Honeydripper (2007) - full transcript

Come on,
leave off of that, scratch.

Ain't bothering you.

Yes, it is.

That ain't no kind of music.

Least I make a sound.

Yeah, and it's a nasty one.

Want to try again tonight?

Might as well.

♪ I know a gal

♪ by the name of Mae Lou

♪ she shook it so much,
she had the German flu ♪



♪ no matter how she done it

♪ no matter
how she done it ♪

♪ well, no matter
how she done it ♪

♪ she done it just the same

♪ The women didn't like her

♪ and they called her
out of her name ♪

♪ but the men, they loved her ♪

♪ it was a crying shame

♪ no matter how she done it

♪ no matter how she done it

♪ well, no matter
how she done it ♪

♪ she done it just the same

♪ no matter how she done it

♪ she done it just the same



♪ yes, she did

You take it for a while.

They're making all that racket
again at toussaint's.

Yeah,
and all them people over there

are buying drinks...

And throwing their money
after them dice and whatnot.

Lucky we got none of that here.

♪ You can drink your liquor

♪ you can drink
your cold can beer ♪

♪ you can drink
your good whiskey ♪

♪ you can drink
your cool can beer ♪

♪ you can stay out all
with your sweet gal ♪

♪ but papa don't you
leave me here ♪

♪ I hear that wild ox moaning

♪ looking for that Texas steer

sounding good?

Sounds fine.
Always has.

♪ Looking for that Texas steer ♪

not much of a crowd.

Not a crowd at all.

Just some stiffs who want
to drink theirselves to sleep

without the music
waking them up.

You ought to advertise.

Got an attraction
like Bertha Mae.

Singing is one thing, slick.

Whether people want
to look at you while you do it

is another.

Got quite the number over
to toussaint's place tonight.

Sounds like it.

Lots of young folks comin'

to listen to that box of his.

Don't see why
we don't just turn our box on,

let the folks feed it nickels
like they do.

The lady is singing.

♪ You hear me pleading, baby

♪ baby, don't you
leave me here ♪

but didn't nobody come
to listen to her, slick.

♪ Come here, sweet daddy

♪ let me whisper in your ear ♪

like the man say,
you can't argue with failure.

You know why slick here
is like a preacher?

'Cause he do all his best work
on his knees.

Never mind him.
He's just drunk, that's all.

I heard she put
a ring through it,

used it to drag him
around the house.

Come on, you know Tyrone
don't allow no scufflin' here.

I should get me a old lady,
help out with the groceries,

just got to sweet talk her some,

give her a little poke
every now and then.

Now, you gonna drink, stokely,

or you gonna lay up out back
recovering from that busted head

you're about to get?

Gentlemen...

Miss Delilah.

Let's behave ourselves.

What are you boys

doing in here?

Out, out.

And what are you doing
behind that bar?

It's just for a minute.

That's 60 seconds too long.

Maceo, get back there
and take that child's place.

You bring people their food.

Don't be messing
with their liquor.

Nobody's eating.

That's 'cause nobody's here
but these couple of lost souls.

Haven't had an appetite since
they give over to the devil.

Evening, maceo.

You looking good tonight.

Likewise, miss Nadine.

What can I do for you?

You know what you can do
for me, sweet man.

♪ So many days

what would you like...
To drink?

How many is that tonight?

Don't dog me about that, baby,

not tonight.

I don't want China doll
behind that bar.

She got to help out.

Not behind there, she doesn't.

You know she's not
supposed to get excited.

Not much chance of that in here.

Harvest hands all crowded
into toussaint's place,

young ones.

You'll get some of them.

They stick their noses in here,

get one little sniff
of the music, and they're gone.

Maybe that's the wages of sin.

Ain't no sin
happening here tonight, baby,

and there sure as hell
ain't no wages.

Your god want to chastise
some sinners,

he'd best go on over
to toussaint's.

Got a whole bar room
crowded with them.

He's not my god.
He's everybody's god.

How that tent meeting
went tonight?

Violonda wood found the lord.

Thought she found him last year
when they come through.

Well, she must have lost him
again between then and now,

'cause she come down
that aisle tonight

hollering in tongues.

Spirit didn't move you, though?

Not yet.

Maybe it's too late for me.

♪ So don't take nobody

I can't believe
you're serving alton stokely.

That poor man.

Toussaint cut his credit off.

Either he gets it here
or he drinks that paint peeler

Willie pettigrew cuts up
back in the swamp.

I'm gonna go home,

say a prayer for that man.

Say one for me too, baby.

Outstanding, baby, outstanding.

You still got the voice.

You think so?

Chill down my spine
just to hear you.

Ty,
I'm gonna be a little late Saturday.

No need to come in
if you don't want to.

I made other arrangements.

Other arrangements?

Trying something new in here.

You can't do that.
Yes, he can.

Yes, he can, darling.

This is his place,

and he can do whatever he wants.

You'll know where to find me
when you need me.

Put the box on now, Ty?

Yeah, put the box on.

I'm gonna crank it up some,

see if we can draw some life
in here.

There it goes again.

Electricity don't like
that jukebox.

Must be a short circuit
in the juke here.

Got to get the power company
in here.

No, you don't.

They turned my juice off
last month.

I don't want them
sniffing around

that splice job maceo did.

It's nice in here,

kind of romantic.

I'm gonna have to go out back,
wiggle some things around.

Don't you wiggle nothing around
unless I'm there to see it.

You don't worry, folks.
Bar's still open.

Evening, folks.

Evening, sheriff.

Your light's gone out.

Looks like it.

Don't know that
that'd be a violation

of something or other.

We're just about
to close up here.

Ooh, your wife been cooking?

Not tonight.

Went to the revival tent.

I stood by there myself.

Them negroes
were singing up a storm.

Of course, I just come out here
to look in on toussaint.

Had that shooting
two nights ago.

Lots of fighting in there.

There is that.

Of course,

me and old toussaint,

we got us an agreement?

Them field hands
start sucking down that whiskey,

hopping them all up with music,

there's gonna be
some razors drawn.

Of course, he'll only call me
if it's a fatality.

Never been a killing here,

Them youngbloods know better

than to mess with...

Than to mess with Tyrone Purvis.

You got quite the reputation
around here,

Tyrone.

People say you put some
poor black boy in the grave.

Just people talking.

Well, you just remember,
this is my county, Tyrone.

What goes on
goes on 'cause I let it.

Don't want nobody getting
too big for their britches

around here.

You folks
have a pleasant evening.

Nigger ain't shit in this world.

Speaking for yourself.

You ain't had this club, Tyrone,

what you think you'd be?

You wouldn't be nothing.

If that ain't true,

then grits ain't groceries.

That's a terrible noise.

Just the northbound
from Talladega.

Sounds like it always does.

Like a soul being carried away
from this life.

Come on in, darling,

before you catch your death
out here.

You're lucky the high sheriff

ain't seen you crawl out
that boxcar.

Does he come around here much?

Only when he bored.

You working that train?

Yeah, Kansas City
to New Orleans.

What'd you get off here for?

I got people here.

How about you?

Got tired of sleeping
in the boxcar.

Listen, is there a place to stay
around here?

Switchman shed
right over there got a cot.

And don't mind the rats none
unless you got food on you.

I can see you and a good meal
been strangers for some time.

Look here;
Get into town tomorrow,

find you need something,

tell 'em shack Thomas sent you.

They'll know
who you're talking about.

Thanks.
What's the name of this town?

Name like that
sounds like a good place

for a musician.

Only night I ever been in jail
was a town called Liberty.

Sun come up,
you'll see where you landed.

Boy, you best be out that shed

by first light?

It's just a
weekday's night worth.

I owe the chicken man.
I owe the ice man.

I owe the liquor man.

At least you don't owe
the electric company.

Yeah, that's a big relief.

You thinking about closing down.

What you think?

He's the biggest act
in New Orleans.

Got him a hit on the radio.

He's playing here
Saturday night.

I figured I'd wait
till Bertha Mae was gone

and then put them up.

Here?

You mean, like,
in this room here?

You know the tomcat club
in texarkana?

Big Jim Jameson's club.

It just went out of business.

Damn.

Yeah, and since Sam
is gigging his way

over to Tulsa,

it means the date is open.

But you ain't never
had no guitar...

I'm having one now.

You just worry
about getting these hung

everywhere in the county
tomorrow.

Payday Saturday,

he's gonna draw
all them cotton pickers

and soldiers boys in here,

get us back in the black.

They're gonna take me down,
it won't be without a fight.

Guitar Sam at the honeydripper.

Man, this joint
is going to jump.

Somebody slept
in the railroad yard.

You all can play that thing.

Yeah, I been doing it
near about forever.

What side of the tracks am I on?

The wrong side...

For you.

What you doing here, then?

White folks
look right through me.

Besides, how much mischief

an old blind spook like me
gonna get up to anyhow?

Where our people go
for music around here?

There's a couple
of little places

just outside of town
at the crossroads.

Is it a long walk?

You in a hurry?

How old is that box
you're playing, pops?

Second one every made,
and the devil got the first one.

How 'bout yours?

Brand new.
I made it myself.

Ooh, brand new, made it hisself.

Hot dog.

That's right.

So these clubs...

Old toussaint,
he runs the ace of spades.

They don't have no live music
in there.

Pinetop Purvis,
he runs the honeydripper lounge,

but he don't care nothing
about no guitar.

He won't allow one
under his roof.

That don't make sense.

Well, when a musician
put his hand to murder,

nine times out of ten,

a drummer done it.

But pinetop, he a piano man.

He kill somebody?

That's the story.

But if you meet the man,

you damn well
don't be asking him about it.

Ain't seen no mule
in a long time.

I knew this was Alabama,
but that's the stone ages, man.

Where you from, boy?

Memphis.

Down here on vacation?

Got in a piece of trouble
up there with the white folks,

need to bide my time
for a spell.

Biding the time
with them pills, man,

boss man gonna fire your ass.

Pay no worry about that.

I'm cotton-picking fool.

You a fool, all right.

Where you from, brother bear?

Mississippi.

Whoo!

Then this here's
a real step up for you.

Folks around here
has discovered fire and whatnot.

That trouble you in...

Have anything to do
with running your mouth?

Had to do with somebody
getting on my nerves,

and I had to deal with him.

Must have been somebody
kind of puny.

As I recall,
he was about your size.

What's this place we at?

Nearest town's Harmony.

This is
Mr. Silas tugwell's place.

You better get to picking.

Cotton ain't going nowhere.

The more you get first thing
when the dew's still on it,

the more it weighs
when it tips that scale.

You live here too?

You got my sympathies.

Hot damn.

What's the matter?

I got a shock

I thought you used to work
for the power company.

I drove the supply truck.

Guitar Sam ain't gonna be
playing by no candlelight.

I smell bacon.

You must have burned your
porky ass with that electricity.

Breakfast is ready.

Where your mama?

She already over to the mass.

She told me to come here
make sure you eat something

before you start running around.

That is a sweet woman you got.

You got one waiting for you
if you want her.

Who, Nadine?

She come in here every night

making them cow eyes at you.

She seems like the kind
that could smother a man.

She makes all her own clothes.

Darling, that's not
the kind of thing

a man cares about from a woman.

Hey, hey, I fixed it.

You ain't done no such thing.

It just decided to come back on.

Decided?

Yeah, just like it decided
to switch off last night.

You ain't even
in the conversation.

Miss Nadine
makes some good money too,

sewing for people.

That woman scares me.

Last old boy to give her
a tumble,

nappy carpenter,
she cooked for him.

Fixed him up
all kinds of nice, new clothes.

I don't see no problem
with that.

Well, come four or five months,
a man starts to...

Sorry, sorry, China doll,
but that's just the way it is.

A man gots needs.

Looks like Nadine
could take care of those too.

You eat chicken every morning,
noon, and night for five months,

you get a taste
for a different kind of meat.

Well, maybe I shouldn't be
talking about this

around China doll.

You ain't gonna say something
I haven't heard worse.

Well, nappy goes out
and has him a pork chop or two,

let's say.

Comes back one night
from toussaint's place

feeling no pain
and smelling... Like...

Pork chops,

the way a man will.

Now, he falls out
on Nadine's couch

and commence to snore.

Wake up the next morning,
find she had taken

all his clothes off
without him knowing it.

The man was dog drunk.

Miss Nadine comes back
with a skillet in her hand,

hot grits bubbling in it,

says, "baby,
I got your breakfast."

"Not this morning, Nadine,"
he says, sitting up.

"Don't think
I could eat a thing."

Well, then she says,

"we can't let this
go to waste, can we?"

And she dumped
that whole hot, bubbling mess

right in that man's lap.

Ouch!

Then she got busy
with that hot iron on his head.

Screams didn't bring
the neighbors in,

she'd have killed that man.

You got to admit it, though.

Woman is an artist

when it comes to that
singer machine.

Excuse me...

Which one of you is Mr. Pinetop?

We ain't hiring.

I can play anything.

Already got me a professional.

Guitar Sam really coming
all the way down here?

That so surprising?

No, no.

Mr. Shack Thomas told me
if I was to come...

You know shack?

We... we traveled together.

When's the last time
you ate solid food, young man?

Take him back
and fix him something,

China doll.

Standing there all hungry-eyed

puts me off my breakfast.

That's real kindly.

Must have come in
on the northbound last night.

Look like he got
the cooties too,

straw in that boxcar
full of them.

Never cared to travel that way.

I was out there
riding them rails

between the wars.

Seen the black half
of the country heading west.

Rolled past the other half
coming back east.

Yeah, every one of us
scraping for the next meal.

This the place.

Y'all can tear things down,
put things up.

Got a lot of potential.

Looks bigger in here
than it does from the outside.

May I help you, gentlemen?

Yeah, I'm just showing the man

who's gonna run this place
what he got.

This is my place.

You the piano player, right?

My name's Tyrone.
They call me pinetop Purvis.

Pinetop Purvis.

You owe $200

to lucky hardaway
up in little rock.

He's gonna get his.

Pinetop,
you missed last month's rent.

After this weekend.

After this weekend,

you gonna be the same
raggedy-ass piano player

who can't pay off his debts.

Mr. Simmons here
is gonna be the new proprietor.

Lucky gave me two weeks.

Lucky got a better offer.

He can't do that.

You don't think so?

Whoa, whoa, now.

What if we got our payments
for him Monday?

Saturday night.

We... we can do that.

Not just no taste, all $200.

And I'll throw in 25¢ tip
for his messenger boy.

In the meantime,
we're not open yet.

That means you're trespassing.

Seen enough,
Mr. Simmons?

I believe I have.

Somebody could do something
with this place.

Wouldn't take
a whole lot of work.

We cleared over $200
that one weekend.

Couple years back.

And we didn't have
no Louisiana guitar wizard

playing neither.

Well, they say
he draws them like flies.

Yeah, that's what they say.

They say, first thing he does

is go to the man
that owns the joint,

sticks out his hand,

and wants that cash money
put in it.

I already sent $50
to his manager.

How much you paying him all out?

Another $100.

We need to clear $300.

Well, what I figure is,

if we charge folks $2
to get in, then the liquor...

What I'm saying is,

less he see that green up front,

the man won't get off the train.

What's that now?

About time you fellas run by.

We're just about dry here.

Boss in?

Hey, Tyrone!

Whiskey wagon come by.

Y'all a day late.

Old man toussaint
gonna chew you out.

Toussaint went over
to another supplier upstate.

We've just got you,

then we're over
to the army base,

service the officers' club.

This...$56.

My credit no good anymore?

Whoa, whoa, whoa.
What's your hurry?

Don't nobody in their right mind
sell liquor on credit,

especially not
to no dark town road house.

Well, this is like
a special case, see?

We got the harvest coming up.

Soldiers at the base
gonna be let off on leave.

Saturday night,
ain't enough hooch in this truck

to satisfy what we gonna sell.

You pay as you go.
That's business.

Hey, hey, look.

You come back Monday, get paid,

and take back every damn drop
that I don't sell.

Look here; We got guitar Sam
lined up here.

What... what if i...
I throw in $5 up front

for you fellas?

Hey, hey, come on, man!

Come on, everybody gives credit.

It's the American way.

Maybe we could buy some
bust head from Willie pettigrew.

With that sheriff sniffing
around here every night?

Land my black ass in jail
for good.

Then what we gonna do?

♪ Move it on over

♪ move it on over

♪ move over, little dog

♪ 'cause the big dog's
moving in ♪

got a load of liquor
for a Mr. Lucien toussaint.

That would be me.

I trust they got my check
all right?

Don't suppose I'd be here
if they didn't.

Pull around to the back.

We'll help you unload.

This better be
some Saturday night.

Arkansas.
How about you?

We here just after mama
met my stepdaddy.

Not much going on
in a little town like this.

Well, they started up
the training base again.

Is that right?

You been in the army?

You shoot people?

Fixed radios.

They say this new war
gonna be a short one.

Might be; Might not.

I was to Japan.

Yeah?

What's the people like there?

Small.
Yeah?

About...

That high.

Speak Japanese.

You been to California?

Los Angeles.

Where they make the movies?

You go to movies?

I been once.

Fine-looking girl like you

ought to have been
all kinds of places.

Well, I'm going to 'em.

I just...
First I'm going to beauty school

when mama saves up the money.

Then I'll have a portable skill.

Like playing music.

Well, my stepdaddy says
that ain't a skill.

It's an affliction.

Come on, China doll.

There's business in town
you're gonna help me with.

And you, young man,

you want to point yourself west

on that highway,

about three miles.

There's a mess of people
working in the field.

It's harvest time.

You can stoop and pull,
they got a job for you.

Wash up them dishes
before you go.

What I need is for you
to go get friendly with Luther,

then I just happen in.

We can't just ask Mr. Skinner?

Mr. Skinner don't want nothing
from colored folk

but they buy his goods
and shine his shoes.

Now, you go on ahead now.

♪ It was early Friday evening

♪ and the hound began to bark

♪ stagger Lee and Billy lyons

♪ squabbling in the dark

♪ stagger Lee
told Billy lyons, ♪

♪ "whoa, what do you think
about that?" ♪

♪ first you take all my money

♪ and you spit
in my stetson hat ♪

I hate that damn song.

How you been keeping, Tyrone?

Well, just trying
to hold it together.

You got your beautiful
young daughter

with you this morning.

Don't you be studying her.

I hear tell you done gone

and put on a guitar man
out at your place.

Where you hear that?

The breeze.

Well, this time the breeze
know what it's blowing about.

You better be careful, Tyrone,

'cause you know what them
guitar players are like.

You be careful yourself.

♪ First he shot him

♪ in the shoulder

♪ three times in the side

♪ That's the last time
he shot him ♪

♪ poor Billy up and died

♪ up and died

the time is ripe,
and the bill is past due.

Now, you know, Mr. Roosevelt
would have done it already,

only he died and, well,

you know, they don't listen
to miss Eleanor no more.

But Mr. Truman,

he started the business,

especially now
that we got this war heated up.

Now, as brother Randolph say,
"you got to strike"...

Here it comes.

The gospel according
to a. Philip Randolph.

Tyrone, how you doing, man?

I got my nose
above the waterline.

All right.
Here's my baby.

What's up, Ty?

How's your mama doing,
China doll?

She's doing fine, uncle shack.

All right.

Hey, yeah,
I'm just telling the boys here

about how brother Randolph
pushing this deal

where our boys gonna be
a full part of the service.

I carried a rifle
in the great war.

You know, boys get in the middle
of this korean mess,

they ain't gonna thank you
for your efforts.

If we want our full due
in this country,

we've got to go whole hog.

Black folks
shooting yellow folks

to keep white folks happy?

We need to move on
from that kind of thinking.

Move right on, shack.

Then come back and tell
the rest of us how it is.

That's a hard-headed man.

I'd have to ask Mr. Skinner.

Of course, you would.

And while you're at it,
remind him

how one of the reasons
colored folks come here

is to get the lowdown
on what's happening.

China doll.

You gonna let us
put up these posters,

ain't you, Luther?

I don't think that'd be
any problem at all.

That's awful nice
of you, Luther.

You looking special today.

That's sweet of you to say.

Maceo, you go along
with the man.

He'll show you where
to put these up at?

Darling, we got a lot
of more places to go.

Nice to see you, Luther.

Come on this way.

You got that boy
eating out of your hand.

Luther's the only one
didn't pull my hair.

He sat behind me
in sunday school.

Well, I hope you got
a little of that sugar left

'cause we got to spare some
on miss Bertha Mae spivey.

You gonna ask her
to come sing again?

No, I'm gonna ask her for money.

Word is,
she got a whole pile of it

squirreled away.

Daddy...

Hey, hey, come on, girl.
We in a rush here.

I got to rest.

I'm sorry, honey.

You catch your breath here,
okay?

Yeah.

So why... why miss spivey
gonna give you money?

You don't let her
sing at the club no more.

I'm gonna make her a partner.

Partner in what?

The honeydripper.

But all you ever say,
it's just a hole

you pour good money into.

It don't matter.
I'm gonna make her a proprietor.

"Tress,"
like waiter and waitress.

Proprietress.

She got to like
the sound of that.

Lovely ladies
out to make a purchase.

Is that the same guitar Sam
that's on the radio?

The very one.

What's he look like?

Fine-looking man.

A real lady-killer,

from what I hear.

Got that New Orleans style
to him.

Well, you ought to have
a picture up there.

We'll be getting some of those
when he come in on the train.

Main thing is,
the man is electrifying,

and you know what that means.

Ooh, okay.

Make like we just
come by to see how she keeping.

And then I'll kind of mention
how I been thinking

of bring her on as a partner.

Left the door open.

She gone.

When she gonna be back?

She's just gone.

Woke up beside her...

♪ they were so glad

♪ to see my darling gone

♪ but after all

♪ my heart is traveling

damn.

24 years.

China doll, go find your mama.

She'll know
how to fix up the body.

People laugh and all, but...

I've been with that woman
24 years.

She gave the only home

I ever had.

What am I gonna do now?

What's your hurry, boy?

No hurry.

Take your hat off.

Where you headed?

I'm looking for work.

You're not from around here.

No, sir.

Stranger wandering around,
no job,

that would make you a vagrant.

But I'm looking.

I got a job for you.

Get in the back.

I can always use another hand.

Yeah, well,
I caught this young fella

in flagrant violation
of the statutes:

Gawkery with intent to mope.

What's he gonna run me?

$3 a day,
plus you feedin' him lunch.

Now, the sentence...

That all depends on how long
you gonna need the help.

I don't get any trial?

Well, sure you do, boy,

and a speedy one at that.

Meet the judge,

judge gatlin.

Grab a sack.

Dear,
I believe it's about that time.

Would you care to join me?

No, thank you.

No, of course you won't join me.

You don't partake.

That was thoughtless of me.

That's all right.

So you don't take spirits
and what else, in your church?

Well, I'm sort of
between churches right now.

I've been thinking about
changing over to the holiness,

but I haven't been
sanctified yet.

There's been a minister in
this week.

The tent over
by the fairgrounds?

Church I was raised in,
we were pentecostals.

They wouldn't have anything
but the human voice

inside the church,

dancing, any kind of dancing,
music, card-playing.

It was very strict.

They took up serpents.

I heard of that.

I tell Floyd these stories,
and he is...

He's horrified.

They've always been methodists,
Floyd's family.

It can be a trial,

married folks
differing in their religion.

And your husband is a...

Unaffiliated.

Unaffiliated, I see.

But he has his social club.

The honeydripper.

That is such a colorful name.

Yes.

So he must devote a great deal
of his energy to it.

It's just him and maceo green
runs it,

and I go over and cook some
after I get off here.

Well, that's very supportive
of you,

considering the sort
of environment...

I've been in those bar rooms
most of my life, miss Amanda.

I see.

I was a singer.

I met Tyrone in the paradise,
down in shreveport.

China doll was only two.

And I was just...

Living alone, you know,

drinking more than I ought.

And then Tyrone...

Like a light come into my life.

See, people think things
'cause he owns the lounge,

but they don't know him.

Small minds are never
in short supply.

People in this town...

I suppose they expected
that Floyd,

being from a prominent family...

As prominent as is possible
here in Harmony...

Would have chosen
somebody more...

And in school,
if you didn't have shoes...

I forgot.

I was going through

some of Emily's old things
the other day.

I thought this would look
just darling on your China doll.

I don't think that
would near fit her, miss Amanda.

Well, how old is she now?

17.

My.

I must have lost track
somewhere along the line.

17?

It was a very nice thought.

Mama...

Mama, they need you at...

I'm sorry.

Miss Amanda,
I didn't know you was home.

China doll,

we were... we were just recalling

how you used to play right here
under this table.

There isn't any cash money
that I know of.

She... she sold a good deal
of the furniture,

but there's still
a nice-looking couch

in there in the parlor.

She didn't care about too much

other than singing
out to pinetop's place.

You're welcome
to look around the house,

if there's anything
your missus might like,

as long as it's not something
personal to me and Bertha Mae.

It's just...
She's got to go out in style.

Y'all ain't never
done this job before.

Can't say I have.

You want to set your pants
out wide,

bend over at the hip.

And don't be bobbing up and down
all the time.

When you're up, be up.

But when you're on the row,
stay down.

But most important,
you got to get a rhythm.

Everything in life got a rhythm,

even pulling cotton
off the plant.

Well, lay it out for me.

Not my rhythm;
Your rhythm.

That's between you and the day
and the work you got before you.

Once you get it,
don't let nothing or nobody

push you off it.

I'm going so slow.

You getting paid by the pound
or by the hour?

I ain't getting paid at all.
None of us are.

I suggest you work that
into your rhythm too.

Let's see more picking
and less talking over there.

Getting right to it, boss.

Them boys frying over there.

That's just gatlin's gang.

He work them people
from can into can

every damn day.

And when the field's get picked,
he bid 'em out to the neighbors.

Harvest time come around here,

you better sign
with somebody fast

or get out of sight.

I ate a peck of dust today.

Why don't you get some water?

Only thing wash out the dust
is whiskey.

Ain't enough whiskey
in this world

to wash out
what I swallowed in my life.

What are we playing for?

Two bits a hand.

Whoo, that's awful steep,
ain't it?

Hell, I remember
playing this game one night.

Memphis is boss crump's town.

Folks is gambling
before they can walk.

Caught me a winning streak
that cleaned out

half the sporting men
on beale street.

Got up from that table;

my money was long
as train smoke.

What happened to it?

I spent it all
on fine-looking women.

Yo, Mississippi!

His name's Hamilton.

Hambone!

You want in on this?

Settle up on payday.

That your deck of cards?

What if it is?

I stay clear of it then.

You insinuating?

I'm just saying
I don't want to play.

Looks like dinner.

A rabbit is a rodent.

Man eat a rabbit,
might as well eat a rat.

Simple country nigger,

afraid to sit down

and lose
a little handful of change.

He awful big to mess with.

Don't scare me none.

I'm a stepping razor, man.

I'm trouble on two legs.

Your draw, junebug.

Don't be dripping no sweat
on my cards.

Excuse me, folks.

Look here!

Y'all heard about the show

we putting on
at the honeydripper

Saturday night.

We got guitar Sam!

I expect there'll be
a nice turnout

for Bertha Mae tomorrow.

Yeah, folks who wouldn't have
nothing to do with her

when she was alive.

Some of them, maybe.

Still got to pay your respects.

Slick is gonna have to find him
a new ride.

That's a terrible thing to say.

That's how a man gets over,
is all,

you know, sugaring up
to some woman

who's got a job or a bank roll.

That's no way to live.

Just how it is
in the world, baby.

Man's got to walk
through the gates of hell

to get a piece of cheese.

Not so young anymore.

Lose hold
of what little you got.

If you lose the club, I'm sure
you'll find something else.

In this town?
Like what?

You know, any time you want,
I could get miss Amanda

to ask her husband...

"watch your feet, Mr. Mayor.

I just done mopped the floor."

Ty, your work so hard
at the lodge,

and with what you bring in,
it's just not...

Not even as much as you make

polishing
that white lady's silver.

I didn't say that.

You didn't have to.

It'll just have
to work out, then.

Meeting gonna start,
and I'm not there.

Your soul's not the one
needs saving, baby.

It's all gonna be fine, daddy.

Everybody in town
talking about guitar Sam

coming to Harmony.

♪ As I walk

♪ along this highway

♪ I was speaking

♪ my lord each day

♪ she left me standing

♪ out on this highway

♪ whoa, just wondering

♪ which way I must go

♪ she left me standing

♪ out on this highway

♪ just wondering

♪ which way I must go

Amen.
Sing on, choir.

Amen.

Let the church say amen.

Amen.

Amen.

Let the church say amen.

Amen, amen.

Amen.

She left him standing
out on the highway,

wondering which way to go.

The highway of life.

Sisters and brothers,
it will twist you,

and it will turn you.

It will run you this a-way,
and it will run you that a-way.

Tempt you with many a detour,

'cause the highway of life
is designed to lead us astray.

Yes.

That's no the road
that we want to be on,

brothers and sisters.

That's not the path
we need to follow.

We need to be
on that other road.

We need to be on that road
that leads to glory.

We need to be on that road that
leads to the right hand of god.

That thoroughfare
I'm talking about,

that righteous road
that we need to travel

is called the highway to heaven.

It is called
the highway to heaven.

But we need to know,
sisters and brothers,

we need to know
who is walking beside you.

You got to be wary of who

is trying to hold you back
from your journey,

'cause many a loved one's

got to be left behind.

'Cause you're either
on the road,

or you're lost
in the wilderness.

You're either heading for glory,

or you're doomed for damnation.

You're either with the lord,

or you're with the devil.

And there ain't no in between.

No, no.
There ain't no in between.

Okay, Memphis.

Um, Charleston.

Yeah.

Tulsa.

Tulsa ain't so
bad, but for the spics.

Got to them
stockyards near the jail.

Them flies.

Of course, I had me
in a cell in Georgia once.

Six other men.

Didn't have a window at all.

Must have got caught
hopping one of them freights.

Yeah.

Ain't no free ride
allowed through Georgia.

And the food there... paltry.

Paltry ain't the word for it.

Breakfast is a joke,
and lunch is a rumor.

And dinner was an anecdote.

I suppose you got
locked in that box.

Or one just like it.

♪ Well, I wake up
in the morning ♪

♪ and hear the big ball ring

♪ walk up to the table
and see the same damn thing ♪

♪ I'm gonna tell you

♪ fork, a knife, and a pen

♪ if you say a thing about it ♪

♪ you in trouble with the man ♪

♪ let the midnight special

♪ shine a light on me

♪ let the midnight special

♪ shine its ever-loving light
on me ♪

you a singer, young man?

Yeah, I'm a singer.

I'm a guitar player.

I'll be on the radio someday.
People gonna know my name.

You keep on thinking that way,
young man.

If judge gatlin don't choose
to work you into your grave,

you just may do it.

♪ If you ever go to Houston

♪ don't you stagger.
Don't you fight ♪

♪ 'cause the sheriff
will arrest you ♪

♪ you're in the cooler
for the night ♪

♪ he'll tie
your hands together ♪

♪ and will bring you down

♪ throw you in the black Maria ♪

♪ penitentiary bound

♪ I heard the lonesome
church bell toll ♪

♪ early this morning

♪ I heard the low-down
church bell toll ♪

♪ it brought me the sad news ♪

♪ my Bertha Mae
was dead and gone ♪

♪ never missed my baby

♪ I never missed her
till she left my door ♪

♪ I never missed my baby

♪ until she left my door

♪ It breaks my heart

♪ to think I'll never
see her face no more ♪

"He will dwell with him.

"He will wipe every tear
from their eyes.

"Death will be no more.

"Mourning and crying and pain
shall be no more,

"for the first things
passed away.

I am the Alpha and the omega,
the beginning and the end."

I hear tell
miss Bertha Mae passed.

That's right.

Yeah, she lived it...

Just like she sang it.

You waiting on somebody?

Ain't nobody on that train
gonna change your luck, Tyrone.

You're gonna
have to save your own self.

What do you know about anything?

Nothing much.

But I know you...
From way back.

Mournful end
for a wayward sinner.

She always seemed
at peace with herself.

The company she kept,
the life she lived?

I never knowed Bertha Mae
to do hurt to a living soul.

We're all hoping
to see you get over

and accept the lord tonight,
Delilah.

I'm hoping so too.

You been lingering
at the threshold

long enough, sister.

Time to step ahead.

Tyrone,

you got somebody
getting off here?

Supposed to be.

What's the party's name?

Sam, guitar Sam.
Don't know his birth name.

He coming here?

Yo, nat!

Guitar Sam get on this train?

No, man, he's in the hospital
back in little rock.

Hospital?

You know music folks.

Whatever he was doing,

must have been doing
too much of it.

Well, brother, maybe...

Maybe he come on in tomorrow?

Nat!

All aboard!

Somebody didn't show up.

Wished he'd have made you dumb
instead of blind.

♪ I done have my fun

♪ if I don't get well no more

♪ I said, I done had my fun ♪

♪ If I don't get well no more

♪ my head is spinning

♪ and i's going down real slow ♪

The man don't
take care of hisself,

out drinking and jazzing women
every night.

Don't make no difference now.

Got so bad,
I heard there was this old boy

goes around
pretending to be guitar Sam,

fill out the gigs he missed.

Say he does
pretty well for hisself,

what I hear.

Somebody we could find?

Hell, I don't know.

Just some story I heard.

Must have been the first one.

First what?

Back in slavery days,

they had for us
to work in the big house.

Might not have had shoes always.

Pants didn't have no holes
in them.

They didn't pick no cotton.

House niggers.

Yeah, that's
what they called them.

They had all their
African kinds of instruments:

Drums, shakers,

some kind of banjo thing.

But the piano...

They ain't bring no piano
over on those ships from Africa.

Piano was just sitting there
in the white folks' big room,

all polished up.

I figured this first one,

he must have passed by it
15, 20 times a day,

run the corner of his eyes
over it.

You see, he was there
when they played,

the masters with their minuets.

Him standing there

with a tray
of white people's food,

pretending not to have a thought
in his head.

But he...

He watching them fingers.

See, he's watching
the keys for...

See, this old boy,
the first one,

he know how to play all them
kinds of African instruments.

I mean, he could play mud
if you give him a key

and a tempo.

Yeah, got music in his head
and his heart.

In every damn piece of him,
there's music.

Then one day, the master's away,

and he alone in that room
with that piano.

Watch out, now.

And he goes over,

and he sits down on the bench,

and he... Spreads his fingers
over it

the way he seen
that minuet player do.

And he thinks.

And he thinks,

"lord, help me;

I could some damage
with this thing."

I would have liked
to been there.

I mean...
Just to hear the cat play.

Mace,

I'm gonna lose my club.

If old man toussaint find out
you stole his liquor,

you're like to lose
more than that.

I got no more cards to play.

If you was to go down

to see lucky hardaway
in person...

I ain't kissing up
to no cokey-nose,

coke-headed asshole!

What the hell
that supposed to be?

Some kind of guitar.

A guitar got a hole in it.
That's how the sound come out.

That boy must be

three bricks shy
of a load upstairs.

Daddy,

they gone and arrest him.

Arrest who?
Sonny.

The high sheriff arrested him

and sold him to judge gatlin.

Sonny who?

Sonny that was here
yesterday morning.

Sonny got a screw loose?
That's why they arrested him.

Mace, play something on that.
Make some noise there.

It's electric.

I could plunk
a chunk of stove wood in a wall,

and I'll get more music
than you get out of that mess.

No, man.

No, man.

It don't work unless
it's hooked up to the juice.

See, you got the juice,

you don't need the hollow
inside that box.

The music just runs straight
from the strings,

through the wire,

and out...
Of your amplifier,

which is what
this thing must be.

Sonny said he fixed radios
in the army.

Sonny didn't do nothing

but feed bedbugs
in anybody's army.

And some of them
crawled in his head.

I'm surprised
he even got the wit

to pick cotton.

Judge gatlin done bought himself
a drooling idiot.

What you gonna amplify

a guitar for anyway?

Daddy...

Unless you gonna sit
over in your chair

and play those little
Charlie Christian

types of riffs.

A sideman.

See him over there,
looking all clean and polite.

The a guitar, he been up front,

since those old piss-and-moan

blues shouters
sit their blind asses

on the corner
hollering for pennies.

Old-time music.

Daddy, Sonny did do nothing

to get arrested for.

He was just looking for work.

They hung colored boys
for less than that, darling.

At least on the work gang,

they feed him,
keep his strength up.

But he doesn't belong there.

You know, guitar Sam
plays him an electric,

but I don't think it's...
It's this no-hole kind of deal.

Hope he plugs it
in the wrong socket some night

and electrocute
his sorry, no-show ass.

Mace.

Now, if he showed up here,
and our power went out again

while he was playing...

No, I fixed it good
this time, Ty.

So he comes out, and he plugs
his ax into a wall...

He come out looking good,
from what I hear.

All kinds
of spangly pants and jacket,

got his name spelled out
on the back.

The clothes, right?

Hair all slick and shiny.

Flash them gold teeth
at them gals.

Got his sax man behind him,

maybe a piano,
harmonica, and drums.

You remember that night
at the esquire club

when the lights went out
in mobile?

Yeah, they took off
with the gate.

Them drunks
just stole the damn register

right off the counter.

They didn't hold
Reggie Porter for it, did they?

No, they knew it
was his place got robbed.

Didn't nobody hold it
to Reggie Porter.

And nobody expected
their money to come back.

No, 'cause they was too busy

diving for the pot in
that tote game got interrupted.

And nobody suspected

that it might have been
Reggie Porter hisself...

Hisself that pulled the lights.

No.

No, Ty, no.

No, no, no.

China doll, you mind the place
till we get back.

Hey, come on, mace.

Where you going, daddy?

I promised the people
guitar Sam,

and they're gonna get
guitar Sam.

Come on, mace,
let's get out of here.

We got work to do.

Why you so interested
in this boy?

Got a job for him.

You must be doing pretty well
for yourself out there, Tyrone,

you hiring new people on.

Passing well, yeah.

But this boy...

Name is Sonny.

Well, he's paying off his debt
to society right now.

If I was to pull him
out of the field...

Judge gatlin paid for your day
for prison labor.

You willing to pay for him

for the duration
of his sentence?

Which might be?

As long as I care to make it.

Well, I was counting
on more of a one-time deal.

If I can rent him out
just for the weekend...

$50.

It's not just the money.

There's legalistic principles
involved here,

public safety issues.

I'll pay you sunday morning.

You're gonna pay me now,
or you can forget about it.

I don't have it now.

You think you're too smart
for the rest of us,

don't you, Tyrone?

Think you can go it
all by yourself.

You'd rather eat roofing nails
than come to me for a favor,

now, wouldn't you?

It's not a favor
if I got to pay you for it.

You're gonna pay, all right.

If you don't hand over that
money to me by sunday morning,

you got yourself a new partner.

Same deal as I got
with toussaint.

Look at me.

You'll get the $50.

And that wife of yours.

Delilah?

Them fried chicken sandwiches,
if I was to come in now and then

and check in on my interests...

She'd be happy to fix you
whatever you want.

Good,

'cause my wife's cooking
would gag a maggot.

Different people
got different kinds of talent.

Yep.

Well, Darlene ain't discovered
what hers is yet.

Let's go fetch that boy.

This the one you want?

You got any ideas
about running rabbit on me,

best get rid of them now.

Are you paying my way out?

Till Monday.

How come?

You like dragging
that cotton sack?

No.

Then don't ask questions.

♪ Why don't you do right

♪ like some other men do?

This size, right?

But it's got to shine.

And when you need this?

Tonight.

That's a tall order.

It's got to happen.

You know, I do my best work,
my fastest work,

when I'm happy.

Yeah, yeah, I suppose you do.

You gonna make me happy, baby?

You come down
by the club tonight.

We're having a special show.

Tell 'em at the door,

you're my guest.

Food ain't the only thing
a woman needs three times a day.

Wouldn't hurt you
to skip a few meals.

What's that, baby?

Um, that boy gonna time
to try this jacket on,

see how it feels.

Later, Nadine.

You got to do something
with this boy's hair, darling.

They may not know
what the real Sam look like,

but it ain't this.

I can try.

What exactly
am I supposed to do?

You're gonna stand up there
with that contraption you got

and play guitar Sam's numbers.

I can do that
with my eyes closed.

Well, if we can get the audience
to close theirs,

we'd be better off.

Ty, I tracked Mr. Trenier down.

Let's hit it.

Bye, daddy.

You know what you're doing?

I fix mama's hair all the time.

But you ain't been
to that school yet.

You go to school
to learn your guitar?

No.

I might pick up some things
at beauty school,

but mostly,
it's for my certificate.

And that is
"a ticket to adventure."

That's what it says
in the brochure.

People looking for beauty
all over the world.

You ought to watch out
for them wires sticking down.

It don't look safe.

Yeah, power's always going out,

people getting shocks
and what not.

Somebody ought to fix it.

"Career in beauty
is like money in the bank."

Says that in the brochure too.

Plus it isn't physically taxing.

Yeah, can't no pretty thing
like you behind a plow.

I had the rheumatic fever
when I was little.

It left me with a weak heart.

You know, mine been acting
kind of funny too.

About since I laid eyes on you.

What's that?

Just some old moonshine
they keep around.

What you gonna do with it?

They joke about how this stuff

will straighten your hair
right out.

I'm gonna just make yours
relax a little.

Mr. Time trenier...

That's a name
to be reckoned with.

Story goes, you used to play

with buddy bolden.

I played with them all
down there.

And king Oliver.

One band falls apart,
you'll find yourself another.

There's never
a shortage in bands

down in New Orleans.

I didn't know
you were giving lessons.

It pays the rent, almost.

Interested in a playing job?

If you can pay, I can play.

You got to dress sharp.

It ain't like
an all-night thing.

You just got to start out,

and then there's gonna be
an accident.

An accident?

Yeah, sudden loss of power.
Lights out.

It's your gig, man.

8:00.

This ain't no
colored people time,

and sure ain't New Orleans time.

I mean, 8:00
on the money.

If you got the green,
I'm on the scene.

Then that's a deal.

You know any drummers?

I'll bring you one.

And nothing fancy,
just as long as he keeps time.

Time is my name.

$21, $22, $24,
$25, $26, $27, $28.

Make your Mark here, please.

Owe me $30.

Book says $28.

$1.50 every hundred pounds,
and I picked...

$2 deducted for stones.

But there wasn't no stones
in the sack.

We mill the cotton, son.
There's always stones.

But there wasn't none
in my sack.

We take off $2 a week
for stones,

and that's the way
it always been.

Ain't that right, junebug?

Yes, sir.

Been that way my whole life.

You gonna take your pay, son,

or you gonna give it up
to charity?

Wouldn't let nobody
mess with my money like that.

They took the same $2 off yours.

Yeah, but you could pave
a highway

with the rocks I threw
in that mess.

You country negroes

let the crackers
run you like dogs.

If that sheriff wasn't here,
I'd snap your neck, boy!

Don't let me stop you.

But first,
you're gonna sign that ledger

like you're supposed to.

Don't want nobody crying
they didn't get their due.

How could you do that?

Hey,
I'm gonna put it back and double that.

You don't go gambling
with my baby's money.

Hey, I send advance pay,

or the man don't come and play.

I don't care
what you took it for.

I saved for China doll,
and you ain't got no business

putting your fingers on it.

China doll
don't need any school, baby.

I mean, she could walk into
any of those places right now

and get a job.

There has got to be some line
you won't cross, Ty.

There's got to be some thing
you won't do.

The lord started
throwing me a break, woman,

maybe I'd catch religion
and walk the straight and narrow

like Bible thumpers
you sit up with,

but until that day...

Reverend cutlip
was right about you.

Horse shit!

Mr. Purvis?

People call me Ty,
or they call me pinetop,

Mr. Pinetop to you.

I just want to tell you
I appreciate the opportunity.

Right.

I know every one
of guitar Sam's songs.

I know the chords.

I know the words.

That's fine.

China doll was saying
how you was famous once.

I was known,
but never what you call famous.

How'd you get your start?

Down in mobile,

there was
an old cathouse professional

name of Joe dudlow.

He'd had a stroke on one side.

It curled him all up,

but he kept on plugging.

I used to come out
and play his left hand for him.

This one night,
he was going hot and heavy.

Joe just passed,

right at the piano,
middle of black bottom stomp.

They propped him up at the bar,

stuck a drink in his hand,

told me to keep
pounding those ivories.

There was a meanness
hanging over those juke joints.

There was murder in there.

Stop playing for a minute,

come down on you
like a flock of crows.

Hey, this is you.

Big band days on the road.

Reginald erscine.
Don't believe I've heard of him.

Big, tall light-skinned fella
out of Carolina.

Said he was part cherokee.

Couldn't play nothing,
but he waves his little stick,

and he had this long,
greasy hair

he'd throw around
like cab Calloway.

And you were the piano man.

Piano man, arranger,
you name it.

Must have been something to
travel the country first class.

I don't know about first class,
but we seen the country.

How could you stopped?

I got tired of carrying
another man's water.

Didn't want to die
in no colored hotel

some night
in who-knows-where, Arkansas.

Met Delilah.

Wanted something of my own.

You don't have nothing
to worry about, Mr. Pinetop.

I won't let you down tonight.

No, i...
I don't suppose you will.

♪ You got to choose

♪ you got to choose
between the finer life ♪

♪ you got to choose

♪ you got to choose
between the finer life ♪

♪ all you sinners

♪ you got to choose
between the finer life ♪

♪ worthy of love

♪ you're gonna
make it all right ♪

♪ all the angels up above

♪ just want that glorious hymn

♪ when you think it's rough
out there ♪

♪ for your own, girl,
you got to choose ♪

♪ you got to choose

♪ you got to choose
between the world and the lord ♪

♪ you got to choose

♪ you got to choose
between the world and the lord ♪

♪ all you sinners

♪ you got to choose
between the world and the lord ♪

♪ you better jump on board

♪ all the angels up above

♪ just want that joyous hymn

♪ when you see
his love up there ♪

♪ for your own, girl,
you got to choose ♪

♪ you got to choose

♪ you got to choose

♪ you got to choose
between the world and the lord ♪

♪ you got to choose

♪ you got to choose
between the world and the lord ♪

♪ all you sinners

♪ you got to choose
between the world and the lord ♪

♪ you better jump onboard

♪ when that sun
fills up the sky ♪

♪ when they bust
that seventh seal ♪

♪ god will send his final sign ♪

♪ get down, sinner,
you got to kneel ♪

♪ you got to kneel

♪ you got to kneel
for the savior and pray ♪

♪ you got to kneel
for the savior and pray ♪

♪ all you sinners

♪ you got to kneel
for the savior and pray ♪

♪ for the judgment day

♪ no, there ain't no hiding

♪ on the judgment day

♪ no, there ain't no hiding

♪ from that judgment day

welcome to the honeydripper.
Have a good time.

Hi, there, young lady.

Good evening.
Welcome to the honeydripper.

Have a good time.

Natives getting restless.

How we doing?

We're gonna be full up,
but the food...

Is Delilah coming in?

What if I lost her?

She won't let you down, Ty.

This ain't gonna work, is it?

We just got to play it out
and see.

Guitar Sam!

See if you can push
another round of drinks

while I stall them.

Then you gonna bring him out?

Sam!

We come to hear
the guitar man play.

Yeah, be on the wise.

Give him three bars.
Then you pull it.

Guitar Sam.

Look, look, I got a baseball bat
under the counter,

but you out here all alone.

Just get the liquor moving,
mace.

And keep the money
where you can run with it.

We want guitar Sam.

The lord don't want nobody
to sit back and suffer.

He wants you to stand up.

He wants you to rise up.

He wants you to step forward

and come down
to the merciful arms

of his eternal salvation.

A fire is heating up,
brothers and sisters,

and the judgment day is nigh.

Anybody out there tonight
want to answer his call?

Anybody out there tonight

is gonna step forward
and be saved?

Ain't no time to hesitate.

Got to come on down
and offer yourself

to the lord.

Come on.

Come on, sister.

I believe you hear
the lord's voice

talking to you, sister.

That's the lord's voice,

and I believe you hear it.

I do believe you hear it.

Come on down.

Bring it on down
to his salvation.

Feel the lord

at your back.

You got to leave
them sinners behind.

Come on down.

Come on down.

I see you, sister, coming.

I see the lord
is talking to you.

I hear

the lord is talking to you.

And I believe
you hear him, sister.

Come on down.

You hear that voice

of the lord.

You hear the voice of the lord.

That voice is trying to tell you
where you need to be right now,

sister.

All you go to do...
All you go to do

is move your feet and get down.

Move your feet and get down.

You look good.

Damn.

He look good, don't he, daddy?

Yeah.

Honey, I need you
to get right by that front door

and take over
collecting the cover charge,

and anything happens,
go wrong or something,

I want you to just step out
and walk away from the club,

you hear?

What's gonna go wrong?

Well, our guitar Sam here
gets them soldier boys jumping.

It can get a little rough
in here.

Just stay on your toes,
that's all.

Okay.

All right.

Hey, China doll,

you know there ain't a thing
in this world

I wouldn't do for you,

even if I mess up sometimes.

You know that, right?

I know that, daddy.

You go on now.

Well, you like something that
would come out of New Orleans.

I forgot to tell you.

I fixed your hookup.

My what?

Your hookup
where your electricity comes in.

It was all messed up...

Hey, Ty,

got a situation out there.

You don't think I know that?

Got the law in the house.

Didn't think
we'd be seeing you so soon.

Got a real nice crowd here
tonight, Tyrone.

See them army uniforms.

Yeah, we got ourselves
this special attraction,

you see, and...

Chicken.

Them ribs outside
smell real good,

but I'm afraid my heart's set

on some of your wife, Delilah's,
fried chicken.

Right.

She made it last Saturday
at the mayor's,

but old clayford gentry
came up from ofelia,

and he ate all the drumsticks.

I'm partial to dark meat.

The situation we got, sheriff...

She is in the back there
cooking it, isn't she?

Maybe if you would come back
here a little bit later...

Regular or spicy?

They both take the same time
to fix up.

I just got to know which.

I have to make mine regular,
I'm afraid, ma'am.

Spicy's just fine,
but it always comes back

to nip at me later.

It's important not to bite off
more than you can chew.

Yeah.

Well, you just
make yourself at home.

Good luck tonight, baby.

Slap some mayonnaise on it?

You want to wait
over there, sheriff?

Don't want to scare off
the customers.

Here he comes!

So here's what you all
been waiting for:

Noted performer

and recording star,

direct from
New Orleans, Louisiana,

here is guitar Sam.

Sorry about that, folks.

Must have got kicked
on the train.

Thank you, Jesus.

♪ Well, I'm gonna hold my baby
as tight as I can ♪

♪ tonight she'll know
I'm a mighty, mighty man ♪

♪ have you heard the news?

♪ There's good rocking tonight

♪ well, have you heard
the news? ♪

♪ There's good rocking tonight

♪ sweet Lorraine,
sioux city sue ♪

♪ Georgia brown,
the guys want you too ♪

♪ have you heard the news?

♪ There's good rocking tonight ♪

♪ Meet me in a hurry

♪ behind the bar

♪ don't be afraid.
I'll do you no harm ♪

♪ I want you
to bring my rocking shoes ♪

♪ 'cause tonight I'm gonna
rock away all my blues ♪

♪ have you heard the news?

♪ There's good rocking tonight ♪

Whoa. Look at that.

Got to check that out.

♪ Have you heard the news?

♪ There's good rocking tonight

♪ They'll all be there

♪ just wait and see

♪ rocking and rolling
at the jamboree ♪

♪ have you heard the news?

♪ There's good rocking tonight ♪

♪ Well, have you
heard the news? ♪

♪ There's good rocking tonight

My soul.

Don't tire yourself out, papa.

Me and you
got business together.

I believe we do.

All right, all you men,
grab ahold of a woman.

If you ain't got a woman,
just grab a hold of yourselves.

We gonna play this one for you
slow and tight.

♪ They did the boogie
real slow ♪

♪ with the blue lights
way down low ♪

♪ they did the boogie
real slow ♪

♪ with the blue
lights way down low ♪

♪ I went to a party

♪ with the Bobby socks

♪ at the party, man,
I really got a shock ♪

$42, $43, $44, $45,
$46, $47, $48, $49,

$150.

And there's another $50 in here.

Lucky hardaway don't mind
some change, does he?

What if Mr. Hardaway
would have said,

let the chumps
keep their change;

he wants the club back
one way or the other?

How'd that be?

Well, he'd have to take that up
with my business partner.

That sheriff
your business partner?

Yeah.

And he's twice as mean
as he is ugly.

You must want this club
awful bad, brother.

Maybe y'all didn't know this,

but that ain't no guitar Sam.

♪ At the party

♪ whoa, I was like a chaperone

♪ I couldn't boogie real slow ♪

♪ with the blue lights
way down low ♪

♪ I like to boogie real slow

♪ with the blue lights
way down low ♪

You is a liar, boy.

I know Sammy since
he was drinking his mama's milk,

and, hell, I knowed his mama.

She lived up the plank a mile.

And you ain't him.

That's creole Sam
you're talking about, pops.

I'm delta guitar Sam.

As long as we straight on that...

Hey, man, get on out of here
and let the man play.

Yeah.

I'm gonna play one for you
right now

that I come up with today

while I was having my hair cut.

♪ Ch-ch-ch-China doll

♪ can't get you off of my mind ♪

♪ China doll

♪ can't get you off of my mind ♪

♪ well,
if you're gonna be my baby ♪

♪ leave all them others behind ♪

♪ China doll

♪ I think about you
day and night ♪

♪ China doll

♪ think about you
day and night ♪

♪ want you, baby

♪ when you gonna
treat me right ♪

Y'all in my house here,
gentlemen.

Don't have no fighting.
Don't have no killing.

Don't have none of that
dismal nonsense in my house.

You understand?

What's your name, son?

Dex.

Dexter moncrief.

And you?

Hamilton drinkwater.

Well, gentlemen, this is a night

there won't be no pitiful song

written about you two
killing each other.

And don't nothing rhyme
with moncrief anyhow.

We got a problem here?

Yeah, these two gentlemen
seem to brought something in

for our collection.

Yeah?
You first.

Now yours.

Y'all still want to mess
with each other,

you go outside and do it.

This world is full of people
got no use for us,

like to see us in the grave.

We don't need to give them
any help.

♪ China doll

♪ I got to let you
into my heart ♪

♪ China doll

♪ got to let you into my heart ♪

♪ now, baby,
it has been from the start ♪

Sounds like the music
moving on again, darlin'.

It always do.

Time to make room
for whatever coming next.

That boy can play some.

Leaving?

I ain't needed around here
no more.

Where you heading?

Down the road.

Tyrone.

Who you talking to out here?

Just myself.

♪ it started with
a 12-bar country moan ♪

♪ and a guitar, bass,
drums, and saxophone ♪

♪ up the Mississippi river
came the song ♪

♪ the music kept rollin',
rollin' on ♪

♪ and the music
keep rolling on ♪

♪ use the bottom hand to make
them two notes explode ♪

♪ and the bass guitar
got an amplifier ♪

♪ the rhythm set 'em rocking
like a dusty dog ♪

♪ and the music
keeps rollin' on ♪

♪ and the music
keeps rollin' on ♪

♪ it's got an excitation
that you just can't deny ♪

♪ a racking from the drums
to make the whole thing rock ♪

♪ there ain't nobody asking
if it's right or wrong ♪

♪ 'cause the music
keeps rollin' on ♪

♪ the music keeps rollin' on ♪

♪ when your arm might be
swaying on a minuet ♪

♪ his wife will tell him
yonder that it don't forget ♪

♪ the world we know
will pass one day ♪

♪ and all be gone

♪ but the music
keeps rollin' on ♪

♪ I said the music
keeps rollin' on ♪

♪ the music keeps rollin' on

♪ the music keeps rollin' on

♪ the music keeps rollin' on

♪ the music keeps rollin' on

♪ Yeah, yeah, yes