to burn

Eddie! Eddie!

Eddie!

Eddie!

Eddie! Eddie!

Eddie! Eddie!

Eddie!

Eddie!

Eddie! Eddie!

Eddie! Eddie!

Eddie!

Can you see the light?

Can you hear the sound?

Can you feel this o!' World

turnin ' around?

Can you see the light?

Can you hear the sound?

Can you feel this o!' World

turnin ' around?

Can you see the light?

Can you hear the sound?

Can you feel this o!' World

turnin ' around?

Can you see the light?

Can you hear the sound?

Can you feel this o!' World

turnin ' around?

Can you see the light?

Can you hear the sound?

Can you feel this o!' World

turnin ' around?

Can you see the light?

Can you hear the sound?

Can you feel this o!' World

turnin ' around?

Can you see the light?

Can you hear the sound?

Can you feel this o!' World

turnin ' around?

Can you see the light?

Can you hear the sound?

Can you feel this o!' World

turnin ' around?

Can you see the light?

Can you hear the sound?

Can you feel...

Strangers cruisin'

down the south strip

cool cats searchin'

for some hot lips

night-shift neon ribbons

flash forever

rebels lace midnight

in black leather

shipwrecked pirates claim

their treasures in the sand

sidewalk surfers ride the streets

in super vans

fires light the faces

of the gypsy caravans

open up your door

let those lake pipes roar

into the

wild summer nights

oh baby, those

wild summer nights

wild summer nights

oh baby, those

wild summer nights

oh baby, run wild

summer nights

run wild

summer nights

when the moon

hung soft and low

catchin' stardust

in the light

you held me

closer and closer

there was magic

in the night

a sweet love song,

a melody

that I still can recall

two young hearts

filled with dreams

to walk away with it all

whoa, whoa, tender years

won't you wash

away my tears?

How I wish

you were near

please don't go,

tender years