Honeydripper

Come on, lay off with that scratch!

Ain't bothering you.

Yes it is, that ain't no kind of music.

At least I make a sound.

Yeah, and it's a nasty one.

-Wanna try again tonight?

-Might as well.

MUSIC PLAYS FROM CLUB

# I know a gal by the name of Maid Lou

# She shook it so much she had the German flu

# No matter how she done it

# Oh, no matter how she done it

# Well, no matter how she done it

# She done it just the same

# The women didn't like her

# And they called her out of her name

# But the men, they loved her

# Mmm, it was a crying shame

# No matter how she done it

# No matter how she done it

# Well, no matter how she done it

# She done it just the same

# No matter how she done it

# She done it just the same

# Yes, she did. #

You take it for a while.

They making all that racket again at Toussaint's.

Yeah, all them people over there buying drinks,

throwin' that money after them dice and what not.

Lucky we got none of that here.

# You can drink your liquor

# You can drink your cold can beer

# You can drink your good whisky

# You can drink your cool can beer

# You can stay out all with your sweet gal

# But, Papa, don't you leave me here

# I hear that wild ox moaning

# Looking for that Texas...#

Sounding good, huh?

Sounds fine. Always has.

-Not much of a crowd.

-Not a crowd at all,

just some stiffs who wanna drink themselves to sleep without the music waking them up.

You oughta advertise.

Got an attraction like Bertha Mae.

Singing is one thing, Slick, but whether people wanna look at you

-when you do it is another.

-Got quite a number

-over the Toussaint's place tonight.

-Sounds like it.

Lots of young folks coming in to listen to that box of his.

I don't see why we don't just turn our box on, let folks feed it nickels like they do.

The lady is singing.

# You hear me pleading, baby Baby, don't you leave me here...#

But didn't nobody come to listen to her, Slick.

# Come here, sweet Daddy

# Let me whisper in your ear...#

Like the man say, you can't argue with failure.

You know why Slick here's like a preacher?

Cos he do all his best work on his knees!

Never mind him, he's just drunk.

I heard she put a ring through it, use it to drag him round the house.

Come on, you know Tyrone don't like no scuffle in here.

I ought to get me old lady, help out with the groceries...

You just gotta sweet talk her some, give her a little poke every now and then.

-You gonna drink, or you gonna lay about recoverin' from that busted head you about to get?

-Gentlemen!

Miss Delilah.

Let's behave ourselves.

What are you boys doing in here?

Out, out! And what are you doing behind that bar?

-It's just for a minute.

-That's 60 seconds too long.

Maceo, take that child's place.

-You bring people their food, don't be messing with their liquor.

-Nobody's eating!

That's cos nobody's here but these couple of lost souls.

Haven't had an appetite since they gave over to the devil.

Evening, Maceo, you looking good tonight!

Likewise, Miss Nadine.

What can I do for you?

Oh, you know what you can do for me, sweet man.

What would you like...to drink?

How many is that tonight?

Don't talk to me about that, baby.

-Not tonight.

-I don't want China Doll behind that bar.

She's got to help out.

Not behind there she doesn't. You know she's not supposed to get excited.

Not much chance of that in here.

Harvest hands all crowded in to Toussaint's place.

Young ones.

You'll get some of them.

They'll stick their noses in here, get one little sniff of the music and go home.

Maybe that's the wages of sin.

Ain't no sin happening here tonight, baby.

And there sure as hell ain't no wages.

Your God wants to chastise some sinners, he'd best go over to Toussaint's.

Got a whole bar room crowded with them.

He's not my God.

He's everybody's God.

How did the meeting go tonight?

Viola Underwood found the Lord.

If she'd found Him last, she wouldn't have come through.

She must have lost Him again between then and now cos she come down that aisle tonight hollering in tongues.

The spirit didn't move you, though?

Not yet.

Maybe it's too late for me.

I can't believe he's serving Alton Stokely. That poor man.

Toussaint cut his credit off.

Either he gets it here, or he drinks that paint peeler Willie Pettigrew cuts up back in his swamp.

I'm gonna go home, say a prayer for that man.

Say one for me too, baby.

Outstanding, baby. Outstanding.

-You've still got the voice.

-You think so?

Chills down my spine just to hear you.

Ty, I'm gonna be a little late Saturday.

No need to come in if you don't want to.

I've made other arrangements.

Other arrangements?

-Try something new in here.

-You can't do that.

-Yes, he can, darling.

This is his place, and he can do whatever he wants.

You'll know where to find me when you need me.

Put the box on now, Ty?

Yeah, put the box on.

I'm gonna crank it up some, see if we can draw some life in here.

LOUD JAZZ MUSIC

There it goes again.

Electricity don't like that jukebox.

Must be a short circuit in the juke here.

-Got to get the power company in here.

-No, they turned my juice off last month.

I don't want you sniffing around that splice out Maceo did.

It's nice in here.

Kind of romantic.

I'm gonna have to go out back, wiggle some things around.

Don't you wiggle nothing round unless I'm there to see it.

You don't worry, folks, bar's still open.

Evening, folks.

Evening, Sherriff.

Your light's gone out.

Looks like it.

You'll know that'll be a violation of something or other.

We're just about to close up here.

Oh. Ooh, your wife been cooking?

Not tonight.

Went to a revival chat.

Ah, I stood by there myself.

Them niggers were singing up a storm.

I just came out here to look in on Toussaint.

Had that shooting two nights ago.

Lots of fighting in there.

There is that.

Course, me and old Toussaint,

we got us an agreement.

Them field hands start sucking down that whisky,

hopping them all up with music, there's gonna be some razors drawn.

Course, he only call me if it's a fatality.

Never been a killing here. Them youngbloods know better than to mess...

Than to mess with Tyrone Purvis.

You've got quite a reputation round here, Tyrone.

People say you put some poor black boy in the grave.

Just people talking.

Uh-huh.

You just remember,

this is my county, Tyrone.

What goes on goes on cos I let it.

Don't want nobody getting too big for their breeches round here.

You folks have a pleasant evening.

Nigger ain't shit in this world.

Speaking for yourself.

You ain't had his club, Tyrone, what do you think you'd be?

You wouldn't be nothing.

If that ain't truth, then grits ain't grocery.

TRAIN WHISTLE BLOWS

That's a terrible noise.

Just the northbound Talladega. Sounds like it always does.

Like a soul being carried away from this life.

Come on in, darling,

before you catch your death out here.

You're lucky the high sheriff ain't seen you crawling out that boxcar.

-Does he come around here much?

-Only when he bored.

-You working on a train?

-Yeah, Kansas City to New Orleans.

What did you get off here for?

I got people here. How about you?

Got tired of sleeping in a boxcar.

Is there a place to stay around here?

Shed right over there got a cot.

And don't mind the rats. Not unless you've got food on you.

I see you and a good meal have been strangers for some time.

Get into town tomorrow, find you need something, tell them Shack Thomas sent you.

-They'll know who you're talking about.

-Thanks. What's the name of this town?

Name like that sounds like a good place for a musician.

Only night I ever been in jail was a town called Liberty.

The sun come up, you'll see where you landed.

You'd best be out that shed by first light.

-Just a weekday night.

-The chicken man or the ice man or the liquor man.

At least you don't owe the electric company.

Yeah, that's a big relief.

You thinking about closing down?

-What do you think?

-The biggest act in New Orleans.

-Got him a hit on the radio.

-He's playing here Saturday night.

I'm thinking I wait till Bertha Mae was gone and I put him up.

Here?

You mean like in this room here?

You know the Tomcat Club in Texicana?

-Big Jim Jameson's place?

-It just went out of business.

-Damn.

-Since Sam is getting sway over to Tulsa, it means the date is open.

-But you ain't never had no guitar...

-I'm having one now.

You just worry about getting these hung everywhere in the county tomorrow.

Payday Saturday, he's gonna draw all them cotton pickers and soldier boys in here.

Get us back in the black.

They're gonna take me down,

it won't be without a fight.

Guitar Sam at the Honeydripper!

Mm-hm!

Man, this joint is gonna jump!

BELL TINKLES

GUITAR STRUMMING

Somebody slipped in the railroad yard.

You all can play that thing.

Yeah, been doing it nearby for ever.

What side of the tracks am I on?

The wrong side.

For you.

What you doing here, then?

Oh, white folks look right through me.

Besides, how much mischief is an old, blind spook like me gonna get up to anyhow?

Lot of people go for music around here?

There's a couple of places just outside of town, at the crossroads.

-A long walk?

-Are you in a hurry?

-How old is that box you're playing, pops?

-Second one ever made.

The devil got the first one. How about yours?

Brand new. Made it myself.

Ooh, brand new! Made it hisself!

-Hot dog!

-It's right.

So, these clubs?

Old Toussaint, he runs the Ace of Spades.

They don't have no live music in there.

Pine Top Purvis, he runs the Honeydripper Lounge.

He don't care nothing about no guitar.

-He won't allow one under his roof.

-That don't make sense.

Well, when a musician put his hand to murder,

nine times out of ten a drummer done it.

But Pine Top, he a piano man.

-He killed somebody?

-That's the story.

But if you meet the man, you damn well don't be asking him about it.

HONKING

Ain't seen no mule in a long time!

I knew this was Alabama, but that's the Stone Ages, man!

Where you from, boy?

Memphis.

Down on your vacation?

Got in a piece of trouble up there with the white folks.

Need to bide my time for a spell.

Biding your time with them pills, man,

boss man gonna fire your ass.

Don't worry about that. I'm a cotton-picking fool!

You a fool all right.

-Where you from, brother bear?

-Mississippi.

Hoo! This here is a real step-up for you!

Folks around here have discovered fire and whatnot!

That trouble you in,

have anything to do with running your mouth?

It had to do with somebody getting on my nerves and I had to deal with him.

Must have been somebody kinda puny.

As I recall, he was about your size.

-What's this place we at?

-Nearest town's Harmony.

This is Mr Silas Tugwell's place.

-You better get to picking.

-Cotton ain't going nowhere.

The more you get first thing when the dew's still on it,

the more it weighs when it tip that scale.

You live here too?

You got my sympathies.

Hot damn!

-What's the matter?

-I got a shock.

I thought you used to work for the power company.

I drove the supply truck.

Guitar Sam ain't gonna be playing by no candlelight.

I smell bacon.

You must have burned your porky ass with that electricity!

Breakfast's ready!

-Where your mama?

-She already over to the mayor's.

She told me to make sure you eat something before you start running 'round.

That is a sweet woman you got.

-You got one waiting for you if you want her.

-Who, Nadine?

She come in here every night making them cow eyes at you.

She seem like a kind who could smother a man.

She makes all her own clothes.

Darlin', that's not the kind of thing

a man cares about from a woman.

MUSIC BLARES

-Hey, I fixed it!

-You ain't done no such thing.

-It just decided to come back on.

-Decided?

-Yeah.

Just like it decided to switch off last night.

You ain't even in the conversation!

This Nadine makes some good money, too, sewing for people.

That woman scares me.

Last ol' boy to give her a tumble,

Napier Carpenter, she cooked for him.

Fixed him up all kinds of nice, new clothes...

I don't see no problem with that!

Come four, five months, a man starts to...

Sorry, China Doll, but this is just the way it is.

A man gots needs.

Looks like Nadine could take care of those, too.

You eat chicken every morning, noon and night for five months,

you get a taste for a different kind of meat.

Maybe I shouldn't be talking about this in front of China Doll.

You ain't gonna say something I haven't heard worse.

Well, Napier goes out and has him a pork chop or two, let's say.

Comes back one night from Toussaint's place,

feeling no pain and smelling...

..Like pork chops, the way a man will.

He falls out on Nadine's couch and commenced to snore.

Wake up next morning, find she had taken all his clothes off without him knowing.

The man was dog drunk!

Miss Nadine come back with a skillet in her hand,

hot grits bubbling in it.

Says, "Baby, I got your breakfast".

"Oh, not this morning, Nadine", he says, sitting up.

"Don't think I could eat a thing."

"Well then", she says, "we can't let this go to waste, can we?"

and she dumped that whole hot bubbling mess

right in that man's lap.

Ouch!

Then she got busy with that hot iron on his head.

If screams didn't bring the neighbours in,

she'd have killed that man.

You've got to admit it though,

the woman is an artist when it comes to that Singer machine.

Excuse me.

Which one of you is Mr Pine Top?

We ain't hiring.

I can play anything.

I already got me a professional.

Guitar Sam really comin' all the way down here?

That so surprising?

No, no.

-Mr Shack Thomas told me...

-You know Shack?

We...travelled together.

When was the last time you ate solid food, young man?

Take him back and fix him something, China Doll.

Standing there all hungry-eyed,

puts me off my breakfast.

That's real kind of you.

Must've come in on the north-bound last night.

Looks like he got the cooties too.

Straw in them box cars, full of 'em.

Never cared to travel that way.

I was out there riding them rails between the wars.

Hm...

Seen black half of the country headin' west.

Rode past the other half coming back east.

Yeah, every one of us, scraping for the next meal.

This is the place. Y'all can tear things down.

Put things up. It's got a lot of potential.

-It looks bigger than it does from the outside.

-Can I help you, gentlemen?

I'm just showing the man who gonna run this place what he got.

This is my place.

You the piano player, right?

My name's Tyrone. They call me Pine Top Purvis.

Pine Top Purvis.

You owe 200

to Lucky Hardaway up in Little Rock.

He gonna get his.

Pine Top...

You missed last month's rent.

After this weekend.

After this weekend, you gonna be the same raggedy arse piano player

who can't pay off his debts.

Mr Simmons here, he's gonna be the new proprietor.

Lucky give me two weeks.

-Lucky got a better offer.

-He can't do that.

You don't think so?

Whoa, now!

What if we got our payments for him Monday?

-Saturday night.

-We can do that.

Not just no taste.

The whole 200.

And I'll throw in a 25 cent tip for his messenger boy.

In the meantime,

we're not open yet.

That means y'all trespassing.

See enough, Mr Simmons?

I believe I have.

Somebody could do something with this place.

Wouldn't take a whole lot of work.

-We cleared over 200 that one weekend.

-A couple of years back.

And we didn't have no Luther on the guitar with the playing meter.

-They say it draws them like flies.

-That's what they say.

They say first thing he does is go to the man that owns a joint,

sticks out his hand and watch that cash money put in it.

I already sent 50 to his manager.

-How much you paying him all out?

-Another hundred.

-We need to clear 300!

-What I figure is if we charge folks 2 to get in,

then the liquor....

What I'm saying is 'less he see that green up front,

the man won't get off the train!

HORN HONKS

What's that now?

About time you fellas run by!

We're just about dry here!

Boss in?

Tyrone?

Whisky wagon come by.

Y'all a day late!

The old man Toussaint gonna chew me out!

Toussaint went over to another supplier upstate.

We just got you,

then we're over to the army base to service the officers' club.

That's 56.

My credit no good anymore?

Whoa, whoa. What's your hurry?

Nobody in their right mind sell liquor on credit,

especially not to no dark town road house.

Listen, I got a special case, see.

We've got the harvest coming up.

Soldiers at the base gonna be let off on leave Saturday night.

Ain't enough hooch in this truck to satisfy what we gonna sell!

You pay as you go, that's business.

Look, you come back Monday,

get paid and take back every damn drop that I don't sell.

OK, we got Guitar Sam lined up here...

What... What if I throw in 5 up front for you fellas?

ENGINE STARTS

Hey! Wait.

Come on, man!

Everybody gives credit!

It's the American way!

Maybe we could buy some Bushead from Willie Pettigrew.

With that sheriff sniffing 'round me every night,

lay my black ass in jail for good.

Then what we gonna do?

# Move it on over, move it on over... #

Got a load of liquor for a Mr Lucien Toussaint.

That would be me.

I trust he got my cheque all right.

Don't suppose I'd be here if they didn't.

Pull round to the back, we'll help you unload.

This better be some Saturday night.

Arkansas. How about you?

We come here just after mama met my stepdaddy.

Not much going on in a little town like this.

-They started up the training base again.

-Is that right?

You been in the army?

Uh-huh.

You shoot people?

Fixed radios.

They say this new war gonna be a short one.

Might be, might not.

I was in Japan.

Yeah?

What's the people like there?

-Small.

-Yeah?

About...

that high.

Speak Japanese.

You been to California?

Los Angeles.

-Where they make the movies?

-You go to movies?

-I've been once.

A fine looking girl like you ought to have been all kinds of places.

I'm going to 'em, I just...

First I'm going to beauty school.

When mama saves up the money.

Then I'll have a portable skill.

Like playing music?

My stepdaddy says that ain't a skill.

It's an affliction.

Come on, China Doll.

Business in town. You gonna help wi' it.

And you young man, you wanna point yourself west down that highway

about three miles to the people working in the field.

It's harvest time.

If you can stoop and pull, they got a job for you.

Wash up the dishes before you go.

What I need is for you to go get friendly with Luther,

then I just happen in.

We can't just ask Mr Skinner?

Mr Skinner don't want nothing from coloured folk,

but they buy his goods and shine his shoes.

You go on ahead now.

GUITAR STRUMMING

# It was early

# Friday evening

# And the hound began to bark

# Staggolee and Billy Lyons

# Squabbling in the dark

# Staggolee told Billy Lyons

# "What do you think about that?

# "First you take all my money

# "Then you spits in my Stetson hat"... #

I hate that damn song.

How you been keeping, Tyrone?

Well, just...

trying to hold it together.

You've got your beautiful young daughter with you this morning.

Don't you be studying her.

I heard tell you gonna put on a guitar man out at your place.

Where you hear that?

Oh... The breeze.

Well, this time the breeze know what it's blowing about.

You'd better be careful, Tyrone.

Cos you know what them guitar players are like.

You be careful yourself.

# He shot him in the shoulder

# Three times in the side

# That's the last time he shot him

# Poor Billy up and died

# Up and died. #

The time is ripe

and the bill is passed due.

You know Mr Roosevelt would've done it already, only he died.

They don't listen to Miss Eleanor no more but Mr Truman,

he's starting a band, especially now that we got this war heated up.

Brother Randolph says...

Here it comes! The gospel according to Randolph(!)

-Tyrone! How you doing?

-Oh, got my nose above the waterline.

-Here's my baby.

-What's up, Ty?

-How your mama doing, China Doll?

She doing fine, Uncle Shack.

I'm just telling the boys here about how Brother Randolph

pushing this deal how boys are gonna be a full part of the service.

I carried a rifle in the Great War.

Boys get in the middle of this Korea mess,

they ain't gonna thank you for your efforts.

If we want our full due in this country, we've got to go ho ho!

Black folk shooting yellow folk to keep white folks happy?

We need to move on from that kind of thinking.

Move right on, Shack. Then come back and tell the rest of us how it is.

LAUGHTER

That's a hard headed man.

-I'd have to ask Mr Skinner.

-Of course you would.

While you're at it, remind him how one of the reasons coloured folks come here

is to get the low-down on what's happening.

-China doll!

-You gonna let us put up these posters, ain't you, Luther?

I don't think that will be any problem at all.

-That's awful nice of you, Luther.

-You're looking special today.

That's sweet of you to say.

Maceo, you go with the man here,

he'll show you where to put these up.

Darling, we've got a lot of more places to go.

Nice to see you, Luther!

You've got that boy eating out of your hand!

Luther is the only one didn't pull my hair,

he sat behind me in Sunday school.

I hope you got a little of that sugar left, cos we got to spare some on Miss Bertha Mae Spivey.

-You gonna ask her to come sing again?

-I'm gonna ask her for money.

Word is, she got a whole pile of it squirrelled away.

-Daddy...

-Hey, come on, girl, we in a rush here.

-I got to rest.

Oh, I'm sorry, honey.

You catch your breath, OK.

Yeah.

So why Miss Spivey gonna give you money,

if you won't let her sing at the club no more?

-I'm gonna make her partner.

-Partner in what?

The Honeydripper.

But all you ever say, it's just a hole you pour good money into.

It don't matter. I'm gonna make her proprietor.

Tress. Like waiter and waitress.

Proprietress.

She got to like the sound of that.

Lovely ladies out to make a purchase.

-Is that the same Guitar Sam is on the radio?

-The very one.

What does he look like?

A fine looking man, a real lady killer from what I hear.

Got that New Orleans style to him.

Well, you ought to have a picture up there.

We'll be getting some of those when he come in on the train.

Main thing is, the man is electrifying

and you know what that means.

OK.

Make like we just come by to see how how she keeping.

Then I'll kind of mention I'd been thinking of bringing her on as a partner.

Left the door open.

She gone.

Oh. When she going to be back?

She just gone.

Woke up beside her.

Oh, damn.

24 years.

China doll, go find your mama.

She'll know how to fix up the body.

Laugh and all but...

..I've been with that woman 24 years.

She gave me the only home I ever had.

What am I gonna do now?

What's your hurry, boy?

No hurry.

Take your hat off.

Where you headed?

I'm looking for work.

You're not from around here?

No, sir.

Stranger wandering around, no job,

that would make you a vagrant.

But I'm looking.

I got a job for you. Get in the back.

I can always use another hand.

Well, I caught this young fella in flagrant violation of the statutes -

gawkery, with intent to mope.

What's he going to run me?

3 a day, plus you feed him lunch.

The sentence, that all depends on how long you're gonna need the help?

I don't get any trial?

Sure you do, boy, and a speedy one at that. Meet the judge.

Judge Gatlin.

Grab a sack.

Oh dear, I believe it's about that time.

-Would you care to join me?

-No, thank you.

Of course you won't join me, you don't partake.

That was thoughtless of me.

No, that's all right.

So, you don't take spirits and what else in your church?

-I'm sort of between churches right now.

-Oh.

I've been thinking about changing over to the Holiness,

but I haven't been sanctified yet.

Oh.

There's been a minister in this week.

The tent over by the fairgrounds?

The church I was raised in, we were Pentecostals.

They wouldn't have anything but the human voice inside the church.

Dancing, any kind of dancing,

music, card-playing.

It was very strict.

They took up serpents.

I heard of that.

I tell Floyd these stories, and he's... He's horrified.

They have always been Methodists, Floyd's family.

It can be a trial, married folks differ in their religion.

And your husband is a...?

Unaffiliated.

Unaffiliated, I see.

But he has his social club.

-The Honeydripper?

-That is such a colourful name.

Yes.

He must have a great deal of his energy to it.

It's just him and Maceo Green runs it,

I go over and cook some after I get off here.

Well, that's very supportive of you, considering the sort of environment.

I've been in those bar rooms most of my life, Miss Amanda.

I see.

I was a singer.

I met Tyrone in the Paradise, down in Treefork.

China doll was only two.

And I was just...

living alone, you know,

drinking more than I ought,

and then Tyrone...

..Like a light, come into my life.

People think things cos he owns the lounge,

but they don't know him.

Small minds are never in short supply.

People in this town...

I suppose they expected that Floyd, being from a prominent family,

as prominent as is possible here in Harmony,

would have chosen somebody more...

In school, if you didn't have shoes...

Oh, I forgot!

I was going through some of Emily's old things the other day.

I thought this would look just darling on your China Doll.

Oh, I don't think that would near fit her, Miss Amanda.

Why, how old is she, now?

17.

Oh, my...

I must have lost track somewhere along the line.

17?

It was a very nice thought.

Mama, mama, they need you...

Oh, I'm sorry.

-Miss Amanda, I didn't know you was home.

-China Doll!

We were just recalling how you used to play right here,

under this table.

There's not any cash money that I know of.

She sold a good deal of the furniture,

but there's still a nice looking couch in the parlour.

Didn't care about too much,

other than singing at the Pine Top's place.

You're welcome to look around the house,

if there's anything your missus might like.

As long as it's not something personal to me and Bertha Mae.

It's just...

She's got to go out in style.

-You ain't never done this job before?

-Can't say I have.

You want to set your pins out wide, bend over at the hip.

Don't be bobbing up and down all the time.

When you're up, be up.

When you're on the roll, stay down.

But most important,

you got to get a rhythm.

Everything in life got a rhythm, even pulling cotton off the plant.

-Lay it out for me.

-Not my rhythm, your rhythm.

That's between you and the day and the work you got before you.

Once you get it, don't let nothing or nobody push you off it.

I'm going so slow.

Are you getting paid by the pound or by the hour?

I ain't getting paid at all, none of us are.

I suggest you work that into your rhythm too.

Let's see more picking and less talking over there.

Getting right to it, boss.

Them boys frying over there.

That's just Gatlin's gang.

He works them people from can into cane, every damn day.

When the fields get picked, he bid 'em out to the neighbours.

Harvest time come around here,

you'd better sign with somebody fast, or get out of sight.

I ate a pick of dust today.

Why don't you get some water?

The only thing that wash out the dust is whisky.

Ain't enough whisky in this world to wash out what I swallowed in my life.

-What are we playing for?

-Two bits of ham.

Woo! That's awful steep, ain't it?

Well... I remember playing this game one night,

Memphis's boss Crumpstown folks is gambling before they can walk,

caught me a winning streak

that cleaned out half the sporting men on Beale Street.

I got up from that table, my money was long as train smoke.

What happened to it?

I spent it all on fine-looking women.

-Yo, Mississippi!

-His name is Hamilton.

-Hambo!

You want in on this?

Settle up on pay day.

That your deck of cards?

What if it is?

I'll stay clear of it then.

-Are you insinuating?

-I'm just saying, I don't want to play.

Looks like dinner.

A rabbit is a rodent.

A man eat a rabbit, might as well eat a rat.

Simple country nigger,

afraid to sit down and lose a little handful of change.

He awful big to mess with.

Don't scare me none.

I'm a stepping razor, man. I'm trouble on two legs.

Your draw, Junebug. Don't be dripping no sweat on my cards.

HONKING

Excuse me folks!

Look here!

Y'all heard about the show we puttin' on at the Honeydripper.

Saturday night.

We got Guitar Sam!

I expect there'll be a nice turnout for Bertha Mae tomorrow.

Yes, folks who wouldn't have nothing to do with her when she was alive.

Some of them, maybe.

Still got to pay your respects.

That Slick is gonna have to find him a new ride.

That's a terrible thing to say.

That's how the man gets over, is all.

Always sugaring up to some woman who's got a job or a bankroll.

That's no way to live.

Society is in whirl, baby.

A man's gotta walk through the gates of hell to get a piece of cheese.

Not so young any more...

..Lose hold of what little he's got.

If you lose the club, I'm sure you'll find something else.

In this town, like what?

You know, any time you want, I could get Miss Amanda to ask...

Watch your feet, Mr Mayor!

I just done mopped the floor.

Ty, you work so hard at the lodge, but what you bring in is...

Not even as much as you make polishing that white lady's silver.

I didn't say that.

You didn't have to.

It'll just have to work out, then.

Meeting gonna start and I'm not there.

Your soul's not the one needs saving, baby.

It's all gonna be fine, Daddy.

Everybody in town talking about Guitar Sam coming to Harmony.

# As I walked all along this highway

# I was seeking

# My Lord each day

# She left me standing

# She left me standing

# Out on this highway

# Oh, just wondering which way I must go

# She left me standing

# She left me standing

# Out on this highway

# Oh, just wondering which way I must go. #

Amen! Amen! Sing on, choir!

Amen! Let the church say Amen.

ALL: Amen!

Amen!

Let the church say Amen! Amen!

ALL: Amen!

Amen!

She left him standing out on the highway,

wondering which way to go.

ALL: Yeah.

The highway of life.

Sisters and brothers, it will twist you and it will turn ya.

It will run you this-a-way, and it will run you that-a-way.

ALL: Yeah.

Tempt you with many a detour.

ALL: Yeah.

Because the highway of life is designed to lead us astray.

ALL: Yeah.

That's not the road that we want to be on, brothers and sisters.

That's not the path that we need to follow.

We need to be on that other road.

We need to be on that road that leads to glory.

We need to be on that road that leads to the right hand of God.

CHEERING AND APPLAUSE

# That thoroughfare I'm talking about

# That righteous road we need to travel

# It's called the highway to heaven

# It is called the highway to heaven

# But we need to know, sisters and brothers

# We need to know Who is walking beside ya.

# You got to be wary of who is tryin'

# To hold you back from your journey

# Cos many a loved ones got to be left behind

# Cos even on the road, you're lost in the wilderness

# You're either headin' for glory or you're doomed for damnation

# You're either with the Lord or you're with the devil.

# And there ain't no in-between.

# No, no, there ain't no in-between. #

Praise the Lord!

APPLAUSE

-Charleston.

-Yeah.

-Tulsa.

-Tulsa ain't so bad.

-But for the spit.

-Got them stockyards near the jail.

Them flies.

Course, I had me in a cell in Georgia once.

Six other men, didn't have a one doing tall.

-Must've got caught hoppin' one of them freights.

-Yeah.

Ain't no free ride allowed through Georgia.

-And the food there?

-Paltry.

-Paltry ain't the word for it.

Breakfast is a joke. And lunch is a rumour...

And dinner was a anecdote!

< Do it the hard way, brother!

-You got locked in that box.

-Or one just like it.

# Wake up in the morning

# Hear the bing bong ring

# Walk up to the table

# See the same damn thing

# What am I gonna tell you

# Fork, a knife, and a pan

# If you say a thing about it

# You in trouble with the man.

# Let the Midnight Special

# Shine its light on me

# Well, let the Midnight Special

# Shine its ever-loving light on me. #

You a singer, young man?

Yeah, I'm a singer.

I'm a guitar player.

I'm gonna be on the radio someday, people are gonna know my name.

You keep on thinking that way, young man.

If Judge Gatlin don't choose to work you into your grave,

you just might do it.

# If you ever go to Houston

# Don't you stagger Don't you fight

# Cos the sheriff will arrest you

# You're in the cooler for the night

# He'll tie your hands together

# And he'll bring you down

# Throw you in the black river

# Penitentiary bound. #

# Early this morning

# I heard the lonesome church bell toll

# Early this morning

# I heard the low down church bell toll

# It brought me the sad news

# My Bertha Mae was dead and gone

# Never miss my baby

# I never missed her till she left my door... #

First, he passed away, and the seed was no more...

# I never missed my baby

# Until she left my door

# It breaks my heart

# Think I never see her face no more. #

He will dwell within, he will wipe every tear from their eyes.

Death shall be no more, mourning and dying and pain shall be no more.

To the first things that passed away,

I am the Alpha and the Omega,

the beginning and the end...

I hear tell Miss Bertha Mae passed.

That's right.

Yeah, she lived it.

Just like she sang it.

You waiting on somebody?

Ain't nobody on that train gonna change your luck, Tyrone.

You're gonna have to save your own self.

What do you know about anything?

Oh, nothing much.

But I know you.

From way back.

GUITAR STRUMS

# Mm...

# Oh...

# Oh

TRAIN HORN BLOWS

TRAIN HORN CONTINUES

Mournful end for a wayward sinner.

She always seemed at peace with herself.

The company she kept?

The life she lived?

I never know Bertha Mae to do hurt to a living soul.

We're all hoping to see you get over

and accept the Lord tonight, Delilah.

I'm hoping so too.

You've been lingering at the threshold long enough, sister.

Time to step ahead.

Tyrone! You got somebody getting off here?

-Supposed to be.

-Well, what's the party's name?

Sam? Guitar Sam. Don't know his birth name.

-He's coming here?

-Uh-huh.

Yo, Matt! Guitar Sam get on this train?

Nah, man, he's in the hospital back in Little Rock.

-Hospital?

-You know music folks.

Whatever he was doing, he must have been doing too much of it.

Brother, maybe... Maybe he come on in tomorrow, huh?

Matt!

All aboard!

Somebody didn't show up!

We should have made you dumb instead of blind.

# I done had my fun

# If I don't get well no more

# I said, I done had my fun

# If I don't get well no more

# My head is spinning

# And I's going down real slow. #

A man don't take care of himself...

.. With drinking and jazz and women every night.

Don't make no difference now.

It got so bad,

I heard there was this old boy goes round pretending to be Guitar Sam.

Fill out the gigs he misses.

He does pretty well for himself, what I hearing.

Somebody we could find?

Hell, I don't know, just some story I heard.

Must have been the first one.

First what?

Back in slavery days, them's the one that work in the big house.

Might not have had shoes always,

the pants didn't have no holes in them, they didn't pick no cotton.

-House niggers.

-Yeah, that's how they call them.

They had all their African kinds of instruments.

Drums, shakers, some kind of banjo thing.

But the piano...

They didn't bring no piano over on those ships from Africa.

The piano was just sitting there,

in the white folks' big room, all polished up.

I'd figure this...

first one...

He must have passed by 15, 20 times a day.

Run the corner of his eyes over it.

You see, he was there when they'd play.

The masters.

Their minuets.

PLAYS A MINUET

Him standing there, with a tray of white people's food.

Pretending not to have a thought in his head.

But he...

He's watching them fingers.

He's watching where them keys were.

See, this old boy, the first one,

he knows how to play all them kinds of African instruments.

He could play mud if you gave him a key and a tempo.

Yeah, he got music in his head and his heart.

In every damn piece of him there's music.

Then one day...

..The master's away.

And he alone in that room,

with that piano.

Watch out now.

And he goes over

and he sits down on the bench.

And he spreads his fingers over it,

the way he's seen that minuet player do.

And he thinks...

PLAYS CHORD

And he thinks...

.."Lord help me."

"I could do some damage with this thing."

I would have liked to have been there.

I mean...

Just to hear the cat play.

Mace...

I'm gonna lose my club.

If old man Toussaint find out you stole his liquor,

you're likely to lose more than that.

I got no more cards to play.

If you was to go down to see Lucky Hardaway in person...

I ain't kissing up to no cokey-nose, coke-headed asshole!

What the hell that supposed to be?

Some kind of guitar.

A guitar got a hole in it. That's how the sound come out.

That boy must be three bricks shy of a load upstairs.

-Daddy! They've gone and arrested him!

-Arrest who?

Sonny! The High Sheriff arrested him and sold him to Judge Gatlin!

-Sonny who?!

-Sonny that was here yesterday morning!

Sonny that got a screw loose? That's why they arrested him!

Mace? Play something on that, make some noise there.

GUITAR STRUMS

It's electric.

I could plug a chunk of stovewood in a wall and it'd get more music

-than you'd get out of that mess!

-Nah, man.

No, man, it don't work unless it's hooked up to the juice!

See, you got the juice, you don't need the hollow inside that box.

The music just runs straight from the strings, through the wire...

..And out of your amplifier...

..Which is what this thing must be.

Sonny said he fixed radios in the army.

Sonny didn't do nothing but feed bed bugs in anybody's army.

And some of them caught in his head.

I'm surprised he's even got the wit to pick cotton.

Judge Gatlin done bought himself a drooling idiot.

-What you gonna amplify a guitar for anyway?

-Daddy?

Unless you're gonna sit over in your chair

-and play those little Charlie Christian riffs.

-Aside, man.

Sitting over there, looking all clean and polite.

The guitar ain't been up front,

since those old pissing moan blue shouters

sit their blind asses on the corner hollering for pennies!

-Old-time music.

-Daddy?

Sonny didn't do nothing to get arrested for.

He was just looking for work.

They've hung coloured boys for less than that, darling.

Least on the work gang they feed them, keep their strength up.

But he doesn't belong there.

You know, Guitar Sam plays him an electric.

But I don't think it's this no-hole kind of deal.

Hope he plugs it into the wrong socket some night

and electrocutes his sorry, no-show ass.

Mace?

Now, if he showed up here and our power went out again,

while he was playing...

Nah, I fixed it good this time, Ty.

Eh...

So he comes out, and he plugs his axe into the wall...

He'd come out looking good, from what I hear!

All kinds of spangly pants and jacket!

Got his name spelt out on the back!

-The clothes, right?!

-All slick and shiny!

Flash them gold teeth at them gals!

Got his sax man behind him.

Maybe a piano, harmonica and drums.

Hey, you remember that night at the Esquire Club,

when the lights went out in Mobile?

Yeah, and they took off with the gate.

Just stole the damn register right off the counter!

They didn't hold Reggie Porter for it, did they?!

Nah! They knew it was this place got robbed!

Did nobody hold it to Reggie Porter?

And nobody expected their money to come back.

No, cos they was too busy diving for the pot

and that trump game got interrupted.

And nobody suspected that it might have been Reggie Porter hisself!

Hisself that pulled the lights!

No.

No, Ty. No.

No. No. No.

China Doll! You mind the place till we get back. Hey, come on, Mace.

Where you going, Daddy?!

I promised the people Guitar Sam, and they're going to get Guitar Sam!

Come on, Mace, let's get out of here!

We've got work to do.

Why are you so interested in this boy?

Got a job for him.

You must be doing pretty well for yourself out there, Tyrone.

You're hiring new people on.

Passing well, yeah.

-But this boy...

-Name is Sonny.

Uh-huh.

Well, he's paying off his debt to society right now.

If I was to pull him out of the field...

Judge Gatlin paid for your day of prison labour.

You willing to pay for him for the duration of his sentence?

-Which might be?

-As long as I care to make it.

Well, I was counting on...

more of a one-time deal.

-If I can rent him out just for the weekend.

-50.

It's not just the money.

There's legalistic principles involved here. Public safety issues.

I'll pay you Sunday morning.

You going to pay me now, or you can forget about it.

I don't have it now.

Hm.

You think you're too smart for the rest of us, don't you, Tyrone?

Think you can go it all by yourself.

You'd rather eat roofing nails

than come to me for a favour now, wouldn't you?

It's not a favour if I'm gonna pay for it.

Oh, you're gonna pay all right.

If you don't hand over that money to me by Sunday morning,

you've got yourself a new partner.

Same deal as I got with Toussaint.

What'll that be?

You'll get the 50.

And that wife of yours.

-Delilah?

-Mm-hm.

Them fried chicken sandwiches.

If I was to come by now and then and check in on my interests?

She be happy to fix you whatever you want.

Good. Cos my wife's cooking would gag a maggot.

-Different people got different kinds of talent.

-Yeah.

Well Lurleen ain't discovered what hers is yet.

Let's go fetch that boy.

-Is this the one you want?

-Mm.

You got any ideas about running rabbit on me, best get rid of them now.

-Are you paying my way out?

-Till Monday.

How come?

You like dragging that cotton sack?

-No.

-Then don't ask questions.

# Why don't you do right

# Like some other men do... #

This size, right?

But it's got to shine.

-And when you need this?

-Tonight.

-That's a tall order.

-It's got to happen.

You know, I do my best work, my fastest work,

when I'm happy.

Yeah, I suppose you do.

You gonna make me happy, baby?

Uh...

You come down by the club tonight.

We having a special show. Tell 'em at the door, you my guest.

Food ain't the only thing a woman needs three times a day.

(It wouldn't hurt you to skip a few meals.)

What's that, baby?

Um, that boy gonna need time, try this jacket on, see how he feels.

Later, Nadine.

You got to do something to the boy's hair, darling.

They may not know what the real Sam looked like, but it ain't this.

I can try.

What exactly am I supposed to do?

You're gonna stand up there with that contraption you got,

and play Guitar Sam's numbers.

I can do that with my eyes closed.

If we can get the audience to close theirs, we'll be better off.

Ty! I tracked Mr Trenier down.

Let's hit it.

Bye, Daddy.

You know what you're doing?

I fix Mama's hair all the time.

But you ain't been to that school yet.

You go to school to learn your guitar?

No.

I might pick up some things at beauty school,

but mostly it's for my certificate.

"And that is a ticket to adventure."

That's what it says in the brochure.

People looking for beauty all over the world.

You ought to watch out for them wires sticking down.

That don't look safe.

Yeah, power's always going out.

People getting shocks and whatnot.

Somebody ought to fix it.

"Career and beauty is like money in the bank."

Says that in the brochure too.

Plus it isn't physically taxing.

Yeah, can't see no pretty thing like you behind a plough.

I had the rheumatic fever when I was little.

It left me with a weak heart.

Oh.

Mine been acting kind of funny too.

About since I laid eyes on you.

-What's that?

-Just some old moonshine they keep around.

What are you gonna do with it?

They joke about how this stuff will straighten your hair right out.

I'll just make yours relax a little.

Mr Time Trenier.

Has a name to be reckoned with.

The story goes you used to play with Buddy Bolan.

I played with them all.

-And King Oliver.

-One band falls apart, you find yourself another.

There's never a shortage of bands down in New Orleans.

I didn't know you were giving lessons.

It pays the rent, almost.

You interested in a playing job?

-If you can pay, I can play.

-You've got to dress sharp.

It ain't like an all-night thing.

You just got to start out, and then there's gonna be an accident.

An accident?

Yeah, a sudden loss of power.

Lights out.

It's your gig, man.

8 o'clock.

This ain't no coloured people's time.

And sure ain't New Orleans time.

I mean, 8 o'clock on the money.

If you got the green, I'm on the scene.

Then that's the deal.

You know any drummers?

-I bring you one.

-And nothing fancy.

Just as long as he keep time.

Time is my name.

21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28.

Make your mark here, please.

You owe me 30.

The book says 28.

1.50 every 100lb, and I picked....

2 deducted for stones.

But I've got no stones in the sack.

We mill the cotton, son. There's always stones.

But there weren't none in my sack.

We take off 2 a week for stones. That's the way it's always been.

Ain't that right, Junebug?

Yes, sir. Been that way my whole life.

You gonna take your pay, son, or you gonna give it up to charity?

Wouldn't let nobody mess with my money like that.

He took the same 2 off yours.

Yeah, but you could pave a highway with the rocks I threw in that mess.

You country negroes let the crackers run you like dogs.

If the sheriff wasn't here I'd snap your neck, boy.

Don't let me stop you.

But first, you're gonna sign that ledger like you're supposed to.

Don't want nobody crying they didn't get their due.

DELILAH HUMS

-How could you do that?

-I'm gonna put it back.

You don't go gambling with my baby's money.

I ain't got no man playing.

I don't care what you took it for.

I save for China Doll

and you ain't got not business putting your fingers on it.

China don't need any school, baby.

She could walk into any of those places right now and get a job.

There's got to be some line you won't cross, Ty.

There's got to be something you won't do.

The world start throwing me a break woman,

maybe I'll catch religion and walk the straight and narrow

like those Bible toppers you set up with. But until that day...

Reverend Cutlip was right about you.

Oh, shit.

Damn!

Mr Purvis?

People call me Ty or they call me Pine Top, it's Mr Pine Top to you.

I just want to tell you how I appreciate the opportunity.

Right.

I know every one of Guitar Sam's songs.

I know the chords, I know the words.

China Doll was saying how you was famous once.

I was known,

but never what you call famous.

How do you get your start?

Down in Mobile.

An old professional.

The name of Joe Dudlow.

He'd had a stroke on one side.

Curled him all up.

Kept on plugging.

I used to come out and play his left hand for him.

This one night,

he was going hot and heavy.

His show's just past,

right at the piano,

middle of Black Bottom Stomp.

They'd propped him up at the bar,

stuck a drink in his hand...

Told me to keep pounding those ivories.

There was a meanness hanging over them two johns.

There was murder in the air.

Stopped playing for the minute,

come down on you like a flock of girls.

Hey.

This is you.

Big band days on the road.

Reginald Erskine. I don't believe I've heard of him.

Big, tall, light skin fella out in Carolina.

Said he was part Cherokee.

Couldn't play nothing,

but he'd raise a little stink and he had just long greasy hair

he'd through around like Cab Calloway.

And you were the piano man?

Piano man, arranger, you name it.

That must have been something, travelling the country first class.

I don't know about first class, but I seen the country.

How come you stopped?

I got tired of carrying another man's water.

Didn't want to die in no coloured hotel some night

in who knows where Arkansas.

Met Delilah.

Wanted something of my own.

You don't have nothing to worry about, Mr Pine Top.

I won't let you down tonight.

No, I... I don't suppose you will.