Leningrad Cowboys Go America (1989) - full transcript

[Wind Whistling]

[ Wind Continues Whistling]

[ Engine Whirring ]

%% [ Russian Folk]

%% [ Continues ]

%% [ Singing In Foreign Language ]

%% [ Vocalizing ]

%% [ Ends ]

[ In Finnish ]
Crap.

Why's that?

No commercial potential.



Go to America.
They'll buy anything.

Call my cousin.
Hotel Mansfield, Manhattan.

[ In English ]
Yes?

Yes, it's a great, great band.

Yes. One of the best.

Yes. Sure.
All are - are American boys. Sure.

Only the name is Leningrad Cowboys.
Da, I mean yes.

Yes.

Can't hear you. It's a long distance.

All right. All right.
I'll bring them to you.

Yes. Thank you.

Thank you.

Thank you.

Bye-bye.



[ Honking ]

% Oh, my baby %

% My curly-headed baby %

%% [ Vocalizing ]

[ Baby Cooing ]

[ Clock Ticking ]

[ Growls ]

[ In Finnish ]
Pekka stayed up to rehearse alone.

There was nothing we could do
in the morning.

I understand.
Frozen stiff.

And you want a finder's fee.

Yes.

We have to get to America.

Grandpa went there too,
and hasn't been heard from since.

I'll pay for the trip.

You'll take the corpse with you
and show the boy the world.

[ Baby Coos, Cries ]

[ In English ]
Hudson River up and down.

[ Rooster Crows ]

%% [ Accordion ]

%% [ Continues: Russian Folk]

[ In Finnish ]
You're not coming.

- [ Groans ]
- [ Blows Landing ]

%% [ Accordion: Russian Folk]

[ Airplane Passing Overhead ]

[ Clears Throat ]

A few words before we leave.

Only American orchestras
are allowed to play in America.

You're now one of them.

In America, they speak English.

English.

So will you.

Those who can't
will have to learn.

[ In English ]
That's all.

259. 260.

261. 262.

263. 264.

You see the girl.

- Her ball is blue.
- 265.

The gym is yellow.

[ Pronouncing Badly]
Hammer.

Hammer. Hamm -

Hang -

Hello -

[ In Finnish ]
I'm too tired.

Success has gone to Vladimir's head.

Without us -

Shut up. Spinglish!

[ In English ]
I mean, speak English.

Otherwise -

How many dollars cost
for getting that couch?

I don't have the slightest idea.

- How many dollars -
- Cow - Cowboy.

Cover.

Cowherd.

Do you miss home?

Not really.

I do.

[ Siren Wailing]

%%[Jazz]

[ Engine Whirring ]

Wait in the bar.

Here's a quarter for you.

But don't drink it all.

You wait here.

[ Toilet Flushes ]

Do you mind?

Yes.

I've got some good ideas for your band.

Maybe we could start
with Madison Square Garden.

Or Yankee Stadium.

Good.

Anyway...

before I can book your band,
I gotta hear 'em play.

Maybe they could set up
in my studio downstairs.

Is that necessary?

Yes.

- You can't help it?
- No.

All right.

%% [ Russian Folk]

%% [ Ends ]

Do you know Mexico?

Sure.

Go there.

My cousin's getting married.

Needs a band for his wedding.

Here's the address.

Could you pay something now?

Sure.

Here's a dime.
And you can sleep here one night.

Thank you.

Your music will go over big down there.

Here we have something different.

It's called rock and roll.

I wonder when the violence starts.

You always get murdered
when you go to New York.

I've seen it on television.

[ Siren Wailing In Distance ]

[ Siren Continues ]

[ Siren Fades ]

%%[Jazz]

Do you have rock and roll?

Of course.

- Can I buy it?
- Sure. Help yourself.

Have you ever heard of rock and roll?

Study this book.

[ Air Hissing ]

This here?

I don't think you want this.
This is Japanese junk here.

You want an American car.
Take a look at this here.

This is a checker.

Needs a little bodywork.
It ain't a beauty, but, uh...

take a look at that engine there.

That is solid.
That's an American engine. That's a V-8 -

- Oh. Sorry.
- It's all right.

With a V-8 engine, this baby'll run.
You can drive her away right now.

Well -

I don't know.

What about that?

- That over there?
- Yeah.

I thought you guys wanted a cheap ride.
That's a luxury car. That's the best thing I got.

That's got power steering,
power brakes, cruise control.

It's got a 448, four-barrel, V-8 engine.

That's a luxury car. You could drive that car
through World War III and come back again.

You know what I mean?

- That's a good car.
- How much?

For you guys?

Ah, 700.

That's all we have.

I know. That's why.

Take it or leave it.

We'll take it.

Boy, I'll tell you something.
You boys got the best car in the lot here.

I could have got two, three grand
for a car like this.

Hey, I hope one of you guys
has a pilot's license.

I mean, a car like this -
you don't drive it, you fly it.

You could take this car
to the moon and back.

Quarter-inch steel, brand-new tires.

That's a beauty. You know what I say?
Cadillac equals luxury.

- Let's go.
- What about us?

[ Clicks ]

[ Motorcycle Engines Revving]

We'll try that one.

Hello.

Hi.

We are rock-and-roll band.

Can we play here?

Sure. Help yourself.

Fifty-fifty.

Okay.

%% [ Rockabilly ]

%% [ Vocalizing ]

% Rock and roll is here to stay %

% It will never die %

%That was meant to be that way
No, I don't know why %

%Well, I don't know what people say
Rock and roll is here to stay %

%We don't care what people say
Rock and roll is here to stay %

% Rock and roll will always be
our ticket to the end %

% It'll go down in history
Just you wait, my friend %

% Rock and roll will always be
It'll go down in history %

% Rock and roll will always be
It'll go down in history %

% Everybody rock %

% Everybody rock %

% Everybody rock %

% Everybody rock %

% Rock %

% Everybody rock %

% Everybody rock and roll
Our ticket to the end %

% It'll go down in history
Just you wait, my friend %

% Rock and roll will always be
It'll go down in history %

% If you don't like rock and roll
think what you've been missing %

% But if you want to bop and stroll
come on down and listen %

% Let's all start to have a party
Everybody rock and roll %

% If you don't like rock and roll
think what you've been missing %

% But if you like to bop and stroll
come on down and listen %

% Let's all start to have a party
Everybody rock and roll %

% Rock %

% Rock %

% Oh, baby, rock %

% Oh, baby, rock %

% Oh, baby, rock %%

[ Scattered Applause ]

%% [ Blows Note ]

%% [ Blows Note ]

[ Coin Clinks ]

%% [ Glissando ]

[ Coins Clink]

- Yes, sir?
- Can I have a doggie bag, please?

- Yes, sir.
- Thank you.

[ Stomach Growling ]

[Ship Horn Blowing]

%% [ Banjo ]

%Waste all they earnings %

% On games they're not sure of %

% If only they could see %

%What I feel for you %

% A true love of giving %

% And sharing %

%With you %

% And when they ask %

% I will sing this to you %%

%% [ Continues, Indistinct ]

[ Wind Howling]

No way.
Your hair's too short.

No.

No. Too short.

%%[Acoustic Guitar: Folk]

% So love is blind %

% I should have known %

%Just call me lonesome %

% From now on %

% I climbed the stairs %

% Up to my room %

% But no one greets me %

% In my gloom %

%The silence tells me %

% She has gone %

%Just call me lonesome %

- [ Sign Clattering ]
- % From now on %

% I pray my memories at last %

% Will fade into the distant past%

%If I must live %

%And love alone %

%Just call me lonesome %

% From now on %

% These walls will hide me %

% When I cry %

% I feel so lonesome %

% I could die %%

%% [ Fades Out ]

%% [ Radio:Jazz ]

I wonder where he gets al I that beer.

Me too.

You al I go to restroom.

I don't have to.

Move.

%% [ Choir: Gospel, Faint ]

[ Chattering ]

%% [ Latin Rock: "Tequila" ]

Tequila!

- Tequila!
- %% [ Ends ]

[ Cheering ]

[ Whistling ]

[ Dog Barks, Growls ]

[ Growling, Barking ]

I think we better bury him.

Soon.

[ Dog Growling ]

How come?

Guess.

[ Barking ]

%% [ Funeral Dirge ]

[ Siren Wailing ]

[ Siren Wails ]

[ Horn Honks ]

Y'all keep it quiet over there.
All right? Just keep it quiet. Hold it down.

I don't want to hear none of that.

Get your fuckin' hand out of the pocket.
Get it out of the pocket.

Get around. Stay like that.

Hey. Hey.

What the shit is going on here?

This guy's frozen.

- Where you takin' this guy?
- We're going to bury him, Chuck.

- You got a permit to do this?
- No.

- Is the body a U.S. citizen?
- No.

Well, how you know this guy's dead?
I mean, he's loaded down with beer.

You know, ice. I mean -

You know, this is gonna cost you
a few days in jail.

%% [ All Tapping Rhythmically]

%% [ Continues ]

%% [ Continues ]

%% [ Louder]

%%[ Continues ]

%%[ Fades ]

And never come back.

[ Truck Horn Honks ]

Vladimir.

Hmm?

We are hungry.

- Food.
- Food.

- Food.
- Hungry.

All right.

Stop the car to the next supermarket.

[ Tires Screech ]

[ Beeps ]

You eat.

I go to telephone.

[ Train Whistle Blowing ]

[ Insects Chirping ]

[ Water Sloshing ]

[ Grunts ]

[ Grunts ]

- [ Pool Balls Clack]
- %%[ Rock]

%Well, that's all right, my mama %

%That's all right for you %

%That's all right, my mama %

%Just anyway you do
Well, that's all right %

%Well, that's all right %

%That's all right, my mama %

% Anyway you do %

%Well, mama, she done told me %

% Papa done told me too %

% "Son, that girl you're fooling with,
she ain't no good for you" %

% But that's all right
It's all right %

%That's all right, my mama %

% Anyway you do %

% I'm leaving town, baby %

% I'm leaving town for sure %

%Then you won't be bothering with me
hanging 'round your door %

% But that's all right %

% It's all right %

%That's all right, my mama
Anyway you do %

%Well, that's all right, my mama %

% Anyway you do %

%Well, that's all right, my mama %

% Anyway you do %%

%% [ Ends ]

Do you know why the audience
doesn't like us?

You are too pale.

People here like healthy-looking bands,
like the... Beach Boys.

Look at yourself.

You look sick.

Then give us more food.

The problem we have is not food problem.

You need sunshine and fresh air.

You two, go to work.

[ Coin Clinks ]

%%[ Rock]

Ahhh.

[ Burps ]

%%[ Continues ]

Can he sing country music?

He's the best.

How come I never
heard of him before then?

We've been touring in Norway for years.
That's why.

Have you got a band?

The best one.

All right.

I'll give you a week.
But only because Kenny Rogers canceled.

Ladies and gentlemen, in this town
there are millions of stories.

This one is mine.

%% [ Country]

% I've always been a farmer %

% At Collective 49 %

%Worked the black soil of Russia %

% Growing potatoes and some wine %

% But I was happy driving tractors %

% For last 20 years %

%Till the local commissar %

% Let my wife disappear %

% I'm a Leningrad cowboy %

% Raising cattle on the steppes %

%Won't you pour me another vodka %

% 'Cause I'm drinking to forget %

% He's a Leningrad cowboy %

% Raising cattle on the steppes %

- %Won't you pour him another vodka %
- What a load of shit.

- Yeah.
- % 'Cause he's drinking to forget %

All right, let me hear
a little bit of guitar.

Oh, that's better.
A balalaika it is.

Not too loud. Not too loud.

That's my song. That's my song.

% He's a Leningrad cowboy %

% Raising cattle on the steppes %

%Won't you pour him another vodka %

% 'Cause he's drinking to forget %%

[ Whistles ]

Yee-ha!

Here's the money.

Thank you.

Now get lost.

And don't come back.

%% [ Whistling ]

[ Dog Whimpering ]

Hey. Look at those jerks.

[ Man ]
Slow. Slow!

Come on, puppy. Come on.

I bet they have stolen it from some idiots.

[ All Laughing ]

- [ Chuckling ]
- [ Engine Sputters ]

Hey. There's something wrong
with the engine.

We need a new car.

No.

Mexico is quite near.
We can walk or... hitchhike.

[ Gasping ]

Help!

- Okay. This one?
- Yeah.

You can get it real cheap. 3,000.
It's too new. I don't like it.

Mmm, 2,000.

Nah.

2,700. Take it.

No. Twenty-three.

Twenty-five. Come on.

2,500. It's yours.

- Okay. It's a deal.
- All right.

You go and buy food.

[ Clock Ticking]

There he comes.

%%[ Upbeat Jazz]

[ Horn Honks ]

%%[ Continues ]

Where is the food, Ivan?

%%[ Ends Abruptly]

[ Blows Landing]

%% [ Resumes ]

[ Insects Chirping ]

[ Wolf Howls ]

- %% [ Russian Folk ]
- %% [ Vocalizing ]

[ Howling ]

%% [ Fades ]

[ Wolf Howls ]

[ Wolf Howling ]

[ Wolf Howls ]

[ Snoring ]

[ Wolf Howling ]

Igor.

Untie me, please.

If you do that, I will take you...

as a road manager.

[ Shouts ]

Bloody bastards!
[ Grunting ]

[ Hawks, Spits, Grunts ]

[ Rattling ]

Cousin?

[ Southern Accent ] Sure been a long time.
I've been missing you guys.

We were all four years old
when it happened.

Yeah, I remember it clearly.
Uh, we were fishing...

and I fell overboard
into the Gulf Stream...

and it carried me
all the way to Galveston Beach...

where my foster parents fished me out.

You know, it sure was peaceful
drifting in the middle of the sea.

- And you can bet it took a long time.
- Yeah.

I have an extra jacket here.

- You can keep it.
- Well, thank you.

- Can you play music?
- No.

- Can you drive a car?
- No.

- All right. You'll be the singer.
- All right!

- Yeah.
- Yeah.

- [ Motorcycle Engines Revving ]
- [ Loud Chattering ]

I'm afraid.

Shut up and play.

%% [ Up-tempo Rock]

[ In Finnish ] %Who made that horrible noise
in the sauna, what, huh? %

%Who made that horrible noise
in the sauna, what, huh? %

% I think it was Eero
who made that scream, what, huh? %

%Who made that horrible noise
in the sauna, what, huh? %

% Maybe it was you %

% And maybe it was me %

%Who, what, huh? %

% Huh, what happened to Eero
after that? %

% Huh, what happened to Eero
after that? %

% I think he burned his balls
completely after that %

% Huh, what happened to Eero
after that? %

% Maybe it was bad %

% And maybe it was good %

%Who, what, huh? %%

I can handle this.

[ Whistling ]

[ Man ]
Whoo!

[ Motorcycle Engines Revving ]

%% [ Rock]

% Set your motor running %

% Head out on the highway %

% Looking for adventure %

% And whatever comes our way %

%Yeah, I knew I could make it happen %

% Hold the world in a love embrace %

% Fire all of your guns at once
and explode into space %

% I just like the lightning %

% Heavy metal thunder %

% Racin' with the wind %

% And the feeling that I'm under %

[ Man ]
Yeah!

%Yeah, I know I can make it happen %

% Hold the world in a love embrace %

% Fire all of the guns at once
and explode into space %

% Like a true nature's child %

%We were born, born to be wild %

% I can climb so high %

% Never wanna die %

% Born to be wild %

% Born to be wild %

% Set your motor running %

% Head out on the highway %

% Looking for adventure %

% And whatever comes our way %

%Yeah, I know I can make it happen %

% Hold the world in a love embrace %

% Fire all of your guns at once
and explode into space %

% Like a true nature's child %

%We were born,
born to be wild %

% I can climb so high %

% I never wanna die %

% Born to be wild %

% Born to be wild %%

Yee-ha!

[ Crowd Cheering ]

%% [ Ends ]

[ Cheering, Whistling ]

[ Toilet Flushes ]

[ Door Spring Buzzes, Rattles ]

One beer.

I love you.

I love you too.

But it's a pity I'm married.

Yeah.

- [ Pool Balls Clack]
- [ Chattering ]

%% [ Rock]

%Wheels turn, sunset burns %

% I'm driving west towards the sea %

% And I know deep down in my heart %

%There's no goin' back
to the way it used to be %

%Well, I remember the girl
with the tight blue jeans %

% Kissed so hard
but kept it clean %

% Held me close
Held me tight %

% Looked down
saw her neck was turning white %

%Were we just chasin'
Were we just chasin' %

%Were we just chasin' the light? %

%When summer's here
that old misery %

% Drinkin' my first beer
in a roadhouse bar %

%The summer long
the passion strong %

% Discovering love
in the back of my father's car %

% I remember the girl
with the tight blue jeans %

% Kissed so hard
but kept it clean %

% Held me close
Held me tight %

% Looked down
saw her neck was turning white %

%Were we just chasin'
Were we just chasin' %

%Were we just chasin' the light? %

Yee-ha!

%Yeah,Josie, come on down with me %

% Ain't nothin' left now but memories %

% Small towns change
People rearrange %

%There's a shopping mall
where the drive-in used to be %

% I remember the girl
with the tight blue jeans %

% Kissed so hard
but kept it clean %

% Held me close
Held me tight %

% Looked down
saw her neck was turning white %

% Were we just chasin'
Were we just chasin'%

% Were we just chasin' the light? %

% Yeah %

% Were we just chasin'
Were we just chasin'%

% Were we just chasin' the light? %

One more time!

% Were we just chasin'
Were we just chasin'%

% Were we just chasin' the light? %%

Soon we cross the Mexican border.

Keep your heads down.

[ Dog Barking ]

[ Barking Continues ]

Welcome, welcome.
We've been waiting for you.

Yes. That's why we came.

We are the Leningrad Cowboys.

[ Chattering, Laughing ]

%% [ Mexican Folk]

[ In Spanish ]
% I love you, my darling %

%With tenderness and passion %

% Come and heal this wound %

% In my heart %

% I've always adored you %

% And don't want to keep on suffering %

% I am brokenhearted %

% And can't be at peace %

[ Whirring ]

%Those beautiful eyes of yours %

% Used to be my joy %

% But there's no hope now %

%That could fill this heart %

% If you regret it one day %

% If you want to come back %

% I will take you back eagerly %

% Even if it ends my pain %

% I love you, my darling %

%With tenderness and passion %

% Come and heal this wound %

% In my heart %

% I've always adored you %

% And don't want to keep on suffering %

% I am brokenhearted %

% And can't be at peace %

%Those beautiful eyes of yours %

% Used to be my joy %

% But there's no hope now %

% That could fill this heart %

% If you regret it one day %

% If you want to come back %

% I will take you back eagerly %

% Even if it ends my pain %%

- %% [ Ends ]
- [ Cheering ]

[ Crowd Chattering, Laughing ]

[ Chattering Fades ]

%%[ Russian Folk Rock]

%%[ Ends ]