El Cantante (2006) Movie Script
And...
set.
- What is this?
- We're just trying to get-
we're trying to get
to the bottom of it.
Bottom of what? What are you,
a fucking, uh, private investigator?
- Give me a break. You-
- It's an interview.
- What?
- It's an interview.
All right, then let my-
I'll tell you stories about-
I have a lot of funny stories
about Hector
that I could tell you.
And I'll tell you about our lives.
I mean, I want everybody
to know everything.
I want the public
to know, but...
- The public-
- ... don't fucking get insulting, you know?
You don't tell me how
I should have lived my life.
I'll tell you
what happened.
Well, it's your
version of it.
Yes, it is
my version of it.
You- if you wanted
somebody else's version of it,
you should have had
somebody else come.
? Hey hey hey hey?
? Hey hey
hey hey?
? Hey hey hey hey?
- ? Hey hey hey hey?
- Yeah!
- ? Hey hey hey hey...?
- Whoo!
Puchi, they can't find Hector.
They keep calling.
Tell 'em I'm not in!
I- I told them that
already.
Tell 'em
I'm walking the dog.
Tell 'em- I don't
give a shit.
Tell 'em the same old
fucking story.
Eddie, let's go.
- Tito.
- What?
I don't wanna have
to go out looking for you too
when we get home,
okay?
Don't come over here.
Hi, babe.
Come here.
Help me, baby,
please.
But he's driving so slow.
What's the problem?
Who's this fucking driver, Eddie?
Where did you find him?
Hey, hurry up.
Come on.
Don't-
- Where are we going?
- Where do you think we're going?
Where are we always going
when we're doing this crazy shit to you
every single time?
Can you please hurry up?
- It's your birthday?
- No, it's not my birthday.
Look she's...
Hey, you want your sandwich?
I love you.
You always love me
when you're high.
And I'm always high.
I don't wanna look, man.
I'm looking the other way.
You need to wake up
a little bit. Here.
Here.
- Oh!
- Oh!
- Mmm!
- This...
CarefuI,
what's all this down here?
Ooh hoo hoo!
I love this life.
Hector, Hector...
Let's go.
- Move back, move back.
- Come on, get out of the way. We're late.
Get out of the way.
Let's go, let's go.
Come on, let's go.
Ralphie, relax.
We're here, all right?
This is your problem.
You should have gotten here on time.
Come on.
Let's go, come on.
Leave him alone!
What are you doing?
Today he got here early.
Ladies and gentlemen,
the singer
of all singers,
Hector Lavoe!
THE SINGER
? I...?
? Am the singer?
? You've come
to listen to?
? The best?
? Of my songs?
? I'll sing them
all to you?
? I'll sing to a life?
? Of laughter and sorrows?
? I sing to the bad times?
? Sing to the good times?
? You came to have a good time?
? And paid at the door?
? There's no time
for sadness?
? Come on singer, begin.?
My people!
Madison Square Garden-
he filled that place up like that.
You understand?
Hector was the biggest.
And not only New York-
all over the world,
people loved Hector.
that was the best year.
It was the end
of the good times.
After that, it just-
You want me
to sit over here?
Oh yeah, but I love salsa.
I love to dance.
- Should I take off my coat?
- Sure. Go ahead.
It- oh my God, it brings back
so many memories.
We had so many
good times in here,
forget it.
Hector was such a joker.
He was so funny.
That's what I want
everybody to know.
I want 'em to know
how funny he was,
how much we laughed,
how much fun we had.
That's the thing
with Hector:
he didn't know how much
people loved him.
And sometimes, you know,
it would seem like
he didn't want
to know.
It was weird.
But he had it all.
At that time, he had all-
he had everything.
And he had me.
Yeah, for more than
Ask these walls.
Yeah, we all seen
better days.
? You walk soundlessly?
? Full of the colors of Avon?
? And whatever cowboy's arm?
? Around your waist?
? I have not seen you in so long?
? Darling, when you die?
? I will still keep the two?
? Wwhite azucenas?
? Which you gave me?
? When I sent you away.?
Avuelda, get me a drink, please.
Hey hey hey,
give me a hand with this.
- Eh?
- You wanna get in? Give me a hand with this.
Grab that
and follow me.
?... You don't know?
- ? I am Boricua...?
- ? With my machete in my hand?
I thought you were
with the band.
Yeah, I thought you
were with the band.
We're in, man, we're in.
That's all.
- What's your name?
- Eddie.
- Hector.
- Hector.
A pleasure, man,
a pleasure.
? If I could one day?
? I would climb up to the stars?
? I would take you with me?
? To where
nobody could see us?
? Pay no attention
to the people?
? Just stay the course?
? And love me even more?
? If this is a scandaI?
? It's more shamefuI
to not know how to love.?
You know how some people-
they struggle for years?
Not him.
It was like
he was prepared for it,
you know,
like he always knew
he was gonna make it.
I mean, he was musicaI
even when he was insulting someone.
But like I say, he-
it's like he always knew
it was gonna happen for him,
you know what I mean?
It all just came to him.
That was one of his problems,
one of his other problems:
everything just
came to him.
Excuse me.
Having a good time?
What, are you guys lost
or something?
You lost?
Not at all. Como est?
Johnny Pacheco.
Fa- Fania, man.
Fania Records, guy.
I've been hearing a lot about you.
We've checked you out.
- You're good, man, really good.
- Thanks a lot, man.
I know you too.
Willie Coln, man.
A pleasure, really.
Trombones, no saxophones.
I mean... you changed
everything. I mean...
Hell.
A pleasure, man. I mean...
Thanks.
I don't speak Spanish.
I like you too, man.
Do you guys
believe in destiny?
Well, I do.
I believe destiny brought us
to this club tonight.
I believe
that you two guys
have been destined
to perform together.
I believe that together,
boys, you will take
this town by storm.
You both have
what each other needs.
You are Puerto Rico.
Willie's from New York.
Call this... "salsa"-
a sauce, like gumbo...
...a mix
of mambo, rumba,
plena, jazz,
merengue.
You'll cook it up.
I say...
why not, man?
Damn.
- Right here, right here.
- Bro.
- Bro, you speak English?
- Of course, of course, man.
- $2.50- you'll take me to the Bronx?
- Yeah yeah.
- Hey...
- Huh?
You're...
Buddy, tell you what:
you sing, I'll drive.
Sing, bro,
the meter's running.
Listen, I want people
to know something:
God couldn't have given me
a better baby sister
and couldn't have
given her...
...a better brother.
Happy birthday,
my little Puchi.
Happy birthday,
Puchi!
? Cornbread, hog maw
and chitterlings?
- ? Cornbread, hog maw...?
- Oh cuchi cuchi cuchi cuchi.
? Cornbread, hog maw
and chitterlings?
- ? Cornbread, hog maw...?
- Mommy eating cuchifrito...
? Cornbread, hog maw
and chitterlings?
- ? Cornbread...?
- Piglet piglet.
? Cornbread, hog maw
and chitterlings?
? Cornbread...?
Are you in the right
apartment?
I think so.
Happy birthday.
For me?
- Yeah.
- Who invited you?
Oh, chocolates.
How sweet.
I heard you singing.
Yeah?
Yeah.
You're famous, right?
Trini Lpez-
that's who you are.
Yeah, that's me.
That's me.
You can call me Trini.
- You're funny.
- Yeah.
But your pants
are even funnier.
What do you mean?
These are $5 pants.
Bad.
- Bad? I'm not bad.
- Yeah.
I'm being me-
not mean, just honest.
- Hey, man.
- LiI' bro.
- What's up, man?
- You know, Hector, I'm so glad you could make it.
- Thank you.
- Take it.
Little sister, I see you touching that,
I'm gonna kill you.
- Yeah.
- Give us a minute.
Let me give you
a little brotherly advice:
Don't fuck with her
unless you're gonna
fuck with her.
Hey...
you wanna fuck with her,
fuck with her.
Got it?
Nice one, man.
- Have fun.
- All right.
Look, I'll show you.
It's not like
a cigarette, man.
You gotta hold it
like this.
Go like this.
- Hold it in?
- Mm-hmm.
- How's that?
- For how long?
Do you feeI anything?
Keep going.
? That I asked of you?
? to the best of your knowledge?
? if you knew that nowhere
in life was there...?
- Are you okay?
- ? another love...?
No no no no! Not on the sofa.
Not on the sofa.
- Okay.
- Okay?
- Mm-hmm. Okay.
- Okay.
- Come on.
- Okay.
Come on.
Are you okay?
- Ooh. Okay.
- All right.
- All right?
- Mm-hmm.
Tell me your name,
baby.
Come on.
I don't want you to die
without knowing your name.
- What's your name?
- Uh, Hector.
- Hector. Hector what?
- Huh?
- Hector what?
- Perez.
Hector Perez.
Okay.
Well, don't die on my birthday,
Hector Perez, okay?
Oh, man, I woke up
in her arms, man.
It was beautifuI.
It was beautifuI, man.
It was like-
I don't know, you know.
I just took care of business.
Yeah?
What kind of business?
Oh, man, just- just-
she gave me life back.
- That good, huh?
- Damn, no.
Actually,
it was that bad.
We drank,
we smoked, we danced,
and then I threw up
all over the poor girI.
I was so high
and so dizzy, man.
I never wanna do
that shit again.
I didn't know
where I was.
I didn't know
who I was.
Oh, man, that's the best
impression you can make
with Puerto Rican girls-
is being sick.
Marriage, brother,
marriage.
You vomit,
you marry.
They're naturaI-born
nurses, man.
I think
she liked me, man.
Jerry used to be a cop,
became a lawyer.
Now he's a-
now he's a thief,
robbing every
Latin musician blind,
but he's all we got, man.
That's all I gotta say.
Hold on, let me look at you
for a second, man.
Let me see.
No boogers-
- you look good, man, decent, you know?
- No way.
Now, hey, we gotta be carefuI
in there, though.
You know, we just-
we'll just play it off
and, you know,
see where it takes us.
- It's a big day.
- It's a big day for you.
- Oh yeah, oh yeah.
- Big day for us.
First we cut a record
and then we do a tour.
It'll be a '60s approach...
...you know,
but Spanish.
Now we are a young company,
but, you know,
we're looking to do bigger
and better things, you know,
more mainstream things,
you know.
The black musicians
have, uh, Motown,
Stax Records.
Now the Latin musicians
are gonna have their own labeI-
- Fania Records.
- Fania Records, yeah.
I know. I-I-I- I buy-
I buy your records, man.
Then you know
what you're getting into.
- Now, Hector, do you have a lawyer?
- Yeah, we have a-
- We have a good lawyer.
- Yeah.
- Oh, okay, good good.
- Very- he's- he's-
he's very good. Yeah.
He's very good.
He's- he's-
but you're an honest guy,
so I didn't bring him,
you know?
I'm the only guy.
- Mmm.
- There's one more thing-
and we all gave this
a lot of thought-
It wasn't me.
Me neither.
No no no, it's something
someone suggested
and I agree.
That name's
gotta go, man.
- Who gotta go?
- Your name.
uh, it really doesn't mean anything.
Uh, it's, uh- it's too common,
like Smith.
Perez is like Smith?
Uh, yes. Yes.
Um, it's, uh-
it's- it's like an unemployment-line name,
you know?
- Oh, yeah.
- Uh, no offense.
And you want a name that the
unemployment line is gonna look up to.
Ah, like Smith.
I- I understand.
No no no.
Like Lavoe.
Like La what?
"La voe"- "the voice"
in French.
Yeah.
Sounds fancy.
But won't they think
I'm French or something,
- singing in Spanish?
- No no no.
Hector, see, look, you're clearly
Puerto Rican. I mean,
- you're gonna be-
- I'm just playing with you, man.
Come on, man.
He was corny.
He was funny.
He was corny.
I remember the first time
that we were together.
It was
very impressive.
Nothing but
the best for me.
Oh, Hector.
Oh, it hurts.
Oh, it hurts.
Yeah?
What, me?
No, the back seat.
Okay...
Oh, come on, baby.
You okay?
Yeah.
What's the first thing
you're gonna do?
When?
When you're famous,
silly.
Come here.
Why are you so sure
that I'm gonna be famous?
Because I know these things,
that's why.
I want a family.
And a brand-new Cadillac.
This way we don't have to
make love in this shit.
My brother
liked Cadillacs.
Whatever happened
to your brother?
He died
when he got here.
He was gonna
take care of me.
Well, we'll take care
of each other, okay?
- Okay, let's eat, eh?
- Okay.
Babe, these are
the best beans in life.
The best beans.
Why do you think
I still live here?
I'm not going anywhere.
Where were you raised
on the island?
Oh, um, no,
on this island.
- Here?
- Right here.
I don't even remember
what a palm tree looks like.
It doesn't matter where she was raised,
'cause she got me now-
palm trees, beaches,
pork hash- in person.
It's like Berlitz dining.
Maybe, uh,
one day I'll get back
to Puerto Rico. I'll get there.
What did I say?
You're there.
Next you'll meet
my father.
He thinks
he owns the island.
Doesn't he?
We're from Ponce.
All of our family
still lives there.
- Hector and I are the only ones here.
- Mmm.
- The only ones left.
- So...
how long have you guys
known each other?
Oh, days.
But it's destiny.
Mmm.
And your family?
They live here?
Mm-hmm.
Oh, I forgot.
You don't speak Spanish.
I do.
I do speak...
Well, what does
your family do?
Sell dope.
Yeah. Why, are you with the FBI
or something?
Because we should get that out of the way
right now. What are you-?
You know what, Hector?
I came here to eat, not to be grilled.
Ay, no. Ay no. No, hold on.
Priscilla's
with the Ponce police.
Babe, this has been
my life, okay? It's okay.
What do you mean, it's okay?
It's not okay.
Priscilla, what's with you?
I'm sorry.
I didn't mean
to come on that way.
I'm just trying to do what a mother,
a sister, a father has to do.
Don't take it
like that. I-
Okay?
We happy again?
We're home now.
We're gonna be living here,
all of us.
Let's not fight.
Let's be happy.
MusicaI conductor-
the great Johnny Pacheco!
One of the great
singers of Fania,
Hector Lavoe!
Ladies and gentlemen,
ladies and gentlemen,
Willie Coln!
Willie!
Yeah, oh yeah.
Hey hey, Willie.
It's cooI, I'll get you later,
faggot.
Come on.
Eddie? Hey...
It's happy hour,
bro.
You in or out, man?
Yeah, the wonder
of life, brother.
You like?
You like?
Babe, can you
move your ass
so that I can see
her ass, please?
You can't even handle
ass like that.
- You wanna make a bet?
- This one you can touch.
This one you can have.
This one is yours.
That one- forget it.
Ay ay ay.
You don't wanna
change the channeI?
Huh?
You wanna watch TV?
Is that what you want?
You wanna watch
Iris Chacn, baby?
Iris Chacn?
You don't wanna watch
"The Puchi Show"?
Do you think
this will end?
What?
This.
It just started,
didn't it?
I always wanted
somebody like you, Puchi.
Always.
Mm-hmm.
I have a surprise.
Hold on.
Oh, yeah?
"The Puchi Show. "
"The Puchi Show. "
"The Puchi Show. "
No no no no.
What are you, nuts?
Come on, you know
I don't like that stuff.
Put it away.
But you like me,
right?
? What a mess, eh?
? Boy boy boy boy boy?
? What a mess, eh?
? Boy boy boy boy boy?
? What a mess, eh?
? Boy boy boy boy boy?
? What a mess, eh?
? Boy boy boy boy boy.?
You don't wanna
make it too hot, though.
- Oh, that- that's good, that's good.
- No no no no, that's good.
- That's good.
- Yeah yeah.
Good, that's good.
You like it?
Right there it was-
it- it's good,
but trust me on this, it's-
It feels good to be a Nuyorican
holding up a trombone
- instead of a tray or a hoteI elevator.
- Yeah.
- Mmm.
- That's some good shit, right?
- Crime pays, Hector.
- Yeah.
- You there?
- Stand by, guys. We're gonna listen.
- Get her out of here. I believe that I was...
- The police is here?
- the one who was invited to be here at 6:00.
- What's she doing?
Get her out of here.
Because I do own the place.
- Her and Carmen are getting into a little altercation.
- Get out of here.
- Hector.
- Who do you think you are?
Get her the fuck
out of here, Eddie.
I think you might need
some of this.
- Did she recognize Carmen?
- Carmen's gone.
- Eddie's taking her away.
- Get her out.
What is she doing now?
- She's staring at us right now.
- Oh, shit. Okay.
Where are you going, bro?
- I gotta go to the bathroom.
- Oh, shit, man.
- Hi, Willie.
- Hello.
- Hey.
- Hey, everybody.
Hey, Puchi, Puchi.
- Hey, babe.
- Hey, baby.
- How are you doing?
- I'm okay.
- I was just talking about you.
- Oh, really?
Yeah, I was looking
out the window
and I was looking
at the stars.
I don't see
no windows here.
- No?
- No.
Well, you know what
the stars were saying?
- What?
- The stars were saying,
"Puchi, I love you,
I love you, I love you. "
I heard that
in a soap opera once.
Oh, you haven't heard
nothing yet, baby.
- Hector, stop it.
- Wha-
I'm late.
I was just talking
to Willie about that, babe.
Two hours you keep me
waiting like that.
Weeks late.
You gotta stop playing around
with silly little bitches, okay?
Let go.
Thank you.
I'll wait for you
outside.
He looked like an innocent
Jibaro choirboy,
but he wasn't,
let me tell you.
And we were both pregnant
for him at the same time.
The other woman in question-
at this point
it doesn't really matter
'cause that wasn't meant to be.
Right?
I mean,
I am the only woman.
I don't know who else was with him
for 20 years, do you?
You know something
I don't know?
If you put it
that way,
will you marry me,
Puchi?
I'm gonna marry this woman
because I love her.
Baby, yes, no?
Yes, you'd better
marry me.
The burundanga.
? That my buddy found?
? What a mess, eh?
- ? Boy boy boy boy boy?
- I love you.
? What a mess, eh?
? Boy boy boy boy boy.?
- Wait.
- Here!
He'll be here.
Zaida, give me
a cigarette, please.
Here?
Okay okay okay.
Wait here.
Here.
It's okay,
Tito, baby.
Where is he?
You're the manager, right?
Baby, you look beautifuI, Puchi.
Baby, beautifuI.
Hector ain't
here yet, okay?
It took two years and a baby to get here.
Where the hell is he?
He's coming, baby.
Just calm down.
Were you
at the bachelor party?
Of course I was in the bachelor party.
Baby, calm down.
- You're in a church.
- You're telling me to calm down?
I'm getting married here.
You see there's a wedding going on here
and he's not here yet?
What kind of managing is that?
? A la la le?
? A la la le le le le le?
? La.?
- Hey, Puchi.
- Oh shit.
Hey hey, Puchi.
- Puchi-
- Shut up, Eddie.
- I called you. Y-you didn't call me back.
- Shut up.
- What?
- Willie, where's the ring?
Where's that-
where- where's the ring?
- Get the ring.
- Oh, man. Fuck.
Hector.
Hector!
Stand up, honey.
We're getting married.
- Come on, get up.
- Aren't we married already?
Uh, do you, Hector-
He does.
Hector, say "I do. "
I do.
- Do you, Puchi-
- I do.
Anybody object?
Sorry, Father,
there's no more beer left?
Are you sure?
- There.
- I think it's best
if I now
pronounce you...
...man and wife.
- This one?
- That one.
Thank you very much.
Where is she?
Ah, God, look.
? Sing, my people?
? Sing, my people?
? Sing, my people?
? Sing, my people?
? Sing, my people?
- ? Rumbero of the East?
- ? Sing, my people?
? The thing here is now
going well?
? Sing, my people?
? Everyone is saying
that I'm hot?
? Sing, my people?
? Let them criticize,
let them criticize?
? Sing, my people?
? La la la la la la la?
? Let them hear
that I don't cry?
? La la la la la la la la?
? And your grandmother,
Pacheco, where is she??
? La la la la la la la la?
? At the corner,
my people are singing?
? La la la la la la la la?
? I'm the peasant of Puerto Rico?
- ? La le lo la le lo la le lo la?
- ? La le lo lai le lo lai le lo lai?
? La la la la la la la la la la?
? Let them hear
that I don't cry?
? La la la la la la la la la la la?
? It's nothing, it's nothing?
? La la la la la la la la la?
? La la la la la la la la la?
? La la la la la la la la la?
? La la la la la la la la la?
? Listen?
? Sing, my people?
? Sing, my people?
? Sing, my people?
? Sing, my people?
? Sing, my people.?
? Oh lei lei, lei lei lei lei,
lei lei lei?
? Lei lei...?
? Lei la...?
? Lei...?
? Oh lo lo lo,
lei lei, lei lei lei?
? La la la,
la la la...?
But people loved him.
It was like,
with all his faults
and all his
fuck-ups,
it just made him more
like one of them.
And it was funny,
you know.
It was like
the bigger Hector got,
the more he grew
as an artist,
it was like the deeper
he sank as a person,
as a human being,
you know what I mean?
He was like,
I don't know.
- Why aren't there lights over here?
- I can reach it. I can reach it.
- Okay, perfect.
- There we go.
Oh, look, it's almost like sitting on it.
Right, boy?
- Yeah.
- It's cute.
Santa, remember
Tito's train, please!
The boy forgot.
And he really
wants one.
He forgot to put it
in his letter.
He only told me this morning.
Please.
He's been
such a good boy.
What do you think?
Is that gonna work?
I got connections, son.
Santa- we-
we go way back.
? December's here again?
? That means it's time
for Christmas?
? Children wait
for Santa?
? Reindeer
and his sleigh...?
Who's there?
- ? Grandma likes to decorate...?
- Who is it?
- ? While everyone celebrates...?
- Is that Santa Claus?
- ? Christmas...?
- Oh ho ho ho ho ho ho ho!
Tito, look!
This is all for you,
little boy-
a present
from Santa Claus.
- Tell his father he's a good boy.
- Okay.
Oh ho ho ho
ho ho ho ho!
Agh!
I'm okay.
? Lo lai le lo le, lo lai le lo la?
? Though you don't want me to?
? I came to sing?
? And cheer everyone up?
? With a voice of happiness?
? I bring harmony to
your sacred home?
? Let me bring harmony?
? To your sacred home.?
Number one, baby.
To life!
? This ain't living,
this ain't living?
? No no, baby...?
- That's it.
- ? This ain't living...?
? No no no no?
? Inflation?
- ? No chance...?
- Whoo! Yeah, baby.
? To increase...?
? Finance?
? Bills pile up
sky high...?
That finger, man.
? Send that boy off?
? To die?
? Oh, make me
wanna holler...?
- ? The way they do my life?
- She's acting like a whore, Willie.
Hey, don't dance for her.
- ? Yeah, make me wanna holler?
- Don't dance with her, make her dance for you.
? The way they do
my life?
? Oh, baby...?
No, it was the '70s.
We all did it.
When I first met Hector,
I didn't do anything, though.
I didn't-
I did nothing.
I didn't drink. I didn't smoke.
I didn't do nothing.
But then, you know...
Whoo!
We had a good time.
Yeah.
Ah!
- She has pretty hair.
- She does, right?
- Yeah.
- Right.
You always wanted to be
with a woman, right?
Why, you like that?
I'd like that.
Come on.
Okay, but you
go first, okay?
With him.
Are you fucking retarded
or something?
- Come on, babe, it will turn me on.
- What the fuck?
- What's wrong with that?
- That's Willie. That's a fucking man.
It'll turn me on.
You do him...
- Yeah yeah.
- ... and then I'll do her.
- I don't wanna make you jealous.
- Okay?
I don't know what's, uh,
normaI for other people,
but it was normaI
for us.
?... It makes me
wanna holler?
? And throw up
both my hands?
? Oh, ow!?
? Panic?
? Is spreading?
? God knows where?
? We're heading, oh...?
Great. Great.
Just great.
I'm not his babysitter,
Ralphie.
I'm his wife,
in case you forgot.
How could I forget?
You remind me every day.
- Then go get him.
- Ralphie...
Get in your car, Ralphie, and go get him
if you know where he is.
- Ralphie, give her a break, man.
- Tonight's not another night.
I don't care if he makes you wait.
He's not gonna make me wait.
- Oh, fuck you very much, Willie.
- I worked too hard
- to get to stand on that fucking stage.
- Oh, did you really, Willie?
- Why is she here?
- Hello, you know, Willie's right.
You know,
he's fucking up again, as usuaI.
Did- did anybody ask
for their money back?
I don't know, Eddie.
Were they upstairs at the ticket office
asking for their money back?
Did they?
No, Puchi.
No, but one day they will.
Fuck, man. The dog ate
the car keys, man.
- I had to borrow the neighbor's car to get here, man.
- That's a good one.
- Hi, babe.
- You don't have a dog.
Everybody, just give us
a fucking second!
- Oh, fuck you.
- Are you fucking happy with yourself?
I don't know. What did I do, man?
It's a true story.
- Don't fucking listen to them.
- It's me, Hector, not the others.
I like to fuck around too,
but I take this seriously.
Oh, so do I, man.
Willie, you're gonna have
a heart attack, man.
- Relax.
- Hector, I wanted you in my band
because I saw you had
a one-in-a-million voice.
And you're a good man.
You're my best friend, my family.
And we've gotten far.
Listen, you wanna fuck yourself up,
you do it on your own time,
not on mine, you understand?
You need help- I'll help,
but you gotta
help me too.
You know, Willie,
I think you're talking
to the wrong guy.
- It's me. Yeah.
- Yeah? It's you?
Fuck you, "it's you. "
I know it's you.
I'm not Puchi.
I'm not Jerry.
I'm not Ralph.
It's me.
I love you, man.
If this is about love,
you try loving yourself.
I get plenty of love
and I still get here on time.
- All right.
- All right? I'm your brother.
- Yeah.
- Come on, let's kill 'em.
- Did you wash your fucking hands?
- Yeah, they're clean.
Let's go.
We're ready.
Are you ready, New York?
The Fania AII-Stars!
Um, I'm really lucky I have you.
I know.
Oh, well maybe-
maybe I don't.
I was driving here
tonight...
and I almost hit a fucking cow.
Shut the fuck up.
Eh, what?
You got a question or something?
Wow, relax.
The president curses. He lies.
Where were you?
Uh-huh.
Check it out.
? Get out of the way
so I can take your place?
? Get out of the way?
? Get out of the way
so I can take your place?
? Get out of the way?
? Let the girlies dance?
? So they can have a good time,
yeah man?
? I don't care what they say?
? Because I'm a shark?
? Get out of the way
so I can take your place?
? Get out of the way?
? Get out of the way
so I can take your place?
? Get out of the way.?
I want my money.
After the show-
my money.
Get 'em, Willie Coln.
Let the music play on!
Let music roll. Yeah!
Ah, Puerto Rico, man.
Is Puerto Rico
your home?
You can call this Nuyorico.
Oh, you like to be here!
Babe, you believe this?
It's crazy.
I always did, remember?
Oh, yeah.
I love you, babe.
And you're here
with me.
I love you too.
Even when it looks
like I don't...
I do.
I know.
That for Christmas?
For later.
- Yeah?
- Or for now.
Ahoooo!
Hey, fuck you.
Fuck you.
Hello?
I'm back.
Hector.
Tito?
- Hey, Mom.
- Where's your father?
I don't know.
He was here somewhere.
Puchi, enough, bitch.
Leave me alone.
- Your son could have started a fire!
- Leave me the fuck alone, man.
- You could have started a fire too!
- Puchi, enough.
- At 10:00 at night, he's over there eating alone!
- The baby was fine.
- The gas is on...
- He was fine before you got here, huh?
...while you're doing
Lord knows what.
- This is our home.
- The baby-
- What about this?
- Enough.
You leave this around? What,
you're starting to believe that shit?
- What's wrong with you?
- Ah, please, Puchi. Papi-
What, are you that big fucking guy
on the album cover now,
- you can't even put it away?
- Papo gave me that fucking gun, okay?
- Who fucking cares who gave it to you?
- Oh, fuck you, man.
- This is bullshit. Fuck it.
- Oh, that's right. Go ahead, leave.
- Yeah, okay.
- Walk away just like you always do.
- Nothing happened.
- Don't fucking say-
Your father doesn't fucking hate you,
your mother's not dead and-
- and your brother's in Harlem scoring dope somewhere.
- Yeah? Enough!
Who the fuck
do you think you are, huh?
You wanna be a man?
You wanna be a fucking man, huh?
Be a man. Huh?
Shut up.
Get out.
- Ah, yes.
- Get out. Get out.
Why don't you get out?
Get out. Get out!
- Now! I said-
- Listen to me. Shut the fuck up.
- Listen to me.
- Get out!
- Oh, yeah. Huh?
- Let go of me. Let go of me, Hector.
Huh, Puchi?
Huh?
I'm gonna
tell you something.
You're finally going
to listen to me, okay?
Fuck you!
How's that?
Whore, fuck it.
Doorman?
Yes, is this the doorman?
Don't give him
his keys.
No, he's drunk.
Okay?
Yeah, no.
Thank you.
I know it's tough, bro,
but you have
two problems.
And I don't know
which one's harder to quit.
You?
Me neither, man.
But one'll kill you.
And I love her.
I can't help it,
you know?
I think she loves
you too, man.
We had a great show
last night,
gonna have
another one tonight.
It's all
gonna be good.
We got so much more
to do, bro,
and you're right there,
front and center, bro.
And I'm right
behind you, you know?
I got your back, bro.
Hector, I just-
I just want you to say that
you're gonna try to make it work.
I want you to say that you're
gonna spend more time with Tito.
I want you to say that you're
gonna stop with all the drugs.
And I want you to say
that you love me,
because
I love you, baby,
and I want us
to be together.
Is that too much?
- Isn't that what you want?
- You know what's funny is that...
I'm not the only one
fucking up here, Puchi.
You know that.
Puchi, you want it all,
but I can't promise you
all that-
all that in one night.
I can't.
I'd be Iying to you,
baby.
And you can't either.
You can't sit there with a straight face
and tell me that you're ready
to promise all that either.
There's no way.
I don't like talking
about what hurts me.
That's just
the way I am,
and you know that.
And you don't like it either.
That's us.
Look...
Look at me.
What we had was like an old-fashioned
type of love, you know?
Not like this new-
this new-wave
soulmate type of shit,
you know?
It was good.
It was bad.
It was beautifuI.
And for the first time
in our lives
we had everything
that we'd never had.
Yeah, I know
what you're thinking,
but love is never perfect
when it's reaI love, all right?
It's not his problem.
It's not his problem.
It's your problem.
- Jerry, please.
- And you're my problem.
- Please, bro.
- This is the last time he does this.
Let's go, let's go!
Hey, what's going on?
Willie.
Fuck, man, you're not gonna
believe this shit.
You're not gonna
believe this shit, man.
You're right, I won't.
Hey, what's with you, man?
Huh? No no no.
Listen, let me explain it...
- Brother, let me explain to you.
- Hec-
This is not another
story, man, really.
Hector, bro, this is the third time
this month.
I can't deaI with your
crazy shit anymore, man.
I quit.
The band is yours.
It's that simple.
You can be late all you want to.
Wait a minute, look, let's go someplace.
Let's go someplace, man.
Let's smoke a joint.
Let's talk, just me and you, plea-
- Brother, I-I was stuck in traffic, man.
- Yeah?
- Please believe me.
- I told Ralphie to canceI all our gigs.
I'm moving on.
You do the same.
I'll work with you,
but not on the same stage.
- Go home, Hector.
- You're making a mistake, man.
Eh, you know what? Fuck you.
Just get some rest, man.
? The festivaI and the chapeI
with their chanting?
? Highlight the emotion
of the town?
? And the trembling lustfuI
notice?
? Catalina la O...?
This is the best thing
that could have happened, okay?
Now is your time, okay?
He is nothing without you.
Fuck him, all right?
It's not that- it's not that you
were always late.
It's that he was
always too early.
It's a lot more
than that, Puchi.
It's a lot
more than that.
I mean, Will-
W- Willie was like my brother.
I know he was
like your brother
and he'll always be
like your brother, okay?
You are the show.
Everybody knows that, Hector.
Let him go out there
and try and sing with that
squeaky little voice of his
and see how far he gets.
Forget it.
It's his loss.
All right?
This had to happen.
This is the way it's
supposed to be, okay?
It's gonna be
all right, baby.
Now "the man who opens his mouth"
is going to sing,
Hector Lavoe, come on!
By 1975, Hector had
recorded 12 albums;
he had seven
number-one hits;
he had drugs; he had a wife;
he had a kid;
he had a family;
he had other women-
everything you need for a good guy
to break down.
Go away,
take a vacation.
Hector?
Baby, are you okay?
It's okay.
Imagine you wake up
in the middle of the night
and you see your husband
just sitting there like he's a character
from a horror movie.
And all you can
think is,
"Shit, it's my fault. "
He was hurting inside. He couldn't-
he couldn't hold it in anymore,
you know?
So his body-
his body
just shut down.
Men like Hector, they don't-
they don't get therapy.
They don't go to AA
or anything like that, you know?
But we- we- nobody
ever knew about that stuff
because we kept
our private lives very private.
Mom, are we going
to the hospitaI today?
Uh, no, sweetie,
not today.
- Next week. Next week.
- You always say that.
I know, but-
but I promise.
Come on, honey, be good.
Just get dressed.
I'll be there
in two minutes.
I love you.
Going to a dance?
You know,
he's your brother,
but he's my husband too.
So give me
a break, okay?
I wish I could,
but you know,
from the first day you met him,
and from the first day
I met you,
I had a bad feeling.
His father never
wanted him to come here
so he'd never have to
meet people like you.
- I always wanted to tell you that.
- Well, you said it.
Are you happy now?
You know what? Ciao, Priscilla.
Mind your business.
Go get fucked and all that.
You know, you may not like my kind,
but he doesn't seem to mind it much.
Yeah?
Look where he is.
I hate the food
in this place, man.
How's Tito?
Does he listen
to you?
Yeah.
I miss you.
I miss you.
I do.
Do I look
crazy to you?
Baby, let's go home.
- Dad!
- Hey, son.
Oh, Ave Maria.
You look good.
I missed you, boy.
Look at you.
Look at this.
Looks like my grandfather's
night table.
Well, take your medication.
I don't want you
going crazy on me tonight.
No?
Okay.
Ralphie called.
What did he want?
What do you think?
Had a bunch of stuff lined up-
shows in Los Angeles,
Europe, Caracas,
you know.
But I spoke to him. I handled it.
They're not gonna be
fucking with you like they did before.
I told him that first
you had to get back
to spending time
with your son...
making love
to your wife.
You hear me?
What is it, baby?
You nervous?
Yeah.
I'm-
I'm straight.
That makes me nervous.
I know.
Hope you're listening.
Yes.
Mm-hmm.
? Aguanil?
? Aguanil?
? Aguanil aguanil
may may?
? Aguanil aguanil may may?
? Aguanil may may?
? Aguanil aguanil
may may?
? Aguanil aguanil may may?
? Ay aguanil aguanil?
? Aguanil?
? Give me water
I'm thirsty and want to drink?
? Aguanil aguanil
may may?
? Aguanil aguanil may may?
? Aguanil?
? Aguanil aguanil may may?
? Aguanil aguanil
may may.?
You ever seen a coqui sing?
Seen one in the Bronx? No.
That's right.
You've never seen one
because you can't
see them.
They're there.
You can hear them,
but you can't
see them.
And they only sing
one song.
And it's two notes-
Just like that, all their life,
their whole life.
They're born
to do that.
And they live everywhere
in Puerto Rico.
And they can't survive
anywhere else in the world.
I guess you're a little bit
like the coqui, huh, Hector?
Fuck, man,
you can be depressing.
Yeah.
Look at me.
What, am I in love with a frog?
Don't be, you know,
fucking depressing.
Don't be depressing?
Instead of-
- I have a dyslexic one.
He goes...
Ladies and gentlemen,
welcome to Corso.
We have a surprise guest
for you tonight-
Mr. Rubn Blades.
Hello.
I'm Rubn Blades
and tonight I'm here
to give someone a present.
I wrote this song
for Hector Lavoe,
someone I really admired
since I was a kid
who wanted to be
a singer.
I remember when I went over there to
Panama with Willie Coln.
- Damn.
- After I sing it for you, it's his.
It's called
"El Cantante. "
It goes like this.
? A la le?
? Le le?
? My best testaments?
? Today I dedicate to you?
? My best testaments?
? Today I dedicate to you?
? My best testaments?
? Today I dedicate to you?
? My best testaments.?
Hey, look,
I'm buying-
What the fuck-?!
Pay him off.
Hector,
baby, you here?
Hector.
Hi, honey.
Ah, look who's here.
My favorite little whore,
just like I like it.
What's gotten into you?
You crazy?
- Nah, where were you, babe?
- In a sexy mood?
- Where were you, baby?
- I was- what?
- And you're st-
- I was at my sister's house.
- And you're stoned too, yeah?
- No.
- Oh.
- I left Tito over there.
And you're stoned.
You got stoned at your sis-
- No.
- How is she?
- No, I got chicken. She's good.
- Yeah? She's-
- Zaida's good.
- She's good?
- Yeah.
- Oh, yeah. And-
- You look nice.
- Thank you.
Yeah, I b-
I bought you chicken.
- You hungry?
- Dressed like that?
- What?
- Looking like that,
you were at your
sister's house?
- Yeah.
- Oh, yeah?
- Yes.
- You look like a whore.
Like a whore?
And since when
don't you like it?
You wanna- you wanna eat here
or you wanna eat in the kitchen?
I got you wings and thighs
and everything.
What do you want? I got potatoes.
I'm good.
Come on. You know, I was gonna
surprise you at the club,
but then I went by there
and you weren't there.
Where the fuck
were you, huh?!
Smile, smile.
Okay, you got it,
you got it.
Give me some more.
Give me some more.
Oh, get out of here.
All right, look this way.
What?
- No, huh-uh.
- Good job, good job.
Bye.
Tell me
he doesn't look crazy.
I mean, I think
he looks a little crazy,
but it's gonna work.
I don't know.
Baby, do the sad face.
Like this...
- Hold on, hold on. Don't even take it.
- Take five.
This is exactly
where we wanna be.
It makes me crack up
when you do
that funny face.
- Who was on the phone?
- Huh?
Who were you
talking to on the phone?
- Nobody.
- Oh, nobody?
- No. Nothing.
- Huh? No? Fucking whore, damn it.
Who was it,
the fucking piano player?
Huh?
What, the bass player?
Who the fuck was
on the phone, Puchi?
What are you
talking about?
What am I talking about?
- Don't do this here, please.
- Don't do this here?
- Come on. Go over there.
- What are you doing?
Hold it in. Puchi, don't do that.
Damn it. Walk.
What, you really wanna
know who I'm fucking?
Okay.
All of them.
The bass player, the drummer,
the congo player- all of them.
All of them
except the singer.
Yeah.
Because the singer
is always too high to get it up.
That's why.
You know what?
You accuse me
of fucking so many men
that I'm finally gonna fuck
all the men that I'm accused of fucking.
Okay?
? I have not seen you
in so long...?
Okay.
I just wanted you
to be proud of me,
but from what I see,
fuck it, eh?
Go ahead, give it to him.
- Here.
- What is it?
He made it for you
in shop at schooI.
- How nice.
- You like it?
That's perfect, son.
I wanna take it everywhere with me.
Thanks, man.
Don't worry, my feelings
are not hurt or anything.
There goes-
there goes mommy.
- I love you too, Ma.
- I love you, baby.
Show him your dance.
I know you're dying to do your dance.
- Go ahead.
- Do I have to? No.
- Just don't laugh at me.
- Okay, son.
- Please don't laugh at me.
- No, I won't say-
Don't laugh at me.
Look, why don't you
let me help you?
That's what a wife does.
Just let me.
I'm gonna take you
on tour with me.
I don't wanna see
any more doctors, okay?
It's not a doctor.
It's nothing like that, I promise.
Puchi, can I enjoy
watching my son, please?
It's better
than any doctor, huh?
I enjoy this.
I won't break.
I know you enjoy this,
but how about him?
- Oh, damn.
- Since you only see him once every six months,
and even when you're home- don't think
I don't know you're fucking high, Hector.
Puchi, God, don't start
with that shit, man.
What's with you, man?
Huh? I'm trying to fucking relax.
Or maybe I should go somewhere else
to relax 'cause I can't relax
- in this fucking house. I can't do a goddamn thing, man.
- Yeah, that's a good idea,
maybe another rehab.
Or maybe you should go
to one of those fucking whores
who keep fucking calling the house.
Enough, damn it, Puchi.
It's enough! Damn it!
?... Baby, that's plenty?
? And never has one man
rocked so many?
? I'ma make you wet
then make you sweat?
? Just to see
how funky you can get?
? Now when I'm on the mic,
I do serve well?
? And I go by the name of the-?
What the fuck, man?
I'm sorry, son.
Oh, man.
Oh, this can be fixed.
Look.
Oh, we can fix this, son.
With a little Crazy Glue we'll fix this.
Look look look look.
All the pieces are here.
It's okay.
Son, it's not okay,
okay?
I mean,
I was a warrior,
but that was one battle
that I never won.
Your son- he can't keep seeing
his mother and father like this.
Do it for him.
Don't do it for me.
Don't do it for you.
Do it for him.
He loves you.
He needs a father.
But he couldn't do it.
Maybe deep down he didn't want to.
I don't know.
Maybe you didn't
want him to change.
Why the fuck wouldn't I
want him to change?
That was-
that's so stupid.
He was my husband. Of course I wanted-
I wanted him to be better.
I think you owe me
an apology.
God knows when you got it.
It doesn't matter.
But yeah, the H.I.V. test
came back positive.
Uh...
I'm really sorry, man.
And Puchi?
Well, the doctor says
that the- the disease
might not show
symptoms for years
or even-
maybe never.
He doesn't know
how long I've had it.
He said that you should
get yourself tested...
just in case.
I don't want anybody
to know about this.
What's in the future
for Hector Lavoe?
I'm looking forward to
the best years of my life,
you know.
Think about it, look around-
every year's supposed to be
"the Latin boom," you know,
and now young musicians
come and make money.
And then, you know...
I'll go back home
and be myself,
just a nobody.
I was thinking, man-
I was thinking of getting
an apartment in Jersey or something-
a small little place, you know?
I can't stay, man.
I'm more afraid to go.
There's somebody here tonight
that's trying to hide from us,
but it's not working.
Hector, come on, man.
Come up and sing.
You're under arrest.
You can't run.
Come on, we really do need
a good singer up here.
All right,
ladies and gentlemen,
Hector Lavoe.
? Because your love is
my backbone?
? In all four corners?
? They talk about us?
? They say this is
a scandaI?
? And even put me down?
? For loving you?
? Pay no attention
to the people?
? Stay the course?
? And love me even more?
? I've had enough of this?
? Let's move on?
? Without knowing
what they'll say?
? If I could one day?
? I would climb up to the stars?
? I would take you with me?
? To where nobody could see us.?
Excuse me.
Don't touch me.
Get off me.
- Come on, let's go. Don't make me take you out.
- What are you doing?
- Hey.
- Let's go.
- Motherfucker, get off.
- Come on, calm down.
Look what they're doing
to your wife, faggot.
- Do something, you chunky little faggot.
- Puchi, Puchi, what are you doing?
- Get off! - Let's go. That's-
okay, come here. Come here.
- Hey, Puchi, Puchi, no.
- Leave me alone, you piece of shit!
- Come on.
- You can't even be a husband.
You can't even be
a father.
- Gentlemen.
- You coward.
Puchi, come on, let's go.
- Huh? Hey. Fuck!
- Leave me alone, please.
Puchi.
- He can't even be a father.
- Puchi, enough, damn it! Puchi.
You don't have a son!
You hear me?
You don't have a son.
It was an accident.
He was shot in the stomach
with the gun...
by his best friend.
Well, anyway, I don't like to talk
about that too much.
You know, I'm-
I just-
I don't remember too much
from that year anyway.
It was-
Don't talk to me like I'm your grandmother.
I'm your mother
and if I ask you where you're going,
then you tell me
where the fuck you're going.
And if you don't know, then you make it up.
But please don't say
that you don't know.
- All right, I got-
- You better give me a kiss right now.
- Mmm.
- I love you, Ma.
You feeI like
you're gonna die too,
but you live through it,
and that's worse-
you wish you'd die.
Tito?
Oh, Hector?
He died with him.
Your son is smiling
at you one minute,
the next thing you know,
you turn around and he's gone.
No one prepares you for that.
All the death in the world
couldn't prepare you
for that,
and I've been around
a lot of death.
But Hector- Hector...
I'm gonna get going here.
If you need anything,
just- just call me up,
okay?
Thanks for everything, bro.
I appreciate it.
Puchi, I- be back in the morning
just to check up on you.
Hey, uh-
I I- I love you guys.
Hey, Puchi.
See you.
That's it.
Everybody's gone.
You know what
I've been thinking?
We don't talk anymore.
You know we haven't been straight
for more than three hours a day
for, what, 20 years?
Not since we met.
And we just go on
with life like this.
I love you, you know,
but...
it's impossible, Puchi.
Impossible?
Impossible?
Oh, I get it.
Now that
our son is dead,
it all comes
clear to you?
I'm this horrible bitch
and you're a great guy?
And maybe
the best thing to do
is just to-
to make it officiaI now?
Is that what you're
saying to me, Hector?
All of a sudden a fucking light bulb
went off in your head...
and now you're realizing
that you and me
ain't good together?
Is that what you're fucking saying
to me right now, Hector?
So we're just gonna
break things up
to fix it up?
That's your fucking
genius idea?
Fix what up?
Now?
You f-
fucking selfish bastard.
You can never leave me.
I've never been scared
of death, man, I mean...
And Puchi?
She tested fine.
Still going out,
you know?
I don't like talking about this shit,
you know?
It's like you can hear the clock ticking
in your head or something.
You know-
dah dah dah. Fucking with you.
Can't sleep.
Imagine,
I can't sleep.
I have all the time
in the world to think about,
"I should have quit...
I should have done this,
I should have done that. "
Can't do shit now.
Yes, you can.
Of course you can.
Can't smile the same.
Can't sing the same.
Nothing's the same.
It's like...
the fucking woman
I fell in love with, right...
I put up with it.
Now she can't put up with it,
you know?
It's almost like-
you're doing time or something.
I don't know.
I don't understand it.
You know what?
I'm gonna break you
out of jaiI.
I'm here,
and there are people still waiting
for you to sing again,
to see you.
They feeI for you, man,
they mourn with you,
but they need you.
These people- these people
love you, Hector.
They love you like, shh...
No matter what.
But they're not gonna wait forever.
You know how it is.
Listen, take that gig
in Puerto Rico.
It's home.
Take it.
Merengue and all this other stuff
that's coming out now
is gonna kill you, me,
Fania and everything.
Let the people know
we're still here
before they bury
all of us.
How does anybody ever
leave this place, man?
We're back now, man.
Feels good, huh?
Yeah.
Maybe- maybe this is
a new beginning, Papa.
I hope so, man.
I- I feeI good, man.
I feeI good.
Patience, people patience.
In a couple minutes
were going to start
this great Salsa concert.
But please...
Now somebody explain
something to me, bro.
I just- I hear cancellation
'cause he canceled it.
- No, listen, Hector-
- Wait.
Somebody talk to me,
tell me the fucking truth, bro.
I'm really sorry about
this whole situation, bro.
I don't wanna canceI,
but Ralphie-
Ralph, see?
The place is empty.
You know, people didn't
show up, man.
What the fuck
do you want me to do?
You know, I did my part.
Whatever happened here, bro,
wasn't my fault. That's all I know.
- It's not your fault?
- It's not my fault.
You didn't fucking advertise, okay?
And don't fucking talk to my artist.
Hey, w-wait-w-w-
Take it easy, okay?
Yeah, it's like you didn't know about
the free concert that's going on today,
- right, in San Juan?
- The free concert?
You didn't know about that either?
Five free bands.
You knew about that concert,
so this is what you get.
This is your concert now.
You take care of it now, all right?
You're not in New York now, buddy.
Bro, you're not in New York, okay?
This is Puerto Rico, buddy.
- Easy easy.
- You gotta fix what you broke, brother, okay?.
Come on, come on.
Easy easy, okay?
I'm gonna fucking sing now.
Take it easy, okay?
First of all, I'm fucking here, okay?
I'm not a ghost.
I came to sing,
I came to sing, bro.
Tell- Eddie, tell the band
not to fucking leave, okay?
- Hey, you guys don't go anywhere.
- The band is here.
I'm here.
I'm the only one here.
This one's on me.
You guys fix all your fucking problems,
but I'm gonna sing, bro.
I'm a professionaI.
Let's go, let's go.
Let's go, let's go, man.
? Soon?
? My lucky day will come?
? I hope that before I die?
? My luck will change?
? Soon?
? My lucky day will come?
? I hope that before I die?
? My luck will change?
? Soon?
? My lucky day will come?
? I hope that before I die?
? My luck will change?
Yo!
Hey, pull the sound back up!
Pull the sound back.
- Pull the fucking sound back up!
- Hello?
"Hector I LOVE YOU SO MUCH"
Hey!
Go on, go on, go on,
damn it, go on!
? Soon?
? My lucky day will come?
? I hope that before I die?
? My luck will change?
? Soon?
? My lucky day will come?
? I hope that before I die?
? My luck will change?
? Many times I've stopped
to think?
? That I've never done
anybody any harm?
? Why has life treated
me this way?
? When I'm just looking
for happiness??
? I try to make people happy?
? But what I've said here
has been fataI?
? I don't lose hope that I'll fight?
? And surely my luck with change,
but when will that be??
Hurry up!
Help him, please.
I mean, how do you
live through that, right?
What did they expect
from him?
What, that he was
fucking Superman?
King Kong couldn't
live through that.
I mean, I- sometimes I wonder
what I'm doing
sitting here in one piece.
Everybody in the story
is fucking dead.
He had multiple fractures
and broken bones
and he hurt
all his insides
which were already all fucked up
from all the drugs and the alcohoI,
and he survived.
You know what?
The motherfucker survived the fall.
He hit an air conditioning shaft
on the way down
outside
Johnny Pacheco's room
and he bounced, that's all.
But if he would have
hit the concrete,
he would have been dead, forget it.
But he didn't.
He did- he lived.
He lived
five more years.
But it wasn't reaI life.
And I wasn't there for him
all the time, you know?
Never never
leave me, baby.
It's not the same thing
as being there with you.
touching you,
kissing you.
You know, well.
I'd better stop.
Just wanted to tell you
over and over that I love you.
I'm right here with you.
You see me.
Happy birthday, Puchi. Happy bi-
I wanted to remember him
like he was.
Like he wanted me to.
? El le le?
? Today I dedicate to you?
? my best testaments?
? Today I dedicate to you?
? my best testaments?
? Today I dedicate to you?
? my best testaments?
? They're better than yesterday's?
? Compare me, critics?
? Today I dedicate to you?
? My best testaments?
? If you don't love me in life?
? Don't cry for me when I die?
? Today I dedicate to you?
? My best testaments?
? Dance if
you want to dance?
? Sing if you want to sing, momma?
? Today I dedicate to you?
? My best testaments?
? I am the singer and
we've come to celebrate?
? I don't want any sadness,
my thing is to sing, sing?
? Today I dedicate to you?
? My best testaments?
? There are those
who sing like a girI?
? I sing like a man?
? Today I dedicate to you?
? My best testaments?
I love you.
? My best testaments?
? My best testaments?
? My best testaments?
? My best testaments?
? My best testaments.?
The singer of all singers,
Hector Lavoe!
? And why bother reading?
? Yesterday's newspaper??
? Because I'm going to read you?
? A love story?
? That I can't even believe?
? And why bother reading
yesterday's newspaper??
? I loved you,
I had you, I kept you?
? But I don't love you anymore?
? And why bother reading?
? Yesterday's newspaper??
? I won't go to your house,
little girI?
? You let me in
and I go crazy, crazy?
? And why bother reading?
? Yesterday's newspaper??
? In the album of my life?
? There's a hidden page?
? I'll find you there?
? And why bother reading?
? Yesterday's newspaper??
? Go on, get away from me,
good thing?
? I don't want to see you anymore?
? And why bother reading
yesterday's newspaper??
? What's wrong with you?
You're crying?
? You have a paper souI?
? And why bother reading
yesterday's newspaper??
? And just like the paper
endures everything?
? That's just how I treated you?
? And why bother reading
yesterday's newspaper??
? Look over your story?
? And then you'll
be able to get it.?
? Hey hey hey hey?
? Hey hey
hey hey?
? Hey hey hey hey?
- ? Hey hey hey hey?
- Yeah!
? Hey hey
hey hey?
? Hey hey hey hey?
? Hey hey
hey hey?
There you go!
- ? Hey hey hey hey?
- Whoo!
? Hey hey
hey hey?
? Hey hey hey hey?
? Hey hey
hey hey?
? Hey hey hey hey?
- ? Hey hey hey hey?
- ? Yeah!?
- ? Hey hey hey hey?
- Whoo!
? Hey hey hey hey?
? Hey hey
hey hey?
? Hey hey hey hey?
? Hey hey
hey hey...?
? Yeah!?
Whoo!
? Hey hey hey hey...?
set.
- What is this?
- We're just trying to get-
we're trying to get
to the bottom of it.
Bottom of what? What are you,
a fucking, uh, private investigator?
- Give me a break. You-
- It's an interview.
- What?
- It's an interview.
All right, then let my-
I'll tell you stories about-
I have a lot of funny stories
about Hector
that I could tell you.
And I'll tell you about our lives.
I mean, I want everybody
to know everything.
I want the public
to know, but...
- The public-
- ... don't fucking get insulting, you know?
You don't tell me how
I should have lived my life.
I'll tell you
what happened.
Well, it's your
version of it.
Yes, it is
my version of it.
You- if you wanted
somebody else's version of it,
you should have had
somebody else come.
? Hey hey hey hey?
? Hey hey
hey hey?
? Hey hey hey hey?
- ? Hey hey hey hey?
- Yeah!
- ? Hey hey hey hey...?
- Whoo!
Puchi, they can't find Hector.
They keep calling.
Tell 'em I'm not in!
I- I told them that
already.
Tell 'em
I'm walking the dog.
Tell 'em- I don't
give a shit.
Tell 'em the same old
fucking story.
Eddie, let's go.
- Tito.
- What?
I don't wanna have
to go out looking for you too
when we get home,
okay?
Don't come over here.
Hi, babe.
Come here.
Help me, baby,
please.
But he's driving so slow.
What's the problem?
Who's this fucking driver, Eddie?
Where did you find him?
Hey, hurry up.
Come on.
Don't-
- Where are we going?
- Where do you think we're going?
Where are we always going
when we're doing this crazy shit to you
every single time?
Can you please hurry up?
- It's your birthday?
- No, it's not my birthday.
Look she's...
Hey, you want your sandwich?
I love you.
You always love me
when you're high.
And I'm always high.
I don't wanna look, man.
I'm looking the other way.
You need to wake up
a little bit. Here.
Here.
- Oh!
- Oh!
- Mmm!
- This...
CarefuI,
what's all this down here?
Ooh hoo hoo!
I love this life.
Hector, Hector...
Let's go.
- Move back, move back.
- Come on, get out of the way. We're late.
Get out of the way.
Let's go, let's go.
Come on, let's go.
Ralphie, relax.
We're here, all right?
This is your problem.
You should have gotten here on time.
Come on.
Let's go, come on.
Leave him alone!
What are you doing?
Today he got here early.
Ladies and gentlemen,
the singer
of all singers,
Hector Lavoe!
THE SINGER
? I...?
? Am the singer?
? You've come
to listen to?
? The best?
? Of my songs?
? I'll sing them
all to you?
? I'll sing to a life?
? Of laughter and sorrows?
? I sing to the bad times?
? Sing to the good times?
? You came to have a good time?
? And paid at the door?
? There's no time
for sadness?
? Come on singer, begin.?
My people!
Madison Square Garden-
he filled that place up like that.
You understand?
Hector was the biggest.
And not only New York-
all over the world,
people loved Hector.
that was the best year.
It was the end
of the good times.
After that, it just-
You want me
to sit over here?
Oh yeah, but I love salsa.
I love to dance.
- Should I take off my coat?
- Sure. Go ahead.
It- oh my God, it brings back
so many memories.
We had so many
good times in here,
forget it.
Hector was such a joker.
He was so funny.
That's what I want
everybody to know.
I want 'em to know
how funny he was,
how much we laughed,
how much fun we had.
That's the thing
with Hector:
he didn't know how much
people loved him.
And sometimes, you know,
it would seem like
he didn't want
to know.
It was weird.
But he had it all.
At that time, he had all-
he had everything.
And he had me.
Yeah, for more than
Ask these walls.
Yeah, we all seen
better days.
? You walk soundlessly?
? Full of the colors of Avon?
? And whatever cowboy's arm?
? Around your waist?
? I have not seen you in so long?
? Darling, when you die?
? I will still keep the two?
? Wwhite azucenas?
? Which you gave me?
? When I sent you away.?
Avuelda, get me a drink, please.
Hey hey hey,
give me a hand with this.
- Eh?
- You wanna get in? Give me a hand with this.
Grab that
and follow me.
?... You don't know?
- ? I am Boricua...?
- ? With my machete in my hand?
I thought you were
with the band.
Yeah, I thought you
were with the band.
We're in, man, we're in.
That's all.
- What's your name?
- Eddie.
- Hector.
- Hector.
A pleasure, man,
a pleasure.
? If I could one day?
? I would climb up to the stars?
? I would take you with me?
? To where
nobody could see us?
? Pay no attention
to the people?
? Just stay the course?
? And love me even more?
? If this is a scandaI?
? It's more shamefuI
to not know how to love.?
You know how some people-
they struggle for years?
Not him.
It was like
he was prepared for it,
you know,
like he always knew
he was gonna make it.
I mean, he was musicaI
even when he was insulting someone.
But like I say, he-
it's like he always knew
it was gonna happen for him,
you know what I mean?
It all just came to him.
That was one of his problems,
one of his other problems:
everything just
came to him.
Excuse me.
Having a good time?
What, are you guys lost
or something?
You lost?
Not at all. Como est?
Johnny Pacheco.
Fa- Fania, man.
Fania Records, guy.
I've been hearing a lot about you.
We've checked you out.
- You're good, man, really good.
- Thanks a lot, man.
I know you too.
Willie Coln, man.
A pleasure, really.
Trombones, no saxophones.
I mean... you changed
everything. I mean...
Hell.
A pleasure, man. I mean...
Thanks.
I don't speak Spanish.
I like you too, man.
Do you guys
believe in destiny?
Well, I do.
I believe destiny brought us
to this club tonight.
I believe
that you two guys
have been destined
to perform together.
I believe that together,
boys, you will take
this town by storm.
You both have
what each other needs.
You are Puerto Rico.
Willie's from New York.
Call this... "salsa"-
a sauce, like gumbo...
...a mix
of mambo, rumba,
plena, jazz,
merengue.
You'll cook it up.
I say...
why not, man?
Damn.
- Right here, right here.
- Bro.
- Bro, you speak English?
- Of course, of course, man.
- $2.50- you'll take me to the Bronx?
- Yeah yeah.
- Hey...
- Huh?
You're...
Buddy, tell you what:
you sing, I'll drive.
Sing, bro,
the meter's running.
Listen, I want people
to know something:
God couldn't have given me
a better baby sister
and couldn't have
given her...
...a better brother.
Happy birthday,
my little Puchi.
Happy birthday,
Puchi!
? Cornbread, hog maw
and chitterlings?
- ? Cornbread, hog maw...?
- Oh cuchi cuchi cuchi cuchi.
? Cornbread, hog maw
and chitterlings?
- ? Cornbread, hog maw...?
- Mommy eating cuchifrito...
? Cornbread, hog maw
and chitterlings?
- ? Cornbread...?
- Piglet piglet.
? Cornbread, hog maw
and chitterlings?
? Cornbread...?
Are you in the right
apartment?
I think so.
Happy birthday.
For me?
- Yeah.
- Who invited you?
Oh, chocolates.
How sweet.
I heard you singing.
Yeah?
Yeah.
You're famous, right?
Trini Lpez-
that's who you are.
Yeah, that's me.
That's me.
You can call me Trini.
- You're funny.
- Yeah.
But your pants
are even funnier.
What do you mean?
These are $5 pants.
Bad.
- Bad? I'm not bad.
- Yeah.
I'm being me-
not mean, just honest.
- Hey, man.
- LiI' bro.
- What's up, man?
- You know, Hector, I'm so glad you could make it.
- Thank you.
- Take it.
Little sister, I see you touching that,
I'm gonna kill you.
- Yeah.
- Give us a minute.
Let me give you
a little brotherly advice:
Don't fuck with her
unless you're gonna
fuck with her.
Hey...
you wanna fuck with her,
fuck with her.
Got it?
Nice one, man.
- Have fun.
- All right.
Look, I'll show you.
It's not like
a cigarette, man.
You gotta hold it
like this.
Go like this.
- Hold it in?
- Mm-hmm.
- How's that?
- For how long?
Do you feeI anything?
Keep going.
? That I asked of you?
? to the best of your knowledge?
? if you knew that nowhere
in life was there...?
- Are you okay?
- ? another love...?
No no no no! Not on the sofa.
Not on the sofa.
- Okay.
- Okay?
- Mm-hmm. Okay.
- Okay.
- Come on.
- Okay.
Come on.
Are you okay?
- Ooh. Okay.
- All right.
- All right?
- Mm-hmm.
Tell me your name,
baby.
Come on.
I don't want you to die
without knowing your name.
- What's your name?
- Uh, Hector.
- Hector. Hector what?
- Huh?
- Hector what?
- Perez.
Hector Perez.
Okay.
Well, don't die on my birthday,
Hector Perez, okay?
Oh, man, I woke up
in her arms, man.
It was beautifuI.
It was beautifuI, man.
It was like-
I don't know, you know.
I just took care of business.
Yeah?
What kind of business?
Oh, man, just- just-
she gave me life back.
- That good, huh?
- Damn, no.
Actually,
it was that bad.
We drank,
we smoked, we danced,
and then I threw up
all over the poor girI.
I was so high
and so dizzy, man.
I never wanna do
that shit again.
I didn't know
where I was.
I didn't know
who I was.
Oh, man, that's the best
impression you can make
with Puerto Rican girls-
is being sick.
Marriage, brother,
marriage.
You vomit,
you marry.
They're naturaI-born
nurses, man.
I think
she liked me, man.
Jerry used to be a cop,
became a lawyer.
Now he's a-
now he's a thief,
robbing every
Latin musician blind,
but he's all we got, man.
That's all I gotta say.
Hold on, let me look at you
for a second, man.
Let me see.
No boogers-
- you look good, man, decent, you know?
- No way.
Now, hey, we gotta be carefuI
in there, though.
You know, we just-
we'll just play it off
and, you know,
see where it takes us.
- It's a big day.
- It's a big day for you.
- Oh yeah, oh yeah.
- Big day for us.
First we cut a record
and then we do a tour.
It'll be a '60s approach...
...you know,
but Spanish.
Now we are a young company,
but, you know,
we're looking to do bigger
and better things, you know,
more mainstream things,
you know.
The black musicians
have, uh, Motown,
Stax Records.
Now the Latin musicians
are gonna have their own labeI-
- Fania Records.
- Fania Records, yeah.
I know. I-I-I- I buy-
I buy your records, man.
Then you know
what you're getting into.
- Now, Hector, do you have a lawyer?
- Yeah, we have a-
- We have a good lawyer.
- Yeah.
- Oh, okay, good good.
- Very- he's- he's-
he's very good. Yeah.
He's very good.
He's- he's-
but you're an honest guy,
so I didn't bring him,
you know?
I'm the only guy.
- Mmm.
- There's one more thing-
and we all gave this
a lot of thought-
It wasn't me.
Me neither.
No no no, it's something
someone suggested
and I agree.
That name's
gotta go, man.
- Who gotta go?
- Your name.
uh, it really doesn't mean anything.
Uh, it's, uh- it's too common,
like Smith.
Perez is like Smith?
Uh, yes. Yes.
Um, it's, uh-
it's- it's like an unemployment-line name,
you know?
- Oh, yeah.
- Uh, no offense.
And you want a name that the
unemployment line is gonna look up to.
Ah, like Smith.
I- I understand.
No no no.
Like Lavoe.
Like La what?
"La voe"- "the voice"
in French.
Yeah.
Sounds fancy.
But won't they think
I'm French or something,
- singing in Spanish?
- No no no.
Hector, see, look, you're clearly
Puerto Rican. I mean,
- you're gonna be-
- I'm just playing with you, man.
Come on, man.
He was corny.
He was funny.
He was corny.
I remember the first time
that we were together.
It was
very impressive.
Nothing but
the best for me.
Oh, Hector.
Oh, it hurts.
Oh, it hurts.
Yeah?
What, me?
No, the back seat.
Okay...
Oh, come on, baby.
You okay?
Yeah.
What's the first thing
you're gonna do?
When?
When you're famous,
silly.
Come here.
Why are you so sure
that I'm gonna be famous?
Because I know these things,
that's why.
I want a family.
And a brand-new Cadillac.
This way we don't have to
make love in this shit.
My brother
liked Cadillacs.
Whatever happened
to your brother?
He died
when he got here.
He was gonna
take care of me.
Well, we'll take care
of each other, okay?
- Okay, let's eat, eh?
- Okay.
Babe, these are
the best beans in life.
The best beans.
Why do you think
I still live here?
I'm not going anywhere.
Where were you raised
on the island?
Oh, um, no,
on this island.
- Here?
- Right here.
I don't even remember
what a palm tree looks like.
It doesn't matter where she was raised,
'cause she got me now-
palm trees, beaches,
pork hash- in person.
It's like Berlitz dining.
Maybe, uh,
one day I'll get back
to Puerto Rico. I'll get there.
What did I say?
You're there.
Next you'll meet
my father.
He thinks
he owns the island.
Doesn't he?
We're from Ponce.
All of our family
still lives there.
- Hector and I are the only ones here.
- Mmm.
- The only ones left.
- So...
how long have you guys
known each other?
Oh, days.
But it's destiny.
Mmm.
And your family?
They live here?
Mm-hmm.
Oh, I forgot.
You don't speak Spanish.
I do.
I do speak...
Well, what does
your family do?
Sell dope.
Yeah. Why, are you with the FBI
or something?
Because we should get that out of the way
right now. What are you-?
You know what, Hector?
I came here to eat, not to be grilled.
Ay, no. Ay no. No, hold on.
Priscilla's
with the Ponce police.
Babe, this has been
my life, okay? It's okay.
What do you mean, it's okay?
It's not okay.
Priscilla, what's with you?
I'm sorry.
I didn't mean
to come on that way.
I'm just trying to do what a mother,
a sister, a father has to do.
Don't take it
like that. I-
Okay?
We happy again?
We're home now.
We're gonna be living here,
all of us.
Let's not fight.
Let's be happy.
MusicaI conductor-
the great Johnny Pacheco!
One of the great
singers of Fania,
Hector Lavoe!
Ladies and gentlemen,
ladies and gentlemen,
Willie Coln!
Willie!
Yeah, oh yeah.
Hey hey, Willie.
It's cooI, I'll get you later,
faggot.
Come on.
Eddie? Hey...
It's happy hour,
bro.
You in or out, man?
Yeah, the wonder
of life, brother.
You like?
You like?
Babe, can you
move your ass
so that I can see
her ass, please?
You can't even handle
ass like that.
- You wanna make a bet?
- This one you can touch.
This one you can have.
This one is yours.
That one- forget it.
Ay ay ay.
You don't wanna
change the channeI?
Huh?
You wanna watch TV?
Is that what you want?
You wanna watch
Iris Chacn, baby?
Iris Chacn?
You don't wanna watch
"The Puchi Show"?
Do you think
this will end?
What?
This.
It just started,
didn't it?
I always wanted
somebody like you, Puchi.
Always.
Mm-hmm.
I have a surprise.
Hold on.
Oh, yeah?
"The Puchi Show. "
"The Puchi Show. "
"The Puchi Show. "
No no no no.
What are you, nuts?
Come on, you know
I don't like that stuff.
Put it away.
But you like me,
right?
? What a mess, eh?
? Boy boy boy boy boy?
? What a mess, eh?
? Boy boy boy boy boy?
? What a mess, eh?
? Boy boy boy boy boy?
? What a mess, eh?
? Boy boy boy boy boy.?
You don't wanna
make it too hot, though.
- Oh, that- that's good, that's good.
- No no no no, that's good.
- That's good.
- Yeah yeah.
Good, that's good.
You like it?
Right there it was-
it- it's good,
but trust me on this, it's-
It feels good to be a Nuyorican
holding up a trombone
- instead of a tray or a hoteI elevator.
- Yeah.
- Mmm.
- That's some good shit, right?
- Crime pays, Hector.
- Yeah.
- You there?
- Stand by, guys. We're gonna listen.
- Get her out of here. I believe that I was...
- The police is here?
- the one who was invited to be here at 6:00.
- What's she doing?
Get her out of here.
Because I do own the place.
- Her and Carmen are getting into a little altercation.
- Get out of here.
- Hector.
- Who do you think you are?
Get her the fuck
out of here, Eddie.
I think you might need
some of this.
- Did she recognize Carmen?
- Carmen's gone.
- Eddie's taking her away.
- Get her out.
What is she doing now?
- She's staring at us right now.
- Oh, shit. Okay.
Where are you going, bro?
- I gotta go to the bathroom.
- Oh, shit, man.
- Hi, Willie.
- Hello.
- Hey.
- Hey, everybody.
Hey, Puchi, Puchi.
- Hey, babe.
- Hey, baby.
- How are you doing?
- I'm okay.
- I was just talking about you.
- Oh, really?
Yeah, I was looking
out the window
and I was looking
at the stars.
I don't see
no windows here.
- No?
- No.
Well, you know what
the stars were saying?
- What?
- The stars were saying,
"Puchi, I love you,
I love you, I love you. "
I heard that
in a soap opera once.
Oh, you haven't heard
nothing yet, baby.
- Hector, stop it.
- Wha-
I'm late.
I was just talking
to Willie about that, babe.
Two hours you keep me
waiting like that.
Weeks late.
You gotta stop playing around
with silly little bitches, okay?
Let go.
Thank you.
I'll wait for you
outside.
He looked like an innocent
Jibaro choirboy,
but he wasn't,
let me tell you.
And we were both pregnant
for him at the same time.
The other woman in question-
at this point
it doesn't really matter
'cause that wasn't meant to be.
Right?
I mean,
I am the only woman.
I don't know who else was with him
for 20 years, do you?
You know something
I don't know?
If you put it
that way,
will you marry me,
Puchi?
I'm gonna marry this woman
because I love her.
Baby, yes, no?
Yes, you'd better
marry me.
The burundanga.
? That my buddy found?
? What a mess, eh?
- ? Boy boy boy boy boy?
- I love you.
? What a mess, eh?
? Boy boy boy boy boy.?
- Wait.
- Here!
He'll be here.
Zaida, give me
a cigarette, please.
Here?
Okay okay okay.
Wait here.
Here.
It's okay,
Tito, baby.
Where is he?
You're the manager, right?
Baby, you look beautifuI, Puchi.
Baby, beautifuI.
Hector ain't
here yet, okay?
It took two years and a baby to get here.
Where the hell is he?
He's coming, baby.
Just calm down.
Were you
at the bachelor party?
Of course I was in the bachelor party.
Baby, calm down.
- You're in a church.
- You're telling me to calm down?
I'm getting married here.
You see there's a wedding going on here
and he's not here yet?
What kind of managing is that?
? A la la le?
? A la la le le le le le?
? La.?
- Hey, Puchi.
- Oh shit.
Hey hey, Puchi.
- Puchi-
- Shut up, Eddie.
- I called you. Y-you didn't call me back.
- Shut up.
- What?
- Willie, where's the ring?
Where's that-
where- where's the ring?
- Get the ring.
- Oh, man. Fuck.
Hector.
Hector!
Stand up, honey.
We're getting married.
- Come on, get up.
- Aren't we married already?
Uh, do you, Hector-
He does.
Hector, say "I do. "
I do.
- Do you, Puchi-
- I do.
Anybody object?
Sorry, Father,
there's no more beer left?
Are you sure?
- There.
- I think it's best
if I now
pronounce you...
...man and wife.
- This one?
- That one.
Thank you very much.
Where is she?
Ah, God, look.
? Sing, my people?
? Sing, my people?
? Sing, my people?
? Sing, my people?
? Sing, my people?
- ? Rumbero of the East?
- ? Sing, my people?
? The thing here is now
going well?
? Sing, my people?
? Everyone is saying
that I'm hot?
? Sing, my people?
? Let them criticize,
let them criticize?
? Sing, my people?
? La la la la la la la?
? Let them hear
that I don't cry?
? La la la la la la la la?
? And your grandmother,
Pacheco, where is she??
? La la la la la la la la?
? At the corner,
my people are singing?
? La la la la la la la la?
? I'm the peasant of Puerto Rico?
- ? La le lo la le lo la le lo la?
- ? La le lo lai le lo lai le lo lai?
? La la la la la la la la la la?
? Let them hear
that I don't cry?
? La la la la la la la la la la la?
? It's nothing, it's nothing?
? La la la la la la la la la?
? La la la la la la la la la?
? La la la la la la la la la?
? La la la la la la la la la?
? Listen?
? Sing, my people?
? Sing, my people?
? Sing, my people?
? Sing, my people?
? Sing, my people.?
? Oh lei lei, lei lei lei lei,
lei lei lei?
? Lei lei...?
? Lei la...?
? Lei...?
? Oh lo lo lo,
lei lei, lei lei lei?
? La la la,
la la la...?
But people loved him.
It was like,
with all his faults
and all his
fuck-ups,
it just made him more
like one of them.
And it was funny,
you know.
It was like
the bigger Hector got,
the more he grew
as an artist,
it was like the deeper
he sank as a person,
as a human being,
you know what I mean?
He was like,
I don't know.
- Why aren't there lights over here?
- I can reach it. I can reach it.
- Okay, perfect.
- There we go.
Oh, look, it's almost like sitting on it.
Right, boy?
- Yeah.
- It's cute.
Santa, remember
Tito's train, please!
The boy forgot.
And he really
wants one.
He forgot to put it
in his letter.
He only told me this morning.
Please.
He's been
such a good boy.
What do you think?
Is that gonna work?
I got connections, son.
Santa- we-
we go way back.
? December's here again?
? That means it's time
for Christmas?
? Children wait
for Santa?
? Reindeer
and his sleigh...?
Who's there?
- ? Grandma likes to decorate...?
- Who is it?
- ? While everyone celebrates...?
- Is that Santa Claus?
- ? Christmas...?
- Oh ho ho ho ho ho ho ho!
Tito, look!
This is all for you,
little boy-
a present
from Santa Claus.
- Tell his father he's a good boy.
- Okay.
Oh ho ho ho
ho ho ho ho!
Agh!
I'm okay.
? Lo lai le lo le, lo lai le lo la?
? Though you don't want me to?
? I came to sing?
? And cheer everyone up?
? With a voice of happiness?
? I bring harmony to
your sacred home?
? Let me bring harmony?
? To your sacred home.?
Number one, baby.
To life!
? This ain't living,
this ain't living?
? No no, baby...?
- That's it.
- ? This ain't living...?
? No no no no?
? Inflation?
- ? No chance...?
- Whoo! Yeah, baby.
? To increase...?
? Finance?
? Bills pile up
sky high...?
That finger, man.
? Send that boy off?
? To die?
? Oh, make me
wanna holler...?
- ? The way they do my life?
- She's acting like a whore, Willie.
Hey, don't dance for her.
- ? Yeah, make me wanna holler?
- Don't dance with her, make her dance for you.
? The way they do
my life?
? Oh, baby...?
No, it was the '70s.
We all did it.
When I first met Hector,
I didn't do anything, though.
I didn't-
I did nothing.
I didn't drink. I didn't smoke.
I didn't do nothing.
But then, you know...
Whoo!
We had a good time.
Yeah.
Ah!
- She has pretty hair.
- She does, right?
- Yeah.
- Right.
You always wanted to be
with a woman, right?
Why, you like that?
I'd like that.
Come on.
Okay, but you
go first, okay?
With him.
Are you fucking retarded
or something?
- Come on, babe, it will turn me on.
- What the fuck?
- What's wrong with that?
- That's Willie. That's a fucking man.
It'll turn me on.
You do him...
- Yeah yeah.
- ... and then I'll do her.
- I don't wanna make you jealous.
- Okay?
I don't know what's, uh,
normaI for other people,
but it was normaI
for us.
?... It makes me
wanna holler?
? And throw up
both my hands?
? Oh, ow!?
? Panic?
? Is spreading?
? God knows where?
? We're heading, oh...?
Great. Great.
Just great.
I'm not his babysitter,
Ralphie.
I'm his wife,
in case you forgot.
How could I forget?
You remind me every day.
- Then go get him.
- Ralphie...
Get in your car, Ralphie, and go get him
if you know where he is.
- Ralphie, give her a break, man.
- Tonight's not another night.
I don't care if he makes you wait.
He's not gonna make me wait.
- Oh, fuck you very much, Willie.
- I worked too hard
- to get to stand on that fucking stage.
- Oh, did you really, Willie?
- Why is she here?
- Hello, you know, Willie's right.
You know,
he's fucking up again, as usuaI.
Did- did anybody ask
for their money back?
I don't know, Eddie.
Were they upstairs at the ticket office
asking for their money back?
Did they?
No, Puchi.
No, but one day they will.
Fuck, man. The dog ate
the car keys, man.
- I had to borrow the neighbor's car to get here, man.
- That's a good one.
- Hi, babe.
- You don't have a dog.
Everybody, just give us
a fucking second!
- Oh, fuck you.
- Are you fucking happy with yourself?
I don't know. What did I do, man?
It's a true story.
- Don't fucking listen to them.
- It's me, Hector, not the others.
I like to fuck around too,
but I take this seriously.
Oh, so do I, man.
Willie, you're gonna have
a heart attack, man.
- Relax.
- Hector, I wanted you in my band
because I saw you had
a one-in-a-million voice.
And you're a good man.
You're my best friend, my family.
And we've gotten far.
Listen, you wanna fuck yourself up,
you do it on your own time,
not on mine, you understand?
You need help- I'll help,
but you gotta
help me too.
You know, Willie,
I think you're talking
to the wrong guy.
- It's me. Yeah.
- Yeah? It's you?
Fuck you, "it's you. "
I know it's you.
I'm not Puchi.
I'm not Jerry.
I'm not Ralph.
It's me.
I love you, man.
If this is about love,
you try loving yourself.
I get plenty of love
and I still get here on time.
- All right.
- All right? I'm your brother.
- Yeah.
- Come on, let's kill 'em.
- Did you wash your fucking hands?
- Yeah, they're clean.
Let's go.
We're ready.
Are you ready, New York?
The Fania AII-Stars!
Um, I'm really lucky I have you.
I know.
Oh, well maybe-
maybe I don't.
I was driving here
tonight...
and I almost hit a fucking cow.
Shut the fuck up.
Eh, what?
You got a question or something?
Wow, relax.
The president curses. He lies.
Where were you?
Uh-huh.
Check it out.
? Get out of the way
so I can take your place?
? Get out of the way?
? Get out of the way
so I can take your place?
? Get out of the way?
? Let the girlies dance?
? So they can have a good time,
yeah man?
? I don't care what they say?
? Because I'm a shark?
? Get out of the way
so I can take your place?
? Get out of the way?
? Get out of the way
so I can take your place?
? Get out of the way.?
I want my money.
After the show-
my money.
Get 'em, Willie Coln.
Let the music play on!
Let music roll. Yeah!
Ah, Puerto Rico, man.
Is Puerto Rico
your home?
You can call this Nuyorico.
Oh, you like to be here!
Babe, you believe this?
It's crazy.
I always did, remember?
Oh, yeah.
I love you, babe.
And you're here
with me.
I love you too.
Even when it looks
like I don't...
I do.
I know.
That for Christmas?
For later.
- Yeah?
- Or for now.
Ahoooo!
Hey, fuck you.
Fuck you.
Hello?
I'm back.
Hector.
Tito?
- Hey, Mom.
- Where's your father?
I don't know.
He was here somewhere.
Puchi, enough, bitch.
Leave me alone.
- Your son could have started a fire!
- Leave me the fuck alone, man.
- You could have started a fire too!
- Puchi, enough.
- At 10:00 at night, he's over there eating alone!
- The baby was fine.
- The gas is on...
- He was fine before you got here, huh?
...while you're doing
Lord knows what.
- This is our home.
- The baby-
- What about this?
- Enough.
You leave this around? What,
you're starting to believe that shit?
- What's wrong with you?
- Ah, please, Puchi. Papi-
What, are you that big fucking guy
on the album cover now,
- you can't even put it away?
- Papo gave me that fucking gun, okay?
- Who fucking cares who gave it to you?
- Oh, fuck you, man.
- This is bullshit. Fuck it.
- Oh, that's right. Go ahead, leave.
- Yeah, okay.
- Walk away just like you always do.
- Nothing happened.
- Don't fucking say-
Your father doesn't fucking hate you,
your mother's not dead and-
- and your brother's in Harlem scoring dope somewhere.
- Yeah? Enough!
Who the fuck
do you think you are, huh?
You wanna be a man?
You wanna be a fucking man, huh?
Be a man. Huh?
Shut up.
Get out.
- Ah, yes.
- Get out. Get out.
Why don't you get out?
Get out. Get out!
- Now! I said-
- Listen to me. Shut the fuck up.
- Listen to me.
- Get out!
- Oh, yeah. Huh?
- Let go of me. Let go of me, Hector.
Huh, Puchi?
Huh?
I'm gonna
tell you something.
You're finally going
to listen to me, okay?
Fuck you!
How's that?
Whore, fuck it.
Doorman?
Yes, is this the doorman?
Don't give him
his keys.
No, he's drunk.
Okay?
Yeah, no.
Thank you.
I know it's tough, bro,
but you have
two problems.
And I don't know
which one's harder to quit.
You?
Me neither, man.
But one'll kill you.
And I love her.
I can't help it,
you know?
I think she loves
you too, man.
We had a great show
last night,
gonna have
another one tonight.
It's all
gonna be good.
We got so much more
to do, bro,
and you're right there,
front and center, bro.
And I'm right
behind you, you know?
I got your back, bro.
Hector, I just-
I just want you to say that
you're gonna try to make it work.
I want you to say that you're
gonna spend more time with Tito.
I want you to say that you're
gonna stop with all the drugs.
And I want you to say
that you love me,
because
I love you, baby,
and I want us
to be together.
Is that too much?
- Isn't that what you want?
- You know what's funny is that...
I'm not the only one
fucking up here, Puchi.
You know that.
Puchi, you want it all,
but I can't promise you
all that-
all that in one night.
I can't.
I'd be Iying to you,
baby.
And you can't either.
You can't sit there with a straight face
and tell me that you're ready
to promise all that either.
There's no way.
I don't like talking
about what hurts me.
That's just
the way I am,
and you know that.
And you don't like it either.
That's us.
Look...
Look at me.
What we had was like an old-fashioned
type of love, you know?
Not like this new-
this new-wave
soulmate type of shit,
you know?
It was good.
It was bad.
It was beautifuI.
And for the first time
in our lives
we had everything
that we'd never had.
Yeah, I know
what you're thinking,
but love is never perfect
when it's reaI love, all right?
It's not his problem.
It's not his problem.
It's your problem.
- Jerry, please.
- And you're my problem.
- Please, bro.
- This is the last time he does this.
Let's go, let's go!
Hey, what's going on?
Willie.
Fuck, man, you're not gonna
believe this shit.
You're not gonna
believe this shit, man.
You're right, I won't.
Hey, what's with you, man?
Huh? No no no.
Listen, let me explain it...
- Brother, let me explain to you.
- Hec-
This is not another
story, man, really.
Hector, bro, this is the third time
this month.
I can't deaI with your
crazy shit anymore, man.
I quit.
The band is yours.
It's that simple.
You can be late all you want to.
Wait a minute, look, let's go someplace.
Let's go someplace, man.
Let's smoke a joint.
Let's talk, just me and you, plea-
- Brother, I-I was stuck in traffic, man.
- Yeah?
- Please believe me.
- I told Ralphie to canceI all our gigs.
I'm moving on.
You do the same.
I'll work with you,
but not on the same stage.
- Go home, Hector.
- You're making a mistake, man.
Eh, you know what? Fuck you.
Just get some rest, man.
? The festivaI and the chapeI
with their chanting?
? Highlight the emotion
of the town?
? And the trembling lustfuI
notice?
? Catalina la O...?
This is the best thing
that could have happened, okay?
Now is your time, okay?
He is nothing without you.
Fuck him, all right?
It's not that- it's not that you
were always late.
It's that he was
always too early.
It's a lot more
than that, Puchi.
It's a lot
more than that.
I mean, Will-
W- Willie was like my brother.
I know he was
like your brother
and he'll always be
like your brother, okay?
You are the show.
Everybody knows that, Hector.
Let him go out there
and try and sing with that
squeaky little voice of his
and see how far he gets.
Forget it.
It's his loss.
All right?
This had to happen.
This is the way it's
supposed to be, okay?
It's gonna be
all right, baby.
Now "the man who opens his mouth"
is going to sing,
Hector Lavoe, come on!
By 1975, Hector had
recorded 12 albums;
he had seven
number-one hits;
he had drugs; he had a wife;
he had a kid;
he had a family;
he had other women-
everything you need for a good guy
to break down.
Go away,
take a vacation.
Hector?
Baby, are you okay?
It's okay.
Imagine you wake up
in the middle of the night
and you see your husband
just sitting there like he's a character
from a horror movie.
And all you can
think is,
"Shit, it's my fault. "
He was hurting inside. He couldn't-
he couldn't hold it in anymore,
you know?
So his body-
his body
just shut down.
Men like Hector, they don't-
they don't get therapy.
They don't go to AA
or anything like that, you know?
But we- we- nobody
ever knew about that stuff
because we kept
our private lives very private.
Mom, are we going
to the hospitaI today?
Uh, no, sweetie,
not today.
- Next week. Next week.
- You always say that.
I know, but-
but I promise.
Come on, honey, be good.
Just get dressed.
I'll be there
in two minutes.
I love you.
Going to a dance?
You know,
he's your brother,
but he's my husband too.
So give me
a break, okay?
I wish I could,
but you know,
from the first day you met him,
and from the first day
I met you,
I had a bad feeling.
His father never
wanted him to come here
so he'd never have to
meet people like you.
- I always wanted to tell you that.
- Well, you said it.
Are you happy now?
You know what? Ciao, Priscilla.
Mind your business.
Go get fucked and all that.
You know, you may not like my kind,
but he doesn't seem to mind it much.
Yeah?
Look where he is.
I hate the food
in this place, man.
How's Tito?
Does he listen
to you?
Yeah.
I miss you.
I miss you.
I do.
Do I look
crazy to you?
Baby, let's go home.
- Dad!
- Hey, son.
Oh, Ave Maria.
You look good.
I missed you, boy.
Look at you.
Look at this.
Looks like my grandfather's
night table.
Well, take your medication.
I don't want you
going crazy on me tonight.
No?
Okay.
Ralphie called.
What did he want?
What do you think?
Had a bunch of stuff lined up-
shows in Los Angeles,
Europe, Caracas,
you know.
But I spoke to him. I handled it.
They're not gonna be
fucking with you like they did before.
I told him that first
you had to get back
to spending time
with your son...
making love
to your wife.
You hear me?
What is it, baby?
You nervous?
Yeah.
I'm-
I'm straight.
That makes me nervous.
I know.
Hope you're listening.
Yes.
Mm-hmm.
? Aguanil?
? Aguanil?
? Aguanil aguanil
may may?
? Aguanil aguanil may may?
? Aguanil may may?
? Aguanil aguanil
may may?
? Aguanil aguanil may may?
? Ay aguanil aguanil?
? Aguanil?
? Give me water
I'm thirsty and want to drink?
? Aguanil aguanil
may may?
? Aguanil aguanil may may?
? Aguanil?
? Aguanil aguanil may may?
? Aguanil aguanil
may may.?
You ever seen a coqui sing?
Seen one in the Bronx? No.
That's right.
You've never seen one
because you can't
see them.
They're there.
You can hear them,
but you can't
see them.
And they only sing
one song.
And it's two notes-
Just like that, all their life,
their whole life.
They're born
to do that.
And they live everywhere
in Puerto Rico.
And they can't survive
anywhere else in the world.
I guess you're a little bit
like the coqui, huh, Hector?
Fuck, man,
you can be depressing.
Yeah.
Look at me.
What, am I in love with a frog?
Don't be, you know,
fucking depressing.
Don't be depressing?
Instead of-
- I have a dyslexic one.
He goes...
Ladies and gentlemen,
welcome to Corso.
We have a surprise guest
for you tonight-
Mr. Rubn Blades.
Hello.
I'm Rubn Blades
and tonight I'm here
to give someone a present.
I wrote this song
for Hector Lavoe,
someone I really admired
since I was a kid
who wanted to be
a singer.
I remember when I went over there to
Panama with Willie Coln.
- Damn.
- After I sing it for you, it's his.
It's called
"El Cantante. "
It goes like this.
? A la le?
? Le le?
? My best testaments?
? Today I dedicate to you?
? My best testaments?
? Today I dedicate to you?
? My best testaments?
? Today I dedicate to you?
? My best testaments.?
Hey, look,
I'm buying-
What the fuck-?!
Pay him off.
Hector,
baby, you here?
Hector.
Hi, honey.
Ah, look who's here.
My favorite little whore,
just like I like it.
What's gotten into you?
You crazy?
- Nah, where were you, babe?
- In a sexy mood?
- Where were you, baby?
- I was- what?
- And you're st-
- I was at my sister's house.
- And you're stoned too, yeah?
- No.
- Oh.
- I left Tito over there.
And you're stoned.
You got stoned at your sis-
- No.
- How is she?
- No, I got chicken. She's good.
- Yeah? She's-
- Zaida's good.
- She's good?
- Yeah.
- Oh, yeah. And-
- You look nice.
- Thank you.
Yeah, I b-
I bought you chicken.
- You hungry?
- Dressed like that?
- What?
- Looking like that,
you were at your
sister's house?
- Yeah.
- Oh, yeah?
- Yes.
- You look like a whore.
Like a whore?
And since when
don't you like it?
You wanna- you wanna eat here
or you wanna eat in the kitchen?
I got you wings and thighs
and everything.
What do you want? I got potatoes.
I'm good.
Come on. You know, I was gonna
surprise you at the club,
but then I went by there
and you weren't there.
Where the fuck
were you, huh?!
Smile, smile.
Okay, you got it,
you got it.
Give me some more.
Give me some more.
Oh, get out of here.
All right, look this way.
What?
- No, huh-uh.
- Good job, good job.
Bye.
Tell me
he doesn't look crazy.
I mean, I think
he looks a little crazy,
but it's gonna work.
I don't know.
Baby, do the sad face.
Like this...
- Hold on, hold on. Don't even take it.
- Take five.
This is exactly
where we wanna be.
It makes me crack up
when you do
that funny face.
- Who was on the phone?
- Huh?
Who were you
talking to on the phone?
- Nobody.
- Oh, nobody?
- No. Nothing.
- Huh? No? Fucking whore, damn it.
Who was it,
the fucking piano player?
Huh?
What, the bass player?
Who the fuck was
on the phone, Puchi?
What are you
talking about?
What am I talking about?
- Don't do this here, please.
- Don't do this here?
- Come on. Go over there.
- What are you doing?
Hold it in. Puchi, don't do that.
Damn it. Walk.
What, you really wanna
know who I'm fucking?
Okay.
All of them.
The bass player, the drummer,
the congo player- all of them.
All of them
except the singer.
Yeah.
Because the singer
is always too high to get it up.
That's why.
You know what?
You accuse me
of fucking so many men
that I'm finally gonna fuck
all the men that I'm accused of fucking.
Okay?
? I have not seen you
in so long...?
Okay.
I just wanted you
to be proud of me,
but from what I see,
fuck it, eh?
Go ahead, give it to him.
- Here.
- What is it?
He made it for you
in shop at schooI.
- How nice.
- You like it?
That's perfect, son.
I wanna take it everywhere with me.
Thanks, man.
Don't worry, my feelings
are not hurt or anything.
There goes-
there goes mommy.
- I love you too, Ma.
- I love you, baby.
Show him your dance.
I know you're dying to do your dance.
- Go ahead.
- Do I have to? No.
- Just don't laugh at me.
- Okay, son.
- Please don't laugh at me.
- No, I won't say-
Don't laugh at me.
Look, why don't you
let me help you?
That's what a wife does.
Just let me.
I'm gonna take you
on tour with me.
I don't wanna see
any more doctors, okay?
It's not a doctor.
It's nothing like that, I promise.
Puchi, can I enjoy
watching my son, please?
It's better
than any doctor, huh?
I enjoy this.
I won't break.
I know you enjoy this,
but how about him?
- Oh, damn.
- Since you only see him once every six months,
and even when you're home- don't think
I don't know you're fucking high, Hector.
Puchi, God, don't start
with that shit, man.
What's with you, man?
Huh? I'm trying to fucking relax.
Or maybe I should go somewhere else
to relax 'cause I can't relax
- in this fucking house. I can't do a goddamn thing, man.
- Yeah, that's a good idea,
maybe another rehab.
Or maybe you should go
to one of those fucking whores
who keep fucking calling the house.
Enough, damn it, Puchi.
It's enough! Damn it!
?... Baby, that's plenty?
? And never has one man
rocked so many?
? I'ma make you wet
then make you sweat?
? Just to see
how funky you can get?
? Now when I'm on the mic,
I do serve well?
? And I go by the name of the-?
What the fuck, man?
I'm sorry, son.
Oh, man.
Oh, this can be fixed.
Look.
Oh, we can fix this, son.
With a little Crazy Glue we'll fix this.
Look look look look.
All the pieces are here.
It's okay.
Son, it's not okay,
okay?
I mean,
I was a warrior,
but that was one battle
that I never won.
Your son- he can't keep seeing
his mother and father like this.
Do it for him.
Don't do it for me.
Don't do it for you.
Do it for him.
He loves you.
He needs a father.
But he couldn't do it.
Maybe deep down he didn't want to.
I don't know.
Maybe you didn't
want him to change.
Why the fuck wouldn't I
want him to change?
That was-
that's so stupid.
He was my husband. Of course I wanted-
I wanted him to be better.
I think you owe me
an apology.
God knows when you got it.
It doesn't matter.
But yeah, the H.I.V. test
came back positive.
Uh...
I'm really sorry, man.
And Puchi?
Well, the doctor says
that the- the disease
might not show
symptoms for years
or even-
maybe never.
He doesn't know
how long I've had it.
He said that you should
get yourself tested...
just in case.
I don't want anybody
to know about this.
What's in the future
for Hector Lavoe?
I'm looking forward to
the best years of my life,
you know.
Think about it, look around-
every year's supposed to be
"the Latin boom," you know,
and now young musicians
come and make money.
And then, you know...
I'll go back home
and be myself,
just a nobody.
I was thinking, man-
I was thinking of getting
an apartment in Jersey or something-
a small little place, you know?
I can't stay, man.
I'm more afraid to go.
There's somebody here tonight
that's trying to hide from us,
but it's not working.
Hector, come on, man.
Come up and sing.
You're under arrest.
You can't run.
Come on, we really do need
a good singer up here.
All right,
ladies and gentlemen,
Hector Lavoe.
? Because your love is
my backbone?
? In all four corners?
? They talk about us?
? They say this is
a scandaI?
? And even put me down?
? For loving you?
? Pay no attention
to the people?
? Stay the course?
? And love me even more?
? I've had enough of this?
? Let's move on?
? Without knowing
what they'll say?
? If I could one day?
? I would climb up to the stars?
? I would take you with me?
? To where nobody could see us.?
Excuse me.
Don't touch me.
Get off me.
- Come on, let's go. Don't make me take you out.
- What are you doing?
- Hey.
- Let's go.
- Motherfucker, get off.
- Come on, calm down.
Look what they're doing
to your wife, faggot.
- Do something, you chunky little faggot.
- Puchi, Puchi, what are you doing?
- Get off! - Let's go. That's-
okay, come here. Come here.
- Hey, Puchi, Puchi, no.
- Leave me alone, you piece of shit!
- Come on.
- You can't even be a husband.
You can't even be
a father.
- Gentlemen.
- You coward.
Puchi, come on, let's go.
- Huh? Hey. Fuck!
- Leave me alone, please.
Puchi.
- He can't even be a father.
- Puchi, enough, damn it! Puchi.
You don't have a son!
You hear me?
You don't have a son.
It was an accident.
He was shot in the stomach
with the gun...
by his best friend.
Well, anyway, I don't like to talk
about that too much.
You know, I'm-
I just-
I don't remember too much
from that year anyway.
It was-
Don't talk to me like I'm your grandmother.
I'm your mother
and if I ask you where you're going,
then you tell me
where the fuck you're going.
And if you don't know, then you make it up.
But please don't say
that you don't know.
- All right, I got-
- You better give me a kiss right now.
- Mmm.
- I love you, Ma.
You feeI like
you're gonna die too,
but you live through it,
and that's worse-
you wish you'd die.
Tito?
Oh, Hector?
He died with him.
Your son is smiling
at you one minute,
the next thing you know,
you turn around and he's gone.
No one prepares you for that.
All the death in the world
couldn't prepare you
for that,
and I've been around
a lot of death.
But Hector- Hector...
I'm gonna get going here.
If you need anything,
just- just call me up,
okay?
Thanks for everything, bro.
I appreciate it.
Puchi, I- be back in the morning
just to check up on you.
Hey, uh-
I I- I love you guys.
Hey, Puchi.
See you.
That's it.
Everybody's gone.
You know what
I've been thinking?
We don't talk anymore.
You know we haven't been straight
for more than three hours a day
for, what, 20 years?
Not since we met.
And we just go on
with life like this.
I love you, you know,
but...
it's impossible, Puchi.
Impossible?
Impossible?
Oh, I get it.
Now that
our son is dead,
it all comes
clear to you?
I'm this horrible bitch
and you're a great guy?
And maybe
the best thing to do
is just to-
to make it officiaI now?
Is that what you're
saying to me, Hector?
All of a sudden a fucking light bulb
went off in your head...
and now you're realizing
that you and me
ain't good together?
Is that what you're fucking saying
to me right now, Hector?
So we're just gonna
break things up
to fix it up?
That's your fucking
genius idea?
Fix what up?
Now?
You f-
fucking selfish bastard.
You can never leave me.
I've never been scared
of death, man, I mean...
And Puchi?
She tested fine.
Still going out,
you know?
I don't like talking about this shit,
you know?
It's like you can hear the clock ticking
in your head or something.
You know-
dah dah dah. Fucking with you.
Can't sleep.
Imagine,
I can't sleep.
I have all the time
in the world to think about,
"I should have quit...
I should have done this,
I should have done that. "
Can't do shit now.
Yes, you can.
Of course you can.
Can't smile the same.
Can't sing the same.
Nothing's the same.
It's like...
the fucking woman
I fell in love with, right...
I put up with it.
Now she can't put up with it,
you know?
It's almost like-
you're doing time or something.
I don't know.
I don't understand it.
You know what?
I'm gonna break you
out of jaiI.
I'm here,
and there are people still waiting
for you to sing again,
to see you.
They feeI for you, man,
they mourn with you,
but they need you.
These people- these people
love you, Hector.
They love you like, shh...
No matter what.
But they're not gonna wait forever.
You know how it is.
Listen, take that gig
in Puerto Rico.
It's home.
Take it.
Merengue and all this other stuff
that's coming out now
is gonna kill you, me,
Fania and everything.
Let the people know
we're still here
before they bury
all of us.
How does anybody ever
leave this place, man?
We're back now, man.
Feels good, huh?
Yeah.
Maybe- maybe this is
a new beginning, Papa.
I hope so, man.
I- I feeI good, man.
I feeI good.
Patience, people patience.
In a couple minutes
were going to start
this great Salsa concert.
But please...
Now somebody explain
something to me, bro.
I just- I hear cancellation
'cause he canceled it.
- No, listen, Hector-
- Wait.
Somebody talk to me,
tell me the fucking truth, bro.
I'm really sorry about
this whole situation, bro.
I don't wanna canceI,
but Ralphie-
Ralph, see?
The place is empty.
You know, people didn't
show up, man.
What the fuck
do you want me to do?
You know, I did my part.
Whatever happened here, bro,
wasn't my fault. That's all I know.
- It's not your fault?
- It's not my fault.
You didn't fucking advertise, okay?
And don't fucking talk to my artist.
Hey, w-wait-w-w-
Take it easy, okay?
Yeah, it's like you didn't know about
the free concert that's going on today,
- right, in San Juan?
- The free concert?
You didn't know about that either?
Five free bands.
You knew about that concert,
so this is what you get.
This is your concert now.
You take care of it now, all right?
You're not in New York now, buddy.
Bro, you're not in New York, okay?
This is Puerto Rico, buddy.
- Easy easy.
- You gotta fix what you broke, brother, okay?.
Come on, come on.
Easy easy, okay?
I'm gonna fucking sing now.
Take it easy, okay?
First of all, I'm fucking here, okay?
I'm not a ghost.
I came to sing,
I came to sing, bro.
Tell- Eddie, tell the band
not to fucking leave, okay?
- Hey, you guys don't go anywhere.
- The band is here.
I'm here.
I'm the only one here.
This one's on me.
You guys fix all your fucking problems,
but I'm gonna sing, bro.
I'm a professionaI.
Let's go, let's go.
Let's go, let's go, man.
? Soon?
? My lucky day will come?
? I hope that before I die?
? My luck will change?
? Soon?
? My lucky day will come?
? I hope that before I die?
? My luck will change?
? Soon?
? My lucky day will come?
? I hope that before I die?
? My luck will change?
Yo!
Hey, pull the sound back up!
Pull the sound back.
- Pull the fucking sound back up!
- Hello?
"Hector I LOVE YOU SO MUCH"
Hey!
Go on, go on, go on,
damn it, go on!
? Soon?
? My lucky day will come?
? I hope that before I die?
? My luck will change?
? Soon?
? My lucky day will come?
? I hope that before I die?
? My luck will change?
? Many times I've stopped
to think?
? That I've never done
anybody any harm?
? Why has life treated
me this way?
? When I'm just looking
for happiness??
? I try to make people happy?
? But what I've said here
has been fataI?
? I don't lose hope that I'll fight?
? And surely my luck with change,
but when will that be??
Hurry up!
Help him, please.
I mean, how do you
live through that, right?
What did they expect
from him?
What, that he was
fucking Superman?
King Kong couldn't
live through that.
I mean, I- sometimes I wonder
what I'm doing
sitting here in one piece.
Everybody in the story
is fucking dead.
He had multiple fractures
and broken bones
and he hurt
all his insides
which were already all fucked up
from all the drugs and the alcohoI,
and he survived.
You know what?
The motherfucker survived the fall.
He hit an air conditioning shaft
on the way down
outside
Johnny Pacheco's room
and he bounced, that's all.
But if he would have
hit the concrete,
he would have been dead, forget it.
But he didn't.
He did- he lived.
He lived
five more years.
But it wasn't reaI life.
And I wasn't there for him
all the time, you know?
Never never
leave me, baby.
It's not the same thing
as being there with you.
touching you,
kissing you.
You know, well.
I'd better stop.
Just wanted to tell you
over and over that I love you.
I'm right here with you.
You see me.
Happy birthday, Puchi. Happy bi-
I wanted to remember him
like he was.
Like he wanted me to.
? El le le?
? Today I dedicate to you?
? my best testaments?
? Today I dedicate to you?
? my best testaments?
? Today I dedicate to you?
? my best testaments?
? They're better than yesterday's?
? Compare me, critics?
? Today I dedicate to you?
? My best testaments?
? If you don't love me in life?
? Don't cry for me when I die?
? Today I dedicate to you?
? My best testaments?
? Dance if
you want to dance?
? Sing if you want to sing, momma?
? Today I dedicate to you?
? My best testaments?
? I am the singer and
we've come to celebrate?
? I don't want any sadness,
my thing is to sing, sing?
? Today I dedicate to you?
? My best testaments?
? There are those
who sing like a girI?
? I sing like a man?
? Today I dedicate to you?
? My best testaments?
I love you.
? My best testaments?
? My best testaments?
? My best testaments?
? My best testaments?
? My best testaments.?
The singer of all singers,
Hector Lavoe!
? And why bother reading?
? Yesterday's newspaper??
? Because I'm going to read you?
? A love story?
? That I can't even believe?
? And why bother reading
yesterday's newspaper??
? I loved you,
I had you, I kept you?
? But I don't love you anymore?
? And why bother reading?
? Yesterday's newspaper??
? I won't go to your house,
little girI?
? You let me in
and I go crazy, crazy?
? And why bother reading?
? Yesterday's newspaper??
? In the album of my life?
? There's a hidden page?
? I'll find you there?
? And why bother reading?
? Yesterday's newspaper??
? Go on, get away from me,
good thing?
? I don't want to see you anymore?
? And why bother reading
yesterday's newspaper??
? What's wrong with you?
You're crying?
? You have a paper souI?
? And why bother reading
yesterday's newspaper??
? And just like the paper
endures everything?
? That's just how I treated you?
? And why bother reading
yesterday's newspaper??
? Look over your story?
? And then you'll
be able to get it.?
? Hey hey hey hey?
? Hey hey
hey hey?
? Hey hey hey hey?
- ? Hey hey hey hey?
- Yeah!
? Hey hey
hey hey?
? Hey hey hey hey?
? Hey hey
hey hey?
There you go!
- ? Hey hey hey hey?
- Whoo!
? Hey hey
hey hey?
? Hey hey hey hey?
? Hey hey
hey hey?
? Hey hey hey hey?
- ? Hey hey hey hey?
- ? Yeah!?
- ? Hey hey hey hey?
- Whoo!
? Hey hey hey hey?
? Hey hey
hey hey?
? Hey hey hey hey?
? Hey hey
hey hey...?
? Yeah!?
Whoo!
? Hey hey hey hey...?