Songwriter (1984) Movie Script
Yee-haw!
So many people
Got so many lines
They've all been tried
And it's true
They've all got
So many reasons
For changing your mind
And there ain't
None of them new
But there's just
So little distance
Between me and you
I think we're
Two of a kind
We won't do nothing
You don't want to do
And I won't
Tell you no lies
So tell me
How do you feel
About foolin' around?
What are you doing?
This is my honeymoon!
You just bought yourself a real bull.
When's the last time
you bought any bull semen, pal?
This is a $100,000 bull.
Nobody said
It was gonna be easy
It's only as hard
As it seems
But...
It started, three of us:
me and Doc and Honey.
Doc and Honey got married,
but it was still the three of us.
Honey got pregnant again.
Pretty soon,
it was just me and Doc out there,
hacking our way through showbiz hell.
I've seen
The sweat streak
The pain on your face
And you're
Caught like a clown
In a circus
Of strangers
Who do you screw
To get out of this place?
It's one for
The money
And too far
To go
Three fingers
Of whiskey
Good for
The soul
There you go, Doc.
My pleasure.
Thank you.
Here you are
The final attraction
Get 'em to get out of here.
That's all.
You know who I mean.
Everybody?
Yes, everybody.
Everybody out?
Yes, everybody.
Everybody, out.
You heard me!
The lady said everybody out.
Somewhere above
Everybody, out.
Your finest performance
Out!
Approaching perfection
I know
What you're making
Bye, Daddy.
Is some kind of love
Somewhere
In your lifetime
What am I doing wrong?
Do it like you did it last night.
So many emotions
Oh, hurry, honey!
Doc's got a real healthy imagination,
which cost him a couple of wives
and most of our money
before leading him
to the stunning conclusion
that songwriting
was making somebody a whole lot of bucks.
Since it obviously wasn't us,
it had to be "them,"
he immediately quit the road forever
to be a mogul,
leaving it up to me and the boys out here
to be the keepers the flame.
You want a statement?
I'll give you a statement.
Our relationship
is going to last forever,
maybe longer.
Doc, does this mean
you're not gonna sing anymore,
you're just gonna produce?
Is Blackie on his own?
One more time, son.
We're with you.
Pick up that guitar.
Go break a heart...
Doc's ace in the hole
in this world full of wheelers
and whackos and dealers
and old obligations and too little time
is a burning commitment
to living by his wits
without stooping to work.
Good morning, Doc.
So far, he's semi-succeeded,
thanks to innocence, audacity,
and a flat refusal
to let himself be out-gangstered
by some fat guy in a suit.
This one fell asleep
with his beer in his hand...
You see, in the music business,
just like in real life,
it's a day-to-daily war
between the sorry and the soulful.
No rule says the righteous gotta win,
but I'm putting my money
on a con-man gypsy
bad-ass true-blue legendary bandit hero,
and when it's all over,
they can say he did it for the love,
but he was not above the money.
Well, you know, next party we have,
we ought to get us a valet.
A valet with a mallet.
Mobile operator.
May I help you?
Hello, operator.
Get me the Ramada Inn in El Paso, please.
Hello, Ramada Inn?
Hello. Get me Blackie Buck's
room, would you, please?
Yo.
Hello, Blackie. I knew
you'd still be up.
What time is it there?
How did it go?
Oh... Full house.
They got a little rowdy.
I bet you didn't have nothing
to do with that, did you?
I did the second set
with my back to the audience.
Glad you haven't lost
your sense of humor.
You need anything?
Yeah, my old singing partner.
He went on to bigger and better things.
Bigger?
By the way, if you hear of
a girl singer, let me know.
I need one.
I'm looking for one to produce.
Matter of fact,
I got one with me here now
who sounds a little bit like Hoyt Axton.
Here in the heart of Nashville country,
it's 57 degrees with partly cloudy skies,
clearing up this afternoon
to let the sun shine through.
The high today in Nashville
should be around 62 degrees
with overnight low in the upper 40s.
The morning traffic report...
Good morning, Doc.
Good morning.
What do you want to hear?
I don't know. How'd I do on drums? Great.
You played your ass off
on the bass last night.
I can't play bass.
You played bass last night.
Is my guitar hooked up?
Sure is.
Good morning.
Sorry I'm late.
You're always sorry,
and you're always late.
Always late
You're playing everything else
in this here supergroup.
Why don't you play the fiddle too?
Because you play better fiddle than I do.
Also because I want to stack some fiddles
when we get through.
Since it's just two of us in the group,
how about me naming the band?
All right.
The Eleven Dixie Mudcats.
Hi, Roy.
That is not what he said.
He said you've got
to pay me $1800 a month
on an every-month basis,
not just every now and then.
How much do I owe you?
You're back five months,
and you wrote me a check, and it bounced.
Bounced?
The bank must've screwed up.
I sent it back to you.
It bounced again.
I'll write you another check.
Honey, how do I know
that ain't gonna bounce?
Anita, I'm not intentionally
gonna write you a check
that will bounce.
Doc, what happens to all your money?
Good morning.
I drove my blind brother Tommy 2000 miles
on prayers to God
you'd listen to his song.
I'm listening.
Hit it, Tommy.
Listen to me, Doc.
I'm talking about rent money,
car payments, food, and clothes.
I don't understand
how I got behind in your alimony.
I'll damn sure bet
you ain't behind
in Honey Carder's alimony.
She never asked for any.
Mm, Doc...
You know, I think you loved me
about 10 percent of the time,
hated me about 10 percent of the time.
I never hated you.
I couldn't hate anybody.
Oh, yeah?
You hate Rodeo Rocky.
I've never hated a real human being.
When are you gonna grow up
and be a responsible person?
I'm president
of my own publishing company,
got my own studio.
How grown up do I have to be?
You know, I think you and I
probably just got married
the wrong year and a half of our lives,
and I'm sorry it didn't work out.
Oh, Doc.
Why did I leave you?
Why did I leave you?
I left you.
Doc, that Cajun creep is here.
All right, Mulreaux, send him in.
And get Hogan over here.
Well, you take the ITC,
you deduct all the interest.
You write off your fuel
and your maintenance...
I don't care about...
How much money are you talking about?
Hogan, you know Mulreaux.
Mulreaux, you know Hogan.
Hey, Hogan.
How d'you do, my friend.
Chicken-fried German food to go.
That was a long time ago.
Uh, Doc, did you want to see me,
because I need to see you too.
Okay, look, write out a check
to my friend Mulreaux here for $20,000.
Doc, I can't do that.
That's corporation funds.
Rodeo Rocky just put the clamp
on the Cowbird Music money.
How can he do that? I'm the
president of the company.
You sold him the company.
Oh, bullshit. He's just
in as an investor.
That's not what the contract says.
You sell something to somebody,
they own it.
You work for him.
I don't want to hear that.
How about $15,000?
That's the best damn news
I heard all day.
Here comes...
Doc, I wouldn't trust him
as far as we could throw him.
I want to know how come
Anita's checks are bouncing.
Well, Rodeo Rocky put a stop
to the Anita situation.
That son of a bitch.
Well, you sold him the company!
Watch me repossess it.
You'd better keep both eyes
on that son of a bitch,
because he's crazier than you are.
Uh, Doc...
I want to talk to you.
Yeah, well, go ahead.
Get this asshole out of here.
He stays.
Who is he?
Purvis, Lionel Purvis.
He's the new comptroller
for Cowbird Music.
Well, you're just the prick
I want to talk to.
How come my checks are bouncing?
You haven't been living up your contract.
Who said?
I do.
He also turned down payment
on all those vouchers
for them invisible musicians
in that so-called superband.
Cut your expense accounts too.
Yeah, he's gonna keep
bouncing checks to your ex-wife
until you live up to our deal.
Some deal.
It's more like a goddamn ambush.
Hey, Doc, you live in
some kind of a western fantasy.
You ain't Doc Holliday.
You're Doc Jenkins.
I'll get you a drink.
I don't want a drink.
I want my goddamn contract back.
How much?
Hey, Doc...
Remember the old days,
when you and Blackie Buck
first came to Nashville
in that old Buick?
You both slept in it.
How young were we then, Doc?
Oh, how much?
Where are you gonna come up
with that kind of money?
We're talking seven figures.
Don't worry about the goddamn money!
Now, I'm in a new business deal.
Yeah, let me guess.
He's gonna raise the Titanic.
Doc, you work for me.
You start writing songs for me, pronto.
You don't inspire me.
I can't get in the mood.
That contract don't say shit about mood.
You work for me, Doc, or you got nothing!
I mean, never mind your
vouchers, your ex-wives,
your invisible musicians.
I'll stop the $150,000 a year
I pay to keep you in golf balls.
I manage Blackie Buck,
and you can't do shit about that.
Blackie Buck, yeah...
The way he's living,
his heart's gonna
blow up before Halloween.
You work for me, Doc!
You run Cowbird Music for me.
How could you use his lawyer
to negotiate your contract with him?
I mean, you should've known
he'd own you 100%.
Well, that wasn't the deal.
Well, what was the deal?
The deal was I'd put up the
talent, he'd put up the money,
we'd split 50/50.
We shook on it.
You shook hands on it?
Doc, you didn't sign his hand,
you signed a contract.
That's real funny.
Doc, you got cheated.
He has an exclusive on you.
He owns you.
Do I own this building?
Yeah, you do own this building,
and the management contract
with Blackie Buck, but that's it.
A night to remember
Blackie Buck returns to Austin.
What'd he say?
He says we're going to Austin.
Where are we going?
We're headed to Shreveport.
Hey!
You deaf, or what?
Wait a minute.
This guy says we're booked
in the Austin Opry House.
That's another Dino production.
He tried to book us in there tonight,
but Doc turned down
the bad-paying rat son of a bitch.
Well, it sounds like he ain't
taking no for an answer.
Yeah, well, we don't show,
and that damned Dino
keeps the ticket money.
I'm losing my wonderful
disposition, goddamn it.
We'll get the blame.
Yeah, if we don't show up,
Dino McLeish puts the money
in his pocket.
I'm sick and tired of Dino McLeish.
Let's go stomp his ass.
Hell, let's go to Austin.
Tonight, at the Austin Opry House...
Only the great Dino productions
could present
this fantastic country show.
In a rare Austin appearance tonight,
Blackie Buck and the Roarers
at the Austin Opry House,
8:00 tonight.
Tickets $10 at the Opry House...
Dino, what are you doing home?
Hold it.
I wish the vision
of how beautiful y'all are
could be painted
on the Great Wall of China.
Man, I mean that.
I love you both.
We're family, you know.
Know what that means?
Deep stuff.
So, what are you doing home?
I forgot something.
Well, I'm glad you did.
I kind of want
to go hear Blackie Buck tonight.
We got some problems.
Blackie Buck may not show up.
Besides, Buster's too dumb for nightlife.
Buster's got ears, you know.
He's gonna remember what you're saying,
grow up, and beat the hell out of you.
Say what?
I said you promised.
Okay. Let's go.
Come on, Buster.
So who's your opening act?
I'm about to make a big fool
out of myself.
There's nothing to be scared of.
Just do it like you did
in front of the mirror.
Well, looks like your opening act
got here, anyway.
Where's Blackie Buck?
I rented your hall, son.
Let me worry about if Blackie shows up.
Okay, chief.
Dino, look...
They'll love you, babe.
I feel sick.
You're gonna chop them down
like dead limbs.
Nervous... All big stars
get nervous before a show.
Don't you know that?
I'm not a great star.
They paid money to hear you.
They came here to see
Blackie Buck. You know it.
Yeah, but they're gonna
remember you, not him.
This little girl's shy and nervous.
Thank you so much for everything.
Let's give her
a great big country greeting.
Let's hear it for Gilda!
You shake my nerves
And you rattle my brain
Too much love
Can drive a woman insane
You broke my will
Oh, what a thrill
Goodness gracious
Great balls of fire
I laughed at love
'Cause I thought it was funny
You came along
And moved me, honey
I changed my mind
This love is fine
Goodness gracious
Great balls of fire
Kiss me, baby
Tell me the truth, Dino,
so I can get ready.
Blackie Buck ain't really booked
here tonight, is he?
Come on.
All right, in my office.
You're fine
So kind
Got to tell the world
That you're
Mine, mine, mine, mine
I chew my nails
And I twiddle my thumbs
I'm real nervous
But it sure is fun
Ain't she just great?
Whoa, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah!
Dear friends, I love you so much
because I hate to be the one
to always do that...
"Hope to see you soon.
I've got the flu.
Blackie Buck."
Get off the stage!
He's in Tulsa!
We want Blackie!
We want Blackie!
We want Blackie!
We want Blackie!
We want Blackie!
We want Blackie!
We want Blackie!
We want Blackie!
We want Blackie!
Besides, I'm getting to like you
a little more than I want to.
Hey, make sure she's got some money,
and make sure
she don't get back on the bus.
You got it.
Hold it! Hold it! Hold on!
You want to see Blackie Buck?
Well, I can't help
if somebody's alcoholic!
There he is!
Blackie!
Straighten up, Dino.
I'm born again.
So how about $5000?
All I want
Is my baby
And my baby
Wanting me
So take me
Anywhere you want me
She's got a nice attitude.
Hunky-dory.
I don't want
Your sack of candy
Just some sweetness
Now and then
I got
To get myself together
With someone
Who wants that too
Maybe I can learn
To love him
While I'm getting over you
No prisoners.
You're all set.
Thanks, bro.
Hey, hey, hey.
You sing real good.
Thanks for keeping them warm for us.
I'll see you later, all right?
Way to go, Gilda.
They loved you out there.
You were great.
That's Blackie Buck.
I've just got one more thing
to tell you ignorant assholes!
I promised you...
and I'll tell you something!
Dino delivers! You like that?
Blackie Buck and the Roarers!
Whoo!
Hear
That holy rollin' thunder?
Don't it strip
Your feelings bare?
Smell the heartache
And the hunger
And the danger
In the air
There's a swollen moon
A-risin'
And salvation on the wind
And the dark
Is full of chances
You bet they never
Come again
Let's make this
A night to remember
Who am I?
Where am I?
What am I doing here?
Would you tell me why?
I've been
A little too lost
Just a little too long
I had a goal
And I thought
I was gettin' there
It must have passed me by
How in the wild-lovin' world
Did I go so wrong?
I love you, Blackie!
Ee-hee!
If you don't
Like the deal
Then you don't
Need to buy it
You ought to try it from me
'Cause, darlin'
It sure could be sweet
Yes, I'm here
To impress you, girl
I won't deny it long
I mean to knock you
Right off of your feet
If you don't
Like the deal
Then you don't
Need to buy it
You ought to try it
For me
'Cause, darlin'
It sure could be sweet
All right!
Whoa!
I, uh, I ain't got $5000.
He don't have it.
If I wanted any shit out of you,
I'd squeeze your head, okay?
Come on, Dino.
You're acting fidgety, like a liar.
I've been working night and day, man.
I took a couple of uppers.
That's true.
Put your hands out, like this.
What's...
What is that supposed to prove?
Don't shake.
This test beats
lie detectors all to hell.
Oh, man, you ain't
gonna do that, are you?
Watch me.
You flinched.
You crazy son of a bitch.
Did he flinch?
He flinched.
So what?
What are you packing
for lunch here, Dino?
Take another $500 out of there
for Dino calling me
an alcoholic son of a bitch.
The only reason I drink
so people won't think I'm a dope fiend.
That's five and five.
I'm putting on... I'm putting...
I'm putting on a big concert.
I got a spot for you, Blackie.
This is gonna be the big one, boy.
The word's out about you, hoss.
You don't pay your artists.
Hi.
Oh, for heaven's...
Remember me?
Young wetback from Brownsville?
Wait a minute now.
The working girl's favorite
and the housewife's
companion. Blackie!
Hi, you.
Hi, Honey.
You feel just like a homecoming queen.
Where's everybody else?
On the bus, in the cold?
Cooper...
Get in here!
All right!
Whoo!
Where can you get
something to eat around here?
But, Doc, I never even thought
about being a singer before.
Oh, sure...
You feel like a singer to me.
Doc, there's a call for you.
It's Blackie.
He's in Austin.
That's really nice.
Hi, Blackie.
Dino tried to do his tap dance again.
We negotiated.
Dino?
Where are you?
Excuse me.
Hey, wait a minute.
I want you to talk to somebody.
Who's that?
Say hello.
Hello?
Honey?
Oh, hi, Doc.
Uh, what are you doing there?
Well, it's my house, Doc.
I'm home.
I live here.
Honey, I've been missing you guys a lot.
I'd like to come down
and hang out with you a while.
Listen, Doc, um...
I gotta go now, okay?
You take care.
Hey, you still looking
for that girl singer?
I was just talking
to the best one in the world.
We just worked with one there in Austin.
Man, she's clean as an angel's drawers,
and her name's Gilda.
Well, I was thinking
about coming to Austin anyway.
Wait for me.
Hell, I'm always waiting for you.
Y'all just make yourself at home.
To go on
Throwing good love
After bad
Oh
But the fools we've been
Ain't nothin' like
The fools we'll be
To keep believin' dreams
That don't come true
Oh, they never do
Because, you know
It's never wise
To fall in love
To make believe
So I'll be leavin'
If it's all the same to you
Yes, I'll be leavin'
'Cause it's all
The same to you...
Not bad at all.
Yeah!
Thank you.
Thank you.
I told you
you were crazy to sign a deal
with anyone named Rodeo Rocky.
Sounds like some kind of ice cream,
for Christ's sake.
Why don't you just quit?
Leave.
Let him sue you.
What's he gonna get?
My golf cart.
Well, what else?
I need that $150000
for the kids and for Honey.
Which she ain't asked for.
Which she ain't asked for,
but nevertheless...
Do you deliberately make it harder
just so you can stay interested?
Get yourself about an hour's sleep
before Shreveport.
Your voice is getting raspy.
Hell, I'm working on that rasp.
Makes me sound soulful.
Hey, how's she doing?
You ought to go see.
The chick is mine.
She's signed and sealed.
I just want to say hello.
Don't you try to steal
Gilda away from me,
will you?
This is the ticket I've been waiting for
all my life, man.
Don't burn it down.
Any deal you make with Gilda
has got to come through me.
You dig?
I just want to say hello.
Uh-huh.
Hello?
Hey, Doc.
This is Doc.
Where's Gilda?
She's in there.
Look here.
It's Doc.
Great show.
I loved it.
Gilda.
Oh, thank you.
You are so good.
This is Arly.
Thanks for coming down.
A rodeo buckle?
Yep. Calf roping.
Can I get you something to drink?
No, thanks.
The regular?
I don't know what it is.
You don't look like her or sing like her,
but there's something about you
that reminds me of Honey.
You're kidding.
No, I'm not.
Honey Carder was the first woman
I ever wanted to be like.
You're gonna be a greater star
than Honey Carder ever was.
You know that?
Right to the point, Dino.
I've never been wrong
about a singer yet, Doc.
Come on.
I'm gonna check on something.
Don't let Doc talk you out of your pants.
Oh, that's very funny.
You know, he could be right.
What are you talking about?
Well, not about the pants,
about you being a big star
some of these days.
You really could.
Honey Carder could really sing.
Well, she still can, God bless her.
So why'd she retire?
Well, she got tired of traveling.
Then the kids come along...
and she just quit.
Write it down
What you found out
Songwriter
Don't let it all
Slip away
Speak your mind
All the time
Songwriter
Someone is listening
Today
So write on
Songwriter
Write on
Songwriter
Write on
Songwriter
Write on
Songwriter
Okay, Dino, I'll tell you
what I'm gonna do.
I'm gonna give you
the studio time and my time,
and I'm not gonna charge you
a producer's fee
until Gilda's album has sold 100,000.
Not gonna charge me a fee...
Bubba, I put this band together myself.
I found Gilda singing
in the Pentecostal student center.
Gilda, I'm gonna pay you five...
$5000 cash upfront.
$5000? That's impossible.
You gonna give us a million upfront.
Dino ain't gonna do shit.
In fact, you'll probably wind up
getting screwed.
He'll get robbed.
I want to book you all over the country,
places Dino couldn't
get into with a ticket.
I haven't traveled much.
I feel sort of funny.
I can also produce a hit album for you.
Dino can't do that. No offense.
I don't know if I'm ready
to make an album.
I'll be the judge of that.
You know the big concerts you want to do?
Yeah, what about it?
I'll help you put it on.
I'll get the talent for you,
people who wouldn't normally
talk to you on the telephone.
What if it rains?
We'll go inside.
What split do you want?
Fifty-fifty, after expenses.
What about the t-shirts, posters,
art show concessions?
Same deal, 50/50.
Man, I don't trust you.
Gilda's worth more than one concert.
She's a star.
I'm not a star.
Honey Carder is a star.
Pull over.
You sell vacuum cleaners?
Yeah, they're on sale.
What kind do you got?
All kinds.
Nice suit.
Like that.
How do you do, ma'am?
My name is Jenkins.
I'm with the American Research
Institute of Technology.
I'm sure you're familiar with us.
We own and manufacturer
the beautiful and powerful
Paradise vacuum cleaner.
However, I would like
to put your mind at ease.
This has nothing to do
with a normal purchase
of our powerful Paradise vacuum cleaner.
Could I come in
to explain the program to you?
Oh, hold on a minute, mister.
Now, a man who looked like you
came to my door years ago
selling vacuum cleaners.
He knocked me up.
Hmm... must have been someone
from our service department.
Excuse me.
May I come in, please?
Thank you.
Mm-hmm.
Just as I thought.
This looks like a clean rug
to the normal naked eye.
People think their babies
can crawl on rugs like this,
but wait till you see what happens
when I put my little
Paradise to work on it.
Oh, uh-huh.
That's what that salesman
who looked like you said,
except they sent me a different model
than the one I ordered.
Hi.
Hi.
You feel good.
So do you.
The kids in school?
Oh, it's Saturday, Doc.
They're outside playing.
Oh.
You've been up all night, haven't you?
You want something to drink?
How about some iced tea?
What, you're not drinking whiskey?
Not for almost a year.
Oh.
Blackie says you're moguling again.
Blackie don't know
what he's talking about.
Well, you know what I'm talking about.
I'm the president
of my own corporation, you know.
You've been an executive
of losing corporations
most of your adult life, Doc.
Selling your soul is one thing,
but your copyrights... how could you?
It's not that simple.
Yes, it is.
It's that simple, and it's that wrong.
Why don't you stop trying
to outdo the Fortune 500
and just be what you are?
Which is a poet.
What about all those things...
I need some help.
Well, okay.
Are you listening to me?
What about all those dreams?
Come on here...
All that talk years ago
about following an artistic vision, huh?
Yeah, well,
bankers don't really care a lot
about artistic vision,
and they'd just as soon
not talk to poets anyway.
Oh, the bankers.
Yeah, well, the bankers own all the art
and the artists.
They don't think about
anything but money.
You ought to be writing, Doc.
I am writing.
As much as you're partying?
I bet your living room
still looks like
Elvis' wedding reception.
Don't tell me you can do any writing
with all them weirdos and freeloaders
hanging around.
It is not possible.
I bet you haven't picked up a guitar
and written a song in so long
you've forgotten how to.
Come here.
And, on your way by,
if you could help me
pick up the guitar...
That always was the hardest part.
Thank you.
Would you have a seat, please?
Set down for me.
A past that's sprinkled
With the blues
A few old dreams
That I can't use
Who'll buy my memories
Of things that used to be?
There were the smiles
Before the tears
And with the smiles
Some better years
Who'll buy my memories
Of things that used to be?
When I remember
How things were
My memories
All lead to her
I'd like to start
My life anew
But memories
Just make me blue
A cottage small
Just built for two
A garden wall
Of violets blue
Who'll buy my memories
Of things that used to be?
Who'll buy my memories
Of things that used to be?
You showoff.
Come over here with me.
What do you want from me, Doc?
Well, there's not a day goes by
that I don't miss you.
I make pretty speeches in my head to you
all the time.
I should have thrown
my body across the door
and kept you from leaving me.
Come home with me.
You're a hard act to follow, Doc.
God love you for being such a dreamer,
but you leave me out.
I love you.
But I can't live with you.
If you ever get tired
of all the partying,
me and the girls are here.
Come home with me,
and I'll give you anything you want.
Will you really, Doc?
I want Coke.
I want orange juice.
I want Coke.
Coke.
Hey!
Daddy!
How are you doing?
Well, you're growing so much!
I got something for you.
This one's yours.
This one's yours.
Thank you.
Oh, it's pretty.
Thank you.
You're welcome.
Thank you.
You're welcome.
How's your music, angel?
Good.
I'll get my guitar.
Hey, you're Doc Jenkins!
Yeah.
Where to?
Eastern Airlines.
Can't you find some way
to get back to Austin?
We sure do miss you, Doc.
Yeah, I've been thinking about that.
I'm looking for that phone.
Excuse me.
Fantasy Island.
Darling...
Excuse me.
Hey, will you guys shut up?
I think this is Doc.
Doc, where are you?
I want you to go rent a U-Haul truck,
pack all my stuff, and drive to Austin.
Drive to Austin?
Don't tell the whole world about it,
and call me when you get there,
at the Lakeway Ramada. Got that?
The Lakeway.
The Lakeway Ramada...
Doc, you can count on me.
Hello?
Hello, Hogan?
Doc, is that you?
Do you know what time it is?
Yeah, I know what time it is.
Are you sure I own
the Cowbird Music building?
Yes, you own the Cowbird Music building.
Hello?
Hogan, we did have insurance, didn't we?
Hey, boss, you ain't gonna believe this.
"Fire destroyed
Cowbird Music."
What?
"Fire destroyed Cowbird Music.
What!
"Fire destroyed Cowbird Music.
No one was harmed
in the blaze."
Shit!
You're callin' us heathens
With zero respect
For the law
But we're
only songwriters
Just writing our songs
And that's all
We write what we live
And we live what we write
Is that wrong?
Well, if you think it is
Mr. Music Executive
Why don't you
Write your own song?
Mr. Purified Country
Don't you know what
The whole thing's about?
Is your head up your ass
So far
That you can't pull it out?
The world's gettin' smaller
And everyone in it
Belongs
If you can't see that
Mr. Music Executive
Why don't you
Write your own songs?
Hey, I want the sign up
by this afternoon,
you understand?
I want it hanging there,
and I don't want any wind
blowing it down,
or it's gonna be
real ugly if it falls down.
It's gonna be ugly for you,
it's gonna be ugly for me.
Hi.
Oh, hi, Doc.
Doc, this is it.
This is it.
How do you like the new sign?
It's the right state.
Oh, no. Look.
Just leave the stuff here.
I'm going to take care of this myself.
What I need is all of the furniture...
That chair, just leave it there,
because I'm gonna do Doc's office myself.
Doc, hi!
Looks great.
Where's my office at?
Oh, it's right around here.
Uh, Doc, I'm afraid
we have one small problem.
You got the loan?
That went through fine.
What's the matter?
No, it's about the telegram
that you got today.
Who from?
It was from Rodeo Rocky.
He says he's gonna break your knees
and poke out your eyes.
Well, all right for ol' Rodeo.
This is a nice place.
Where can I hide this?
Hide what?
Doc, I seriously think
this guy's mad enough
to kill you.
What you need to do
is just give him a couple of songs.
That's the first place he's gonna look,
is right there.
What? Doc!
I'm really scared of this guy.
He is crazy.
He's liable to come in here
and do anything.
That man is a gangster.
Lone Star music.
Hi! Yeah.
Yeah, Doc's here.
Hey, Doc, it's Blackie.
Is there something weird going on there
that I should know about?
How soon can you get out here?
What the hell is Lone Star Music?
I'll tell you when you get here.
Playing hell with my schedule.
Blackie, I need you.
Just relax a minute there, darling.
Blackie...
Where are you going?
Blackie...
You good-looking son of a bitch.
Don't you never die.
Everything's off the truck.
I'm all finished.
No, you ain't.
Take this somewhere and hide it,
and shoot the first son of a bitch
that touches it, okay?
And get Gilda on the phone
for me, please.
I've got her number in my office.
I love show business.
I can't take money
for something I didn't write.
I don't think you should.
Actually, you should take the credit,
I'll take the royalties.
I can't put my name on your song.
Strange part of it is I can't either.
Why?
It's a business technicality.
Oh.
I don't want to get into
all this business stuff.
I just like to sing.
I think you should,
because you're the singer,
but this is the kind of song
that could take you across all boundaries
and make a superstar out of you
all over the world.
Could you get me some of those doughnuts
over there, please?
Yeah.
Is it a ballad?
One of the prettiest...
I don't do ballads.
We'll bring it up to the kind of stuff
that you like to do...
like, uh, what would you sing?
I don't know, "Great Balls of Fire"?
Start it there and bring it down
just a little bit.
What do you think?
Maybe.
Lone Star, my dick.
Doc isn't here right now.
I hate Texas.
You know, Doc, we would
have been great rich gentlemen...
Ow!
All right, Doc, now
I'm going to burn you.
Get out of here!
Can I get anybody a coffee?
Yeah. Black.
Black?
Black, Corkie.
Black?
Black.
Oh, Black. Out!
Real black.
Lose your horse?
This ain't
old "Rodeo Rocky."
This is Marvin Rapshut
from the streets of Chicago.
And I don't let no hick like you
knock down
what I've fought my whole life
to build up!
You owe me, Doc!
You owe me and my associates
at least six albums...
Seven years of your songwriting.
I don't care what name
you put on your music company.
Lone Star, Lone Ranger...
bullshit!
That fire did nothing but burn equipment.
I hope your associates hang you
to a light pole.
You keep messing with me,
you're gonna end up
with nothing but a little spot
where you're standing.
You're in deep shit!
You're a great songwriter!
You're a genius!
What'd you write
for me? Nothing!
One song! What happened?
Something, "Tra-la-la-la!"
Something?
Nothing!
Seven goddamn years!
Prick didn't write nothing!
Hold it right there.
Put that down!
Put it down!
Easy!
Rocky, have you ever heard
of the O.K. Corral?
Don't want no violence here.
Is that the kind
of coffee you meant, Doc?
Let's be civilized.
Say hello to the president
of Lone Star Music,
Mr. Blackie Buck.
What?
There ain't no more Cowbird Music,
and my and your contract is through.
Yeah, and I'm Marie Osmond.
I'm not just talking
to one of your shit-kicking
friends, Jenkins.
Did you ever hear of a legal injunction?
I'll have you closed down within 60 days.
Come on.
You've been smoking
your running socks again,
haven't you?
Be serious.
You gotta help me on this.
You got to front this company for me,
or else I ain't got no
income at all. Jesus, Doc.
I really got a handle on it this time.
You always had a handle on it.
What the hell is wrong with you?
Nothing a million dollars won't fix.
Listen, you never even
have to come in to the company.
You think that's
gonna stop that injunction?
What choice have I got?
Besides, it's already bought us 60 days.
Come on inside.
Come here, I want to show you something.
You're treating yourself real good
for a bankrupt man.
This ain't my house.
This is your house.
I live in Nashville.
Rent's paid up for six months...
Prez.
I'm not your prez.
What are you up to?
How'd you pull this off?
Well, it was a short-term loan
on a long-term lie.
It's called high finance.
It's called bull squash.
Look out here.
I don't care what's out there.
Ta-dah!
You asshole.
You rent me a new backswing too?
Get in. I'll take you
for a ride.
Hey, pal, I want the president
of Lone Star Music
to work a few places
around here in Austin,
where he's already big,
and then I want him to go out on the road
as a superstar.
Not alone, but with an opening act,
and I'm gonna groom Gilda for that one.
Why?
Because I got cheated,
and I want to get even.
Losers can't believe
In anything at all
Hey
But never mind...
What's the matter?
I can't get it right.
I can't.
I just can't get it right.
I'll come in there.
What's wrong?
My voice cracked, and it
just didn't sound pretty.
No, it sounded great.
Let me sing harmony with you
for the bridge,
and I think I can help you
with that phrasing part on the bridge.
Would you run it again
from the bridge, Larry?
Think of all the love
We made us
Since you used
To be afraid of
Staring at
Those starry skies
Above our lives
Now you're free to
Be the best
That you can be now
Come here to eternity
Love me
Forever
In your love
That was great.
All right.
Let's record it.
Okay. We'll do that.
From the top.
Hi, Blackie.
Doc wanted me to drop this by.
What time is it?
Did I wake you up?
Not yet.
Oh. Here.
What is it?
It's Gilda's new song, I think.
I'm sorry I bothered you.
Hey, listen, you can bother me
any time you want to.
Bye.
Bye?
How you doing, Blackie?
Hey.
Doc's feeling a little down tonight.
Well, this'll cheer him right up.
I need to talk to you.
What about?
Well, I listened
to that tape of Gilda's new song.
Oh, yeah?
What do you think?
I think she's a shitty songwriter.
Oh, yeah?
We do need to talk.
Why are you asking Gilda
to put her name on your songs?
Because I can't put my name on it.
Rodeo Rocky would get all the money.
Why didn't you ask me?
Because you're a songwriter.
That's the answer?
That girl's never
written anything in her life.
It's okay for people like that,
who can't write,
to say they wrote
something they didn't write.
They do that all the time,
but you're a songwriter,
and you can't say you wrote
something you didn't write
unless you really wrote it.
Say that again.
I can't.
You're getting real strange, Doc.
If I put my name on one of your songs,
it would screw Rodeo Rocky,
providing you got another one
that as good as the one you gave Gilda.
Say that again.
I can't.
You're getting real strange, Blackie.
I'd put my name on one of your songs,
long as it would screw Rodeo Rocky,
as long as it was as good
as the one you gave Gilda.
Say that again.
I can't.
You're getting real strange, Doc.
I'd put my name on one of your songs
if it it would screw Rodeo Rocky,
providing you got another one
as good as the one you gave Gilda.
You got a deal.
And we can make love be
The kind of mystery
And, baby, you and I
Will be making true love
Lying soul to soul
Inside a hideaway
And we can make it be
The kind of mystery
Hot damn, Doc,
I should've known it was you
by the way the spit squished.
How's it going?
Good, how you doing, Samuel?
Good, pretty good.
You still take payola?
You bet.
Payola ain't dead around here.
Ain't even sick.
You know, I've been pushing
old Blackie so hard,
I'm about to get a hernia.
This is Gilda's first record.
Would you play it?
Oh, yeah, we'll play it right after this.
What's on there now?
The Geezinslaws.
You know, I've known Gilda
since the day she hit Austin,
and this is the first I ever
knew that she was a songwriter.
Says here she wrote that one.
See? You learn something
every day.
You certainly do.
I think I like it already, Doc,
you rascal.
The more you play it,
the more you'll like it.
Well, let's play it.
Hey, talk about one that's breaking hot.
Here you go.
Sweeping the country
like a brand-new broom,
sung and written by Gilda,
"Forever in Your Love."
Take it away, girl.
Hello?
Hello?
Turn on KVET.
Dreamers
Make-believe in...
All right!
Oh, my God!
...To last forever
Oh, God!
Losers can't believe...
This is great!
Hey, Doc!
Anything at all...
Thanks, Doc!
That's okay. That's why I get
90 percent, sugar.
You take the credit,
and I'll take the money.
But don't be sorry
Think of all the love
We made...
I don't care if the wheels of justice
turn slowly.
Twist them.
No, I own him.
I want him shut down.
Now you're free to
Be the best
That you can be now...
You know, she writes pretty good.
Better than Doc Jenkins.
Oh, shit.
Rodeo Rocky called again.
Does he have anything new to say?
No, it's the same message.
Yeah, I know, if he finds me, I'm dead.
Torture first.
See you later, Doc.
Okay, Corkie.
Hey
Take it and run, child
Good morning.
Hi.
How you doing?
I'm all right.
Look here.
See right there?
Number 15,
"Forever in Your Love."
Gilda.
That's 15 in the whole wide world.
Oh, God. Look...
Uh, you produced it, you arranged it,
you hustled it...
All I did was sing it.
And sang the shit out of it too.
Now, that says "Gilda" right there.
That don't say "Doc."
Sooner or later,
I'm gonna cause some trouble
for you, I think.
Nah.
The heavens above me
Seem empty and green
As dreams
That will never come true
The star-spangled glory
Of love
Fill the sky
And my heart
With the wonder of you
Sixth card...
"Spiritual masters from higher realms
reveal the true nature
of God in the cosmos."
That's pretty good.
You know, I think it was Camus who said,
"Truth is secondary
to existence."
Camus, the jungle boy?
I was only 13 years old, but I cried...
Over a sheep?
What'd he say?
Something about a damn sheep.
Nine times out of 10, you know,
they think people start this,
but sheep is good, and they know it.
They'll flirt with you.
Don't think they won't.
Hey, Dino, your old lady says
you ain't half ba-a-a-a-ad.
Just remember something:
the older the ram, the stiffer the horn.
When I first heard Gilda sing,
I said to myself,
"Dino, this chick's a natural.
"All she needs is guidance from you,
and a good producer."
So naturally, man, I called Doc Jenkins.
Hey.
Yeah?
Where the hell is Sam?
Don't know, boss.
Ain't seen him since
the hotel this morning.
He's probably back there
making a house call.
Where's Doc?
He's got the wheels.
I got locked out of my room.
Could I use your pass key,
just for a minute?
I'll bring it right back to you.
Thank you.
Dino...
Dino?
Oh, shit.
Hi.
Here you go, sweetheart.
Listen, I can explain.
Now, Dino, she told me
that y'all had a "plutonic" relationship.
Take a right here.
It wasn't exactly entirely all my fault.
Stop right there.
Better me than some asshole.
Take a swig.
Put that right on top of your head.
Fixing to kill Sam?
Just trying to see whether
my nerves are under control.
I'm afraid you stepped in it
this time, boy.
Doc, can you talk to him,
the crazy son of a bitch?
I expect this'll be
a good lesson for you.
Fuck...
I underestimated you, Dino.
All you son o' bitches do.
Anyway, this is the song.
We're gonna do it for Dino.
For a lady who learned
All there is about livin'
She sure picked
A hard way to go
But he loved her
Right down to her socks
And no further
And her feet were
The last ones to know
This week's number 12
is moving like a rocket:
"Forever in Your Love" by Gilda.
Hey, we're number 12!
Gilda, we're number 12!
Did you hear that?
Congratulations, Doc!
Congratulations to you too, Gilda.
I mean it.
I'm really happy.
I'm happy for you.
Turn it up.
Can you hear it?
How about a raise?
Number 12.
You been that high before?
Once.
Wish them injunctions would get here.
Yeah, we got the injunction.
When?
Last week.
Well, why the hell didn't we serve him?
You're good with numbers, Lionel.
What would you rather have,
100 percent of nothing,
or 100 percent of two platinum albums?
What do you mean by that?
That song that Gilda wrote?
Doc wrote it.
And the song that Blackie wrote,
he wrote that one too,
and he's writing a lot more,
and he don't think I know it.
We're gonna let that injunction
earn a little interest
before we slap him with it.
He's making us a lot of money.
A lot of money.
Make a rule
One by one
With their lies
Raisin' the danger
Of their king
Lord, under the gun
No more time
No more chances
No more war
Will be won
In the end
Only the losers
Hold the land
Under the gun
Hold the truth
Hold the truth
Like a candle
Like a candle
Let it shine
Let it shine
Like the sun
Like the sun
All the love
All the love
That's left to believe in
In a world
World
Under the gun
Break a man
Break a promise
Break a promise
Break a heart
Heart
Break a home
Break a home
Take a long...
Hard look at heaven
Gone to hell
Under the gun
Okay, y'all go home now.
God bless you.
It's just...
Wait. I just want you to listen
to this.
I got the auditorium on a four-wall deal,
only had to give them 20 percent on it.
Only had to give them
20 percent on the concessions.
Doc, they could've
screwed us real bad on that.
They're gonna sell everything...
Belt buckles, binoculars, caps, t-shirts,
piss-warm beer, picture programs,
popcorn, peanuts...
The whole shootin' match.
We don't have to do nothing,
just take the money and run.
Dino, you'd better take a nap.
You been up since Korea.
Yeah, that's because
I stay up 25 hours every day
keeping my eyes on you sons o' bitches.
The way you piss away
money is phenomenal.
You promotin' that Gilda,
spendin' so goddamned much money,
how are you gonna break even?
Let me tell you about Gilda.
She's number one in the whole world.
Check that out.
Whoo!
Doc, that Cajun creep
is on the phone again.
Tell him I went to a weaver's convention
in Itasca, Texas.
Hey, Doc, I'm gonna tell you something.
Listen, I used to hate you for it,
but I'm glad you took Gilda on.
Dig it, Doc.
It's a classic.
We put all our chips
on a hysterical neurotic drunk woman,
and she's gonna make us rich...
Or dead.
Have you seen
where Blackie is on the charts?
Number three!
Hey! Right behind Gilda.
Who is it?
Telegram.
Shit.
I'm coming.
How'd you find me?
Well, I went by your house,
and, uh...
Ralph told me.
So...
Whatcha hiding from, anyway?
Well, I was trying to write some songs,
and it's not that easy
with all the partying going on.
Sure wish you were into
some hard, nasty drinking.
We could be
the same kind of idiots tonight.
Look...
I don't... I can't say I'm a songwriter...
I'm not a songwriter.
I just don't want to do it anymore.
I don't want to say I'm a songwriter.
I don't write songs.
Maybe I'm not a mogul, either.
Then it's all a game.
Come here.
Come on.
Come on...
When I was in fifth grade,
there were always
a couple of cute guys...
a brainy guy...
a tough guy...
And then there was...
the guy that everybody thought was...
"the guy."
There was always the skinny little girl
in the ballerina slippers too.
Why don't you ever tell me
not to get drunk on stage?
Everybody else does.
Dino does, Arly does...
I think everybody has
to kill their own snakes.
Speaking of...
Where is Arly?
The trouble with Arly is...
I'm in love with you.
Oh, no!
No, Doc, really.
Now, come on, I take love serious.
I do too.
Really, Doc.
You'd better go home, Gilda.
No. Not tonight.
You'd really better go home.
Not tonight.
No.
No, don't answer it.
Don't get it.
Don't, Doc, don't.
Hello.
Don't...
Hello?
Come on.
Oh, hi, Honey!
Honey, you remember Gilda,
that new girl singer
I was telling you about?
Gilda, Honey says
tell you "hi."
The one that sang so great?
Yeah, she's over here.
We're just having a couple of drinks.
God, I wish you was here.
I miss you a lot.
How are the kids doing?
Straight A's!
They got straight A's in school, Gilda.
Bye.
No, Blackie, I'm not losing it.
Why don't you come over here
and help me finish this song?
Maybe you can screw me out of half of it
before it's over with.
And I'll explain everything to you then.
Do you suppose a man's got to be
a miserable son of a bitch all the time
just to write a good song
every now and then?
That's a terrible thought.
But from here to the end
Is what matters, my friend
And you're right
At the peak of your form
You old bandit.
Still in
The eye of the storm
Right on, man.
'Cause from here
To the end
Is what matters
My friend...
Hello.
What's up?
Man, we got to go. Gilda OD'd.
Come on. Come on,
get up. Oh, good. Help me.
She came over here to apologize
for trying to seduce you,
and telling me what a saint you are...
She passed out while
she was still talking,
she had the pill bottle in her hand.
Oh, I'm sorry.
All right, now, y'all go on out.
Let me get her out of these cold clothes
so she doesn't get pneumonia.
Go on out.
It's okay, baby.
Hey, you two.
Daddy, what's happening?
You come with me here.
Gilda... Come on, honey.
Try to drink some of this.
It's hot. Be careful.
Just take a little sip.
Okay? Is that good?
You're supposed to break
their hearts, darling.
They're not supposed to break yours.
Gilda's gonna be okay.
You and Blackie go on home now.
We got a lot to talk about,
Gilda and me.
Goodbye.
Bye, Honey.
Bye.
Can I have your attention, please?
I hate to break up a great party,
but it's little late, and I'm real tired,
and I'd like to ask everybody
to knock it off
and please go home, if you will?
Thank you very much.
Thank you. Appreciate it.
Catch you later.
Good night, everybody.
Take care, Doc.
Thanks a lot.
Good night.
Thank you.
Happy birthday, buddy.
Thanks, Doc.
Good night, Doc.
Good night.
Good night. See you again.
Good night.
Good night, Doc.
Thanks a lot.
Bye-bye.
Bye. Thanks.
Hi.
I just came by to tell you
that the party is over at my house.
I asked everybody to go home.
And, uh...
the house is empty.
Real empty.
I don't want you to say anything.
I just wanted to tell you that.
Thank God
You still got your feelings
And you're free
To be easy and warm
'Cause from here
to the end
Is what matters, my friend
You're right
At the peak of your form
You old bandit.
Still in
The eye of the storm
Well, look who's...
Look who's here.
God, you're looking good too.
Oh.
Are you okay?
Yes, I'm fine.
How are you, Doc?
Good, good.
Well, we drove up to Kingfisher
and got married by Gilda's granddaddy.
Well, congratulations!
Oh!
I think that's fantastic.
Thank you.
There's something else
we got to tell you.
You probably ain't gonna like it.
You'd better tell him.
While we were in Kingfisher...
Ain't, uh...
ain't justice wonderful, Doc?
I mean, it's slow, but it sure does work.
You are closed,
and you owe me every dollar,
and the songs you wrote for Blackie
and the songs you wrote for Gilda.
I guess you got me.
I know when I'm licked.
I must be getting old and tired.
Dropped a step somewhere.
I'm man enough to admit it
when I'm whipped,
and you always were stronger than me,
even back in Nashville,
in the old days. Have a drink.
Humility is a quality
which becomes you, Doc.
Yeah, I've been thinking
about slowing down a little bit.
I think you are rapidly
approaching wisdom.
I think it's the music industry,
the concerts.
Gilda's getting so big.
I just can't handle it all.
Besides, you deserve all that anyway.
How much?
Two million, cash.
Was the ground cold this morning, Doc?
I mean, you want blood,
find somebody else's neck, not mine.
I risked my life in the Nashville fire
to saved this tape
of the Eleven Dixie Mudcats,
the supergroup.
They're all yours.
I want your management contract
with Blackie Buck.
Mm-mm. No way.
I want my songwriter's contract back too.
What good is that?
I'm not writing songs.
Gilda, she's not worth that much.
She's worth more than $2 million
to a good manager like you.
I mean, you squeeze one
number-one single out of her,
and she's a star.
I mean, I hear
she's a bad drunk and a doper.
Well, why don't you go meet her and see
if she's a bad drunk and a doper?
Go to the concert.
If she is, we'll go back
to my old shitty contract.
But wait till you meet her
to make that decision.
Maybe I could come up with $1 million.
Two million is stealing from me.
You always been pretty good at that.
One million, one million,
and you throw in Blackie.
Well, you got me in a trap.
I'm gonna take the million
for Gilda and the rest,
but I'm keeping Blackie.
All right, bring her backstage,
tomorrow night, 8:00.
You bring me the money,
just like I like it...
All cash.
Yeah.
Put it in water.
It may explode.
We used to talk
About the rock 'n' roll
Made it matter
Not to sell your soul
Like a banner
That we held so high
We weren't afraid to fall
Instead we rolled into
The wanted sign
That put heaven
In between the lines
That kept us rockin'
Till the break of day
Or any break at all
We used to take 'em
By the day and the night
Try to steal 'em
Without a soul in sight
There you go.
Hey, man, that's the wrong pass.
They changed it.
What do you mean, they changed it?
I'm "they"... I'm Dino McLeish.
I'm your boss, son.
Rodeo Rocky's my boss, asshole.
Oh, Rocky.
Listen, I've got this tape...
Now who's the asshole?
We could do no wrong
We'll never be
The same again
But the show goes on
Thank you!
What do you say, Rocky?
How are you doing?
What are you gonna do with it
if you get it, Doc?
I'm gonna sit
up on a mountaintop somewhere.
You are a hick, Doc, really a hick,
but I've got a warm spot
in my heart for you.
I mean, we've known each other
for a long time.
Yeah, you always were sentimental,
when you had your hand in my pocket.
See the light
We had to leave behind
It is five after 8.
Where is Gilda?
She'll be here.
Let me hold that for you.
Must be getting a little heavy,
huh, Rocky?
Oh, there she is. Right there.
Come on over.
I'll introduce you.
Oh, thank you.
Hi there.
How're you doing, Gilda?
This is Rodeo Rocky.
This is Gilda.
Arly, how are you?
I've heard a lot about you...
but you seem to be a nice man anyhow.
Well, I'm am a nice man...
anyhow.
You have a positive sort of aura.
I do?
You ain't been drinking?
No.
I don't drink anymore.
You don't drink?
Hi. I'm Arly.
This is Arly.
Yeah.
Well, it was lovely meeting you,
Mr. Rocky.
Call me Rodeo.
Rodeo.
Yeah.
Would you excuse us, please?
Congratulations.
Thank you.
Come on, darling.
Excuse me.
Well, what do you think?
She's sweet, Doc.
She's sweet,
and my gut feeling is she's honest.
Right.
Sweet, honest girl.
All right, you stick around,
because the best is yet to come.
My own lawyer looked at this one.
You got my songwriter's contract there?
Thank you very much.
You got the money?
Yeah, give him the money.
Give me the money. Thank you.
You know something, Doc?
What's that?
I think I got myself a new star.
You just might.
You just might.
Big one.
Real big.
See you in Waco.
We got him.
So that's the white hat, huh?
What are you doing up there,
deer hunting?
Something like that.
Well, good luck.
You're taking off,
aren't you, hoss? Yeah.
And you finally got him.
We got him.
We did it.
Well, I love you, Doc.
I love you too.
God bless you.
We'll have to have lunch sometime.
Let's do that.
Hey, Doc, here's that tape
that you wanted.
Bye, Corkie.
See you later.
Thanks for the warning.
Hi, Blackie.
Hi, Blackie.
Hi, Blackie.
Hi, Blackie.
And now, ladies and gentlemen,
the hottest act in country music,
Gilda!
Thank you...
Thank you.
We didn't know whether to tell you this,
but our good friend,
Doc Jenkins, said we should.
Arly and I got married
a couple of days ago.
Well, I think that's real nice, boss,
don't you?
We have found something
stronger than everything.
Something more satisfying than anything.
And as a result of this,
we have decided we won't be performing
any more country or rock 'n' roll.
We have joined the Pentecostal church...
And we will be doing
only gospel music from now on.
Doc says those disappointed
can get your money back
at the box office.
Sing along with us
in joy and celebration.
There's a church
In the valley
By the wildwood
No lovelier spot
In the dale
No place is so dear
To my childhood
I'm making a collection for Rodeo Rocky.
Here's my authorization right here.
Just give me half.
Go on, now. Keep going.
Come on. Get on the floor.
Get on the floor.
Hey, Rocky Shit Detail Man,
what are you listening to?
I'm listening to Chopin, asshole.
Well, listen to that, asshole.
Too much bass?
Tell Rocky I wrote it just for him.
Come, come, come, come
Come to the church
In the wildwood
Oh, come to the church
In the vale
How much did you get?
I did pretty good.
You got robbed.
There's a lot of that going on.
How many tickets did you sell?
Seven thousand two hundred.
Building holds five.
Well, shit, bubba, airlines
do that all the time.
Boss?
What happened to him?
I don't know.
He just blacked out.
This will make him feel better:
a song Doc Jenkins wrote for him.
Write it down
What you found out
Songwriter
Don't let it all
Slip away
Speak your mind
All the time
Songwriter
Someone is listening
Today
So write on
Songwriter
Write on
Songwriter
Write on
Songwriter
Write on
Songwriter
So write on
Songwriter
Write on
Songwriter
Write on
Songwriter
Write on
Songwriter
So many people
Got so many lines
They've all been tried
And it's true
They've all got
So many reasons
For changing your mind
And there ain't
None of them new
But there's just
So little distance
Between me and you
I think we're
Two of a kind
We won't do nothing
You don't want to do
And I won't
Tell you no lies
So tell me
How do you feel
About foolin' around?
What are you doing?
This is my honeymoon!
You just bought yourself a real bull.
When's the last time
you bought any bull semen, pal?
This is a $100,000 bull.
Nobody said
It was gonna be easy
It's only as hard
As it seems
But...
It started, three of us:
me and Doc and Honey.
Doc and Honey got married,
but it was still the three of us.
Honey got pregnant again.
Pretty soon,
it was just me and Doc out there,
hacking our way through showbiz hell.
I've seen
The sweat streak
The pain on your face
And you're
Caught like a clown
In a circus
Of strangers
Who do you screw
To get out of this place?
It's one for
The money
And too far
To go
Three fingers
Of whiskey
Good for
The soul
There you go, Doc.
My pleasure.
Thank you.
Here you are
The final attraction
Get 'em to get out of here.
That's all.
You know who I mean.
Everybody?
Yes, everybody.
Everybody out?
Yes, everybody.
Everybody, out.
You heard me!
The lady said everybody out.
Somewhere above
Everybody, out.
Your finest performance
Out!
Approaching perfection
I know
What you're making
Bye, Daddy.
Is some kind of love
Somewhere
In your lifetime
What am I doing wrong?
Do it like you did it last night.
So many emotions
Oh, hurry, honey!
Doc's got a real healthy imagination,
which cost him a couple of wives
and most of our money
before leading him
to the stunning conclusion
that songwriting
was making somebody a whole lot of bucks.
Since it obviously wasn't us,
it had to be "them,"
he immediately quit the road forever
to be a mogul,
leaving it up to me and the boys out here
to be the keepers the flame.
You want a statement?
I'll give you a statement.
Our relationship
is going to last forever,
maybe longer.
Doc, does this mean
you're not gonna sing anymore,
you're just gonna produce?
Is Blackie on his own?
One more time, son.
We're with you.
Pick up that guitar.
Go break a heart...
Doc's ace in the hole
in this world full of wheelers
and whackos and dealers
and old obligations and too little time
is a burning commitment
to living by his wits
without stooping to work.
Good morning, Doc.
So far, he's semi-succeeded,
thanks to innocence, audacity,
and a flat refusal
to let himself be out-gangstered
by some fat guy in a suit.
This one fell asleep
with his beer in his hand...
You see, in the music business,
just like in real life,
it's a day-to-daily war
between the sorry and the soulful.
No rule says the righteous gotta win,
but I'm putting my money
on a con-man gypsy
bad-ass true-blue legendary bandit hero,
and when it's all over,
they can say he did it for the love,
but he was not above the money.
Well, you know, next party we have,
we ought to get us a valet.
A valet with a mallet.
Mobile operator.
May I help you?
Hello, operator.
Get me the Ramada Inn in El Paso, please.
Hello, Ramada Inn?
Hello. Get me Blackie Buck's
room, would you, please?
Yo.
Hello, Blackie. I knew
you'd still be up.
What time is it there?
How did it go?
Oh... Full house.
They got a little rowdy.
I bet you didn't have nothing
to do with that, did you?
I did the second set
with my back to the audience.
Glad you haven't lost
your sense of humor.
You need anything?
Yeah, my old singing partner.
He went on to bigger and better things.
Bigger?
By the way, if you hear of
a girl singer, let me know.
I need one.
I'm looking for one to produce.
Matter of fact,
I got one with me here now
who sounds a little bit like Hoyt Axton.
Here in the heart of Nashville country,
it's 57 degrees with partly cloudy skies,
clearing up this afternoon
to let the sun shine through.
The high today in Nashville
should be around 62 degrees
with overnight low in the upper 40s.
The morning traffic report...
Good morning, Doc.
Good morning.
What do you want to hear?
I don't know. How'd I do on drums? Great.
You played your ass off
on the bass last night.
I can't play bass.
You played bass last night.
Is my guitar hooked up?
Sure is.
Good morning.
Sorry I'm late.
You're always sorry,
and you're always late.
Always late
You're playing everything else
in this here supergroup.
Why don't you play the fiddle too?
Because you play better fiddle than I do.
Also because I want to stack some fiddles
when we get through.
Since it's just two of us in the group,
how about me naming the band?
All right.
The Eleven Dixie Mudcats.
Hi, Roy.
That is not what he said.
He said you've got
to pay me $1800 a month
on an every-month basis,
not just every now and then.
How much do I owe you?
You're back five months,
and you wrote me a check, and it bounced.
Bounced?
The bank must've screwed up.
I sent it back to you.
It bounced again.
I'll write you another check.
Honey, how do I know
that ain't gonna bounce?
Anita, I'm not intentionally
gonna write you a check
that will bounce.
Doc, what happens to all your money?
Good morning.
I drove my blind brother Tommy 2000 miles
on prayers to God
you'd listen to his song.
I'm listening.
Hit it, Tommy.
Listen to me, Doc.
I'm talking about rent money,
car payments, food, and clothes.
I don't understand
how I got behind in your alimony.
I'll damn sure bet
you ain't behind
in Honey Carder's alimony.
She never asked for any.
Mm, Doc...
You know, I think you loved me
about 10 percent of the time,
hated me about 10 percent of the time.
I never hated you.
I couldn't hate anybody.
Oh, yeah?
You hate Rodeo Rocky.
I've never hated a real human being.
When are you gonna grow up
and be a responsible person?
I'm president
of my own publishing company,
got my own studio.
How grown up do I have to be?
You know, I think you and I
probably just got married
the wrong year and a half of our lives,
and I'm sorry it didn't work out.
Oh, Doc.
Why did I leave you?
Why did I leave you?
I left you.
Doc, that Cajun creep is here.
All right, Mulreaux, send him in.
And get Hogan over here.
Well, you take the ITC,
you deduct all the interest.
You write off your fuel
and your maintenance...
I don't care about...
How much money are you talking about?
Hogan, you know Mulreaux.
Mulreaux, you know Hogan.
Hey, Hogan.
How d'you do, my friend.
Chicken-fried German food to go.
That was a long time ago.
Uh, Doc, did you want to see me,
because I need to see you too.
Okay, look, write out a check
to my friend Mulreaux here for $20,000.
Doc, I can't do that.
That's corporation funds.
Rodeo Rocky just put the clamp
on the Cowbird Music money.
How can he do that? I'm the
president of the company.
You sold him the company.
Oh, bullshit. He's just
in as an investor.
That's not what the contract says.
You sell something to somebody,
they own it.
You work for him.
I don't want to hear that.
How about $15,000?
That's the best damn news
I heard all day.
Here comes...
Doc, I wouldn't trust him
as far as we could throw him.
I want to know how come
Anita's checks are bouncing.
Well, Rodeo Rocky put a stop
to the Anita situation.
That son of a bitch.
Well, you sold him the company!
Watch me repossess it.
You'd better keep both eyes
on that son of a bitch,
because he's crazier than you are.
Uh, Doc...
I want to talk to you.
Yeah, well, go ahead.
Get this asshole out of here.
He stays.
Who is he?
Purvis, Lionel Purvis.
He's the new comptroller
for Cowbird Music.
Well, you're just the prick
I want to talk to.
How come my checks are bouncing?
You haven't been living up your contract.
Who said?
I do.
He also turned down payment
on all those vouchers
for them invisible musicians
in that so-called superband.
Cut your expense accounts too.
Yeah, he's gonna keep
bouncing checks to your ex-wife
until you live up to our deal.
Some deal.
It's more like a goddamn ambush.
Hey, Doc, you live in
some kind of a western fantasy.
You ain't Doc Holliday.
You're Doc Jenkins.
I'll get you a drink.
I don't want a drink.
I want my goddamn contract back.
How much?
Hey, Doc...
Remember the old days,
when you and Blackie Buck
first came to Nashville
in that old Buick?
You both slept in it.
How young were we then, Doc?
Oh, how much?
Where are you gonna come up
with that kind of money?
We're talking seven figures.
Don't worry about the goddamn money!
Now, I'm in a new business deal.
Yeah, let me guess.
He's gonna raise the Titanic.
Doc, you work for me.
You start writing songs for me, pronto.
You don't inspire me.
I can't get in the mood.
That contract don't say shit about mood.
You work for me, Doc, or you got nothing!
I mean, never mind your
vouchers, your ex-wives,
your invisible musicians.
I'll stop the $150,000 a year
I pay to keep you in golf balls.
I manage Blackie Buck,
and you can't do shit about that.
Blackie Buck, yeah...
The way he's living,
his heart's gonna
blow up before Halloween.
You work for me, Doc!
You run Cowbird Music for me.
How could you use his lawyer
to negotiate your contract with him?
I mean, you should've known
he'd own you 100%.
Well, that wasn't the deal.
Well, what was the deal?
The deal was I'd put up the
talent, he'd put up the money,
we'd split 50/50.
We shook on it.
You shook hands on it?
Doc, you didn't sign his hand,
you signed a contract.
That's real funny.
Doc, you got cheated.
He has an exclusive on you.
He owns you.
Do I own this building?
Yeah, you do own this building,
and the management contract
with Blackie Buck, but that's it.
A night to remember
Blackie Buck returns to Austin.
What'd he say?
He says we're going to Austin.
Where are we going?
We're headed to Shreveport.
Hey!
You deaf, or what?
Wait a minute.
This guy says we're booked
in the Austin Opry House.
That's another Dino production.
He tried to book us in there tonight,
but Doc turned down
the bad-paying rat son of a bitch.
Well, it sounds like he ain't
taking no for an answer.
Yeah, well, we don't show,
and that damned Dino
keeps the ticket money.
I'm losing my wonderful
disposition, goddamn it.
We'll get the blame.
Yeah, if we don't show up,
Dino McLeish puts the money
in his pocket.
I'm sick and tired of Dino McLeish.
Let's go stomp his ass.
Hell, let's go to Austin.
Tonight, at the Austin Opry House...
Only the great Dino productions
could present
this fantastic country show.
In a rare Austin appearance tonight,
Blackie Buck and the Roarers
at the Austin Opry House,
8:00 tonight.
Tickets $10 at the Opry House...
Dino, what are you doing home?
Hold it.
I wish the vision
of how beautiful y'all are
could be painted
on the Great Wall of China.
Man, I mean that.
I love you both.
We're family, you know.
Know what that means?
Deep stuff.
So, what are you doing home?
I forgot something.
Well, I'm glad you did.
I kind of want
to go hear Blackie Buck tonight.
We got some problems.
Blackie Buck may not show up.
Besides, Buster's too dumb for nightlife.
Buster's got ears, you know.
He's gonna remember what you're saying,
grow up, and beat the hell out of you.
Say what?
I said you promised.
Okay. Let's go.
Come on, Buster.
So who's your opening act?
I'm about to make a big fool
out of myself.
There's nothing to be scared of.
Just do it like you did
in front of the mirror.
Well, looks like your opening act
got here, anyway.
Where's Blackie Buck?
I rented your hall, son.
Let me worry about if Blackie shows up.
Okay, chief.
Dino, look...
They'll love you, babe.
I feel sick.
You're gonna chop them down
like dead limbs.
Nervous... All big stars
get nervous before a show.
Don't you know that?
I'm not a great star.
They paid money to hear you.
They came here to see
Blackie Buck. You know it.
Yeah, but they're gonna
remember you, not him.
This little girl's shy and nervous.
Thank you so much for everything.
Let's give her
a great big country greeting.
Let's hear it for Gilda!
You shake my nerves
And you rattle my brain
Too much love
Can drive a woman insane
You broke my will
Oh, what a thrill
Goodness gracious
Great balls of fire
I laughed at love
'Cause I thought it was funny
You came along
And moved me, honey
I changed my mind
This love is fine
Goodness gracious
Great balls of fire
Kiss me, baby
Tell me the truth, Dino,
so I can get ready.
Blackie Buck ain't really booked
here tonight, is he?
Come on.
All right, in my office.
You're fine
So kind
Got to tell the world
That you're
Mine, mine, mine, mine
I chew my nails
And I twiddle my thumbs
I'm real nervous
But it sure is fun
Ain't she just great?
Whoa, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah!
Dear friends, I love you so much
because I hate to be the one
to always do that...
"Hope to see you soon.
I've got the flu.
Blackie Buck."
Get off the stage!
He's in Tulsa!
We want Blackie!
We want Blackie!
We want Blackie!
We want Blackie!
We want Blackie!
We want Blackie!
We want Blackie!
We want Blackie!
We want Blackie!
Besides, I'm getting to like you
a little more than I want to.
Hey, make sure she's got some money,
and make sure
she don't get back on the bus.
You got it.
Hold it! Hold it! Hold on!
You want to see Blackie Buck?
Well, I can't help
if somebody's alcoholic!
There he is!
Blackie!
Straighten up, Dino.
I'm born again.
So how about $5000?
All I want
Is my baby
And my baby
Wanting me
So take me
Anywhere you want me
She's got a nice attitude.
Hunky-dory.
I don't want
Your sack of candy
Just some sweetness
Now and then
I got
To get myself together
With someone
Who wants that too
Maybe I can learn
To love him
While I'm getting over you
No prisoners.
You're all set.
Thanks, bro.
Hey, hey, hey.
You sing real good.
Thanks for keeping them warm for us.
I'll see you later, all right?
Way to go, Gilda.
They loved you out there.
You were great.
That's Blackie Buck.
I've just got one more thing
to tell you ignorant assholes!
I promised you...
and I'll tell you something!
Dino delivers! You like that?
Blackie Buck and the Roarers!
Whoo!
Hear
That holy rollin' thunder?
Don't it strip
Your feelings bare?
Smell the heartache
And the hunger
And the danger
In the air
There's a swollen moon
A-risin'
And salvation on the wind
And the dark
Is full of chances
You bet they never
Come again
Let's make this
A night to remember
Who am I?
Where am I?
What am I doing here?
Would you tell me why?
I've been
A little too lost
Just a little too long
I had a goal
And I thought
I was gettin' there
It must have passed me by
How in the wild-lovin' world
Did I go so wrong?
I love you, Blackie!
Ee-hee!
If you don't
Like the deal
Then you don't
Need to buy it
You ought to try it from me
'Cause, darlin'
It sure could be sweet
Yes, I'm here
To impress you, girl
I won't deny it long
I mean to knock you
Right off of your feet
If you don't
Like the deal
Then you don't
Need to buy it
You ought to try it
For me
'Cause, darlin'
It sure could be sweet
All right!
Whoa!
I, uh, I ain't got $5000.
He don't have it.
If I wanted any shit out of you,
I'd squeeze your head, okay?
Come on, Dino.
You're acting fidgety, like a liar.
I've been working night and day, man.
I took a couple of uppers.
That's true.
Put your hands out, like this.
What's...
What is that supposed to prove?
Don't shake.
This test beats
lie detectors all to hell.
Oh, man, you ain't
gonna do that, are you?
Watch me.
You flinched.
You crazy son of a bitch.
Did he flinch?
He flinched.
So what?
What are you packing
for lunch here, Dino?
Take another $500 out of there
for Dino calling me
an alcoholic son of a bitch.
The only reason I drink
so people won't think I'm a dope fiend.
That's five and five.
I'm putting on... I'm putting...
I'm putting on a big concert.
I got a spot for you, Blackie.
This is gonna be the big one, boy.
The word's out about you, hoss.
You don't pay your artists.
Hi.
Oh, for heaven's...
Remember me?
Young wetback from Brownsville?
Wait a minute now.
The working girl's favorite
and the housewife's
companion. Blackie!
Hi, you.
Hi, Honey.
You feel just like a homecoming queen.
Where's everybody else?
On the bus, in the cold?
Cooper...
Get in here!
All right!
Whoo!
Where can you get
something to eat around here?
But, Doc, I never even thought
about being a singer before.
Oh, sure...
You feel like a singer to me.
Doc, there's a call for you.
It's Blackie.
He's in Austin.
That's really nice.
Hi, Blackie.
Dino tried to do his tap dance again.
We negotiated.
Dino?
Where are you?
Excuse me.
Hey, wait a minute.
I want you to talk to somebody.
Who's that?
Say hello.
Hello?
Honey?
Oh, hi, Doc.
Uh, what are you doing there?
Well, it's my house, Doc.
I'm home.
I live here.
Honey, I've been missing you guys a lot.
I'd like to come down
and hang out with you a while.
Listen, Doc, um...
I gotta go now, okay?
You take care.
Hey, you still looking
for that girl singer?
I was just talking
to the best one in the world.
We just worked with one there in Austin.
Man, she's clean as an angel's drawers,
and her name's Gilda.
Well, I was thinking
about coming to Austin anyway.
Wait for me.
Hell, I'm always waiting for you.
Y'all just make yourself at home.
To go on
Throwing good love
After bad
Oh
But the fools we've been
Ain't nothin' like
The fools we'll be
To keep believin' dreams
That don't come true
Oh, they never do
Because, you know
It's never wise
To fall in love
To make believe
So I'll be leavin'
If it's all the same to you
Yes, I'll be leavin'
'Cause it's all
The same to you...
Not bad at all.
Yeah!
Thank you.
Thank you.
I told you
you were crazy to sign a deal
with anyone named Rodeo Rocky.
Sounds like some kind of ice cream,
for Christ's sake.
Why don't you just quit?
Leave.
Let him sue you.
What's he gonna get?
My golf cart.
Well, what else?
I need that $150000
for the kids and for Honey.
Which she ain't asked for.
Which she ain't asked for,
but nevertheless...
Do you deliberately make it harder
just so you can stay interested?
Get yourself about an hour's sleep
before Shreveport.
Your voice is getting raspy.
Hell, I'm working on that rasp.
Makes me sound soulful.
Hey, how's she doing?
You ought to go see.
The chick is mine.
She's signed and sealed.
I just want to say hello.
Don't you try to steal
Gilda away from me,
will you?
This is the ticket I've been waiting for
all my life, man.
Don't burn it down.
Any deal you make with Gilda
has got to come through me.
You dig?
I just want to say hello.
Uh-huh.
Hello?
Hey, Doc.
This is Doc.
Where's Gilda?
She's in there.
Look here.
It's Doc.
Great show.
I loved it.
Gilda.
Oh, thank you.
You are so good.
This is Arly.
Thanks for coming down.
A rodeo buckle?
Yep. Calf roping.
Can I get you something to drink?
No, thanks.
The regular?
I don't know what it is.
You don't look like her or sing like her,
but there's something about you
that reminds me of Honey.
You're kidding.
No, I'm not.
Honey Carder was the first woman
I ever wanted to be like.
You're gonna be a greater star
than Honey Carder ever was.
You know that?
Right to the point, Dino.
I've never been wrong
about a singer yet, Doc.
Come on.
I'm gonna check on something.
Don't let Doc talk you out of your pants.
Oh, that's very funny.
You know, he could be right.
What are you talking about?
Well, not about the pants,
about you being a big star
some of these days.
You really could.
Honey Carder could really sing.
Well, she still can, God bless her.
So why'd she retire?
Well, she got tired of traveling.
Then the kids come along...
and she just quit.
Write it down
What you found out
Songwriter
Don't let it all
Slip away
Speak your mind
All the time
Songwriter
Someone is listening
Today
So write on
Songwriter
Write on
Songwriter
Write on
Songwriter
Write on
Songwriter
Okay, Dino, I'll tell you
what I'm gonna do.
I'm gonna give you
the studio time and my time,
and I'm not gonna charge you
a producer's fee
until Gilda's album has sold 100,000.
Not gonna charge me a fee...
Bubba, I put this band together myself.
I found Gilda singing
in the Pentecostal student center.
Gilda, I'm gonna pay you five...
$5000 cash upfront.
$5000? That's impossible.
You gonna give us a million upfront.
Dino ain't gonna do shit.
In fact, you'll probably wind up
getting screwed.
He'll get robbed.
I want to book you all over the country,
places Dino couldn't
get into with a ticket.
I haven't traveled much.
I feel sort of funny.
I can also produce a hit album for you.
Dino can't do that. No offense.
I don't know if I'm ready
to make an album.
I'll be the judge of that.
You know the big concerts you want to do?
Yeah, what about it?
I'll help you put it on.
I'll get the talent for you,
people who wouldn't normally
talk to you on the telephone.
What if it rains?
We'll go inside.
What split do you want?
Fifty-fifty, after expenses.
What about the t-shirts, posters,
art show concessions?
Same deal, 50/50.
Man, I don't trust you.
Gilda's worth more than one concert.
She's a star.
I'm not a star.
Honey Carder is a star.
Pull over.
You sell vacuum cleaners?
Yeah, they're on sale.
What kind do you got?
All kinds.
Nice suit.
Like that.
How do you do, ma'am?
My name is Jenkins.
I'm with the American Research
Institute of Technology.
I'm sure you're familiar with us.
We own and manufacturer
the beautiful and powerful
Paradise vacuum cleaner.
However, I would like
to put your mind at ease.
This has nothing to do
with a normal purchase
of our powerful Paradise vacuum cleaner.
Could I come in
to explain the program to you?
Oh, hold on a minute, mister.
Now, a man who looked like you
came to my door years ago
selling vacuum cleaners.
He knocked me up.
Hmm... must have been someone
from our service department.
Excuse me.
May I come in, please?
Thank you.
Mm-hmm.
Just as I thought.
This looks like a clean rug
to the normal naked eye.
People think their babies
can crawl on rugs like this,
but wait till you see what happens
when I put my little
Paradise to work on it.
Oh, uh-huh.
That's what that salesman
who looked like you said,
except they sent me a different model
than the one I ordered.
Hi.
Hi.
You feel good.
So do you.
The kids in school?
Oh, it's Saturday, Doc.
They're outside playing.
Oh.
You've been up all night, haven't you?
You want something to drink?
How about some iced tea?
What, you're not drinking whiskey?
Not for almost a year.
Oh.
Blackie says you're moguling again.
Blackie don't know
what he's talking about.
Well, you know what I'm talking about.
I'm the president
of my own corporation, you know.
You've been an executive
of losing corporations
most of your adult life, Doc.
Selling your soul is one thing,
but your copyrights... how could you?
It's not that simple.
Yes, it is.
It's that simple, and it's that wrong.
Why don't you stop trying
to outdo the Fortune 500
and just be what you are?
Which is a poet.
What about all those things...
I need some help.
Well, okay.
Are you listening to me?
What about all those dreams?
Come on here...
All that talk years ago
about following an artistic vision, huh?
Yeah, well,
bankers don't really care a lot
about artistic vision,
and they'd just as soon
not talk to poets anyway.
Oh, the bankers.
Yeah, well, the bankers own all the art
and the artists.
They don't think about
anything but money.
You ought to be writing, Doc.
I am writing.
As much as you're partying?
I bet your living room
still looks like
Elvis' wedding reception.
Don't tell me you can do any writing
with all them weirdos and freeloaders
hanging around.
It is not possible.
I bet you haven't picked up a guitar
and written a song in so long
you've forgotten how to.
Come here.
And, on your way by,
if you could help me
pick up the guitar...
That always was the hardest part.
Thank you.
Would you have a seat, please?
Set down for me.
A past that's sprinkled
With the blues
A few old dreams
That I can't use
Who'll buy my memories
Of things that used to be?
There were the smiles
Before the tears
And with the smiles
Some better years
Who'll buy my memories
Of things that used to be?
When I remember
How things were
My memories
All lead to her
I'd like to start
My life anew
But memories
Just make me blue
A cottage small
Just built for two
A garden wall
Of violets blue
Who'll buy my memories
Of things that used to be?
Who'll buy my memories
Of things that used to be?
You showoff.
Come over here with me.
What do you want from me, Doc?
Well, there's not a day goes by
that I don't miss you.
I make pretty speeches in my head to you
all the time.
I should have thrown
my body across the door
and kept you from leaving me.
Come home with me.
You're a hard act to follow, Doc.
God love you for being such a dreamer,
but you leave me out.
I love you.
But I can't live with you.
If you ever get tired
of all the partying,
me and the girls are here.
Come home with me,
and I'll give you anything you want.
Will you really, Doc?
I want Coke.
I want orange juice.
I want Coke.
Coke.
Hey!
Daddy!
How are you doing?
Well, you're growing so much!
I got something for you.
This one's yours.
This one's yours.
Thank you.
Oh, it's pretty.
Thank you.
You're welcome.
Thank you.
You're welcome.
How's your music, angel?
Good.
I'll get my guitar.
Hey, you're Doc Jenkins!
Yeah.
Where to?
Eastern Airlines.
Can't you find some way
to get back to Austin?
We sure do miss you, Doc.
Yeah, I've been thinking about that.
I'm looking for that phone.
Excuse me.
Fantasy Island.
Darling...
Excuse me.
Hey, will you guys shut up?
I think this is Doc.
Doc, where are you?
I want you to go rent a U-Haul truck,
pack all my stuff, and drive to Austin.
Drive to Austin?
Don't tell the whole world about it,
and call me when you get there,
at the Lakeway Ramada. Got that?
The Lakeway.
The Lakeway Ramada...
Doc, you can count on me.
Hello?
Hello, Hogan?
Doc, is that you?
Do you know what time it is?
Yeah, I know what time it is.
Are you sure I own
the Cowbird Music building?
Yes, you own the Cowbird Music building.
Hello?
Hogan, we did have insurance, didn't we?
Hey, boss, you ain't gonna believe this.
"Fire destroyed
Cowbird Music."
What?
"Fire destroyed Cowbird Music.
What!
"Fire destroyed Cowbird Music.
No one was harmed
in the blaze."
Shit!
You're callin' us heathens
With zero respect
For the law
But we're
only songwriters
Just writing our songs
And that's all
We write what we live
And we live what we write
Is that wrong?
Well, if you think it is
Mr. Music Executive
Why don't you
Write your own song?
Mr. Purified Country
Don't you know what
The whole thing's about?
Is your head up your ass
So far
That you can't pull it out?
The world's gettin' smaller
And everyone in it
Belongs
If you can't see that
Mr. Music Executive
Why don't you
Write your own songs?
Hey, I want the sign up
by this afternoon,
you understand?
I want it hanging there,
and I don't want any wind
blowing it down,
or it's gonna be
real ugly if it falls down.
It's gonna be ugly for you,
it's gonna be ugly for me.
Hi.
Oh, hi, Doc.
Doc, this is it.
This is it.
How do you like the new sign?
It's the right state.
Oh, no. Look.
Just leave the stuff here.
I'm going to take care of this myself.
What I need is all of the furniture...
That chair, just leave it there,
because I'm gonna do Doc's office myself.
Doc, hi!
Looks great.
Where's my office at?
Oh, it's right around here.
Uh, Doc, I'm afraid
we have one small problem.
You got the loan?
That went through fine.
What's the matter?
No, it's about the telegram
that you got today.
Who from?
It was from Rodeo Rocky.
He says he's gonna break your knees
and poke out your eyes.
Well, all right for ol' Rodeo.
This is a nice place.
Where can I hide this?
Hide what?
Doc, I seriously think
this guy's mad enough
to kill you.
What you need to do
is just give him a couple of songs.
That's the first place he's gonna look,
is right there.
What? Doc!
I'm really scared of this guy.
He is crazy.
He's liable to come in here
and do anything.
That man is a gangster.
Lone Star music.
Hi! Yeah.
Yeah, Doc's here.
Hey, Doc, it's Blackie.
Is there something weird going on there
that I should know about?
How soon can you get out here?
What the hell is Lone Star Music?
I'll tell you when you get here.
Playing hell with my schedule.
Blackie, I need you.
Just relax a minute there, darling.
Blackie...
Where are you going?
Blackie...
You good-looking son of a bitch.
Don't you never die.
Everything's off the truck.
I'm all finished.
No, you ain't.
Take this somewhere and hide it,
and shoot the first son of a bitch
that touches it, okay?
And get Gilda on the phone
for me, please.
I've got her number in my office.
I love show business.
I can't take money
for something I didn't write.
I don't think you should.
Actually, you should take the credit,
I'll take the royalties.
I can't put my name on your song.
Strange part of it is I can't either.
Why?
It's a business technicality.
Oh.
I don't want to get into
all this business stuff.
I just like to sing.
I think you should,
because you're the singer,
but this is the kind of song
that could take you across all boundaries
and make a superstar out of you
all over the world.
Could you get me some of those doughnuts
over there, please?
Yeah.
Is it a ballad?
One of the prettiest...
I don't do ballads.
We'll bring it up to the kind of stuff
that you like to do...
like, uh, what would you sing?
I don't know, "Great Balls of Fire"?
Start it there and bring it down
just a little bit.
What do you think?
Maybe.
Lone Star, my dick.
Doc isn't here right now.
I hate Texas.
You know, Doc, we would
have been great rich gentlemen...
Ow!
All right, Doc, now
I'm going to burn you.
Get out of here!
Can I get anybody a coffee?
Yeah. Black.
Black?
Black, Corkie.
Black?
Black.
Oh, Black. Out!
Real black.
Lose your horse?
This ain't
old "Rodeo Rocky."
This is Marvin Rapshut
from the streets of Chicago.
And I don't let no hick like you
knock down
what I've fought my whole life
to build up!
You owe me, Doc!
You owe me and my associates
at least six albums...
Seven years of your songwriting.
I don't care what name
you put on your music company.
Lone Star, Lone Ranger...
bullshit!
That fire did nothing but burn equipment.
I hope your associates hang you
to a light pole.
You keep messing with me,
you're gonna end up
with nothing but a little spot
where you're standing.
You're in deep shit!
You're a great songwriter!
You're a genius!
What'd you write
for me? Nothing!
One song! What happened?
Something, "Tra-la-la-la!"
Something?
Nothing!
Seven goddamn years!
Prick didn't write nothing!
Hold it right there.
Put that down!
Put it down!
Easy!
Rocky, have you ever heard
of the O.K. Corral?
Don't want no violence here.
Is that the kind
of coffee you meant, Doc?
Let's be civilized.
Say hello to the president
of Lone Star Music,
Mr. Blackie Buck.
What?
There ain't no more Cowbird Music,
and my and your contract is through.
Yeah, and I'm Marie Osmond.
I'm not just talking
to one of your shit-kicking
friends, Jenkins.
Did you ever hear of a legal injunction?
I'll have you closed down within 60 days.
Come on.
You've been smoking
your running socks again,
haven't you?
Be serious.
You gotta help me on this.
You got to front this company for me,
or else I ain't got no
income at all. Jesus, Doc.
I really got a handle on it this time.
You always had a handle on it.
What the hell is wrong with you?
Nothing a million dollars won't fix.
Listen, you never even
have to come in to the company.
You think that's
gonna stop that injunction?
What choice have I got?
Besides, it's already bought us 60 days.
Come on inside.
Come here, I want to show you something.
You're treating yourself real good
for a bankrupt man.
This ain't my house.
This is your house.
I live in Nashville.
Rent's paid up for six months...
Prez.
I'm not your prez.
What are you up to?
How'd you pull this off?
Well, it was a short-term loan
on a long-term lie.
It's called high finance.
It's called bull squash.
Look out here.
I don't care what's out there.
Ta-dah!
You asshole.
You rent me a new backswing too?
Get in. I'll take you
for a ride.
Hey, pal, I want the president
of Lone Star Music
to work a few places
around here in Austin,
where he's already big,
and then I want him to go out on the road
as a superstar.
Not alone, but with an opening act,
and I'm gonna groom Gilda for that one.
Why?
Because I got cheated,
and I want to get even.
Losers can't believe
In anything at all
Hey
But never mind...
What's the matter?
I can't get it right.
I can't.
I just can't get it right.
I'll come in there.
What's wrong?
My voice cracked, and it
just didn't sound pretty.
No, it sounded great.
Let me sing harmony with you
for the bridge,
and I think I can help you
with that phrasing part on the bridge.
Would you run it again
from the bridge, Larry?
Think of all the love
We made us
Since you used
To be afraid of
Staring at
Those starry skies
Above our lives
Now you're free to
Be the best
That you can be now
Come here to eternity
Love me
Forever
In your love
That was great.
All right.
Let's record it.
Okay. We'll do that.
From the top.
Hi, Blackie.
Doc wanted me to drop this by.
What time is it?
Did I wake you up?
Not yet.
Oh. Here.
What is it?
It's Gilda's new song, I think.
I'm sorry I bothered you.
Hey, listen, you can bother me
any time you want to.
Bye.
Bye?
How you doing, Blackie?
Hey.
Doc's feeling a little down tonight.
Well, this'll cheer him right up.
I need to talk to you.
What about?
Well, I listened
to that tape of Gilda's new song.
Oh, yeah?
What do you think?
I think she's a shitty songwriter.
Oh, yeah?
We do need to talk.
Why are you asking Gilda
to put her name on your songs?
Because I can't put my name on it.
Rodeo Rocky would get all the money.
Why didn't you ask me?
Because you're a songwriter.
That's the answer?
That girl's never
written anything in her life.
It's okay for people like that,
who can't write,
to say they wrote
something they didn't write.
They do that all the time,
but you're a songwriter,
and you can't say you wrote
something you didn't write
unless you really wrote it.
Say that again.
I can't.
You're getting real strange, Doc.
If I put my name on one of your songs,
it would screw Rodeo Rocky,
providing you got another one
that as good as the one you gave Gilda.
Say that again.
I can't.
You're getting real strange, Blackie.
I'd put my name on one of your songs,
long as it would screw Rodeo Rocky,
as long as it was as good
as the one you gave Gilda.
Say that again.
I can't.
You're getting real strange, Doc.
I'd put my name on one of your songs
if it it would screw Rodeo Rocky,
providing you got another one
as good as the one you gave Gilda.
You got a deal.
And we can make love be
The kind of mystery
And, baby, you and I
Will be making true love
Lying soul to soul
Inside a hideaway
And we can make it be
The kind of mystery
Hot damn, Doc,
I should've known it was you
by the way the spit squished.
How's it going?
Good, how you doing, Samuel?
Good, pretty good.
You still take payola?
You bet.
Payola ain't dead around here.
Ain't even sick.
You know, I've been pushing
old Blackie so hard,
I'm about to get a hernia.
This is Gilda's first record.
Would you play it?
Oh, yeah, we'll play it right after this.
What's on there now?
The Geezinslaws.
You know, I've known Gilda
since the day she hit Austin,
and this is the first I ever
knew that she was a songwriter.
Says here she wrote that one.
See? You learn something
every day.
You certainly do.
I think I like it already, Doc,
you rascal.
The more you play it,
the more you'll like it.
Well, let's play it.
Hey, talk about one that's breaking hot.
Here you go.
Sweeping the country
like a brand-new broom,
sung and written by Gilda,
"Forever in Your Love."
Take it away, girl.
Hello?
Hello?
Turn on KVET.
Dreamers
Make-believe in...
All right!
Oh, my God!
...To last forever
Oh, God!
Losers can't believe...
This is great!
Hey, Doc!
Anything at all...
Thanks, Doc!
That's okay. That's why I get
90 percent, sugar.
You take the credit,
and I'll take the money.
But don't be sorry
Think of all the love
We made...
I don't care if the wheels of justice
turn slowly.
Twist them.
No, I own him.
I want him shut down.
Now you're free to
Be the best
That you can be now...
You know, she writes pretty good.
Better than Doc Jenkins.
Oh, shit.
Rodeo Rocky called again.
Does he have anything new to say?
No, it's the same message.
Yeah, I know, if he finds me, I'm dead.
Torture first.
See you later, Doc.
Okay, Corkie.
Hey
Take it and run, child
Good morning.
Hi.
How you doing?
I'm all right.
Look here.
See right there?
Number 15,
"Forever in Your Love."
Gilda.
That's 15 in the whole wide world.
Oh, God. Look...
Uh, you produced it, you arranged it,
you hustled it...
All I did was sing it.
And sang the shit out of it too.
Now, that says "Gilda" right there.
That don't say "Doc."
Sooner or later,
I'm gonna cause some trouble
for you, I think.
Nah.
The heavens above me
Seem empty and green
As dreams
That will never come true
The star-spangled glory
Of love
Fill the sky
And my heart
With the wonder of you
Sixth card...
"Spiritual masters from higher realms
reveal the true nature
of God in the cosmos."
That's pretty good.
You know, I think it was Camus who said,
"Truth is secondary
to existence."
Camus, the jungle boy?
I was only 13 years old, but I cried...
Over a sheep?
What'd he say?
Something about a damn sheep.
Nine times out of 10, you know,
they think people start this,
but sheep is good, and they know it.
They'll flirt with you.
Don't think they won't.
Hey, Dino, your old lady says
you ain't half ba-a-a-a-ad.
Just remember something:
the older the ram, the stiffer the horn.
When I first heard Gilda sing,
I said to myself,
"Dino, this chick's a natural.
"All she needs is guidance from you,
and a good producer."
So naturally, man, I called Doc Jenkins.
Hey.
Yeah?
Where the hell is Sam?
Don't know, boss.
Ain't seen him since
the hotel this morning.
He's probably back there
making a house call.
Where's Doc?
He's got the wheels.
I got locked out of my room.
Could I use your pass key,
just for a minute?
I'll bring it right back to you.
Thank you.
Dino...
Dino?
Oh, shit.
Hi.
Here you go, sweetheart.
Listen, I can explain.
Now, Dino, she told me
that y'all had a "plutonic" relationship.
Take a right here.
It wasn't exactly entirely all my fault.
Stop right there.
Better me than some asshole.
Take a swig.
Put that right on top of your head.
Fixing to kill Sam?
Just trying to see whether
my nerves are under control.
I'm afraid you stepped in it
this time, boy.
Doc, can you talk to him,
the crazy son of a bitch?
I expect this'll be
a good lesson for you.
Fuck...
I underestimated you, Dino.
All you son o' bitches do.
Anyway, this is the song.
We're gonna do it for Dino.
For a lady who learned
All there is about livin'
She sure picked
A hard way to go
But he loved her
Right down to her socks
And no further
And her feet were
The last ones to know
This week's number 12
is moving like a rocket:
"Forever in Your Love" by Gilda.
Hey, we're number 12!
Gilda, we're number 12!
Did you hear that?
Congratulations, Doc!
Congratulations to you too, Gilda.
I mean it.
I'm really happy.
I'm happy for you.
Turn it up.
Can you hear it?
How about a raise?
Number 12.
You been that high before?
Once.
Wish them injunctions would get here.
Yeah, we got the injunction.
When?
Last week.
Well, why the hell didn't we serve him?
You're good with numbers, Lionel.
What would you rather have,
100 percent of nothing,
or 100 percent of two platinum albums?
What do you mean by that?
That song that Gilda wrote?
Doc wrote it.
And the song that Blackie wrote,
he wrote that one too,
and he's writing a lot more,
and he don't think I know it.
We're gonna let that injunction
earn a little interest
before we slap him with it.
He's making us a lot of money.
A lot of money.
Make a rule
One by one
With their lies
Raisin' the danger
Of their king
Lord, under the gun
No more time
No more chances
No more war
Will be won
In the end
Only the losers
Hold the land
Under the gun
Hold the truth
Hold the truth
Like a candle
Like a candle
Let it shine
Let it shine
Like the sun
Like the sun
All the love
All the love
That's left to believe in
In a world
World
Under the gun
Break a man
Break a promise
Break a promise
Break a heart
Heart
Break a home
Break a home
Take a long...
Hard look at heaven
Gone to hell
Under the gun
Okay, y'all go home now.
God bless you.
It's just...
Wait. I just want you to listen
to this.
I got the auditorium on a four-wall deal,
only had to give them 20 percent on it.
Only had to give them
20 percent on the concessions.
Doc, they could've
screwed us real bad on that.
They're gonna sell everything...
Belt buckles, binoculars, caps, t-shirts,
piss-warm beer, picture programs,
popcorn, peanuts...
The whole shootin' match.
We don't have to do nothing,
just take the money and run.
Dino, you'd better take a nap.
You been up since Korea.
Yeah, that's because
I stay up 25 hours every day
keeping my eyes on you sons o' bitches.
The way you piss away
money is phenomenal.
You promotin' that Gilda,
spendin' so goddamned much money,
how are you gonna break even?
Let me tell you about Gilda.
She's number one in the whole world.
Check that out.
Whoo!
Doc, that Cajun creep
is on the phone again.
Tell him I went to a weaver's convention
in Itasca, Texas.
Hey, Doc, I'm gonna tell you something.
Listen, I used to hate you for it,
but I'm glad you took Gilda on.
Dig it, Doc.
It's a classic.
We put all our chips
on a hysterical neurotic drunk woman,
and she's gonna make us rich...
Or dead.
Have you seen
where Blackie is on the charts?
Number three!
Hey! Right behind Gilda.
Who is it?
Telegram.
Shit.
I'm coming.
How'd you find me?
Well, I went by your house,
and, uh...
Ralph told me.
So...
Whatcha hiding from, anyway?
Well, I was trying to write some songs,
and it's not that easy
with all the partying going on.
Sure wish you were into
some hard, nasty drinking.
We could be
the same kind of idiots tonight.
Look...
I don't... I can't say I'm a songwriter...
I'm not a songwriter.
I just don't want to do it anymore.
I don't want to say I'm a songwriter.
I don't write songs.
Maybe I'm not a mogul, either.
Then it's all a game.
Come here.
Come on.
Come on...
When I was in fifth grade,
there were always
a couple of cute guys...
a brainy guy...
a tough guy...
And then there was...
the guy that everybody thought was...
"the guy."
There was always the skinny little girl
in the ballerina slippers too.
Why don't you ever tell me
not to get drunk on stage?
Everybody else does.
Dino does, Arly does...
I think everybody has
to kill their own snakes.
Speaking of...
Where is Arly?
The trouble with Arly is...
I'm in love with you.
Oh, no!
No, Doc, really.
Now, come on, I take love serious.
I do too.
Really, Doc.
You'd better go home, Gilda.
No. Not tonight.
You'd really better go home.
Not tonight.
No.
No, don't answer it.
Don't get it.
Don't, Doc, don't.
Hello.
Don't...
Hello?
Come on.
Oh, hi, Honey!
Honey, you remember Gilda,
that new girl singer
I was telling you about?
Gilda, Honey says
tell you "hi."
The one that sang so great?
Yeah, she's over here.
We're just having a couple of drinks.
God, I wish you was here.
I miss you a lot.
How are the kids doing?
Straight A's!
They got straight A's in school, Gilda.
Bye.
No, Blackie, I'm not losing it.
Why don't you come over here
and help me finish this song?
Maybe you can screw me out of half of it
before it's over with.
And I'll explain everything to you then.
Do you suppose a man's got to be
a miserable son of a bitch all the time
just to write a good song
every now and then?
That's a terrible thought.
But from here to the end
Is what matters, my friend
And you're right
At the peak of your form
You old bandit.
Still in
The eye of the storm
Right on, man.
'Cause from here
To the end
Is what matters
My friend...
Hello.
What's up?
Man, we got to go. Gilda OD'd.
Come on. Come on,
get up. Oh, good. Help me.
She came over here to apologize
for trying to seduce you,
and telling me what a saint you are...
She passed out while
she was still talking,
she had the pill bottle in her hand.
Oh, I'm sorry.
All right, now, y'all go on out.
Let me get her out of these cold clothes
so she doesn't get pneumonia.
Go on out.
It's okay, baby.
Hey, you two.
Daddy, what's happening?
You come with me here.
Gilda... Come on, honey.
Try to drink some of this.
It's hot. Be careful.
Just take a little sip.
Okay? Is that good?
You're supposed to break
their hearts, darling.
They're not supposed to break yours.
Gilda's gonna be okay.
You and Blackie go on home now.
We got a lot to talk about,
Gilda and me.
Goodbye.
Bye, Honey.
Bye.
Can I have your attention, please?
I hate to break up a great party,
but it's little late, and I'm real tired,
and I'd like to ask everybody
to knock it off
and please go home, if you will?
Thank you very much.
Thank you. Appreciate it.
Catch you later.
Good night, everybody.
Take care, Doc.
Thanks a lot.
Good night.
Thank you.
Happy birthday, buddy.
Thanks, Doc.
Good night, Doc.
Good night.
Good night. See you again.
Good night.
Good night, Doc.
Thanks a lot.
Bye-bye.
Bye. Thanks.
Hi.
I just came by to tell you
that the party is over at my house.
I asked everybody to go home.
And, uh...
the house is empty.
Real empty.
I don't want you to say anything.
I just wanted to tell you that.
Thank God
You still got your feelings
And you're free
To be easy and warm
'Cause from here
to the end
Is what matters, my friend
You're right
At the peak of your form
You old bandit.
Still in
The eye of the storm
Well, look who's...
Look who's here.
God, you're looking good too.
Oh.
Are you okay?
Yes, I'm fine.
How are you, Doc?
Good, good.
Well, we drove up to Kingfisher
and got married by Gilda's granddaddy.
Well, congratulations!
Oh!
I think that's fantastic.
Thank you.
There's something else
we got to tell you.
You probably ain't gonna like it.
You'd better tell him.
While we were in Kingfisher...
Ain't, uh...
ain't justice wonderful, Doc?
I mean, it's slow, but it sure does work.
You are closed,
and you owe me every dollar,
and the songs you wrote for Blackie
and the songs you wrote for Gilda.
I guess you got me.
I know when I'm licked.
I must be getting old and tired.
Dropped a step somewhere.
I'm man enough to admit it
when I'm whipped,
and you always were stronger than me,
even back in Nashville,
in the old days. Have a drink.
Humility is a quality
which becomes you, Doc.
Yeah, I've been thinking
about slowing down a little bit.
I think you are rapidly
approaching wisdom.
I think it's the music industry,
the concerts.
Gilda's getting so big.
I just can't handle it all.
Besides, you deserve all that anyway.
How much?
Two million, cash.
Was the ground cold this morning, Doc?
I mean, you want blood,
find somebody else's neck, not mine.
I risked my life in the Nashville fire
to saved this tape
of the Eleven Dixie Mudcats,
the supergroup.
They're all yours.
I want your management contract
with Blackie Buck.
Mm-mm. No way.
I want my songwriter's contract back too.
What good is that?
I'm not writing songs.
Gilda, she's not worth that much.
She's worth more than $2 million
to a good manager like you.
I mean, you squeeze one
number-one single out of her,
and she's a star.
I mean, I hear
she's a bad drunk and a doper.
Well, why don't you go meet her and see
if she's a bad drunk and a doper?
Go to the concert.
If she is, we'll go back
to my old shitty contract.
But wait till you meet her
to make that decision.
Maybe I could come up with $1 million.
Two million is stealing from me.
You always been pretty good at that.
One million, one million,
and you throw in Blackie.
Well, you got me in a trap.
I'm gonna take the million
for Gilda and the rest,
but I'm keeping Blackie.
All right, bring her backstage,
tomorrow night, 8:00.
You bring me the money,
just like I like it...
All cash.
Yeah.
Put it in water.
It may explode.
We used to talk
About the rock 'n' roll
Made it matter
Not to sell your soul
Like a banner
That we held so high
We weren't afraid to fall
Instead we rolled into
The wanted sign
That put heaven
In between the lines
That kept us rockin'
Till the break of day
Or any break at all
We used to take 'em
By the day and the night
Try to steal 'em
Without a soul in sight
There you go.
Hey, man, that's the wrong pass.
They changed it.
What do you mean, they changed it?
I'm "they"... I'm Dino McLeish.
I'm your boss, son.
Rodeo Rocky's my boss, asshole.
Oh, Rocky.
Listen, I've got this tape...
Now who's the asshole?
We could do no wrong
We'll never be
The same again
But the show goes on
Thank you!
What do you say, Rocky?
How are you doing?
What are you gonna do with it
if you get it, Doc?
I'm gonna sit
up on a mountaintop somewhere.
You are a hick, Doc, really a hick,
but I've got a warm spot
in my heart for you.
I mean, we've known each other
for a long time.
Yeah, you always were sentimental,
when you had your hand in my pocket.
See the light
We had to leave behind
It is five after 8.
Where is Gilda?
She'll be here.
Let me hold that for you.
Must be getting a little heavy,
huh, Rocky?
Oh, there she is. Right there.
Come on over.
I'll introduce you.
Oh, thank you.
Hi there.
How're you doing, Gilda?
This is Rodeo Rocky.
This is Gilda.
Arly, how are you?
I've heard a lot about you...
but you seem to be a nice man anyhow.
Well, I'm am a nice man...
anyhow.
You have a positive sort of aura.
I do?
You ain't been drinking?
No.
I don't drink anymore.
You don't drink?
Hi. I'm Arly.
This is Arly.
Yeah.
Well, it was lovely meeting you,
Mr. Rocky.
Call me Rodeo.
Rodeo.
Yeah.
Would you excuse us, please?
Congratulations.
Thank you.
Come on, darling.
Excuse me.
Well, what do you think?
She's sweet, Doc.
She's sweet,
and my gut feeling is she's honest.
Right.
Sweet, honest girl.
All right, you stick around,
because the best is yet to come.
My own lawyer looked at this one.
You got my songwriter's contract there?
Thank you very much.
You got the money?
Yeah, give him the money.
Give me the money. Thank you.
You know something, Doc?
What's that?
I think I got myself a new star.
You just might.
You just might.
Big one.
Real big.
See you in Waco.
We got him.
So that's the white hat, huh?
What are you doing up there,
deer hunting?
Something like that.
Well, good luck.
You're taking off,
aren't you, hoss? Yeah.
And you finally got him.
We got him.
We did it.
Well, I love you, Doc.
I love you too.
God bless you.
We'll have to have lunch sometime.
Let's do that.
Hey, Doc, here's that tape
that you wanted.
Bye, Corkie.
See you later.
Thanks for the warning.
Hi, Blackie.
Hi, Blackie.
Hi, Blackie.
Hi, Blackie.
And now, ladies and gentlemen,
the hottest act in country music,
Gilda!
Thank you...
Thank you.
We didn't know whether to tell you this,
but our good friend,
Doc Jenkins, said we should.
Arly and I got married
a couple of days ago.
Well, I think that's real nice, boss,
don't you?
We have found something
stronger than everything.
Something more satisfying than anything.
And as a result of this,
we have decided we won't be performing
any more country or rock 'n' roll.
We have joined the Pentecostal church...
And we will be doing
only gospel music from now on.
Doc says those disappointed
can get your money back
at the box office.
Sing along with us
in joy and celebration.
There's a church
In the valley
By the wildwood
No lovelier spot
In the dale
No place is so dear
To my childhood
I'm making a collection for Rodeo Rocky.
Here's my authorization right here.
Just give me half.
Go on, now. Keep going.
Come on. Get on the floor.
Get on the floor.
Hey, Rocky Shit Detail Man,
what are you listening to?
I'm listening to Chopin, asshole.
Well, listen to that, asshole.
Too much bass?
Tell Rocky I wrote it just for him.
Come, come, come, come
Come to the church
In the wildwood
Oh, come to the church
In the vale
How much did you get?
I did pretty good.
You got robbed.
There's a lot of that going on.
How many tickets did you sell?
Seven thousand two hundred.
Building holds five.
Well, shit, bubba, airlines
do that all the time.
Boss?
What happened to him?
I don't know.
He just blacked out.
This will make him feel better:
a song Doc Jenkins wrote for him.
Write it down
What you found out
Songwriter
Don't let it all
Slip away
Speak your mind
All the time
Songwriter
Someone is listening
Today
So write on
Songwriter
Write on
Songwriter
Write on
Songwriter
Write on
Songwriter
So write on
Songwriter
Write on
Songwriter
Write on
Songwriter
Write on
Songwriter