Original subtitles

Eddie! Eddie! Eddie!

Eddie! Eddie!

Eddie! Eddie! Eddie!

Eddie! Eddie!

♪ The dark side's comin', ♪ ♪ now nothin' is real ♪

♪ she'll never know just how I feel ♪

♪ from out of the shadows ♪ ♪ she walks like a dream ♪

♪ makes me feel crazy, ♪ ♪ makes me feel so mean ♪

♪ ain't nothin' gonna save you ♪ ♪ from a love that's blind ♪

♪ you slip through the dark side ♪ ♪ and cross that line ♪

♪ on the dark side ♪

♪ oh, yeah ♪

♪ On the dark side ♪

♪ Oh, yeah ♪

♪ The dark side's comin' now nothin' is real ♪

♪ She'll never know just how I feel ♪

♪ From out of the shadows ♪ ♪ she walks like a dream ♪

♪ Makes me feel crazy, ♪ ♪ makes me feel so mean ♪

♪ Ain't nothin' gonna save you ♪ ♪ from a love that's blind ♪

♪ You slip through the dark side ♪ ♪ across that line ♪

♪ On the dark side ♪

♪ Oh, yeah ♪

♪ On the dark side ♪

♪ Oh, yeah ♪

In the summer of '63, "On the Dark Side"

was the number one song in the country.

It's even bigger now.

That's Joann Carlino. She was Eddie's girl.

Sallie plays the bass.

Wendell on sax.

Kenny on drums.

The guy on piano is Frank Ridgeway.

He wrote all their lyrics.

Called him the word man.

♪ On the dark side ♪

♪ Oh, yeah. ♪

Wendell?

That was August of 1963.

Died of a heart attack. He was only 37.

March 15, 1964.

It was a little after 5 A.M.

Eddie's car went off the Raritan bridge.

It must have been a hell of an accident.

Who says accident?

You saying he was murdered?

Could have been a suicide.

All right, so what's our hook gonna be?

What about the idea that Eddie's still alive?

You mean, "Eddie lives"?

It's possible.

They never found his body.

I get it.

Eddie swam away from the car,

had Jim Morrison waiting for him onshore,

and then Amelia Earhart flew them both to Paris

where they're all living together in sin.

Look, there are a lot of holes in this story.

Now something was going on with that group.

Something that nobody knows anything about.

Get to the point, Maggie.

Did you ever hear of a poet named Arthur Rimbaud?

French lit 105 was required.

Okay, kiddies, you wanna sit back in your seats and listen?

Sure.

"'A Season in Hell

"A spiritual and confessional autobiography.'

"Arthur Rimbaud was a genius.

"His writings were a quest.

"A search for perfection,

"an attempt to find total freedom.

"At the age of 19,

"Arthur Rimbaud committed suicide.

Not of the flesh, but of the mind and soul."

What's that supposed to mean?

It means he never wrote another word

and disappeared off the face of the earth.

He was not seen nor heard from again for nearly 20 years

until he reappeared in a hospital in Marseilles on his deathbed.

Thank you. It's a terrific story.

I just don't see what this has got to do with Eddie Wilson.

You know where Eddie was coming from the night of the accident?

He was coming from a recording studio,

where he just finished taping an album.

You know what the name of that album was?

"A Season in Hell."

So what you're saying is that Wilson's pulling a Rimbaud?

I don't know.

But if he is, we've got ourselves one hell of a story, don't we, guys?

You think you can get your hands on those tapes?

I went to Satin Records yesterday.

I figured that the master had to be sitting in their vault.

I wondered why they never released this album.

You know what I found out?

The tapes are missing.

Someone checked them out on march 16...

1964.

The day after Eddie supposedly died.

And that's gonna be our hook.

Get up on the Jersey side of the Holland Tunnel,

the Jersey Turnpike and the Garden State...

♪ Sidewalk surfers ♪ ♪ ride the streets in super vans ♪

♪ fires on the beach light the gypsy caravans ♪

♪ open up your door ♪ ♪ and let those lake pipes roar ♪

♪ into the wild summer nights ♪

♪ oh baby, those wild summer nights ♪

♪ wild summer nights ♪

♪ oh baby, run wild ♪

♪ summer nights ♪

♪ run wild ♪

♪ summer nights ♪

Back on the charts again.

Eddie and the Cruisers doing "Wild Summer Nights"

from their hit album, "Tender Years".

And this is Scott Muni, WNEW.

- Mr. Ridgeway. - Hey, nice catch.

"And so I dare to hope.

"Though changed, no doubt, from what I was when first

"I came among these hills.

"When like a roe, I bounded o'er the mountains.

"By the sides of the deep rivers.

"And the lonely streams. Wherever nature led.

"More like a man flying from something that he dreads.

Than one who sought the thing he loved."

So, what's Wordsworth gettin' at?

He's saying that places stay the same, but people change.

Okay. Do people change or don't they? Now that's worth talking about.

All right, have a nice weekend.

And remember, I don't wanna see any of your faces

for at least 48 hours.

♪ As I walk along, I wonder ♪

♪ a-what went wrong with our love ♪

♪ a love that was so strong ♪

♪ and as I still walk on ♪

♪ I think of the things we've done together ♪

♪ a-while our hearts were young. ♪

♪ I'm a-walkin' in the rain ♪

♪ tears are fallin' and I feel the pain ♪

♪ a-wishin' you were here by me ♪

♪ to end this misery ♪ - The big time.

♪ I wonder ♪

♪ I wah-wah-wah-wah-wonder ♪

♪ why ♪ - Why...

♪ why, why, why, why, why ♪ - Joann?

♪ She ran away ♪

♪ and I wonder ♪

♪ a-where she will stay ♪

♪ my little runaway ♪

♪ a-run, run, run, run, runaway ♪

Hi.

Hi.

♪ I'm a-walkin' in the rain ♪

♪ tears are fallin' and I feel the pain ♪

♪ a-wishin' you were here by me ♪

♪ to end this misery ♪

♪ I wonder ♪

♪ I wah-wah-wah-wah-wonder ♪

♪ why ♪

♪ why, why, why, why, why she ran away ♪

Can I help you guys?

Yeah.

Tell Tony Eddie and the Cruisers are here.

♪ She got a love that'll get you down ♪

♪ now people let me put you wise ♪

♪ sue goes out with other guys ♪

♪ here's the moral and the story ♪ ♪ from the guy who knows ♪

♪ I fell in love and my love still grows ♪

♪ ask any fool that she ever knew ♪

♪ a-keep away from-a runaround Sue ♪

♪ keep away ♪

♪ away from that girl, now ♪

♪ I know what she'll do ♪

♪ runaround Sue ♪

♪ oh-oh-oh-oh-ohh ♪

♪ all right! ♪

♪ keep away from that girl now ♪

- All right! - Yeah!

Are we cruisin' or what?

Hey, Wendell, you're on the keyboards on this one.

Hey, big papa, where you goin'?

You gotta listen to my new song.

You're the one who knows what goes.

Hey, Sallie, never bullshit a bullshitter.

You make the music. I make the deals.

Get some sleep.

Let's get on the music!

One, two, one, two, three, four!

♪ Betty Lou got a new pair of shoes. ♪

♪ Betty Lou got a new pair of shoes ♪

♪ Betty Lou ah-whoo, ah-whoo, ah-whoo. ♪

♪ Betty Lou got a new pair of shoes ♪

♪ well, she walked to a shoe store ♪

♪ picked out a shoe ♪

♪ she tried on a twelve, ♪ ♪ but that wouldn't do. ♪

♪ Betty Lou, Betty Lou ♪ ♪ got a new pair of shoes. ♪

♪ Betty Lou got a new pair of shoes ♪

♪ Betty Lou ah-whoo, ah-whoo, ah-whoo. ♪

♪ Betty Lou got a new pair of shoes ♪

Hold it! Hold it!

Wait a minute! Wait a minute!

- What's the matter? - What's the matter?

Where you racing to? Where's the fire?

No fire.

That's the way the song was written.

It goes that way, upbeat. What's the problem?

Uh, the problem is, I'm just saying words.

You know, you gotta give me a little room

so people know what I'm singin' about.

Hey, you lose the beat, people miss a step.

We want 'em to dance.

Lose the beat, miss a step.

What, are you a moron, Sal?

Do you believe this guy?

Look, Sal, I like your stuff.

But it just ain't what I was lookin' for.

You understand?

Forget it!

You had your mind made up before you even started.

So what am I knockin' myself out for?

Look, I don't wanna argue with you, Sal.

You wanna get another opinion on the subject?

No! Forget it.

- Joann, what do you think? - What are you askin' her for?

Why not ask her? She's got a brain.

I don't know anything? She knows, huh?

Everybody you bring in this band's an expert.

Except Sallie.

Sallie's just a dumb guinea, right?

You dumb guinea.

Hey, kid, come here.

Who, me?

Yeah, you. Come here.

Now you heard what we were talkin' about.

What do you think?

Well, I think he's right.

I think it needs a caesura.

See? My way, with a caesarian.

A what?

Tell him. What's your name?

Frank.

Tell him, Frankie.

Uh, a caesura?

That's a timely pause.

A... kind of a strategic silence.

That's exactly right.

If you want, I'll give you an example.

Okay. "One evening I took beauty in my arms."

"And I thought her bitter.

And I insulted her."

Sounds like shit, right?

Okay, wait a minute. Wait a minute.

Now I'll do it with a caesura.

"One evening I took beauty in my arms."

"And I thought her bitter."

"And I insulted her."

Now that's got class.

Now does that have class, Sallie, right?

Hey, kid, you can stay.

Excuse me?

Oh.

Can I help you?

Maggie Foley. I work for Media Magazine.

I'm doing a story on Eddie Wilson, and, uh...

Well, I thought you might be of some help.

Well, what do you wanna know?

Well, I'd like you to tell me about the past.

I wanna know what it was like to be a Cruiser.

Uh, miss...

Maggie.

I'm sorry. There's nothing personal on this.

I'd like to help you. I really would, but...

Frank, there are a lot of unanswered questions about...

Yeah. Well, I understand what you're up against,

but... that was then, and this is now.

And, uh...

I don't care to be interviewed.

Look, Frank,

I'm not here to make a carnival out of your life.

Now I have something very different in mind.

I am going to do a tribute to a group of guys

who were ahead of their time.

You don't understand.

The night Eddie died, the Cruisers died with him.

Frank, what happened that last night at the recording studio?

The night that Eddie died?

There's no way on earth I'd go into that with you.

Frank? Why not?

Maybe...

Maybe because Eddie's dead and I'm alive.

He was my friend.

You, I just met.

Oh...

- Hello? - Word man!

- Who is this? - This is the master of voices.

Maker of choices. Your old buddy.

- You don't remember. - Doc?

Hey there, word man.

Hey there, word man. Whatever happened to you?

Well...

What you been up to?

Well, it's been a long time, Doc.

It sure has, kid.

So, what's up?

You need me, word man. You need me bad.

Oh, is that right?

Look, kid, we gotta talk.

How soon before you get your ass over here?

Well, where are you?

Right back where we started, kid.

Asbury Park.

All right, you ne'er-beer fans.

Remember Mock Bird, Ing Bird?

Charlie and Inez Foxx? Summer of '63?

Well, James Taylor and Carly Simon, I bet you don't!

My man, my man! The word man!

Long time, kid.

Doc, how you been?

Oh, man, hits just keep on comin'.

Hey, you haven't changed much, huh?

You still a kid?

Don't bother returnin' the compliment.

Give me that stuff, will you, Frank?

Sit down.

Hey, man, this joint ain't as bad as it looks.

I mean, the pay ain't bad. You can't beat the hours.

Besides, there's a college nearby.

They tell me I'm becomin' quite a cult figure around here.

Hey, Doc, that's great.

So, uh...

You ever write that book?

No.

I never got around to it.

So, what did you ask me down here for? What's so urgent?

You talk to that chick from Media Magazine?

Guess you know what's been happening with the Cruisers lately.

Something's bustin', kid, and it's bustin' fast.

Way I see it,

Eddie's my ticket out, and yours.

Doc...

We did one album, 12 cuts.

You're makin' a big deal out of nothin'.

I'll tell you about nothin'.

Nothin's what we got on the reissue of the old album, man.

After Eddie died, I sold the rights all back to Lew Eison.

That bastard, remember him?

There's nothin' I can do about that now.

But this movie thing, man.

You heard about the movie deal, right?

"The Eddie Wilson Story."

The way I see it, they gotta have a script, right?

They gotta have locations, period stuff.

Stuff like that. That's where we come in, man.

Technical consultants. They gotta come to us.

I mean, who else they got? And there's more.

There's gotta be parts in there for both of us.

I mean, not that we should necessarily play ourselves,

I ain't saying that. - Doc, Doc, Doc, Doc.

It sounds like you can't miss. I wish you all the luck in the world.

Hey, kid, guess I lost my touch, huh?

I can't convince you, who can I convince?

All right, listen, Frankie. Give me a ride home.

My car's kind of out of commission.

Besides, uh, somethin' I wanna show you.

Sure, Doc. Any way you wanna play it.

You know, I was thinkin', Frankie...

I mean, it's just an idea. I know you're gonna hate it.

What is it?

I was thinkin' about bringin' the group back together.

"Eddie & the Cruisers featuring Sal Amato.

Appearing nightly at 8 and 11."

Now dig this. I checked them out last week.

He's got this Eddie Wilson lookalike.

No, he ain't half bad.

He's startin' to make a little noise.

But you know Sallie, the kid's a nickel-and-dime operation.

Now here's my plan.

I figure we get rid of the losers

and bring on the Cruisers.

You, the clone, Sallie, Kenny.

Some dude on sax and the chick, uh...

- Joann. - Yeah, right, Joann.

I hear she's back, you know.

She was out in Vegas at Caesar's Palace.

Where is she now?

Over around Wildwood.

I hear she's choreographing

at one of the big hotels on the boardwalk.

Anyway, I get the group back together, right,

get a little seed money, get some publicity, right clothes,

open up at the right joint at the right time...

And, Frankie, we come back big!

Eddie and the original Cruisers!

Hey, why not do a James Dean, huh?

Hit the junkyards.

Blowtorch Eddie's car into little pieces for the tourist trade.

Only do me a favor, leave me out of it.

I'm sorry, kid.

It's okay. Forget it.

Shit.

Uh, they may look like shacks on the outside.

You'll be surprised at the interior.

Maid's day off.

This was waitin' for me when I got home last night.

Looks like we got the same decorator, Doc.

They got my place this morning.

Ah!

- It's like the old joke. - Hmm?

We might be paranoid,

but it don't mean they ain't after us.

Who is "they"?

Music lovers.

Why?

We must have somethin' they want.

What?

- Can't you figure it out? - No.

Well, try. I mean, come on.

What could we have that's worth stealin'?

My Robert Hall suit? Your Wilkerson blades?

Oh, come on, doc. Gimme a break.

What are they after?

The tapes.

See it now?

A touch of class for Tony Marts.

Thanks.

What's this?

Poetry?

Yeah.

Rimbaud.

You know anything about him?

Sure.

Um...

He was quite disreputable,

mean...

Perhaps even ruthless and perverse.

"A tortured soul,

but still one of the greatest poets that ever lived."

Would you like it?

No, thanks. I gotta go.

Here.

Take it with you.

A present.

I'll just borrow it.

Okay.

See ya.

Joann was telling me you write music.

Thinks you might be good.

We'll give you a try.

You know, what I want is songs that echo.

The stuff we're doin' now is like somebody's bed sheets.

Spread 'em out, you soil 'em. Ship 'em out to laundry, you know?

But our songs,

I wanna be able to...

Fold ourselves up in 'em forever.

You understand?

That's the most you'll ever get outta me, word man, ever.

Ladies and gentlemen, the Holiday Inn

is proud to present a group that's been

bringing us hits for nearly 18 years.

How 'bout a big hand for some Jersey boys

who really made good.

Eddie and the Cruisers, featuring Sal Amato!

♪ Betty Lou got a new pair of shoes. ♪

♪ Betty Lou got a new pair of shoes. ♪

♪ Betty Lou got a new pair of shoes. ♪

♪ Betty Lou got a new pair of shoes ♪

♪ Betty Lou, a-whoo, a-whoo, a-whoo. ♪

♪ Betty Lou got a new pair of shoes ♪

What do you want, pal?

I'll have a Pabst.

♪ She cracked up over the style and fit ♪

♪ walkin' down the street ♪ ♪ in her brand-new digs. ♪

♪ Betty Lou, Betty Lou ♪ ♪ got a new pair of shoes. ♪

♪ Betty Lou got a new pair of shoes ♪

♪ Betty Lou, a-whoo, a-whoo, a-whoo. ♪

♪ Betty Lou got a new pair of shoes ♪

♪ she walked in the shoe store ♪ ♪ picked out a shoe ♪

♪ tried on a twelve but that wouldn't do ♪

- Hi. ♪ - But that wouldn't do. ♪

♪ Betty Lou, Betty Lou, got a new pair of shoes ♪ - Oh, hi.

♪ - Betty Lou got a new pair of shoes. ♪

♪ - Betty Lou, a-whoo... ♪ ♪ - I have a table down front. ♪

Would you like to join me? - No, uh...

If Sallie knew I was here,

he's just crazy enough to call me up onstage.

Didn't you tell him you were coming?

I wasn't sure what his reaction would be.

You know, I interviewed him between shows.

He said some very nice things about you.

He told me that you were some kind of genius with words.

Regular whiz kid.

Frank, why did you come here tonight?

I just wanted to see how things turned out

for an old friend of mine.

Is that all?

I guess I also wanted to see how things might have turned out for me.

Can I buy you a drink after the show?

Maybe.

Okay.

♪ The dark side is comin', ♪ ♪ now nothin' is real ♪

♪ she'll never know just how I feel ♪

♪ from out of the shadows ♪ ♪ she walks like a dream ♪

♪ makes me feel crazy, ♪ ♪ makes me feel so mean ♪

♪ ain't nothin' gonna save you ♪ ♪ from a love that's blind ♪

♪ the dark side is callin' now, nothin' is real ♪

♪ she'll never know just how I feel ♪

♪ from out of the shadows ♪ ♪ she walks like a dream ♪

♪ makes me feel crazy, ♪ ♪ makes me feel so mean ♪

♪ ain't nothin' gonna save you ♪ ♪ from a love that's blind ♪

♪ you slip to the dark side, ♪ ♪ you cross that line ♪

♪ on the dark side ♪

♪ oh, yeah ♪

♪ on the dark side ♪

♪ oh, yeah ♪

- Not bad. - What?

- I said not bad. - Not bad?

Eddie, what's with you? The kid can't play.

He can't sing and he can't write.

So what's not bad?

He's got somethin' we need.

Like what?

Words and music, Doc. Words and music.

All right, now let's get on with the music.

See what I'm doin'? Do it like I'm doin'.

It's rock 'n' roll, all right?

Do that.

No, no, no, no, like this. Like this.

- Relax. - Did he say not bad?

All right? Come on.

Aw, they're right. I can't do this.

No, man, now come on. Just concentrate. It's easy.

It's like getting laid or riding a bike. Come on.

See? Loosen up.

Get your hands up there.

Yeah, come on.

Let go.

Go, go.

See?

You got it, Frankie. Yeah!

Yeah! You got it!

Yeah.

Yeah! Yeah!

Get over here.

♪ The dark side's callin' now nothin' is real ♪

♪ she'll never know just how I'll feel ♪

♪ from out of the shadows ♪ ♪ she walks like a dream ♪

♪ makes me feel crazy... ♪

You on vacation or what?

♪ Ain't nothin' gonna save you ♪ ♪ from a love that's blind ♪

♪ you slip to the dark side, across that line ♪

♪ on the dark side ♪

♪ oh, yeah ♪

♪ on the dark side ♪

♪ oh, yeah ♪

♪ ain't nothin' gonna save you ♪ ♪ from a love that's blind ♪

♪ you slip to the dark side, across that line ♪

♪ ooh, on the dark side ♪

♪ oh, yeah ♪

♪ on the dark side ♪

♪ ooh, yeah ♪

That was the memory lane voice of Eddie Wilson!

The original sound of the Cruisers!

And I'd like to take you on another little journey now.

How many of you remember that old feeling?

Sand in your shoes?

Ants in your pants?

A secret weapon in your wallet?

That's you, right?

Yeah.

How 'bout the feeling of that magic, magic night.

The first time.

How many of you remember that?

I wanna see a show of hands. Come on.

Ah, ah.

Slow dancin', submarine races.

Hickeys.

How 'bout those wild nights when you were cruisin'

with your favorite girl?

And the top was down

and the music was blasting, hmm?

That was the inspiration behind "Wild Summer Nights."

One, two, three, four!

♪ Wild summer nights ♪

♪ oh baby, those wild summer nights ♪

♪ wild summer nights ♪

♪ oh baby, run wild summer nights ♪

♪ strangers cruisin' down the south strip ♪

♪ cool cats searchin' for some hot lips ♪

♪ night-shift neon ribbons flash forever ♪

♪ rebels, lace midnight and black leather ♪

♪ shipwrecked pirates claim ♪ ♪ their treasures in the sand ♪

♪ sidewalk surfers ride ♪ ♪ the streets in super vans ♪

♪ fires by the beach light the gypsy caravans ♪

♪ open up your door ♪

♪ and let those lake pipes roar ♪

♪ into the ♪

♪ wild summer nights ♪

♪ oh baby, those wild summer nights ♪

♪ summer nights, summer nights ♪

♪ wild summer nights ♪

♪ oh baby, those wild summer nights ♪

♪ oh baby, run wild ♪

♪ summer nights ♪

♪ run wild ♪

♪ summer nights ♪

All right.

All right!

♪ When the moon hung soft and low ♪

♪ catching stardust in the light ♪

♪ you held me closer and closer ♪

♪ there was magic in the night ♪

♪ a sweet love song, a melody ♪

♪ that I still can recall ♪

♪ two young hearts filled with dreams ♪

♪ to walk away with it all ♪

♪ whoa, whoa, tender years ♪

♪ won't you wash away my tears? ♪

♪ How I wish you were near ♪

♪ please don't go, tender years ♪

♪ a summer love, a beach romance ♪

♪ sought her kisses in the sand ♪

♪ two young hearts filled with fire ♪

♪ lost in never-neverland ♪

♪ whoa, whoa, tender years ♪

♪ won't you wash away my tears? ♪

♪ How I wish you were near ♪

♪ please don't go, tender years ♪

Oh, yeah!

♪ Whoa, whoa, tender years ♪

♪ won't you wash away my tears? ♪

♪ How I wish you were near ♪

♪ please don't go, tender years ♪

All right! All right!

Eddie Wilson is a part of yesterday, sure he is,

but he's as much a part of this group today as I am.

You know, we're still together, him and me.

And never a day passes that I don't think

he's around somewhere.

Out in the street.

Around the corner.

Not far away at all.

♪ Forever they will haunt me ♪

♪ but what can I do? ♪

♪ Those oldies but goodies ♪

♪ reminds me of ♪

♪ you, you, you, you ♪

♪ Whoo-hoo-ooh-ooh! ♪

The Cruisers with Sal Amato! Let's give 'em a big hand!

Once more for this really great group.

Ladies and gentlemen, here they come!

Here they are! Take a bow, Sallie!

Okay, thank you very much. Don't go away. Stick around.

There'll be dancing till dawn to the keyboard sounds

of our very own Regina Lewis. Thank you.

Son of a bitch!

Son of a bitch!

What comes walkin' through the door?

Word man himself!

It's like I been tellin' everybody. When you're hot, you're hot.

Where you been hidin' yourself, word man?

Aw, teaching high school, in Vineland.

Never left the Garden State, Sal.

- No lie? - No.

You...

Sit down. Sit down.

I used to wonder about you.

- Yeah? - Yeah.

I figured maybe you moved to California.

You're writin' for movies under an assumed name or somethin'.

- Want a beer? - Hey. Thanks.

Word man, I just got interviewed for television

by Media Magazine.

Yeah, they had a whole crew here.

Lights and cameras, everything.

That's great, Sal.

What'd you talk about?

Me.

You hungry? Want a slice?

Nah.

No, no, no, no, no.

You know what she really wanted to talk about?

Those old tapes, "Season in Hell."

She said somethin' about 'em being missin'.

Wanted to know if I knew where they were.

- What'd you tell her? - I told her I don't have a clue.

For all I care, they could have gone down with Eddie.

You understand?

Sallie, you were on those tapes, too.

If they find those tapes, what's in it for me, huh?

I just about broke my fingers trying to play that stuff.

Well, they must be worth money.

Somebody's willing to pay for 'em.

But we ain't gonna see a dime from that.

They'll find a way to screw us.

They always do.

Guys like you and me, they...

They strike oil under your garden, all you get is dead tomatoes.

I get the picture.

It's still Eddie, isn't it?

They could care less about me.

It's more Eddie they want.

Aw, Sallie...

Hey...

You ever wonder what it might have been like

if he was still around?

I used to wonder.

It ate me up.

I figured Eddie was my one shot at the bigs.

I thought we could go all the way together.

After he died, I got crazy.

And some nights, it's like Eddie's still alive...

And I get mad at him all over again.

I'm mad at him for livin'.

And I'm mad at him for dyin'

the dumb way that he did.

Sure, it gripes me when I think of how big we could've been.

♪ The time is right ♪

♪ you hold me tight ♪

♪ and love... ♪

We signed a $50,000 contract to do another album.

That was a lot of money in those days.

They gave us a $10,000 advance

and the offers started pourin' in.

They all wanted the Cruisers.

Yeah, we were on such a high

we thought we'd never come down.

Anyway, one night Doc was reading off a list

of potential dates

and I heard him mention Benton College, my old school.

Nobody wanted to go and the money was short.

Also, Eddie felt that it wasn't our kind of place.

That we wouldn't fit in.

But I wanted to go.

Oh, god, how I wanted to go.

Can you believe this?

Hey, I didn't know we were goin' to summer camp.

You know, there's 600 guys here

that haven't seen a girl since New Year's.

They bring 'em by train, by car, by the busload.

Cattle cars, they call 'em.

Sounds like zoo parade.

Round 'em up! Move 'em out!

South Philly was never like this.

Come on, you guys. Get off my back.

Strike one!

- Hello, girls. - Stop, stop.

Robert's on the mound.

Get this. It's an ice cream convention, man.

Oh, they're gonna do a sacrifice?

No, they're gonna sacrifice you.

Well, how does it feel to be home, Frankie?

Look at this. What do we have here?

Yeah, right.

Real group of pistoleros, you guys.

Hey, word man.

This shindig tonight, how we supposed to dress?

Hey, wait a minute. What is the big deal?

- We've played colleges before. - Yeah, sure.

We played Saint something down in Delaware

and "Fairly Ridiculous" up in Madison,

but we ain't never played no finishin' school like this.

This is a mistake.

We don't belong here.

These people are different.

I'm telling you, they're gonna eat us up!

They're just a bunch of college kids. No better than you...

Hey! I didn't say better. I said different.

You wanna remember that.

Well, what do you think?

What do I think?

I'm scared to death.

Aw, hell, Joann, come on.

When I graduated from high school,

I asked my guidance counselor what he thought I should do.

He talked about being a beautician

or a typist or a nurse.

But that was already reaching for the moon.

And the whole time, he was checkin' me out.

Oh, here's a bright one.

Doesn't really matter what kind of job you get.

Because in a year, you'll be married and pregnant

with the first of six.

And they won't be college material

any more than you are, cookie.

Case closed.

Hey, listen, these people, they're way behind you.

I don't think they think so.

Hey, Ridgeway! Frank! What are you doin'?

- Livingston, how are you? - Okay.

Hey, this is Frank Ridgeway, my old roommate.

- This is Lois Wilkes. - Hi, Lois.

Joann Carlino.

How you doin'? Keith Livingston.

- Nice to meet you. - Hi.

So, uh, what, are you up for the weekend?

- Yeah. - Rites of spring?

- Yeah. - Well, that's perfect.

Know who they got playing tonight at the dance?

They got the Cruisers.

You know, the mean-ass black group out of Newark, the Cruisers?

Oh, yeah, I heard of 'em.

You know, when that Lois girl asked me

where did I go to college, I didn't know what to say.

Ah, you told her you worked in the city. Fine.

Whether we were pinned or lavaliered?

Hey, look.

You're good enough to be here.

You mean, I'm good enough for you.

That's it, isn't it?

Sometimes I think you're too good.

How do you know I'm not?

- You know I didn't mean that. Come on. - Eddie said different.

Yeah.

Thanks for the date.

- Are you being sarcastic? - No.

You're welcome then.

Let's go back.

Showtime yet?

I'll just change into my other stuff now. - No.

It'll only take a minute.

I said no.

You stay like that.

Hey, man, you got some fine college here!

All the advantages!

You got high Ivy walls, lecture halls.

Full-dressed balls.

And you got the Cruisers, for the nasty stuff,

for the get-down music and the hanging tough!

Better grab a woman, no mention your name!

'Cause after tonight, she'll never be the same

when the lights go out and the clock winds down,

better find me a woman and go downtown.

No hand-holding baby, who'll nip and tuck,

I wanna girl off the streets who knows how to...

♪ I need a woman's special touch ♪

♪ I need a lover's soul to trust ♪

♪ I want you, baby, you know it's true ♪

♪ there's just one thing I would do for you ♪

♪ never say ♪

♪ get down on my, down on my knees ♪

♪ Oooh, baby, I'm a live wire ♪

♪ a loaded pistol, I'm ready to fire ♪

♪ you know I want you by my side ♪

♪ I ain't beggin', I got my pride ♪

♪ never say ♪

♪ get down on my, down on my knees ♪

♪ all I need is to set my soul free ♪

♪ all I want is you to walk the night with me ♪

♪ all night and day ♪

♪ you give me lovin' with a blind heart ♪

♪ I want you, baby, I'll never stop ♪

♪ Oooh, baby, you're my one desire ♪

♪ I'm a man that you can't deny ♪

♪ never say ♪

♪ get down on my, down on my knees ♪

♪ yeah ♪

♪ down on my, down on my knees ♪

♪ yeah ♪

♪ down on my, down on my knees ♪

Yeah! Yeah!

Do you wanna rock 'n' roll?

Are you ready to rock 'n' roll?

All right! Cool down! Sit down. Sit down.

Come on! We gotta cool out before we can get runnin'!

Hey, yeah!

I wanna thank you people for making the scene.

Shaw's just starting now, I'm gonna come clean.

I'm gonna present the Cruisers one by one.

On drums, just goin' through a phase, Kenny Hopkins!

On sax, the bruiser, Mr. Wendell Newton!

On bass, "long tall" Sallie Amato!

And last but not least,

your favorite and mine, Joann Carlino!

Hey, Eddie! You forgot somebody!

- Who'd I forget? - The guy on the piano!

Ridgeway!

Oh. Oh, yeah.

On piano, we got, uh...

Toby Tyler.

Stage name, show business nom de plume.

Why, he's that little boy that ran away from home

and joined the circus, isn't he?

Snuck into the tent without a ticket

so he could see all the wild animals inside?

The savage beasts? The clowns?

The freaks?

Let's hear it, everybody, for Toby Tyler!

- Frankie! - All right, here we go!

Turn up those lights.

♪ My mama told me she didn't ♪ ♪ like that rock 'n' roll ♪

♪ said oh, mama, mama ♪

♪ mama, you just don't know ♪

♪ I don't wanna ♪

♪ hang up my rock 'n' roll shoes ♪

♪ well, I get that feelin' ♪

♪ every time I hear them blues ♪

♪ the music's got the beat ♪ ♪ that will keep you alive ♪

♪ the kids are rock 'n' rollin', from 8 to 85 ♪

♪ I don't wanna ♪

♪ hang up my rock 'n' roll shoes ♪

♪ well, I get that feelin' ♪

♪ every time I hear them blues ♪

The next day, I told him I was leaving

and I'd take the bus back.

And what did he say?

He said, okay, sure. Go ahead.

I'll just call up the union and have 'em send someone else over.

Like so much busted plumbing.

And he asked me to take a walk with him.

He didn't say anything for the longest time

and then he turned to me, and he said,

"Word man..."

"We need each other.

Words and music."

And he crossed his fingers showing how they go together.

"Remember, words and music."

So you stayed.

Yeah, I stayed.

But "Season in Hell"...

Frank, how much influence did Rimbaud have on Eddie?

Looking for ghosts?

Maybe.

You don't really think Eddie's still alive, do you?

I guess not.

But what about the coincidence of "Season in Hell"?

Frank, what happened to those tapes?

Hey, look, it didn't work.

The record company hated it.

They never released the album.

Frank, I wanna get ahold of those tapes

and play them on my show.

Let's let them be heard

and let the people decide whether they're any good.

I don't know where they are.

Honest.

I'd like to find them as much as you would.

Frank?

Is that why you stopped writing?

'Cause they told you that you weren't any good?

Words and music, remember?

Without Eddie, there wasn't any more music.

Night, Maggie.

Good night, Frank.

I'm serious.

Doc wants to get Sallie's band and us

to go back on the circuit again.

The guy is out of his head.

It's just old songs and old memories.

- It'll make you crazy, man. - Yeah.

Just a phase, huh, Kenny?

Yeah, sure.

We had some fun times for a while there, huh?

Yeah.

Oh, I liked being on top. What's not to like?

You got me in the back of the caddy balling some chick, you know.

One of our tunes come on the radio, whoa-ho!

I mean, who was better than me, right?

Well, there was something special about that time, you know.

I miss it.

You don't fool with the memories, huh, Frankie?

I'm not so sure I can stop.

Okay.

Okay, but if you're gonna do that,

then you gotta take a look at the whole story, man.

I mean, there were bad times, too.

The fights, the arguments, the hassles!

Things I'm sure that you've forgotten all about,

Toby Tyler.

Hey, did he play hell with you that night, huh?

- Yeah. - Yeah, right.

You remember Sal and Doc at each other's throats?

Eddie and Joann not being able to talk to each other?

Nobody talkin' to each other? Remember Wendell dyin'?

- I remember. - Yeah, right.

Heart attack, right?

Man, you still don't know what went down there.

What are you talkin' about?

Where the hell you been? Heart attack, my ass!

What, do you live in a cloud?

It's time you grew up.

Let's go.

Wendell?

Come on, Wendell! Let's go! We gotta go, man!

Wendell?

Hey! Wendell!

Hey!

Stupid son of a bitch.

Uh...

The other day, I buried one of my best friends.

He was the best sax player I ever heard.

And they tell me I gotta come up here

and entertain you people now.

I don't think I'll be able to do that.

♪ When the moon hung soft and low ♪

♪ catching stardust in the light ♪

♪ you held me closer and closer ♪

♪ there was magic in the night ♪

♪ oh, tender years ♪

♪ won't you wash away my tears? ♪

♪ How I wish you were near ♪

♪ please don't go, tender years. ♪

- Hi. - Hi.

God, you look great.

I just came from rehearsal.

Still, you look terrific.

I'm so glad you called.

You know I wanted to so many times, but...

Now, you know, this revival of our music,

I couldn't help thinking about you.

And remembering the good times we had.

I just had to see you again, Joann.

We had fun, didn't we, Frank?

Yeah.

You know, I've never been able to let go.

To let you go.

I'm glad you're here.

Hey, you know, I've seen all the guys.

- You did? - Yeah.

Kenny's in Atlantic City

dealing blackjack at one of the casinos.

- Really? - Yeah.

Doc's a deejay back in Asbury Park.

- Did you see Sallie? - Oh, yeah, yeah.

He's knockin' 'em dead with the oldies but goodies.

Can you believe he's still playing "Betty Lou"?

Only now he's finally doing it his way?

Without the caesura?

Yeah.

How do you feel,

them playing our old songs on the radio again?

I guess it's fun.

But, you know, the strangest things have been happening lately.

I keep getting these phone calls.

I pick up the phone and someone plays "Tender Years."

Then they hang up, a couple of times a day.

And last week, somebody broke into my house.

They got my place, too.

And Doc's.

What's going on?

Who is it?

It's gotta be those old tapes.

"Season in Hell".

♪ See the writing on the wall ♪

♪ ivory towers bound to fall ♪

♪ voices whisper in the wind ♪

♪ I can hear them calling ♪

♪ love is the fire burning, ♪ ♪ and I want to burn ♪

♪ darkest now before the dawn ♪

♪ times we know will... ♪

Hey! What the hell are you guys doing?

I've heard enough!

Just relax. There's nothing can't be fixed.

- Am I right? - This won't fix.

This is a disaster.

You wanna be a poet? Try Greenwich Village.

Well, listen, another couple of weeks, we can work this...

Doc, take six weeks.

I still wouldn't know what to do with it.

You wanna know what you can do with it?

I'll tell you what you can do with it, you son of a bitch!

Hey, I put up 10 grand

and I expect something for my money!

This is what I been waiting a year for?

A bunch of jerk-offs making weird sounds?

You're not gonna see a red penny!

- Easy, Eddie! - Hey, wait, come on, man!

He's been under a lot of pressure since Wendell died.

- Let me talk to him. - You ain't talking to nobody!

So we'll work something out!

- Bullshit! - Doc, don't do me any favors.

I don't need this.

Lew? Lew?

Lew!

Shit!

Are you crazy?

We had the money in our hands and you blew it!

You blew it!

- Hey, come on, come on. - Eddie! Eddie!

Eddie! You're wrong!

You're wrong! Now listen to me!

I love ya!

I've known you longer than anyone else,

but you're wrong!

They want "On the Dark Side"! What are we giving 'em?

Some damn opera!

I don't even know what you're after!

I want somethin' great!

I want somethin' that nobody's ever done before!

Why? We ain't great.

We're just some guys from Jersey.

If we can't be great, then there's no sense

in ever playing music again, Sal.

I blame this on you.

It was you!

We were doin' good till you came along,

and you got us all screwed up!

Eddie, wait!

Eddie, the music is great.

Those guys are wrong.

It really is.

Eddie, what is this place?

I used to hang out here when I was a kid.

There used to be this old guy who owned the place.

What a dreamer.

He would sift through the garbage

and put aside bits and pieces.

Come on, I'll show you.

Come on.

He actually believed that you could build a castle

out of a bunch of junk.

What a crock.

Holy shit.

What a phony.

Here we are, guys. Right where we belong.

You got your Edsels...

Norges...

Dumonts...

And Eddie Wilson.

Together at last,

creating our own incredible monument

to nothing!

Here's to nothing, fellas!

Here's to nothing!

There were so many things I wanted to say to him.

So many questions I wanted to ask.

But Eddie and I, we had a deal.

We never talked about the future.

We thought the present was so fine.

Why ruin it by planning ahead?

But as Eddie drove off, I knew.

I knew it then.

There wasn't gonna be any future.

In the morning, they told me Eddie was gone.

They hadn't found his body.

That was always the hardest part to accept.

Frank, I know you're gonna think I'm crazy,

but I have to tell you something.

Last night, there was a car sitting in my driveway,

a '57 Chevy just like Eddie's.

Joann, that car was destroyed in the accident, remember?

I know, but whoever it was

must have seen me looking out the window.

He blinked his headlights high,

then low, then high again.

Just like Eddie.

It can't be. I can't be him.

Well, who then? Who?

It's not Eddie.

No, whoever it is that's watching you is lookin' to cash in on those tapes.

- But it is not Eddie. - Oh, Frank.

I know where those tapes are.

After the accident,

I had to say goodbye in my own way.

I went to Satin Records, got the tapes

and drove back to Palace Depression.

Take me there.

Watch your head.

- You there? - Yeah.

Come on, hold my hand. Come on.

Up there!

All right, then give me a lift.

- Okay. - See it?

I feel something up there. I don't know what it is.

It's a box. It's a wooden box.

Got it! Got it. Let's go. Come on.

Okay.

It's gonna be a left soon.

Just past the gas station.

There's some of you, you know.

Yeah, I see.

That one was always my favorite.

Hello?

Who is this?

God damn it, who is this?

Oh, Frank.

No, don't.

It's okay, it's okay.

That's it!

Huh?

It's Eddie! He's coming over!

That's our signal!

It means get ready!

I... I have to go.

He'll be here any minute!

I gotta go!

Oh, Frank, I'm sorry. I gotta go.

Eddie? It is you!

Yes, yes, sure. I have them!

Yes, I'll be waiting.

Yes, yes, Eddie.

I'll be alone.

Yes.

Oh, hurry. Please hurry!

Frank? Frank!

Hey, baby, what's the holdup?

Eddie?

Come on. Let's get on with the music!

Frank!

Frank! What are you doing?

Son of a bitch!

You! You! You!

Okay, okay.

Why did you do this?

Shortcuts, kid.

I never could do things the easy way.

Aw, doc. Why this whole game?

The car business?

I figured... Joann had the tapes.

I knew she wasn't gonna give 'em to me.

Maybe you would, man.

Maybe she'd give 'em to you.

What would you do if you had the tapes, Doc?

Try me.

Just try me.

I'd have it made.

For once in my life, I'd bring home a winner.

I'd like that.

I once asked Eddie why he kept you around.

You know what he said?

He said Doc's a dreamer.

And the world needs dreamers.

He was the only real friend I ever had.

Here.

Come on, kid, your ticket to the bigs.

Come on. Take 'em.

I'm gonna do this for all of us.

I mean that.

I'm gonna make you proud of me.

Listen, I'm gonna make the sweetest deal you ever heard.

They don't know it yet,

but they're gonna be dealing with Doc Robbins, the big bopper,

and I'm gonna be comin' on strong!

Stayin' long, talkin' loud, and drawin' a crowd!

Hey, man, Eddie and the Cruisers coast to coast!

I ain't just talkin' Jersey!

Go get 'em, Doc!

Let's go inside.

♪ The dark side's callin' now, nothin' is real ♪

♪ she'll never know just how I feel ♪

♪ from out of the shadows ♪ ♪ she walks like a dream ♪

♪ makes me feel crazy, ♪ ♪ makes me feel so mean ♪

♪ ain't nothin' gonna save you ♪ ♪ from a love that's blind ♪

♪ you slip to the dark side across that line ♪

♪ on the dark side ♪

♪ oh, yeah ♪

♪ on the dark side ♪

♪ oh, yeah. ♪

The innocence of the fifties was over,

and so was rock 'n' roll as we knew it.

We were entering a new age.

An age of confusion.

An age of passion, of commitment.

Eddie Wilson saw it coming.

"Season in Hell" is a total innovation for its time.

It was a signal of greatness yet to come.

Eddie Wilson was a step ahead of us,

and I don't think we've caught up with him yet.

Eddie's been dead for almost 18 years.

But his music is as alive today

as the day he recorded it.

For me and for everyone who listens to music,

Eddie Wilson lives and always will.

♪ Fire ♪

♪ fire ♪

♪ love is the fire burning, ♪ ♪ and I want to burn. ♪

Eddie! Eddie! Eddie!

Eddie! Eddie! Eddie!

Eddie! Eddie! Eddie!

Eddie! Eddie! Eddie!

Eddie! Eddie! Eddie!

♪ Can you see the light? ♪

♪ Can you hear the sound? ♪

♪ Can you feel this old world ♪ ♪ turnin ' around? ♪

♪ Can you see the light? ♪

♪ Can you hear the sound? ♪

♪ Can you feel this old world ♪ ♪ turnin ' around? ♪

♪ Can you see the light? ♪

♪ Can you hear the sound? ♪

♪ Can you feel this old world ♪ ♪ turnin ' around? ♪

♪ Can you see the light? ♪

♪ Can you hear the sound? ♪

♪ Can you feel this old world ♪ ♪ turnin ' around? ♪

♪ Can you see the light? ♪

♪ Can you hear the sound? ♪

♪ Can you feel this old world ♪ ♪ turnin ' around? ♪

♪ Can you see the light? ♪

♪ Can you hear the sound? ♪

♪ Can you feel this old world ♪ ♪ turnin ' around? ♪

♪ Can you see the light? ♪

♪ Can you hear the sound? ♪

♪ Can you feel this old world ♪ ♪ turnin ' around? ♪

♪ Can you see the light? ♪

♪ Can you hear the sound? ♪

♪ Can you feel this old world ♪ ♪ turnin ' around? ♪

♪ Can you see the light? ♪

♪ Can you hear the sound? ♪

♪ Can you feel... ♪

♪ Strangers cruisin' down the south strip ♪

♪ cool cats searchin' for some hot lips ♪

♪ night-shift neon ribbons flash forever ♪

♪ rebels lace midnight in black leather ♪

♪ shipwrecked pirates claim ♪ ♪ their treasures in the sand ♪

♪ sidewalk surfers ride the streets ♪ ♪ in super vans ♪

♪ fires light the faces ♪ ♪ of the gypsy caravans ♪

♪ open up your door ♪

♪ let those lake pipes roar ♪

♪ into the wild summer nights ♪

♪ oh baby, those wild summer nights ♪

♪ wild summer nights ♪

♪ oh baby, those wild summer nights ♪

♪ oh baby, run wild ♪

♪ summer nights ♪

♪ run wild ♪

♪ summer nights ♪

♪ when the moon hung soft and low ♪

♪ catchin' stardust in the light ♪

♪ you held me closer and closer ♪

♪ there was magic in the night ♪

♪ a sweet love song, a melody ♪

♪ that I still can recall ♪

♪ two young hearts filled with dreams ♪

♪ to walk away with it all ♪

♪ whoa, whoa, tender years ♪

♪ won't you wash away my tears? ♪

♪ How I wish you were near ♪

♪ please don't go, tender years ♪