American Masters (1985–…): Season 16, Episode 5 - Good Rockin' Tonight: The Legacy of Sun Records - full transcript
A history of Memphis' Sun Records, the legendary label that started the careers of such rock and country icons as Elvis Presley, Carl Perkins, Johnny Cash, Jerry Lee Lewis and many others. Included are archival footage and intervi...
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♪ WELL, I HEARD THE NEWS ♪
♪ THERE'S GOOD ROCKIN'
TONIGHT ♪
♪ WELL, I HEARD THE NEWS ♪
♪ THERE'S GOOD ROCKIN'
TONIGHT ♪
♪ I'M GONNA HOLD MY BABY
JUST AS TIGHT AS I CAN ♪
♪ TONIGHT SHE'LL KNOW
I'M A MIGHTY, MIGHTY MAN ♪
♪ I HEARD THE NEWS ♪
♪ THERE'S GOOD ROCKIN'
TONIGHT... ♪
I DON'T KNOW
HOW MANY PEOPLE
WOULD HAVE BEEN LOST
IN THIS WORLD
IF THEY HADN'T HAVE FELT
THE INFLUENCE OF MUSIC
ON THEIR LIFE,
AND THE TYPE OF THING THAT
WE WERE DOING THAT MADE THEM...
MADE THEM...
HAPPILY SO... SAY, "GOOD GOSH!
YOU KNOW,
MAYBE I COULD DO THAT, TOO."
♪ LET'S ROCK,
ROCK, ROCK, ROCK ♪
♪ WELL, LET'S ROCK, ROCK,
ROCK, ROCK ♪
♪ WE GONNA ROCK ♪
♪ ALL OUR BLUES AWAY. ♪
I THINK SUN RECORDS
INFLUENCED THE WORLD
IN A PRETTY
SPECTACULAR WAY,
WHEN YOU ANALYZE
THE WHOLE SITUATION.
AND IF YOU THINK BACK
AT WHAT IT MIGHT HAVE
BEEN WITHOUT IT,
WOULDN'T HAVE
BEEN ANY ELVIS.
MIGHT'VE BEEN BEATLES,
BUT THEY WOULD HAVE
SURE BEEN DIFFERENT,
AND, OF COURSE, COUNTRY MUSIC
WOULD BE DIFFERENT.
EVERYTHING WOULD
BE DIFFERENT.
IT WAS A HELL
OF A THING.
I'M REALLY GLAD
I WAS THERE.
THAT WAS ABOUT THE BEST
THREE YEARS OF MY LIFE, REALLY.
BOY, DID WE HAVE FUN.
SAM COULDN'T TELL YOU
WHAT HE WANTED.
HE WAS TRYING TO PUSH YOU
INTO DOING SOMETHING
THAT YOU WOULDN'T NORMALLY DO,
JUST THAT LITTLE BIT EXTRA.
WE KNEW IT SOUNDED GOOD,
IT FELT GOOD PLAYING IT,
BUT, UH,
"MAN," I SAID,
"PUT THAT OUT,
THEY'RE LIABLE
TO RUN US OUT OF TOWN."
IT WAS THAT DIFFERENT
TO EVERYTHING
THAT WAS GOING
ON AT THE TIME.
SUN RECORDS IS
THE ONLY INDEPENDENT LABEL
THAT HAS
SURVIVED UNTIL NOW
AND IS STILL POPULAR
WITH THE PEOPLE.
THAT LABEL ITSELF
WILL NEVER DIE.
I MEAN, IT'S THERE.
I DON'T CARE,
YOU COULD TALK
TO ANY PERFORMER,
ANY MUSICAL PERFORMER
IN THE WORLD,
AND ASK THEM
IF THEY KNOW SUN RECORDS,
AND THEY WILL
TELL YOU, "YES."
MAN, EVERYBODY IN THIS WORLD
TRIED TO FIND HIM
ANOTHER PRESLEY,
OR GET THAT SUN SOUND.
IT WAS AMAZING,
THE PEOPLE THAT POPPED UP
ALL OVER THE COUNTRY
TRYING TO DO THE SUN SOUND.
BUT SAM WAS THE ONLY ONE
THAT EVER REALLY GOT IT,
AND NOBODY'S
GOT IT SINCE.
YOU KNOW,
IT'S A PHENOMENON.
IT'S ONE OF THOSE
ONCE-IN-A-LIFETIME THINGS,
I GUESS, ISN'T IT?
HOW THAT
LITTLE YELLOW LABEL
THAT SAM PHILLIPS STARTED
IS STILL AROUND.
Phillips:
OH MY GOD.
WHAT'S HAPPENING?
HI.
I'M SO GLAD
TO SEE YOU.
GOD BLESS YOU.
Ertegun:
WHEN WE WERE MAKING
THE MUSIC WE MADE,
WE HOPED TO REACH
A LARGE SEGMENT
OF THE BLACK AMERICAN
POPULATION.
WHICH WE DID.
WHICH WE DID.
YOU DID,
AND I DID, AND...
BUT WE ALSO REACHED
A LOT OF WHITE KIDS.
BECAUSE THE ONE THING
THEY COULDN'T SEGREGATE...
THEY COULD SEGREGATE EVERYTHING
EXCEPT THE RADIO DIAL.
THEY'D JUST GO OVER
TO AN R&B STATION
AND THE WHITE KIDS
LOVED THAT MUSIC
WHEN THEY HEARD IT.
AND THAT'S HOW YOU GOT
ELVIS PRESLEY AND COMPANY.
AND THANK GOD THAT
THE STATUTE OF LIMITATIONS
DIDN'T RUN ON THE BLUES
AND WHAT CAME FROM IT,
AND I'M TALKING ABOUT BOTH
BLACK AND WHITE BLUES...
MEMPHIS IS
THE BLUES CITY, RIGHT?
ABSOLUTELY.
IT'S THE HOME
OF THE MEMPHIS BLUES,
THE BEALE STREET BLUES.
"IF BEALE STREET
COULD WALK,
IF BEALE STREET
COULD TALK,
MARRIED MEN
WOULD HAVE TO
TAKE THEIR BEDS
AND WALK.
EXCEPT ONE OR TWO
WHO NEVER DRINK
THAT BOOZE
AND THE BLIND MAN
ON THE CORNER
SINGING THEM
BEALE STREET BLUES."
"I'D RATHER BE THERE
THAN ANYWHERE I KNOW."
♪ WELL, MY BABY WALKED OFF ♪
♪ SHE MUST HAVE LAID DOWN
AND DIED ♪
♪ WELL,
MY BABY WALKED OFF... ♪
Phillips:
I HAD TO DO EVERYTHING
THAT I POSSIBLY COULD DO
TO KEEP THE DOORS OPEN.
AND I WASN'T GONNA
TURN ANYTHING DOWN...
WEDDINGS,
I JUST ABOUT DID ANYTHING
AS LONG AS IT WAS
HALFWAY LEGAL.
♪ WELL, I'M
SO DOGGONE WORRIED... ♪
IT SUDDENLY
DAWNED ON ME THAT
BLACK PEOPLE DID NOT HAVE
AN OPPORTUNITY
TO MAKE
A PHONOGRAPH RECORD.
NOW, THEY WERE UNTRIED,
UNPROVEN PEOPLE
WITH GREAT POTENTIAL TALENT.
IT WAS UP TO ME
TO LISTEN TO THEM.
♪ WELL, THE WOMAN
WALKED OFF FROM ME, BOYS ♪
♪ SHE MUST HAVE WALKED OFF
AND DIED... ♪
THE WORD GETS AROUND.
BACK THEN, IT DIDN'T GO
IN THE NEWSPAPERS...
IT DIDN'T GO IN ANYTHING...
THAT THIS MAN
WILL GIVE YOU AN OPPORTUNITY.
THIS WAS A FREE AUDITION,
RIGHT ON THROUGH,
EACH AND EVERY
ONE OF THEM.
AND THEN, THE BLACK PEOPLE,
WHEN THEY CAME IN,
LET ME TELL YOU,
THEY WERE AT HOME.
♪ EVERY TIME
MY BABY'S COMIN' IN TOWN ♪
♪ JUST FEEL LIKE
BRINGING HER IN MY ARMS ♪
♪ BRING HER ON
IN MY ARMS. ♪
I KNEW OF
THEIR POVERTY BACKGROUND
BECAUSE I HAD LIVED IT.
THE ONLY DIFFERENCE BETWEEN ME
AND MANY, MANY OF THEM
WAS A WHITE SKIN.
YOU HAVE TO KEEP IN MIND,
IN THE SOUTH,
WE STRONGLY BELIEVED
IN A SPIRITUAL CONNECTION
BETWEEN EACH OTHER.
I MEAN, YOU KNOW,
THE WHOLE STORY HERE,
OF SUN RECORDS,
IS ONE OF GREAT
SPIRITUALITY.
NOW, I'M NOT TALKING ABOUT
A RELIGION AS SUCH,
BUT YOU CAN CALL IT
WHAT YOU WANT TO.
IT HAD TO BE MORE
THAN SAM PHILLIPS
AND SLEEPY JOHN ESTES
AND B.B. KING,
OR RUFUS THOMAS
OR BILLY LEE RILEY
OR SONNY BURGESS
OR THE WOLF.
IT HAD TO BE MORE THAN THAT.
♪ WELL, NOW, MEET ME
IN THE BOTTOM ♪
♪ BRING ME MY RUNNING SHOES ♪
♪ WELL, I'LL COME
OUT THE WINDOW ♪
♪ DON'T HAVE
NO TIME TO LOSE. ♪
THERE IS NOTHING
GREATER
TO DO THAN THE BLUES
IF YOU WOULD BE
A MUSICIAN,
WHETHER VOCALLY,
INSTRUMENTALLY.
THERE IS NOTHING EASIER,
YET MORE DIFFICULT.
THERE IS NO WAY
FOR ANYBODY
TO WRITE THE ESSENCE
OF THE BLUES AS A SCORE.
THAT HAS TO COME
INSTANTANEOUSLY.
SO MUCH OF WHAT
IS HERE NOW
IS OWED TO THE BLUES...
BOTH BLACK AND WHITE.
AND IF YOU LISTEN
TO THE BLACKEST BLACK CAT,
OR THE WHITEST
WHITE HILLBILLY,
YOU'RE GONNA HEAR
SOMETHING WORTHWHILE.
IT'S A SYMPHONY
OF THE SOUL.
THERE IS NO QUESTION
ABOUT IT.
OH, YEAH!
♪ YOU AIN'T NOTHIN' BUT
A BEARCAT ♪
♪ SNOOPIN' ROUND MY DOOR ♪
♪ AIN'T NOTHIN' BUT
A BEARCAT ♪
♪ SNOOPIN' ROUND MY DOOR ♪
♪ YOU CAN PURR,
PRETTY KITTY ♪
♪ BUT I AIN'T GONNA
FEED YOU NO MORE... ♪
MEOW!
COME ON, BABY!
MEOW!
HA HA HA!
MEOW!
♪ AIN'T NOTHIN' BUT
A BEARCAT ♪
♪ SNOOPIN' ROUND
MY DOOR ♪
♪ AIN'T NOTHIN' BUT
A BEARCAT ♪
♪ SNOOPIN' ROUND
MY DOOR ♪
♪ YOU CAN PURR,
PRETTY KITTY ♪
♪ BUT I AIN'T GONNA
FEED YOU NO MORE ♪
♪ DA DA DA
DA DA ♪
♪ AH! ♪
HA HA!
Phillips:
THAT WAS A FORK
OF THE ROAD FOR ME,
BECAUSE I'D BEEN LOOKING
FOR A PERSON, WHITE-SKINNED,
THAT COULD PUT THE FEEL
OF A BLACK PERSON
INTO A PHONOGRAPH RECORD.
KNOWING WE GREW UP IN
THE SAME FIELDS, SO TO SPEAK...
COTTON FIELDS, CORNFIELDS,
EVEN BEFORE WE GREW SOYBEANS,
WATERMELON PATCHES... WHATEVER.
BLACKS AND WHITES.
I KNEW THE POWER OF THE FEEL
BETWEEN THESE RACES,
AND I WAS NOT INTERESTED IN
FORMING ANOTHER RECORD COMPANY
AND TRYING TO COMPETE
EVEN WITH THE BIGGER
INDEPENDENTS AT THAT TIME.
I HAD NO INTEREST IN THAT.
IF I COULDN'T BROADEN
THE BASE OF MUSIC
AND LET WHITE KIDS
ENJOY BLACK MUSIC
AND BLACK KIDS
ENJOY WHITE MUSIC...
NOW, WHO IN THE WORLD THINKS
THAT'S GONNA HAPPEN OVERNIGHT?
NO MATTER IF IT WAS GOD
CAME DOWN
AND HE WAS DIRECTING
THE ORCHESTRA
OR HE HAD BUILT A STUDIO.
MR. GOD WOULD NOT HAVE HAD,
I DON'T BELIEVE,
TOO MUCH SUCCESS.
BUT I CAN TELL YOU,
WITH THE FERVOR I HAD
AND THE FEEL THAT I HAD
FOR THIS CONVICTION,
THAT IF THAT COULD BE
CONVERTED SOME WAY,
THAT WE COULD
COME UP WITH SOMETHING
THAT WOULD BE ABSOLUTELY,
TO SAY THE LEAST,
VERY INTRIGUING.
♪ WELL,
THAT'S ALL RIGHT, MAMA ♪
♪ THAT'S ALL RIGHT FOR YOU ♪
♪ THAT'S ALL RIGHT, MAMA ♪
♪ JUST ANY WAY YOU DO ♪
♪ THAT'S ALL RIGHT ♪
♪ THAT'S ALL RIGHT ♪
♪ THAT'S ALL RIGHT,
NOW, MAMA ♪
♪ ANY WAY YOU DO... ♪
Moore:
WE WERE JUST
TAKING A BREAK
AND DECIDING WHAT TO DO,
AND THE DOOR
TO THE CONTROL ROOM WAS OPEN.
ELVIS JUST STARTED...
WITH NERVOUS ENERGY, STARTED...
ABSOLUTELY JUST
JUMPING AROUND
AND BEATING HIS GUITAR
AND SINGING,
"THAT'S ALL RIGHT, MAMA."
I HAD NEVER HEARD THE SONG,
BILLY HAD NEVER HEARD IT.
AND IT WAS SEMI-OFF-MIKE...
HE WAS JUST DANCING AROUND.
AND I HEARD THAT BOTH
BEFORE I WENT THROUGH THE DOOR
AND THEN WHEN I WENT
IN THE DOOR
AND JUST AUTOMATICALLY
SLAMMED IT,
AND THE MIKES WERE STILL OPEN
AND I HEARD THIS
AND I HEARD THIS RHYTHM
JUST BY HIMSELF.
I SAID, "JESUS!
ELVIS,
WHAT HAVE YOU BEEN"...
YOU KNOW,
JUST IN JEST...
"YOU'VE BEEN HOLDING OUT ON ME
ALL THIS TIME
AND HAVE COST ME
THIS MUCH TIME,
AND LOOK HOW GRAY
MY HAIR IS GETTING,"
OR SOME CRAZY SOMETHING,
YOU KNOW?
HE SAID, "YOU LIKE THAT?
YOU LIKE THAT,
MR. PHILLIPS?"
I SAID, "MAN,
THAT THING IS A HIT!"
AND, YOU KNOW, YOU DON'T
MAKE STATEMENTS LIKE THAT,
AND EVEN YOU DON'T KNOW.
I SAID,
"THAT THING IS A HIT."
BY THAT TIME, SCOTTY AND BILL
HAD GOTTEN THEIR INSTRUMENTS OUT
AND, BABY, I'M TELLING YOU,
WE MAY HAVE TAKEN
THREE OR FOUR CUTS,
I DON'T RECALL,
BUT I THINK EITHER THE FIRST
OR THE SECOND ONE...
IT PROBABLY WAS
THE SECOND ONE...
I MEAN, YOU COULD HAVE CUT
FOR NINE MONTHS
AND NOT GOTTEN MORE
OUT OF WHAT
THAT SONG SAID
"I WANT DONE TO ME"
THAN THAT.
♪ I NEED YOUR LOVIN' ♪
♪ THAT'S ALL RIGHT ♪
♪ THAT'S ALL RIGHT,
NOW, MAMA ♪
♪ ANY WAY YOU DO. ♪
YOU GUYS HAVE CUT SO MANY
CLASSICS, IT'S UNGODLY...
- HMM.
- THE THINGS
YOU GUYS DID.
YEAH.
YEAH, I JUST LOVE
ALL THAT STUFF, MAN.
WHICH STUFF?
THE STUFF WE DONE?
OH, YEAH!
YOU KIDDING ME?
YOU SAY THAT
TO ALL THE BOYS.
NO, NO, NO.
OF COURSE YOU DO.
COME ON.
OH, IT'S GREAT THOUGH,
ISN'T IT?
YEAH,
THE STUFF YOU GUYS...
WE WERE SO TURNED ON
BY YOUR STUFF, TO SAY...
BECAUSE, IN ENGLAND,
TILL ROCK AND ROLL ARRIVED,
IT HAD BEEN
KIND OF POPULAR BALLADS,
AND THEN SUDDENLY THIS STUFF
STARTS COMING OVER.
THE SAILORS BRINGING IT IN
FROM THE STATES AND THINGS,
YOU KNOW.
JUST STARTED
TO CREEP ON THE RADIO.
WE'D HEAR SOME OF THE STUFF
YOU GUYS WERE DOING,
JUST WILD...
JUST "WHAT IS THIS?" YOU KNOW.
Ertegun:
YOU WANT TO PUT DOWN
THE BASS FIRST?
- YEAH.
- OR YOU WANT TO DO IT
SIMULTANEOUSLY?
NO, SIMULTANEOUSLY.
AT ONE AND THE SAME TIME.
SERIOUSLY?
SURE, MAN.
LET'S DO IT, BABE!
Man:
DO IT VOCALLY,
OR GO BACK.
JUST TRY IT, MAN,
LET'S HAVE A GO.
- SPONTANEITY.
- THAT'S THE WAY TO DO IT.
Fontana:
YEAH. ONE, TWO, THREE.
SORRY! I'M SORRY!
SORRY, MAN.
ONE, TWO, THREE.
OKAY. THAT'S BOTH OF US.
ONE EACH.
A MISTAKE EACH.
NO LAUGHING AND JOKING, GUYS.
THIS IS SERIOUS.
THIS IS WORK, OKAY?
SO DON'T BE LIKE,
START GOOFING OFF ON ME.
I'LL TRY MY BEST.
HERE WE GO.
ONE, TWO, THREE!
♪ WELL,
THAT'S ALL RIGHT, MAMA ♪
♪ THAT'S ALL RIGHT
WITH YOU ♪
♪ THAT'S ALL RIGHT, MAMA ♪
♪ ANY WAY YOU DO ♪
♪ THAT'S ALL RIGHT ♪
♪ THAT'S ALL RIGHT ♪
♪ THAT'S ALL RIGHT,
NOW, MAMA ♪
♪ ANY WAY YOU DO ♪
♪ WELL, MAMA,
SHE DONE TOLD ME ♪
♪ PAPA DONE TOLD ME, TOO ♪
♪ "SON, THAT GAL
YOU'RE FOOLIN' WITH ♪
♪ SHE AIN'T NO GAL FOR YOU" ♪
♪ BUT THAT'S ALL RIGHT ♪
♪ THAT'S ALL RIGHT ♪
♪ THAT'S ALL RIGHT,
NOW, MAMA ♪
♪ ANY WAY YOU DO ♪
♪ WHOO-HOO-HOO ♪
♪ WELL,
I'M LEAVIN' TOWN, BABY ♪
♪ LEAVIN' TOWN FOR SURE ♪
♪ AND YOU WON'T BE BOTHERED
WITH ME HANGIN' ROUND
YOUR DOOR ♪
♪ BUT THAT'S ALL RIGHT ♪
♪ THAT'S ALL RIGHT ♪
♪ THAT'S ALL RIGHT,
NOW, MAMA ♪
♪ ANY WAY YOU DO ♪
♪ WELL, DA DA DEE
DEE DEE DEE DEE ♪
♪ DEE DEE DEE
DEE DEE ♪
♪ DEE DEE DEE,
I NEED YOUR LOVIN' ♪
♪ THAT'S ALL RIGHT ♪
♪ THAT'S ALL RIGHT,
NOW, MAMA ♪
♪ ANY WAY YOU DO ♪
♪ YEAH, THAT'S ALL RIGHT,
NOW, MAMA ♪
♪ ANY WAY YOU DO ♪
♪ OOH, OOH ♪
♪ OOH, OOH,
OOH ♪
♪ THAT'S ALL RIGHT ♪
♪ ANY WAY YOU DO. ♪♪
THANK YOU VERY MUCH,
LADIES AND GENTLEMEN.
IT'S LOVELY TO BE HERE.
HOW DO YOU DO?
WE'RE JUST LIKE
A GROUP, MAN.
WE'LL GET A JOB,
WE'LL GO ON THE ROAD.
WE'LL GET A BUS.
♪ READY, SET ♪
♪ GO, MAN, GO ♪
♪ I GOT A GAL
THAT I LOVE SO ♪
♪ I'M READY, READY,
READY, I'M READY ♪
♪ READY, READY, READY
I'M READY ♪
♪ I'M READY, READY, READY
TO ROCK 'N' ROLL. ♪
Phillips:
HE TICKLED ME WHEN
WE GOT IN SHREVEPORT, LOUISIAN,
GOING ON A LOUISIANA HAYRIDE,
AND ELVIS
COULDN'T GET HIS HAIR COOL.
I MEAN, HIS HAIR...
EVERY HAIR GREW
IN A DIFFERENT DIRECTION.
PEOPLE DIDN'T KNOW THAT
WHO DIDN'T KNOW ELVIS EARLY ON.
LET ME SHOW YOU THE POWER
OF POSITIVE THINKING.
ELVIS DIDN'T DO ALL OF THAT
WITH THE HAIR AND A BRUSH
AND WHATEVER YOU CALL
THESE THINGS
THAT YOU SPRAY YOUR HAIR.
HE DID THAT BY SAYING,
"I WANT HAIR LIKE YOU, SAM."
NOW, YOU FOLKS ARE NOT
GOING TO BELIEVE THIS.
ELVIS PRESLEY
MADE HIS HAIR BEAUTIFUL
BY THINKING AND KNOWING
THAT HE WANTED IT SO BAD.
HE MADE... HE HAD THE WORST
HAIR IN THE WORLD.
HE HAD PLENTY OF IT.
NOW, DO YOU ALL BELIEVE
I'M TELLING YOU A LIE?
OR AM I HALLUCINATING?
SCOTTY, DO YOU BELIEVE THAT?
I HAD NEVER THOUGHT OF IT
FROM THIS PERSPECTIVE,
BUT, I MEAN, ANYBODY THAT WAS
THAT VAIN ABOUT HIS HAIR...
HE WAS CONSTANTLY
WORKING WITH IT.
OH, YEAH!
OH, I'M NOT SAYING THAT.
THAT WOULD FIGURE IN,
I BELIEVE, YEAH.
HE COULDN'T PASS A MIRROR.
ABSOLUTELY NOT.
- OH, NO, NO WAY!
- HE WAS PURTY.
IF I HAD BEEN THAT PURTY,
I WOULDN'T PASS A MIRROR.
THAT'S WHAT CARL SAID.
CARL PERKINS SAID FIRST TIME
HE SAW HIM,
"THAT'S THE BEST LOOKING MAN
I EVER SEEN."
Phillips: I DON'T KNOW.
THE WHOLE WORLD
SHOULD HAVE BEEN
AROUND YOU FOLKS.
I'M JUST SORRY I DIDN'T
GET TO BE AROUND EVERYBODY
MORE IN A PERSONAL WAY,
BECAUSE YOU MEN...
THERE IS NOT
ANY TIME IN MY LIFE,
NO MATTER HOW BUSY
I HAVE BEEN,
THAT I HAVEN'T THOUGHT OVER
MY ROSTER
AND THE PEOPLE
THAT CAME IN THERE,
AND I GOT THE OPPORTUNITY...
SEE, I HAD
A DOUBLE ENTENDRE,
I THINK IS THE WORD...
OF WHAT WE WERE DOING,
BECAUSE I WAS OUT THERE
ON A LIMB...
I MEAN, A REAL LIMB, I COULD BE
SAWED OFF AT ANY TIME
AND BUST ME WIDE OPEN
AS A PERSON,
BECAUSE ALL OF THIS MUSIC
AT THAT TIME
WAS SOMETHING THAT WE
HAD TO THINK ABOUT,
AND WHEN I WAS
RECORDING BLACKS
AND THEN MOVED THIS THING IN
AND THEN ELVIS CAME ALONG,
AND THIS...
I MEAN, WE MADE A STATEMENT.
MUSIC SAYS SO MUCH
TO SO MANY PEOPLE
IN AN IMPARTIAL WAY.
THAT... THAT'S WHY
I'M SO PROUD
OF THE INFLUENCE
IT'S HAD OVER THE YEARS.
HELL, I MEAN,
YOU'RE TALKING ABOUT THAT
LITTLE OLD STUDIO,
IT'S LIKE IT WAS FOR ME,
THAT'S THE BIGGEST CATHEDRAL
IN THE WORLD, YOU KNOW?
SAM JUST HAD THAT KNACK
OF GETTING THE BEST
OUT OF WHAT HE HAD,
AND IT'S ALL A BUNCH
OF COUNTRY GUYS
FROM AROUND THIS LITTLE AREA
OF THE SOUTH.
MOST OF 'EM, YOU KNOW,
MOST OF HIS STARS WERE.
AND MOST OF 'EM WERE COUNTRY...
OUT OF THE COUNTRY.
ELVIS LIVED IN MEMPHIS,
BUT EVERYBODY ELSE LIVED
OUT IN THE COUNTRY,
LIKE, AT THE TIME,
THEY WERE PICKING COTTON.
MOST ALL OF US
HAVE PICKED COTTON.
AND THAT'S ONE THING THAT
MAKES YOU WANT TO PLAY MUSIC...
JUST ONE DAY
OF PICKING COTTON
WILL MAKE YOU REALLY
WANT TO PLAY MUSIC.
EVERYTHING'S BETTER
THAN PICKING COTTON.
♪ WHEN YOU'RE ALL ALONE
AND BLUE ♪
♪ AND THE WORLD
LOOKS DOWN ON YOU ♪
♪ TURN AROUND ♪
♪ I'LL BE FOLLOWIN' YOU... ♪
FROM THE BANKS
OF THE MISSISSIPPI
TO THE LAND OF THE PECOS
COMES A GROUP OF FELLAS
WHO REALLY SING UP A STORM.
LET'S WELCOME ONCE AGAIN
THE LADS FROM
MEMPHIS, TENNESSEE,
CARL PERKINS AND HIS BOYS.
♪ I'D LIKE TO GO SOMEWHERE ♪
♪ WHERE WE CAN BE ALONE ♪
♪ AND HOLD YOU IN MY ARMS ♪
♪ CALL YOU MY OWN... ♪
Phillips:
CARL WAS AN EXTREMELY
INTERESTING YOUNG MAN,
AND ONE OF THE PEOPLE
THAT I WOULD CLASSIFY
AS BEING VERY GIFTED.
CARL PERKINS
COULD HAVE BEEN
MAYBE THE BIGGEST
COUNTRY ARTIST EVER.
♪ FOREVER YOURS. ♪
BUT I ALSO KNEW
CARL HAD A VERY UNUSUAL STYLE
OF GUITAR PLAYING.
I ALSO KNEW
THAT HE LOVED THE BLUES.
I ALSO KNEW THAT HE REALLY
LIKED TO LET HIS FEET MOVE.
AND I WASN'T REALLY
THAT INTERESTED
IN DOING COUNTRY THINGS,
BECAUSE THEY WERE BEING DONE
IN NASHVILLE REAL WELL.
BUT WITH ALL OF THAT
COMING TO BEAR
IN THE BODY OF ONE SOUL,
I JUST KNEW WE HAD
TO TAKE A SHOT AT ROCK AND ROLL.
♪ WELL, HOW COME YOU SAY
YOU WILL WHEN YOU WON'T? ♪
♪ YOU TELL ME YOU DO, BABY,
WHEN YOU DON'T ♪
♪ LET ME KNOW, HONEY,
HOW YA FEEL ♪
♪ TELL THE TRUTH, NOW,
IS LOVE REAL? ♪
♪ UH-UH,
OH, HONEY, DON'T. ♪
Clement:
I LIKE THAT SONG.
I WAS AT SUN
WHEN OL' CARL CUT THAT.
SAM WAS RUNNING THE BOARD.
I HADN'T BEEN THERE
ALL THAT LONG, BUT I WAS THERE,
AND I REMEMBER THAT SONG
REAL WELL.
I ALWAYS LIKED
THAT FUNNY CHORD CHANGE IN IT.
WHAT IS THAT,
WHAT KEY IS IT IN?
IT'S IN "E." GOES DOWN
FROM "E" TO A "C."
- WHERE DOES
THAT GO, TO A "C"?
- YEAH.
YEAH, THAT'S
AN EAR-GRABBER, YOU KNOW?
I DO REMEMBER EVERYBODY
WAS EXCITED ABOUT THAT SONG.
THEY ALL LIKED THAT CHANGE
FROM "E" TO "C."
THAT'S BASICALLY WHY
I WANTED TO PLAY IT.
IT'S JUST KIND OF UNUSUAL
FOR THAT TIME, I THINK,
BECAUSE THAT'S A STRANGE...
ACTUALLY, IT'S WEIRD FOR NOW.
IT'S COOL CHORDS.
Sledge: IT'S AN AWESOME SONG.
YEAH, IT'S A GREAT SONG.
IN AN INTERVIEW I HEARD
THAT HIS
GUITAR PLAYER SAID,
"MAN, YOU CAN'T
DO THAT, MAN.
I'M TELLING YOU,
IT'S JUST NOT RIGHT."
HE GOES, "I CAN DO IT,
AND I'M WRITING THE SONG."
THE GUITAR PLAYER SAYS,
"IT'S JUST NOT RIGHT.
I DON'T KNOW
IF I WANT TO PLAY THAT."
AND HE DID IT ANYWAY,
AND MADE HISTORY.
SO IT JUST GOES TO SHOW YOU,
YOU'VE GOT TO TAKE SOME CHANCES.
ONE, TWO...
ONE, TWO, THREE, FOUR!
♪ WELL, HOW COME YOU SAY
YOU WILL WHEN YOU WON'T? ♪
♪ YOU TELL ME YOU DO, BABY,
WHEN YOU DON'T ♪
♪ LET ME KNOW, HONEY,
HOW YA FEEL ♪
♪ TELL THE TRUTH, NOW,
IS LOVE REAL? ♪
♪ NO, HONEY, DON'T ♪
♪ HONEY, DON'T ♪
♪ HONEY, DON'T ♪
♪ HONEY, DON'T ♪
♪ HONEY, DON'T ♪
♪ SAY YOU WILL
WHEN YOU WON'T ♪
♪ OH, HONEY, DON'T ♪
♪ WELL, I LOVE YOU, BABY,
AND YOU OUGHT TO KNOW ♪
♪ I LIKE THE WAY
THAT YOU WEAR YOUR CLOTHES ♪
♪ EVERYTHING ABOUT YOU
IS SO DOGGONE SWEET ♪
♪ YOU GOT THAT SAND
ALL OVER YOUR FEET ♪
♪ OH, HONEY, DON'T, NO ♪
♪ HONEY, DON'T ♪
♪ HONEY, DON'T ♪
♪ HONEY, DON'T ♪
♪ HONEY, DON'T ♪
♪ SAY YOU WILL WHEN YOU WON'T,
OH, HONEY, DON'T ♪
♪ DON'T, NO ♪
♪ WELL, SOMETIMES I LOVE YOU
ON A SATURDAY NIGHT ♪
♪ MONDAY MORNIN',
YOU DON'T LOOK RIGHT ♪
♪ YOU BEEN OUT, BABY,
PAINTIN' THE TOWN ♪
♪ MY BABY
BEEN SLEEPIN' AROUND ♪
♪ OH, HONEY, DON'T ♪
♪ WHOO ♪
♪ HONEY, DON'T ♪
♪ PLEASE, HONEY, DON'T ♪
♪ HONEY, DON'T ♪
♪ HONEY, DON'T ♪
♪ SAY YOU WILL WHEN YOU WON'T,
OH, HONEY, DON'T ♪
♪ I LOVE YOU! ♪
♪ YOU SAY YOU WILL
WHEN YOU WON'T ♪
♪ OH, HONEY, DON'T. ♪
COOL.
Riley:
NOBODY COULD GET THAT SOUND,
NOWHERE IN THE WORLD.
IT WAS JUST
IMPOSSIBLE TO GET IT.
- Phillips: IT WAS A FEEL,
WASN'T IT?
- IT WAS A FEEL.
IT WASN'T PRODUCED,
IT WAS MORE...
WE WERE JUST ALL TOGETHER
WHEN WE'D GO
IN ON A SESSION.
WELL, A LOT OF IT HAD TO DO
WITH ACOUSTICS OF THAT ROOM,
WHICH I DIDN'T BELIEVE BACK WHEN
I WAS WORKING FOR YOU.
YOU WOULD ALWAYS SAY, IT HAS
A GREAT SOUND, ALL THAT STUFF.
I THOUGHT THAT WAS A CROCK,
REALLY.
BUT YOU KNOW,
WHEN I CAME BACK HERE,
25, 30 YEARS LATER
WITH U2,
BACK IN THAT SAME ROOM...
AND I'D BUILT STUDIOS BY THEN,
I KNEW A LOT ABOUT IT...
YOU KNOW,
AND I UNDERSTOOD IT THEN.
IT WAS A PRESENCE FACTOR.
THAT'S RIGHT.
IT'S KIND OF LIKE,
THERE WAS VERY LITTLE
SEPARATION IN THE ROOM.
IT ALL SORT OF
WENT TOGETHER,
BUT IN A VERY NICE WAY.
IT WAS JUST A SOLID,
VERY PRESENT, KIND OF A SOUND.
IN COUNTRY, POP,
THE VOCALIST WAS
ALWAYS WAY OUT HERE,
WAY OUT IN FRONT
OF THE BAND,
AND YOU USED ELVIS' VOICE
LIKE AN INSTRUMENT.
YOU PUSHED IT,
PUSHED IT IN THERE CLOSE
AND IT BECAME
ANOTHER INSTRUMENT.
AND THEN YOU DIDN'T
GO IN THERE AND START...
IF YOU HAD LEAKAGE,
YOU'D START SCOOTING
STUFF AWAY FROM IT.
- LEAKAGE IS WHAT
MADE IT WORK.
- ABSOLUTELY.
Clement:
ONE OF THE THINGS WAS
THAT WE DIDN'T
HAVE TIME PRESSURES.
HELL, WE'D GO IN THERE
AND WORK FOR LONG, LONG HOURS,
BUT NOBODY CARED,
WE WEREN'T ON THE CLOCK.
AND WE PLAYED LIKE, YOU KNOW,
YOU WERE THE AUDIENCE.
LIKE YOU WERE A BUNCH OF PEOPLE,
YOU KNOW.
WE DIDN'T ACTUALLY GO IN AND TRY
AND PLAY IN A CERTAIN WAY.
WE PLAYED AS WE WERE
PLAYING ON STAGE,
LIKE WE WERE ON STAGE,
IT'S LIVE.
WE WENT OUT THERE
AND PLAYED
THE SAME WAY
THEY DID ON STAGE.
THAT'S WHAT I LIKED
ABOUT RECORDING THEN,
AND I STILL LIKE.
I DON'T PARTICULARLY LIKE
THE WAY YOU RECORD NOW.
YOU GET A BETTER SOUND,
BUT I CAN'T GET THAT FEELING.
Phillips:
LET ME GIVE YOU
A CAVEAT TO THAT...
HAD I GONE ON
AND SUBJECTED NEW ARTISTS,
A NEW SOUND,
TO JUST BEING COMMERCIAL,
THERE WOULD HAVE NOT...
THERE WOULD HAVE BEEN
VERY LITTLE HAPPENING FOR ME,
LET ALONE THE ARTIST.
I STAYED WITH WHAT I BELIEVED,
AND I COULD'VE BEEN
JUST AS WRONG AS IT TURNED OUT
THAT WE WERE RIGHT,
BUT I SWEAR I STUCK BY IT.
Clement:
YOU WORKED WITH WHAT
YOU HAD TO WORK WITH.
IN FACT, I REMEMBER ONE THING
YOU SAID TO ME ONE TIME.
YOU SAID YOU LIKE TO WORK WITH
MUSICIANS WHO ARE LEARNING.
THEY'RE JUST COMING UP,
AND THEY'RE EXPERIMENTING.
THEY STIMULATE
EACH OTHER.
AND YOU GET THE BENEFIT
OF THAT EXPERIMENTATION.
AND THAT WAS VERY TRUE.
I THINK THAT WAS ONE
OF THE BIG PARTS OF THAT SOUND,
THAT THE MUSICIANS
WEREN'T SO POLISHED AND...
I AGREE
WITH THAT.
THAT'S WHAT MADE
THE SOUND.
THAT'S THE ESSENCE
OF IT.
WE DIDN'T KNOW
THAT MUCH ABOUT MUSIC.
I MEAN, WE HAD IT INSIDE,
BUT WE COULDN'T EXPRESS IT
LIKE THE GUITAR PLAYERS
DO TODAY.
I KNEW THREE OR FOUR CHORDS,
AND THAT WAS IT, YOU KNOW?
Clement:
WE DIDN'T KNOW ALL
THE THINGS YOU COULDN'T DO,
SO WE DID 'EM,
AND SOME OF 'EM WORKED.
Burgess:
GROOVED AND YOU LOVED IT.
IT'S LIKE SAM
MIGHT NOT TELL YOU
EXACTLY WHAT
HE WAS LOOKING FOR,
BUT HE DAMN SURE
KNEW IT WHEN HE HEARD IT.
THAT'S RIGHT.
YOU KNOW, I WOULD PUT A WOMAN
DOWN IN A MINUTE FOR A SOUND.
"PUT HER DOWN,"
IS THAT A GOOD...
IS THAT
A GOOD WAY TO DESCRIBE IT?
BUT I HAD
TO HAVE SOMETHING
THAT WOULD MAKE IT
SOUND LIKE,
YOU KNOW, IT'S SPECIAL.
IT'S NOT PERFECT ACOUSTICS,
IT'S LIVE, IT'S...
YOU ARE THERE,
LISTENING IN PERSON.
I WAS PLAYING AROUND,
ONE DAY, WITH THIS DELAY,
AND I HAPPENED TO DO THAT
AND LEAVE IT ON PLAYBACK.
AND I TURNED UP THE POT AND,
MAN, THAT THING SOUNDED GOOD,
AND THEN YOU JUST TACK
A LITTLE BIT OF SHADING
OF ELVIS' VOICE,
AND STUFF LIKE THAT...
WE HAD A SOUND, BABY!
I MEAN A SOUND... WHOO!
♪ WELL, I TOOK MY RUBY JUKIN'
ON THE OUTSKIRTS OF TOWN ♪
♪ SHE TOOK HER HIGH HEELS OFF
AND ROLLED HER STOCKINGS DOWN ♪
♪ SHE PUT A QUARTER
IN THE JUKEBOX ♪
♪ TO GET A LITTLE BEAT ♪
♪ EVERYBODY STARTED WATCHIN'
ALL THE RHYTHM IN HER FEET ♪
♪ SHE'S MY
ROCK 'N' ROLL RUBY... ♪
Phillips:
THEY NEEDED MUSIC SO BADLY
AS A PART OF THEIR DIET.
♪ SATISFY MY SOUL... ♪
I MEAN, THEY HAD
EMOTIONAL STARVATION,
AND THE MOST ACTIVE YEARS
AND IMAGINATIVE YEARS
OF YOUR LIFE
WERE GOING TO WASTE
BECAUSE YOU DIDN'T HAVE A THING
FOR JUST SHEER ENJOYMENT,
AND AN ABILITY TO SAY, "HEY,
THIS WILL HELP ME MAKE CONTACT
WITH THIS GOOD-LOOKING GIRL.
THIS'LL HELP ME MAKE CONTACT
WITH MY BOYFRIEND."
♪ WHEN RUBY STARTS TO ROCKIN',
BOY, IT SATISFIES MY SOUL. ♪
THEY'D TAKE HIS RECORDS
AND BURN THEM IN THE PARK
AND ALL THAT STUFF.
YOU KNOW, LIKE YOU SAID,
IT WAS DEVIL'S MUSIC
AND THEY HAD TO
GET RID OF THIS STUFF,
AND THE DISC JOCKEYS WOULD
BREAK RECORDS AND ALL.
IT WAS GOD-AWFUL...
YOU KNOW, BUT IF THEY
JUST LISTENED TO THE RECORDS,
THERE'S NOT A CURSE WORD
IN NONE OF HIS TUNES.
THEY'RE ALL JUST
OLD SONGS, YOU KNOW?
NOW, WHAT THEY'RE DOING TODAY,
YOU KNOW, IT'S... WHEW!
IT'S GETTIN' ROUGH NOW,
YOU KNOW?
BUT, I MEAN,
IT WAS STILL,
YOU KNOW, IT WAS STILL
INTRODUCING THAT KIND OF...
A LOT OF THE MUSIC'S STILL
INTRODUCING THAT KIND OF A...
WHAT A...
WHAT A LOT OF PEOPLE
WOULD HAVE CONSIDERED TO BE
A DANGEROUS ELEMENT.
OH, YEAH.
WELL, THEY DID.
THEY DID SONGS ABOUT DRINKING
AND GOING TO JUKE JOINTS,
AND ALL THAT.
CARL PERKINS,
I THINK,
PUT THE BEST NAME
ON THE WHOLE GENRE.
HE SAID,
"IT'S FEEL-GOOD MUSIC.
YOU FEEL GOOD
WHEN YOU PLAY IT,
YOU FEEL GOOD
WHEN YOU SING IT,
AND YOU FEEL GOOD
WHEN YOU LISTEN TO IT."
AND I THINK THAT
JUST PRETTY MUCH
SUMS THE WHOLE THING UP.
YEAH, BUT I STILL REMEMBER WHEN
I FIRST LISTENED TO YOU GUYS,
WHEN I WAS A LITTLE GUY...
AND I WAS STILL A LITTLE THING
IN SHORT TROUSERS,
AND MY DAD LOOKING AT ME WITH,
LIKE, REAL HORROR...
YEAH.
THAT, YOU KNOW,
I COULD LIKE THIS STUFF.
HE DID GET BEHIND IT
IN THE END,
HE BOUGHT ME A GUITAR,
BUT, YOU KNOW, THAT DISAPPROVAL.
DANGEROUS,
DANGEROUS MUSIC.
REAL DISAPPROVAL,
WASN'T THERE?
AT SCHOOL IN ENGLAND,
THERE WAS REAL DISAPPROVAL.
THE TEACHERS WERE REAL
AGAINST IT AS WELL,
IN MY SCHOOL,
I DON'T KNOW ABOUT YOURS.
BUT, YOU KNOW, IF I WAS IN,
THEY'D FIND ME IN A ROCK BAND,
AND, YOU KNOW,
PLAYING AT A SCHOOL PARTY
OR SOMETHING,
AND A TEACHER WOULD GO,
"I MIGHT HAVE KNOWN
YOU'D BE IN THIS."
THAT KIND OF STUFF.
YOU'RE THAT KIND
OF GUY, HUH?
YOU'RE THAT KIND
OF KID.
IT'S THE SLIPPERY SLOPE
TO DAMNATION THAT JUST AWAITS,
AND YOU KNOW THAT YOU'RE
JUST GOING TO GO DOWN IT.
♪ I TOOK MY RUBY JUKIN'
ON THE OUTSKIRTS OF TOWN ♪
♪ SHE TOOK HER HIGH HEELS OFF,
SHE ROLLED HER STOCKINGS DOWN ♪
♪ PUT A QUARTER IN THE JUKEBOX
TO GET A LITTLE BEAT ♪
♪ EVERYBODY STARTED WATCHIN'
ALL THE RHYTHM IN HER FEET ♪
♪ ROCK 'N' ROLL,
ROCK 'N' ROLL RUBY ♪
♪ ROCK 'N' ROLL ♪
♪ WHEN RUBY STARTS A' ROCKIN',
BOY, IT SATISFIES MY SOUL ♪
♪ NOW, RUBY STARTED ROCKIN'
ABOUT 12:00 ♪
♪ WHEN SHE STARTED ROCKIN',
SHE JUST COULDN'T STOP ♪
♪ SHE ROCKED ON THE TABLES,
AND ROLLED ON THE FLOOR ♪
♪ AND EVERYBODY YELLED,
"HEY, RUBY, ROCK SOME MORE" ♪
♪ SHE'S MY ROCK 'N' ROLL RUBY,
ROCK 'N' ROLL ♪
♪ ROCK 'N' ROLL RUBY,
ROCK 'N' ROLL ♪
♪ WHEN RUBY STARTS A' ROCKIN',
BOY, IT SATISFIES MY SOUL... ♪
ALL RIGHT.
♪ WELL, WAS ROUND ABOUT 4:00,
I THOUGHT SHE'D STOP ♪
♪ SHE LOOKED AT ME AND THEN
SHE LOOKED AT THE CLOCK ♪
♪ SHE SAID, "WAIT A MINUTE,
DADDY, NOW, DON'T GET SORE" ♪
♪ "ALL I WANT TO DO IS ROCK
A LITTLE BIT MORE" ♪
♪ SHE'S MY ROCK 'N' ROLL RUBY,
ROCK 'N' ROLL ♪
♪ ROCK 'N' ROLL RUBY,
ROCK 'N' ROLL ♪
♪ WHEN RUBY STARTS A' ROCKIN',
BOY, IT SATISFIES MY SOUL ♪
♪ YEAH, NOW, ROCK, ROCK ♪
♪ ROCK 'N' ROLL ♪
♪ ROCK, ROCK,
ROCK 'N' ROLL ♪
♪ ROCK, ROLL,
ROCK 'N' ROLL ♪
♪ I HAD TO ROCK,
ROCK, ROCK 'N' ROLL ♪
♪ WHEN RUBY STARTS TO ROCK,
SHE'S GONNA SATISFY MY SOUL. ♪
Holland:
NOW, HERE'S THE FACTS.
ROCK 'N' ROLL
DID NOT START
IN MEMPHIS, TENNESSEE,
IN THE MID-'50s.
SAM PHILLIPS DIDN'T
START ROCK 'N' ROLL.
ALL WE GOT TO DO
IS PULL THE RECORDS.
LISTEN TO JOE TURNER'S
"SHAKE, RATTLE, AND ROLL,"
LISTEN TO FATS DOMINO,
UH...
ALL THE GUYS THAT WAS
RECORDING BACK THEN.
BILL HALEY.
THIS FELLA RIGHT HERE.
LISTEN TO THAT, AND YOU
WILL KNOW RIGHT QUICK
THAT NOBODY IN THE MID-'50s
STARTED ROCK 'N' ROLL.
BUT, WE GAVE IT A HELL
OF A BOOST THAT SENT IT
INTO ORBIT
AND AROUND THE WORLD.
SO THAT PROBABLY
WOULDN'T HAVE HAPPENED
IF IT HADN'T HAVE BEEN
FOR WHAT HAPPENED.
SAM PHILLIPS,
IN MY BOOK,
WAS NOT THE INNOVATOR
OF NOTHING.
I WAS THERE.
I WAS THERE,
"BEFORE," AS THEY SAY IT,
"ROCK 'N' ROLL."
WHO IN THE WORLD SAID
THAT SAM WAS THE INNOVATOR
OF ROCK 'N' ROLL?
WHO SAID THAT?
Holland:
YOU ASKED ME,
HOW DID WE LET IT HAPPEN?
NOW, WHEN YOU,
AND EVERYBODY YOU KNOW,
CAME TO MEMPHIS, TENNESSEE,
ME, CARL...
ALL OF US,
WE WERE POOR GUYS.
SO WHEN IT LOOKED LIKE
IF THERE WAS SOMEBODY THERE
THAT MIGHT BE IN CHARGE,
OR MAYBE
A LITTLE WELL OFF,
MIGHT HAVE HAD MORE
THAN WE DID,
THAT'S WHO WE'RE GOING...
MAN, WE'RE GOING TO LOOK UP TO.
IT'S THAT WAY TODAY, RUFUS.
THE DEAL IS
IN THIS WORLD TODAY,
WE ALL GOT TO LIVE BY
THE GOLDEN RULE,
AND THE PEOPLES THAT
GOT THE GOLD MAKES THE RULES.
BUT IT'S THE MUSIC
THAT COUNTS,
AND IT'S THE MUSIC
THAT MADE THIS TOWN.
AND IT WAS NOT
ROCK 'N' ROLL
THAT MADE THIS TOWN...
MEMPHIS.
NEVER!
IT WAS THE BLUES
THAT MADE MEMPHIS.
I DON'T KNOW WHO WOULD SAY
I'M WRONG.
IN FACT, I DON'T CARE.
I JUST WANT TO SAY,
IF IT WEREN'T FOR SUN STUDIO,
VERY FEW OF US WOULD PROBABLY
BE SITTING HERE RIGHT NOW.
SUN STUDIO OPENED
THE DOOR FOR US
A PLACE TO RECORD
THE MUSIC THAT WE HAD.
EVERYBODY IN MEMPHIS HAD
A CHANCE TO BRING THEIR STUFF.
THAT I GIVE SAM.
I THINK IT WAS GREAT,
A GREAT PLACE.
I KNOW WHEN I WAS A KID
IN HIGH SCHOOL,
WHEN I FIRST WENT DOWN THERE
WITH MY BAND, AND WE PAID MONEY,
JUST LIKE ELVIS,
TO MAKE A RECORD.
AND THAT'S WHERE
I MET BILLY LEE.
JACK CLEMENT
HEARD ME PLAY AND SAID,
"MAN, CAN YOU COME AND HELP US
ON SOME OTHER STUFF?"
WELL, IF YOU STOP
TO THINK,
SAM PHILLIPS...
706 UNION AVENUE...
YOU KNOW
HOW MUCH DAMN TALENT
Eaton:
THAT'S THE GREATEST
RECORD LABEL, IN MY OPINION...
THE LABEL, YEAH.
IT'S SO RECOGNIZABLE,
IT'S LIKE THE McDONALD'S ARCHES.
YOU SEE THE SUN LOGO,
YOU KNOW IT.
THE STUDIO ITSELF
IS KNOWN WORLDWIDE.
IN FACT, IT IS THE MOST FAMOUS
RECORDING STUDIO IN THE WORLD.
Cannon:
THAT'S WHAT GAVE ME
MY BOOST.
I MADE A NAME FOR MYSELF
AS A SIDEMAN
ENOUGH TO WHERE
ANOTHER COMPANY
COME IN AND TOOK ME
AS AN INDIVIDUAL ARTIST,
BUT I FEEL LIKE,
WHATEVER I DONE OVER HERE
AT SUN KICKED ME OFF.
AND IN MY OPINION,
I HAVE NOTHING AGAINST SAM.
I LOVE SAM PHILLIPS,
AND HE KNOWS I DO,
BUT I DON'T LIKE
A LOT OF THINGS HE DID TO ME
BACK DURING THAT TIME,
AND I'M NOT GOING
TO BLAME HIM FOR IT,
BECAUSE I DIDN'T HAVE
TO STAY.
BUT I DID,
BECAUSE HE WAS SUCH A CHARMER
AND HE HAD A WAY
OF KEEPING YOU THERE.
HEY! BUT I HAVE SEEN
SOME GOOD RECORDS
LAY ON THE SHELF
AND DIE.
IF YOU AIN'T GOT SOMEBODY
THAT GOT A LITTLE SENSE
ABOUT WHAT HE IS PUTTING OUT
AND HOW HE'S PUTTING IT OUT,
WHO HE'S GETTING IT TO,
WHO'S PLAYING IT,
YOU'RE GOING TO LOSE
THE RECORD.
Eaton:
IT'S MY BELIEF...
I THINK THAT WHEN GOD
WAS THROWING OUT TALENT,
WHEN THIS WORLD WAS CREATED,
HE DROPPED A HEAVY DOSE
ON MEMPHIS, TENNESSEE.
OH, EXACTLY.
THERE IS SOMETHING MORE
TO THIS THAN A RECORDING STUDIO,
SOMETHING MORE TO THIS...
IT'S NOT JUST AN ACCIDENT
THAT YOU'VE GOT
ALL THESE GUYS THAT CAME UP
THROUGH THIS AREA,
AND I CAN ONLY RELATE TO...
I KNOW YOU WENT
TO THE SAME HIGH SCHOOL I DID.
- DIDN'T YOU GO
TO TECH HIGH SCHOOL?
- RIGHT.
AND ELVIS OVER AT HUMES,
AND I DON'T KNOW
THE BLACK ARTISTS,
THE SCHOOLS THEY WENT TO,
BUT I'M TELLING YOU,
THIS WASN'T JUST SOMETHING
THAT HAPPENED,
THIS WAS LIKE
A GOD-GIVEN THING,
RIGHT HERE!
YOU DON'T HAVE
TO TELL NOBODY
THAT THE RECORD WAS CUT
IN MEMPHIS... THEY KNOW IT.
Thomas:
ANYBODY WILL TELL
YOU THAT TODAY
ABOUT THE BEGINNING OF MUSIC
IN MEMPHIS.
IF IT DIDN'T COME
FROM THE DELTA, WHICH IT DID,
OR OTHER PLACES
OVER IN ARKANSAS,
IT ALL WOUND UP
RIGHT HERE ON BEALE STREET.
AND FROM BEALE STREET
AND THE BLUES
CAME EVERY OTHER KIND OF MUSIC
THAT YOU CAN THINK OF.
IF YOU'VE GOT JAZZ,
THE FOUNDATION OF IT WAS BLUES.
SO, WHATEVER KIND OF MUSIC
WE THROW IN HERE,
WHATEVER KIND IT IS,
NEVER FORGET THAT THE BLUES
WAS THE MOTHER OF IT ALL.
♪ I HEAR
THE TRAIN A' COMIN' ♪
♪ IT'S ROLLIN'
ROUND THE BEND ♪
♪ AND I AIN'T SEEN THE SUNSHINE
SINCE I DON'T KNOW WHEN ♪
♪ I'M STUCK IN FOLSOM PRISON ♪
♪ AND TIME KEEPS
DRAGGIN' ON ♪
♪ BUT THAT TRAIN
KEEPS ROLLIN' ♪
♪ ON DOWN TO SAN ANTONE. ♪
Phillips:
ON A SESSION,
JOHNNY CASH HAD
SUCH A SPECIAL WAY
OF BEING JOHNNY CASH.
NOW, THAT SOUNDS LIKE
"A CHICKEN'S GOT
A SPECIAL WAY
OF BEING A CHICKEN,"
BUT THE THING IS
THAT JOHNNY CASH, IN HIS MIND,
TO ME, TILL THIS DAY,
HE IS ONE OF THE GREAT WRITERS
OF ALL TIME.
IF YOU LISTEN TO
A WORD OF ANY SONG
THAT JOHNNY CASH WROTE...
WHAT A STORY.
IF YOU'D LIVED ANY LIFE AT ALL
WORTH LIVING,
OR IF IT WERE...
HAPPENED TO BE
THE HARDEST LIFE
THAT ANYBODY COULD EXPERIENCE,
OR A REAL JOYOUS LIFE,
JOHNNY CASH COULD COVER IT
WITH WORDS
THAT WERE PERFECT.
I REALLY,
TRULY BELIEVE THAT.
♪ I KEEP A CLOSE WATCH
ON THIS HEART OF MINE ♪
♪ I KEEP MY EYES WIDE OPEN
ALL THE TIME ♪
♪ I KEEP THE ENDS OUT
FOR THE TIE THAT BINDS ♪
♪ BECAUSE YOU'RE MINE,
I WALK THE LINE... ♪
Phillips:
YOU CAN'T CATEGORIZE HIM,
OR PUT HIM IN A LITTLE STABLE
OVER HERE,
AND SAY HE'S A FOLK SINGER
OR HE'S A ROCK OR HE'S COUNTRY.
JOHNNY CASH IS JOHNNY CASH.
♪ YES, I'LL ADMIT
THAT I'M A FOOL FOR YOU ♪
♪ BECAUSE YOU'RE MINE ♪
♪ I WALK THE LINE... ♪
LET ME HEAR THE "D"
GOING INTO THAT B MINOR, THOUGH.
SO PLAY THE RIGHT CHORDS
COMING OUT OF THAT.
THAT'S WEIRD.
NO, THAT'S YOUR LAST CHORD,
I THINK.
NO, NO, NO.
♪ DA DA DA... ♪
YEAH, THAT!
♪ AND HAPPINESS I'VE KNOWN
PROVES THAT IT'S RIGHT ♪
♪ BECAUSE YOU'RE MINE,
I WALK THE LINE... ♪
THIS IS WHERE WE NEED
TO GO INTO THE NEW SECTION,
IN FOUR...
♪ DA DA DA DA DA ♪
TO THE "B."
THREE, FOUR,
ONE, TWO, THREE...
AND THAT'S THE END...
OUT, DONE, GOOD.
OKAY,
LET'S MAKE IT.
MONEY,
LET'S MAKE RECORDS.
♪ I KEEP A CLOSE WATCH
ON THIS HEART OF MINE ♪
♪ I KEEP MY EYES
WIDE OPEN ALL THE TIME ♪
♪ I KEEP THE ENDS OUT
FOR THE TIE THAT BINDS ♪
♪ BECAUSE YOU'RE MINE ♪
♪ I WALK THE LINE ♪
♪ AS SURE AS NIGHT IS DARK
AND DAY IS LIGHT ♪
♪ I KEEP YOU ON MY MIND
BOTH DAY AND NIGHT ♪
♪ AND HAPPINESS I'VE KNOWN
PROVES THAT IT'S RIGHT ♪
♪ BECAUSE YOU'RE MINE ♪
♪ I WALK THE LINE ♪
♪ YOU'VE GOT A WAY
TO KEEP ME ON YOUR SIDE ♪
♪ YOU GIVE ME CAUSE
FOR THE LOVE THAT
I CAN'T HIDE ♪
♪ FOR YOU I KNOW I'D EVEN TRY
TO TURN THE TIDE ♪
♪ BECAUSE YOU'RE MINE ♪
♪ I WALK THE LINE ♪
♪ I KEEP A CLOSE WATCH
ON THIS HEART OF MINE ♪
♪ I KEEP MY EYES WIDE OPEN
ALL THE TIME ♪
♪ I KEEP THE ENDS OUT
FOR THE TIE THAT BINDS ♪
♪ BECAUSE YOU'RE MINE ♪
♪ I WALK THE LINE ♪
♪ BECAUSE YOU'RE MINE ♪
♪ I WALK THE LINE ♪
♪ BECAUSE YOU'RE MINE ♪
♪ I WALK THE LINE. ♪
Kowalcyzk:
WHAT I APPRECIATE
ABOUT JOHNNY CASH'S LYRICS
IS THE DIRECTNESS
AND THE SIMPLICITY OF IT.
FOR THE SAME REASON
I LIKE JOHN LENNON.
I MEAN, SO MUCH OF CASH'S
EMOTIONAL STRUCTURE
HAD BEEN BURNED AWAY
BY HIS REAL LIFE,
AND HIS REAL-LIFE SORROWS,
THAT THERE'S, LIKE
A PRISTINE AUSTERITY
ABOUT EVERYTHING HE SAYS
THAT COMES FROM SOMEPLACE
THAT'S OBVIOUSLY
BEEN THERE, DONE THAT,
YOU KNOW?
AND SO AS A LYRICIST
AND SOMEBODY WHO'S ALIVE...
A HUMAN BEING, WHATEVER...
IT'S INSPIRATIONAL,
BECAUSE THAT'S WHAT...
AS YOU GROW AS AN ARTIST,
WHAT YOU TRY TO DO IS
BECOME MORE AND MORE
LIKE THAT, MORE AND MORE DIREC.
THERE'S SOMETHING
ABOUT EVERY WORD THAT HE SAYS
THAT CARRIES AN EMOTIONAL WEIGHT
OF LIFE THAT'S BEEN LIVED.
TO ME, THAT'S THE ESSENCE
OF BLUES,
THAT'S THE ESSENCE OF,
OBVIOUSLY,
ROCK 'N' ROLL AND SUN RECORDS,
AND GUYS LIKE JOHNNY CASH.
SO... GOD BLESS YOU.
Phillips:
WHEN THE OFFER CAME ALONG
FOR ELVIS' CONTRACT,
GOD KNOWS THAT WAS
THE TOUGHEST DECISION
I'VE EVER MADE IN MY LIFE.
AND THEN WHEN I DID SIGN
THE CONTRACT TO SELL ELVIS,
I FELT LIKE, OH, GOD, WHAT
A LIFT OFF OF MY SHOULDERS
OF THE WEIGHT OF PRESSING BILLS
AND EXCISE TAX BILLS,
AND ALL OF THE EXPENSES
TO OPERATE.
BUT I ALSO KNEW THAT
I WAS NOT GOING TO BE
A ONE-ARTIST HIT LABEL.
IF I WAS,
TO HELL WITH IT.
IT'S NOT WIDELY PUBLICIZED,
BUT, YOU KNOW,
HE OFFERED TO BUY
THE CONTRACT OF ELVIS, TOO.
Ertegun:
OH, THAT'S TRUE,
BUT WE DIDN'T HAVE ENOUGH.
I OFFERED HIM $25,000.
YOU KNOW, IN THOSE DAYS,
I STARTED MY COMPANY
WITH 10,000.
I BOUGHT RAY CHARLES'
CONTRACT FOR 3,000,
AND I WANTED
TO BUY ELVIS' CONTRACT.
I OFFERED HIM $25,000.
AT THAT TIME, WE HAD
SOMETHING LIKE $35,000
IN THE BANK, AND HE ASKED...
THE COLONEL SAID
HE NEEDED $35,000.
I WAS... YOU KNOW,
IN THOSE DAYS,
I WAS TOO GREEN TO KNOW I COULD
GO TO A BANK AND BORROW MONEY.
SO I SAID,
"WELL, WE JUST HAVEN'T GOT IT."
AND THAT'S WHAT HE GOT
FROM RCA VICTOR.
WHAT'S THAT?
35,000.
35, AND ELVIS GOT 5,
BECAUSE SAM HAD NEVER PAID HIM
ANY ROYALTIES
ON WHAT HAD BEEN OUT...
A LITTLE BONUS THING.
YEAH.
BE INTERESTING TO KNOW
WHAT WOULD HAVE HAPPENED
IF YOU HAD GOT IT.
GUESS HE WOULD HAVE FIRED
ME AND YOU, D, PROBABLY.
ALL OF US.
♪ NOW, LOOK, YOU GOTTA GET YOU
ANOTHER MAN ♪
♪ WELL, LOOK HERE, WOMAN,
GOTTA GET YOU ANOTHER MAN ♪
♪ Red-headed mama,
Red-headed mama ♪
♪ 'CAUSE I'M GETTIN' OUT
JUST AS FAST AS I CAN ♪
♪ Red-headed mama,
Red-headed mama ♪
♪ WELL, NOW,
A RED-HEADED WOMAN ♪
♪ WILL MAKE YOU WISH
YOU'D NEVER BEEN BORN ♪
♪ A RED-HEADED WOMAN WILL MAKE
YOU WISH YOU'D NEVER
BEEN BORN ♪
♪ Red-headed mama,
Red-headed mama ♪
♪ ALL YOU WANT TO HEAR IS
OLD GABRIEL BLOWIN' HIS HORN ♪
♪ AYY! ♪
Phillips:
SONNY BURGESS GIVES ME
CHILLS EVERY TIME I HEAR HIM.
HE IS A PERSON THAT DESERVED
MUCH MORE
♪ WELL, I SAID A RED-HEADED
WOMAN'S ABOUT THE MEANEST
THING I KNOW... ♪
Phillips:
I KNOW THAT SONNY BURGESS
PROBABLY WOULD HAVE
WOUND UP BEING...
HAD WE HAD HAVE GOTTEN A COUPLE
OF REAL BIG RECORDS ON HIM,
BECAUSE THIS GUY IS SO VERSATILE
IN SO MANY WAYS.
HE HAS A VOICE
THAT'S SO DISTINCTIVE
AND YET IT IS
AS HARSH-SOUNDING,
BUT AT THE SAME TIME, THE WAY
HE DELIVERS WHAT HE SAYS,
HE MAKES YOU
WANT TO STAND UP, SIT DOWN,
OR LAY DOWN AND LISTEN.
♪ I GOT A CAR ♪
♪ AIN'T GOT NO GAS ♪
♪ HEY, I GOT A CHECK ♪
♪ AIN'T GOT NO CASH ♪
♪ HEY, I GOT A WOMAN ♪
♪ SHE AIN'T GOT NO CLASS ♪
♪ WELL, I GOT A GUITAR ♪
♪ AIN'T GOT NO STRINGS ♪
♪ I GOT TEN FINGERS ♪
♪ THEY AIN'T GOT NO RING ♪
♪ I GOT A WOMAN ♪
♪ SHE AIN'T GOT A THING ♪
♪ GOT TWO FEET ♪
♪ AIN'T GOT NO SHOES ♪
♪ YEAH, I GOT A WAGON ♪
♪ AIN'T GOT NO MULE ♪
♪ YEAH, I GOT A WOMAN ♪
♪ BUT SHE AIN'T TRUE ♪
♪ OH, I GOT A WOMAN ♪
♪ YEAH, I GOT A WOMAN ♪
♪ OH, I GOT A WOMAN ♪
♪ YEAH,
I GOT A WOMAN ♪
♪ HEY, I GOT A WOMAN ♪
♪ SHE AIN'T GOT A THING ♪
♪ YEAH ♪
AAAH!
♪ WELL, I GOT A GUITAR ♪
♪ AIN'T GOT NO STRINGS ♪
♪ GOT TEN FINGERS ♪
♪ AIN'T GOT NO RING ♪
♪ I GOT A WOMAN ♪
♪ SHE AIN'T GOT A THING ♪
♪ YEAH, I GOT A WOMAN ♪
♪ YEAH, I GOT
A WOMAN ♪
♪ I GOT A WOMAN ♪
♪ I GOT A WOMAN ♪
♪ I GOT A WOMAN ♪
♪ SHE AIN'T GOT A THING. ♪
THANK YOU, MUSIC LOVERS.
♪ WELL, I'M STANDIN'
ON THE CORNER ♪
♪ WITH MY BUCKET
IN MY HAND ♪
♪ I'M JUST A' WAITIN'
FOR A WOMAN ♪
♪ THAT AIN'T GOT NO MAN ♪
♪ 'CAUSE MY BUCKET'S
GOT A HOLE IN IT. ♪
THERE ARE SO MANY
CHARACTERISTIC SUN TRACKS
THAT WOULD BE NATURAL,
OBVIOUS CHOICES.
THE STUFF FOR
ROCK 'N' ROLL BANDS
LIKE OURSELVES...
THE CARL PERKINS,
THE PRESLEY,
THE JERRY LEE...
Ertegun:
THERE ARE SO MANY
THINGS YOU CAN DO.
WARREN STORM,
BUT THE THING ABOUT
THIS SONG
IS IT'S REALLY PERSONABLE
AND IT'S...
I DON'T KNOW...
IT'S JUST LIKE,
IT'S LIKE A CHOIR
SLAPPED ONTO
A ROCKABILLY TUNE.
IT'S A GREAT OLD
STANDARD NEW ORLEANS SONG
THAT WAS PUBLIC DOMAIN,
ORIGINALLY,
AND HAD DIFFERENT LYRICS,
YOU KNOW.
I DON'T KNOW, I DON'T THINK
ANYBODY'S DONE IT
SINCE SONNY BURGESS,
HAVE THEY?
NO.
BUT TO ME IT'S AMAZING
THAT YOU GUYS
WERE ABLE TO REALLY DO THAT
MUSIC SO AUTHENTICALLY,
BECAUSE IT'S NOT EXACTLY
WHERE YOU'RE FROM.
- IT'S WHAT YOU
LISTENED TO A LOT...
- YEAH.
BUT I THINK OF YOU AS COMING
MUCH MORE FROM THE BLUES.
Page:
THAT'S WHAT WE
CUT OUR TEETH ON,
LEARNING OFF RECORDS.
SO, SHALL WE TRY THE B-Vs?
- YEAH.
- SOUNDS GOOD.
♪ YEAH, MY BUCKET'S GOT
A HOLE IN IT ♪
♪ YEAH, MY BUCKET'S
GOT A HOLE IN IT ♪
♪ YEAH, MY BUCKET'S GOT
A HOLE IN IT ♪
♪ IT WON'T HOLD NO BEER... ♪
OKAY, FANTASTIC.
I DIDN'T KNOW THE NOTES.
I NEVER KNEW
FOR SO MANY YEARS,
I NEVER KNEW THE BUCKET
WOULDN'T HOLD ANY BEER.
MAKES US GO,
"WHOA! HEY!"
Ertegun:
THEY COME IN LATE.
IT'S A LITTLE LATE.
YEAH...
COME IN LATE, YEAH.
THEY COME IN LATE.
THEY SHOULD COME IN ON...
♪ HOLE IN IT ♪
♪ YEAH, MY BUCKET'S
GOT A HOLE IN IT ♪
♪ YEAH, MY BUCKET'S GOT
A HOLE IN IT... ♪
Ertegun:
IT GOES A LITTLE FASTER.
FINISH AT THE SAME TIME,
MORE OR LESS.
YEAH.
♪ STANDIN' ON THE CORNER ♪
♪ WITH MY BUCKET
IN MY HAND ♪
♪ JUST A' LOOKIN'
FOR A WOMAN ♪
♪ THAT AIN'T GOT NO MAN ♪
♪ 'CAUSE MY BUCKET'S
GOT A HOLE IN IT ♪
♪ YEAH, MY BUCKET'S GOT
A HOLE IN IT ♪
♪ YEAH, MY BUCKET'S
GOT A HOLE IN IT ♪
♪ IT WON'T HOLD NO BEER ♪
♪ WELL, THERE AIN'T NO USE ♪
♪ FOR ME A' WORKIN'
SO HARD ♪
♪ 'CAUSE I GOT A WOMAN ♪
♪ IN THE BOSS MAN'S YARD ♪
♪ 'CAUSE MY BUCKET'S
GOT A HOLE IN IT ♪
♪ YEAH, MY BUCKET'S GOT
A HOLE IN IT ♪
♪ YEAH, MY BUCKET'S
GOT A HOLE IN IT ♪
♪ IT WON'T HOLD NO BEER ♪
♪ WHOA, YEAH ♪
♪ YEAH ♪
♪ WENT UP ON THE MOUNTAIN ♪
♪ I LOOKED DOWN TO THE SEA ♪
♪ I SAW THE CRABS
AND THE FISHES ♪
♪ DOING THE BEBOP BEE ♪
♪ NOW, ME AND MY BABY ♪
♪ I BOUGHT ME A FORD ♪
♪ WE BEEN SITTIN'
TOGETHER, MAN ♪
♪ ON THE RUNNING BOARD ♪
♪ 'CAUSE MY BUCKET'S
GOT A HOLE IN IT ♪
♪ YEAH, MY BUCKET'S GOT
A HOLE IN IT ♪
♪ YEAH, MY BUCKET'S
GOT A HOLE IN IT ♪
♪ WON'T HOLD NO BEER ♪
♪ WHOA, LET'S GO, YEAH ♪
♪ WELL, NOW, MY BUCKET'S GOT
A HOLE IN IT ♪
♪ YEAH, MY BUCKET'S
GOT A HOLE IN IT ♪
♪ YEAH, MY BUCKET'S GOT
A HOLE IN IT ♪
♪ IT WON'T HOLD NO BEER ♪
♪ YEAH, MY BUCKET'S GOT
A HOLE IN IT ♪
♪ YEAH, MY BUCKET'S
GOT A HOLE IN IT ♪
♪ YEAH, MY BUCKET'S GOT
A HOLE IN IT ♪
♪ WON'T HOLD NO BEER. ♪
CHAPS, DO YOU MIND
TRACKING IT?
NO, NO,
ABSOLUTELY.
Plant: OH, NO, NOW.
Phillips:
BILLY LEE RILEY HAD
THE REAL POTENTIAL
TO BE
A BIG RECORD SELLER.
BUT BILLY DID HAVE
A PRETTY GOOD TEMPER
AND MAYBE NOT THE GREATEST
OVERVIEW ON LIFE IN THE WORLD.
BUT BILLY LEE,
HAVING THE TALENT
THAT HE'S GOT,
BUT BEING ON SUN RECORDS,
THERE WAS SOMETHING ABOUT
WHEN YOU HEARD BILLY LEE RILEY,
YOU KNEW THAT SUN SOUND
WAS THERE.
♪ MY GAL IS RED HOT ♪
♪ YOUR GAL
AIN'T DOODLY SQUAT ♪
♪ YEAH! MY GAL IS RED HOT ♪
♪ YOUR GAL
AIN'T DOODLY SQUAT ♪
♪ WELL, SHE AIN'T
GOT NO MONEY ♪
♪ BUT, MAN,
SHE'S REALLY GOT A LOT ♪
♪ WELL, I GOT A GAL,
SIX FEET FOUR ♪
♪ SLEEPS IN THE KITCHEN
WITH HER FEETS OUT THE DOOR ♪
♪ BUT MY GAL IS RED HOT ♪
♪ YOUR GAL
AIN'T DOODLY SQUAT ♪
♪ YEAH,
MY GAL IS RED HOT ♪
♪ YOUR GAL
AIN'T DOODLY SQUAT ♪
♪ SHE AIN'T GOT NO MONEY,
BUT LOVIN' SHE SURE GOT A LOT ♪
♪ SHE'S A ONE-MAN WOMAN,
THAT'S WHAT I LIKE ♪
♪ NOT A WISHY-WASHY WOMAN,
CHANGE HER MIND EVERY NIGHT ♪
♪ BUT MY GAL IS RED HOT ♪
♪ YOUR GAL
AIN'T DOODLY SQUAT ♪
♪ YEAH! MY GAL IS RED HOT ♪
♪ SHE AIN'T GOT NO MONEY,
BUT LOVIN' SHE SURE
GOT A LOT. ♪
WHOA, ALL RIGHT!
MEMORIES ARE MADE OF THIS!
YOU KNOW, WHEN WE TRIED
TO CUT THAT HERE,
THEY'D WANT TO PUT THAT PAUSE,
THAT BREAK IN,
♪ MY GAL IS RED HOT,
YOUR GAL AIN'T... ♪
MOST PEOPLE CAN'T DO THAT.
THEY CAN'T FIGURE THAT OUT.
THEY WANT TO GO...
♪ MY GAL IS RED HOT ♪
♪ YOUR GAL AIN'T... ♪
YEAH, RIGHT, THAT AIN'T
THE WAY WE DID IT.
THEY DON'T HAVE THAT SOUL
IF YOU DO IT THAT WAY.
OF COURSE,
WE COULD'VE BEEN WRONG.
- I DON'T THINK SO.
- WE HAD IT RIGHT
THE FIRST TIME.
I DON'T THINK
WE WERE EVER WRONG,
WE WAS RIGHT EVERY TIME.
HOW COULD YOU BE WRONG
IN 1956?
CAN'T DO ALL OF THAT
GOOD STUFF, MAN, NO WAY!
WE HAD SOME GOOD TIMES THERE,
AND AFTER THAT, YOU KNOW,
WE HAD SOME GOOD TIMES,
SOME BAD TIMES,
SOME WILD TIMES.
IT'S GOT TO BE THE MOST
MEMORABLE THREE YEARS
OF MY LIFE.
WELL, ME TOO.
JUST A LOT OF FUN.
IT'S MEANT MORE TO ME
THAN ANY PART OF MY LIFE.
WE'RE KNOWN
ALL OVER THE WORLD.
WE PROBABLY WOULD'VE
NEVER BEEN KNOWN ANYWHERE
EXCEPT MEMPHIS
- IF WE HADN'T HAVE GOTTEN...
- YEAH, THAT'S RIGHT.
AND MAYBE NOT EVEN THERE,
YOU KNOW.
WE MAY HAVE BEEN RUN
OUT OF MEMPHIS
BEFORE WE GOT TO BE KNOWN.
THIS IS TRUE.
♪ WELL, THE NEWS OF THE SAUCER
BEEN FLYIN' AROUND ♪
♪ I'M THE ONLY ONE THAT SEEN IT
ON THE GROUND ♪
♪ FIRST THING I SEEN
WHEN I SAW IT LAND ♪
♪ A CAT JUMPED OUT,
AND THEY FORMED A BAND ♪
♪ FLYIN' SAUCER ROCK 'N' ROLL
♪ FLYIN' SAUCER
ROCK 'N' ROLL ♪
♪ I COULDN'T UNDERSTAND
A THING THEY SAID ♪
♪ BUT THE CRAZY BEAT
JUST KNOCKED ME DEAD ♪
♪ OWW! ♪
♪ WELL, THE LITTLE GREEN MEN,
THEY WERE REAL HEPCATS ♪
♪ ROCKIN' AND ROLLIN'
TO THEIR CRAZY FLATS ♪
♪ BROUGHT OUT THE SAX
AND STARTED TO BLOW ♪
♪ BROUGHT OUT THE DRUMS
AND THEY STARTED TO ROLL ♪
♪ FLYIN' SAUCER
ROCK 'N' ROLL
♪ FLYIN' SAUCER
ROCK 'N' ROLL ♪
♪ I COULDN'T UNDERSTAND
A THING THEY SAID ♪
♪ BUT THAT CRAZY BEAT JUST
KNOCKED ME DEAD ♪
♪ OWW! ♪
♪ WELL, THE LITTLE GREEN MEN,
THEY WERE REAL HEPCATS ♪
♪ ROCKIN' AND ROLLIN'
TO THEIR CRAZY FLATS ♪
♪ BROUGHT OUT A SAX
AND STARTED TO BLOW ♪
♪ BROUGHT OUT THE DRUMS
AND STARTED TO ROLL ♪
♪ FLYIN' SAUCER
ROCK 'N' ROLL ♪
♪ FLYIN' SAUCER
ROCK 'N' ROLL ♪
♪ I COULDN'T UNDERSTAND
A THING THEY SAID ♪
♪ BUT THAT CRAZY BEAT JUST
KNOCKED ME DEAD... ♪
WHOA!
THANK YOU!
THANK YOU SO MUCH.
BILLY LEE RILEY!
WELL, THERE I'M SITTING
IN MEMPHIS,
IN MY OWN HOME TOWN,
AND WE'RE,
AND SUN RECORDS IS GETTING
KNOWN AROUND THE WORLD,
AND I DID THINK WE WERE
INTO SOMETHING
KIND OF SPECIAL
AT THAT TIME,
THAT WE WERE MAKING SOME MUSIC
THAT WOULD HAVE A LOT OF IMPACT,
AND MAYBE LAST FOR A WHILE.
AND IT HAS... IT'S ENDURED.
THE SUN LABEL,
THAT LITTLE YELLOW LABEL
WITH THAT ROOSTER ON IT,
HAS, LIKE I SAID,
SURVIVED AND HAS ALSO BROUGHT
A LOT OF PEOPLE
INTO THE BUSINESS...
THAT PROBABLY WOULD NOT
HAVE GOTTEN INTO IT,
HAD IT NOT BEEN
FOR PEOPLE LIKE MYSELF,
JERRY LEE, OR CARL PERKINS,
AND THOSE PEOPLE.
LIKE THE BEATLES.
DOING A LOT OF SUN RECORDS...
BETWEEN SUN AND CHUCK BERRY,
I THINK THAT WAS MOST
OF THE SONGS THAT THEY DID.
AND THE SAME WAY
WITH MICK JAGGER
AND ALL THOSE GUYS.
THAT'S WHAT THEY
CUT THEIR TEETH ON.
♪ WELL, IT'S ONE
FOR THE MONEY ♪
♪ TWO FOR THE SHOW ♪
♪ THREE TO GET READY,
NOW GO, CAT, GO ♪
♪ BUT DON'T YOU
STEP ON MY BLUE SUEDE SHOES ♪
♪ YOU CAN DO ANYTHING, BUT LAY
OFF OF MY BLUE SUEDE SHOES... ♪
Ertegun:
I SUPPOSE THAT
MORE THAN ANYBODY,
YOU'RE RESPONSIBLE
FOR INTRODUCING THE MUSIC
OF SUN RECORDS
TO A EUROPEAN MARKET.
THE FIRST TIME
I HEARD ELVIS WAS ON A 78...
THOSE OLD RECORDS...
- THAT'S THE FIRST TIME
I HEARD HIM, TOO.
- YES.
IT WAS IN A JUKEBOX.
AND IT WAS,
"DON'T LET THE SUN SHINE."
YEAH.
SOMETHING ABOUT...
AND SAVE MY...
"BABY, LET'S PLAY HOUSE."
AND I BECAME
A FAN OF ELVIS, ACTUALLY.
AND THEN HE DID HIS VERSION
OF "BLUE SUEDE SHOES"
THAT I HAD ALREADY KNOWN
BY CARL PERKINS...
UH-HUH.
AND NOW WHEN YOU
ASKED ME TO DO
THE VERSION
OF "BLUE SUEDE SHOES,"
I DID
THE CARL PERKINS VERSION,
WITH THE TWO CHORDS,
YOU KNOW.
♪ WELL, IT'S ONE
FOR THE MONEY ♪
♪ TWO FOR THE SHOW ♪
♪ THREE TO GET READY,
NOW GO, CAT, GO ♪
♪ BUT DON'T YOU
STEP ON MY BLUE SUEDE SHOES ♪
♪ WELL,
YOU CAN DO ANYTHING ♪
♪ BUT LAY OFF
OF MY BLUE SUEDE SHOES ♪
♪ WELL, YOU CAN
KNOCK ME DOWN ♪
♪ STEP ON MY FACE ♪
♪ SLANDER MY NAME
ALL OVER THE PLACE ♪
♪ DO ANYTHING
THAT YOU WANT TO DO ♪
♪ BUT, UH-UH, HONEY,
LAY OFF OF MY SHOES ♪
♪ BUT DON'T YOU
STEP ON MY BLUE SUEDE SHOES ♪
♪ WELL, YOU CAN DO ANYTHING,
BUT LAY OFF OF MY BLUE
SUEDE SHOES... ♪
AH, THAT'S ROCKIN', BABY.
♪ WELL, YOU CAN
BURN MY HOUSE ♪
♪ STEAL MY CAR ♪
♪ DRINK MY LIQUOR
FROM AN OLD FRUIT JAR ♪
♪ DO ANYTHING
THAT YOU WANT TO DO ♪
♪ BUT, UH-UH, HONEY,
LAY OFF OF MY SHOES ♪
♪ BUT DON'T YOU
STEP ON MY BLUE SUEDE SHOES ♪
♪ WELL, YOU CAN DO ANYTHING ♪
♪ BUT LAY OFF
OF MY BLUE SUEDE SHOES... ♪
LET'S ROCK AGAIN.
ALL RIGHT!
♪ WELL, IT'S ONE
FOR THE MONEY ♪
♪ TWO FOR THE SHOW ♪
♪ THREE TO GET READY,
NOW GO, GO, GO ♪
♪ BUT DON'T YOU ♪
♪ STEP ON
MY BLUE SUEDE SHOES ♪
♪ WELL, YOU CAN
DO ANYTHING ♪
♪ BUT LAY OFF
OF MY BLUE SUEDE SHOES ♪
♪ WELL, IT'S BLUE, BLUE,
BLUE SUEDE SHOES, BABY ♪
♪ BLUE, BLUE,
BLUE SUEDE SHOES, BABY ♪
♪ BLUE, BLUE,
BLUE SUEDE SHOES, YEAH ♪
♪ BLUE, BLUE,
BLUE SUEDE SHOES ♪
♪ WELL, YOU CAN
DO ANYTHING ♪
♪ BUT LAY OFF
OF MY BLUE SUEDE SHOES ♪
♪ YEAH. ♪
♪ YOU WON'T BE SATISFIED ♪
♪ WITH ANYONE ♪
♪ SO AFTER YOU ♪
♪ GET RID OF ME ♪
♪ WHO WILL
THE NEXT FOOL BE? ♪
WHAT KEY DO YOU WANT
TO DO IT IN?
Zucchero:
THE CD IS BETWEEN
D AND E FLAT.
WELL, WE CAN DO IT
IN-BETWEEN.
I DON'T KNOW IF IT'S THE RIGHT...
THE TUNE IS EXACTLY...
THE SAME TUNE OF THE RECORD,
SO I DON'T KNOW.
I CAN TRY IN "E"...
- WELL, D's BETTER.
- OR D.
D's BETTER FOR US...
D's BETTER FOR ME AND SCOTTY,
AND ACTUALLY MUCH BETTER
ON DRUMS AS WELL...
E FLAT I CAN TUNE DOWN
IN A NEW YORK MINUTE.
SO F TO F SHARP.
♪ YOU GET RID OF ME ♪
♪ WHO ♪
♪ WILL THE NEXT
FOOL BE? ♪
♪ WILL HE BELIEVE ♪
♪ ALL THOSE LIES ♪
♪ END UP LIKE ME
WITH TEARS IN HIS EYES? ♪
♪ I KNOW, I KNOW,
I KNOW, I KNOW ♪
♪ I'D LIKE TO BE THE ONE
TO TELL HIM SO ♪
♪ 'CAUSE AFTER ALL
IS SAID AND DONE ♪
♪ YOU WON'T BE SATISFIED
WITH ANYONE ♪
♪ SO AFTER
YOU GET RID OF ME ♪
♪ WHO WILL
THE NEXT FOOL BE? ♪
♪ WILL HE BELIEVE ♪
♪ ALL THOSE LIES ♪
♪ END UP LIKE ME
WITH TEARS IN HIS EYES? ♪
♪ I KNOW, I KNOW,
I KNOW, I KNOW ♪
♪ I'D LIKE TO BE THE ONE
TO TELL HIM SO ♪
♪ SAYING 'CAUSE AFTER ALL IS
SAID AND DONE ♪
♪ YOU WON'T BE SATISFIED
WITH ANYONE ♪
♪ SO AFTER
YOU GET RID OF ME ♪
♪ WHO WILL
THE NEXT FOOL BE? ♪
THE MUSIC TODAY DOESN'T
SOUND LIKE THE SUN SOUND,
BUT A LOT OF THE MUSICIANS
WERE INFLUENCED BY THAT,
AND I THINK THEY'VE TAKEN IT
AND INTERPRETED IT
IN THEIR OWN WAY
AND CREATED NEW FORMS WITH IT,
BUT IT'S TRACEABLE BACK TO...
A LOT OF IT'S TRACEABLE
BACK TO THE SUN THING.
THE BEAUTY OF WHATEVER IT WAS
THAT I HAD TO DO WITH MUSIC
IS YOU'VE GOT TO SAY
THAT I HAVE TO DO WITH MUSIC,
BECAUSE IT IS STILL PRESENT.
IT WILL NEVER GO AWAY.
♪ SOON YOUR SUGAR DADDIES
WILL ALL BE GONE ♪
♪ YOU WAKE UP SOME COLD DAY
AND FIND YOU'RE ALONE ♪
♪ YOU'LL CALL FOR ME, BUT I'M
GONNA TELL YOU BYE, BYE, BYE ♪
♪ WHEN I TURN AROUND
AND WALK AWAY, YOU'LL CRY,
CRY, CRY... ♪
Phillips:
MY INFLUENCE,
WHATEVER IT WAS,
AND THE INFLUENCE OF MANY
OTHERS
THAT WERE INFLUENCED BY ME,
THEN OTHERS INFLUENCED BY
THOSE,
AND THOSE AND THOSE...
IT IS ABSOLUTELY
THE MOST FREEING THING
FOR YOUNG MUSICIANS.
♪ CHICKA, CHICKA,
BOOM, BOOM, BOOM... ♪
Hargreaves:
IT WAS TRULY REVOLUTIONARY
MUSIC AT THE TIME,
AND WHAT BROUGHT THEM
INTO THAT BUILDING TO DO THAT...
AND REALLY JUST RAISE
THEIR MIDDLE FINGER
TO PEOPLE, YOU KNOW?
IT'S A TRIP.
WHERE EVERYONE WAS ON
THIS LIKE, "I WANNA GO!"
IT WAS JUST LIKE
THERE WAS THIS REPRESSION
THAT WAS GOING ON
IN POSTWAR AMERICA
THAT WE DON'T HAVE NOW,
AND THERE WAS A PURITY
IN THAT, LIKE...
IT'S LIKE BUSTING OUT WITH,
LIKE, THE HOT ROD.
♪ YOU'RE GOING TO CRY... ♪
RIGHT.
Jenkins:
JOHNNY CASH IS NOT MY IDOL.
ELVIS IS NOT MY IDOL.
RIGHT BEFORE WE
GO INTO THE CHORUS.
THE GUYS THAT THEY INFLUENCED
ARE REALLY MORE MY IDOLS...
JIMMY PAGE AND PAUL McCARTNEY.
I REVERE THE PEOPLE
THAT REVERED THEM, YOU KNOW.
THAT'LL JUST OPEN IT UP
A LITTLE BIT.
WHAT THOSE CATS WERE
PLAYING THE SUN SESSIONS
DID FOR BANDS
LIKE THE WHO
AND LED ZEPPELIN,
THAT'S WHAT THOSE BANDS
DID FOR ME.
COOL...
THOSE BANDS SHOWED ME
THERE WAS THIS WORLD OUT THERE
THAT WAS DANGEROUS AND EROTIC
AND NOT LIMITED...
PLUS THOSE HILLBILLIES
COULD PLAY.
♪ EVERYBODY KNOWS WHERE YOU GO
WHEN THE SUN GOES DOWN ♪
♪ I THINK YOU ONLY LIVE TO SEE
THE LIGHT OF TOWN ♪
♪ I WASTED MY TIME
WHEN I WOULD TRY, TRY, TRY ♪
♪ 'CAUSE WHEN THE LIGHTS
HAVE LOST THEIR GLOW ♪
♪ YOU'LL CRY, CRY, CRY ♪
♪ SOON YOUR SUGAR DADDIES
WILL ALL BE GONE ♪
♪ YOU WAKE UP SOME COLD DAY
AND FIND YOU'RE ALL ALONE ♪
♪ YOU'LL CALL FOR ME, BUT I'M
GONNA TELL YOU BYE, BYE, BYE ♪
♪ WHEN I TURN AROUND AND WALK,
YOU'LL CRY, CRY, CRY ♪
♪ YOU'RE GONNA CRY,
CRY, CRY ♪
♪ AND YOU'LL CRY ALONE ♪
♪ WHEN EVERYONE'S
FORGOTTEN ♪
♪ AND YOU'RE LEFT
ON YOUR OWN ♪
♪ YOU'RE GONNA CRY ♪
♪ CRY, CRY, CRY ♪
♪ I LIE AWAKE AT NIGHT
AND WAIT TILL YOU COME IN ♪
♪ YOU STAY A LITTLE WHILE
AND THEN YOU'RE GONE AGAIN ♪
♪ EVERY QUESTION THAT I ASK
I GET A LIE, A LIE, A LIE ♪
♪ AND FOR EVERY LIE,
YOU'RE GONNA CRY ♪
♪ AND CRY AND CRY AND CRY ♪
♪ YOU'RE GONNA CRY ♪
♪ AND THEN YOU'LL,
YOU'LL CRY ALONE ♪
♪ WHEN EVERYONE'S FORGOTTEN
AND YOU'RE LEFT ON YOUR OWN ♪
♪ YOU'RE GONNA CRY ♪
♪ CRY, CRY, CRY ♪
♪ YOU'RE GONNA CRY ♪
♪ CRY, CRY, CRY ♪
♪ YOU'RE GONNA CRY ♪
♪ CRY, CRY, CRY. ♪
♪ DOWN IN NEW ORLEANS
WHERE EVERYTHING'S FINE ♪
♪ ALL THEM CATS
KEEP SIPPIN' THAT WINE ♪
♪ DRINKIN' THAT MESS
IS SURE DELIGHT ♪
♪ THEN THEY START FUSSIN'
AND FIGHTIN' ALL NIGHT ♪
♪ DRINKIN' WINE SPO-DEE-O-DEE,
DRINKIN' WINE ♪
♪ WINE SPO-DEE-O-DEE,
DRINKIN' WINE ♪
♪ WINE SPO-DEE-O-DEE,
DRINKIN' WINE ♪
♪ PASS THAT BOTTLE TO ME ♪
♪ HOY, HOY, HOY ♪
♪ WINE, WINE, WINE,
ELDERBERRY ♪
♪ WINE, WINE, WINE,
OH SHERRY ♪
♪ WINE, WINE, WINE,
BLACKBERRY ♪
♪ WINE, WINE, WINE,
HALF-AND-HALF ♪
♪ WINE, WINE, WINE,
OH BOY ♪
♪ PASS THAT BOTTLE
TO ME. ♪
YEAH!
♪ DOWN IN NEW ORLEANS
WHERE EVERYTHING'S FINE ♪
♪ ALL THE CATS
WERE PASSIN' THEIR WINE ♪
♪ DRINKIN' THAT MESS,
THAT'S THEIR DELIGHT ♪
♪ THEY GET IN THAT STUFF,
START FIGHTIN' ALL NIGHT ♪
♪ WELL, I GOT A NICKEL
AND YOU GOT A DIME ♪
♪ LET'S GET TOGETHER
AND COP SOME WINE ♪
♪ SOME BUY THE FIFTH,
SOME BUY THE QUART ♪
♪ IF YOU BUY THE HALF-GALLON,
YOU'RE DOIN' THINGS SMART ♪
♪ DRINK WINE
SPO-DEE-O-DEE ♪
♪ PASS THAT BOTTLE TO ME ♪
♪ DRINK WINE
SPO-DEE-O-DEE ♪
♪ PASS THAT BOTTLE TO ME ♪
♪ DRINK WINE ♪
♪ SPO-DEE-O-DEE ♪
♪ PASS THAT BOTTLE TO ME ♪
♪ DRINK WINE SPO-DEE-O-DEE ♪
♪ PASS THAT BOTTLE TO ME ♪
Rapping:
♪ SEE ME BUMPIN'
UP AND DOWN YOUR BLOCK ♪
♪ FEEL ME COMIN',
MOUTH RUNNIN' ♪
♪ WITH THE BIG BEATS
DRUMMIN' ♪
♪ ONE IN THE SAME
WITH BROWN BAG IN HAND ♪
♪ PEOPLE POINT AND STARE
BECAUSE I'M THE FUCKING MAN ♪
♪ DRINK WINE ♪
♪ AND THAT'S ALL I DO ♪
♪ LAY BACK WITH THE SACK
AND THE BOOGALOO, TOO ♪
♪ LET THE FEW WHO KNEW
ABOUT EARL THROUGH ♪
♪ I'M GONNA DRINK SOME DOWN ♪
♪ AND PASS IT ON TO YOU ♪
♪ DRINK WINE ♪
♪ ALL NIGHT LONG
UNTIL THE BREAKS OF DAWN ♪
♪ DRINK WINE ♪
♪ I SAID ON AND A' ON
AND ON-ON AND ON ♪
♪ DRINK WINE ♪
♪ YOU KNOW WE DON'T QUIT
TILL THAT BOTTLE'S ALL GONE ♪
♪ DRINK WINE SPO-DEE-O-DEE ♪
♪ PASS THAT BOTTLE
TO ME... ♪
COME ON!
♪ PASS THAT BOTTLE
TO ME... ♪
COME ON!
♪ PASS THAT BOTTLE TO ME ♪
♪ PASS THAT BOTTLE TO ME ♪
♪ PASS THAT
BOTTLE TO ME... ♪
Man:
WHAT IS
WINE SPO-DEE-O-DEE?
SPO-DEE-O-DEE
WAS THAT MASH
WHEN ALL THE WINOS WOULD POUR
WHATEVER'S LEFT IN THE BOTTLES
ALL INTO ONE BIG POT
AND STIR IT UP
AND PASS IT AROUND,
YOU KNOW?
SOUNDS LIKE
SUNDAY BREAKFAST
AT THE ROCK HOUSE.
THAT'S RIGHT.
THOSE GUYS AT SUN RECORDS
WERE A BUNCH OF DRINKERS.
BEING A MUSICIAN
INVOLVES GETTING HIGH
ONCE IN A WHILE
JUST 'CAUSE OF
THE WAY WE ARE, AND STUFF...
THEY WEREN'T DRINKING
FRENCH WINE BACK THEN,
LIKE WE ARE NOW, ROCK.
SUN RECORDS, I THINK,
WAS THE BEGINNING
OF ROCK 'N' ROLL REBELLION
RIGHT THERE, THAT WAS IT.
THAT STARTED IT ALL,
AND IT'S NEVER STOPPED,
- AMEN, BROTHER!
- Kid Rock: YEAH,
I'M JUST FOLLOWING
THE FUCKING
ROCK 'N' ROLL HANDBOOK
THAT WAS WRITTEN
BY A LOT OF THESE CATS.
YOU KNOW, IT'S LIKE...
DRINK A LOT, GET A GOOD HABIT,
RECORD SONGS,
GET MODEL GIRLFRIEND,
WEAR SHADES WHEN
THE LIGHTS ARE ON,
THROW TV
OUT OF HOTEL WINDOW,
LOSE IT ALL,
MAKE COMEBACK, DIE.
WHICH PART OF THIS
ARE YOU IN NOW?
- LIKE CHAPTER...
- MODEL GIRLFRIEND?
I STAYED AT CHAPTER FIVE,
MODEL GIRLFRIENDS.
♪ WINE, WINE, WINE ♪
♪ WINE, WINE, WINE ♪
♪ WINE, WINE, WINE ♪
♪ PASS THAT BOTTLE TO ME ♪
Riley:
I THINK ONE OF THE MAIN
INGREDIENTS
OF WHY WE DID SO WELL
AT SUN RECORDS,
WE ALWAYS HAD PLENTY
OF THUNDERBIRD.
NOW, DON'T MENTION
THAT THUNDERBIRD.
PLENTY OF THUNDERBIRD.
YEAH, THE THUNDERBIRD WINE
GOT FLOWING.
I KNOW ME AND JOHNNY RAY
AND BILL...
I DON'T KNOW
ABOUT ANYBODY ELSE...
BUT WE GOT FEELING GOOD
ON THAT THUNDERBIRD WINE.
YOU GUYS GOT ME
STARTED DRINKING IT.
I WAS JUST 16 YEARS OLD.
Y'ALL SHOULDN'T HAVE BEEN
DOING THAT AROUND ME.
THERE WASN'T THAT MUCH
DRINKING GOING ON.
Woman:
AH, COME ON.
A MAN THAT...
ANYBODY THAT WOULD
SAY THAT WOULD BE
BECAUSE HE WAS
TOO DRUNK TO SEE.
I WASN'T
DRINKING VERY MUCH.
'CAUSE I GUARANTEE YA,
I NEVER DID A SESSION
THAT I WASN'T DRUNK.
Woman:
JUST WALKING IN
THE STUDIO NEXT DAY...
THE SMELL OF IT
WILL GET YOU DRUNK.
I'D BEEN THERE QUITE A WHILE,
AND ONE DAY I GOT DRUNK,
ONE AFTERNOON.
AND I DISCOVERED
THAT I COULDN'T MIX, DRUNK.
SO YOU KNOW WHAT I DID?
LEARNED TO MIX DRUNK.
Pittman:
IS IT TRUE, JACK, THAT YOU
RECORDED A SONG ONE TIME
AND YOU PUT THE MICROPHONE
IN THE BATHROOM TO GET ECHO,
AND SOMEBODY WENT
TO THE BATHROOM
AND YOU PICKED UP
THE FLUSH ON THE RECORDING?
OH, I WAS ALWAYS
DOING STUFF LIKE THAT.
HE PUT ME IN THE BATHROOM
AT SUN AT ONE TIME.
I SANG
IN THE BATHROOM AT SUN.
I THINK THAT'S THE MAIN THING
ABOUT BEING THERE AT SUN
WAS THAT WE BROKE
ALL THE RULES.
WE DIDN'T KNOW THE RULES.
SAM WAS ALWAYS SAYING,
"I'M LOOKING FOR SOMETHING
DIFFERENT."
SO I WAS LOOKING
FOR SOMETHING DIFFERENT.
IT NEVER OCCURRED TO ME
I'D EVER GET A CHANCE
TO PLAY ON A RECORD
UNLESS YOU HAD
A MUSIC DEGREE, YOU KNOW?
IT WAS JUST THE WAY IT WAS,
THAT MOST OF THE PEOPLE I KNEW
HAD STUDIED MUSIC FOR YEARS
AND GONE TO CONSERVATORIES,
AND THESE WERE THE PEOPLE
THAT HAD THE GREAT
OPPORTUNITIES, YOU KNOW,
AND ALL OF A SUDDEN, HERE
OPPORTUNITY WAS AVAILABLE TO US,
AND I'M REALLY
THANKFUL FOR IT.
I THANK SAM PHILLIPS
TO THIS DAY FOR THAT.
I THINK SAM WOULD HAVE LIKED
TO HAVE DONE A LOT FOR MORE
ARTISTS AND ALL
THAN HE HAD THE MONEY
AT THAT TIME TO DO.
I BELIEVE THAT, YOU KNOW,
HE WANTED TO HELP MORE PEOPLE,
BUT HE JUST REALLY
GOT BUSY
WITH THE MAIN FOUR,
AND...
WELL, I LIKED HIM.
HE TREATED US FINE.
I THINK WHAT SAM CONTRIBUTED
TO THE MUSIC BUSINESS WAS,
HE LIKED THE FEELING.
AND OUR PARTICULAR MUSIC
DEALS OUT OF FEELINGS,
IT DOESN'T DEAL OUT OF
HOW PRETTY YOU SING,
IF THE AUDIENCE CAN FEEL
WHAT YOU'RE PLAYING.
SO I LIKE SAM, YOU KNOW.
HEY, I WOULDN'T BE SITTING HERE
IF IT WASN'T FOR SAM.
I WAS SITTING HERE
LISTENING TO ALL THIS
AND EVERYBODY APPARENTLY
HAS NEVER HAD
ANY PERSONAL RELATIONSHIP
WITH SAM LIKE I DID,
BECAUSE I DON'T SEE SAM
AS ONE OF THEM GREAT,
GREAT PEOPLE.
I THINK HE'S
AN INTELLIGENT MAN,
BUT I THINK HE'S NOT SMART.
AND I BLAME HIM, PERSONALLY,
FOR MY CAREER,
BECAUSE HE DID PERSONALLY
STAND IN FRONT OF ME
AND STOPPED RECORDS ON ME,
STOPPED SHIPPING RECORDS ON ME.
PERSONALLY, HE SAID, "I'M NOT
SHIPPING THIS RECORD ANYMORE."
HE TOLD THE DISTRIBUTORS...
NOT ME...
HE TOLD THE DISTRIBUTORS..
I WALKED IN THERE, HE SAID,
"WE'RE SHIPPING
'GREAT BALLS OF FIRE, '
WE'RE NOT SHIPPING
'RED HOT.'"
WELL, I THINK
SAM'S BIGGEST PROBLEM...
JERRY LEE LEWIS CAME ALONG,
AND SAM JUST SORT
OF DROPPED RILEY
AND PUT ALL HIS EFFORTS
INTO "GREAT BALLS OF FIRE."
HE COULDN'T FOCUS ON MORE
THAN ONE ARTIST AT A TIME.
HE WAS USING US
TO MAKE A LIVING,
NOWADAYS,
FOLKS DON'T TREAT YOU
TOO GOOD, EITHER, FELLAS.
I KNOW THAT,
BUT I'M NOT INVOLVED...
I WAS INVOLVED, IN THE '50s,
WITH SAM PHILLIPS
THAT EVERYBODY
HAS MOLDED INTO A GOD,
AND HE'S NOT A GOD, MAN.
HE'S A HUMAN BEING
THAT CHEATED ME OUT
OF MY MONEY,
AND THAT'S THE KIND
OF SAM PHILLIPS I KNOW.
AND IF Y'ALL KNOW
A DIFFERENT ONE,
YOU DON'T KNOW
THE SAME ONE I KNOW...
I NEVER SAW HIM
IN THE STUDIO.
IF YOU DON'T HAVE PERSONAL
PROBLEMS WITH A MAN,
THEN YOU DON'T KNOW.
IF SAM HAD
TREATED ME NICE, I'D SAY,
"HEY, HE'S THE GREATEST GUY
IN THE WORLD."
BUT HE DIDN'T...
HE TREATED ME BAD.
BUT SEE,
WHAT I'M SAYING,
IN MY OPINION,
HE'S NOT THE GREATEST
GUY IN THE WORLD, HE'S NOT GOD.
HE'S JUST A MAN
LIKE EVERYBODY ELSE.
HE'S TRYING TO MAKE
A LIVING FOR HIM AND HIS FAMILY.
♪ COME ON OVER, BABY ♪
♪ WHOLE LOTTA SHAKIN'
GOIN' ON ♪
♪ YES, I SAID,
COME ON OVER, BABY ♪
♪ BABY, YOU CAN'T GO WRONG ♪
♪ WE AIN'T FAKIN' ♪
♪ WHOLE LOTTA SHAKIN'
GOIN' ON ♪
♪ OH, LET'S GO! ♪
Phillips:
ELVIS TOLD ME THAT
IF HE COULD PLAY THE PIANO
LIKE JERRY LEE LEWIS,
HE SAYS,
"I THINK I'D QUIT SINGING."
THAT'S HOW
UNBELIEVABLY TALENTED
IN SUCH A DIFFERENT WAY...
IT'S NOT THAT HE PLAYS
THE PIANO GOOD...
HE PLAYS THE PIANO
LIKE NO OTHER PERSON.
♪ YOU SHAKE MY NERVES
AND YOU RATTLE MY BRAIN ♪
♪ TOO MUCH LOVE
DRIVES A MAN INSANE ♪
♪ YOU BROKE MY WILL ♪
♪ BUT WHAT A THRILL ♪
♪ GOODNESS GRACIOUS,
GREAT BALLS OF FIRE! ♪
♪ I LAUGHED AT LOVE,
FOR I THOUGHT IT WAS FUNNY ♪
♪ YOU CAME ALONG
AND MOVED ME, HONEY ♪
♪ I CHANGED MY MIND ♪
♪ THIS LOVE IS FINE ♪
♪ GOODNESS GRACIOUS,
GREAT BALLS OF FIRE! ♪
Riley:
WHAT MAKES JERRY LEE SO
UNIQUE IS HIS STYLE OF PLAYING.
HE CAME INTO TOWN,
DOING SOMETHING DIFFERENT
THAT NO ONE ELSE WAS DOING...
PLAYING PIANO
AND PLAYING ROCK 'N' ROLL.
NOW THIS WAS NOT SOMETHING
THAT MEMPHIS WAS USED TO.
Burgess:
JERRY LEE... THAT'S A GUY
THAT NOBODY EVER
GIVES ANY CREDIT FOR BEING
THE MOST COPIED PIANO PLAYER
IN THE WORLD.
NOW, YOU CAN THINK
OF GUITAR PLAYERS,
AND THERE'S A BUNCH
OF DIFFERENT GUITAR PLAYERS
THAT'S INFLUENCED
DIFFERENT PEOPLE.
BUT WHEN YOU STOP AND THINK
ABOUT PIANO PLAYERS...
THINK OF ONE PIANO PLAYER
THAT'S INFLUENCED
EVERY PIANO PLAYER IN THE WORLD,
IT'S JERRY LEE LEWIS.
WHOA!
Phillips:
IT'S JUST ALMOST IMPOSSIBLE
NOT TO BE
S-O-U-L-L-Y,
SOUL-LY CAPTURED BY
JERRY LEE LEWIS FROM THE TIME...
HE CAN START IN THE LEFT HAND
BELOW MIDDLE "C,"
ALL THE WAY UP...
IT DON'T MAKE ANY DIFFERENCE.
WELL, LET'S GO.
SHAKE!
HE'S COMING BACK TO HIT YOU.
♪ SHAKE, BABY, SHAKE ♪
♪ YEAH, BABY, SHAKE ♪
♪ COME ON OVER,
WHOLE LOT OF SHAKIN'
GOIN' ON. ♪
THANK YOU.
Phillips:
EVER SINCE THE DAY
I SET FOOT IN MEMPHIS,
WHICH WAS 1939,
I'VE ALWAYS BEEN
A PERSON OF PHILOSOPHY.
SOME OF IT'S PRETTY CORNY.
SOME OF IT IS
NOT ALL THAT DAMN GOOD,
AND I DON'T KNOW THAT YOU'D
WANT TO STAKE YOUR LIFE
ON SOME OF MY PHILOSOPHY,
BUT I MEAN I HAVE
LIVED BY PHILOSOPHY.
AND I SURE DO LIKE
FOR PEOPLE TO CORRECT ME.
AND I KNOW THAT FOR SURE,
'CAUSE YOU'VE PHILOSOPHIED
TO ME A LOT OF TIMES.
MAYBE YOU SHOULD'VE BEEN
A PREACHER, SAM.
NO QUESTION ABOUT IT.
Phillips:
LET ME TELL YOU SOMETHING.
BILLY HAD A BAD CASE,
OR A GOOD CASE,
OF FEELING
LIKE HE WAS OVERLOOKED.
AND I CAN SAY THAT...
THAT I WAS.
WELL, YEAH, YEAH.
- BUT YOU REALLY WEREN'T.
- AND I STILL AM.
LET ME TELL YOU...
TELL ME ABOUT A RECORD,
AND DIDN'T I LAY
BILLY EMERSON'S
"RED HOT" ON YOU?
THAT'S ONE
OF THE BEST RECORDS...
DIDN'T I LAY IT ON YOU?
THAT WAS A HIT RECORD,
AND YOU DROPPED IT.
AND IT SHOULD HAVE
BEEN A HIT, AND IT WAS
GONNA BE A HIT...
WELL, I KNOW THAT,
BILLY,
BUT YOU RUB IT
IN FOR ME...
LET ME TELL YOU WHO TOLD ME,
AND YOU KNOW THAT THIS GUY
KNOWS WHAT HE'S TALKING ABOUT.
ALAN FREED WAS OUR GODFATHER
BACK THERE OF MUSIC.
HE TOLD ME
OUT OF HIS OWN MOUTH,
HE SAID,
"THIS IS A TOP FIVE RECORD."
IT'S
A GREAT RECORD.
BUT YOU DROPPED IT FOR
"GREAT BALLS OF FIRE."
WELL, HUSH YO' MOUTH.
YOU DID IT.
YOU DID IT.
JACK, TALK TO ME, MAN.
THIS GUY HERE HAS GOT
A BRILLIANT MIND
AND A BEAUTIFUL FACE
AND A LOVING DEMEANOR...
Clement:
WELL, I LOVE YOU, SAM.
IN SPITE OF THE FACT THAT
YOU'RE A BUTTHOLE, I LOVE YOU.
YOU KNOW,
THERE IS NOT ONE THING
THAT I'LL GO BACK OVER,
THAT I GO
TO SLEEP AT NIGHT
AND FEEL THAT
I LET ANYBODY DOWN.
AND I KNOW I DID,
I JUST WASN'T NINE PEOPLE,
YOU KNOW, AND I DIDN'T TRUST
OTHER PEOPLE TO DO SOMETHING
THAT THEY PROBABLY AT A CERTAIN
STAGE COULD HAVE DONE
JUST AS WELL
OR BETTER THAN ME.
BUT I DIDN'T DO THAT.
THERE'S ANOTHER THING I THINK
YOU CAN ALSO REST ASSURED OF,
I THINK YOU AND I PROBABLY HAD
MORE PROBLEMS THAN ANYBODY,
BUT IT'S BECAUSE
I WAS INDIAN
AND HALF DRUNK
MOST OF THE TIME.
AND HE WAS, TOO, YOU KNOW.
NOW, I DIDN'T DRINK!
COME ON, LET ME TELL YOU
SOMETHING,
THE THING ABOUT IT,
THE THING ABOUT IT...
THAT WAS A LONG TIME AGO.
OH, LORD.
AND I HAVE NO ANIMOSITY
TOWARD NOBODY ABOUT ANYTHING,
ESPECIALLY YOU.
I MEAN, EVEN THOUGH
I'LL ALWAYS BELIEVE
THAT I COULD HAVE BEEN
A BETTER ARTIST
IF YOU'D HAVE GOTTEN
BEHIND ME AND PUSHED ME,
Burgess:
I JUST THINK EVERYTHING
HAPPENS FOR A REASON.
AND I THINK, YOU KNOW, THAT IF
WE WERE MEANT TO BE STARS,
WE WOULD'VE BEEN STARS.
IF WE WERE SUPPOSED TO HAVE
BEEN UP THERE LIKE...
I DON'T THINK THERE'D
BEEN ANYBODY LIKE ELVIS.
IN MY OPINION,
ELVIS WAS THE GREATEST
HE CHANGED
THE WHOLE MUSIC BUSINESS.
BUT I THINK IF I WAS
SUPPOSED TO HAVE BEEN A STAR,
I'D HAVE BEEN A STAR,
BECAUSE I HAD THE GROUP.
AND WE WERE
A LITTLE DIFFERENT,
BUT LIKE I SAID,
THE MUSIC BUSINESS IS...
CHICKEN TODAY
AND FEATHERS TOMORROW.
♪ WELL, I MAKE IT
ALL RIGHT ♪
♪ FROM MONDAY MORNIN'
TILL FRIDAY NIGHT ♪
♪ OH, THOSE LONELY WEEKENDS ♪
♪ SINCE YOU LEFT ME ♪
♪ I'M AS LONELY
AS I CAN BE... ♪
Phillips:
HE WAS ALMOST A SUPERSTAR
THAT WASN'T EVEN CLOSE TO BEING
A STAR AT THAT TIME.
BUT YOU WERE DRAWN TO HIM.
THE CONTAGIOUSNESS OF THE MUSIC
THAT THIS MAN HAD TO OFFER...
IN EVERY CATEGORY OF FEEL.
NOW I USE THIS WORD "FEEL,"
F-E-E-L, SO OFTEN.
IT IS MY JOHN 3:16
WHEN IT COMES TO MUSIC.
I DON'T CARE
IF IT'S COUNTRY,
IT'S THE R&B STUFF THAT
WE CUT, OR ROCK 'N' ROLL.
I DON'T LIKE
CATEGORIES OF MUSIC.
I LIKE MUSIC.
AND THAT'S WHAT CHARLIE
LIKED SO MUCH.
THAT'S CHARLIE RICH FOR YOU.
♪ YOU SAID YOU'D BE ♪
♪ GOOD TO ME ♪
♪ BUT, BABY ♪
♪ YOU DIDN'T EVEN TRY ♪
♪ WELL,
I MAKE IT ALL RIGHT... ♪
HOW ARE YOU DOING, SIR?
IT'S A PLEASURE TO MEET YOU.
ROB, LISTEN, I WAS READING
SOME OF YOUR LYRICS LAST NIGHT,
AND I AM ABSOLUTELY
ASTOUNDED AT YOUR MATURITY.
OH, WHOA.
YOU'VE GOT TO
GET TO KNOW ME, SIR.
NO, I MEAN, YOU KNOW,
IT'S REALLY DEEP,
AND YET IT'S RIGHT THERE
ON THE SURFACE WHERE EVEN I,
AN OLD MAN, CAN UNDERSTAND,
YOU KNOW,
AND EQUATE
TO A GREAT EXTENT, ROB.
THANK YOU SO MUCH.
♪ YOU SAID OUR LOVE ♪
♪ NEVER TO SEE IT DIE... ♪
IT JUST HANGS THERE,
AND THEN WALKS IT DOWN.
♪ YOU SAID YOU'D BE ♪
♪ GOOD TO ME... ♪
AND THEN IT HANGS
ON THAT "D."
YEAH, BUILDS UP.
♪ DON'T EVEN TRY... ♪
BACK TO THE "G,"
BACK TO THAT G-C.
YEAH, THAT'S COOL.
♪ I SAID I MAKE IT
ALL RIGHT ♪
♪ FROM SUNDAY MORNIN'
TILL FRIDAY NIGHT ♪
♪ BUT, WHOA, YEAH ♪
♪ THAT LONELY WEEKEND ♪
♪ SINCE YOU LEFT ME ♪
♪ WELL, I'M AS LONELY
AS I CAN BE ♪
♪ BUT, WHOA, YES ♪
♪ THAT LONELY WEEKEND ♪
♪ YOU SAID YOU'D BE ♪
♪ GOOD TO ME ♪
♪ YOU SAID OUR LOVE, HONEY ♪
♪ WOULD NEVER DIE ♪
♪ YOU SAID YOU'D BE ♪
♪ GOOD TO ME ♪
♪ BUT, BABY ♪
♪ YOU DIDN'T EVEN TRY ♪
♪ I SAID
I'D MAKE IT ALL RIGHT ♪
♪ FROM SUNDAY MORNIN'
TILL FRIDAY NIGHT ♪
♪ BUT, WHOA, YEAH ♪
♪ OH, YEAH,
THAT LONELY WEEKEND... ♪
WHOO!
ALL RIGHT, JERRY.
♪ YOU SAID YOU'D BE ♪
♪ GOOD TO ME ♪
♪ YOU SAID OUR LOVE,
HONEY, HONEY ♪
♪ WOULD NEVER DIE, YEAH ♪
♪ YOU SAID YOU'D BE ♪
♪ GOOD TO ME ♪
♪ BUT, BABY ♪
♪ YOU DIDN'T EVEN TRY ♪
♪ SINCE YOU LEFT ME ♪
♪ SINCE YOU
LEFT ME ♪
♪ SINCE YOU LEFT ME,
NO, NO, NO ♪
♪ LO-LO-LO-LONELY
WEEKENDS, YEAH ♪
♪ LONELY WEEKENDS,
YEAH ♪
♪ LONELY WEEKENDS... ♪
WHOO!
THAT'S KICKING IT
PRETTY DAD-GUM GOOD.
Lewis:
I SAID, "I GOTTA BE
HITTING SOMETHING RIGHT."
THIS REALLY WAS
A MAGICAL EXPERIENCE, THOUGH.
IF THESE WALLS COULD WHISPER,
YOU KNOW WHAT I MEAN?
WHAT KIND OF STORIES...
THANK YOU.
Phillips:
AFTER 10 YEARS OF REALLY BEING
ALL THE WAY INTO IT,
I SAW THE HANDWRITING
ON THE WALL.
IF I'M NOT ANYTHING ELSE,
I AM A GOOD BUSINESSPERSON.
I ALWAYS HAVE BEEN,
BECAUSE WHEN YOU GO
THROUGH THE DEPRESSION,
IF YOU DON'T COME OUT
A GOOD BUSINESSPERSON,
YOU DIDN'T LEARN MUCH.
Burgess:
I THINK WHEN SAM BOWED
OUT OF THE RECORD BUSINESS,
THAT WAS THE END OF SUN.
YOU KNOW,
SUN DIDN'T LAST TOO LONG.
MOST PEOPLE DON'T REALIZE THAT
THAT LITTLE YELLOW LABEL,
WHICH HAS BEEN A MAJOR INFLUENCE
IN THE MUSIC WORLD FOR WHAT,
50 YEARS OR LONGER,
DIDN'T LAST 10 YEARS.
Clement:
WELL, IN THE LATE '50s,
MUSIC STARTED
CHANGING A LITTLE BIT.
THERE WAS A LOT MORE
ROCK 'N' ROLL
COMING OUT OF PHILADELPHIA
AND EVERYWHERE ELSE,
AND IT WAS GETTING
MORE COMPETITIVE.
THEN,
WHEN JOHNNY CASH LEFT,
THAT KIND OF TOOK THE WIND
OUT OF EVERYBODY'S SAILS.
AND THEN JERRY LEE GOT
INTO TROUBLE,
AND CARL PERKINS
WAS ALREADY GONE.
IT GOT TO BE WHERE IT WASN'T
AS EXCITING AS IT HAD BEEN,
BUT I WAS KIND OF
ON THE VERGE OF QUITTING
WHEN I GOT FIRED ANYWAY.
THE REASON
I GOT OUT OF THE BUSINESS WAS,
I WASN'T AFRAID
OF MAJOR LABELS
ON A LEVEL PLAYING FIELD.
I JUST FACED THE REALITY
THAT I COULDN'T
DO THIS ANY LONGER
AND DO THE TYPE
OF EXPERIMENTATION
THAT I WANTED TO DO.
Burgess:
IT JUST SIMPLY
BLAZED LIKE A SUN
FOR A LITTLE WHILE,
AND THEN IT WAS GONE,
EXCEPT TO THE FANS.
IT'S GOOD TO SEE YOU.
Phillips:
I WISH I COULD TELL YOU
THAT WE KNEW THAT THE IMPACT
WAS GOING TO BE THIS PROFOUND.
WE KNEW THAT, IF WE COULD
KEEP IT ALIVE LONG ENOUGH,
THAT THIS BABY MIGHT
HAVE SOME REAL
GROWTH POTENTIAL
THAT GAVE US
THIS UNBELIEVABLE PHENOMENON
KNOWN AS ROCK 'N' ROLL.
♪ WELL, I MAKE
IT ALL RIGHT ♪
♪ FROM MONDAY MORNIN'
TILL FRIDAY NIGHT, BUT, OH... ♪
THAT'S THE TEMPO I WANT.
♪ Since you left me... ♪
YOU NEED TO POP THAT DRUM
JUST A LITTLE BIT BEHIND IT.
♪ But, oh,
those lonely weekends ♪
♪ SAID YOU'D BE GOOD TO ME ♪
♪ YOU SAID OUR LOVE ♪
♪ WAS NEVER GOIN' TO DIE... ♪
I TELL YOU WHAT,
SOUND IS SOMETHING THAT,
IF YOU WILL LET IT,
IT WILL DELIVER TO YOU
SOMETHING THAT IS ABSOLUTELY
IMPOSSIBLE TO GET ANYWHERE ELSE
FROM THE GREATEST SERMON
IN THE WORLD
TO THE GREATEST PICTURE
YOU EVER SAW.
I DON'T CARE WHETHER IT'S
ROCK, TCHAIKOVSKY, BEETHOVEN...
IT DON'T MAKE ANY DIFFERENCE.
THE FUN IS GETTING
THAT RIGHT MIX.
MAKE SURE IT'S NOT PERFECT.
IMPERFECTLY PERFECT,
THAT'S MY SOUND. HA!
♪ JUST WALKIN' IN THE RAIN ♪
♪ SO ALONE AND BLUE ♪
♪ KNOWIN' THINGS
HAVE CHANGED ♪
♪ SOMEHOW I CAN'T... ♪
Phillips:
I'M NOT LOOKING FOR
THE PERFECT SOUND,
BUT I DON'T WANT ANYTHING
THAT DOESN'T BEHAVE FOR YOU
WHEN YOU WANT IT TO,
BECAUSE YOU ARE NOT GONNA
LET SOUND DOWN.
IF IT'S OUT THERE,
YOU BETTER GET IT.
YOU BETTER GET IT THEN,
YOU MAY NOT GET IT AGAIN.
HEY.
A WHOLE LOT OF SHAKING TAKING
PLACE WHEN YOU GO IN THE STUDIO.
♪ WELL, DO YOU SMILE TO TEMPT
THE LOVER, MONA LISA ♪
♪ OR IS THIS YOUR WAY
TO HIDE A BROKEN HEART? ♪
♪ ARE YOU WARM, ARE YOU REAL,
MONA LISA ♪
♪ OR JUST A COLD AND LONELY
LOVELY WORK OF ART? ♪
THERE WE GO!
THAT'S ARTURO TOSCANINI
CONDUCTING!
♪ I HEARD YOU TOLD HIM ♪
♪ THAT YOU'D LOVE HIM ♪
♪ TILL THE END OF TIME ♪
♪ NOW THAT'S
THE SAME THING ♪
♪ THAT YOU TOLD ME... ♪
Phillips:
WHEN IT'S RIGHT
AND IN YOUR MIND
YOU KNOW IT'S RIGHT,
AND YOU'RE NOT DOING IT
JUST TO SAY,
"I WANT TO BE A CHAMPION
OF THIS OR THAT..."
I WANTED TO BE A CHAMPION
OF SOMETHING THATCOULDBE
A CHAMPION OF ALL OF US.
AND THAT'S MUSIC.
♪ AWAY... ♪
HEY! THAT'S A HIT!
BRAND-NEW SONG,
THAT'S A HIP NEW ARTIST.
LORD HAVE MERCY.
THE SUN STUDIO
COULD GET IT OUT OF YOU
EVEN IF YOU
DON'T HAVE IT NOWHERE
AND CAN'T EVEN FIND IT,
AND YOU KNOW...
WOW, THAT'S GOOD!
MAN, MAKES ME WANT
TO GO INTO BUSINESS AGAIN.
♪ WELL, MAMA,
SHE DONE TOLD ME ♪
♪ PAPA DONE TOLD ME, TOO ♪
♪ "SON, THAT GAL
YOU'RE FOOLIN' WITH ♪
♪ SHE AIN'T
NO GAL FOR YOU" ♪
♪ THAT'S ALL RIGHT ♪
♪ THAT'S
ALL RIGHT ♪
♪ THAT'S ALL RIGHT
NOW, MAMA ♪
♪ ANY WAY YOU DO ♪
♪ WELL, YOU SNEAK UP
IN MY KITCHEN ♪
♪ ATE UP ALL MY BREAD ♪
♪ BABY, WHEN MY BACK
WAS TURNED ♪
♪ YOU'RE DEALIN'
IN MY BED ♪
♪ THAT'S ALL RIGHT ♪
♪ THAT'S
ALL RIGHT ♪
♪ THAT'S ALL RIGHT,
NOW, MAMA ♪
♪ ANY WAY YOU DO ♪
♪ OOH-OOH-WHEE ♪
♪ OOH, OOH, OOH,
MM, MM, MM ♪
♪ THAT'S ALL RIGHT ♪
♪ ANY WAY YOU DO. ♪
YEE-HA!
♪ I LOVE YOU,
I LOVE YOU ♪
♪ I LOVE YOU ♪
♪ YOU ARE THE IDEAL
OF MY DREAMS ♪
♪ I ALWAYS KNEW ♪
♪ IT WOULD BE SOMEONE
LIKE YOU ♪
♪ I'VE LOVED YOU
FOREVER IT SEEMS ♪
♪ FOR YEARS IN MY MIND'S
FONDEST FANCY ♪
♪ A PICTURE
OF YOUR FACE I DREW ♪
♪ AND I KNEW
YOU SOMEHOW ♪
♪ WHEN I MET YOU ♪
♪ JUST NOW ♪
♪ YOU ARE THE IDEAL ♪
♪ OF MY DRE-EAMS. ♪
"AMERICAN MASTERS"
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BY THE SUPPORT
OF THE PARK FOUNDATION,
DEDICATED TO EDUCATION
AND QUALITY TELEVISION,
AND BY THE NATIONAL ENDOWMENT
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FOR PUBLIC BROADCASTING.
ADDITIONAL FUNDING
FOR "AMERICAN MASTERS"
HAS BEEN PROVIDED BY...
AND BY CONTRIBUTIONS
TO YOUR PBS STATION
FROM VIEWERS LIKE YOU.
---
"AMERICAN MASTERS"
IS MADE POSSIBLE
BY THE SUPPORT
OF THE PARK FOUNDATION,
DEDICATED TO EDUCATION
AND QUALITY TELEVISION.
AND BY THE NATIONAL ENDOWMENT
FOR THE ARTS,
THE CORPORATION
FOR PUBLIC BROADCASTING.
ADDITIONAL FUNDING
FOR "AMERICAN MASTERS"
HAS BEEN PROVIDED BY...
AND BY CONTRIBUTIONS
TO YOUR PBS STATION
FROM VIEWERS LIKE YOU.
♪ WELL, I HEARD THE NEWS ♪
♪ THERE'S GOOD ROCKIN'
TONIGHT ♪
♪ WELL, I HEARD THE NEWS ♪
♪ THERE'S GOOD ROCKIN'
TONIGHT ♪
♪ I'M GONNA HOLD MY BABY
JUST AS TIGHT AS I CAN ♪
♪ TONIGHT SHE'LL KNOW
I'M A MIGHTY, MIGHTY MAN ♪
♪ I HEARD THE NEWS ♪
♪ THERE'S GOOD ROCKIN'
TONIGHT... ♪
I DON'T KNOW
HOW MANY PEOPLE
WOULD HAVE BEEN LOST
IN THIS WORLD
IF THEY HADN'T HAVE FELT
THE INFLUENCE OF MUSIC
ON THEIR LIFE,
AND THE TYPE OF THING THAT
WE WERE DOING THAT MADE THEM...
MADE THEM...
HAPPILY SO... SAY, "GOOD GOSH!
YOU KNOW,
MAYBE I COULD DO THAT, TOO."
♪ LET'S ROCK,
ROCK, ROCK, ROCK ♪
♪ WELL, LET'S ROCK, ROCK,
ROCK, ROCK ♪
♪ WE GONNA ROCK ♪
♪ ALL OUR BLUES AWAY. ♪
I THINK SUN RECORDS
INFLUENCED THE WORLD
IN A PRETTY
SPECTACULAR WAY,
WHEN YOU ANALYZE
THE WHOLE SITUATION.
AND IF YOU THINK BACK
AT WHAT IT MIGHT HAVE
BEEN WITHOUT IT,
WOULDN'T HAVE
BEEN ANY ELVIS.
MIGHT'VE BEEN BEATLES,
BUT THEY WOULD HAVE
SURE BEEN DIFFERENT,
AND, OF COURSE, COUNTRY MUSIC
WOULD BE DIFFERENT.
EVERYTHING WOULD
BE DIFFERENT.
IT WAS A HELL
OF A THING.
I'M REALLY GLAD
I WAS THERE.
THAT WAS ABOUT THE BEST
THREE YEARS OF MY LIFE, REALLY.
BOY, DID WE HAVE FUN.
SAM COULDN'T TELL YOU
WHAT HE WANTED.
HE WAS TRYING TO PUSH YOU
INTO DOING SOMETHING
THAT YOU WOULDN'T NORMALLY DO,
JUST THAT LITTLE BIT EXTRA.
WE KNEW IT SOUNDED GOOD,
IT FELT GOOD PLAYING IT,
BUT, UH,
"MAN," I SAID,
"PUT THAT OUT,
THEY'RE LIABLE
TO RUN US OUT OF TOWN."
IT WAS THAT DIFFERENT
TO EVERYTHING
THAT WAS GOING
ON AT THE TIME.
SUN RECORDS IS
THE ONLY INDEPENDENT LABEL
THAT HAS
SURVIVED UNTIL NOW
AND IS STILL POPULAR
WITH THE PEOPLE.
THAT LABEL ITSELF
WILL NEVER DIE.
I MEAN, IT'S THERE.
I DON'T CARE,
YOU COULD TALK
TO ANY PERFORMER,
ANY MUSICAL PERFORMER
IN THE WORLD,
AND ASK THEM
IF THEY KNOW SUN RECORDS,
AND THEY WILL
TELL YOU, "YES."
MAN, EVERYBODY IN THIS WORLD
TRIED TO FIND HIM
ANOTHER PRESLEY,
OR GET THAT SUN SOUND.
IT WAS AMAZING,
THE PEOPLE THAT POPPED UP
ALL OVER THE COUNTRY
TRYING TO DO THE SUN SOUND.
BUT SAM WAS THE ONLY ONE
THAT EVER REALLY GOT IT,
AND NOBODY'S
GOT IT SINCE.
YOU KNOW,
IT'S A PHENOMENON.
IT'S ONE OF THOSE
ONCE-IN-A-LIFETIME THINGS,
I GUESS, ISN'T IT?
HOW THAT
LITTLE YELLOW LABEL
THAT SAM PHILLIPS STARTED
IS STILL AROUND.
Phillips:
OH MY GOD.
WHAT'S HAPPENING?
HI.
I'M SO GLAD
TO SEE YOU.
GOD BLESS YOU.
Ertegun:
WHEN WE WERE MAKING
THE MUSIC WE MADE,
WE HOPED TO REACH
A LARGE SEGMENT
OF THE BLACK AMERICAN
POPULATION.
WHICH WE DID.
WHICH WE DID.
YOU DID,
AND I DID, AND...
BUT WE ALSO REACHED
A LOT OF WHITE KIDS.
BECAUSE THE ONE THING
THEY COULDN'T SEGREGATE...
THEY COULD SEGREGATE EVERYTHING
EXCEPT THE RADIO DIAL.
THEY'D JUST GO OVER
TO AN R&B STATION
AND THE WHITE KIDS
LOVED THAT MUSIC
WHEN THEY HEARD IT.
AND THAT'S HOW YOU GOT
ELVIS PRESLEY AND COMPANY.
AND THANK GOD THAT
THE STATUTE OF LIMITATIONS
DIDN'T RUN ON THE BLUES
AND WHAT CAME FROM IT,
AND I'M TALKING ABOUT BOTH
BLACK AND WHITE BLUES...
MEMPHIS IS
THE BLUES CITY, RIGHT?
ABSOLUTELY.
IT'S THE HOME
OF THE MEMPHIS BLUES,
THE BEALE STREET BLUES.
"IF BEALE STREET
COULD WALK,
IF BEALE STREET
COULD TALK,
MARRIED MEN
WOULD HAVE TO
TAKE THEIR BEDS
AND WALK.
EXCEPT ONE OR TWO
WHO NEVER DRINK
THAT BOOZE
AND THE BLIND MAN
ON THE CORNER
SINGING THEM
BEALE STREET BLUES."
"I'D RATHER BE THERE
THAN ANYWHERE I KNOW."
♪ WELL, MY BABY WALKED OFF ♪
♪ SHE MUST HAVE LAID DOWN
AND DIED ♪
♪ WELL,
MY BABY WALKED OFF... ♪
Phillips:
I HAD TO DO EVERYTHING
THAT I POSSIBLY COULD DO
TO KEEP THE DOORS OPEN.
AND I WASN'T GONNA
TURN ANYTHING DOWN...
WEDDINGS,
I JUST ABOUT DID ANYTHING
AS LONG AS IT WAS
HALFWAY LEGAL.
♪ WELL, I'M
SO DOGGONE WORRIED... ♪
IT SUDDENLY
DAWNED ON ME THAT
BLACK PEOPLE DID NOT HAVE
AN OPPORTUNITY
TO MAKE
A PHONOGRAPH RECORD.
NOW, THEY WERE UNTRIED,
UNPROVEN PEOPLE
WITH GREAT POTENTIAL TALENT.
IT WAS UP TO ME
TO LISTEN TO THEM.
♪ WELL, THE WOMAN
WALKED OFF FROM ME, BOYS ♪
♪ SHE MUST HAVE WALKED OFF
AND DIED... ♪
THE WORD GETS AROUND.
BACK THEN, IT DIDN'T GO
IN THE NEWSPAPERS...
IT DIDN'T GO IN ANYTHING...
THAT THIS MAN
WILL GIVE YOU AN OPPORTUNITY.
THIS WAS A FREE AUDITION,
RIGHT ON THROUGH,
EACH AND EVERY
ONE OF THEM.
AND THEN, THE BLACK PEOPLE,
WHEN THEY CAME IN,
LET ME TELL YOU,
THEY WERE AT HOME.
♪ EVERY TIME
MY BABY'S COMIN' IN TOWN ♪
♪ JUST FEEL LIKE
BRINGING HER IN MY ARMS ♪
♪ BRING HER ON
IN MY ARMS. ♪
I KNEW OF
THEIR POVERTY BACKGROUND
BECAUSE I HAD LIVED IT.
THE ONLY DIFFERENCE BETWEEN ME
AND MANY, MANY OF THEM
WAS A WHITE SKIN.
YOU HAVE TO KEEP IN MIND,
IN THE SOUTH,
WE STRONGLY BELIEVED
IN A SPIRITUAL CONNECTION
BETWEEN EACH OTHER.
I MEAN, YOU KNOW,
THE WHOLE STORY HERE,
OF SUN RECORDS,
IS ONE OF GREAT
SPIRITUALITY.
NOW, I'M NOT TALKING ABOUT
A RELIGION AS SUCH,
BUT YOU CAN CALL IT
WHAT YOU WANT TO.
IT HAD TO BE MORE
THAN SAM PHILLIPS
AND SLEEPY JOHN ESTES
AND B.B. KING,
OR RUFUS THOMAS
OR BILLY LEE RILEY
OR SONNY BURGESS
OR THE WOLF.
IT HAD TO BE MORE THAN THAT.
♪ WELL, NOW, MEET ME
IN THE BOTTOM ♪
♪ BRING ME MY RUNNING SHOES ♪
♪ WELL, I'LL COME
OUT THE WINDOW ♪
♪ DON'T HAVE
NO TIME TO LOSE. ♪
THERE IS NOTHING
GREATER
TO DO THAN THE BLUES
IF YOU WOULD BE
A MUSICIAN,
WHETHER VOCALLY,
INSTRUMENTALLY.
THERE IS NOTHING EASIER,
YET MORE DIFFICULT.
THERE IS NO WAY
FOR ANYBODY
TO WRITE THE ESSENCE
OF THE BLUES AS A SCORE.
THAT HAS TO COME
INSTANTANEOUSLY.
SO MUCH OF WHAT
IS HERE NOW
IS OWED TO THE BLUES...
BOTH BLACK AND WHITE.
AND IF YOU LISTEN
TO THE BLACKEST BLACK CAT,
OR THE WHITEST
WHITE HILLBILLY,
YOU'RE GONNA HEAR
SOMETHING WORTHWHILE.
IT'S A SYMPHONY
OF THE SOUL.
THERE IS NO QUESTION
ABOUT IT.
OH, YEAH!
♪ YOU AIN'T NOTHIN' BUT
A BEARCAT ♪
♪ SNOOPIN' ROUND MY DOOR ♪
♪ AIN'T NOTHIN' BUT
A BEARCAT ♪
♪ SNOOPIN' ROUND MY DOOR ♪
♪ YOU CAN PURR,
PRETTY KITTY ♪
♪ BUT I AIN'T GONNA
FEED YOU NO MORE... ♪
MEOW!
COME ON, BABY!
MEOW!
HA HA HA!
MEOW!
♪ AIN'T NOTHIN' BUT
A BEARCAT ♪
♪ SNOOPIN' ROUND
MY DOOR ♪
♪ AIN'T NOTHIN' BUT
A BEARCAT ♪
♪ SNOOPIN' ROUND
MY DOOR ♪
♪ YOU CAN PURR,
PRETTY KITTY ♪
♪ BUT I AIN'T GONNA
FEED YOU NO MORE ♪
♪ DA DA DA
DA DA ♪
♪ AH! ♪
HA HA!
Phillips:
THAT WAS A FORK
OF THE ROAD FOR ME,
BECAUSE I'D BEEN LOOKING
FOR A PERSON, WHITE-SKINNED,
THAT COULD PUT THE FEEL
OF A BLACK PERSON
INTO A PHONOGRAPH RECORD.
KNOWING WE GREW UP IN
THE SAME FIELDS, SO TO SPEAK...
COTTON FIELDS, CORNFIELDS,
EVEN BEFORE WE GREW SOYBEANS,
WATERMELON PATCHES... WHATEVER.
BLACKS AND WHITES.
I KNEW THE POWER OF THE FEEL
BETWEEN THESE RACES,
AND I WAS NOT INTERESTED IN
FORMING ANOTHER RECORD COMPANY
AND TRYING TO COMPETE
EVEN WITH THE BIGGER
INDEPENDENTS AT THAT TIME.
I HAD NO INTEREST IN THAT.
IF I COULDN'T BROADEN
THE BASE OF MUSIC
AND LET WHITE KIDS
ENJOY BLACK MUSIC
AND BLACK KIDS
ENJOY WHITE MUSIC...
NOW, WHO IN THE WORLD THINKS
THAT'S GONNA HAPPEN OVERNIGHT?
NO MATTER IF IT WAS GOD
CAME DOWN
AND HE WAS DIRECTING
THE ORCHESTRA
OR HE HAD BUILT A STUDIO.
MR. GOD WOULD NOT HAVE HAD,
I DON'T BELIEVE,
TOO MUCH SUCCESS.
BUT I CAN TELL YOU,
WITH THE FERVOR I HAD
AND THE FEEL THAT I HAD
FOR THIS CONVICTION,
THAT IF THAT COULD BE
CONVERTED SOME WAY,
THAT WE COULD
COME UP WITH SOMETHING
THAT WOULD BE ABSOLUTELY,
TO SAY THE LEAST,
VERY INTRIGUING.
♪ WELL,
THAT'S ALL RIGHT, MAMA ♪
♪ THAT'S ALL RIGHT FOR YOU ♪
♪ THAT'S ALL RIGHT, MAMA ♪
♪ JUST ANY WAY YOU DO ♪
♪ THAT'S ALL RIGHT ♪
♪ THAT'S ALL RIGHT ♪
♪ THAT'S ALL RIGHT,
NOW, MAMA ♪
♪ ANY WAY YOU DO... ♪
Moore:
WE WERE JUST
TAKING A BREAK
AND DECIDING WHAT TO DO,
AND THE DOOR
TO THE CONTROL ROOM WAS OPEN.
ELVIS JUST STARTED...
WITH NERVOUS ENERGY, STARTED...
ABSOLUTELY JUST
JUMPING AROUND
AND BEATING HIS GUITAR
AND SINGING,
"THAT'S ALL RIGHT, MAMA."
I HAD NEVER HEARD THE SONG,
BILLY HAD NEVER HEARD IT.
AND IT WAS SEMI-OFF-MIKE...
HE WAS JUST DANCING AROUND.
AND I HEARD THAT BOTH
BEFORE I WENT THROUGH THE DOOR
AND THEN WHEN I WENT
IN THE DOOR
AND JUST AUTOMATICALLY
SLAMMED IT,
AND THE MIKES WERE STILL OPEN
AND I HEARD THIS
AND I HEARD THIS RHYTHM
JUST BY HIMSELF.
I SAID, "JESUS!
ELVIS,
WHAT HAVE YOU BEEN"...
YOU KNOW,
JUST IN JEST...
"YOU'VE BEEN HOLDING OUT ON ME
ALL THIS TIME
AND HAVE COST ME
THIS MUCH TIME,
AND LOOK HOW GRAY
MY HAIR IS GETTING,"
OR SOME CRAZY SOMETHING,
YOU KNOW?
HE SAID, "YOU LIKE THAT?
YOU LIKE THAT,
MR. PHILLIPS?"
I SAID, "MAN,
THAT THING IS A HIT!"
AND, YOU KNOW, YOU DON'T
MAKE STATEMENTS LIKE THAT,
AND EVEN YOU DON'T KNOW.
I SAID,
"THAT THING IS A HIT."
BY THAT TIME, SCOTTY AND BILL
HAD GOTTEN THEIR INSTRUMENTS OUT
AND, BABY, I'M TELLING YOU,
WE MAY HAVE TAKEN
THREE OR FOUR CUTS,
I DON'T RECALL,
BUT I THINK EITHER THE FIRST
OR THE SECOND ONE...
IT PROBABLY WAS
THE SECOND ONE...
I MEAN, YOU COULD HAVE CUT
FOR NINE MONTHS
AND NOT GOTTEN MORE
OUT OF WHAT
THAT SONG SAID
"I WANT DONE TO ME"
THAN THAT.
♪ I NEED YOUR LOVIN' ♪
♪ THAT'S ALL RIGHT ♪
♪ THAT'S ALL RIGHT,
NOW, MAMA ♪
♪ ANY WAY YOU DO. ♪
YOU GUYS HAVE CUT SO MANY
CLASSICS, IT'S UNGODLY...
- HMM.
- THE THINGS
YOU GUYS DID.
YEAH.
YEAH, I JUST LOVE
ALL THAT STUFF, MAN.
WHICH STUFF?
THE STUFF WE DONE?
OH, YEAH!
YOU KIDDING ME?
YOU SAY THAT
TO ALL THE BOYS.
NO, NO, NO.
OF COURSE YOU DO.
COME ON.
OH, IT'S GREAT THOUGH,
ISN'T IT?
YEAH,
THE STUFF YOU GUYS...
WE WERE SO TURNED ON
BY YOUR STUFF, TO SAY...
BECAUSE, IN ENGLAND,
TILL ROCK AND ROLL ARRIVED,
IT HAD BEEN
KIND OF POPULAR BALLADS,
AND THEN SUDDENLY THIS STUFF
STARTS COMING OVER.
THE SAILORS BRINGING IT IN
FROM THE STATES AND THINGS,
YOU KNOW.
JUST STARTED
TO CREEP ON THE RADIO.
WE'D HEAR SOME OF THE STUFF
YOU GUYS WERE DOING,
JUST WILD...
JUST "WHAT IS THIS?" YOU KNOW.
Ertegun:
YOU WANT TO PUT DOWN
THE BASS FIRST?
- YEAH.
- OR YOU WANT TO DO IT
SIMULTANEOUSLY?
NO, SIMULTANEOUSLY.
AT ONE AND THE SAME TIME.
SERIOUSLY?
SURE, MAN.
LET'S DO IT, BABE!
Man:
DO IT VOCALLY,
OR GO BACK.
JUST TRY IT, MAN,
LET'S HAVE A GO.
- SPONTANEITY.
- THAT'S THE WAY TO DO IT.
Fontana:
YEAH. ONE, TWO, THREE.
SORRY! I'M SORRY!
SORRY, MAN.
ONE, TWO, THREE.
OKAY. THAT'S BOTH OF US.
ONE EACH.
A MISTAKE EACH.
NO LAUGHING AND JOKING, GUYS.
THIS IS SERIOUS.
THIS IS WORK, OKAY?
SO DON'T BE LIKE,
START GOOFING OFF ON ME.
I'LL TRY MY BEST.
HERE WE GO.
ONE, TWO, THREE!
♪ WELL,
THAT'S ALL RIGHT, MAMA ♪
♪ THAT'S ALL RIGHT
WITH YOU ♪
♪ THAT'S ALL RIGHT, MAMA ♪
♪ ANY WAY YOU DO ♪
♪ THAT'S ALL RIGHT ♪
♪ THAT'S ALL RIGHT ♪
♪ THAT'S ALL RIGHT,
NOW, MAMA ♪
♪ ANY WAY YOU DO ♪
♪ WELL, MAMA,
SHE DONE TOLD ME ♪
♪ PAPA DONE TOLD ME, TOO ♪
♪ "SON, THAT GAL
YOU'RE FOOLIN' WITH ♪
♪ SHE AIN'T NO GAL FOR YOU" ♪
♪ BUT THAT'S ALL RIGHT ♪
♪ THAT'S ALL RIGHT ♪
♪ THAT'S ALL RIGHT,
NOW, MAMA ♪
♪ ANY WAY YOU DO ♪
♪ WHOO-HOO-HOO ♪
♪ WELL,
I'M LEAVIN' TOWN, BABY ♪
♪ LEAVIN' TOWN FOR SURE ♪
♪ AND YOU WON'T BE BOTHERED
WITH ME HANGIN' ROUND
YOUR DOOR ♪
♪ BUT THAT'S ALL RIGHT ♪
♪ THAT'S ALL RIGHT ♪
♪ THAT'S ALL RIGHT,
NOW, MAMA ♪
♪ ANY WAY YOU DO ♪
♪ WELL, DA DA DEE
DEE DEE DEE DEE ♪
♪ DEE DEE DEE
DEE DEE ♪
♪ DEE DEE DEE,
I NEED YOUR LOVIN' ♪
♪ THAT'S ALL RIGHT ♪
♪ THAT'S ALL RIGHT,
NOW, MAMA ♪
♪ ANY WAY YOU DO ♪
♪ YEAH, THAT'S ALL RIGHT,
NOW, MAMA ♪
♪ ANY WAY YOU DO ♪
♪ OOH, OOH ♪
♪ OOH, OOH,
OOH ♪
♪ THAT'S ALL RIGHT ♪
♪ ANY WAY YOU DO. ♪♪
THANK YOU VERY MUCH,
LADIES AND GENTLEMEN.
IT'S LOVELY TO BE HERE.
HOW DO YOU DO?
WE'RE JUST LIKE
A GROUP, MAN.
WE'LL GET A JOB,
WE'LL GO ON THE ROAD.
WE'LL GET A BUS.
♪ READY, SET ♪
♪ GO, MAN, GO ♪
♪ I GOT A GAL
THAT I LOVE SO ♪
♪ I'M READY, READY,
READY, I'M READY ♪
♪ READY, READY, READY
I'M READY ♪
♪ I'M READY, READY, READY
TO ROCK 'N' ROLL. ♪
Phillips:
HE TICKLED ME WHEN
WE GOT IN SHREVEPORT, LOUISIAN,
GOING ON A LOUISIANA HAYRIDE,
AND ELVIS
COULDN'T GET HIS HAIR COOL.
I MEAN, HIS HAIR...
EVERY HAIR GREW
IN A DIFFERENT DIRECTION.
PEOPLE DIDN'T KNOW THAT
WHO DIDN'T KNOW ELVIS EARLY ON.
LET ME SHOW YOU THE POWER
OF POSITIVE THINKING.
ELVIS DIDN'T DO ALL OF THAT
WITH THE HAIR AND A BRUSH
AND WHATEVER YOU CALL
THESE THINGS
THAT YOU SPRAY YOUR HAIR.
HE DID THAT BY SAYING,
"I WANT HAIR LIKE YOU, SAM."
NOW, YOU FOLKS ARE NOT
GOING TO BELIEVE THIS.
ELVIS PRESLEY
MADE HIS HAIR BEAUTIFUL
BY THINKING AND KNOWING
THAT HE WANTED IT SO BAD.
HE MADE... HE HAD THE WORST
HAIR IN THE WORLD.
HE HAD PLENTY OF IT.
NOW, DO YOU ALL BELIEVE
I'M TELLING YOU A LIE?
OR AM I HALLUCINATING?
SCOTTY, DO YOU BELIEVE THAT?
I HAD NEVER THOUGHT OF IT
FROM THIS PERSPECTIVE,
BUT, I MEAN, ANYBODY THAT WAS
THAT VAIN ABOUT HIS HAIR...
HE WAS CONSTANTLY
WORKING WITH IT.
OH, YEAH!
OH, I'M NOT SAYING THAT.
THAT WOULD FIGURE IN,
I BELIEVE, YEAH.
HE COULDN'T PASS A MIRROR.
ABSOLUTELY NOT.
- OH, NO, NO WAY!
- HE WAS PURTY.
IF I HAD BEEN THAT PURTY,
I WOULDN'T PASS A MIRROR.
THAT'S WHAT CARL SAID.
CARL PERKINS SAID FIRST TIME
HE SAW HIM,
"THAT'S THE BEST LOOKING MAN
I EVER SEEN."
Phillips: I DON'T KNOW.
THE WHOLE WORLD
SHOULD HAVE BEEN
AROUND YOU FOLKS.
I'M JUST SORRY I DIDN'T
GET TO BE AROUND EVERYBODY
MORE IN A PERSONAL WAY,
BECAUSE YOU MEN...
THERE IS NOT
ANY TIME IN MY LIFE,
NO MATTER HOW BUSY
I HAVE BEEN,
THAT I HAVEN'T THOUGHT OVER
MY ROSTER
AND THE PEOPLE
THAT CAME IN THERE,
AND I GOT THE OPPORTUNITY...
SEE, I HAD
A DOUBLE ENTENDRE,
I THINK IS THE WORD...
OF WHAT WE WERE DOING,
BECAUSE I WAS OUT THERE
ON A LIMB...
I MEAN, A REAL LIMB, I COULD BE
SAWED OFF AT ANY TIME
AND BUST ME WIDE OPEN
AS A PERSON,
BECAUSE ALL OF THIS MUSIC
AT THAT TIME
WAS SOMETHING THAT WE
HAD TO THINK ABOUT,
AND WHEN I WAS
RECORDING BLACKS
AND THEN MOVED THIS THING IN
AND THEN ELVIS CAME ALONG,
AND THIS...
I MEAN, WE MADE A STATEMENT.
MUSIC SAYS SO MUCH
TO SO MANY PEOPLE
IN AN IMPARTIAL WAY.
THAT... THAT'S WHY
I'M SO PROUD
OF THE INFLUENCE
IT'S HAD OVER THE YEARS.
HELL, I MEAN,
YOU'RE TALKING ABOUT THAT
LITTLE OLD STUDIO,
IT'S LIKE IT WAS FOR ME,
THAT'S THE BIGGEST CATHEDRAL
IN THE WORLD, YOU KNOW?
SAM JUST HAD THAT KNACK
OF GETTING THE BEST
OUT OF WHAT HE HAD,
AND IT'S ALL A BUNCH
OF COUNTRY GUYS
FROM AROUND THIS LITTLE AREA
OF THE SOUTH.
MOST OF 'EM, YOU KNOW,
MOST OF HIS STARS WERE.
AND MOST OF 'EM WERE COUNTRY...
OUT OF THE COUNTRY.
ELVIS LIVED IN MEMPHIS,
BUT EVERYBODY ELSE LIVED
OUT IN THE COUNTRY,
LIKE, AT THE TIME,
THEY WERE PICKING COTTON.
MOST ALL OF US
HAVE PICKED COTTON.
AND THAT'S ONE THING THAT
MAKES YOU WANT TO PLAY MUSIC...
JUST ONE DAY
OF PICKING COTTON
WILL MAKE YOU REALLY
WANT TO PLAY MUSIC.
EVERYTHING'S BETTER
THAN PICKING COTTON.
♪ WHEN YOU'RE ALL ALONE
AND BLUE ♪
♪ AND THE WORLD
LOOKS DOWN ON YOU ♪
♪ TURN AROUND ♪
♪ I'LL BE FOLLOWIN' YOU... ♪
FROM THE BANKS
OF THE MISSISSIPPI
TO THE LAND OF THE PECOS
COMES A GROUP OF FELLAS
WHO REALLY SING UP A STORM.
LET'S WELCOME ONCE AGAIN
THE LADS FROM
MEMPHIS, TENNESSEE,
CARL PERKINS AND HIS BOYS.
♪ I'D LIKE TO GO SOMEWHERE ♪
♪ WHERE WE CAN BE ALONE ♪
♪ AND HOLD YOU IN MY ARMS ♪
♪ CALL YOU MY OWN... ♪
Phillips:
CARL WAS AN EXTREMELY
INTERESTING YOUNG MAN,
AND ONE OF THE PEOPLE
THAT I WOULD CLASSIFY
AS BEING VERY GIFTED.
CARL PERKINS
COULD HAVE BEEN
MAYBE THE BIGGEST
COUNTRY ARTIST EVER.
♪ FOREVER YOURS. ♪
BUT I ALSO KNEW
CARL HAD A VERY UNUSUAL STYLE
OF GUITAR PLAYING.
I ALSO KNEW
THAT HE LOVED THE BLUES.
I ALSO KNEW THAT HE REALLY
LIKED TO LET HIS FEET MOVE.
AND I WASN'T REALLY
THAT INTERESTED
IN DOING COUNTRY THINGS,
BECAUSE THEY WERE BEING DONE
IN NASHVILLE REAL WELL.
BUT WITH ALL OF THAT
COMING TO BEAR
IN THE BODY OF ONE SOUL,
I JUST KNEW WE HAD
TO TAKE A SHOT AT ROCK AND ROLL.
♪ WELL, HOW COME YOU SAY
YOU WILL WHEN YOU WON'T? ♪
♪ YOU TELL ME YOU DO, BABY,
WHEN YOU DON'T ♪
♪ LET ME KNOW, HONEY,
HOW YA FEEL ♪
♪ TELL THE TRUTH, NOW,
IS LOVE REAL? ♪
♪ UH-UH,
OH, HONEY, DON'T. ♪
Clement:
I LIKE THAT SONG.
I WAS AT SUN
WHEN OL' CARL CUT THAT.
SAM WAS RUNNING THE BOARD.
I HADN'T BEEN THERE
ALL THAT LONG, BUT I WAS THERE,
AND I REMEMBER THAT SONG
REAL WELL.
I ALWAYS LIKED
THAT FUNNY CHORD CHANGE IN IT.
WHAT IS THAT,
WHAT KEY IS IT IN?
IT'S IN "E." GOES DOWN
FROM "E" TO A "C."
- WHERE DOES
THAT GO, TO A "C"?
- YEAH.
YEAH, THAT'S
AN EAR-GRABBER, YOU KNOW?
I DO REMEMBER EVERYBODY
WAS EXCITED ABOUT THAT SONG.
THEY ALL LIKED THAT CHANGE
FROM "E" TO "C."
THAT'S BASICALLY WHY
I WANTED TO PLAY IT.
IT'S JUST KIND OF UNUSUAL
FOR THAT TIME, I THINK,
BECAUSE THAT'S A STRANGE...
ACTUALLY, IT'S WEIRD FOR NOW.
IT'S COOL CHORDS.
Sledge: IT'S AN AWESOME SONG.
YEAH, IT'S A GREAT SONG.
IN AN INTERVIEW I HEARD
THAT HIS
GUITAR PLAYER SAID,
"MAN, YOU CAN'T
DO THAT, MAN.
I'M TELLING YOU,
IT'S JUST NOT RIGHT."
HE GOES, "I CAN DO IT,
AND I'M WRITING THE SONG."
THE GUITAR PLAYER SAYS,
"IT'S JUST NOT RIGHT.
I DON'T KNOW
IF I WANT TO PLAY THAT."
AND HE DID IT ANYWAY,
AND MADE HISTORY.
SO IT JUST GOES TO SHOW YOU,
YOU'VE GOT TO TAKE SOME CHANCES.
ONE, TWO...
ONE, TWO, THREE, FOUR!
♪ WELL, HOW COME YOU SAY
YOU WILL WHEN YOU WON'T? ♪
♪ YOU TELL ME YOU DO, BABY,
WHEN YOU DON'T ♪
♪ LET ME KNOW, HONEY,
HOW YA FEEL ♪
♪ TELL THE TRUTH, NOW,
IS LOVE REAL? ♪
♪ NO, HONEY, DON'T ♪
♪ HONEY, DON'T ♪
♪ HONEY, DON'T ♪
♪ HONEY, DON'T ♪
♪ HONEY, DON'T ♪
♪ SAY YOU WILL
WHEN YOU WON'T ♪
♪ OH, HONEY, DON'T ♪
♪ WELL, I LOVE YOU, BABY,
AND YOU OUGHT TO KNOW ♪
♪ I LIKE THE WAY
THAT YOU WEAR YOUR CLOTHES ♪
♪ EVERYTHING ABOUT YOU
IS SO DOGGONE SWEET ♪
♪ YOU GOT THAT SAND
ALL OVER YOUR FEET ♪
♪ OH, HONEY, DON'T, NO ♪
♪ HONEY, DON'T ♪
♪ HONEY, DON'T ♪
♪ HONEY, DON'T ♪
♪ HONEY, DON'T ♪
♪ SAY YOU WILL WHEN YOU WON'T,
OH, HONEY, DON'T ♪
♪ DON'T, NO ♪
♪ WELL, SOMETIMES I LOVE YOU
ON A SATURDAY NIGHT ♪
♪ MONDAY MORNIN',
YOU DON'T LOOK RIGHT ♪
♪ YOU BEEN OUT, BABY,
PAINTIN' THE TOWN ♪
♪ MY BABY
BEEN SLEEPIN' AROUND ♪
♪ OH, HONEY, DON'T ♪
♪ WHOO ♪
♪ HONEY, DON'T ♪
♪ PLEASE, HONEY, DON'T ♪
♪ HONEY, DON'T ♪
♪ HONEY, DON'T ♪
♪ SAY YOU WILL WHEN YOU WON'T,
OH, HONEY, DON'T ♪
♪ I LOVE YOU! ♪
♪ YOU SAY YOU WILL
WHEN YOU WON'T ♪
♪ OH, HONEY, DON'T. ♪
COOL.
Riley:
NOBODY COULD GET THAT SOUND,
NOWHERE IN THE WORLD.
IT WAS JUST
IMPOSSIBLE TO GET IT.
- Phillips: IT WAS A FEEL,
WASN'T IT?
- IT WAS A FEEL.
IT WASN'T PRODUCED,
IT WAS MORE...
WE WERE JUST ALL TOGETHER
WHEN WE'D GO
IN ON A SESSION.
WELL, A LOT OF IT HAD TO DO
WITH ACOUSTICS OF THAT ROOM,
WHICH I DIDN'T BELIEVE BACK WHEN
I WAS WORKING FOR YOU.
YOU WOULD ALWAYS SAY, IT HAS
A GREAT SOUND, ALL THAT STUFF.
I THOUGHT THAT WAS A CROCK,
REALLY.
BUT YOU KNOW,
WHEN I CAME BACK HERE,
25, 30 YEARS LATER
WITH U2,
BACK IN THAT SAME ROOM...
AND I'D BUILT STUDIOS BY THEN,
I KNEW A LOT ABOUT IT...
YOU KNOW,
AND I UNDERSTOOD IT THEN.
IT WAS A PRESENCE FACTOR.
THAT'S RIGHT.
IT'S KIND OF LIKE,
THERE WAS VERY LITTLE
SEPARATION IN THE ROOM.
IT ALL SORT OF
WENT TOGETHER,
BUT IN A VERY NICE WAY.
IT WAS JUST A SOLID,
VERY PRESENT, KIND OF A SOUND.
IN COUNTRY, POP,
THE VOCALIST WAS
ALWAYS WAY OUT HERE,
WAY OUT IN FRONT
OF THE BAND,
AND YOU USED ELVIS' VOICE
LIKE AN INSTRUMENT.
YOU PUSHED IT,
PUSHED IT IN THERE CLOSE
AND IT BECAME
ANOTHER INSTRUMENT.
AND THEN YOU DIDN'T
GO IN THERE AND START...
IF YOU HAD LEAKAGE,
YOU'D START SCOOTING
STUFF AWAY FROM IT.
- LEAKAGE IS WHAT
MADE IT WORK.
- ABSOLUTELY.
Clement:
ONE OF THE THINGS WAS
THAT WE DIDN'T
HAVE TIME PRESSURES.
HELL, WE'D GO IN THERE
AND WORK FOR LONG, LONG HOURS,
BUT NOBODY CARED,
WE WEREN'T ON THE CLOCK.
AND WE PLAYED LIKE, YOU KNOW,
YOU WERE THE AUDIENCE.
LIKE YOU WERE A BUNCH OF PEOPLE,
YOU KNOW.
WE DIDN'T ACTUALLY GO IN AND TRY
AND PLAY IN A CERTAIN WAY.
WE PLAYED AS WE WERE
PLAYING ON STAGE,
LIKE WE WERE ON STAGE,
IT'S LIVE.
WE WENT OUT THERE
AND PLAYED
THE SAME WAY
THEY DID ON STAGE.
THAT'S WHAT I LIKED
ABOUT RECORDING THEN,
AND I STILL LIKE.
I DON'T PARTICULARLY LIKE
THE WAY YOU RECORD NOW.
YOU GET A BETTER SOUND,
BUT I CAN'T GET THAT FEELING.
Phillips:
LET ME GIVE YOU
A CAVEAT TO THAT...
HAD I GONE ON
AND SUBJECTED NEW ARTISTS,
A NEW SOUND,
TO JUST BEING COMMERCIAL,
THERE WOULD HAVE NOT...
THERE WOULD HAVE BEEN
VERY LITTLE HAPPENING FOR ME,
LET ALONE THE ARTIST.
I STAYED WITH WHAT I BELIEVED,
AND I COULD'VE BEEN
JUST AS WRONG AS IT TURNED OUT
THAT WE WERE RIGHT,
BUT I SWEAR I STUCK BY IT.
Clement:
YOU WORKED WITH WHAT
YOU HAD TO WORK WITH.
IN FACT, I REMEMBER ONE THING
YOU SAID TO ME ONE TIME.
YOU SAID YOU LIKE TO WORK WITH
MUSICIANS WHO ARE LEARNING.
THEY'RE JUST COMING UP,
AND THEY'RE EXPERIMENTING.
THEY STIMULATE
EACH OTHER.
AND YOU GET THE BENEFIT
OF THAT EXPERIMENTATION.
AND THAT WAS VERY TRUE.
I THINK THAT WAS ONE
OF THE BIG PARTS OF THAT SOUND,
THAT THE MUSICIANS
WEREN'T SO POLISHED AND...
I AGREE
WITH THAT.
THAT'S WHAT MADE
THE SOUND.
THAT'S THE ESSENCE
OF IT.
WE DIDN'T KNOW
THAT MUCH ABOUT MUSIC.
I MEAN, WE HAD IT INSIDE,
BUT WE COULDN'T EXPRESS IT
LIKE THE GUITAR PLAYERS
DO TODAY.
I KNEW THREE OR FOUR CHORDS,
AND THAT WAS IT, YOU KNOW?
Clement:
WE DIDN'T KNOW ALL
THE THINGS YOU COULDN'T DO,
SO WE DID 'EM,
AND SOME OF 'EM WORKED.
Burgess:
GROOVED AND YOU LOVED IT.
IT'S LIKE SAM
MIGHT NOT TELL YOU
EXACTLY WHAT
HE WAS LOOKING FOR,
BUT HE DAMN SURE
KNEW IT WHEN HE HEARD IT.
THAT'S RIGHT.
YOU KNOW, I WOULD PUT A WOMAN
DOWN IN A MINUTE FOR A SOUND.
"PUT HER DOWN,"
IS THAT A GOOD...
IS THAT
A GOOD WAY TO DESCRIBE IT?
BUT I HAD
TO HAVE SOMETHING
THAT WOULD MAKE IT
SOUND LIKE,
YOU KNOW, IT'S SPECIAL.
IT'S NOT PERFECT ACOUSTICS,
IT'S LIVE, IT'S...
YOU ARE THERE,
LISTENING IN PERSON.
I WAS PLAYING AROUND,
ONE DAY, WITH THIS DELAY,
AND I HAPPENED TO DO THAT
AND LEAVE IT ON PLAYBACK.
AND I TURNED UP THE POT AND,
MAN, THAT THING SOUNDED GOOD,
AND THEN YOU JUST TACK
A LITTLE BIT OF SHADING
OF ELVIS' VOICE,
AND STUFF LIKE THAT...
WE HAD A SOUND, BABY!
I MEAN A SOUND... WHOO!
♪ WELL, I TOOK MY RUBY JUKIN'
ON THE OUTSKIRTS OF TOWN ♪
♪ SHE TOOK HER HIGH HEELS OFF
AND ROLLED HER STOCKINGS DOWN ♪
♪ SHE PUT A QUARTER
IN THE JUKEBOX ♪
♪ TO GET A LITTLE BEAT ♪
♪ EVERYBODY STARTED WATCHIN'
ALL THE RHYTHM IN HER FEET ♪
♪ SHE'S MY
ROCK 'N' ROLL RUBY... ♪
Phillips:
THEY NEEDED MUSIC SO BADLY
AS A PART OF THEIR DIET.
♪ SATISFY MY SOUL... ♪
I MEAN, THEY HAD
EMOTIONAL STARVATION,
AND THE MOST ACTIVE YEARS
AND IMAGINATIVE YEARS
OF YOUR LIFE
WERE GOING TO WASTE
BECAUSE YOU DIDN'T HAVE A THING
FOR JUST SHEER ENJOYMENT,
AND AN ABILITY TO SAY, "HEY,
THIS WILL HELP ME MAKE CONTACT
WITH THIS GOOD-LOOKING GIRL.
THIS'LL HELP ME MAKE CONTACT
WITH MY BOYFRIEND."
♪ WHEN RUBY STARTS TO ROCKIN',
BOY, IT SATISFIES MY SOUL. ♪
THEY'D TAKE HIS RECORDS
AND BURN THEM IN THE PARK
AND ALL THAT STUFF.
YOU KNOW, LIKE YOU SAID,
IT WAS DEVIL'S MUSIC
AND THEY HAD TO
GET RID OF THIS STUFF,
AND THE DISC JOCKEYS WOULD
BREAK RECORDS AND ALL.
IT WAS GOD-AWFUL...
YOU KNOW, BUT IF THEY
JUST LISTENED TO THE RECORDS,
THERE'S NOT A CURSE WORD
IN NONE OF HIS TUNES.
THEY'RE ALL JUST
OLD SONGS, YOU KNOW?
NOW, WHAT THEY'RE DOING TODAY,
YOU KNOW, IT'S... WHEW!
IT'S GETTIN' ROUGH NOW,
YOU KNOW?
BUT, I MEAN,
IT WAS STILL,
YOU KNOW, IT WAS STILL
INTRODUCING THAT KIND OF...
A LOT OF THE MUSIC'S STILL
INTRODUCING THAT KIND OF A...
WHAT A...
WHAT A LOT OF PEOPLE
WOULD HAVE CONSIDERED TO BE
A DANGEROUS ELEMENT.
OH, YEAH.
WELL, THEY DID.
THEY DID SONGS ABOUT DRINKING
AND GOING TO JUKE JOINTS,
AND ALL THAT.
CARL PERKINS,
I THINK,
PUT THE BEST NAME
ON THE WHOLE GENRE.
HE SAID,
"IT'S FEEL-GOOD MUSIC.
YOU FEEL GOOD
WHEN YOU PLAY IT,
YOU FEEL GOOD
WHEN YOU SING IT,
AND YOU FEEL GOOD
WHEN YOU LISTEN TO IT."
AND I THINK THAT
JUST PRETTY MUCH
SUMS THE WHOLE THING UP.
YEAH, BUT I STILL REMEMBER WHEN
I FIRST LISTENED TO YOU GUYS,
WHEN I WAS A LITTLE GUY...
AND I WAS STILL A LITTLE THING
IN SHORT TROUSERS,
AND MY DAD LOOKING AT ME WITH,
LIKE, REAL HORROR...
YEAH.
THAT, YOU KNOW,
I COULD LIKE THIS STUFF.
HE DID GET BEHIND IT
IN THE END,
HE BOUGHT ME A GUITAR,
BUT, YOU KNOW, THAT DISAPPROVAL.
DANGEROUS,
DANGEROUS MUSIC.
REAL DISAPPROVAL,
WASN'T THERE?
AT SCHOOL IN ENGLAND,
THERE WAS REAL DISAPPROVAL.
THE TEACHERS WERE REAL
AGAINST IT AS WELL,
IN MY SCHOOL,
I DON'T KNOW ABOUT YOURS.
BUT, YOU KNOW, IF I WAS IN,
THEY'D FIND ME IN A ROCK BAND,
AND, YOU KNOW,
PLAYING AT A SCHOOL PARTY
OR SOMETHING,
AND A TEACHER WOULD GO,
"I MIGHT HAVE KNOWN
YOU'D BE IN THIS."
THAT KIND OF STUFF.
YOU'RE THAT KIND
OF GUY, HUH?
YOU'RE THAT KIND
OF KID.
IT'S THE SLIPPERY SLOPE
TO DAMNATION THAT JUST AWAITS,
AND YOU KNOW THAT YOU'RE
JUST GOING TO GO DOWN IT.
♪ I TOOK MY RUBY JUKIN'
ON THE OUTSKIRTS OF TOWN ♪
♪ SHE TOOK HER HIGH HEELS OFF,
SHE ROLLED HER STOCKINGS DOWN ♪
♪ PUT A QUARTER IN THE JUKEBOX
TO GET A LITTLE BEAT ♪
♪ EVERYBODY STARTED WATCHIN'
ALL THE RHYTHM IN HER FEET ♪
♪ ROCK 'N' ROLL,
ROCK 'N' ROLL RUBY ♪
♪ ROCK 'N' ROLL ♪
♪ WHEN RUBY STARTS A' ROCKIN',
BOY, IT SATISFIES MY SOUL ♪
♪ NOW, RUBY STARTED ROCKIN'
ABOUT 12:00 ♪
♪ WHEN SHE STARTED ROCKIN',
SHE JUST COULDN'T STOP ♪
♪ SHE ROCKED ON THE TABLES,
AND ROLLED ON THE FLOOR ♪
♪ AND EVERYBODY YELLED,
"HEY, RUBY, ROCK SOME MORE" ♪
♪ SHE'S MY ROCK 'N' ROLL RUBY,
ROCK 'N' ROLL ♪
♪ ROCK 'N' ROLL RUBY,
ROCK 'N' ROLL ♪
♪ WHEN RUBY STARTS A' ROCKIN',
BOY, IT SATISFIES MY SOUL... ♪
ALL RIGHT.
♪ WELL, WAS ROUND ABOUT 4:00,
I THOUGHT SHE'D STOP ♪
♪ SHE LOOKED AT ME AND THEN
SHE LOOKED AT THE CLOCK ♪
♪ SHE SAID, "WAIT A MINUTE,
DADDY, NOW, DON'T GET SORE" ♪
♪ "ALL I WANT TO DO IS ROCK
A LITTLE BIT MORE" ♪
♪ SHE'S MY ROCK 'N' ROLL RUBY,
ROCK 'N' ROLL ♪
♪ ROCK 'N' ROLL RUBY,
ROCK 'N' ROLL ♪
♪ WHEN RUBY STARTS A' ROCKIN',
BOY, IT SATISFIES MY SOUL ♪
♪ YEAH, NOW, ROCK, ROCK ♪
♪ ROCK 'N' ROLL ♪
♪ ROCK, ROCK,
ROCK 'N' ROLL ♪
♪ ROCK, ROLL,
ROCK 'N' ROLL ♪
♪ I HAD TO ROCK,
ROCK, ROCK 'N' ROLL ♪
♪ WHEN RUBY STARTS TO ROCK,
SHE'S GONNA SATISFY MY SOUL. ♪
Holland:
NOW, HERE'S THE FACTS.
ROCK 'N' ROLL
DID NOT START
IN MEMPHIS, TENNESSEE,
IN THE MID-'50s.
SAM PHILLIPS DIDN'T
START ROCK 'N' ROLL.
ALL WE GOT TO DO
IS PULL THE RECORDS.
LISTEN TO JOE TURNER'S
"SHAKE, RATTLE, AND ROLL,"
LISTEN TO FATS DOMINO,
UH...
ALL THE GUYS THAT WAS
RECORDING BACK THEN.
BILL HALEY.
THIS FELLA RIGHT HERE.
LISTEN TO THAT, AND YOU
WILL KNOW RIGHT QUICK
THAT NOBODY IN THE MID-'50s
STARTED ROCK 'N' ROLL.
BUT, WE GAVE IT A HELL
OF A BOOST THAT SENT IT
INTO ORBIT
AND AROUND THE WORLD.
SO THAT PROBABLY
WOULDN'T HAVE HAPPENED
IF IT HADN'T HAVE BEEN
FOR WHAT HAPPENED.
SAM PHILLIPS,
IN MY BOOK,
WAS NOT THE INNOVATOR
OF NOTHING.
I WAS THERE.
I WAS THERE,
"BEFORE," AS THEY SAY IT,
"ROCK 'N' ROLL."
WHO IN THE WORLD SAID
THAT SAM WAS THE INNOVATOR
OF ROCK 'N' ROLL?
WHO SAID THAT?
Holland:
YOU ASKED ME,
HOW DID WE LET IT HAPPEN?
NOW, WHEN YOU,
AND EVERYBODY YOU KNOW,
CAME TO MEMPHIS, TENNESSEE,
ME, CARL...
ALL OF US,
WE WERE POOR GUYS.
SO WHEN IT LOOKED LIKE
IF THERE WAS SOMEBODY THERE
THAT MIGHT BE IN CHARGE,
OR MAYBE
A LITTLE WELL OFF,
MIGHT HAVE HAD MORE
THAN WE DID,
THAT'S WHO WE'RE GOING...
MAN, WE'RE GOING TO LOOK UP TO.
IT'S THAT WAY TODAY, RUFUS.
THE DEAL IS
IN THIS WORLD TODAY,
WE ALL GOT TO LIVE BY
THE GOLDEN RULE,
AND THE PEOPLES THAT
GOT THE GOLD MAKES THE RULES.
BUT IT'S THE MUSIC
THAT COUNTS,
AND IT'S THE MUSIC
THAT MADE THIS TOWN.
AND IT WAS NOT
ROCK 'N' ROLL
THAT MADE THIS TOWN...
MEMPHIS.
NEVER!
IT WAS THE BLUES
THAT MADE MEMPHIS.
I DON'T KNOW WHO WOULD SAY
I'M WRONG.
IN FACT, I DON'T CARE.
I JUST WANT TO SAY,
IF IT WEREN'T FOR SUN STUDIO,
VERY FEW OF US WOULD PROBABLY
BE SITTING HERE RIGHT NOW.
SUN STUDIO OPENED
THE DOOR FOR US
A PLACE TO RECORD
THE MUSIC THAT WE HAD.
EVERYBODY IN MEMPHIS HAD
A CHANCE TO BRING THEIR STUFF.
THAT I GIVE SAM.
I THINK IT WAS GREAT,
A GREAT PLACE.
I KNOW WHEN I WAS A KID
IN HIGH SCHOOL,
WHEN I FIRST WENT DOWN THERE
WITH MY BAND, AND WE PAID MONEY,
JUST LIKE ELVIS,
TO MAKE A RECORD.
AND THAT'S WHERE
I MET BILLY LEE.
JACK CLEMENT
HEARD ME PLAY AND SAID,
"MAN, CAN YOU COME AND HELP US
ON SOME OTHER STUFF?"
WELL, IF YOU STOP
TO THINK,
SAM PHILLIPS...
706 UNION AVENUE...
YOU KNOW
HOW MUCH DAMN TALENT
Eaton:
THAT'S THE GREATEST
RECORD LABEL, IN MY OPINION...
THE LABEL, YEAH.
IT'S SO RECOGNIZABLE,
IT'S LIKE THE McDONALD'S ARCHES.
YOU SEE THE SUN LOGO,
YOU KNOW IT.
THE STUDIO ITSELF
IS KNOWN WORLDWIDE.
IN FACT, IT IS THE MOST FAMOUS
RECORDING STUDIO IN THE WORLD.
Cannon:
THAT'S WHAT GAVE ME
MY BOOST.
I MADE A NAME FOR MYSELF
AS A SIDEMAN
ENOUGH TO WHERE
ANOTHER COMPANY
COME IN AND TOOK ME
AS AN INDIVIDUAL ARTIST,
BUT I FEEL LIKE,
WHATEVER I DONE OVER HERE
AT SUN KICKED ME OFF.
AND IN MY OPINION,
I HAVE NOTHING AGAINST SAM.
I LOVE SAM PHILLIPS,
AND HE KNOWS I DO,
BUT I DON'T LIKE
A LOT OF THINGS HE DID TO ME
BACK DURING THAT TIME,
AND I'M NOT GOING
TO BLAME HIM FOR IT,
BECAUSE I DIDN'T HAVE
TO STAY.
BUT I DID,
BECAUSE HE WAS SUCH A CHARMER
AND HE HAD A WAY
OF KEEPING YOU THERE.
HEY! BUT I HAVE SEEN
SOME GOOD RECORDS
LAY ON THE SHELF
AND DIE.
IF YOU AIN'T GOT SOMEBODY
THAT GOT A LITTLE SENSE
ABOUT WHAT HE IS PUTTING OUT
AND HOW HE'S PUTTING IT OUT,
WHO HE'S GETTING IT TO,
WHO'S PLAYING IT,
YOU'RE GOING TO LOSE
THE RECORD.
Eaton:
IT'S MY BELIEF...
I THINK THAT WHEN GOD
WAS THROWING OUT TALENT,
WHEN THIS WORLD WAS CREATED,
HE DROPPED A HEAVY DOSE
ON MEMPHIS, TENNESSEE.
OH, EXACTLY.
THERE IS SOMETHING MORE
TO THIS THAN A RECORDING STUDIO,
SOMETHING MORE TO THIS...
IT'S NOT JUST AN ACCIDENT
THAT YOU'VE GOT
ALL THESE GUYS THAT CAME UP
THROUGH THIS AREA,
AND I CAN ONLY RELATE TO...
I KNOW YOU WENT
TO THE SAME HIGH SCHOOL I DID.
- DIDN'T YOU GO
TO TECH HIGH SCHOOL?
- RIGHT.
AND ELVIS OVER AT HUMES,
AND I DON'T KNOW
THE BLACK ARTISTS,
THE SCHOOLS THEY WENT TO,
BUT I'M TELLING YOU,
THIS WASN'T JUST SOMETHING
THAT HAPPENED,
THIS WAS LIKE
A GOD-GIVEN THING,
RIGHT HERE!
YOU DON'T HAVE
TO TELL NOBODY
THAT THE RECORD WAS CUT
IN MEMPHIS... THEY KNOW IT.
Thomas:
ANYBODY WILL TELL
YOU THAT TODAY
ABOUT THE BEGINNING OF MUSIC
IN MEMPHIS.
IF IT DIDN'T COME
FROM THE DELTA, WHICH IT DID,
OR OTHER PLACES
OVER IN ARKANSAS,
IT ALL WOUND UP
RIGHT HERE ON BEALE STREET.
AND FROM BEALE STREET
AND THE BLUES
CAME EVERY OTHER KIND OF MUSIC
THAT YOU CAN THINK OF.
IF YOU'VE GOT JAZZ,
THE FOUNDATION OF IT WAS BLUES.
SO, WHATEVER KIND OF MUSIC
WE THROW IN HERE,
WHATEVER KIND IT IS,
NEVER FORGET THAT THE BLUES
WAS THE MOTHER OF IT ALL.
♪ I HEAR
THE TRAIN A' COMIN' ♪
♪ IT'S ROLLIN'
ROUND THE BEND ♪
♪ AND I AIN'T SEEN THE SUNSHINE
SINCE I DON'T KNOW WHEN ♪
♪ I'M STUCK IN FOLSOM PRISON ♪
♪ AND TIME KEEPS
DRAGGIN' ON ♪
♪ BUT THAT TRAIN
KEEPS ROLLIN' ♪
♪ ON DOWN TO SAN ANTONE. ♪
Phillips:
ON A SESSION,
JOHNNY CASH HAD
SUCH A SPECIAL WAY
OF BEING JOHNNY CASH.
NOW, THAT SOUNDS LIKE
"A CHICKEN'S GOT
A SPECIAL WAY
OF BEING A CHICKEN,"
BUT THE THING IS
THAT JOHNNY CASH, IN HIS MIND,
TO ME, TILL THIS DAY,
HE IS ONE OF THE GREAT WRITERS
OF ALL TIME.
IF YOU LISTEN TO
A WORD OF ANY SONG
THAT JOHNNY CASH WROTE...
WHAT A STORY.
IF YOU'D LIVED ANY LIFE AT ALL
WORTH LIVING,
OR IF IT WERE...
HAPPENED TO BE
THE HARDEST LIFE
THAT ANYBODY COULD EXPERIENCE,
OR A REAL JOYOUS LIFE,
JOHNNY CASH COULD COVER IT
WITH WORDS
THAT WERE PERFECT.
I REALLY,
TRULY BELIEVE THAT.
♪ I KEEP A CLOSE WATCH
ON THIS HEART OF MINE ♪
♪ I KEEP MY EYES WIDE OPEN
ALL THE TIME ♪
♪ I KEEP THE ENDS OUT
FOR THE TIE THAT BINDS ♪
♪ BECAUSE YOU'RE MINE,
I WALK THE LINE... ♪
Phillips:
YOU CAN'T CATEGORIZE HIM,
OR PUT HIM IN A LITTLE STABLE
OVER HERE,
AND SAY HE'S A FOLK SINGER
OR HE'S A ROCK OR HE'S COUNTRY.
JOHNNY CASH IS JOHNNY CASH.
♪ YES, I'LL ADMIT
THAT I'M A FOOL FOR YOU ♪
♪ BECAUSE YOU'RE MINE ♪
♪ I WALK THE LINE... ♪
LET ME HEAR THE "D"
GOING INTO THAT B MINOR, THOUGH.
SO PLAY THE RIGHT CHORDS
COMING OUT OF THAT.
THAT'S WEIRD.
NO, THAT'S YOUR LAST CHORD,
I THINK.
NO, NO, NO.
♪ DA DA DA... ♪
YEAH, THAT!
♪ AND HAPPINESS I'VE KNOWN
PROVES THAT IT'S RIGHT ♪
♪ BECAUSE YOU'RE MINE,
I WALK THE LINE... ♪
THIS IS WHERE WE NEED
TO GO INTO THE NEW SECTION,
IN FOUR...
♪ DA DA DA DA DA ♪
TO THE "B."
THREE, FOUR,
ONE, TWO, THREE...
AND THAT'S THE END...
OUT, DONE, GOOD.
OKAY,
LET'S MAKE IT.
MONEY,
LET'S MAKE RECORDS.
♪ I KEEP A CLOSE WATCH
ON THIS HEART OF MINE ♪
♪ I KEEP MY EYES
WIDE OPEN ALL THE TIME ♪
♪ I KEEP THE ENDS OUT
FOR THE TIE THAT BINDS ♪
♪ BECAUSE YOU'RE MINE ♪
♪ I WALK THE LINE ♪
♪ AS SURE AS NIGHT IS DARK
AND DAY IS LIGHT ♪
♪ I KEEP YOU ON MY MIND
BOTH DAY AND NIGHT ♪
♪ AND HAPPINESS I'VE KNOWN
PROVES THAT IT'S RIGHT ♪
♪ BECAUSE YOU'RE MINE ♪
♪ I WALK THE LINE ♪
♪ YOU'VE GOT A WAY
TO KEEP ME ON YOUR SIDE ♪
♪ YOU GIVE ME CAUSE
FOR THE LOVE THAT
I CAN'T HIDE ♪
♪ FOR YOU I KNOW I'D EVEN TRY
TO TURN THE TIDE ♪
♪ BECAUSE YOU'RE MINE ♪
♪ I WALK THE LINE ♪
♪ I KEEP A CLOSE WATCH
ON THIS HEART OF MINE ♪
♪ I KEEP MY EYES WIDE OPEN
ALL THE TIME ♪
♪ I KEEP THE ENDS OUT
FOR THE TIE THAT BINDS ♪
♪ BECAUSE YOU'RE MINE ♪
♪ I WALK THE LINE ♪
♪ BECAUSE YOU'RE MINE ♪
♪ I WALK THE LINE ♪
♪ BECAUSE YOU'RE MINE ♪
♪ I WALK THE LINE. ♪
Kowalcyzk:
WHAT I APPRECIATE
ABOUT JOHNNY CASH'S LYRICS
IS THE DIRECTNESS
AND THE SIMPLICITY OF IT.
FOR THE SAME REASON
I LIKE JOHN LENNON.
I MEAN, SO MUCH OF CASH'S
EMOTIONAL STRUCTURE
HAD BEEN BURNED AWAY
BY HIS REAL LIFE,
AND HIS REAL-LIFE SORROWS,
THAT THERE'S, LIKE
A PRISTINE AUSTERITY
ABOUT EVERYTHING HE SAYS
THAT COMES FROM SOMEPLACE
THAT'S OBVIOUSLY
BEEN THERE, DONE THAT,
YOU KNOW?
AND SO AS A LYRICIST
AND SOMEBODY WHO'S ALIVE...
A HUMAN BEING, WHATEVER...
IT'S INSPIRATIONAL,
BECAUSE THAT'S WHAT...
AS YOU GROW AS AN ARTIST,
WHAT YOU TRY TO DO IS
BECOME MORE AND MORE
LIKE THAT, MORE AND MORE DIREC.
THERE'S SOMETHING
ABOUT EVERY WORD THAT HE SAYS
THAT CARRIES AN EMOTIONAL WEIGHT
OF LIFE THAT'S BEEN LIVED.
TO ME, THAT'S THE ESSENCE
OF BLUES,
THAT'S THE ESSENCE OF,
OBVIOUSLY,
ROCK 'N' ROLL AND SUN RECORDS,
AND GUYS LIKE JOHNNY CASH.
SO... GOD BLESS YOU.
Phillips:
WHEN THE OFFER CAME ALONG
FOR ELVIS' CONTRACT,
GOD KNOWS THAT WAS
THE TOUGHEST DECISION
I'VE EVER MADE IN MY LIFE.
AND THEN WHEN I DID SIGN
THE CONTRACT TO SELL ELVIS,
I FELT LIKE, OH, GOD, WHAT
A LIFT OFF OF MY SHOULDERS
OF THE WEIGHT OF PRESSING BILLS
AND EXCISE TAX BILLS,
AND ALL OF THE EXPENSES
TO OPERATE.
BUT I ALSO KNEW THAT
I WAS NOT GOING TO BE
A ONE-ARTIST HIT LABEL.
IF I WAS,
TO HELL WITH IT.
IT'S NOT WIDELY PUBLICIZED,
BUT, YOU KNOW,
HE OFFERED TO BUY
THE CONTRACT OF ELVIS, TOO.
Ertegun:
OH, THAT'S TRUE,
BUT WE DIDN'T HAVE ENOUGH.
I OFFERED HIM $25,000.
YOU KNOW, IN THOSE DAYS,
I STARTED MY COMPANY
WITH 10,000.
I BOUGHT RAY CHARLES'
CONTRACT FOR 3,000,
AND I WANTED
TO BUY ELVIS' CONTRACT.
I OFFERED HIM $25,000.
AT THAT TIME, WE HAD
SOMETHING LIKE $35,000
IN THE BANK, AND HE ASKED...
THE COLONEL SAID
HE NEEDED $35,000.
I WAS... YOU KNOW,
IN THOSE DAYS,
I WAS TOO GREEN TO KNOW I COULD
GO TO A BANK AND BORROW MONEY.
SO I SAID,
"WELL, WE JUST HAVEN'T GOT IT."
AND THAT'S WHAT HE GOT
FROM RCA VICTOR.
WHAT'S THAT?
35,000.
35, AND ELVIS GOT 5,
BECAUSE SAM HAD NEVER PAID HIM
ANY ROYALTIES
ON WHAT HAD BEEN OUT...
A LITTLE BONUS THING.
YEAH.
BE INTERESTING TO KNOW
WHAT WOULD HAVE HAPPENED
IF YOU HAD GOT IT.
GUESS HE WOULD HAVE FIRED
ME AND YOU, D, PROBABLY.
ALL OF US.
♪ NOW, LOOK, YOU GOTTA GET YOU
ANOTHER MAN ♪
♪ WELL, LOOK HERE, WOMAN,
GOTTA GET YOU ANOTHER MAN ♪
♪ Red-headed mama,
Red-headed mama ♪
♪ 'CAUSE I'M GETTIN' OUT
JUST AS FAST AS I CAN ♪
♪ Red-headed mama,
Red-headed mama ♪
♪ WELL, NOW,
A RED-HEADED WOMAN ♪
♪ WILL MAKE YOU WISH
YOU'D NEVER BEEN BORN ♪
♪ A RED-HEADED WOMAN WILL MAKE
YOU WISH YOU'D NEVER
BEEN BORN ♪
♪ Red-headed mama,
Red-headed mama ♪
♪ ALL YOU WANT TO HEAR IS
OLD GABRIEL BLOWIN' HIS HORN ♪
♪ AYY! ♪
Phillips:
SONNY BURGESS GIVES ME
CHILLS EVERY TIME I HEAR HIM.
HE IS A PERSON THAT DESERVED
MUCH MORE
♪ WELL, I SAID A RED-HEADED
WOMAN'S ABOUT THE MEANEST
THING I KNOW... ♪
Phillips:
I KNOW THAT SONNY BURGESS
PROBABLY WOULD HAVE
WOUND UP BEING...
HAD WE HAD HAVE GOTTEN A COUPLE
OF REAL BIG RECORDS ON HIM,
BECAUSE THIS GUY IS SO VERSATILE
IN SO MANY WAYS.
HE HAS A VOICE
THAT'S SO DISTINCTIVE
AND YET IT IS
AS HARSH-SOUNDING,
BUT AT THE SAME TIME, THE WAY
HE DELIVERS WHAT HE SAYS,
HE MAKES YOU
WANT TO STAND UP, SIT DOWN,
OR LAY DOWN AND LISTEN.
♪ I GOT A CAR ♪
♪ AIN'T GOT NO GAS ♪
♪ HEY, I GOT A CHECK ♪
♪ AIN'T GOT NO CASH ♪
♪ HEY, I GOT A WOMAN ♪
♪ SHE AIN'T GOT NO CLASS ♪
♪ WELL, I GOT A GUITAR ♪
♪ AIN'T GOT NO STRINGS ♪
♪ I GOT TEN FINGERS ♪
♪ THEY AIN'T GOT NO RING ♪
♪ I GOT A WOMAN ♪
♪ SHE AIN'T GOT A THING ♪
♪ GOT TWO FEET ♪
♪ AIN'T GOT NO SHOES ♪
♪ YEAH, I GOT A WAGON ♪
♪ AIN'T GOT NO MULE ♪
♪ YEAH, I GOT A WOMAN ♪
♪ BUT SHE AIN'T TRUE ♪
♪ OH, I GOT A WOMAN ♪
♪ YEAH, I GOT A WOMAN ♪
♪ OH, I GOT A WOMAN ♪
♪ YEAH,
I GOT A WOMAN ♪
♪ HEY, I GOT A WOMAN ♪
♪ SHE AIN'T GOT A THING ♪
♪ YEAH ♪
AAAH!
♪ WELL, I GOT A GUITAR ♪
♪ AIN'T GOT NO STRINGS ♪
♪ GOT TEN FINGERS ♪
♪ AIN'T GOT NO RING ♪
♪ I GOT A WOMAN ♪
♪ SHE AIN'T GOT A THING ♪
♪ YEAH, I GOT A WOMAN ♪
♪ YEAH, I GOT
A WOMAN ♪
♪ I GOT A WOMAN ♪
♪ I GOT A WOMAN ♪
♪ I GOT A WOMAN ♪
♪ SHE AIN'T GOT A THING. ♪
THANK YOU, MUSIC LOVERS.
♪ WELL, I'M STANDIN'
ON THE CORNER ♪
♪ WITH MY BUCKET
IN MY HAND ♪
♪ I'M JUST A' WAITIN'
FOR A WOMAN ♪
♪ THAT AIN'T GOT NO MAN ♪
♪ 'CAUSE MY BUCKET'S
GOT A HOLE IN IT. ♪
THERE ARE SO MANY
CHARACTERISTIC SUN TRACKS
THAT WOULD BE NATURAL,
OBVIOUS CHOICES.
THE STUFF FOR
ROCK 'N' ROLL BANDS
LIKE OURSELVES...
THE CARL PERKINS,
THE PRESLEY,
THE JERRY LEE...
Ertegun:
THERE ARE SO MANY
THINGS YOU CAN DO.
WARREN STORM,
BUT THE THING ABOUT
THIS SONG
IS IT'S REALLY PERSONABLE
AND IT'S...
I DON'T KNOW...
IT'S JUST LIKE,
IT'S LIKE A CHOIR
SLAPPED ONTO
A ROCKABILLY TUNE.
IT'S A GREAT OLD
STANDARD NEW ORLEANS SONG
THAT WAS PUBLIC DOMAIN,
ORIGINALLY,
AND HAD DIFFERENT LYRICS,
YOU KNOW.
I DON'T KNOW, I DON'T THINK
ANYBODY'S DONE IT
SINCE SONNY BURGESS,
HAVE THEY?
NO.
BUT TO ME IT'S AMAZING
THAT YOU GUYS
WERE ABLE TO REALLY DO THAT
MUSIC SO AUTHENTICALLY,
BECAUSE IT'S NOT EXACTLY
WHERE YOU'RE FROM.
- IT'S WHAT YOU
LISTENED TO A LOT...
- YEAH.
BUT I THINK OF YOU AS COMING
MUCH MORE FROM THE BLUES.
Page:
THAT'S WHAT WE
CUT OUR TEETH ON,
LEARNING OFF RECORDS.
SO, SHALL WE TRY THE B-Vs?
- YEAH.
- SOUNDS GOOD.
♪ YEAH, MY BUCKET'S GOT
A HOLE IN IT ♪
♪ YEAH, MY BUCKET'S
GOT A HOLE IN IT ♪
♪ YEAH, MY BUCKET'S GOT
A HOLE IN IT ♪
♪ IT WON'T HOLD NO BEER... ♪
OKAY, FANTASTIC.
I DIDN'T KNOW THE NOTES.
I NEVER KNEW
FOR SO MANY YEARS,
I NEVER KNEW THE BUCKET
WOULDN'T HOLD ANY BEER.
MAKES US GO,
"WHOA! HEY!"
Ertegun:
THEY COME IN LATE.
IT'S A LITTLE LATE.
YEAH...
COME IN LATE, YEAH.
THEY COME IN LATE.
THEY SHOULD COME IN ON...
♪ HOLE IN IT ♪
♪ YEAH, MY BUCKET'S
GOT A HOLE IN IT ♪
♪ YEAH, MY BUCKET'S GOT
A HOLE IN IT... ♪
Ertegun:
IT GOES A LITTLE FASTER.
FINISH AT THE SAME TIME,
MORE OR LESS.
YEAH.
♪ STANDIN' ON THE CORNER ♪
♪ WITH MY BUCKET
IN MY HAND ♪
♪ JUST A' LOOKIN'
FOR A WOMAN ♪
♪ THAT AIN'T GOT NO MAN ♪
♪ 'CAUSE MY BUCKET'S
GOT A HOLE IN IT ♪
♪ YEAH, MY BUCKET'S GOT
A HOLE IN IT ♪
♪ YEAH, MY BUCKET'S
GOT A HOLE IN IT ♪
♪ IT WON'T HOLD NO BEER ♪
♪ WELL, THERE AIN'T NO USE ♪
♪ FOR ME A' WORKIN'
SO HARD ♪
♪ 'CAUSE I GOT A WOMAN ♪
♪ IN THE BOSS MAN'S YARD ♪
♪ 'CAUSE MY BUCKET'S
GOT A HOLE IN IT ♪
♪ YEAH, MY BUCKET'S GOT
A HOLE IN IT ♪
♪ YEAH, MY BUCKET'S
GOT A HOLE IN IT ♪
♪ IT WON'T HOLD NO BEER ♪
♪ WHOA, YEAH ♪
♪ YEAH ♪
♪ WENT UP ON THE MOUNTAIN ♪
♪ I LOOKED DOWN TO THE SEA ♪
♪ I SAW THE CRABS
AND THE FISHES ♪
♪ DOING THE BEBOP BEE ♪
♪ NOW, ME AND MY BABY ♪
♪ I BOUGHT ME A FORD ♪
♪ WE BEEN SITTIN'
TOGETHER, MAN ♪
♪ ON THE RUNNING BOARD ♪
♪ 'CAUSE MY BUCKET'S
GOT A HOLE IN IT ♪
♪ YEAH, MY BUCKET'S GOT
A HOLE IN IT ♪
♪ YEAH, MY BUCKET'S
GOT A HOLE IN IT ♪
♪ WON'T HOLD NO BEER ♪
♪ WHOA, LET'S GO, YEAH ♪
♪ WELL, NOW, MY BUCKET'S GOT
A HOLE IN IT ♪
♪ YEAH, MY BUCKET'S
GOT A HOLE IN IT ♪
♪ YEAH, MY BUCKET'S GOT
A HOLE IN IT ♪
♪ IT WON'T HOLD NO BEER ♪
♪ YEAH, MY BUCKET'S GOT
A HOLE IN IT ♪
♪ YEAH, MY BUCKET'S
GOT A HOLE IN IT ♪
♪ YEAH, MY BUCKET'S GOT
A HOLE IN IT ♪
♪ WON'T HOLD NO BEER. ♪
CHAPS, DO YOU MIND
TRACKING IT?
NO, NO,
ABSOLUTELY.
Plant: OH, NO, NOW.
Phillips:
BILLY LEE RILEY HAD
THE REAL POTENTIAL
TO BE
A BIG RECORD SELLER.
BUT BILLY DID HAVE
A PRETTY GOOD TEMPER
AND MAYBE NOT THE GREATEST
OVERVIEW ON LIFE IN THE WORLD.
BUT BILLY LEE,
HAVING THE TALENT
THAT HE'S GOT,
BUT BEING ON SUN RECORDS,
THERE WAS SOMETHING ABOUT
WHEN YOU HEARD BILLY LEE RILEY,
YOU KNEW THAT SUN SOUND
WAS THERE.
♪ MY GAL IS RED HOT ♪
♪ YOUR GAL
AIN'T DOODLY SQUAT ♪
♪ YEAH! MY GAL IS RED HOT ♪
♪ YOUR GAL
AIN'T DOODLY SQUAT ♪
♪ WELL, SHE AIN'T
GOT NO MONEY ♪
♪ BUT, MAN,
SHE'S REALLY GOT A LOT ♪
♪ WELL, I GOT A GAL,
SIX FEET FOUR ♪
♪ SLEEPS IN THE KITCHEN
WITH HER FEETS OUT THE DOOR ♪
♪ BUT MY GAL IS RED HOT ♪
♪ YOUR GAL
AIN'T DOODLY SQUAT ♪
♪ YEAH,
MY GAL IS RED HOT ♪
♪ YOUR GAL
AIN'T DOODLY SQUAT ♪
♪ SHE AIN'T GOT NO MONEY,
BUT LOVIN' SHE SURE GOT A LOT ♪
♪ SHE'S A ONE-MAN WOMAN,
THAT'S WHAT I LIKE ♪
♪ NOT A WISHY-WASHY WOMAN,
CHANGE HER MIND EVERY NIGHT ♪
♪ BUT MY GAL IS RED HOT ♪
♪ YOUR GAL
AIN'T DOODLY SQUAT ♪
♪ YEAH! MY GAL IS RED HOT ♪
♪ SHE AIN'T GOT NO MONEY,
BUT LOVIN' SHE SURE
GOT A LOT. ♪
WHOA, ALL RIGHT!
MEMORIES ARE MADE OF THIS!
YOU KNOW, WHEN WE TRIED
TO CUT THAT HERE,
THEY'D WANT TO PUT THAT PAUSE,
THAT BREAK IN,
♪ MY GAL IS RED HOT,
YOUR GAL AIN'T... ♪
MOST PEOPLE CAN'T DO THAT.
THEY CAN'T FIGURE THAT OUT.
THEY WANT TO GO...
♪ MY GAL IS RED HOT ♪
♪ YOUR GAL AIN'T... ♪
YEAH, RIGHT, THAT AIN'T
THE WAY WE DID IT.
THEY DON'T HAVE THAT SOUL
IF YOU DO IT THAT WAY.
OF COURSE,
WE COULD'VE BEEN WRONG.
- I DON'T THINK SO.
- WE HAD IT RIGHT
THE FIRST TIME.
I DON'T THINK
WE WERE EVER WRONG,
WE WAS RIGHT EVERY TIME.
HOW COULD YOU BE WRONG
IN 1956?
CAN'T DO ALL OF THAT
GOOD STUFF, MAN, NO WAY!
WE HAD SOME GOOD TIMES THERE,
AND AFTER THAT, YOU KNOW,
WE HAD SOME GOOD TIMES,
SOME BAD TIMES,
SOME WILD TIMES.
IT'S GOT TO BE THE MOST
MEMORABLE THREE YEARS
OF MY LIFE.
WELL, ME TOO.
JUST A LOT OF FUN.
IT'S MEANT MORE TO ME
THAN ANY PART OF MY LIFE.
WE'RE KNOWN
ALL OVER THE WORLD.
WE PROBABLY WOULD'VE
NEVER BEEN KNOWN ANYWHERE
EXCEPT MEMPHIS
- IF WE HADN'T HAVE GOTTEN...
- YEAH, THAT'S RIGHT.
AND MAYBE NOT EVEN THERE,
YOU KNOW.
WE MAY HAVE BEEN RUN
OUT OF MEMPHIS
BEFORE WE GOT TO BE KNOWN.
THIS IS TRUE.
♪ WELL, THE NEWS OF THE SAUCER
BEEN FLYIN' AROUND ♪
♪ I'M THE ONLY ONE THAT SEEN IT
ON THE GROUND ♪
♪ FIRST THING I SEEN
WHEN I SAW IT LAND ♪
♪ A CAT JUMPED OUT,
AND THEY FORMED A BAND ♪
♪ FLYIN' SAUCER ROCK 'N' ROLL
♪ FLYIN' SAUCER
ROCK 'N' ROLL ♪
♪ I COULDN'T UNDERSTAND
A THING THEY SAID ♪
♪ BUT THE CRAZY BEAT
JUST KNOCKED ME DEAD ♪
♪ OWW! ♪
♪ WELL, THE LITTLE GREEN MEN,
THEY WERE REAL HEPCATS ♪
♪ ROCKIN' AND ROLLIN'
TO THEIR CRAZY FLATS ♪
♪ BROUGHT OUT THE SAX
AND STARTED TO BLOW ♪
♪ BROUGHT OUT THE DRUMS
AND THEY STARTED TO ROLL ♪
♪ FLYIN' SAUCER
ROCK 'N' ROLL
♪ FLYIN' SAUCER
ROCK 'N' ROLL ♪
♪ I COULDN'T UNDERSTAND
A THING THEY SAID ♪
♪ BUT THAT CRAZY BEAT JUST
KNOCKED ME DEAD ♪
♪ OWW! ♪
♪ WELL, THE LITTLE GREEN MEN,
THEY WERE REAL HEPCATS ♪
♪ ROCKIN' AND ROLLIN'
TO THEIR CRAZY FLATS ♪
♪ BROUGHT OUT A SAX
AND STARTED TO BLOW ♪
♪ BROUGHT OUT THE DRUMS
AND STARTED TO ROLL ♪
♪ FLYIN' SAUCER
ROCK 'N' ROLL ♪
♪ FLYIN' SAUCER
ROCK 'N' ROLL ♪
♪ I COULDN'T UNDERSTAND
A THING THEY SAID ♪
♪ BUT THAT CRAZY BEAT JUST
KNOCKED ME DEAD... ♪
WHOA!
THANK YOU!
THANK YOU SO MUCH.
BILLY LEE RILEY!
WELL, THERE I'M SITTING
IN MEMPHIS,
IN MY OWN HOME TOWN,
AND WE'RE,
AND SUN RECORDS IS GETTING
KNOWN AROUND THE WORLD,
AND I DID THINK WE WERE
INTO SOMETHING
KIND OF SPECIAL
AT THAT TIME,
THAT WE WERE MAKING SOME MUSIC
THAT WOULD HAVE A LOT OF IMPACT,
AND MAYBE LAST FOR A WHILE.
AND IT HAS... IT'S ENDURED.
THE SUN LABEL,
THAT LITTLE YELLOW LABEL
WITH THAT ROOSTER ON IT,
HAS, LIKE I SAID,
SURVIVED AND HAS ALSO BROUGHT
A LOT OF PEOPLE
INTO THE BUSINESS...
THAT PROBABLY WOULD NOT
HAVE GOTTEN INTO IT,
HAD IT NOT BEEN
FOR PEOPLE LIKE MYSELF,
JERRY LEE, OR CARL PERKINS,
AND THOSE PEOPLE.
LIKE THE BEATLES.
DOING A LOT OF SUN RECORDS...
BETWEEN SUN AND CHUCK BERRY,
I THINK THAT WAS MOST
OF THE SONGS THAT THEY DID.
AND THE SAME WAY
WITH MICK JAGGER
AND ALL THOSE GUYS.
THAT'S WHAT THEY
CUT THEIR TEETH ON.
♪ WELL, IT'S ONE
FOR THE MONEY ♪
♪ TWO FOR THE SHOW ♪
♪ THREE TO GET READY,
NOW GO, CAT, GO ♪
♪ BUT DON'T YOU
STEP ON MY BLUE SUEDE SHOES ♪
♪ YOU CAN DO ANYTHING, BUT LAY
OFF OF MY BLUE SUEDE SHOES... ♪
Ertegun:
I SUPPOSE THAT
MORE THAN ANYBODY,
YOU'RE RESPONSIBLE
FOR INTRODUCING THE MUSIC
OF SUN RECORDS
TO A EUROPEAN MARKET.
THE FIRST TIME
I HEARD ELVIS WAS ON A 78...
THOSE OLD RECORDS...
- THAT'S THE FIRST TIME
I HEARD HIM, TOO.
- YES.
IT WAS IN A JUKEBOX.
AND IT WAS,
"DON'T LET THE SUN SHINE."
YEAH.
SOMETHING ABOUT...
AND SAVE MY...
"BABY, LET'S PLAY HOUSE."
AND I BECAME
A FAN OF ELVIS, ACTUALLY.
AND THEN HE DID HIS VERSION
OF "BLUE SUEDE SHOES"
THAT I HAD ALREADY KNOWN
BY CARL PERKINS...
UH-HUH.
AND NOW WHEN YOU
ASKED ME TO DO
THE VERSION
OF "BLUE SUEDE SHOES,"
I DID
THE CARL PERKINS VERSION,
WITH THE TWO CHORDS,
YOU KNOW.
♪ WELL, IT'S ONE
FOR THE MONEY ♪
♪ TWO FOR THE SHOW ♪
♪ THREE TO GET READY,
NOW GO, CAT, GO ♪
♪ BUT DON'T YOU
STEP ON MY BLUE SUEDE SHOES ♪
♪ WELL,
YOU CAN DO ANYTHING ♪
♪ BUT LAY OFF
OF MY BLUE SUEDE SHOES ♪
♪ WELL, YOU CAN
KNOCK ME DOWN ♪
♪ STEP ON MY FACE ♪
♪ SLANDER MY NAME
ALL OVER THE PLACE ♪
♪ DO ANYTHING
THAT YOU WANT TO DO ♪
♪ BUT, UH-UH, HONEY,
LAY OFF OF MY SHOES ♪
♪ BUT DON'T YOU
STEP ON MY BLUE SUEDE SHOES ♪
♪ WELL, YOU CAN DO ANYTHING,
BUT LAY OFF OF MY BLUE
SUEDE SHOES... ♪
AH, THAT'S ROCKIN', BABY.
♪ WELL, YOU CAN
BURN MY HOUSE ♪
♪ STEAL MY CAR ♪
♪ DRINK MY LIQUOR
FROM AN OLD FRUIT JAR ♪
♪ DO ANYTHING
THAT YOU WANT TO DO ♪
♪ BUT, UH-UH, HONEY,
LAY OFF OF MY SHOES ♪
♪ BUT DON'T YOU
STEP ON MY BLUE SUEDE SHOES ♪
♪ WELL, YOU CAN DO ANYTHING ♪
♪ BUT LAY OFF
OF MY BLUE SUEDE SHOES... ♪
LET'S ROCK AGAIN.
ALL RIGHT!
♪ WELL, IT'S ONE
FOR THE MONEY ♪
♪ TWO FOR THE SHOW ♪
♪ THREE TO GET READY,
NOW GO, GO, GO ♪
♪ BUT DON'T YOU ♪
♪ STEP ON
MY BLUE SUEDE SHOES ♪
♪ WELL, YOU CAN
DO ANYTHING ♪
♪ BUT LAY OFF
OF MY BLUE SUEDE SHOES ♪
♪ WELL, IT'S BLUE, BLUE,
BLUE SUEDE SHOES, BABY ♪
♪ BLUE, BLUE,
BLUE SUEDE SHOES, BABY ♪
♪ BLUE, BLUE,
BLUE SUEDE SHOES, YEAH ♪
♪ BLUE, BLUE,
BLUE SUEDE SHOES ♪
♪ WELL, YOU CAN
DO ANYTHING ♪
♪ BUT LAY OFF
OF MY BLUE SUEDE SHOES ♪
♪ YEAH. ♪
♪ YOU WON'T BE SATISFIED ♪
♪ WITH ANYONE ♪
♪ SO AFTER YOU ♪
♪ GET RID OF ME ♪
♪ WHO WILL
THE NEXT FOOL BE? ♪
WHAT KEY DO YOU WANT
TO DO IT IN?
Zucchero:
THE CD IS BETWEEN
D AND E FLAT.
WELL, WE CAN DO IT
IN-BETWEEN.
I DON'T KNOW IF IT'S THE RIGHT...
THE TUNE IS EXACTLY...
THE SAME TUNE OF THE RECORD,
SO I DON'T KNOW.
I CAN TRY IN "E"...
- WELL, D's BETTER.
- OR D.
D's BETTER FOR US...
D's BETTER FOR ME AND SCOTTY,
AND ACTUALLY MUCH BETTER
ON DRUMS AS WELL...
E FLAT I CAN TUNE DOWN
IN A NEW YORK MINUTE.
SO F TO F SHARP.
♪ YOU GET RID OF ME ♪
♪ WHO ♪
♪ WILL THE NEXT
FOOL BE? ♪
♪ WILL HE BELIEVE ♪
♪ ALL THOSE LIES ♪
♪ END UP LIKE ME
WITH TEARS IN HIS EYES? ♪
♪ I KNOW, I KNOW,
I KNOW, I KNOW ♪
♪ I'D LIKE TO BE THE ONE
TO TELL HIM SO ♪
♪ 'CAUSE AFTER ALL
IS SAID AND DONE ♪
♪ YOU WON'T BE SATISFIED
WITH ANYONE ♪
♪ SO AFTER
YOU GET RID OF ME ♪
♪ WHO WILL
THE NEXT FOOL BE? ♪
♪ WILL HE BELIEVE ♪
♪ ALL THOSE LIES ♪
♪ END UP LIKE ME
WITH TEARS IN HIS EYES? ♪
♪ I KNOW, I KNOW,
I KNOW, I KNOW ♪
♪ I'D LIKE TO BE THE ONE
TO TELL HIM SO ♪
♪ SAYING 'CAUSE AFTER ALL IS
SAID AND DONE ♪
♪ YOU WON'T BE SATISFIED
WITH ANYONE ♪
♪ SO AFTER
YOU GET RID OF ME ♪
♪ WHO WILL
THE NEXT FOOL BE? ♪
THE MUSIC TODAY DOESN'T
SOUND LIKE THE SUN SOUND,
BUT A LOT OF THE MUSICIANS
WERE INFLUENCED BY THAT,
AND I THINK THEY'VE TAKEN IT
AND INTERPRETED IT
IN THEIR OWN WAY
AND CREATED NEW FORMS WITH IT,
BUT IT'S TRACEABLE BACK TO...
A LOT OF IT'S TRACEABLE
BACK TO THE SUN THING.
THE BEAUTY OF WHATEVER IT WAS
THAT I HAD TO DO WITH MUSIC
IS YOU'VE GOT TO SAY
THAT I HAVE TO DO WITH MUSIC,
BECAUSE IT IS STILL PRESENT.
IT WILL NEVER GO AWAY.
♪ SOON YOUR SUGAR DADDIES
WILL ALL BE GONE ♪
♪ YOU WAKE UP SOME COLD DAY
AND FIND YOU'RE ALONE ♪
♪ YOU'LL CALL FOR ME, BUT I'M
GONNA TELL YOU BYE, BYE, BYE ♪
♪ WHEN I TURN AROUND
AND WALK AWAY, YOU'LL CRY,
CRY, CRY... ♪
Phillips:
MY INFLUENCE,
WHATEVER IT WAS,
AND THE INFLUENCE OF MANY
OTHERS
THAT WERE INFLUENCED BY ME,
THEN OTHERS INFLUENCED BY
THOSE,
AND THOSE AND THOSE...
IT IS ABSOLUTELY
THE MOST FREEING THING
FOR YOUNG MUSICIANS.
♪ CHICKA, CHICKA,
BOOM, BOOM, BOOM... ♪
Hargreaves:
IT WAS TRULY REVOLUTIONARY
MUSIC AT THE TIME,
AND WHAT BROUGHT THEM
INTO THAT BUILDING TO DO THAT...
AND REALLY JUST RAISE
THEIR MIDDLE FINGER
TO PEOPLE, YOU KNOW?
IT'S A TRIP.
WHERE EVERYONE WAS ON
THIS LIKE, "I WANNA GO!"
IT WAS JUST LIKE
THERE WAS THIS REPRESSION
THAT WAS GOING ON
IN POSTWAR AMERICA
THAT WE DON'T HAVE NOW,
AND THERE WAS A PURITY
IN THAT, LIKE...
IT'S LIKE BUSTING OUT WITH,
LIKE, THE HOT ROD.
♪ YOU'RE GOING TO CRY... ♪
RIGHT.
Jenkins:
JOHNNY CASH IS NOT MY IDOL.
ELVIS IS NOT MY IDOL.
RIGHT BEFORE WE
GO INTO THE CHORUS.
THE GUYS THAT THEY INFLUENCED
ARE REALLY MORE MY IDOLS...
JIMMY PAGE AND PAUL McCARTNEY.
I REVERE THE PEOPLE
THAT REVERED THEM, YOU KNOW.
THAT'LL JUST OPEN IT UP
A LITTLE BIT.
WHAT THOSE CATS WERE
PLAYING THE SUN SESSIONS
DID FOR BANDS
LIKE THE WHO
AND LED ZEPPELIN,
THAT'S WHAT THOSE BANDS
DID FOR ME.
COOL...
THOSE BANDS SHOWED ME
THERE WAS THIS WORLD OUT THERE
THAT WAS DANGEROUS AND EROTIC
AND NOT LIMITED...
PLUS THOSE HILLBILLIES
COULD PLAY.
♪ EVERYBODY KNOWS WHERE YOU GO
WHEN THE SUN GOES DOWN ♪
♪ I THINK YOU ONLY LIVE TO SEE
THE LIGHT OF TOWN ♪
♪ I WASTED MY TIME
WHEN I WOULD TRY, TRY, TRY ♪
♪ 'CAUSE WHEN THE LIGHTS
HAVE LOST THEIR GLOW ♪
♪ YOU'LL CRY, CRY, CRY ♪
♪ SOON YOUR SUGAR DADDIES
WILL ALL BE GONE ♪
♪ YOU WAKE UP SOME COLD DAY
AND FIND YOU'RE ALL ALONE ♪
♪ YOU'LL CALL FOR ME, BUT I'M
GONNA TELL YOU BYE, BYE, BYE ♪
♪ WHEN I TURN AROUND AND WALK,
YOU'LL CRY, CRY, CRY ♪
♪ YOU'RE GONNA CRY,
CRY, CRY ♪
♪ AND YOU'LL CRY ALONE ♪
♪ WHEN EVERYONE'S
FORGOTTEN ♪
♪ AND YOU'RE LEFT
ON YOUR OWN ♪
♪ YOU'RE GONNA CRY ♪
♪ CRY, CRY, CRY ♪
♪ I LIE AWAKE AT NIGHT
AND WAIT TILL YOU COME IN ♪
♪ YOU STAY A LITTLE WHILE
AND THEN YOU'RE GONE AGAIN ♪
♪ EVERY QUESTION THAT I ASK
I GET A LIE, A LIE, A LIE ♪
♪ AND FOR EVERY LIE,
YOU'RE GONNA CRY ♪
♪ AND CRY AND CRY AND CRY ♪
♪ YOU'RE GONNA CRY ♪
♪ AND THEN YOU'LL,
YOU'LL CRY ALONE ♪
♪ WHEN EVERYONE'S FORGOTTEN
AND YOU'RE LEFT ON YOUR OWN ♪
♪ YOU'RE GONNA CRY ♪
♪ CRY, CRY, CRY ♪
♪ YOU'RE GONNA CRY ♪
♪ CRY, CRY, CRY ♪
♪ YOU'RE GONNA CRY ♪
♪ CRY, CRY, CRY. ♪
♪ DOWN IN NEW ORLEANS
WHERE EVERYTHING'S FINE ♪
♪ ALL THEM CATS
KEEP SIPPIN' THAT WINE ♪
♪ DRINKIN' THAT MESS
IS SURE DELIGHT ♪
♪ THEN THEY START FUSSIN'
AND FIGHTIN' ALL NIGHT ♪
♪ DRINKIN' WINE SPO-DEE-O-DEE,
DRINKIN' WINE ♪
♪ WINE SPO-DEE-O-DEE,
DRINKIN' WINE ♪
♪ WINE SPO-DEE-O-DEE,
DRINKIN' WINE ♪
♪ PASS THAT BOTTLE TO ME ♪
♪ HOY, HOY, HOY ♪
♪ WINE, WINE, WINE,
ELDERBERRY ♪
♪ WINE, WINE, WINE,
OH SHERRY ♪
♪ WINE, WINE, WINE,
BLACKBERRY ♪
♪ WINE, WINE, WINE,
HALF-AND-HALF ♪
♪ WINE, WINE, WINE,
OH BOY ♪
♪ PASS THAT BOTTLE
TO ME. ♪
YEAH!
♪ DOWN IN NEW ORLEANS
WHERE EVERYTHING'S FINE ♪
♪ ALL THE CATS
WERE PASSIN' THEIR WINE ♪
♪ DRINKIN' THAT MESS,
THAT'S THEIR DELIGHT ♪
♪ THEY GET IN THAT STUFF,
START FIGHTIN' ALL NIGHT ♪
♪ WELL, I GOT A NICKEL
AND YOU GOT A DIME ♪
♪ LET'S GET TOGETHER
AND COP SOME WINE ♪
♪ SOME BUY THE FIFTH,
SOME BUY THE QUART ♪
♪ IF YOU BUY THE HALF-GALLON,
YOU'RE DOIN' THINGS SMART ♪
♪ DRINK WINE
SPO-DEE-O-DEE ♪
♪ PASS THAT BOTTLE TO ME ♪
♪ DRINK WINE
SPO-DEE-O-DEE ♪
♪ PASS THAT BOTTLE TO ME ♪
♪ DRINK WINE ♪
♪ SPO-DEE-O-DEE ♪
♪ PASS THAT BOTTLE TO ME ♪
♪ DRINK WINE SPO-DEE-O-DEE ♪
♪ PASS THAT BOTTLE TO ME ♪
Rapping:
♪ SEE ME BUMPIN'
UP AND DOWN YOUR BLOCK ♪
♪ FEEL ME COMIN',
MOUTH RUNNIN' ♪
♪ WITH THE BIG BEATS
DRUMMIN' ♪
♪ ONE IN THE SAME
WITH BROWN BAG IN HAND ♪
♪ PEOPLE POINT AND STARE
BECAUSE I'M THE FUCKING MAN ♪
♪ DRINK WINE ♪
♪ AND THAT'S ALL I DO ♪
♪ LAY BACK WITH THE SACK
AND THE BOOGALOO, TOO ♪
♪ LET THE FEW WHO KNEW
ABOUT EARL THROUGH ♪
♪ I'M GONNA DRINK SOME DOWN ♪
♪ AND PASS IT ON TO YOU ♪
♪ DRINK WINE ♪
♪ ALL NIGHT LONG
UNTIL THE BREAKS OF DAWN ♪
♪ DRINK WINE ♪
♪ I SAID ON AND A' ON
AND ON-ON AND ON ♪
♪ DRINK WINE ♪
♪ YOU KNOW WE DON'T QUIT
TILL THAT BOTTLE'S ALL GONE ♪
♪ DRINK WINE SPO-DEE-O-DEE ♪
♪ PASS THAT BOTTLE
TO ME... ♪
COME ON!
♪ PASS THAT BOTTLE
TO ME... ♪
COME ON!
♪ PASS THAT BOTTLE TO ME ♪
♪ PASS THAT BOTTLE TO ME ♪
♪ PASS THAT
BOTTLE TO ME... ♪
Man:
WHAT IS
WINE SPO-DEE-O-DEE?
SPO-DEE-O-DEE
WAS THAT MASH
WHEN ALL THE WINOS WOULD POUR
WHATEVER'S LEFT IN THE BOTTLES
ALL INTO ONE BIG POT
AND STIR IT UP
AND PASS IT AROUND,
YOU KNOW?
SOUNDS LIKE
SUNDAY BREAKFAST
AT THE ROCK HOUSE.
THAT'S RIGHT.
THOSE GUYS AT SUN RECORDS
WERE A BUNCH OF DRINKERS.
BEING A MUSICIAN
INVOLVES GETTING HIGH
ONCE IN A WHILE
JUST 'CAUSE OF
THE WAY WE ARE, AND STUFF...
THEY WEREN'T DRINKING
FRENCH WINE BACK THEN,
LIKE WE ARE NOW, ROCK.
SUN RECORDS, I THINK,
WAS THE BEGINNING
OF ROCK 'N' ROLL REBELLION
RIGHT THERE, THAT WAS IT.
THAT STARTED IT ALL,
AND IT'S NEVER STOPPED,
- AMEN, BROTHER!
- Kid Rock: YEAH,
I'M JUST FOLLOWING
THE FUCKING
ROCK 'N' ROLL HANDBOOK
THAT WAS WRITTEN
BY A LOT OF THESE CATS.
YOU KNOW, IT'S LIKE...
DRINK A LOT, GET A GOOD HABIT,
RECORD SONGS,
GET MODEL GIRLFRIEND,
WEAR SHADES WHEN
THE LIGHTS ARE ON,
THROW TV
OUT OF HOTEL WINDOW,
LOSE IT ALL,
MAKE COMEBACK, DIE.
WHICH PART OF THIS
ARE YOU IN NOW?
- LIKE CHAPTER...
- MODEL GIRLFRIEND?
I STAYED AT CHAPTER FIVE,
MODEL GIRLFRIENDS.
♪ WINE, WINE, WINE ♪
♪ WINE, WINE, WINE ♪
♪ WINE, WINE, WINE ♪
♪ PASS THAT BOTTLE TO ME ♪
Riley:
I THINK ONE OF THE MAIN
INGREDIENTS
OF WHY WE DID SO WELL
AT SUN RECORDS,
WE ALWAYS HAD PLENTY
OF THUNDERBIRD.
NOW, DON'T MENTION
THAT THUNDERBIRD.
PLENTY OF THUNDERBIRD.
YEAH, THE THUNDERBIRD WINE
GOT FLOWING.
I KNOW ME AND JOHNNY RAY
AND BILL...
I DON'T KNOW
ABOUT ANYBODY ELSE...
BUT WE GOT FEELING GOOD
ON THAT THUNDERBIRD WINE.
YOU GUYS GOT ME
STARTED DRINKING IT.
I WAS JUST 16 YEARS OLD.
Y'ALL SHOULDN'T HAVE BEEN
DOING THAT AROUND ME.
THERE WASN'T THAT MUCH
DRINKING GOING ON.
Woman:
AH, COME ON.
A MAN THAT...
ANYBODY THAT WOULD
SAY THAT WOULD BE
BECAUSE HE WAS
TOO DRUNK TO SEE.
I WASN'T
DRINKING VERY MUCH.
'CAUSE I GUARANTEE YA,
I NEVER DID A SESSION
THAT I WASN'T DRUNK.
Woman:
JUST WALKING IN
THE STUDIO NEXT DAY...
THE SMELL OF IT
WILL GET YOU DRUNK.
I'D BEEN THERE QUITE A WHILE,
AND ONE DAY I GOT DRUNK,
ONE AFTERNOON.
AND I DISCOVERED
THAT I COULDN'T MIX, DRUNK.
SO YOU KNOW WHAT I DID?
LEARNED TO MIX DRUNK.
Pittman:
IS IT TRUE, JACK, THAT YOU
RECORDED A SONG ONE TIME
AND YOU PUT THE MICROPHONE
IN THE BATHROOM TO GET ECHO,
AND SOMEBODY WENT
TO THE BATHROOM
AND YOU PICKED UP
THE FLUSH ON THE RECORDING?
OH, I WAS ALWAYS
DOING STUFF LIKE THAT.
HE PUT ME IN THE BATHROOM
AT SUN AT ONE TIME.
I SANG
IN THE BATHROOM AT SUN.
I THINK THAT'S THE MAIN THING
ABOUT BEING THERE AT SUN
WAS THAT WE BROKE
ALL THE RULES.
WE DIDN'T KNOW THE RULES.
SAM WAS ALWAYS SAYING,
"I'M LOOKING FOR SOMETHING
DIFFERENT."
SO I WAS LOOKING
FOR SOMETHING DIFFERENT.
IT NEVER OCCURRED TO ME
I'D EVER GET A CHANCE
TO PLAY ON A RECORD
UNLESS YOU HAD
A MUSIC DEGREE, YOU KNOW?
IT WAS JUST THE WAY IT WAS,
THAT MOST OF THE PEOPLE I KNEW
HAD STUDIED MUSIC FOR YEARS
AND GONE TO CONSERVATORIES,
AND THESE WERE THE PEOPLE
THAT HAD THE GREAT
OPPORTUNITIES, YOU KNOW,
AND ALL OF A SUDDEN, HERE
OPPORTUNITY WAS AVAILABLE TO US,
AND I'M REALLY
THANKFUL FOR IT.
I THANK SAM PHILLIPS
TO THIS DAY FOR THAT.
I THINK SAM WOULD HAVE LIKED
TO HAVE DONE A LOT FOR MORE
ARTISTS AND ALL
THAN HE HAD THE MONEY
AT THAT TIME TO DO.
I BELIEVE THAT, YOU KNOW,
HE WANTED TO HELP MORE PEOPLE,
BUT HE JUST REALLY
GOT BUSY
WITH THE MAIN FOUR,
AND...
WELL, I LIKED HIM.
HE TREATED US FINE.
I THINK WHAT SAM CONTRIBUTED
TO THE MUSIC BUSINESS WAS,
HE LIKED THE FEELING.
AND OUR PARTICULAR MUSIC
DEALS OUT OF FEELINGS,
IT DOESN'T DEAL OUT OF
HOW PRETTY YOU SING,
IF THE AUDIENCE CAN FEEL
WHAT YOU'RE PLAYING.
SO I LIKE SAM, YOU KNOW.
HEY, I WOULDN'T BE SITTING HERE
IF IT WASN'T FOR SAM.
I WAS SITTING HERE
LISTENING TO ALL THIS
AND EVERYBODY APPARENTLY
HAS NEVER HAD
ANY PERSONAL RELATIONSHIP
WITH SAM LIKE I DID,
BECAUSE I DON'T SEE SAM
AS ONE OF THEM GREAT,
GREAT PEOPLE.
I THINK HE'S
AN INTELLIGENT MAN,
BUT I THINK HE'S NOT SMART.
AND I BLAME HIM, PERSONALLY,
FOR MY CAREER,
BECAUSE HE DID PERSONALLY
STAND IN FRONT OF ME
AND STOPPED RECORDS ON ME,
STOPPED SHIPPING RECORDS ON ME.
PERSONALLY, HE SAID, "I'M NOT
SHIPPING THIS RECORD ANYMORE."
HE TOLD THE DISTRIBUTORS...
NOT ME...
HE TOLD THE DISTRIBUTORS..
I WALKED IN THERE, HE SAID,
"WE'RE SHIPPING
'GREAT BALLS OF FIRE, '
WE'RE NOT SHIPPING
'RED HOT.'"
WELL, I THINK
SAM'S BIGGEST PROBLEM...
JERRY LEE LEWIS CAME ALONG,
AND SAM JUST SORT
OF DROPPED RILEY
AND PUT ALL HIS EFFORTS
INTO "GREAT BALLS OF FIRE."
HE COULDN'T FOCUS ON MORE
THAN ONE ARTIST AT A TIME.
HE WAS USING US
TO MAKE A LIVING,
NOWADAYS,
FOLKS DON'T TREAT YOU
TOO GOOD, EITHER, FELLAS.
I KNOW THAT,
BUT I'M NOT INVOLVED...
I WAS INVOLVED, IN THE '50s,
WITH SAM PHILLIPS
THAT EVERYBODY
HAS MOLDED INTO A GOD,
AND HE'S NOT A GOD, MAN.
HE'S A HUMAN BEING
THAT CHEATED ME OUT
OF MY MONEY,
AND THAT'S THE KIND
OF SAM PHILLIPS I KNOW.
AND IF Y'ALL KNOW
A DIFFERENT ONE,
YOU DON'T KNOW
THE SAME ONE I KNOW...
I NEVER SAW HIM
IN THE STUDIO.
IF YOU DON'T HAVE PERSONAL
PROBLEMS WITH A MAN,
THEN YOU DON'T KNOW.
IF SAM HAD
TREATED ME NICE, I'D SAY,
"HEY, HE'S THE GREATEST GUY
IN THE WORLD."
BUT HE DIDN'T...
HE TREATED ME BAD.
BUT SEE,
WHAT I'M SAYING,
IN MY OPINION,
HE'S NOT THE GREATEST
GUY IN THE WORLD, HE'S NOT GOD.
HE'S JUST A MAN
LIKE EVERYBODY ELSE.
HE'S TRYING TO MAKE
A LIVING FOR HIM AND HIS FAMILY.
♪ COME ON OVER, BABY ♪
♪ WHOLE LOTTA SHAKIN'
GOIN' ON ♪
♪ YES, I SAID,
COME ON OVER, BABY ♪
♪ BABY, YOU CAN'T GO WRONG ♪
♪ WE AIN'T FAKIN' ♪
♪ WHOLE LOTTA SHAKIN'
GOIN' ON ♪
♪ OH, LET'S GO! ♪
Phillips:
ELVIS TOLD ME THAT
IF HE COULD PLAY THE PIANO
LIKE JERRY LEE LEWIS,
HE SAYS,
"I THINK I'D QUIT SINGING."
THAT'S HOW
UNBELIEVABLY TALENTED
IN SUCH A DIFFERENT WAY...
IT'S NOT THAT HE PLAYS
THE PIANO GOOD...
HE PLAYS THE PIANO
LIKE NO OTHER PERSON.
♪ YOU SHAKE MY NERVES
AND YOU RATTLE MY BRAIN ♪
♪ TOO MUCH LOVE
DRIVES A MAN INSANE ♪
♪ YOU BROKE MY WILL ♪
♪ BUT WHAT A THRILL ♪
♪ GOODNESS GRACIOUS,
GREAT BALLS OF FIRE! ♪
♪ I LAUGHED AT LOVE,
FOR I THOUGHT IT WAS FUNNY ♪
♪ YOU CAME ALONG
AND MOVED ME, HONEY ♪
♪ I CHANGED MY MIND ♪
♪ THIS LOVE IS FINE ♪
♪ GOODNESS GRACIOUS,
GREAT BALLS OF FIRE! ♪
Riley:
WHAT MAKES JERRY LEE SO
UNIQUE IS HIS STYLE OF PLAYING.
HE CAME INTO TOWN,
DOING SOMETHING DIFFERENT
THAT NO ONE ELSE WAS DOING...
PLAYING PIANO
AND PLAYING ROCK 'N' ROLL.
NOW THIS WAS NOT SOMETHING
THAT MEMPHIS WAS USED TO.
Burgess:
JERRY LEE... THAT'S A GUY
THAT NOBODY EVER
GIVES ANY CREDIT FOR BEING
THE MOST COPIED PIANO PLAYER
IN THE WORLD.
NOW, YOU CAN THINK
OF GUITAR PLAYERS,
AND THERE'S A BUNCH
OF DIFFERENT GUITAR PLAYERS
THAT'S INFLUENCED
DIFFERENT PEOPLE.
BUT WHEN YOU STOP AND THINK
ABOUT PIANO PLAYERS...
THINK OF ONE PIANO PLAYER
THAT'S INFLUENCED
EVERY PIANO PLAYER IN THE WORLD,
IT'S JERRY LEE LEWIS.
WHOA!
Phillips:
IT'S JUST ALMOST IMPOSSIBLE
NOT TO BE
S-O-U-L-L-Y,
SOUL-LY CAPTURED BY
JERRY LEE LEWIS FROM THE TIME...
HE CAN START IN THE LEFT HAND
BELOW MIDDLE "C,"
ALL THE WAY UP...
IT DON'T MAKE ANY DIFFERENCE.
WELL, LET'S GO.
SHAKE!
HE'S COMING BACK TO HIT YOU.
♪ SHAKE, BABY, SHAKE ♪
♪ YEAH, BABY, SHAKE ♪
♪ COME ON OVER,
WHOLE LOT OF SHAKIN'
GOIN' ON. ♪
THANK YOU.
Phillips:
EVER SINCE THE DAY
I SET FOOT IN MEMPHIS,
WHICH WAS 1939,
I'VE ALWAYS BEEN
A PERSON OF PHILOSOPHY.
SOME OF IT'S PRETTY CORNY.
SOME OF IT IS
NOT ALL THAT DAMN GOOD,
AND I DON'T KNOW THAT YOU'D
WANT TO STAKE YOUR LIFE
ON SOME OF MY PHILOSOPHY,
BUT I MEAN I HAVE
LIVED BY PHILOSOPHY.
AND I SURE DO LIKE
FOR PEOPLE TO CORRECT ME.
AND I KNOW THAT FOR SURE,
'CAUSE YOU'VE PHILOSOPHIED
TO ME A LOT OF TIMES.
MAYBE YOU SHOULD'VE BEEN
A PREACHER, SAM.
NO QUESTION ABOUT IT.
Phillips:
LET ME TELL YOU SOMETHING.
BILLY HAD A BAD CASE,
OR A GOOD CASE,
OF FEELING
LIKE HE WAS OVERLOOKED.
AND I CAN SAY THAT...
THAT I WAS.
WELL, YEAH, YEAH.
- BUT YOU REALLY WEREN'T.
- AND I STILL AM.
LET ME TELL YOU...
TELL ME ABOUT A RECORD,
AND DIDN'T I LAY
BILLY EMERSON'S
"RED HOT" ON YOU?
THAT'S ONE
OF THE BEST RECORDS...
DIDN'T I LAY IT ON YOU?
THAT WAS A HIT RECORD,
AND YOU DROPPED IT.
AND IT SHOULD HAVE
BEEN A HIT, AND IT WAS
GONNA BE A HIT...
WELL, I KNOW THAT,
BILLY,
BUT YOU RUB IT
IN FOR ME...
LET ME TELL YOU WHO TOLD ME,
AND YOU KNOW THAT THIS GUY
KNOWS WHAT HE'S TALKING ABOUT.
ALAN FREED WAS OUR GODFATHER
BACK THERE OF MUSIC.
HE TOLD ME
OUT OF HIS OWN MOUTH,
HE SAID,
"THIS IS A TOP FIVE RECORD."
IT'S
A GREAT RECORD.
BUT YOU DROPPED IT FOR
"GREAT BALLS OF FIRE."
WELL, HUSH YO' MOUTH.
YOU DID IT.
YOU DID IT.
JACK, TALK TO ME, MAN.
THIS GUY HERE HAS GOT
A BRILLIANT MIND
AND A BEAUTIFUL FACE
AND A LOVING DEMEANOR...
Clement:
WELL, I LOVE YOU, SAM.
IN SPITE OF THE FACT THAT
YOU'RE A BUTTHOLE, I LOVE YOU.
YOU KNOW,
THERE IS NOT ONE THING
THAT I'LL GO BACK OVER,
THAT I GO
TO SLEEP AT NIGHT
AND FEEL THAT
I LET ANYBODY DOWN.
AND I KNOW I DID,
I JUST WASN'T NINE PEOPLE,
YOU KNOW, AND I DIDN'T TRUST
OTHER PEOPLE TO DO SOMETHING
THAT THEY PROBABLY AT A CERTAIN
STAGE COULD HAVE DONE
JUST AS WELL
OR BETTER THAN ME.
BUT I DIDN'T DO THAT.
THERE'S ANOTHER THING I THINK
YOU CAN ALSO REST ASSURED OF,
I THINK YOU AND I PROBABLY HAD
MORE PROBLEMS THAN ANYBODY,
BUT IT'S BECAUSE
I WAS INDIAN
AND HALF DRUNK
MOST OF THE TIME.
AND HE WAS, TOO, YOU KNOW.
NOW, I DIDN'T DRINK!
COME ON, LET ME TELL YOU
SOMETHING,
THE THING ABOUT IT,
THE THING ABOUT IT...
THAT WAS A LONG TIME AGO.
OH, LORD.
AND I HAVE NO ANIMOSITY
TOWARD NOBODY ABOUT ANYTHING,
ESPECIALLY YOU.
I MEAN, EVEN THOUGH
I'LL ALWAYS BELIEVE
THAT I COULD HAVE BEEN
A BETTER ARTIST
IF YOU'D HAVE GOTTEN
BEHIND ME AND PUSHED ME,
Burgess:
I JUST THINK EVERYTHING
HAPPENS FOR A REASON.
AND I THINK, YOU KNOW, THAT IF
WE WERE MEANT TO BE STARS,
WE WOULD'VE BEEN STARS.
IF WE WERE SUPPOSED TO HAVE
BEEN UP THERE LIKE...
I DON'T THINK THERE'D
BEEN ANYBODY LIKE ELVIS.
IN MY OPINION,
ELVIS WAS THE GREATEST
HE CHANGED
THE WHOLE MUSIC BUSINESS.
BUT I THINK IF I WAS
SUPPOSED TO HAVE BEEN A STAR,
I'D HAVE BEEN A STAR,
BECAUSE I HAD THE GROUP.
AND WE WERE
A LITTLE DIFFERENT,
BUT LIKE I SAID,
THE MUSIC BUSINESS IS...
CHICKEN TODAY
AND FEATHERS TOMORROW.
♪ WELL, I MAKE IT
ALL RIGHT ♪
♪ FROM MONDAY MORNIN'
TILL FRIDAY NIGHT ♪
♪ OH, THOSE LONELY WEEKENDS ♪
♪ SINCE YOU LEFT ME ♪
♪ I'M AS LONELY
AS I CAN BE... ♪
Phillips:
HE WAS ALMOST A SUPERSTAR
THAT WASN'T EVEN CLOSE TO BEING
A STAR AT THAT TIME.
BUT YOU WERE DRAWN TO HIM.
THE CONTAGIOUSNESS OF THE MUSIC
THAT THIS MAN HAD TO OFFER...
IN EVERY CATEGORY OF FEEL.
NOW I USE THIS WORD "FEEL,"
F-E-E-L, SO OFTEN.
IT IS MY JOHN 3:16
WHEN IT COMES TO MUSIC.
I DON'T CARE
IF IT'S COUNTRY,
IT'S THE R&B STUFF THAT
WE CUT, OR ROCK 'N' ROLL.
I DON'T LIKE
CATEGORIES OF MUSIC.
I LIKE MUSIC.
AND THAT'S WHAT CHARLIE
LIKED SO MUCH.
THAT'S CHARLIE RICH FOR YOU.
♪ YOU SAID YOU'D BE ♪
♪ GOOD TO ME ♪
♪ BUT, BABY ♪
♪ YOU DIDN'T EVEN TRY ♪
♪ WELL,
I MAKE IT ALL RIGHT... ♪
HOW ARE YOU DOING, SIR?
IT'S A PLEASURE TO MEET YOU.
ROB, LISTEN, I WAS READING
SOME OF YOUR LYRICS LAST NIGHT,
AND I AM ABSOLUTELY
ASTOUNDED AT YOUR MATURITY.
OH, WHOA.
YOU'VE GOT TO
GET TO KNOW ME, SIR.
NO, I MEAN, YOU KNOW,
IT'S REALLY DEEP,
AND YET IT'S RIGHT THERE
ON THE SURFACE WHERE EVEN I,
AN OLD MAN, CAN UNDERSTAND,
YOU KNOW,
AND EQUATE
TO A GREAT EXTENT, ROB.
THANK YOU SO MUCH.
♪ YOU SAID OUR LOVE ♪
♪ NEVER TO SEE IT DIE... ♪
IT JUST HANGS THERE,
AND THEN WALKS IT DOWN.
♪ YOU SAID YOU'D BE ♪
♪ GOOD TO ME... ♪
AND THEN IT HANGS
ON THAT "D."
YEAH, BUILDS UP.
♪ DON'T EVEN TRY... ♪
BACK TO THE "G,"
BACK TO THAT G-C.
YEAH, THAT'S COOL.
♪ I SAID I MAKE IT
ALL RIGHT ♪
♪ FROM SUNDAY MORNIN'
TILL FRIDAY NIGHT ♪
♪ BUT, WHOA, YEAH ♪
♪ THAT LONELY WEEKEND ♪
♪ SINCE YOU LEFT ME ♪
♪ WELL, I'M AS LONELY
AS I CAN BE ♪
♪ BUT, WHOA, YES ♪
♪ THAT LONELY WEEKEND ♪
♪ YOU SAID YOU'D BE ♪
♪ GOOD TO ME ♪
♪ YOU SAID OUR LOVE, HONEY ♪
♪ WOULD NEVER DIE ♪
♪ YOU SAID YOU'D BE ♪
♪ GOOD TO ME ♪
♪ BUT, BABY ♪
♪ YOU DIDN'T EVEN TRY ♪
♪ I SAID
I'D MAKE IT ALL RIGHT ♪
♪ FROM SUNDAY MORNIN'
TILL FRIDAY NIGHT ♪
♪ BUT, WHOA, YEAH ♪
♪ OH, YEAH,
THAT LONELY WEEKEND... ♪
WHOO!
ALL RIGHT, JERRY.
♪ YOU SAID YOU'D BE ♪
♪ GOOD TO ME ♪
♪ YOU SAID OUR LOVE,
HONEY, HONEY ♪
♪ WOULD NEVER DIE, YEAH ♪
♪ YOU SAID YOU'D BE ♪
♪ GOOD TO ME ♪
♪ BUT, BABY ♪
♪ YOU DIDN'T EVEN TRY ♪
♪ SINCE YOU LEFT ME ♪
♪ SINCE YOU
LEFT ME ♪
♪ SINCE YOU LEFT ME,
NO, NO, NO ♪
♪ LO-LO-LO-LONELY
WEEKENDS, YEAH ♪
♪ LONELY WEEKENDS,
YEAH ♪
♪ LONELY WEEKENDS... ♪
WHOO!
THAT'S KICKING IT
PRETTY DAD-GUM GOOD.
Lewis:
I SAID, "I GOTTA BE
HITTING SOMETHING RIGHT."
THIS REALLY WAS
A MAGICAL EXPERIENCE, THOUGH.
IF THESE WALLS COULD WHISPER,
YOU KNOW WHAT I MEAN?
WHAT KIND OF STORIES...
THANK YOU.
Phillips:
AFTER 10 YEARS OF REALLY BEING
ALL THE WAY INTO IT,
I SAW THE HANDWRITING
ON THE WALL.
IF I'M NOT ANYTHING ELSE,
I AM A GOOD BUSINESSPERSON.
I ALWAYS HAVE BEEN,
BECAUSE WHEN YOU GO
THROUGH THE DEPRESSION,
IF YOU DON'T COME OUT
A GOOD BUSINESSPERSON,
YOU DIDN'T LEARN MUCH.
Burgess:
I THINK WHEN SAM BOWED
OUT OF THE RECORD BUSINESS,
THAT WAS THE END OF SUN.
YOU KNOW,
SUN DIDN'T LAST TOO LONG.
MOST PEOPLE DON'T REALIZE THAT
THAT LITTLE YELLOW LABEL,
WHICH HAS BEEN A MAJOR INFLUENCE
IN THE MUSIC WORLD FOR WHAT,
50 YEARS OR LONGER,
DIDN'T LAST 10 YEARS.
Clement:
WELL, IN THE LATE '50s,
MUSIC STARTED
CHANGING A LITTLE BIT.
THERE WAS A LOT MORE
ROCK 'N' ROLL
COMING OUT OF PHILADELPHIA
AND EVERYWHERE ELSE,
AND IT WAS GETTING
MORE COMPETITIVE.
THEN,
WHEN JOHNNY CASH LEFT,
THAT KIND OF TOOK THE WIND
OUT OF EVERYBODY'S SAILS.
AND THEN JERRY LEE GOT
INTO TROUBLE,
AND CARL PERKINS
WAS ALREADY GONE.
IT GOT TO BE WHERE IT WASN'T
AS EXCITING AS IT HAD BEEN,
BUT I WAS KIND OF
ON THE VERGE OF QUITTING
WHEN I GOT FIRED ANYWAY.
THE REASON
I GOT OUT OF THE BUSINESS WAS,
I WASN'T AFRAID
OF MAJOR LABELS
ON A LEVEL PLAYING FIELD.
I JUST FACED THE REALITY
THAT I COULDN'T
DO THIS ANY LONGER
AND DO THE TYPE
OF EXPERIMENTATION
THAT I WANTED TO DO.
Burgess:
IT JUST SIMPLY
BLAZED LIKE A SUN
FOR A LITTLE WHILE,
AND THEN IT WAS GONE,
EXCEPT TO THE FANS.
IT'S GOOD TO SEE YOU.
Phillips:
I WISH I COULD TELL YOU
THAT WE KNEW THAT THE IMPACT
WAS GOING TO BE THIS PROFOUND.
WE KNEW THAT, IF WE COULD
KEEP IT ALIVE LONG ENOUGH,
THAT THIS BABY MIGHT
HAVE SOME REAL
GROWTH POTENTIAL
THAT GAVE US
THIS UNBELIEVABLE PHENOMENON
KNOWN AS ROCK 'N' ROLL.
♪ WELL, I MAKE
IT ALL RIGHT ♪
♪ FROM MONDAY MORNIN'
TILL FRIDAY NIGHT, BUT, OH... ♪
THAT'S THE TEMPO I WANT.
♪ Since you left me... ♪
YOU NEED TO POP THAT DRUM
JUST A LITTLE BIT BEHIND IT.
♪ But, oh,
those lonely weekends ♪
♪ SAID YOU'D BE GOOD TO ME ♪
♪ YOU SAID OUR LOVE ♪
♪ WAS NEVER GOIN' TO DIE... ♪
I TELL YOU WHAT,
SOUND IS SOMETHING THAT,
IF YOU WILL LET IT,
IT WILL DELIVER TO YOU
SOMETHING THAT IS ABSOLUTELY
IMPOSSIBLE TO GET ANYWHERE ELSE
FROM THE GREATEST SERMON
IN THE WORLD
TO THE GREATEST PICTURE
YOU EVER SAW.
I DON'T CARE WHETHER IT'S
ROCK, TCHAIKOVSKY, BEETHOVEN...
IT DON'T MAKE ANY DIFFERENCE.
THE FUN IS GETTING
THAT RIGHT MIX.
MAKE SURE IT'S NOT PERFECT.
IMPERFECTLY PERFECT,
THAT'S MY SOUND. HA!
♪ JUST WALKIN' IN THE RAIN ♪
♪ SO ALONE AND BLUE ♪
♪ KNOWIN' THINGS
HAVE CHANGED ♪
♪ SOMEHOW I CAN'T... ♪
Phillips:
I'M NOT LOOKING FOR
THE PERFECT SOUND,
BUT I DON'T WANT ANYTHING
THAT DOESN'T BEHAVE FOR YOU
WHEN YOU WANT IT TO,
BECAUSE YOU ARE NOT GONNA
LET SOUND DOWN.
IF IT'S OUT THERE,
YOU BETTER GET IT.
YOU BETTER GET IT THEN,
YOU MAY NOT GET IT AGAIN.
HEY.
A WHOLE LOT OF SHAKING TAKING
PLACE WHEN YOU GO IN THE STUDIO.
♪ WELL, DO YOU SMILE TO TEMPT
THE LOVER, MONA LISA ♪
♪ OR IS THIS YOUR WAY
TO HIDE A BROKEN HEART? ♪
♪ ARE YOU WARM, ARE YOU REAL,
MONA LISA ♪
♪ OR JUST A COLD AND LONELY
LOVELY WORK OF ART? ♪
THERE WE GO!
THAT'S ARTURO TOSCANINI
CONDUCTING!
♪ I HEARD YOU TOLD HIM ♪
♪ THAT YOU'D LOVE HIM ♪
♪ TILL THE END OF TIME ♪
♪ NOW THAT'S
THE SAME THING ♪
♪ THAT YOU TOLD ME... ♪
Phillips:
WHEN IT'S RIGHT
AND IN YOUR MIND
YOU KNOW IT'S RIGHT,
AND YOU'RE NOT DOING IT
JUST TO SAY,
"I WANT TO BE A CHAMPION
OF THIS OR THAT..."
I WANTED TO BE A CHAMPION
OF SOMETHING THATCOULDBE
A CHAMPION OF ALL OF US.
AND THAT'S MUSIC.
♪ AWAY... ♪
HEY! THAT'S A HIT!
BRAND-NEW SONG,
THAT'S A HIP NEW ARTIST.
LORD HAVE MERCY.
THE SUN STUDIO
COULD GET IT OUT OF YOU
EVEN IF YOU
DON'T HAVE IT NOWHERE
AND CAN'T EVEN FIND IT,
AND YOU KNOW...
WOW, THAT'S GOOD!
MAN, MAKES ME WANT
TO GO INTO BUSINESS AGAIN.
♪ WELL, MAMA,
SHE DONE TOLD ME ♪
♪ PAPA DONE TOLD ME, TOO ♪
♪ "SON, THAT GAL
YOU'RE FOOLIN' WITH ♪
♪ SHE AIN'T
NO GAL FOR YOU" ♪
♪ THAT'S ALL RIGHT ♪
♪ THAT'S
ALL RIGHT ♪
♪ THAT'S ALL RIGHT
NOW, MAMA ♪
♪ ANY WAY YOU DO ♪
♪ WELL, YOU SNEAK UP
IN MY KITCHEN ♪
♪ ATE UP ALL MY BREAD ♪
♪ BABY, WHEN MY BACK
WAS TURNED ♪
♪ YOU'RE DEALIN'
IN MY BED ♪
♪ THAT'S ALL RIGHT ♪
♪ THAT'S
ALL RIGHT ♪
♪ THAT'S ALL RIGHT,
NOW, MAMA ♪
♪ ANY WAY YOU DO ♪
♪ OOH-OOH-WHEE ♪
♪ OOH, OOH, OOH,
MM, MM, MM ♪
♪ THAT'S ALL RIGHT ♪
♪ ANY WAY YOU DO. ♪
YEE-HA!
♪ I LOVE YOU,
I LOVE YOU ♪
♪ I LOVE YOU ♪
♪ YOU ARE THE IDEAL
OF MY DREAMS ♪
♪ I ALWAYS KNEW ♪
♪ IT WOULD BE SOMEONE
LIKE YOU ♪
♪ I'VE LOVED YOU
FOREVER IT SEEMS ♪
♪ FOR YEARS IN MY MIND'S
FONDEST FANCY ♪
♪ A PICTURE
OF YOUR FACE I DREW ♪
♪ AND I KNEW
YOU SOMEHOW ♪
♪ WHEN I MET YOU ♪
♪ JUST NOW ♪
♪ YOU ARE THE IDEAL ♪
♪ OF MY DRE-EAMS. ♪
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