All language subtitles for Quantum Leap - 4x15 - A Song For the Soul - April 7 1963.DVD.en

[ Woman ]
Theorizing that one could time travel
within his own lifetime,

Dr. Sam Beckett stepped
into the Quantum Leap accelerator...

and vanished.

He awoke to find himself
trapped in the past,

facing mirror images
that were not his own...

and driven by an unknown force
to change history for the better.

His only guide on this journey is Al,
an observer from his own time,

who appears in the form of a hologram
that only Sam can see and hear.

And so, Dr. Beckett finds himself
leaping from life to life,

striving to put right
what once went wrong...

and hoping each time
that his next leap...

will be the leap home.

* [ Woman Singing ]

[ Laughing ]
[ Audience Applauding ]

Oh, God, they love us!
We were bad, girlfriend!

They want an encore!
What are we gonna sing?
[ Man ] Cherea.

Dovettes! Dovettes! Dovettes!
Dovettes! Dovettes!

- No, no, no. I don't think so.
- Yes!

No, no, no. Oh, boy.

[ Audience Applauding ]

* [ R&B ]

* [ Off-key ]

Ah. Sorry.

[ Laughing ]

* [ Ends ]

[ Light Applause, Chattering ]

[ Man ]
Who did that hair?

You must've hit your head
a lot harder than you thought.

Yeah, I guess- I guess I did. Come on.
Come on. Come on. Hurry, hurry, hurry.

Hurry, hurry.
Come on, come on, come on.

[ Woman ]
We could've won.
That would've been a hundred dollars,

new costumes,
plus a shot at the finals.

[ Woman #2 ]
Well, Bobby Lee said
we could come back and try it again.

The way he was scopin' you,
he would've said anything.
* [ Vocalizing ]

That's not true!
He just saw that Cherea hurt herself
and wanted to give us another chance.

We should've won.
Would you come on, please.

Now what's your problem?
I just don't think that we should be out
walkin' around this late in this neighborhood.

My father would kill me
if he knew we were out this late.
And so would yours.

Cherea's old man
doesn't stay home long enough
to know when she's gone.

Hey, baby, why don't you
come over here and talk to me?
Come on.

Who the heck would want to talk
to your ugly behind?
Paula!

Ooh, you talkin' to me, Paula?

Hey, come on.
Why don't you bring your real fine
brown body over here?

I don't talk to night crawlers,

so you can just crawl back
into whatever cave you came from.

Damn, Paula!
Just keep on walkin'.
That's all I'm sayin'.

What about you?
You know I like me some
real nice, tall woman there.

Keep walkin'. Keep goin'.
Look, why don't you and your friend
just go back and sit down?

Yeah, why don't you just come
and sit down with me?

Actually, we were supposed to be home
hours ago, and my father get real upset-

Yeah, well, let me give him something
to get upset about.

[ Grunting ]

- Hey!
- [ Grunting ]

- Come on, girls.
- How'd you do that?

Let's just get goin' home, okay?
Cherea.

Huh?
I think we better
get you to a hospital.

I mean, something must've really
happened when you hit your head.

We're goin' the wrong way.
We live this way.

Are you crazy? I think
that bump turned this child
into some kind of super girl.

I like this move.
Look, I- I- I-

I think we could
put it in the act.
I don't know what happened back there.

Look, I do know that girls shouldn't
be out at 2:00 in the morning alone.
[ Horn Honks ]

Now let's go. On these streets.
Come on. Get going.

Especially one
with a mouth like Paula.
Get-Get goin'.

I can take care of myself.
[ Laughs ]
Would you cut it out!

Get goin'.
[ Both Laughing ]

Get goin'. You're trippin' me up.
You're trippin' me up like that.
Get goin'. What am I gonna-

All I know is, if Cherea hadn't
have done whatever she did,

you'd be tellin' my daddy about it,
'cause I'd have made sure I was dead.

Are you gonna spend the night?
No, I don't think I'd better.

Maybe the three of you
better get your hides inside...

and start doin' some serious explaining
on why my 1 5-year-old daughter
is out at 2:00 in the morning!

Inside! Let's go!
[ Dogs Barking ]

[ Sam Narrating ]
Quantum leaping has taught me
a lot about people,

and I knew right away I liked this man.

You're not old enough-
Even with all his blustering and bravado,

Reverend Walters was saying
everything that I had wanted to say
since this leap had started,

and his concern for his daughter's
safety and well-being...

was grounded in as much reality
as the walk wejust took home.

Sit down.

Not to mention that three young girls
have absolutely no business...

on the streets of Chicago,
unescorted, at 2:00 in the morning.

Since you are too foolish to understand
the dangers of life in the big city,

I have taken it upon myself
to call your parents...

and tell them what's been going on
and how you children have been lying to us.

We wouldn't have to lie
if you'd come hear us, Daddy.

We're really good, Reverend.

I will not support my 1 5-year-old
daughter singing in a brothel!

It's not a brothel!
Daddy, please!

Paula, your mother's
waitin' up for you.

And, Cherea, since your parents
are not at home,

you will stay with Lynell and I
until they come back.

I don't think you understand
how important this is to us, Daddy.

What's important is that you understand
that there'll be no more of this nonsense...

about singing in nightclubs.

It's not nonsense!

Not finishing school is nonsense.

Not getting a degree is nonsense.

Not makin'something
out of yourself is nonsense.

- I want people to hear me sing, Daddy.
- Don't you understand?

Don't you understand, baby,

that you can sing...

for God and for my congregation.

God gave me a voice
to do with whatever I want.

Not as long as you're
under my roof!

Then I'll leave!
Lynell,just a second.

No! I won't let him lock me
in this miserable house!

It killed Mama,
and I won't let it kill me too!

Lynell!
Let her go.

She didn't mean what she said,
Reverend. I swear she didn't.

But she did.

She still misses her mama.

I love her.

I gotta do
what I think is right.

[ Sighs ]
I know she'll understand it
as soon as she grows up.

Well, Paula, I guess
I better walk you home. I know
your mother's waiting for you.

I'll walk her home.
You better go upstairs
and talk to your daughter.

And who's gonna walk you
back here? Hmm?

Oh, Cherea can take care
of herself. You should've seen-

I don't know what
I could've been thinking of.

Cherea, get Lynell to give you
one of her mother's gowns.

There's a blue one in there
I think'll fit you just fine.

And we'll talk later,
tomorrow after the services.

Come on, Paula.

[ Al Clears Throat ]

How long have you been here?

Well, long enough to hear the fireworks
between Lynell and her father.

That's one very angry little girl.

Yeah.
What do you got?

Well, all Ziggy's got so far is that
the mother died five years ago
of unknown causes.

Yeah.
From the little we know,

apparently shejust went to her bed
and then stayed there for six months
until she died.

- What did the autopsy say?
- No autopsy.

Huh? So Ziggy says I'm here to help
Lynell deal with her mother's death?

Is that it?
Well, we don't know.
There's no data.

Well, okay, what do you know?

Know about what?

What do you know.
You still have this old picture of us.

Old?
[ Scoffs ]
Good recovery, Sam.

I just got that printed
last week.

Not so good.
Boy, time sure flies when
you're having fun, doesn't it?

Yeah. You should've quit
while you were ahead.
[ Laughs ]

People are gonna think
you're as crazy as I feel.

You're not crazy.
I'm going to be...

if I don't get out
of this miserable house.

Ziggy says she runs away
day after tomorrow.

What happened?
[ Lynell ]
You heard him.

- No data.
- He's got my life planned
for the next 20 years.

It seems to me like your father
is just trying to protect you.

He wants to control me.
He loves you.

Yeah, but it's killin' me, Cherea.

The same way that it killed my mother.

Don't look at me.
Ziggy's working on it.

I don't think that your mother's death
was your father's fault.

You weren't here, Cherea.
You don't know what it was like.

I mean, she had no friends.
She wasn't allowed out,
except to go to church.

And she didn't even-
All right, look. You're just angry
right now, okay? But if you-

No, I'm not. And I'm not
gonna let him lock me in...

and make me shrivel up and die
just so he won't be alone.

Look, I'm hungry.
You want some chicken?

What's gonna happen to her?

Well, she runs away
and tries to become a singer.

Then she gets locked into a slave contract
with some guy named Bobby Lee.

Bobby Lee? Wait a second.

And then things
go downhill after that.

- What do you mean, downhill?
- Oh, crummy clubs, drugs, arrests.

- And her father?
- [ Man Coughing ]

Her father dies in '7 2,
right after he loses his church to a fire.

He and Lynell never
speak to each other again.

Good night, Cherea.

* [ Choir Singing Gospel ]

* [ Continues ]

[ Applause, Cheering ]
Thank you,Jesus.

Amen! Yes! Yes, Lord!

Yes, Lord.!

- Right on.
- [ Congregation Shouting ]

The voices of the children singing
the praise of the Lord God Almighty.

[ All ]
Amen!

You know what that means,
brothers and sisters?
[ Woman ] Yes, it does.!

- It means that we are blessed.
- [ Congregation Shouting ]

With that blessing comes...
dangerous temptation.

Yes, it does!
Yes, it does!

Sinful temptation that often leads
these pure, sweet, young spirits...

to walk in the burning light
of Satan himself!

[ Congregation Shouting ]

And in that burning light,
these innocent children fall...

by the wayside.

Brothers and sisters,
it is our responsibility-

I said it is our responsibility-

[ Congregation Shouting ]

to see that these children
stand in the cool-
[ Man ] Right on.

refreshing-
Come on.

healing light...

of Christ our Lord Almighty.

[ Congregation Shouting ]
God help us...

save those children from damnation!

- Yeah!
- Hallelujah!

- Hallelujah!
- Glory! Hallelujah!

- Glory! Hallelujah!
- Marchin' on.

All it takes is a good preacher
to make you remember...

that the devil's out there
just waitin' to get you.

[ Congregation ] Amen.! Amen.!
Guess he got you,
forgot to let go.

Sister Rose
will now lead the choir-
What?

in a soul-stirring hymn-
What did you say?

What do you mean? He forgot?
He forgot to let go of what?

-* [ Piano ]
-* [ Singing Hymn ]

Al, I think I figured out
why I'm here.

Well, Ziggy says there's
a 90% chance you're here
to keep Lynell out of show business.

Wrong.
Wrong?

Wrong. I think I'm here
to make sure that her father
supports her.

And if I can do that,
that'll keep their relationship intact.

No, no, no. Ziggy- No, no.
Ziggy has been known
to be wrong.

Well, we have to trust
Ziggy's statistics over yours.

Why?
Why? Well, we-
Ziggy keeps better records.

Besides, Ziggy says
day after tomorrow,

you're gonna sing
in some local contest.

The winner gets a hundred bucks
and a tryout at the Regal Theater.

- Regal Theater?
- Yeah. It's Chicago's version of the Apollo.

Except Lynell doesn't sing, right?

Well,yeah, she sings.
She lies to her father,

and he traces her to the club,

and then he pulls her off the stage
right in the middle of the show.

And a big fight breaks out.
Terrible.
And Lynell never forgives him.

Bingo.
[ Sighs ]
Then I'm right.

I'm here to help Reverend Walters
support his daughter,

to-to-to accept her
and to understand her.

So how are you gonna do that?
Eh- Uh, uh-

Well, I don't know. I mean,
you know, maybe if he heard
how good they were-

No, no, no, no.
Then I'd have to sing.

So?
So first of all, I don't know
any of the songs or the routines.

And secondly, I'm a man.
I'm not a 1 6-year-old girl.

That never stopped you before.

Besides, they're gonna be hearing
and seeing Cherea.

What does Ziggy say
our chances are?
Well the odds are 50-50.

But I can up the odds with
the right music and a few choice steps.

Yeah, well, I don't know
a few choice steps.

Well, I do.
I'll teach you some moves.
You'll teach me some moves?

Hey, I was at the Regal Theater
in its heyday.

I remember the Marvelettes, Smokey,

Martha and the Vandellas,James Brown,
the hardest-working man in show business.

All you have to do is keep your
harmonies tight and remember to say-

* [ R&B ]

* [ Continues ]
I don't get these steps.

These moves made
the Temptations famous.

They're just a little
ahead of their time,
that's all, these steps.

They're out of time.

Damn, Cherea, you're
movin' like a white girl.

Okay. What am I gonna do?
What am I gonna do?
* [ Continues ]

Put 'em out straight like this.
Put 'em like that.
Oh, okay, okay.

* [ Continues ]

* [ Harmonizing ]

* [ Ends ]
[ Laughing ]

Yes! Yes.
We did it.

Yes.
All right.
Now, don't get too happy.

All right.
Don't get too happy.
You still need a lot of work.

We still need a lot of work.
We'll be terrific.

Yeah. Yeah.
Yeah, but we're doin'
the wrong song.

What?
This was a number one hit.
That's just it. It was.

We need somethin'-
somethin' hot.

- Something with
a little more fire, you mean?
- What?

"Mickey's Monkey.''
Uh, " Mickey's Monkey.''

No, no, no.
What?

No, no. Forget that. Forget it.
No, that wouldn't have been good.

How about
"Can I Get A Witness''?
No, that wasn't out yet.

What? What? What?
What's he talkin' about?
No, no. Forget it.

- What? What? What?
- What about "Heat Wave''

By Martha and the Vandellas.

I just so happen to have
a pre-release on it.

So who's this giabbone?
How'd you get in the house, Mr. Lee?

I told you to call me Bobby.
My father will get upset
if he finds you here, Bobby.

Oh, he'll get more than upset, honey.
We're talkin' murder in the first degree.

Well, that's because a young lady
would never entertain a gentleman
up in her bedroom.

Well, since we all understand that,
why don't you go downstairs?

It's not my fault.

I was just walkin' down the street,
mindin' my business,

and I heard that sweet, sensual voice
of yours ridin' on a cool breeze.

It made me come
and knock on the door.

When nobody answered, I just-
Well, I just knocked a little harder,
and it came open.

Watch out for this guy, Sam. He's slicker
than spit on a patent leather shoe.

- You shouldn't be here.
- All right, maybe not.

But Lynell knows I mean
no disrespect.
Trust me, Sam.

This guy is a snake.

I'm sure you don't,
so why don't you just leave.

All right.

But I meant what I said
about this song.

You guys sing this tomorrow night,
you're a cinch for first place...

and a shot at the Regal.

Especially with a voice
as beautiful as Lynell's.

We don't have charts for the band or-
Can you learn the song?

Well, yeah.
All right, well, I'll get Rainey
to do up the charts.

- He knows your key.
- Why?

Let's just say I, uh-
I believe in young talent.

Plus if you girls win,
you sign an exclusive deal with me,
and I'll take you straight to the top.

More like the bottom.
Get this, Sam. Robert Z. Lee,

small-time businessman,
part-time... pimp.

- Well, what do you say?
- He's the owner of Bobby's Blues Club,

and he ends up doing 20 years
in the big house for statutory rape.

- Lynell?
- I don't know if we can
get it together that fast.

No data.
All right, Mr. Lee,
I'll tell you what.

Lynell, Paula and I,
we're gonna talk about this.

We're gonna listen to your song.
We'll let you know our intentions.

That's a hellfire grip
you got there, darling.
You don't know the half of it.

Daddy!
What are you doin' in my house?

- He came by to bring us a new record.
- That's the God's honest truth,
Reverend Walters.

It's so new, it hasn't even
been played on the radio yet.

Well, somebody better tell me
why this sinner has to deliver records
to my daughter's bedroom!

- Daddy!
- I asked a question.

Look, man,just because
I don't attend your church
doesn't make me a sinner.

Even though you don't attend
any church doesn't make you a sinner.

But what you said to Leda Brown's
1 3-year-old daughter
does make you a sinner!

Well, that's just her word
against mine, ain't it?

Now, if you don't mind-
[ Ziggy Beeping ]

I've got nothin', Sam.
Either they never brought charges,
or they were dropped.

- Your word is about as good
as the devil's in this house.
-Just stop it!

Mr. Lee came over to try to be nice
to me, not to commit a crime.!

Lynell, this man will-

Lynell, this man will hurt you.
Don't you know that?

Does that privilege
only belong to you, Daddy?
How dare you!

- [ Lynell Screams ]
- Now, don't you defy me. You hear me?

Now, you go to your room.
No!

I said go to your room!

And you-You stay
away from my daughter.

Or as God is my judge,
I will come down to that... brothel,

and I will rip it down
with my bare hands.

Let me tell you something.
You step one foot in my club,

and God himself won't be able
to keep me off of you.

[ Al ]
Sam, do something.!
This could be the start of it.

All right. All right. Okay.
I need you to leave now.
[ Muttering ]

Please. Please.

Daddy, don't do this.
Lynell, this is for your own good.

All right? Now,just close the door
and go to your room.

- [ Sighs ]
- Lynell. Lynell, wait just a second.

He's my chance to get outta here!
There's got to be another way.

What?
I- I don't know.

Then let me go talk to him!
No,just give me a chance
to figure out another way.

[ Sighs ]
Oh, God.

You better think of something.
Yeah, well, I have.

I want you to get me the name
of all the local record companies, okay?

I'll call every one of them
until I can find somebody who
will come and hear the Dovettes.

Maybe I can convince Lynell
there's somebody out there
better than Bobby Lee.

Okay.

What are you doing?
Lookin' at my feet.

Those are nice feet.

Yep. And they're nailed down
right here at 47 th and Ellis.

Nailed down
tighter than a pine coffin.

And I'm runnin' out of air, Cherea.

Oh, come on now.
Everything's gonna be fine.

That's what Mama used to say.

She said, " You'll make it
just fine, Lynell.

Just fine.''

[ Sam ]
I'm sure she meant it too.

She meant it until the day
she decided to die.

People don't decide to die.

Mama did.

And you know what?

I think she was happy.
Happy to be free.

How could she be happy, Lynell?

She had to leave behind
a daughter that she loved.

She hated him more.

She tried to leave him once.

She took me, and-

and she tried to run away.

But he brought us back.

You know why?

Because he loved you?

Because he was afraid
about what people would say
about the righteous reverend...

if his wife ran off and left him.

It didn't matter that she was unhappy,

that she had no life of her own.

The only thing that mattered...

was what other people thought.

That's when she decided to die.

And so will I if we don't sing
in this contest tomorrow night.

Now, wait just a second.
Singing in a contest
isn't gonna save your life.

Yeah, but Bobby said-
Wait. Wait. Wait.
Forget about Bobby Lee.

Forget him.
Forget about his contract.

Today I talked to the head
of Decca Records.

He said that he would come
and hear us sing.
When?

Well, as soon as I can find us a club.
Well, he can hear us sing
at Bobby's club!

No, no, no, not Bobby's.
Not Bobby's.

Come on!
We don't have a choice!

All right. All right.
We'll sing in the club.
All right!

Now, wait a second now.
You gotta promise me-
no contract with Bobby Lee.

What?
And you have to finish
high school.

Oh, come on, Cherea.
Now, Lynell, Lynell, please.

You gotta trust me on this.
You gotta meet your father halfway.

You finish high school,
and I bet that he will let you sing.

I can't change him, Cherea.

Well, I think that's
what I'm here for.

What are you gonna do?

Well, I think, um,

we should invite him
to hear us sing.

Oh, are you crazy?
It's the only way.

Once he hears you sing,
he will accept your career.

And if you could accept his love-
I don't know.

It's the only way.

All right.
All right.

But if this doesn't work,
we're gonna have to sign with Bobby.
It doesn't work.

She signs with Bobby,
and she has a miserable life.

Well, I can't change history...
until I talk to her father, right?

Well, when do you plan
on doing that?
Tomorrow night before the show.

But we need some new choreography,
some new steps for that new song we got.

You gotta come up
with something for us.
Okay, okay, okay.

But what are you gonna do
about the sleaze with the perfect teeth?
What he doesn't know doesn't matter.

Look, the important thing is to keep
Lynell out of his clutches, right?

Ziggy says this whole thing
is gonna be a catastrophe.

Ziggy should have a little
more faith in human nature.

Ziggy says that's the problem.

Arms go down...
and walk 'em up...

and a little more.

[ Grunting ]
Flick it.

And around and-

[ Laughing ]
That felt much better.

Maybe with the chorus this time.
That was pretty smooth, ladies.

[ Laughing ]
Thanks, Rainey.

Hey, Bobby. Bobby? Look.
Look at these here, Bobby.

These charts are so hot...

that, uh, I hope your girls can handle 'em.

Lynell will do fine.
That's all that matters to me.
Hey, uh, Cherea.

Hmm?
Raineyjust made a pass
on the chord sheet.

- Do you wanna take a look at it.
- Tell 'em to take five.

Yeah, okay. Okay.
Uh, take five, everybody.

I read music, right?

You have a doctorate in it.
That's good. That's-

Okay, uh, Cherea?
Mm-hmm.

Here it is.

Now, this is, uh-Yeah, right here
is where we do the vamp.

Yeah, that- that looks great.

This is where, uh, we were
gonna change it and-

Right here.
All right. All right. I see that.

You girls are good.

Yeah, but there's so much to do,
and it's already 1 :00.

Ah, don't worry about it.
You'll be perfect. Come here.

Where are we going?
Trust me.

I have a surprise for you.

Oh, Bobby!
They're beautiful!

Yeah. I had 'em made for this girl group
that I was tryin' to put together,

but, well, things didn't work out.

I want you ladies to wear 'em tonight.

Oh, Bobby!
Now, look, it's just a loan...

till, uh, you're under contract with me.

Start makin' some real money.
Then you can pay me back.

[ Sighs ]
I- I don't know what to say.

You don't have to say anything.

Right. Will do.
If there's a big applause from the crowd,
have 'em jump right back in.

If we've really got the crowd, we'll come
back in here at the bridge, all right?
Okay. Smokin'!

Yeah.
You know, if you ladies
pull this one off,

ain't nobody to stop you.

That's what I'm countin' on.
Can I keep this for a while?

Yeah, why don't you do that.
Thanks, Rainey.

Is everything set?

I don't know about everything,
but, uh, these charts are... smokin'.

[ Giggles ]

Well, we better get
our chocolate behinds in motion,

or else we're gonna look like
a bunch of amateurs from the boonies.

Oh, yeah, okay.

Where's Lynell?
Hmm?

Where's Lynell?
I don't know where Lynell-
You seen Lynell?

No. Where is Lynell?

I'll center in on her
and, uh, give you a holler.
Lynell?

Stop, Bobby, please!
[ Grunting ]

Hey! Hey! You keep your hands off her.
This girl is 1 5 years old.

What do you think
you're doing? Hey! Hey!
Bobby, please! Stop, Bobby!

Sam! Get back here right now!

- What? What?
- Sam, get this nozzle off of her!

Damn!
Bitch, you better not ever
put your hands on me again.

- And you keep your hands off of her.
- I wasn't doin' nothin' she didn't want me to.

- You were hurting me.
- This is my club. If you want to sing here,
you take whatever I dish out.

- We don't need you or your club.
- [ Lynell ] Cherea.!

- I want an apology.
- [ Laughing ]

[ Al ]
Don't do it. Don't-
Look, we don't need this guy, okay?

Then get outta here.
But if you wanna sing here tonight,

you'll be back here with an apology,
or you can forget it.

What have you done?

Saved your pretty little neck.
What have I done?

- Look, we gotta apologize.
- Are you crazy?

We don't need this guy. We'll get the guy
from the record company to come-

To do what? To come see us
perform in my bedroom?

Now, either you apologize with me,
or I'm goin' on by myself.

- Now what?
- She goes on by herself.

Her father still breaks up the show,
and she ends up alone.

But now she-
she ends up completely alone.

She's got one last chance, Sam.
You've got to speak to her father.

Sylvia, oh, Sylvia,
I miss you so much.

[ Chuckles ]

I miss the way you used to laugh,
the sound of your footsteps,

the- the smell of your hair.

Know what I miss most?

I miss your wisdom.

You always knew the right thing
to say to Lynell.

She won't listen to me, you know.

That child- She's got
so much anger inside of her.

I used to think she was mad at you
for dyin' and mad at me
for lettin' you die.

But Lynell is-
Mad at herself, Reverend.

[ Sighs ]
I should have never, ever let Lynell
take care of her mother.

She was too young
to see that kind of pain.

My mom used to say that...

God only gives us
what he thinks we can handle.

She blames me,
and now I've lost her.

No, you haven't. No.

Not yet anyway.

If I try to hold on to her,
she'll just run away from me.

Like your wife did?

Sylvia was sick for a long time.

I mean, she-
she stopped seeing her friends.

She locked herself away from everybody.

And when she found out she was dying,
she tried to run away from me.

But Lynell said that you stopped them.

Them?
Yeah.

She didn't take Lynell with her.

But Lynell said-
That's what Lynell
needed to believe.

When her mother left,
she cried for weeks.

Ifinally found her in a hotel,

and I brought her back home.

Lynell never left her side.

Not until they came
and took her away.

She had a right to be angry,

because I left them there
to face death...

while I came and hid in my church.

I couldn't-

And now...
I've lost my little girl too.

Not if you stand by her.
You tell her you want her to sing tonight,

that you want to be there to hear her.

No, I can't.
I can't do that.

She has to finish school
so she can become somebody.

You've gotta trust her to find
her own reasons to finish school.
Let her make her own choices.

Well, she's 1 5 years old. She has
plenty of time to make her own choices.

I know that, but-
Right now...

I'd like for her to live by mine, okay?

Thank you.

What now? Ziggy says
there's a 7 0% chance...

that Lynell is going to go
back to that club...

and apologize to that slime bucket.

She still goes on tonight?
Yeah, but she goes on alone.

And get this- She doesn't win,
and then she gets even more desperate.

You've got to save her
from this pervert, Sam.

[ Paula ]
Why are you doing this?

- Doing what?
- Don't play stupid with me, girl.

You're gonna give it up to that creep
so you can sing tonight.

I'm not gonna give up nothin'.
I'm gonna apologize so that we can sing.

Don't use me for an excuse.
If you wanna lay down with that old man,

do it 'cause you want to,
not for me and Cherea.

Bobby's just mad at Cherea.

I'll tell him I'm sorry,
and then everything'll be just fine.

But you shouldn't be sorry.

Or did you forget what he tried to do?

I just wasn't ready
for what he wanted.

So are you ready now?

'Cause if you go down there
with a bunch of" I'm sorrys,''
he's gonna be all over you.

- I'm only 1 5.
- So what?

To men like Bobby Lee,
1 5 is woman enough.

You're wrong.

No, she's not.
[ Scoffs ]
Don't you start too.

Bobby is a businessman
who's trying to help us,

and y'all are talking about him
like he's a dog.

- If the name fits-
- Look, some men think they
can have whatever they want,

and they don't care
who they hurt to get it.

- Bobby's not like that.
- Yes, he is.

He respects my talent.
I respect your talent,

but I'm not gonna seduce you
to prove it.

You're a girl.
You know what I'm talking about.

- Now, you cannot go to Bobby by yourself.
- I will if I have to.

[ Sighs ]

You can't go to Bobby by yourself,
but you can go with us.

Then you'll come with me?
[ Grumbles ]

- You gonna apologize to that fool?
- I'm gonna do whatever Lynell
needs me to do.

Now, are you two gonna stare at me,
or are you gonna help me win this contest?

* [ Man Singing ]

* [ Continues ]

Fine as they come, baby.
Fine as they come.

You mean as slime
as they come.Jerk!

Mr. Lee?
"Fine as they come.'' Huh.

The Dovettes are here.
Good.

Um, make sure
they're in the pink sequins.

I want 'em to look good
when they come crawling.
[ Laughs ]

Oh, Sam I hope you know
what you're doing.

Mr. Lee?
Can I talk to you for a second?

Uh-oh. Gooshie,
center me on Sam.

Reverend, Reverend, Reverend.

You know, you said some pretty ugly things
to me the other day in your house.

What I said to you yesterday has
nothing to do with why I'm here right now.

Oh, yeah? And what is that?

[ Sighs ]
My daughter wants very much
to sing in your contest.

Well, that's up to her.
No, that's up to you too.

I want you to tell her no.

[ Laughs ]
Tell me something-
Why would I do that?

Because she's 1 5 years old.
Let her grow up.

No, you let her grow up.

Look, man, I-I got kids runnin'
in and out of here every year.
Lynell's got the gift.

She'll have that same gift
three years from now.

She'll just be able to handle herself.
Now, I'm asking you-

I'm asking you as a father...

who loves his daughter very much.

Please help me.
What's in it for me?

All right.
I'll make a deal with you.

You get my daughter outta here,
and I promise you I won't call the police...

and tell them that
you got minors in your club.

I don't need you
to make any deals for me.

Well? I'm waiting.

* [ Man Continues Singing ]
We want to sing in your club.

Please.

[ Audience Applauding ]
And when you win,
you sign a seven-year contract.

Lynell, I can't let you do this.
I want to sing, Daddy.
Please understand that.

- Lynell-
- Trust her, Reverend.
All you have to do is trust her.

[ Man ]
Bobby, the Dovettes are up next.
What you want me to do?

[ Audience Applauding Rhythmically ]

- Sing, baby. Sing with all your heart.
- Oh, thank you, Daddy.

- [ Lynell Laughing ]
- I know you have to do it.

[ Bobby ]
All right. Y'all feelin'good?

I can't hear you.
I said are y'all feelin' good?

[ Cheering ]
Y'all put your hands together...

and get ready to party
with the fabulous, vivacious Dovettes!

[ Audience Applauding ]

Win this for me.
I'll win for me, Bobby. Me.

* [ R&B ]

You're right, Bobby. She's a star.
Have her at the Regal tomorrow.

You got it, man.

* [ Ends ]

[ Audience Applauding, Cheering ]

[ Lynell Squealing ]

Man, we were bad!

Sam! Sam! Sam!
You're gonna go
to the Regal. You won.

[ Lynell ]
Where's my father?
Forget him.

Did you hear what I said?
I'm gonna make you a star.

Dovettes! Dovettes!
Dovettes! Dovettes!

Dovettes! Dovettes!
Dovettes! Dovettes!

She's gone, Cherea.
She's gone for good, you know.

A prophet named Gibran once said,

"Hold your children with open arms,

and they will always know
they can come home to you.''

No. No. Too much
has gone on between us.

She'll never forgive me for loving her
the only way I knew how.

I'll miss her, Cherea.
I'll miss that angelic face of hers.

I'll miss it.
I'll never hear her sing again.

* [ Singing Gospel, Softly ]

I love you, Daddy.
[ Sobbing ]
I love you too, baby.

I love you too.

[ Gasping ]

[ Gasping, Stammering ]

* [ Choir Singing Gospel ]

* [ Singing Continues ]

* [ Ends ]