[ Clicking ]
[ Man blows ]
[ Record whirring ]
¶[ Record skipping ]
¶[ Tin pan alley ]
¶Slumber ¶
till dawn ¶s around
¶my head starts reeling ¶
¶I dream that I'm kneeling ¶
on the ceiling of my room ¶
¶nightmare ¶ - [ Children shouting ]
In the air ¶t me
and there's no denying ¶ing
[ chicken clucking ] ¶I dream that I'm dying ¶
¶and I'm going in my tomb ¶
[ man narrating ] All the world's a stage, and all the men and women merely players.
They have their exits and their entrances,
all with a specific role to play.
- [ Clicking ] ¶[ Record skipping ]
Even at a funeral.
¶[ Up-tempo jazz ]
I was searching for my role in life.
You get one shot.
Can't go back and change anything.
Strange, all these people showing up to see a dead guy.
Folks from small towns are always up for a show.
¶[ Record skipping ] Even at a funeral.
I know because I spent most of my life in this very room.
Different faces, but always the same characters.
Some full of regret.
Feeling trapped.
In need of something outside the small town.
That was the day me and rooster met.
It was the first time rooster had ever seen a real dead guy.
The first time I'd ever touched one...
[ skipping, warping ] Touched one... touched one.
Of course rooster put me up to it. Percy! Come on!
It was his Uncle Eddie's funeral.
He was like a father to rooster.
He was a classy gangster.
And so was his partner, spats.
¶[ Jazz continues ]
Son, this was your Uncle's.
Don't never lose it. I won't.
[ Flask, high-pitched ] How you doing? Are you ready? We about to have a ball.
I'm your best friend. They were high rollers with fast cash...
go on, take a whiff. Don't be shy.
And faster ladies. Ooh, stinky.
And, man, talk about the ladies.
[ Skipping ] T-t-t-talk... talk about the ladies.
Man, talk-talk about the ladies.
See? Pink satin, just like I told you.
You owe me five cents. Pay up.
Whoa, them some sexy drawers!
My father said rooster was trouble.
[ Laughs ] And didn't want me playing with him.
Give me the flowers, boy.
Or anybody else, for that matter.
I pretty much lived my life inside.
Expect for the days I visited my mother.
¶[ Ragtime jazz, up-tempo ]
[ Train chugging ]
[ Whistle blows ]
¶[ Continues ]
[ Chirping ]
[ Boys chattering ]
[ Chattering continues ]
My auntie belle made me keep up with my lessons.
Percival! Pay attention, percival.
It's right in front of you. B-flat.
[ Growls ]
[ Door opens, slams ]
[ Alarm ringing ]
[ High-pitched voice ] Stop! Police! Freeze!
Oh, yeah? Come and get me, copper. Whoo!
[ Laughing ]
[ Siren wailing ]
¶[ Piano: Ragtime ] [ Children shouting ]
[ Percival narrating ] Piano was my thing.
Yeah, baby! Yeah, baby! Singing and gambling.
Praise Jesus! Today is my lucky day, fellas. Y'all owe me some money.
Pay up. [ Laughs ]
[ Laughing, chattering ]
Collect my money, if you know what I mean.
But my auntie belle didn't approve. Let's get out of here!
That didn't matter much to rooster. Rooster!
He never listened to anybody anyway.
Eventually, my father started preparing me to take over the family business.
Thing is, make the deceased look like they're at peace.
Go on. Go on. Go.
Peaceful.
Not happy.
I learned my family business,
and rooster learned his.
Seventy-five bottles this month.
Bootlegging.
That's $48. 46.50.
Seventy-five bottles at 62 cents each is...
- $46.50. - [ Chuckles ]
Boy's too smart for his own britches.
[ Spats ] Good looking out, rooster.
How the hell am I gonna make it to biloxi by sundown?
I got an idea.
We can hide the bottles in here. [ Grunts ]
- Ooh! - Oh, shit!
Do you think he heard us? I don't know.
Let's go check it out. Come on.
[ Snoring ]
He'll be awake by 8:00.
We were from two totally different sides of the track,
with one common ground... you got to get it back by 8:00.
I'll have it back. I promise.
Music. Here.
God don't make no mistakes.
Ain't nothin' slick to a can of oil.
[ Engine starts ]
Records got old.
[ Chuckles ] So did me and rooster.
[ Cow moos ]
[ Tires screech ]
All right, now that's perfect. Okay now.
Now give me a big smile. One, two...
[ bulb pops ] One more time.
- [ Baby crying ] - And "cheese."
[ Bulb pops ] That's perfect.
Man, rooster, you got a big family now.
Come on, rooster. You can smile better than that.
Ain't y'all pretty? Man, take the picture.
One, two... cheese.
[ Bulb pops ] Rooster had to take care of his family,
and I had to take care of mine.
10:00 am. Damn shame.
One, two, three.
Ain't y'all finished yet?
By day, I helped my father work in the mortuary.
- [ Father ] Get that carnation right now. - Yes, sir.
But by night, rooster got me a part-time gig...
Playing at a local juke joint where he worked... church.
That's what we called the place, but it was anything but that.
[ Train passing ] ¶[ Jazz, heavy beat ]
[ Woman ] How y'all feeling tonight? [ Crowd cheering ]
I don't give a damn.
¶Mama ¶
¶I'm leaving away from home ¶
¶to join the circus ¶
[ man ] Man, look at them hams on that chippie!
¶Papa ¶
¶I'm going to that place where them clowns get down ¶
¶get down ¶
¶sister ¶
¶I know that there are lions, tigers and bears ¶
¶I'll be safe and sure to call y'all when I get there ¶
yo, fix me another drink!
[ Chorus ] ¶the greatest show on earth ¶
shut up while I'm singing.
[ Man ] Step right up, step right up. Come one, come all.
¶Oh, what you want ¶
- ¶what you need ¶ - ¶What you need ¶
¶got some coke ¶ ¶want a drink? ¶
- ¶got some weed ¶ - ¶All that shit ¶
- ¶I've got it, yeah ¶ - Come here!
¶I've got it ¶
¶mama ¶
- Renee, take your brother. - [ Baby crying ]
Shh! Well, hush.
I'm fed up with this, rooster.
And it's starting to take a toll on me and the kids.
And we ain't just gonna sit at home while you romp around every night in this...
cover them ears.
Whorehouse.
Zora, for the last time, this is a respectable business.
And I make good money in there. You know I got responsibilities.
Responsibilities?
- That's bullshit. [ Tape rewinding ]
When's the last time you been to a real church, rooster?
You can't even remember, huh? It's been so long.
- I gotta... - You need the spirit in your life.
You need to start spending some time with the kids.
Tell you what.
Why don't I take you shopping in the morning? You and the kids.
Would you like that?
I got $100 love over here.
I got $1,000 love.
Your name must be Clark gable.
You got all that fuckin' grease in your hair! Why don't you go wash your hair?
- Yeah! Yeah! - ¶The, the, the, the ¶
¶greatest show on earth ¶
[ shouting, indistinct ]
Get your damn hands off my bottle!
Barbecue. That is barbecue right there. [ Continues, indistinct ]
[ Cheering, shouting ]
What the hell you looking at? I wish you'd get that song right.
Always drunk.
I should set her ass on fire.
Girl, now what you mad at? You did good.
[ Percival narrating ] That's monk.
He works backstage, but no one knows what he does besides borrow money.
Ooh-wee, Taffy, you sho' nuff gorgeous!
Love the hair.
Loan me a nickel... no, a dime... no, two cents... whatever.
Go on, monk.
You still owe me from last week.
Better pay me!
[ Percival narrating ] And that's ace. Ace owns church.
[ Groaning ] He liked to be called sunshine ace.
But most folks just called him ace.
Goddamn rooster! Unless they wanted something.
Sunshine ace! Just the man I'm looking for.
Listen to me, you son of a big jackass.
You ain't gonna get nothing from me but the what-for. The what-for?
Yeah. When I put my foot in your ass, you gonna say, "what for? What for?"
Now move. You're $85 in the hole! Come on, sawed-off.
[ Chanting ] Rooster! Rooster! Rooster! Rooster!
Man, I hope they don't start throwing bottles again!
- Get out of there! - Holy moly!
[ Shouting, chanting ]
Rooster's late again! Y'all jackasses play something quick!
Like what? He ain't even here yet, man.
I don't care what you play! All I know is I got a house full of angry people,
and ain't none of these niggas getting their money back!
All right, baby blue, you're on, man.
Jackass!
One, two, three, four.
[ Narrating ] Suddenly, I was forced into the hot seat.
¶[ Halting intro ]
I hated the spotlight. It always gave me the jitters.
[ Jeering, chanting ]
[ Crowd shouting, chanting ]
I told you to bring the good songs.
You better come harder than that, sweetie!
- This ain't no mortuary! - [ Laughter ]
[ Band director ] Keep your hand on the keys, man!
Man, y'all gonna throw up. Look at the keys.
¶Makes no sense at all ¶
jackass gonna get my club torn to pieces!
Hi, daddy. Hey.
- ¶Makes no sense at all ¶ - [ Man ] Security!
Kids, y'all be good tonight.
Mind your mother.
You want to go shopping tomorrow? Yes.
Okay, we're going. Give me a kiss.
Mwah. Bye, daddy.
Mwah. Mwah. Love you.
How's my tie?
Perfect.
I'll see you in the morning.
[ Zora ] I'll be glad when the police come and bust this place up, rooster.
Yeah, yeah. Don't you come calling me to bail you out.
Girl, bye. Here comes the family man.
Shit. Family man? More like bow tie pimp.
Late again, as usual.
[ Shouting, booing ] ¶[ Random notes ]
- [ Voice ] Where you going? - [ Band leader ] Keep your hands on the piano!
Ah, hell, man. He's gonna throw up again?
[ Chattering ] Ooh!
Hold on. Carter.
Ah... [ Woman ] I'm in here!
Oh, man. No... [ Retches ]
Oh, watch out, ladies. He gonna blow!
[ Buzzer buzzing ]
Ladies and gentlemen,
boys and girls, give it up for the amazing rooster!
Evening, ladies. [ All ] Hey.
Sho' nuff looking right tonight. Thanks.
Just gotta do one thing. What's that, baby?
Don't show so much so soon.
You got to give a man something to dream about. That's right.
Okay, rooster. Okay, my ass.
Bye, daddy.
¶[ R & b ]
Riding so smooth, baby. Oh, smooth as a baby's bottom, it is.
- [ Retching ] - Oh, no, he didn't.
That's disgusting!
Thanks for holding it down for me, boy.
[ Weakly ] No problem.
In the groove. Too smooth.
Wham. [ Woman ] Don't you mess with me.
Showtime.
[ Screaming ] [ Crowd cheers ]
¶[ Continues ]
¶Crocodile on my feet ¶
¶fox fur on my back ¶ ¶bow tie ¶
¶bow tie round my neck ¶
¶that's why they call me the gangsta mack in the Cadillac ¶
¶nasty noompsy nightingale fresh in that tuxedo ¶
¶cummerbund with no suspenders my torpedo, your libido ¶
¶need to chat ¶ ¶chip, chop it up shoot the breeze ¶
¶I'm your r-o-l-a-I-d-s release the squeeze ¶
¶or release the keys to the shackles on her wrist ¶
¶she can tackle some of this smack on, smack on some of this dick Tracy ¶
¶arrest her, book her, fingerprint your hooker ¶
¶you took her to the club and now her body's full of liquor ¶
¶off that butterscotch schnapps and baileys Irish cream ¶
¶she's a damsel in distress impressed with stylish things ¶
¶what you mean? Chip, chop it up shoot the breeze ¶
¶in the parking lot we primp crooked Booty to the scene where we ¶
¶crocodile on my feet ¶
¶fox fur on my back ¶
¶bow tie round my neck ¶
¶that's why they call me the gangsta mack ¶
¶in the Cadillac, yeah ¶
¶[ vocalizing ]
¶Whoo, whoo ¶
¶oh, lord, how could it be so hard ¶
¶to put on a pair of panties, much less a pair of jeans or leotards? ¶
¶I got to start by complimenting you on your physique ¶
¶you unique, you best believe I'm gonna skeet once I speak ¶
¶spoke, spit, spatter, spat and I macked her just like that ¶
¶but it'd take years of perseverance and experience to get that cat ¶
¶so why don't I chase this hennessy down with some of that? ¶
¶on your back like a cheerleader missing the final stack ¶
¶as we strut, skip the line ¶
¶through the glass window glance we look fine, right on time ¶
¶as we step in the place ¶
¶the nursery's crunk we've come to play ¶
¶oh, everybody's watching ¶
¶'cause them furs just hit the dirt ¶
- ¶while them gators creeping ¶ - [ Shouting, indistinct ]
¶Crawling oh-so-wicked across that floor ¶
¶to the v. Ip. Where we proceed to give you what you need ¶
¶throw your hands up if you feel me ¶
¶throw your hands up ¶ heifer.
¶If you feel me ¶ [ Woman ] Go, daddy!
¶'Cause you're well-designed ¶ ¶bow tie ¶
- ¶like the finest wine ¶ - ¶Bow tie ¶
¶feel good to be fly ¶ ¶bow tie ¶
¶so don't you ask me why ¶ ¶bow tie ¶
- ¶I got the ladies in line ¶ - ¶Bow tie ¶
come on over here. Welcome to the church.
¶So raise your hands to the sky ¶
come on, come on. Pull up a chair.
Just in time to see your boy do his thing.
¶Got my eye on business ¶
¶don't jive with me, jive with me ¶
¶got my eye on business ¶
¶don't jive with me, jive with me, sucker ¶
[ women exclaim ]
[ Man ] Go on, boy!
[ Man ] Ah, yeah! [ Woman ] Go, go, go!
¶Whoo ¶
¶got my eye on business ¶
¶don't jive with me, jive with me ¶
¶got my eye on business ¶
¶don't jive with me, jive with me, sucker ¶ [ Woman ] That's it!
¶Got my eye on business ¶
¶don't jive with me, jive with me ¶
¶got my eye on business ¶
¶don't jive with me, jive with me, sucker ¶
[ all cheering ]
Whoo!
[ Crowd chanting ] Rooster! Rooster! Rooster!
Rooster! Rooster!
Hey.
Rooster! Rooster! Rooster! Rooster! Rooster!
[ Chanting continues ] Rooster! Rooster! Rooster!
Hey, hey, hey, good show there, rooster.
Glad you liked it. Appreciate it. Damn, girl.
Mm-hmm. [ Woman ] Hi.
Ace. You almost got my goddamn place torn up!
- Hey, rose. Gorgeous dress. - Thanks for noticing, sweetie.
Hey, uh, why don't you go, uh,
chase a couple of drinks while me and the boys chew the fat?
Sure, daddy. Ah! [ Growls ]
Anything for you, rooster.
Taste like chitlins. [ Laughs ]
Looking dapper as ever. How you been, spats?
Never bad, son. Never bad.
Got you a little present.
And I appreciate this...
Already.
[ Ace laughs ] Hey, trumpy!
I guess they let anybody into the church.
- Ace. - Oh, you taught him how to speak.
[ Laughing ]
Nice.
But the name is sunshine ace, nigga.
Business look good. I'm impressed.
We got the prettiest girls for more than 100 square Miles.
We're selling more hot sauce than anybody this side of the Mason-Dixon.
Ain't that right, sweetheart?
[ Laughing ]
It's been like that for the past three months... every night.
This shit here sells like canned pussy.
[ Chuckles ]
I bet you thought I was gonna say "hotcakes," didn't you?
Bravo, bravo!
Baby blue, you done done it again.
Monk, not right now. [ Laughs ] Scared all the women away from you.
[ Chattering ] Honey bun... mmm! Hey, China!
Don't you know I've been working on them two broads for three weeks?
And you go and heave right in front of them... And blew the whole night.
"I don't know, monk. He kind of strange." [ Laughs ]
"No, girls. You got him all wrong.
"He's a little 'incentric.' Classy!" Ah.
You're a sad case, man.
Maybe you right. The word is "eccentric." I know the word.
What makes you think I want any one of these floozies? Shh!
Don't you want somebody worth having?
Ain't nobody talking about getting hitched! I just wanna have a good time.
I know one thing for sure, Percy.
Better get on one of these old girls,
'cause nothing gonna just drop out the sky, damn fool!
Two... mmm!
Three!
That's what I'm talking about.
[ Wolf whistle ] Ooh, wee!
Good gracious! Lord, lord, lord.
Mmm! Fellas, would you look at that there?
[ Sniffs, clicks tongue ]
Have you ever...
gentlemen.
Mmm. Good lord God almighty!
You look like the man I'm here to see.
No, I'm sorry, ma'am. I'm just a piano player. Well, listen, piano player.
- I just traveled 19 hours from St. Louis in a coach seat. - Shut up.
And angel Davenport don't ride coach.
Angel Davenport?
No. I don't like him.
T angel Davenport?
In the flesh, honey.
May I make your acquaintance?
Monk s. Dubois.
The "s" stands for sherman.
What brings you to town, spats?
I wanted you both to hear it from me.
I'm getting out the business.
[ Laughs ]
Come on, man. What's the play, man?
This ain't no play, ace.
I'm tired.
If I don't get out now, I never will.
Business is doing so good,
I can retire, give everybody a piece of the rock.
For the right price.
[ Laughing ]
Good lord, girl! You finer than all outdoors!
Shit, girl, you... you a star!
Of course, we weren't expecting you till next week.
Well, my show in St. Louis finally came to an end. [ Wolf whistle ]
Three months of back-to-back shows in that city would wear anybody out.
Now, I told my agent, Nathan,
I needed a change of scenery.
He said, "why not head on down to idlewild early?"
Thought I'd come and see what the big fuss in idlewild, Georgia is all about.
I must admit,
so far I'm not impressed.
Ooh, ooh! Mmm!
Twenty-five thousand?
Plus the 1,250 you owe me from the last shipment.
That's a heavy load, spats.
Twenty-five large buy you a direct line to my supplier...
And my entire clientele.
Now if I can't find me a buyer,
then I gotta turn my operation over to someone I can trust,
in which case I become a stockholder...
And collect my dividends.
You always been good with numbers, rooster.
How about it?
Hmm. Know what?
Maybe you right, spats.
I am good with numbers. I'm gonna mull that over.
Like hell you will! I got your 25 large!
And I got a big plan...
That's gonna bring more people in here than ever!
So, if you'll allow me, I'd like to make a toast here.
To fast women, fast money...
And new beginnings.
To hell with that.
To 25 large.
[ Ace exclaims ]
[ Laughs ]
Where is this Mr. sunshine ace?
He sent me a coach ticket. That was not part of our agreement.
- A lady has standards to maintain, you know? - Well, I'm sure that...
it says right here in the telegram "first class."
Don't say nothing about no coach. What does it say? Hmm?
"First class." That's right, "first class," right there in bold writing.
So how the hell did I get coach?
Well, look at miss goody two-shoes.
[ Toilet flushes ]
She look better in the pictures, if you ask me. [ Laughs ]
Excuse me. Do I know you?
Hell no. But if you fix yourself up a little some...
Taffy!
Miss angel Davenport. Lord!
Don't try it, man.
I just traveled 19 hours on a stinking train from St. Louis in a lousy coach seat.
I deeply regret that.
- Some jackass didn't follow my orders! - I did exactly what you...
[ exclaims sharply ] Okay.
But now that you're here, sunshine ace will take real good care of you.
Just as soon as we take care of the legal paperwork.
Now I just so happen to have your contract.
Now, never mind all this fine print. Them's just the details.
Sign by the "x." Give me a pen.
Here. Right there. [ Chuckles ]
[ Pen scribbling ]
Yep.
Now that the legal stuff is out the way,
- you can have anything you want. - [ Sighs ]
- Anything? - Anything. Just you name it.
Hmm.
Mmm. Mmm, mmm.
White carnations.
White carnations! You heard the lady! Got you.
And my own dressing room.
[ Ace ] And her own dressing room. Taffy, come here.
The rest of you niggas get back to work. Come on, sawed-off.
[ Monk ] Follow me, miss Davenport.
Ladies! [ Laughs ]
[ Women exclaim ] Look at this shit!
[ Clattering ] I don't even like you, girl! Get your ass up out of here!
[ Angel ] You know, we can do it another time.
[ Monk ] Get your stinky ass up out of here!
You didn't even want to loan me no money? Get your ass out too!
[ Shouting, indistinct ] What the hell is this? Huh? What the hell is this?
I'm sorry. Just... right after you, miss Davenport.
Thank you, monk. You welcome.
Whew. [ Chuckles ] [ Clears throat ]
Bye, monk.
Bye. [ Door closes ]
[ Moaning ]
Oh, rooster.
Baby, why you make me act so bad?
Who, me? [ Both laugh ]
Yes, you.
Ooh! Oh, you bad boy.
[ Laughs ] Mmm.
Guess I kind of inherited it from my Uncle Eddie.
Got a weakness for fine women such as yourself. Ooh.
And that perfume don't help either.
One second. One second.
Mmm, mmm. Bad boy.
Let's head over to the garage.
Hey, ace. Uh, excuse me, man. I wanted to...
what? I wanted to talk to you about the piano.
Some of the notes are still sticking, and I...
don't you touch that damn piano!
That piano is a bona fide antique.
Jelly roll Morton brought the house down with that piano!
And if it's good enough for jelly roll,
it's good enough for a mortician nigger like yourself.
It just needs a little tuning. I mean, I hit a couple bad notes, but...
let me tell you something.
The only reason why you even here...
Is because rooster said, "please!
"Please let my mortician friend come play the piano at your club!"
That's the only reason why you here!
Watch your conduct, nigga!
Jackass!
[ Monk laughing ] I still got the girls!
[ Horn honks ] [ Chorus girls ] Bye, Percy!
Idiot.
Huh.
Never heard of this one before.
No one has.
So... you play piano and write songs?
I play a little bit, just to pass the time.
That's a creepy car.
Yeah, I wouldn't want to be caught dead in that one.
[ Laughs ]
That's funny.
You're cute, piano player. Thank you.
- You got a name? - Percival.
Percival Jenkins.
Well, see you around, percival Jenkins.
Hey, percival.
Why don't you take that phony broad back to the mortuary?
[ Laughing ]
[ Taffy ] Maybe you'll get you some!
[ Moaning ]
Let me ask you something. Oh, baby.
[ Vehicle approaching ] Why are all the good ones taken?
Oh!
[ Doors closing ] Shit! Goddamn!
The big man. Here, take this out of here. What he doing here?
Where you going? Get my panties.
[ Ace ] Watch yourself, spats. Yeah. Here. Come on in. [ Spats laughs ]
[ Rose whispering ] Get my panties! Yeah.
You know, I got big plans shaking from out them trees out there.
That's the only way today's negro gonna make it in today's society.
[ Spats laughs ] It's like something my mama used to tell me...
well, not my birth mama, but the lady that raised me. [ Gasps ]
- Bitch, what you doing in here? - I just wanted to finish up the receipts so...
so me and you could spend some quality time together tonight, daddy.
Receipts.
Right. [ Chuckles ] Right.
I'll tell you what. You go upstairs, keep the bed warm for me.
Take this with you.
¶[ Radio: Jazz ]
[ Growls, yelps ]
[ Chuckles ] Mmm.
I didn't know you was gonna bring company.
See you later, fellas.
Lord, lord, lord, lord.
Pussy and money.
If God created anything better,
he kept it to himself. [ Laughs ]
Amen.
I've been waiting on this day, spats.
Oh, I've been dreaming about it. I didn't know it was gonna come so soon,
but I ain't about to let you talk me out of it.
A big man's gotta have big plans.
And this is my big plan.
In a year's time, I can run for mayor of this goddamn town.
Hell, I just might!
[ Laughs ]
The way I see things,
you work for me now.
[ Laughs ]
You get your greasy-ass hands off of me.
Relax, son. He ain't mean nothing by it.
I'm not gonna tell you again.
Say, slick, what's your fucking problem?
You're talking to sunshine ace. Watch your conduct around me, nigga.
Nigga, I don't give a damn who you are.
I would never work for some stinkin', fat,
whore-loving trick like you.
Now get the fuck... [ Grunts ]
Spats! Spats!
You know I'm not trying to disrespect your business, spats.
And I don't believe in violence, but I will cut this motherfucker!
- Watch your conduct! - Put it away, trumpy.
- Trumpy. Trumpy. - Put it away, trumpy. You too, ace.
Now-now-now don't worry, spats.
Sunshine ace ain't cutting nobody today. Trembling like a little bitch.
[ Spats ] I told you to put it away, trumpy. We're here on business.
Trumpy... son, you beginning to forget your place.
- Spats, come get this half-breed. - Do you hear me, trumpy?
Yeah, I hear you. Nigga, you crazy.
And the problem is, I've heard you loud and clear for six years.
Six long years I've been out there bustin' my goddamn conk...
For you to keep your hands clean, and why?
So a piece of shit like this can get rich?
Put the damn gun down now, trumpy.
What... this slimy pig mean something to you?
- You really are senile, old man. - You're talking to spats!
Boy, you about to get your ass whipped. [ Ace laughs ]
You done lost your natural mind. That's right, spats!
No, it's quite the opposite, sir. That's right!
You see, I've watched you for a long time, spats.
And you taught me that when opportunity knocks...
- you said the smart man answers. - [ Gun clicks ]
[ Gasps ] Son! [ Ace ] Spats! Spats!
Trumpy...
see, that was some really good advice.
Trumpy. Hey, what was that that you told me?
Trumpy. Trumpy.
What was it? Was it, like, um...
no, trumpy. Never...
I'm gonna put the knife down, trumpy. Never...
will you shut the fuck up for a second? I'm trying to think.
Trumpy, no. Never...
- I'm gonna put the knife down, trumpy. - Oh, oh, oh. I got it.
Never bring a knife to a gunfight, mother...
whew!
[ Ace gasping ]
A fool and his money.
[ Ace gasps ]
[ Ace gasping ] [ Chuckles ]
So this your big plan, huh? Angel Davenport? A singer?
[ Kicks body ] Hey, fat man,
- where's the money? - [ Blow lands ]
[ Groaning ]
[ Ace coughs, groans ]
Let's see.
Fuck you, trumpy. [ Laughs ]
[ Gunshot ]
¶[ Radio: Jazz, distorted ] [ Static whirring ]
[ Man ] Are here again ¶
¶[ continues, faint ]
[ Rattling ]
[ Cat yowls ]
Are here again ¶
are gone ¶s and troubles
from now on ¶no more
are here again ¶
are clear again ¶
¶let us sing a song ¶
[ door closes ] ¶of cheer again ¶
oh, shit!
Are here again ¶
¶[ r & b beat ]
[ All buzzing ]
[ Whirring, cuckooing ]
¶The fear of clocks ¶
¶the fear of time ¶
mmm. ¶[ Woman vocalizes ]
¶How's the cost of living? ¶
¶ain't got much time left ¶
¶I've got to funk you now ¶
¶I take what I've been given ¶ [ Yawns ]
¶Ain't got much time left ¶
¶I've got to funk you now ¶
¶pastor say, "be strong" ¶
¶ain't got much time left ¶
¶I've got to funk you now ¶ ¶[ Vocalizing ]
¶I ain't got time ¶
¶leave me alone ¶
¶ain't got much time left ¶
¶I've got to funk you now ¶ ¶oh, y'all know what I'm talking about ¶
¶chronomentrophobia ¶
¶[ continues, muffled ]
[ Bubbles popping, echoing ]
[ Gasps ]
[ Kettle whistles ]
Good morning.
[ Thunder rumbling ]
[ Clock ticking ]
[ Crunches, chewing ]
[ Rooster crows ]
[ Crowing continues ]
No! Go on. Go on, now! What you hitting me for?
You ain't got no business being out all hours of the night. That's the devil's hour.
Here we go. Zora, don't start. I had a rough night last night.
Know what? It's Saturday. Remember you said you was gonna take me and the kids downtown?
That's just what you gonna do. Now get your lyin', cheatin' ass up out this bed.
Come on! Give me the goddamn cover. I ain't going nowhere.
¶[ Choir singing, indistinct ]
[ Horn blares ]
¶[ Continues ]
¶Rejoice ¶
¶and praise his name ¶
looks like it was over money. Probably.
[ Chattering, indistinct ] [ Horn honks ]
[ Chattering, laughing ]
[ Chattering ] That was nice, wasn't it?
Come on. Come on, now.
Look at all them pretty ladies right there.
Let me help you with that, my friend.
What you doing here, trumpy? Driving by.
Noticed you was out doing the little family thing.
Thought it'd be rude if I didn't stop by and say hello.
What you want with me?
Last night, old man spats and ace got into a little scuffle.
Tragic.
See, the way I figure,
you are naturally next in line to run church,
seeing as how you was ace's flunky and all.
And since you naturally inherit the club,
you also naturally inherit its debt.
So?
Well, ace was a month behind in paying spats.
So you now owe me $1,250.
Now who told you you was in charge?
Who's gonna tell me I'm not?
I mean, you're a smart man. Hands.
You got a lot to lose.
Afternoon, zora.
Mighty nice hat.
Here's 150.
- That's all I got. - [ Sniffs ] Hmm.
[ Horn honks ]
1,100 short.
And by the way, the price of hooch just went up to two dollars a bottle.
Two dollars a bottle? That's double the price.
Inflation. Mmm.
[ Chuckles ] Ain't you heard? I mean, times are hard everywhere.
[ Chuckles ]
Yeah, well, I ain't coming on that tab.
You know, a funny thing.
[ Children laughing ]
Settle down.
[ Sniffs ]
I tripped over these last night.
Seen rose lately?
Don't get any bright ideas.
[ Zora ] What was that all about?
[ Rooster ] Spats got gunned down last night.
Him, ace... both of them stretched out. Oh, my God.
What you gonna do?
Pull over right here.
I need to take care of something.
Rooster, wait.
Do you remember how it used to be in the beginning?
Me and you? Before we was married.
When you took me out to that peach orchard.
We said we was gonna get us our own orchard one day,
grow us some peaches, raise us some kids.
And look at you. You're so smart.
You could make a business doing anything.
We could get out of town right now.
- Take our babies and start over and start it right. - Zora,
I just need for you to trust me.
Just until I sort things out. That's all.
[ Sighs ]
Be careful.
Everything gonna be okay.
[ Kisses ]
¶[ Vocalizing ]
¶[ Vocalizing, scatting ]
[ Father ] Percival. Percival. ¶[ Piano stops ]
Percival, will you stop banging on that piano and get down here?
¶[ Strikes keys ] Percival. Percival!
We got two bodies down here.
Busy day. Come on. Put him over there.
Afternoon, fellas.
Mr. fat man.
Finally got stretched out, huh?
Ooh, they got you good.
They wasn't playing, were they?
But it serves you well.
You shouldn't have been trying to put me on the spot and embarrass me.
I am that mortician nigger.
But you know what that means?
That means that...
Before you leave this place, you have to come see me.
So now who's the jackass?
What...
man, I ought to wash your mouth out with soap.
Does your mother know you talk like that? I didn't think so.
Guess it don't matter too much now.
But you can tell me...
how in the hell am I gonna get your fat ass...
In this casket?
You think this is playtime? No, sir.
You gotta learn to have more respect for the dead.
Take your job more seriously.
Where's your pride?
Your pride is in your work.
I apologize.
I don't want your apologies.
Just do your job. Now get this man cleaned up.
And stop playing!
Business is business.
Foolishness is foolishness. [ Continues, indistinct ]
Jackass.
[ Knocking ]
[ Knocking continues ]
[ Whispering ] Hello?
Rose!
Hey, hey, rose! It's me... rooster.
I see who you is. What you doing here, man?
Put the goddamn frying pan down. I ain't putting shit down till you tell me why you here.
Is you trying to kill me, rooster? Hell no!
Now put the goddamn frying pan down.
It's me. It's rooster, baby.
[ Angel clears throat ]
Boo! [ Laughs ]
Hi, piano player.
Hi.
So... you really do work with dead people.
Now that would give me the creeps.
You get used to it after a while. Doesn't bother me not.
What are you doing here?
Well, I'm doing a little investigatin'.
There's a rumor that sunshine ace got stretched out last night.
Guess you heard, huh?
What you looking at me like that for?
I ain't buying nobody's horseshit story they shot each other.
Since I'm the only one that can pin trumpy to that damn garage,
it ain't gonna be too long before he after me.
So I'm getting out of here, and ain't nothin' you can do to stop me.
I ain't come to stop you. I came to say good-bye.
Damn, rooster. As soon as I get myself...
Caught in the middle of some shit, you just gonna up and leave me like that?
It's gotta be different now.
Oh, now it's gotta be different.
You know it's gotta be different.
Just my luck.
So, is he here?
[ Angel yelps ]
Okay, okay. Cover him up.
Damn!
Just my luck.
Dead as a doorknob. [ Sighs ]
Now what am I gonna do?
I'm stuck in this cow town, and it's gonna cost me $107 for a ticket out of here.
You owe me $107, fat man!
Did you check his pockets?
Oh, I know you ain't gonna skip out without paying my goddamn rent!
Don't talk that jive to him, you old battle-ax.
Rose, I'm really sorry about everything.
Don't you say that to me.
Don't you ever say that to me.
[ Children chattering, shouting ]
Well, hey, maybe you should talk to rooster.
I think he's gonna be running the club from now on,
and he may have something for you.
Thanks for your help.
I'll see you around,
percival.
[ Sniffles ]
[ Taps on door ]
[ Children continue shouting ]
¶[ Jazz: Drum intro ]
Well, well.
What happened?
I...
F-followed rooster over to this s-spot over there on...
[ man ] Come on. [ Stammering ]
Come on, Sonny. Spit it out.
Baker street. Baker street?
- It was rose's place. - [ Man ] Rose's place?
[ Laughing ]
See, y'all? I told you that fool was gonna lead us right to her.
- [ Man ] He sure did, trumpy. - [ Trumpy ] And?
And... th-th-then...
She got into a c-cab with all kind of... [ Stammering ]
[ Man ] Come on. Spit it out. Luggage and shit.
Where the hell did she go?
I-I don't know where sh-she went.
But I followed rooster back here.
You must have a peanut for a brain.
[ Man ] Mm-hmm. [ Laughter ]
I specifically remember telling you to follow rose.
Follow rose.
[ Trumpy ] I ain't need you to follow rooster.
Not rooster. What am I gonna do with you?
Let me see your gun, Sonny.
Come on. Come on.
- [ Tape rewinding ] - Come on, Sonny. Give him the gun.
Thank you.
- [ Bullets dropping on table ] - Spats once told me...
he said in every relationship,
the person least interested in maintaining the relationship...
Is gonna dominate it,
'cause they won't compromise.
- Mm-hmm. - See, Sonny...
no compromise.
In this relationship right here...
uh...
I can't afford to compromise.
[ Man ] Now take it like a man. Stand still.
Take it like a man, Sonny. Come on.
Pissed him off now. [ Chamber clicks ]
[ Gasps ]
[ Laughs ]
[ Man laughing ]
[ Percival narrating ] All the world's a stage,
¶[ chorus singing hymn ] And all the men and women merely players.
They have their exits and their entrances...
[ chattering ]
All with a specific role to play.
Even at a funeral.
Sometimes in a show, a lead actor's contract expires.
[ Lighter flicks ] When that happens,
an understudy has to step in and perform,
whether he's ready or not.
Sorry about what happened with spats, man.
Sure gonna miss him.
Yeah, me too.
Now I gotta run the club,
pay everybody and sing on top of that.
You'll figure it out. You always do.
I don't know. If I don't get killed first,
zora gonna leave me for real this time.
[ Percival ] She always says that. You know she ain't going nowhere.
Trumpy raising the price of hooch.
He's sucking up all the profit.
I ain't making a dime.
No, it's all right.
What if you go around trumpy?
Like you always tell me: Can't find a way, make one.
I need a favor.
Yeah.
I need to borrow the hearse.
Bring it back by 8:00.
God don't make no mistakes.
You ain't said nothing slick to a can of oil.
Meet you at the house.
[ Flask ] Ain't life a bitch?
[ Man ] How you holding up, rooster?
Never bad, never bad.
That's what spats used to say. [ Grunts ]
I can float you for a while, but you're gonna have to pay me.
And you gonna have to keep this quiet.
[ Rooster ] Yeah. [ Crowd cheering ]
[ Rooster ] Ooh, ooh, ooh, ooh.
Somebody done told you wrong.
Thought I was gonna lay it off like that there, huh?
If trumpy get wind of it... trumpy ain't gonna hear about this.
Just give me a little time.
- [ Rooster ] ¶too motherfucking hot ¶ - ¶Too hot, too hot ¶
- ¶I'm motherfucking cool ¶ - ¶Too hot, too hot ¶
¶give me a back rub ¶
¶okay, I started out alone 'cause my baby mama left me now there's nobody at home ¶
¶beginning to feel like Mrs. Jackson done got cloned ¶
¶well, it's some real shit and I'm livin' it through this song ¶
¶a moving vehicle took my family as I slept out on the sofa ¶
¶in the boom boom room I woke up very upset ¶
¶I throw the covers back and peek out through the draperies ¶
¶my daughter, my baby, my baby mama all escaping me ¶
¶like a candle in the wind, she was my friend ¶
¶she was my passion, never lied therefore we tried and tried again ¶
¶but in the end you pay attention to the pluses ¶
¶but the minuses behind it make it seem like you can't win ¶
¶throw your neck out ¶
¶throw your back out ¶
¶throw your neck out ¶
¶throw your back out ¶ oh, hell no!
All right, I told you not to... give me a sec.
Okay.
What you doing, cap?
You got one more time, cap. One more time.
¶Throw your back out throw your back out ¶
¶round two, a single parent what is big to do? ¶
¶throw a party? Not hardly I'm trying to stay up out of that womb ¶
¶or that p-u-s-s "USS" I say "USS" ¶
¶luther vandross couldn't make a home out of this house that we smooshed ¶
¶smashed, pushed to the limit smash and turned it timid ¶
¶and everyone was suffering the house was feeling wicked ¶
what is this, the break room? Get y'all ass back out there on stage!
I'm sorry!
Now! ¶let's fight for it ¶
¶you build it up to break it down and take it from the start ¶
¶repeatedly leading a path that only ends in the clash ¶
¶of two stubborn minds grown folks blind to the sign ¶
- ¶throw your neck out ¶ - Whoa, whoa, whoa!
I will cut your ass! I will cut your ass! Wait now, wait now.
Come on, brother. Put that chair down, brother. Put that down now.
Come on, look. Work this out, okay?
- ¶Throw your neck out ¶ - ¶Mmm ¶
why not come here and do your job too?
Man, I got this. You owe me 74... ah, damn. Aw!
- ¶Throw your back out ¶ - ¶K. O., knocked out by technicality ¶
¶the love has kissed the canvas now the whole family gets mad at me ¶
¶my daughter don't want me at her pt. A. Meetings ¶
¶and then my son, he can't talk when I change him he's peeing ¶
¶I think he's pissed I can't dismiss the matter of the fact ¶
¶because he saw me and you argue now the energy's coming back ¶
¶set an example a positive pattern keep life on track ¶
¶but I'm married to the music and committed to the wax ¶
¶taste and tea baby, please ¶
¶you make me wanna scream ¶
¶you're on the team starting first string ¶
¶so why are we arguing? ¶
- ¶wax, taste and tea baby, please ¶ - Motherfucker!
How you gonna leave me without paying me my goddamn money?
Get him! You cheap son of a bitch! Get him! Get him!
Get back here. Get him, rooster!
¶Throw your neck out ¶
¶throw your back out ¶
¶throw your neck out ¶
- ¶throw your back out ¶ - Whoo!
¶Throw your neck out ¶
¶throw your back out ¶
¶throw your neck out ¶
¶throw your neck out throw your back out ¶
¶taste and tea baby, please ¶
¶you make me wanna scream ¶
¶you're on my team starting first string ¶
- yeah! Yeah! - ¶So why are we arguing? ¶
whoo! Party up in here!
Whoo! Stirring it up!
Ladies and gentlemen, rooster!
[ Crowd cheering ]
¶[ Fades ]
What's the line? What's the line? What's the line, Sonny?
- What, you scared? - You don't even know the line, you stuttering son of a bitch.
Get up. Oh, my, my. [ Sonny ] Fuck you.
Concrete! [ All shouting ]
- Goddamn. - Give me my damn money.
You took all my money, you stuttering idiot!
[ All shouting, laughing ]
[ Shouting, laughing continues, faint ]
Hey, roo. You don't look so good.
Oh, you came here to tell me that?
Well, I... no, I came here to borrow some bread.
You know, I owe ace $85.
[ Chuckles ] But now that he's dead, my debt is clear! Yeah! [ Pants rip ]
[ Farts ] Boy, I feel so good he gone! Excuse me, but I'm free!
I'm free, baby! I know it. [ Laughs ]
Your debt ain't clear.
It says so right here in the books. Eighty-five dollars.
- It's right here in the book. You got one week to pay up. - Let me see.
Man, get off my desk. 'Cause I want my money and the money you owe ace.
I won't forget.
Man, I will not forget.
Where you going with that hooch?
Give me a second. I'll be right back.
Ooh, Taffy! [ Continues, indistinct ]
[ Man ] Oh, I don't see a problem.
Well, why don't you buy me a drink first? We can talk about it.
[ Man laughs ] [ Rooster ] The answer's no, so don't waste your breath.
Excuse me?
- May I have a word with you? - [ Man ♪2 ] Night ain't over yet.
Thank you.
As you may or may not know,
ace and I had a contract.
And if you take a close look at this contract, you are...
Obliged to provide me one first-class ticket to my next destination,
which is St. Louis, Missouri.
Mm-hmm.
And seeing as how you're now the manager...
Of this establishment, the responsibility of honoring...
This contract falls upon you.
It don't make no difference if ace is dead or not.
Says so right there in the fine print.
Let me see that.
I'll have you know that's a legally binding obligation signed by both parties.
You know what?
You right.
It obliges you to sing.
And it's your first week.
You... you still want me to sing? You ain't got no choice.
It says so right here at the top.
"Club owner hereby engages artist for a period of four weeks."
In fine print.
As you pointed out, this is a legally binding obligation.
Yeah. Well... [ Chuckles ]
Of course, it'll take me a little while to prepare.
Don't worry about that. You on tomorrow night, sugar. Tomorrow?
Tomorrow night you on. Tomorrow?
9:00 sharp. Why, I need at least a week to get my band together.
Oh, sugar, you look so good. Rooster, please, have a heart. I'm not ready.
9:00 sharp tomorrow night. Come on. Don't be late.
Mmm!
Money in the bank.
¶[ Piano: Ragtime ]
¶[ Continues ] [ Trumpy ] No, no, no. I asked you...
is gw. Actually connected to Capone's people out of Chicago?
It would appear so.
This music is killing me.
Hey, Percy, Jr. Percy, Jr.
What's that you playing?
Working on something new.
Sound like some bullshit.
I mean, you really think the audience is gonna appreciate that?
Rooster said I could play whatever I wanted to play, so...
- no, no. Never mind anything that rooster tell you. - "Rooster said, rooster said."
- You need to play stuff I like, okay? - Well, what do you like?
[ Laughs ] [ Trumpy ] I don't like that.
Excuse me. [ Man ] Nobody likes that.
Can the artist get a little space around here?
Mmm, mmm.
Please?
Much better.
Proceed.
Thank you.
- [ Man ] Mmm, mmm, mmm. - [ Both chuckle ]
[ Trumpy ] My apologies, maestro. [ Both laugh ]
- Hi, angel. - Hey, percival.
What's up?
I'm on tomorrow. Ah, that's great.
Great? I haven't rehearsed. I don't even know these musicians.
That's all right. I'll help you.
I have a great song for you.
I think it fits you perfect. Check it out.
Now, I don't have a title just yet, but I think it fits.
Watch. Here we go.
¶[ Up-tempo jazz ]
¶[ Continues ]
¶Moving cool moving cool ¶
you got it.
¶Moving cool moving cool ¶
¶hey, hey ¶
¶ooh, ooh ¶ [ Clears throats ]
¶I can make a stone cold blind man see it ¶
¶my way ¶
¶but when I'm around you ¶
¶you don't have ¶
¶much to say ¶
that's right. ¶la, LA ¶
¶[ scatting ]
¶[ Both scatting ]
Yeah. ¶[ Humming ]
¶[ Piano stops ] What's wrong?
You know, percival,
you got real talent.
[ Scoffs ] I don't know why you want to waste it...
In a silly little town like idlewild.
Don't you want to see the bright lights?
Man, there's a whole movement going on in Harlem,
and you're down here watching the seasons pass by.
I'm waiting on a telegram from Chicago as we speak.
Then I'm gonna hop on over to New York City.
Honey, I am gonna travel the world.
[ Chuckles ]
What about you, huh?
What are you doin' working in a stiff place like this?
[ Percival ] That... that's my aunt.
And this is Uncle George.
Who's she?
That's my mother.
She's beautiful.
She was so young.
She was a singer.
Died when I was four.
My father dressed her for the funeral.
Took him nearly 14 hours on hair and makeup alone.
Flew in Polish from St. Louis for her nails.
He spent everything he had...
On her dress and the coffin.
So how would I look laid out on the table, huh?
[ Laughs ] Come on, tell me. I don't know.
Well,
you wouldn't take much.
Yeah?
You're beautiful.
You really think so?
About the most beautiful thing I've seen in idlewild.
- But then, you're not from idlewild. - [ Laughs ]
What did I tell you about bringing strangers into this house?
This is my house!
Give me that book. Give it to me!
I was just trying... I don't give a damn what you were tryin'.
You keep that behavior down at that club.
- Mr. Jenkins, I think... - Now you take this floozy outta here right now.
Get her out!
Now!
Get her out.
Well, I think I'll be going.
Excuse me.
What is wrong with you, percival?
And you bring her here?
[ Angel ] I'll see you tonight, 9:00 sharp.
Showtime. [ Laughs ] All right.
[ Crowd shouting, booing ] Come on, girl. You're late!
[ Knocking ] I'm sick.
Sick? Sick, my ass! [ Knocking continues ]
Get off the phone. Bye.
I'll talk to her. Man, she need to come out.
Let me handle it. I'll talk to her. You need to get her out here.
[ Knocks ] [ Percival ] Angel?
Angel, open up. It's me. Angel?
[ Rooster ] What the hell's going on? Angel?
[ Rooster ] I'll come in there! We got a contract. Remember that.
[ Sobs ] ¶[ Piano: Jazz ]
[ Bell ringing ]
Hi. Nathan,
you tell those people I'm not stepping a goddamn foot...
On that stage until they give me my goddamn white carnations!
Miss Davenport? Yes, of course, angel.
These people sent you a ticket... coach class. Coach?
A lady has standards to maintain.
I've been workin' too hard to start back-pedaling now,
so you get it right, okay, Nathan? Yes, angel.
Get it right! I ain't got time for all this bullshit. Excuse me, miss Davenport.
And who are you, missy?
Well, I'm... speak up!
Uh-huh?
Miss Davenport... hurry up, child. I ain't got time.
I just came in to tell you I am such a big fan of yours.
See, I'm actually a sing... oh!
Oh, Nathan, didn't I tell you to keep this riffraff away from me?
Yes, angel. Now you do it right now.
Get this heifer outta here or I'm gonna kick your fat ass.
Right now!
I'm not that fat.
Get your ass outta here before you get me fired. Yes, sir.
Nathan? Coming, angel.
I'm actually a singer myself.
[ Pounding ] [ Percival ] Angel?
[ Man ] Rooster, they want they money back.
Open up. It's me. I ain't giving shit back!
It's open. Man, get your girl out here.
[ Ragged breathing ]
Come on. You're gonna be great.
Look, percival,
I'm not great.
There's something I need to tell you. Listen. Listen.
I'm not... listen, the first time...
the first time I saw you, you came in here and lit up this joint,
just like you're gonna do on that stage tonight.
[ Whispers ] Come on.
You can do it.
[ Applause, whistles ]
[ Man ] Come on now! [ Taffy ] Let's hear it!
- Baby doll! - [ Laughs ]
¶[ Mid-tempo jazz ]
[ Man ] Go on, sing, girl! [ Taffy ] Look at her. She's scared!
You scared. [ Chattering ]
Ahhh.
¶Cool ¶ [ Taffy ] That ain't no singin'. And you flat!
¶Moving cool ¶ [ Glass breaks ]
¶Moving cool ¶
[ audience jeering ]
[ Percival ] ¶moving, moving cool ¶
[ together ] ¶moving cool ¶
¶moving cool ¶
[ jeering continues ]
[ Sour notes ] ¶moving cool ¶
¶moving cool ¶ [ Jeering continues ]
[ Laughing ]
¶[ Band stops ]
[ Chattering, jeering ]
Man, she is killing me right now.
You ain't never lie. She killin' you, boss.
[ Jeering continues ] Killin' you.
That ain't gonna work down here in idlewild!
[ Percival ] Angel. Don't look at them.
- Look at me. - [ Man shouts ]
Never mind them.
It's just me and you, nobody else.
Sing to me.
[ Taffy, indistinct ]
And one, two, three...
¶[ mid-tempo jazz ]
[ Jeering continues ]
Ahhh.
¶Cool, moving cool ¶
[ Taffy ] Oh, we got to hear this again? ¶moving cool ¶
¶cool ¶
¶moving cool ¶
[ together ] ¶moving cool, moving cool ¶
¶moving cool ¶ ¶yeah ¶
[ Taffy ] How many times you gonna say "moving cool"?
¶Hey, hey ¶ all right, now.
¶[ Vocalizing ]
[ Together ] ¶I could make a stone-cold blind man see it my way ¶
¶but when I'm around you, you don't have much to say ¶
come on, now.
¶[ Both scatting ]
¶[ Vocalizing ] [ Man shouts, laughs ]
¶[ Scatting ]
[ Sings more loudly ] ¶oh, 'cause, baby, I am ¶
¶the opening act ¶ ¶the headliner ¶
- ¶the after party ¶ - ¶Oh ¶
¶after party ¶
¶after party ¶ [ Man ] Yeah!
¶After party ¶
- [ man ] Oh, look at that! - ¶I am all ¶
yeah! ¶that you'll ever need ¶
¶I laugh at how everybody sees what I am ¶
¶but you ¶
¶you ¶
¶I thought you would be brave enough ¶
¶to taste my bitch's brew ¶
¶[ scats ] [ Percival ] Yeah!
¶Yeah, I thought I was dealin' with a man ¶
- ¶but you're a boy ¶ - [ Man ] Whoo!
¶You're a boy you're a boy ¶
- yeah! - ¶I can give you everything you want ¶
- ¶I can be your toy ¶ - Come on, now!
¶[ Scatting ]
- ¶I am ¶ - Now that's what I'm talkin' about.
- ¶The opening act, the headliner ¶ - Boo!
¶Oh, oh ¶
¶after party, yeah ¶
¶the after party ¶ ¶I am ¶
¶I am ¶ ¶after party ¶
- yes, yeah! - ¶After party ¶
¶the after party ¶
[ with percival ] ¶after party ¶
¶after party ¶ yeah!
¶After party ¶
¶I'm all you'll ever need ¶
[ cheers, applause ]
¶Baby, I am ¶
¶the opening act ¶
¶the headliner ¶
- ¶the after party ¶ - ¶Oh ¶
¶the after party ¶
¶after party ¶
¶'cause, baby, I am ¶
¶the opening act ¶
¶the headliner ¶ shit, man, go buy you a piece tonight.
Keep on singing, girl.
¶Oh, after party ¶
- ¶baby ¶ - ¶After party ¶
- ¶I am ¶ - ¶After party ¶
¶I am ¶
¶after party ¶
- ¶after party ¶ - ¶I'm all you'll ever need ¶
[ cheering ]
Eleven hundred dollars.
And some change.
I'm feelin' generous.
That's a whole lot of profit.
Especially seeing you haven't purchased that much hooch.
At least from me, you haven't.
Ahhh.
- The deal was $1,250. - Plus 25 large.
Twenty-five large?
- You tryin' to pinch me? - Pinch you? [ Laughs ]
If you recollect,
on the night of the unfortunate demise,
old man spats had a deal with ace...
For 25 large.
That was ace's deal. I'm square.
You square...
When I say you square.
And so far I haven't said so, have I?
Look, you inherit the club, you also inherit its debts.
Well,
I guess we have to see about that.
Won't we?
[ Chuckling ]
[ Man ] Telegram.
"Sally b. Shelly."
You're not...
anybody heard of Sally b. Shelly?
Anybody heard of Sally b. Shelly? You heard of Sally b. Shelly?
That's nice. Ladies, you heard of Sally b. Shelly?
[ Chattering ]
Anybody heard of Sally b. Shelly?
You heard of Sally b. Shelly? [ Coughs ]
Ain't no damn Shelly up in here. Never mind.
Y'all heard of Sally b. Shelly?
Nobody heard of Sally b. Shelly?
Anybody heard of her? Monk. Monk.
Yes, angel? Who you lookin' for?
I have a telegram here for Sally b. Shelly.
I'll get it to her.
Thank you, monk.
[ Chuckles ]
Thank you, miss Davenport.
Now what am I supposed to do now?
[ Flask ] What we gonna do now? Okay, unscrew the flask.
Yep, yep, yep, yep. Just like that. Okay, okay.
Now turn it up, just like that.
Let's drink, and we gonna party!
Yeah! Thanks a lot.
See? You feel better already. Now, I'm your boy.
Ow! Now come on, now. Please.
I'll take care of you.
Percival!
Percival, I got it. I got it.
What? What? What? I got it.
The job in Chicago. They want me in Chicago.
Oh, that's great.
They want me to leave in two days. I've got so much to do.
I gotta pack. I gotta get my music together.
Great.
You're happy for me, right? Of course.
We gotta celebrate. Hmm?
You know, it's... it's gettin' late.
Think I better... think I better get home.
[ Laughing ] Come on, rooster.
Whoa! Watch it, now.
Were you trying to leave here without us? Huh?
Mm-mmm. No?
Here comes our rooster, trumpy. Just like you said.
Gotta go this way. Gotta go this way. [ Indistinct ]
Give me a sample first. I'm gonna kill that snake.
- [ Shots ] - Whoa! Whoa!
Keep your ass away from my husband.
[ Rooster ] I can take it from here, ladies.
Y'all done a good deed tonight,
and the lord sho' nuff gonna bless you in due time.
Now excuse me while I tend to my wife.
Why the hell do I keep getting myself into this shit?
There goes my ticket outta here. Oop.
[ Engine idling ]
Zora, I know, but it ain't what it look like.
You must think I'm some kind of damn fool.
[ Sighs ] I'm fed up.
[ Snoring ]
[ Mumbling ] I know that.
[ Tires screech ] I got half a mind I come over there and smash...
[ China ] Got any reefers on you? Come on, girl.
Ha. I know you saw what happened, right?
What you need... did you see his gam come up?
[ Thunder rumbling ]
[ Arpeggios ] Guitar:
¶[ Arpeggios ]
¶[ Guitar continues ]
[ Thunderclap ]
[ Telephone rings ]
[ Ringing continues ]
[ Man, woman ] ¶hey ¶ [ Telephone rings ]
¶[ Scatting ]
[ Angel's voice ] Hey, percival. [ Percival ] Hey, angel.
¶Hey ¶ [ Rain falling ]
¶[ Scatting ]
[ Woman ] ¶baby, take off your cool ¶
I want to see you ¶
¶baby, don't be so cool ¶
I want to see you ¶
¶[ guitar continues ]
[ Clocks ticking ]
[ Man, woman ] ¶baby ¶
¶take off your cool ¶
¶I want to ¶
¶get to ¶
¶know you ¶
[ singer ] Baby, take it off.
¶[ Guitar continues ]
[ Clicking ]
¶[ Ends ]
[ Cuckooing ]
[ Clocks chiming ] Huh. Wow.
I didn't realize it was getting so late.
Glad you came?
Yeah.
You got a lot of records.
Yeah, I've been collecting since I was eight.
Rooster got me started.
I love this one. Cab Cal?
That's one of my favorites.
T is one hep cat.
Hair always fried. Hmm.
Wearin' the sharpest vines in the city.
One day he's gonna come to idlewild, and I'm gonna play for him.
You knew.
You knew all along, didn't you?
Huh. You must think I'm some kind of fool, huh?
No, no, no.
That's great. Angel, you got it all wrong. I can explain.
Shit. [ Chickens clucking ]
Zora, wait! I was gonna have that cleaned.
I can explain. I'm listening.
Okay, it's hard to explain. Wait!
Look. Hey.
I know we've been through a lot,
and I ain't perfect,
but I swear to you, I'm a changed man.
You asked me to trust you, rooster,
and that's exactly what I did.
And look at what I got in return.
I can't do this no more.
It's time for me to start thinkin' about me and the kids.
You keep messin' around at that club...
And you gonna get yourself laid out,
and we don't want to be around to see that.
Y'all say good-bye to your daddy.
I don't wanna go, daddy.
Eula mae, y'all go on with your mama. It'll be all right.
Come on, baby.
Come on.
So where y'all going?
Over to my mama's.
[ Engine starts ]
I'll just meet y'all over there when I get settled here.
Well, I pray they don't send you over in a box.
Take care, rooster.
[ Girls ] Bye, daddy.
Come on, zora. Don't be like that.
Come on, now. We got a little baby. Just had a baby.
Come on, zora.
How I'm supposed to get to work?
I didn't think she'd miss anything.
Train tickets and the telegram were lying on the floor.
So I snatched a few items and never looked back.
[ Sobs ]
- And no one saw you? - I guess they were too busy looking for white carnations.
[ Chuckles ]
I auditioned for a talent scout two weeks before I came here.
I never thought in a million years I'd get the gig.
Well, you know you gotta go, right?
- I don't know. - Come on. What do you mean, you don't know?
I don't know.
You gotta get out there and make a name for yourself.
And by the way, w your name?
Sally.
Sally b. Shelly.
Just a name. Not... not much.
Sally b. Shelly.
- I like it. - [ Exhales ]
And soon enough the rest of the world's gonna love it.
Starting with Chicago.
Do you really think so?
No doubt in my mind.
- Come with me. - No.
They didn't I me.
I inviting you.
We're a team. I sing best when I sing for you.
[ Whispers ] I don't know.
I have so much to do around here.
Have to take care of my father.
Percival.
If you don't mind my saying so, I think it's the other way around.
You need him as an excuse so you can blame him...
For not following your dreams.
Look.
I checked the trains.
There's a 9:00 to Chicago tonight.
I'm buying us two tickets. No, don't, angel.
It's Sally, remember? Sally.
We can do this.
I got my whole life here.
Look, tonight's my last show.
We could leave from the club.
What do you say, piano player?
I'm gonna take that as a yes.
[ Flask ] Well, you know, as the old saying goes,
"what goes around, comes around."
What you know? You ain't nothin' but a stupid-ass flask anyway.
Stupid? You're the one talking to a flask.
I gotta stop drinkin' this shit.
[ Flask ] ¶what goes around, comes around ¶
¶what goes around, comes... ¶
come on, sing it with me, man.
It's called karma. What the hell?
[ Flask ] Ain't no goin' around now. Ain't no goin' around that.
You have to get out. Tell them to move the car.
Seems to be the problem, ma'am?
Did y'all run outta gas?
No, sir.
Not at all.
These are my grandchildren. I see.
Months ago, my daughter run off to Detroit...
And left 'em with me.
We ran out of money a while back.
We been sleeping in this car.
This morning...
this morning the good lord sent me a message.
He told me to drive,
and keep on drivin' till he told me to stop.
And I did that.
And then the good lord told me...
To turn down this here dirt road,
and to stop right here.
And then?
Then he told me to cut the car off...
And to wait,
and that's what I been doin'.
We been waitin' for... Almost seven hours.
Waitin' for what?
I don't know.
Well, then you...
take this.
Waitin' for you.
You.
You're the angel...
That God told me to wait here for.
I doubt that very seriously, ma'am.
Thank you, Jesus.
Yes.
Ann Marie.
Ann Marie, look.
God sent this. Uh... wait.
Here.
Go on. It's okay.
Carry that with you...
Always.
You're my blessin'.
Y'all be safe.
Thank you. Wake up, baby.
¶[ Phonograph: Old-time jazz ] [ Percy sr. ] You look so pretty.
You're like the belle of the ball.
Yes, you are.
[ High-pitched voices ] Save us, percival! He's gone mad!
[ Clamoring ]
Save us, okay? Save me!
[ Screams ]
[ Blowing ]
[ Chuckling ] Drunk old fool.
[ Coughs ]
You think for one minute this girl loves you?
Huh?
She's trash.
You hear me? Trash!
You don't know her.
I know she's gonna leave you,
just like your mother left me. Ma did not leave you.
She left me. She left me. She died.
I leaving.
This ain't no place for me.
I got to get away from here.
I gotta try something new.
S-sit down. Let's... let's talk about this. Now, come on.
Talk about what?
What do we have to talk about?
We never talk.
No. No. No.
Wait. Listen to me.
Listen, percival.
I don't want you hurt.
You're all I got in the world.
And I need you.
I'm leavin'.
Percival? Percival.
Percival, wait a minute. Percival, wait a minute.
Percival. Percival. Percival.
Percival!
[ Train horn blows ] [ Man ] All passengers,
this train is boarding.
I'd like two tickets for the 9:00 train to Chicago.
[ Man continues, indistinct ] [ Register jingles ]
now boarding! Make those first class.
[ Radio announcer, indistinct ] [ Rooster ] Fifteen minutes!
Y'all got 15 minutes to get my hooch.
I gotta get back to the church.
I ain't got time to listen to no boxing match.
Walter! G.W.!
Walter.
Gw. And Walter.
[ Radio announcer ] ...Three, four,
five, six...
Jack's on his knees... seven, eight...
come on, man. I gotta get my sauce.
Over the microphone. Joe Louis charges across the ring.
He lands a terrific left to Louis's body.
Hits sharkey with a right.
Jack is weaving. Takes a left to the chin, a right to the head...
[ door closes ] You're high on your own supply.
Three, four... good cigar.
Five, six... Jack's on one knee, hanging on the rope.
Eight, nine...
Louis charges from a neutral corner...
Yeah, cliff, that's right. Show 'em how Joe Louis do it.
[ Cliff ] Damn, bobo, I never thought I'd get tired of whuppin' no gw.
[ Loud thump ] [ Bobo ] Right cross!
[ Grunts ] Whoo!
[ Grunts ]
to the face, a left to the eye...
a straight left to his face... [ Bell dings ]
And there's the bell. [ Bobo, cliff laughing ]
Ain't nothin' like ringside seats, huh?
I think my friend has something he wants to say. [ G.W. Coughing ]
Put this out for me.
[ Bobo ] Thanks for the money, gw.
[ Laughs ]
I done known you for 20 years, wilbert.
Six of 'em you spent with a great man,
and you still a stupid little thief.
[ Chuckles ]
[ Chuckling ] [ Coughs ]
Boo! [ Laughs ] [ Laughs ]
[ Trumpy ] I gotta hand it to you, gw. [ Pistol cylinder ratcheting ]
You sure got a lot of heart.
But who's the stupid one now, huh?
[ Bobo ] Yeah. Who's the stupid one now?
[ Trumpy, bobo laughing ]
[ Cocking ] [ Trumpy ] You never cease to amaze me.
[ Stuttering ] Cock-a-doodle-doo.
[ Thud ]
[ Bobo ] Mmm! Lookee here, lookee here. [ Chuckles ]
Well, well, well.
Good old rooster. Nice of you to join us.
Mm-hmm. Late as always, just like I predicted, huh, guys?
- That's right. - What y'all doing, trumpy?
What are we doing? [ Bobo ] We havin' a party.
Hey, fellas. Mm-hmm?
Rooster want to know what we doin'.
What we doin' is what we doin'.
Ain't you supposed to be the smart one?
I mean, that's what old man spats always said.
- Shit! - [ Laughing ]
Mmm. Goddamn, man! This is starting to get fun.
You know something? [ Bobo ] That was a lot of fun.
I had a vision, man.
Started seeing the future. Mm-hmm.
Funny thing... you wasn't in it.
To think you had the audacity to try and shortstop me.
So you just goin' shoot me? Just like that, wilbert?
What type of man you think I am, man?
- We old friends. - [ Bobo chuckles ]
Hey, Sonny? Hmm?
Do me a favor.
- Shoot him. - [ Grunts ]
[ Groans ]
[ Bobo ] Get him. Get him.
Pull him in here. [ Man laughing ]
[ Bobo ] Yeah. [ Cliff ] Where you goin', man?
- [ Grunting, groaning ] - [ Bobo ] Come on, Sonny.
Cliff, come on. I got him.
[ Cliff ] Go, rooster.
- Mm-mmm. - [ Rooster grunting ]
Uh-uh. Uh-uh.
[ Trumpy ] Hey, Bo, that hurt? You finished, rooster?
[ Groans ]
Hold it. Ho-ho-hold it. Hold it, hold it, hold it. Okay.
Should we end this, boss?
Hmm.
It's over, rooster. Wake him up.
[ Bellowing ]
[ Cliff ] Whoo! [ Men laughing ]
[ Trumpy ] Now that's the shit I'm talking about.
Immediate response to command.
[ Gun cocks ]
[ Bobo ] Hot damn, gentlemen! [ Laughing ]
[ Cliff ] Damn!
[ Trumpy, indistinct ] Bad, bad, bad.
[ Man's voice ] ...ln the world. You cannot do evil things.
[ Continues, indistinct ]
[ Gasps ]
[ Cliff ] Oh, hell, no!
- [ Trumpy ] [ Piano: Pop intro ]
Shoot him!
Damn! Can keep you down ¶
all in the dirt ¶ [ Woman ] ¶hallelujah ¶
- that left behind ¶ - [ Clicking ]
- [ Shouts ] - And go to church ¶p
¶go to church, now ¶
¶gotta go to church, now ¶ ¶hallelujah ¶
gotta go to church, now ¶
¶hallelujah ¶
[ rooster ] ¶big, slide into the mode time to drop a load ¶
¶my life is goin' downhill like some cardboard in the snow ¶
¶my bank account is froze and I don't think ¶
¶that I can get out of this hole ¶
¶feels like the figure-four leg lock ¶
¶like the jury went away and then they came back deadlocked ¶
¶I can't move, I can't eat, I can't even breathe ¶
¶can't even buy a decent sack without the stems and the seeds ¶
¶no trees, no p's to ease the stress of everyday living ¶
¶but homeless people gotta suck it up wherever they livin' ¶
¶the unforgiven or the unwillin' live a life of sinnin' ¶
- ¶and expect to be as pure as an infant ¶ - Hey, rooster!
- ¶What about repentin'? ¶ - ¶What about detention? ¶
¶what about you eating dinner in the devil's kitchen? ¶
- ¶what about repentin'? ¶ - ¶What about committing the same sin ¶
¶over and over again and again? ¶
[ woman ] ¶why are we here? ¶
- what are we here for? ¶ - Yeah!
Yeah! Yeah! Yeah!
Yeah! Yeah! [ Cheering ]
- Whoo! - So peaceful and serene ¶ream,
then you on the devil's team¶
what you want to believe ¶
those bad seeds ¶e to sow
¶please, any man can ask to get a pass ¶
¶or a cleansing of sin to grant another chance ¶
¶perhaps another glance at the light at the end of the tunnel ¶
¶talk to the coach and break out the huddle ¶
¶whatever should you fumble, should be subtle ¶
¶because he who lives is never gullible ¶
¶as you survey the syllables and sentences ¶
¶the question that I'm merely trying to pose is as simple as me saying ¶
- [ flask ] ¶what about repentin'? ¶ - ¶What about detention? ¶
¶what about you eating dinner in the devil's kitchen? ¶
- ¶what about repentin'? ¶ - ¶What about committing the same sin ¶
¶over and over again and again? ¶
shit!
[ Woman ] ¶why are we here? ¶
what are we here for ¶
[ bell clanging ] [ Gunfire ]
Trumpy, get in!
- Trumpy! - [ Tires squealing ]
Whoo!
¶[ Chorus vocalizing ]
[ Train whistle blowing ]
¶[ Hip-hop dance ]
¶[ Continues, faint ]
[ Brakes screech ] [ Rooster ] Get the door!
[ Doorman ] So what happened to you, rooster?
Wait here a second.
Okay.
¶[ Dance ]
[ Female chorus ] ¶why are we here? ¶
¶please tell me ¶
¶what are we here for? ¶
[ tires squeal ]
Watch the back. Don't let him get away. Easy, daddy-o.
Have fun.
I'll be right back.
Hey, brown, have you seen rooster? No, man. No.
[ Bobo ] Where's rooster? Back your ass up!
Back up!
¶[ Continues ]
Shit!
Y'all seen percival? Mm-mmm.
¶Tell me ¶
¶[ woman vocalizing ] Hey, where's rooster?
¶[ Continues ]
Taffy!
¶[ Ends ] Hey! Stupid ass.
Hey. Where's rooster? I ain't seen him.
Y'all seen rooster? Up there.
What's goin' on?
[ Audience ] Rooster! Rooster! Rooster! Girl, what?
Rooster! Rooster! Rooster! [ Man ] Rooster!
Rooster! Rooster! Rooster! Wait a minute.
- Rooster! Rooster! Rooster! - [ Taffy ] Trumpy.
I'll tell you later.
You let me know if you see trumpy around here anywhere.
[ Grunts ] Shit.
[ Grunting ]
- Step back. - [ Crowd chattering ]
[ Both grunting, groaning ]
[ Woman ] That's right, rooster! Get him!
[ Man ] Get him, rooster!
Whoa, whoa, whoa, whoa, whoa!
[ Shouts ]
[ Man ] Come on and get him, rooster!
[ Clamoring ]
Whoa. Hold on.
Got what you want right here.
Give it here.
Hand me my money. [ Man ] Don't shoot him, man.
Put it here. [ Man ] Put the gun down, man.
What, you gonna shoot me again, wilbert?
- You think I'm playin' with you? - [ Woman ] Don't you do it!
Put my shit right here. I'm-a put it in your hand.
Y'all gonna let him shoot me?
- [ All ] No! - [ Man ] Trumpy, don't shoot him!
Shut up! What'd I say?
- Money! Hmm! Here. - [ Woman screams ]
Percival! Percival!
[ Trumpy ] Drop my shit!
Drop my shit right now. What the fuck's wrong with you?
Put my money down! Drop my shit.
- [ Woman screams ] - [ Grunting ]
[ Groans ]
- [ Gun cocks ] - [ Panting ]
[ Spent cartridges clink on floor ]
Trumpy.
Come on, wilbert.
[ Groans ] Come on.
[ Clicks ] [ Crowd gasps ]
- [ Groaning ] - [ Man ] Don't play like that, boy!
[ Gunshot ] [ Woman screams ]
[ Ragged breathing ]
[ Crowd chattering, shouting ]
[ Sally ] Percival?
[ Groaning ]
[ Sobs ]
Oh.
[ Monk ] Somebody call a doctor!
Trumpy?
[ Groans ]
[ Sobs ]
I love you, okay?
Sally.
You're okay.
Gonna go to Chicago.
See those bright lights. [ Laughs ]
Yeah, we'll get outta here.
[ Sobs stop ]
Mmm!
[ Sniffles ]
[ Sobbing ]
Got a new song.
I got a new song. You gonna love it.
[ Weeping ]
[ Honey bun, China sobbing ]
[ Cuckooing ]
[ Clocks ticking ]
[ Voices whispering ]
[ Ticking continues ]
¶[ Dance pop ]
[ Cuckooing ]
¶She stays alone ¶
¶never sheds a single tear ¶
¶she stays in the coolest moods ¶
¶clearly woman of the year ¶
¶she and all her girlfriends ¶
¶they go out ¶
¶dressed to win ¶
¶she comes back to the cooler side of town ¶
¶ah, but she lives in my lap ¶
¶she lives in my lap ¶
¶oh, she lives in my lap ¶
[ man ] ¶forever my fiancée ¶
¶she lives in my lap ¶
¶don't leave, don't stay ¶
¶she lives in my lap ¶
¶I'll get the courage one day ¶
¶make me want you ¶
¶make me miss you ¶
¶make me wonder where you are ¶
¶then forget you ¶
¶girl, remind me ¶
¶just who we are ¶
¶we're oh, so close ¶
¶but yet, so far ¶
¶she lives in my lap ¶
¶I'll get the courage one day ¶
I'm Sally b. Shelly.
I'm a star, remember?
To New York City.
Honey, I am gonna travel the world.
Percival Jenkins.Und,
[ screams ]
- Percival! It's rooster! - [ Knocking ]
I got something for you from angel.
It's rooster!
Percival!
Percival! Open the door.
Open the door. Percival!
[ Rattling ] Percival!
[ Knocker clacks ] It's rooster.
[ Man ] Woman to man ¶ girl,
percival! [ Knocker clacks ]
About the best you can ¶ne
and come join the band ¶
¶vibrate ¶
- percival. ¶vibrate higher ¶
found these at church. [ Rain falling ]
Come on, man. G go.
You got songs the whole world need to hear.
She would want that for you.
What about you?
Man, I gotta get my family back.
I see you dressed mighty nice.
Just right for Chicago.
Look at you.
Chicago.
God don't make no mistakes.
You ain't said nothin' slick to a can of oil.
[ Whispers ] Come on.
[ Thunder rumbling ] Come on.
¶[ Woman vocalizing ] Let's go.
[ Percival narrating ] All the world's a stage,
and all the men and the women merely players.
They all have their exits and entrances,
each with a specific role to play.
[ Man ] Right in the Nick of time ¶
then you blow your mind ¶
¶[ vocalizing continues ]
And so divine ¶ificent
it'll blow your mind ¶
[ percival narrating ] Angel made her exit,
and I made mine.
Once you're stretched out in that speaker box,
it's over.
Can't go back and change anything.
You got one shot in this life.
What y'all doin'? Pretty girls.
See, dad done went and bought a new Cadillac. Mm-hmm.
Peaches and cream. Peaches and cream.
Y'all like it? [ Girl ] I do.
[ Giggling ] Come on, give me a hug. Let's go tell your mama.
Mmm! Somethin' smell good. What's for dinner?
[ Percival narrating ] When it's your turn under the spotlight,
you've got to give it your best.
Once you do that, you never know.
Life might surprise you.
¶[ Mid-tempo jazz ]
You are so fussy.
Here. Take your brother.
What is that? Daddy got a new record.
[ Baby fussing ] Oh, he did?
Girl, look at you.
Lord have mercy. Mm, mm, mm!
- Hey. - ¶[ Mid-tempo jazz ]
[ Audience cheering ] Uh-huh.
Well, all right.
How y'all doin'?
Yes, ma'am.
Lookin' mighty fine.
¶I've been around the world ¶
¶seen so many pretty girls ¶
¶but I still get overwhelmed ¶
¶when I look in your eyes ¶
¶been from Maine to Spain ¶
¶but everything seems the same ¶
¶I only feel the change ¶
¶when I look in your eyes ¶
¶I know you're upper-class ¶
¶I know you've got pizzazz ¶
¶every man wanna kiss your... ¶
¶and I do too ¶
[ percival on phonograph ] ¶sometimes I'm just a clown ¶
[ flask ] Rooster! Hey.
You know what? I'm so happy to see you. Mwah!
It was fun while it lasted. Hello. What you doin'? Don't leave me here!
¶Tell me, what's a man to do ¶
¶to get close to you? ¶
¶I'm just a lonely fool ¶
¶when I look in your eyes ¶
¶don't tell me no this time ¶
¶if you do it'll blow my mind ¶
¶have you ever seen a grown man cry? ¶
¶it's an awful thing ¶
¶[ continues ]
To say good-bye ¶e
one more try ¶ive it
¶I'm only satisfied ¶
¶when I look in your eyes ¶
¶oh, please come home with me ¶
¶oh, don't you wanna marry me? ¶
¶I'm even gonna rub your feet ¶
- ¶when they stink ¶ - ¶How can ¶
¶how can I let you down ¶
¶I guess I'm always gonna be around ¶
¶I'm simply astounded ¶
¶when I look in your eyes ¶
¶[ trumpet soloing ] [ Chattering, laughing ]
¶[ Ends ] [ Audience cheering, clapping ]
¶[ Rock-steady drums ]
[ Tap dancing ]
¶Ain't nobody ¶
¶like my style, yeah ¶
¶I light my fire, yeah ¶
¶I light my fire I light my fire ¶
¶they blow it out, yeah ¶
¶they blow it out they blow it out ¶
¶and don't nobody ¶
¶wanna feel like that, no ¶
¶monkeys on my back, crawl ¶
¶now watch them all fall ¶
go on, fall! Look out!
¶Nobody wanted to dance ¶
¶when I had a lot of time on my hands ¶
¶now I got a lot of hands on my time ¶
¶and everybody wanna be a friend of mine ¶
¶whoa, whoa ¶
¶I wouldn't mind a friend ¶
¶the fellas back home all tryin' to win ¶
¶moon keeps shinin' on bootleg bottles ¶
¶cops in the street, keep your feet on the throttle ¶
¶sellin' what you got in a Ford "a" model ¶
¶yellin' "go, p.J., go!" ¶
¶ain't nothin' idle ¶
¶everything is wild ¶
¶yeah ¶
¶you can be hip now, yeah ¶
¶some magic turnaround ¶
¶put me in the ground, yeah ¶
¶four, five, six feet underground ¶
¶and ain't no Bible ¶
¶at this here church, no ¶
¶you won't find God, no ¶
¶might need a verse, oh ¶
oh, God! Look out!
¶[ Horn section playing ]
¶Nobody wanted to leave ¶
¶house so packed that we couldn't even breathe ¶
¶and ain't no better place to fall in love ¶
¶angel sent from heaven above ¶
¶swing down and help change your life ¶
¶you might make a baby, might meet your wife ¶
¶but one sure thing that you're going to say ¶
¶deep down South there's a little old place ¶
¶them idlewild cats, man, they don't play ¶
¶don't make me send a telegram to rooster ¶
¶he'll shoot ya ¶
¶[ piano: Arpeggios ]
[ Cheering ]
¶Say whoa, mammy ¶
¶whoa, mammy ¶
¶say whoa, pappy ¶
¶whoa, everybody get up ¶
¶no, no, no, no, get down ¶
¶everybody get up ¶
¶no, no, no, no ¶
¶get down ¶
¶everybody get up ¶
¶no, no, no, no ¶
¶get down ¶
¶everybody get up ¶
¶no, no, no, no ¶
¶get down ¶
¶[ horns: Flourish ]
[ Whirring ]
¶[ Dance ]
¶[ Chorus vocalizing ]
[ Man laughs ] ¶[ Vocalizing continues ]
[ Man ] He's back ¶u like it or not
fat sacks ¶-d-y,
¶ridin' in the Cadillac ¶
beat it up ¶e some
outkast came to heat it up ¶
like I just left church ¶
when the shit won't work ¶
¶ridin' in the Cadillac ¶
beat it up ¶e some
outkast came to heat it up ¶
what's really goin' on ¶w
still making songs? ¶
¶so on and so on and on and on ¶ on
¶hell yes ¶
[ chorus ] The world go round ¶
you just don't know ¶
is like a marching band ¶
¶I'm a fan in the stands ¶
¶yes, I am, hey, baby ¶lering
¶sayin' hey, baby ¶
please believe me ¶
¶don't you go ¶
¶baby, no, no, no ¶
is like a marching band ¶
¶I'm a fan in the stands ¶
¶yes, I am, hey, baby ¶lering
¶sayin' hey, baby ¶
¶baby, you and me ¶
masterpiece ¶sical
me and my band ¶nd,
back to your feet ¶urch
¶so wait, baby ¶
¶don't leave me, baby ¶
¶so wait, baby ¶
¶don't leave me, baby ¶
¶baby, you and me ¶
masterpiece ¶sical
me and my band ¶nd,
back to your feet ¶urch
¶so wait, baby ¶
¶don't leave me, baby ¶
¶so wait, baby ¶
¶don't leave me, baby ¶
[ echoing ] ¶baby ¶