Original subtitles

♪ Now when I was a little boy

♪ At the age of five

♪ I had somethin' in my pocket

♪ Keep a lot of folks alive

♪ Now I'm a man

♪ Made twenty-one

♪ And you've got to know, baby

♪ We can have a lot of fun

♪ I'm a man

♪ I spell "M"

♪ "A"

♪ "N"

♪ Man

♪ A full-grown man

♪ Lover man

♪ Go on now

♪ Take it easy now ♪

I'm Willie Dixon.

And I'm making this here audio recording

so that when you visit Chess Recording Studio,

you know the history.

Now, the first time a gal took off her underwear and threw them on stage

it was on account of a fella singing the blues.

Now, when the white girls started doing it,

they called that rock and roll.

Took a whole lot of people to make the music that changed the world.

Yes, sir. This story ain't just about me.

WILLIE: It all started with two men.

One a white boy from Chicago.

Len, when are we getting married?

WOMAN: ♪ A witness for my Lord

WILLIE: The other a sharecropper from Mississippi.

♪ Say, who was a witness?

WILLIE: The year was 1941.

♪ Say, Daniel was a witness ♪

When are we getting married?

I don't have the money.

I told you I'd be fine without it.

Well, I wouldn't.

You don't know what it did to my father.

I can't watch you go hungry.

(KNOCKING AT DOOR)

Da.

Oh, how you doing, Mr Feder?

Hi, Dad.

I want to marry her.

Mr Feder, I don't know if I told you,

but I've been making plans to get out of the junk business.

I'm gonna open a club here.

In the Negro neighbourhood?

Yeah. It's gonna be for Negroes.

You're taking Shelly to Negro clubs?

(CHUCKLING) No, of course not.

(STAMMERING) No, I'm just...

I'd like you to know that I'm making plans for the future.

So, you are serious about this marriage then?

Yeah.

I mean, when I can afford it.

Your father and I, we come from the same shithole in Poland.

I didn't travel all this way

to have my daughter marry some schmuck from the same village.

What did you say?

What did you say? Get in.

Leonard.

Don't worry where I'm from.

My wife's gonna drive a Cadillac.

Now, who is this here?

Go on, get in the house now.

McKinley Morganfield?

Yes, sir?

I'm Alan Lomax,

and this is Mr John Work from Fisk University.

How you doing?

Fine. You?

LOMAX: I'm recording folk music for the Library of Congress.

Folk music?

Could you move into the mike a little bit for me? Thanks.

Play that thing, man.

(GUITAR PLAYING)

♪ I get later on in the evenin' time

♪ I feel like

♪ Like blowin' my horn

That's what I sound like, huh?

Yes, sir, that's what you sound like.

♪ Later on in the evenin', baby

♪ I feel like, like blowin' my horn

Feel like I'm meeting myself for the first time.

(CHUCKLING)

WILLIE: And he was. And he knew it was a man he was meeting,

too big for that slave shack he was born in

and too big for that plantation.

♪ Some folks say they worry

♪ Worry blues ain't bad

♪ That's a misery feelin' child

♪ I most, most ever had ♪

(HORNS HONKING)

WILLIE: Now, the acoustic guitar was fine down south,

because there's nothing but miles of empty fields out your window.

But in the city, with all them streetcars and automobiles,

you couldn't get yourself heard.

(WHOOPING)

Hey, boy, ain't nobody want to hear that sharecropping music.

Take that shit back down there to Mississippi.

(LAUGHING)

Hey.

You're disturbing the peace!

Why you want to cut me for, girl?

You have been giving that same smile to girls all morning.

You must have three addresses in your pocket.

Addresses?

No.

You're trouble. You know that?

I know.

How about you?

You got to go, before my mama brings the boys home. Come on.

Maybe those boys need a daddy.

You're not daddy material.

I'm not good enough for you?

I don't talk as good as you or something, huh?

When I heard you start playing that music

it took me someplace so good, Muddy.

So good.

Here you go, baby.

Are you the owner of this club?

Yes, I am.

Isabella Allen. I make race records.

Len Chess. How you doing? Wow.

This is a beauty. God, look at the lines on this thing.

It's incredible.

You can buy a car like this making race records?

If you find the right singer.

Hey, I'd love to know if you hear someone special.

A record producer, huh?

There'd be something in it for you.

All right.

Sweet. That's a beautiful car.

You looking for girls?

Excuse me? No, I'm opening a club.

I don't mind you getting men all liquored up

but I lost two daughters to bluesmen.

Dangerous business you in.

BOY: What are you doing?

WILLIE: When Muddy met Little Walter, he was just 17 years old,

but he was the greatest harp player that ever lived.

That's it. That's all of it.

(KIDS CHATTERING)

Yeah, man. Play that for me.

(PLAYING IN HARMONY)

I'll give you $1 if you let me strum that guitar.

I can busk more than your dollar.

I'll give you $2.

You a headhunter?

You fixing to chop my head off with my own guitar? Man.

Shit, you can't play better than me.

Let me see the guitar, man.

(GUITAR PLAYING)

(PEOPLE CHEERING)

Hey, big guy, your daddy sure can cook, huh?

You're not gonna take care of Walter?

Oh, I don't drink none of that.

Good for you, Walter. I'll make you a nice bath.

Okay, thank you, ma'am.

Why you got a gun?

In case in any good guys need shooting.

You mean the bad guys?

I is the bad guy.

(EXCLAIMS)

Hush now, scaring my boys, and let me hear some of that harp.

Okay, okay.

(PLAYING GUITAR)

Wait. Wait. Wait. Wait.

Where in the hell you going? Follow me now. Come on.

No, no, no. No, look here. You follow this guitar, son.

"Son"?

You can play the shit out of that guitar,

so I'll follow you anywhere you want,

but don't you ever be calling me no "son."

Okay?

I don't need no daddy.

No, boy, what you need is a mama.

Someone who will feed you and clothe you

and tell you to get your behind in that bath.

Well, you know what they say, now.

A man can't have too many mamas.

GENEVA: Mmm-mmm. And you don't need this. You need soap.

(DOOR CLOSES)

He fit me, Geneva.

I heard.

He fit me.

WILLIE: They was a family now.

Little Walter, Muddy Waters and Jimmy Rogers

called themselves "The All-Star Trio,"

but everybody else knew them as "The Headhunters"

on account of how they sliced their competition.

Will you help me out here?

Get your own gig, motherfucker!

Let them play!

(PEOPLE SCREAMING)

Get out of the way, Mud.

Fucking son of a bitch!

This is between me and this motherfucker. Get out the way, Mud.

Son...

I told you never to be calling me that.

I know you did. But we family now.

Then what the fuck you doing, Mud?

Give me that pistol.

I ain't trying to boss you.

But you're just too good to lose.

We'll burn Chicago down if you don't get your ass locked up or killed.

You think I never used this before?

I know you did.

Then you know I'll shoot this whole motherfucker up then.

But you ain't got to use it tonight.

If he foolish enough to come after you

I'll put the bullet in him my damn self.

(LAUGHING)

You a crazy motherfucker, Mud.

Run, motherfucker! Run!

You can get out of here, too.

I'll talk this peckerwood into not calling the police.

Oh, okay.

Sorry about that, chief.

(CHUCKLING)

Sorry about the damage, boss.

Yeah, you fucked up my place. You...

Yes, sir. It's a damn shame, boss.

Just get out.

Here. There you go.

Appreciate it.

Fucked up my shit.

Ain't never see them pitchers? Here's how you do it.

When you get that ball, you gonna kick that leg over.

You gonna throw that thing way up there like that.

Been looking all over for you.

We're just here working, sir.

I thought we was all right, boss.

Stop talking to me like I'm some damn plantation owner.

What the fuck you want then?

I want to put you on a record.

A record? Yeah, that's right.

You're kidding.

No, sir, boss.

Let me get this straight now.

We shoot up half your whole joint,

and now you want to put us on a record.

Yeah, that's right.

I hear good things about you.

When do you want to do this?

Right now. The studio's booked.

But I got to get my band.

No, you don't.

Not the crazy harp-playing motherfucker, you don't. No. Just you.

You want to do this?

Yeah. Come on. Studio's booked.

♪ Well, I'm going away to leave

♪ Well, I'm going away to leave

♪ Won't be back no more

♪ Going back down south, child... ♪

WILLIE: Now, Leonard Chess didn't worry none about skin colour.

It was the colour of them bills that mattered.

Just get you enough green to cover yourself

and then you ain't no Jew-boy no more.

And you ain't no coloured boy either.

You're just a man with a Cadillac.

It's so beautiful!

Do we have enough?

Hi, baby. Stop with the "enough."

This is America. The word is "more."

I like the way your husband thinks.

You must be Muddy.

I'm Revetta. I love your record.

Thank you. Pleasure to meet you.

I packed for a week. Will that be enough?

Yeah, that ought to be good.

I think she's asking, how long are you gonna be gone.

Come here. Hey.

Close your eyes.

A little friend to keep you company while I'm gone.

There you go.

Can we afford this?

Don't worry about it. It's classy.

Thank you.

MUDDY: I tell you, that's a whole lot of ocean.

Take a hell of a lot to get me to cross it.

How come you didn't stay your ass in Poland?

How come you didn't stay your ass in Mississippi?

(LAUGHING)

WILLIE: Len knew the only way to make it big was radio.

And that meant taking Muddy back down South.

Thank you very much.

(SOFTLY) The man don't need no more Scotch.

(CLEARS THROAT)

I got a hell of a mortgage.

Shit.

Yeah, I got one of those.

I tell you what. Throw this record on the table.

It pays off everybody's.

Leonard...

If people buy Muddy's record, I got to make more.

Then I'm into you every month.

Yeah, but I got to be fair, you know.

I know you got to be fair.

The motherfuckers bring in the Glenfiddich and the Johnnie Walker.

But you got to ask yourself,

do they really stand up to Jackson and Grant?

I don't bribe deejays.

I do.

You realise he doesn't care about your music.

It's just about the money with him.

Everybody, this is the newest race music right out of Chicago.

You're on your own.

(BLUES MUSIC PLAYING)

WILLIE: Now, in the South, whites and coloureds didn't ride around in the same car

unless the coloured man was chauffeuring.

Fuck Mississippi police.

♪ Well, I'm going away to leave

♪ Won't be back no more

♪ Going back down south, child don't you wanna go ♪

You got to bless them.

All right, easy. Thank you.

Hey, you gotta bless them.

(KNOCKING AT DOOR)

It's very good.

WOMAN: Room service.

Well, hello.

We heard you on the radio.

Come on in.

No, he don't bite. And I don't either.

WOMAN: Play it, Daddy.

(WHOOPING)

Yeah.

(WOMEN LAUGHING)

Don't rush it.

MUDDY: Don't step on it now. That's Chicago's heartbeat.

Go on, now.

You've got such hair.

Play that for me, Daddy.

I lied to you, girl.

WOMAN: Yeah, I like that.

WOMAN: Where you going? Don't leave us alone.

I'll swing one over your way.

I'm married.

Yeah, and they ain't redhead.

That's bullshit. Mmm-hmm.

WOMAN: Yeah, that's right. Come on, Daddy. Come on back.

MUDDY: Preacher lay his Bible down.

(WOMEN WHOOPING)

We're coming straight to you from down in the Delta

with Muddy Waters and his hit record.

That's right. Sunshine, how you doing?

I want to say a big hello, if I can,

to everybody down in Coahoma County.

They got a whole mess of bluesmen working Mississippi fields.

When I was out there I used to sing...

♪ Time don't get no better

♪ Up the road I'm going ♪

So, you know, I want to thank old Len Chess here for

giving Muddy Water a chance to shine.

Does that mean you're staying where you are?

Because I know some labels down here who'd love to snap you up.

Well, they can try all they want to,

but I belong to the Chess family.

We're gonna play a little something from Muddy Waters right now.

Lay it on me.

It was kind, what you said on the radio.

You know, starting a business together,

it is like starting a family.

Appreciate that.

Yeah, well, how come, then, you need me to sign this thing?

That's what people do in business.

You know, you got a power with that guitar.

Amazing. It even put three women in your bed last night.

Yeah, but you married.

I like another kind of broad. Does that bother you?

What's that gonna bother me for?

I'm just saying, it doesn't make me like them. And that's not me.

I'm not that.

Who is you?

Sign the contract and find out.

You got a pen there?

All right.

This is the newest race music right out of Chicago.

And I want you to remember this name.

Muddy Waters.

MUDDY: The last time I signed something like this, I got married.

Well, that's what this is.

Till death do us part.

By the way, the car's yours.

What do you mean?

You earned it.

(CHUCKLES)

Muddy! Listen!

RADIO DJ: Now playing Muddy Waters' Can't Be Satisfied,

WGES Chicago.

GENEVA: It's you!

(GENEVA LAUGHING)

Come on in here. No! I got to go to work!

Come on in, Mama.

Muddy, don't! Muddy!

♪ Don't you want to go?

♪ Woman I'm troubled

♪ I be all worried in mind

♪ Well, baby, I just can't be satisfied

♪ And I just can't keep from cryin' ♪

WILLIE: On a Sunday night,

when no one happened to be in Len's club,

the Macomba mysteriously burned down.

Hi, Daddy.

WILLIE: He put the insurance money into this here recording studio.

Hi.

Hi, baby. Hi, there. How you doing?

Look. It's coming along, huh?

We're late on our mortgage again, Len.

Yeah.

It's gonna have to wait.

You're gambling our home.

Yeah. And we're gonna win big.

And if we don't?

I won't let you down, babe.

I won't let you down.

Dave, show her the... Spin the thing.

Sure thing.

You see this?

WILLIE: Chess Records was the best studio in Chicago.

Had a sound nobody could touch.

Tie me up. Come on.

(WHOOPING)

Did everybody see?

You guys better watch out now.

Little Walter getting electrified!

He's amplifying a fucking harmonica.

Wait, Chess. Let him try it. Watch it now.

All right. Go ahead.

LEN: Take one.

♪ Forty days and forty nights

♪ Forty days and forty nights

♪ Since my baby left this town

He's blowing all over Muddy's vocals. I got to cut.

No, hold on.

♪ But the rain keep coming down

♪ She my life, I need her so

♪ Why she left I just don't know

Let it ride.

You can't record a record with harmonica all over the place.

Yeah, we can.

♪ Forty days...

Okay.

♪ And forty nights

♪ Since I set right down and cried

♪ Keep raining all the time

♪ But the river running dry

♪ Lord help me, it just ain't right

♪ I love that girl with all of my might ♪

It works.

Now that's a record.

You like that? Yeah.

Walter got a record. Let's lay it down.

Oh, yeah?

You want to hear?

Why don't you and Jimmy back him up?

You caught me on a good day. Where's Belo at?

Take one.

(WHOOPING)

Boss, this your new shit?

Yeah. You like it, huh?

Go park it, motherfucker.

What?

Park it at your house.

(LAUGHING)

Oh, Jenny, you see this shit?

Wait till these motherfuckers see me now.

You my white daddy?

You're getting carried away again.

Man, oh, man. Oh, boy. Black folks riding around in Cadillacs.

Feel like I died and gone to heaven.

LEN: Walter, this is Willie Dixon.

He's gonna write some songs for us.

How you doing?

I like what you do with that harp, man.

Wrote a killer song for you. You did?

I know how the girls love you so much. It's called My Babe.

My Babe? This is my babe right here. Come on, girl.

Hey, Len, I wrote a song for Muddy, too.

Oh, yeah? Muddy don't need no help.

Oh, man. I admit he's good and everything,

but, I mean, all his songs sound the damn same.

Muddy Waters needs something that shows him off.

Well, we'll see what you got.

Here's your riff right there.

Ain't nothing to that.

♪ Gypsy woman told my mother

♪ Before I was born

♪ You got you a boy child coming... ♪

WILLIE: Now Muddy was Muddy way before I came along.

I just took his persona

and put it in words that everybody could understand.

I mean, it was simple. He was the cat every man wanted to be

I mean, it was simple. He was the cat every man wanted to be

and every woman wanted to love.

And Muddy,

well, he just kept growing into that man.

♪ Everybody knows I'm him

♪ Well, you know I'm the hoochie coochie man

♪ Everybody knows I'm him

♪ I got a black cat bone

♪ I got a mojo, too

♪ I got the Johnny conkeroo

♪ I'm gonna mess with you

♪ I'm gonna make you girls

♪ Lead me by my hand

♪ Then the world will know...

WILLIE: People started realising that if you can play the guitar

and sing your ass off, you could be badder than Superman.

And that was a strong feeling for a black man in the '50s.

How you doing, darling?

(WOMEN SCREAMING)

♪ On the seventh hour

♪ On the seventh day

♪ On the seventh month

♪ Seven doctors say

♪ He was born for good luck

♪ That you'll see

♪ I got seven hundred dollar

♪ Don't you mess with me ♪

I'm about to lay this down right now, boss. I'm ready.

WALTER: You're messing up my groove, boss.

Who dead?

Your mother.

Your family called a deejay down in New Orleans.

They've been trying to find you.

Maybe you need to take a little time off.

(SIGHS)

What am I supposed to do with that, boss?

Go home and bury your mother.

Walter.

Y'all ready?

Shit.

I was in my groove, man.

Now I can't even find my shit.

Go home. Nobody's expecting you to go back in there.

I'm expecting it.

You know how many harp players out there are waiting to chop my head?

Not time to be wasting on this woman.

That ain't "that woman." That's your mama, boy.

What the hell I know about mamas?

She let my daddy give me away the day I was born.

Well, she did the best she could, I reckon.

That's why this here be my mama.

(CRYING)

This here, right here.

You know, Walter.

You and me not gonna wake up every morning and get everything we want.

Mostly we got to take what come.

And half the time, that's gonna be a bunch of bullshit.

Yeah. I just got to get my mind back right.

(EXHALES DEEPLY)

Go on and have you a taste.

I don't need that. That shit'll fuck me up.

Go on, boy.

It's gonna fuck me up, man.

Cool you out.

Just a taste, huh?

Fuck it.

Fuck it.

(CHOKING)

♪ My baby don't stand no cheating, my babe

♪ Oh, yeah, she don't stand no cheating

♪ My babe

♪ Oh, yeah, she don't stand no cheating

♪ She don't stand none of that midnight creeping ♪

I can't record this if he handles the mike like that.

Don't worry about it.

We're playing Little Walter's My Babe.

Number one on the charts this week.

WILLIE: Little Walter was making a name for himself.

Every club on the chitlin circuit

wanted that sharp, swinging jump boy in the Cadillac.

Now, ain't that sure enough a goddamn shame?

MAN: What is that?

A big-time recording artist like Little Walter

driving around in that broken-down, no-account short.

(LAUGHING)

Let me out.

Hold on, son.

MUDDY: What is he doing now?

WALTER: "Little Walter and the motherfucking Jukes," huh? Ain't this some shit?

Say, now, which one of you motherfuckers is Little Walter?

I am, fool.

Okay.

(PEOPLE CLAMOURING)

Bring your ass over here!

Motherfucker taking money out of my pocket.

So what? He's stealing your gigs.

He's stealing my name.

Shit.

♪ My baby don't stand no cheating, my babe

♪ Oh, no, she don't stand no cheating

♪ My babe

♪ Oh, no, she don't stand no cheating

♪ Everything she do she do so pleasing

♪ My baby...

WILLIE: It was 1955 and we was hooked.

On the music, on the cars, on the women, on the life, baby.

Oh, Lord, we had hot hands!

♪ ...she don't stand no fooling, my babe

♪ Oh, yeah, she don't stand no fooling

♪ When she's hot, there ain't no cooling

♪ My babe, true little baby, my babe

♪ True little baby ♪ She's my baby

♪ True little baby ♪ She's my baby

♪ True little baby ♪ She's my baby

♪ True little baby ♪ She's my baby

♪ True little baby ♪ Come on

♪ True little baby ♪ All right

♪ True little baby

♪ True little baby

♪ True little baby

♪ True little baby ♪

Hey, Mud. I want you to meet Wolf.

Yeah, I hear we're from the same place.

Is that right?

Yeah, Wolf just signed with us.

Yeah. Welcome to Cadillac Records.

You stay around long enough, everybody get one.

Well, this old truck,

I own it.

It don't own me.

Listen, I want to offer you a $100 advance.

I don't borrow against the store.

You just pay me what you owe me.

That's fair enough.

Nice meeting y'all.

Take care of yourself, baby.

(IN RASPY VOICE) "It don't own me."

Motherfucker thinks he goddamn John Wayne.

He can sing, though.

He gonna have to, because he ain't getting the women on style.

Any royalties come in from Hoochie Coochie Man?

I already gave that to you.

How you figure?

The Cadillac ain't free, Mud.

Right.

You need money?

Well, Geneva want a house.

I'll take care of it.

All right.

♪ All you pretty women

♪ Stand in line

♪ I can make love to you, baby

(CROWD CHEERING)

♪ In an hour's time

♪ Ain't that amazing?

Where that baby come from?

A woman came by today.

She said she's yours.

She said she couldn't take care of her any more.

That's my baby?

(SCREAMING)

She's gonna need milk.

I'll go on and get the milk.

♪ I'm a man

♪ I spell M... ♪

This here be a real nice home you're making, Geneva.

Thank you, Walter.

That's why Muddy can go out there and fetch the world.

He's got big dreams.

Here, let me help you.

There, go ahead...

What about you, though? Come on.

You ain't got no dreams, girl?

(SCOFFS)

Somebody's got to have their feet firmly planted on the ground.

That's you, huh? That's you? Uh-huh.

Well, I say you take them off the ground.

Taking care of all these kids.

You know, you gone and made a place for me to lay my head.

Now, come here, now. Stop for a minute.

Stop for a minute, now. Come here. Play with me. Come on.

Come on. Come on.

Have a seat. Come on.

Kick your feet up now. Here go your drink.

It's nice, right?

Who be taking care of you?

I see you running around here taking care of everybody.

You know?

Who take care of Geneva?

Walter.

What? What?

I'm Muddy's woman.

He got a lot of women.

He can spare one, huh?

I'm sorry. I know.

I know I'm a motherfucker. I know.

You got no idea. I can't help myself. I want to...

I just want to see you happy, Geneva. You know?

Let me make you happy, baby.

I love him.

You have no idea

how good that man has been to me.

(CHUCKLES)

I'm half a woman, Walter.

I can't have any more babies.

I can't give Muddy any children of his own.

Don't cry, baby. Don't cry. No.

Don't ever talk to me about any of his other women.

Ever.

Okay.

Hey, Geneva.

Hey, baby.

You must be hungry. Let me make you something to eat.

Yeah.

What, you ain't hungry?

He ain't hungry.

You ain't hungry?

You ain't eat nothing. What, you ain't hungry?

Son? Muddy.

You ain't hungry? Son?

Muddy, he's just a kid!

You better know I know it.

I'll put a motherfucking lacing on you, boy.

Now, you better go on somewhere and sleep it off. You hear me?

(PANTING)

♪ Oh, smokestack lightning

♪ Shining... ♪

Cut.

You on the guitar, what's your name?

Hubert, sir.

"Hubert"?

Walter, behave yourself.

Motherfucker's name is Hubert. Shut up.

Who do you think you are, playing that loud?

LEN: Yeah, lower the amp, not the guitar. The amp.

Get it right, Hubert.

Don't talk to him no more.

I'm the band leader.

Reckon you ain't never worked with one before.

You want something done, you ask me.

I'm gonna tell him what he has to be doing.

Is that right?

That's right.

Only thing you can do. That's a mean motherfucker right there. Shit.

Get it right.

All right, big man.

Go and get your coat.

Okay, then.

Take two.

Hey, baby.

Why don't you stay for a while?

Better get your girl out of the ring.

(MUSIC RESUMES)

♪ Oh, smokestack lightning

No, that's all right. You can have her, baby.

But she come with this.

LEN: He can't hear you, Mud.

I guarantee you he hear me.

(HOWLING)

♪ Oh! Tell me baby

Hey, Jimmy, come here.

I want you to tell Hubert we'll pay him twice what Wolf's paying him.

If he's such a band leader,

we'll see if he's band leader enough to hold onto his boy.

WILLIE: He was the big, bad wolf.

Now, the story is he got his name from a dead man

who came out the cemetery and tuned his guitar.

And he been howling at the moon ever since.

♪ Oh, stop your train

♪ Let a poor boy ride

♪ Whoa, don't you hear me crying? ♪

(HOWLING)

MUDDY: You all right?

JIMMY: Couldn't you get a smaller set?

You all right? Hurry up, man.

I don't want to miss this game, now.

Oh, baby!

I love this house.

You got it.

Sorry, Jimmy.

Y'all can't come in here.

I'm Chuck Berry.

Chuck Berry's a country-and-western singer.

Is he?

You know who else he is? He's me.

(STRUMMING COUNTRY TUNE)

Says he's Chuck Berry.

Let me see some ID.

All right, then.

ID.

This licence says you're Indian.

That pinup make you look like a white man.

What the hell are you?

I'm a musician.

And my name is Chuck Berry.

And I can be whatever you need me to be

to play in your fine establishment this evening.

You part con man, too?

No.

You may sing country.

You ain't doing it here.

Get on, now.

You gentlemen have a fine evening.

ID.

(SIREN BLARING)

What happened to your doors?

It was hot, so I took them off.

It's all right. Come on, baby.

Come on, girl.

WOMAN: Thank you.

Let me see your licence.

Okay. Okay. Here, you take a look at this here.

I'm about to go wax this record, okay?

Get your ass back over here, nigger.

Now, you looking at my licence, huh?

You guys know that "nigger" ain't the name my mama gave me, now.

Oh, pardon. I'm sorry.

These motherfuckers can't read.

(LAUGHING) Okay. Let me help you out.

You got to sound that shit out.

(VOCALISING)

Come on.

"Walter."

Mud! The cops got Walter!

Hey, take it easy!

Nigger.

Come on. He works here.

He works here. Take it easy. This here nigger?

You feel like a nigger yet?

Hey! Look.

Look. Please.

WALTER: You see that?

Do you see that? I belong to the Chess family.

Motherfucker!

Hey!

You're gonna need a new car, nigger.

That's what I've been telling this motherfucker.

Shut up, shut up. Would you stop?

Are you fucking with cops now?

God damn it.

What's the matter with you?

Are you all right, man?

Damn it.

I had no business being that pretty anyway.

(LAUGHS)

It looks like I need a new car, Len.

I gave you a new car. You rip the fucking doors off it?

It's not my problem!

I gave you a number-one record, Len.

I gave you a chance to make a number-one fucking record.

Oh, you gave the little nigger a chance, huh?

Little nigger don't need no chance!

I can play, motherfucker!

I'm fucking king on this shit!

You think I'm gonna shoot you?

Get some rest.

No, I need a new car.

Enough! What you need to do is get back to the Pepsi-Cola, boy.

Let me tell you, that liquor ain't for you.

What you gonna do, Mud? You gonna hit me, Mud?

You gonna choke me now? On the street?

Get off me.

You know,

that Wolf,

the way he stood up for his sideman,

maybe he could teach you something, Mud.

Esther, come on!

Find yourself another harp player.

♪ Well, baby, you know I can never be satisfied

♪ And I just can't keep from crying ♪

(PEOPLE CHEERING)

Lay it on, man.

Hubert Sumlin, ladies and gentlemen.

What you want, miss?

Tell Pot that I ain't leaving.

Pot! Your girl said she ain't leaving.

I want your things out of my room when I get home. I told you.

(ARGUING)

(PEOPLE CLAMOURING)

You can't hide from the eye of God.

He hunting heads tonight.

(ALL SCREAM)

Muddy, I don't think I want to be in your band no more.

You steal him from me again,

I'll kill you.

He tell you I quit?

He said he felt like somebody took away his oxygen.

Walter.

You're family.

You don't have to do this.

I'm gonna miss you.

WILLIE: When you lose that cat that gave you that sound that nobody else could,

it hurts.

Hurts more than losing your woman.

It's good you brought him in.

See what I was telling you, baby?

He's different.

I don't know, Len. He sound a little country to me.

Maybe we blues him up just a little bit.

LEN: Willie.

I don't want you to blues this up. This ain't the blues.

I don't know what the fuck it is, but we're gonna record it.

I don't know what the fuck it is, but we're gonna record it.

There you go, baby. Yeah.

♪ Maybelline why can't you be true

♪ Maybelline why can't you be true

♪ You've started back doin' the things you used to do

♪ As I was motivatin' over the hill... ♪

(TYRES SCREECHING)

Hey. Hey there, girl.

Tell Chess

I need a new car.

This ain't the right colour.

You got something real special.

Thank you, Mr Freed. Thank you. Thank you very much.

Do you think you'll be able to play it?

If I play it, I make you famous and him rich.

The question is, how bad do you want it?

I'm sorry. You said, me famous and him rich? Yeah?

Well, hold on. One second. One second.

Let me switch sides with you for a moment.

Chuck's a bit of a comedian.

Well, this is nice. Yeah.

This is very nice.

I'm sure we can work something out.

Now, some of you people might call this race music.

I call it rock and roll, and it's too fun for anybody to sit out on,

white or coloured.

white or coloured.

Did he just say what I think he said?

Yeah.

He just integrated the airwaves.

Here we are.

Here we are, motherfucker. Here we are.

Oh, God.

Mr Waters, I am deeply grateful to you.

You got it, baby.

(ALL CHEERING)

(ALL CHEERING)

♪ Riding along in my automobile

♪ I was anxious to tell her the way I feel

♪ So I told her softly and sincere

WILLIE: Chuck was playing in segregated cities.

But there was just a thin rope to separate coloureds from whites.

And a whole lot of history.

And that's all it took to bring us all together,

one man duck-walking across stage.

(LAUGHING) Shit.

POLICEMAN: Please keep the aisles clear.

Get back over here.

Keep the aisles clear.

♪ The night was young and the moon was gold

♪ So we both decided to take a stroll

♪ Can you imagine the way I felt?

♪ I couldn't unfasten her safety belt ♪

Why don't you play like that, Daddy?

Ain't nothing but the blues sped up.

It's rock and roll.

(EXCLAIMS)

Look at that car!

CHARLES: Len Chess got two hot cars.

REVETTA: Hey, Muddy. Hey, Charles.

We're on American Bandstand. You believe this?

There's the man. Been a long time.

Chuck Berry!

Hey, is this the boy?

Yeah, that's Charles.

That's your car outside?

The cherry-red one out there?

It's the most beautiful thing I've ever seen.

Ain't it? Good taste.

Sit down, Charles. Have a seat.

Chuck Berry.

Charles, Charlie, Chuck.

Mortgage payment and child support killing me.

And I ain't booking the clubs enough.

Len, I was talking to the accountant,

and he been telling me I'm borrowing against my royalties.

Len, Mud, it's coming. You're gonna miss it.

Yeah. In a minute.

What's going on? I thought I was just getting paid.

Records ain't selling.

Is that how come you got a brand-new Cadillac in the driveway?

He bought me that Cadillac.

Me, you and every other motherfucker

cashes a Chess Records cheque is riding that man's coattails.

And that ain't good.

Thank you.

In my book, you're still number one.

You, too, baby.

CHARLES: Hey, Dad, you got to see this.

CHARLES: Hey, Dad, you got to see this.

WILLIE: They were locking up fine black women for sitting on buses,

stringing up our little bitty boys for whistling at white women.

Not paying any mind at all to old Chuck,

who was reaping up their firstborn

with this thing called rock and roll.

$3,000 in his pocket and he'd be eating like a hobo.

But he'd do that before he'd give them crackers one damn dollar.

Chuck'd rather sleep in his own car

than to give his money to one of them segregated hotels.

The man saved $100,000 the first year.

Now, he didn't drink, and, no, he didn't gamble.

He only had one particular vice.

Good evening, ladies.

You're him, aren't you?

Well, what "him" are you looking for?

You know.

How do you know I know?

I know everything.

Would you mind coming to teach me what you know?

I'll teach you everything.

WILLIE: Now, Chuck wasn't the only one looking for female talent.

Len was on a girl-hunt, too.

Here she is.

Glad you could make it.

I can get you a drink...

What, you want me to just do it right here? Right now?

Well, I am leaving town tomorrow.

Yeah, baby, you don't have to be shy with him.

I ain't shy, fool.

Don't be looking at me like I ain't wearing no drawers!

It's just hard to do if you ain't in the mood.

And I ain't in the mood.

She ain't in the mood.

Come on.

I thought you said this broad was good.

ETTA: ♪ I heard

ETTA: ♪ I heard

♪ Church bells ring

♪ I heard

♪ A choir singing

♪ I saw my love

♪ Walk down the aisle

♪ On her finger

♪ He placed the ring ♪

WILLIE: He was looking for a woman that could go head-to-head with his men.

And he found her.

Miss Etta James.

Hey, Mud.

You got it, baby.

When do I get you back in here?

You ain't heard? My records ain't selling.

You're always gonna sell, baby.

LEN: Cut.

What's going on with sweet baby girl there?

Sweet?

ETTA: Fuck you, Leonard. What the hell you know about the blues?

I gave you a damn good track. You want it? You sing it.

Now she want me to sing it. Fine, go home.

Forget it. Everybody go home. That's a wrap.

What are you smiling about?

My mistake. You ain't woman enough for that song.

I'm plenty woman. Oh, yeah?

It's about being in love. You know what that is?

I know about love. Yeah?

Motherfucker ever walk out on you?

Huh? Huh?

Fucking not only did he walk out on you,

he's taking the other broad down the aisle.

You know what that feels like, baby? Huh?

Give me another one.

You heard her. She wants another one.

Take 15.

(PLAYING ALL I COULD DO IS CRY)

(PLAYING ALL I COULD DO IS CRY)

♪ I heard

♪ Church bells ring

♪ I heard

♪ A choir singing

♪ I saw my love

♪ Walk down the aisle

♪ On her finger

♪ He placed a ring

♪ Oh, I saw them

♪ Holding hands

♪ She was standing there

♪ With my man

♪ I heard them promise

♪ Till death do us part

♪ Each word

♪ Was a pain in my heart

♪ Oh, all I could do

♪ All I could do was cry

♪ All I could do

♪ Was cry

♪ I was losing

♪ The man that I loved

♪ And all I could do

♪ Was cry

♪ And now

♪ The wedding is over

♪ The rice, rice has been thrown

♪ Over their heads

♪ For them life

♪ Has just begun

♪ But mine

♪ Is ending ♪

You play a mean game of pool.

Listen, if I brought up bad memories, I'm sorry.

But it was good for the song.

This album comes out, that old boyfriend will come running.

I wasn't crying over no boyfriend.

Oh, no?

Girlfriend?

How'd you learn to play pool so good?

My daddy.

Hmm? Mmm-hmm.

Can I get a whisky?

Sure thing, boss.

(CLEARS THROAT) That's good.

Hard to find time to teach your kids things.

He ain't teach me shit. I taught myself.

I don't want to embarrass him when we meet.

Tell you who's gonna be embarrassed is your old man.

Because he's gonna meet a goddamn superstar.

You know?

And what is he?

A nobody. Now,

I don't want to embarrass you,

but let me show you how it's done.

You're batting a thousand on being wrong.

You see that picture over there?

What, Minnesota Fats is your father?

That's the story.

You ought to have him come by the studio.

I ain't never even met that motherfucker.

But when I do, I want it to be in a fancy restaurant

where everybody wants my picture and asking me for my autograph.

That's the dream, huh?

That's my dream.

It's not a dream.

You're gonna cross over.

You think? Promise.

You gonna promise me that fancy restaurant, too?

Promise.

The one that's gonna serve the white man and his coloured daughter.

Hey, come on.

You sing the blues. You don't have to live them.

What the fuck do you know, white boy?

Yeah, you play that hard act real good.

(SCOFFS)

But I see you.

I see you.

(ALL I COULD DO IS CRY PLAYING)

(ALL I COULD DO IS CRY PLAYING)

♪ And all I could do

♪ Was cry ♪

WILLIE: Old Len thought his chequebook can fix anything,

so he bought out the restaurant for Etta.

But there's some things money can't fix.

I can't help you, kid.

Gin. Can I have a bottle of gin?

I need a bottle of gin.

Gin, please. Can I have a bottle of gin?

Gin! Can I get a fucking bottle of gin?

Come on. Bottle of gin.

Right away, sir.

I guess I got to be him to get some gin?

What'd he say to you?

Stupid shit.

He didn't even ask if he could see me again.

That's his problem. Why you making it yours?

Here you go, sir.

(SCOFFS) You wouldn't even begin to know my problems, baby.

Let me.

My mother was a whore.

And that fat motherfucker just looked me in my face, and he didn't see himself.

He didn't see his little girl. You know what he saw?

He saw the cum stains of all the other men my mother fucked.

These chanda-fucking-liers and these white tablecloths don't mean shit!

I ain't gonna ever be good enough for him.

You know they're gonna break this when I leave, right?

Fuck it! I'll do it for you!

Come on, honey. Listen to me.

You can't let that in.

You know, Muddy,

he sings that hurt. He don't live it.

He don't nurse it.

Walter, he carries it around like a baby.

Feeds it on whisky and smack.

You got to let it go.

I can't.

(BLUES MUSIC PLAYING)

(CROWD CHEERING)

Oh, no.

No, I'm not having it.

(CHATTERING)

(SURFIN' USA PLAYING ON RADIO)

That's my song.

No, darling.

(STAMMERING) No, no, darling.

That's my song.

No, darling. That's the Beach Boys.

(SURFIN' USA CONTINUES PLAYING)

That is Sweet Sixteen, note for note.

Note for note. Not one change.

Aside, apart from the lyrics, about the new...

The new craze sweeping the nation for young white boys and girls, surfing.

I've provided them the soundtrack, unbeknownst to myself.

You ready? Yes, I'm ready.

I'm very ready to make more songs for the Beach Boys

and all other manner of white folks to steal. Yes, I'm quite ready.

You say the devil's name, he appears.

We need to talk.

Yeah, we do need to talk. You heard this?

You know what's going on?

Do you know what's going on?

I'm not laying down for this.

First, Alan Freed gets a third of Maybelline. For what?

Chuck, listen.

No. You listen to me. Did he write one part of the song?

One part? Alan Freed put us on the map.

This gives him the licence...

(WHISPERING) Did you take an underage white girl across state lines?

I'm not talking about girls. What's going on?

Don't say shit. Don't say anything.

Hello, Officers. Is there a problem?

Mr Berry, you are under arrest for transporting a minor

across state lines for the purpose of prostitution.

First of all, I didn't transport anyone anywhere. I didn't solicit anything.

Gentlemen, I'll have you know that my very dear friend Mr Jerry Lee Lewis

has a 13-year-old wife. Keep your mouth shut.

Are we stopping by his home on the way?

Emmett Till gets murdered for whistling at a white woman.

I know you're pleased to get Chuck Berry.

Fix this, Leonard.

♪ Everybody's gone surfin'

♪ Surfin' U.S.A.

♪ Everybody's gone surfin'... ♪

♪ Everybody's gone surfin'... ♪

You guys got to be kidding me, man. Where are you from?

(BOTH LAUGHING)

You set that hair in the morning?

You ladies shouldn't be out here without an escort.

WILLIE: A bunch of English boys started playing our music.

Now, it was made in America,

but I guess nobody thought we were Americans.

Hey, let me help you with that, fellow.

Fucking hell. It's him!

Mr Waters.

We're big fans.

You're the reason we got together.

We named our band after one of your songs.

Yeah?

Rolling Stone.

(CHUCKLES)

All right.

Go on in there. Fuck them police.

Go on in there. Fuck them police.

WILLIE: Everybody knows the Rolling Stones, the Beatles, Fleetwood Mac,

Led Zeppelin, Eric Clapton.

Everybody know them names, right?

(PLAYING I CAN'T BE SATISFIED)

Skinny motherfuckers.

(CHUCKLING)

The Rolling Stones are burning up the charts

with an old Muddy Waters standard.

Take 10% of Chuck's royalties and move them to Muddy.

Go on and do it.

Chuck ain't gonna miss it.

WILLIE: The goose that laid the golden egg was locked up.

So Len brought in the old standbys, including Little Walter.

Chess was desperate for a hit.

Oh, hey, little girl, now. Who you belong to, huh?

You mind if I watch?

Go ahead, baby girl.

I grew up on y'all's music.

Watch?

Come over here.

I'll teach you to blow, baby.

Better watch it, baby girl. He ain't talking about that harp.

(BOTH LAUGHING)

Muddy, you're a fool.

I wouldn't mind a little bit of what you flying on.

You too pretty to be flying my way, now.

You don't need that amp.

How they gonna hear me?

Everybody's records are getting sent back.

You want to survive, do something different. Play along.

Something different? What the fuck?

What?

Mud, what you think about this?

What you think about this, Mud?

I think we need to lay this record.

What, I'm just a sideman now?

Okay, I'll do it, Len. I'll do it.

I'm broke as the rest of you motherfuckers in here, so, you know?

(SCOFFS)

I'm gonna need a bottle of gin, though.

I'm gonna need a bottle of gin, baby.

Because I like a taste before getting fucked.

Somebody taking care of Walter?

That's right. Take care of me, baby.

(ORCHESTRA PLAYING AT LAST)

(ORCHESTRA PLAYING AT LAST)

♪ At last

♪ My love has come along

♪ My lonely days are over

♪ And life is like a song

♪ Oh, yeah

♪ At last

♪ The skies above are blue

♪ My heart was wrapped up in clover

♪ The night I looked at you

♪ I found a dream

♪ That I could speak to

♪ A dream that I

♪ Can call my own

♪ I found a thrill

♪ To press my cheek to

♪ A thrill that I

♪ Have never known

♪ Oh, yeah

♪ When you smiled

♪ You smiled

♪ Oh, and then the spell was cast

♪ And here we are in heaven

♪ For you are mine

♪ At last ♪

Thanks, baby. You got it.

Happy anniversary, Revetta.

Thank you.

Where you taking her, Peppers?

Get out of here.

WVJN just called. Etta missed her airtime again.

God damn, it's the third time this week. This broad, I'm gonna...

(SIGHS)

I'm sorry, babe. I got to go figure out what's going on here.

Don't worry about it. I'll go look in on her.

That ain't your job, Mud.

Chess.

Go on and enjoy yourself.

(TRUST IN ME PLAYING)

♪ Trust in me in all you do

♪ Trust in me in all you do

♪ Have the faith I have in you

(KNOCK AT DOOR)

♪ Love will see us through

♪ If only you trust in me

♪ Why don't you, you trust me

(PHONE RINGING)

♪ Come to me when things go wrong

♪ Cling to me, Daddy

♪ Oh yeah, and I'll be strong ♪

Now, wake up, girl. Wake up. Look here, wake up!

What the... What... What you...

Come here. Stand up.

Get up, God damn it, come on.

Stand up. Get up.

(SHUSHING) Hey, baby.

Come on, now.

You came to see me?

He fucked up my hair. I'm going to get a doctor.

No doctors.

Let me get Geneva then. She knows what to do with this.

All right, that's good.

Wake up. Baby, come on, wake up.

Wake up, come on. It's not funny. Come on.

This the first time I ever used this fireplace.

Feel like I should be having marshmallows or something.

(SNICKERS)

Yeah, I'm sure marshmallows and smack go real well together.

What happened to the furniture?

Where's the car?

My mama sold what didn't get repossessed.

They gonna take my house.

Oh, that's good.

(SIGHS)

Come on.

You got to put it in my name.

You hear me? You gonna trust me? Put the house in my name.

What? What?

Trust me.

♪ Trust in me

(CHUCKLES)

♪ In all you do ♪

Listen.

Listen to me. I'm gonna get you in a clinic and get some help.

(CHUCKLING)

I'm gonna pay for it.

It's not a loan. It's a gift.

So, now you buying me gifts?

Yeah, that's right.

I must be real special.

I must make you a lot of money.

Yeah, that must be it.

I ain't stupid.

I'm your number-one bitch since Chuck got busted.

I'm trying to take care of you.

(CHUCKLING) You gonna take care of me?

Who the fuck you think you talking to, your tight-ass wife?

That's off-limits.

I don't need no man to take care of me.

So tough. You look so fucking good.

With these track marks in your arm?

That's real good. Well, that's good.

(CHUCKLING) Yeah, that'll fix your problems, huh?

Baby, don't worry.

Etta ain't gonna hurt you.

That feels nice.

It feel real good. Who bought you that?

Did Etta buy you that? I think she did.

Who bought you that car?

I think I got that nice car out there, too.

(CHUCKLES)

Don't worry.

I'll do it for you, baby.

Come on. Stop that.

Just say, "Trust in me," like all them other motherfuckers...

Come on, I ain't taking from you! I'm offering.

God damn it, I don't know what the fuck to say to you.

I'm not your fucking pimp.

That's not us. "Us"?

What the fuck is "us"?

A white man and a black girl?

I been there.

Yeah, but you ain't been here.

I'm not your father.

And you ain't your mother.

And I ain't gonna hurt you.

I got no reason to hurt you.

You don't even know what you have.

What do I have?

(CHUCKLES)

You got a hit record.

What?

You're on top of the charts, baby.

You crossed over.

Len, I crossed over?

I told you.

(DOOR OPENS)

(CLEARS THROAT)

Geneva a nurse.

Hello, Etta.

Hi.

Are you sure you want Geneva to stay here or you want her to come home with me?

(SIGHS)

It's not what you think.

Oh, this is just business?

That's right.

You never hold me like that.

Cross over and I'll jump into bed with you.

I bet you'd jump out that motherfucker quick, too.

What?

What?

You know how Walter call you his white daddy,

because every time he step in shit, you there to get him out of trouble?

And then you bring him in the studio and you take away his amp,

the sound that took him his whole life to make up.

Any other motherfucker he'd have shot for that, but he give it up for you.

What you telling that little girl ain't got nobody in the world?

That you're gonna take care of her?

How many strung-out girls you told that to?

I ain't talking about me. I'm talking about you and the baby girl in there.

What if I told you I had feelings for her?

Bullshit.

(SCOFFS)

Fine.

I'm fucking her, I'm fucking Chuck, and I'm fucking you. Huh?

That's what you think, huh?

Ain't that what you think, Mud?

Well, that's what the blues is, ain't it?

A whole lot of fucking.

Tell Geneva I'm gone.

WILLIE: They locked Chuck up at the peak of his career.

He couldn't record a damn thing.

Goodbye.

Mr Berry! Mr Berry!

(PHONE RINGING)

Yeah?

MAN: Somebody busted up your store.

What? Somebody broke in?

You better come and see about it.

Yeah, I'll be right down.

Who is this?

(DIAL TONE DRONING)

WILLIE: Len's world was changing.

Not only was Muddy questioning him,

but so were the folks in the neighbourhood.

Coloured folks who were told they weren't coloured no more, but black,

who was told they had a power.

They had the right to own their own businesses.

And who was this white man getting rich off of them?

You want to fuck around back here?

(GRUNTING)

WILLIE: The south side of Chicago was getting mad.

Everybody could feel the change coming.

MAN: Get on out of our neighbourhood!

NEWSCASTER ON TV: Screaming fans went nuts again

for rock and roll star Elvis Presley.

Presley, handsome as ever, tipped his hat for the cameras.

Well, there you have it, ladies and gentlemen,

your new king.

I'm about to win this money, baby.

Tough luck, boy.

Tough luck? You lose.

Back up, motherfucker.

No tough luck got this, motherfucker.

Because this shit here says my luck is just fine.

What you gonna do, blow me to death?

Shit.

(GRUNTS) Walter.

Okay. Oh, Jesus. Walter!

GENEVA: Oh, God.

You ain't come and get me, Mama.

You didn't come and get me.

(WHIMPERS) I've been waiting for you for a long time.

I'm here.

I found you.

Mama loves you. Come on, stay with me.

I just got to rest my eyes.

Stay with me.

I just got to rest my eyes.

No. No, stay with me.

(LAST NIGHT PLAYING)

Wait a minute.

Wait a minute.

♪ Last night

♪ I lost the best friend I ever had

♪ Now you've gone and left me

♪ That make me feel so bad

All right. All right.

All right.

All right.

Thank you. Thank you.

(SIGHING)

All right.

Well, we'll have to see if we can...

If we can't get him a new suit.

Get him one of them boxes with the blue satin lining inside.

Have him look slick.

I got to use the toilet.

♪ Last night

♪ I lost the best friend I ever had

♪ Now you've gone and left me

(MUDDY SOBBING)

♪ That make me feel so bad ♪

Can I get you some tea?

No, thank you.

You know, there's a whole line of bluesmen on your lawn,

waiting to see if you're dead.

Looking to see if they owe me money.

Yeah.

Look at that. You're the first man ever gave me flowers.

(REVETTA LAUGHS)

LEN: Thank you.

Yeah, well, don't tell nobody.

They're beautiful. I'll put them in a vase.

You okay?

I'm good. Thank you.

Mud. Wolf.

LEN: Shit.

I know Walter was into you for a whole lot, but he got anything coming his way?

You know how he spent his money.

Yeah, I know it.

Look here.

I got $200 to my name.

You're gonna have to help pay for Walter's funeral.

Who said I wouldn't?

Why he got to pay for Walter's funeral?

He ain't Walter's daddy.

Is you and me talking?

Walter put a lot of goddamn money in his billfold, that's why.

I'm the only motherfucker making money?

Looks like it.

That's the man's job, make money off of you.

You from Mississippi. You ought to know that.

LEN: How many Caddies did y'all go through?

Let's get this straight. I didn't fuck you.

I didn't say nothing about who fucked who.

You insinuated that with your bullshit!

You was out with the fucking jewellery and the broads all the time.

And you was a motherfucking saint?

Who here is a saint?

Who here?

Settle down. No, Revetta, please.

If you act like a boy, keep asking for handouts, he gonna treat you like one.

Is you and me talking, motherfucker? What is you looking for?

I'm looking to help bury a fellow musician.

I said I'll pay for it!

Now, it feels good not to have a daddy.

And as much as I don't like you, I want you to feel good

like that, too.

(SNICKERING)

I killed Walter.

I killed him when I let you take away his amp.

I'm the motherfucker?

I'm the motherfucker?

(MY BABE PLAYING ON TV)

(MY BABE PLAYING ON TV)

♪ Well, my babe don't stand no cheating, my babe

♪ Well, my babe don't stand no cheating, my babe

♪ You know, my babe don't stand no cheating

♪ She don't, she don't she don't, oh, God

♪ My babe I know she loves me, my babe

♪ Well, my babe I know she loves me, my babe

♪ Well, my babe I know she loves me, my babe

♪ Well, my babe I know she loves me

♪ She don't do nothing but kiss and love me

♪ My babe, I know she loves me, my babe

♪ Oh, now, now, now, baby

♪ My baby

♪ Oh, now, now, now, baby

♪ My baby

♪ Oh, now, now, now, baby

♪ My baby

♪ Oh, now, now, now, baby ♪

WILLIE: It was over,

the music, Chess Records.

Everybody could feel it.

Len was getting out while he could.

(PIANO PLAYING)

(HUMMING)

LEN: So, working on something behind my back now, huh?

Uh-huh.

What happened to "Trust In Me"?

(CLEARS THROAT)

I know what you've been doing.

Yeah, what?

You gonna sell the company.

(CLEARS THROAT)

You know, back when I started this,

nobody'd let a black man do what I got done.

Doors weren't open.

Now they are.

Time to move on.

You gonna be missing out.

You don't think I know that?

So, you mean to tell me, this could be the last time I sing a song for you?

Better make it good.

They don't get no better.

Y'all ready?

(PLAYING I'D RATHER GO BLIND)

PLAYING I'D RATHER GO BLIND)

♪ Something told me

♪ It was over

♪ When I saw you and her

♪ Talking

♪ Something deep down

♪ In my soul said, "Cry, girl"

BOTH: ♪ Cry, girl

♪ When I saw you and that girl

♪ Walking around

♪ Ooh

♪ I would rather I would rather go blind, boy

♪ Than to see you walk away from me child, no

♪ Ooh

♪ So you see I love you so much

♪ That I don't want to watch you leave me, baby

♪ Most of all, I just don't

♪ I just don't want to be free, no

♪ Ooh

♪ Ooh

♪ I was just, I was just

♪ I was just sitting here thinking

♪ Of your kiss

♪ And your warm embrace, yeah

♪ When the reflection in a glass

♪ That I held to my lips now, baby

♪ Revealed these tears

♪ That are on my face

♪ Ooh

♪ And, baby

♪ And, baby, baby, I'd rather be blind, boy

♪ Than to see you walk away

♪ Walk away from me, yeah

♪ And, baby, baby, baby

♪ I'd rather be blind, boy

♪ Than to see you walk away

♪ Walk away from me

♪ And, baby, baby, baby

♪ I'd rather be blind, boy

♪ Than to see you walk away

(COUGHING)

♪ Walk away from me, yeah

♪ Ooh

♪ And, baby

♪ Baby, baby, baby

♪ I'd rather I'd rather be blind, boy

♪ And, baby ♪

WILLIE: Chess Records had a hold on Len.

It just wouldn't let him leave.

He had a heart attack before he could turn the corner.

Baby girl, I got some bad news for you.

Chess ain't leave no will.

That means everything that belonged to him goes to the wife and children,

including this here house.

That's all right.

This morning, a man came by and gave me this.

What's that?

It's the deed to my house.

He said Len wanted me to have it in case something ever happened.

That motherfucker.

He didn't have time to leave a will,

but he had time to think of me?

He loved me.

That motherfucker.

(BOTH LAUGHING)

(EXCLAIMS)

(MAN CHATTERING ON TV)

What do you say, Willie?

What do you say, there? How you doing?

I'm here. How you doing?

Oh, I can't complain. Got some good news.

Remember some of them English boys?

They didn't forget about us.

Been telling all Europe about us.

Want us to come over there and play.

I ain't got no money to get on no plane to no England.

You don't need no money. They're gonna pay for everything.

You're serious?

(CHUCKLING) We're going to England.

(SIGHS)

I'm a little bit...

A little bit nervous here.

Nervous? What you nervous about?

You've been performing your whole life.

Yeah, but not...

Not for these folks over here.

(STUTTERING)

How am I supposed to know what they want?

PILOT ON PA: This is your captain speaking.

We are now beginning our descent into Heathrow Airport.

Here we go.

WOMAN: Welcome to London. I hope you enjoy your stay.

You all right? Yeah.

(REPORTERS CHATTERING)

REPORTER 1: A pleasure to see you, Mr Waters.

REPORTER 1: A pleasure to see you, Mr Waters.

REPORTER 2: Mr Waters!

(CHUCKLING)

They want you, Mr Waters. They want you.

WILLIE: We sued Chess Records for back royalties.

And we did all right.

Well, especially me.

Because I wrote all those songs that Muddy, Walter and Wolf were singing.

I got paid.

And I'm still getting paid.

I made enough money to buy this here studio.

I made enough money to buy this here studio.

They were going to tear it down, but I knew it was history.

♪ I'm a man

♪ Don't matter if you got the upper hand ♪

WILLIE: We made the kind of music that can grow into anything,

rhythm and blues, rock and roll, hip hop.

Whatever you're playing, baby,

we're right there with you.

(LAUGHING)

Just sprinkle a little blues on it

and it's gonna grow up to be big and bad.

We the hoochie coochie seed.

(EVOLUTION OF A MAN PLAYING)

♪ I'm a M-A-N

♪ I'm a big fish in the small pond

♪ Left to cut you for the city to get it done

♪ They underestimate me, try to treat me like a boy

♪ But I flipped it around, now I'm the one they can't ignore

♪ I know what I'm worth and I want every cent

♪ Try to show me again and I'm gonna click in this biz

♪ Just to give me what's mine, nothing more, nothing less

♪ And I'm gonna give you my all

♪ Nothing less than the best, please add the respect

♪ I'd have felt enough pain

♪ I'd have been through enough

♪ To get where I'm at, it ain't a game

♪ I'm a M-A-N

♪ I'm taking a stand

♪ Rub me the wrong way and you gonna find out

♪ You dealin' with a man

♪ I'm a M-A-N

♪ I'm a man, I'm a man

♪ I'm a M-A-N

♪ I'm a man, I'm a man

♪ I'm a M-A-N

♪ I'm a man, I'm a man

♪ I'm a M-A-N

♪ I'm a man, I'm a man ♪

(ONCE IN A LIFETIME PLAYING)

♪ This is just another day that I would spend

♪ Waitin' for the right one

♪ Staring at the night and wishin' I could be the one

♪ To feel the warm sun

♪ You're a dream, but I'm wide awake

♪ I'm in Heaven, for heaven sakes

♪ So get ready

♪ Get ready

♪ I'm ready now

♪ Get ready

♪ I could never need you more than now

♪ You were worth waiting for

♪ You the one that I adore

♪ Hold on to you tight

♪ For once in my life

♪ You were worth waiting for

♪ You the one that I adore

♪ This kind of love you'll only find

♪ Once in a lifetime

♪ Once in a lifetime

♪ Tell me that you're living in a place

♪ Where no one else can find you

♪ Tell me that you're singing out my name

♪ Hoping that I'll hear you

♪ Tell me, no and I'll fade away

♪ But this is lovin' that I won't waste

♪ So get ready

♪ Get ready

♪ I'm ready now

♪ Get ready

♪ I could never need you more than now

♪ You were worth waiting for

♪ You the one that I adore

♪ Hold on to you tight

♪ For once in my life

♪ You were worth waiting for

♪ You the one that I adore

♪ This kind of love you'll only find

♪ Once in a lifetime

♪ Once in a lifetime

♪ What are the words I'm needin' to hear

♪ How do I know if I'll ever love again

♪ Seeing your face makes everything clear

♪ Clear

♪ Clear

♪ And I will never be the same

♪ You were worth waiting for

♪ You the one that I adore

♪ Hold on to you tight

♪ For once in my life

♪ You were worth waiting for

♪ You the one that I adore

♪ This kind of love you'll only find

♪ Once in a lifetime

♪ Once in a lifetime ♪