All language subtitles for Spinning.Gold.2023.1080p.BluRay.H264.AAC-RARBG

Man: One, two...
One, two, three, four.

Man: Did you know there's
actually only one groove on a record?

It's true.

Yeah. It looks like all these
individual circles, but no, it's just one.

One single line, 1,500
feet of it, to be exact,

a third of a mile, carving its way
round and round in circles until

it finally just ends.

To make a record,
it takes 100 tons of pressure

applied under
1,000 degrees of heat,

all to create this perfect
vinyl platter.

Now, what music goes on the
record, well, that's where I come in.

I am a record man.

He taught me how

to watch

fight and pray

whoo!

Fight and pray

sing it!

And we 're rejoicing

every day

every day...

That, right there... uh, that
is why I'm here, Mr. Hawkins.

You got call-in requests
breaking records,

lightning in a bottle,

yet no one east of here
has ever heard it.

You've heard it,
as did six other labels,

all making offers right now.
Five other labels, Mr. Hawkins,

and you've only spoken
to the head of one of them.

Now, give me this song
and I promise you,

we will own radio.

I mean, a gospel-pop crossover?

No one's ever done that before!

This is why I'm here.
This is what I do.

And I promise you
right here in this church

before god,

there is just no one better.

No, no. You called me
Mr. Hawkins, not reverend.

I'm not pretending
there's not a line.

I am just respecting
when to cross it.

Choir: Oh happy day...

Now, do we want to talk
in height or weight?

Because that right there
is about four inches.

Hmm.

Yes?

Oh happy day...

Yes? Yes?

Oh happy day...

Oh, come on! Yes?

Yes, yes. Yes!

We will do an awful lot
of god's work.

Oh, happy day.

Happy day. Whoo!

Oh happy day

Neil: Singing oh happy day

Oh happy day

oh happy, happy day

oh happy day

oh happy, happy day

oh happy day

whoo

oh happy day

oh happy day

Neil: Who told you that?

Buck? Cecil?

You talk to Hawkins himself?

Oh happy day sold
over seven million records.

It even won us a grammy.

Hmm.

All right. The choir wasn't
actually there when I arrived.

I didn't get up on the stage and
perform the song. But you know what?

I could have.

Hell of a lot more fun
to tell it that way, though.

You realize that
that's gonna be the problem

with all these stories, right?

Listen. I'm not... I'm not saying
that people are gonna be lying.

It's just... okay.

Well, some of them might be.

It's just that memories, memories
are complicated, you know.

We remember
what we wanna remember.

And we forget
what we need to forget.

To be at the heart of something

as impossibly successful
as what we had...

Gladys knight,
the isley brothers,

bill withers, parliament,
the village people, kiss,

and Donna...

How do you expect me to tell
you how all that really happened?

Couple guys broke as we were,

to making over
$100 million a year.

I mean,
first, you'd have to understand our crew,

because... There
was just no one else ever like them.

Cecil was my best friend.

He was also a record executive
who loved the artists and the music

even more than the business.

And the artists themselves...
Oh, my god.

They sure loved him and trusted
him, more than they ever trusted me.

Larry was a music fan long before
he ever became an executive.

It was why he was so effective
staying out on the road with the bands.

He was also my cousin, and
all great business is family.

Buck had been a short-order
cook before he married Nancy.

Our PR man,
he was the connection guy

who could convince just about anyone
to do just about anything.

And Nancy...

God. Every dj and radio
program director just loved Nance.

She was our secret weapon,

getting our music on the air
and into your lives.

She was also my wife's sister.

Beth was, uh...

Well, she was the first person
who ever believed

my dreams could be
more than just dreams.

She was the first one
to ever truly believe in me.

And Joyce...

You know, I may have met her
as kiss's manager,

but, well, we'll get to Joyce.

Just... give me a little time.

Look, I know that we've been blamed
for a lot of bad things that happened,

and I'm not saying it's not
sex, drugs, and rock and roll,

because it was.

It's just, it was sex before
it was deadly, you know?

And finding out who wasn't
doing drugs would be

a hell of a lot harder story
for you to tell.

But ifwhat you're after
is the truth

of not just what happened
but how it happened,

then, you know, you're just
gonna have to believe all of it,

because every
single bit of it was true.

Even the parts that weren't.

Everybody everywhere...

Neil: Los Angeles.
February 18, 1974.

There's a hell of a lot
that comes before that night,

but the story you want to hear,

well, this is where
it all really begins.

Having moved out to California
only two months before,

we were throwing the biggest
party Los Angeles had ever thrown,

to launch Casablanca records,

the biggest independent record
label anyone had ever launched.

Absolutely. I am. Hit me.

Neil: And we only had
one band to do it with,

and they were... well,
they were, uh, different.

I think this was a mistake. We
should not let them go on tonight.

Bill, it's gonna be great.
Yeah, for who? Him or us?

Joey: Are you really gonna
put those guys up there

wearing those stupid costumes
and that stupid makeup?

It's who they are, Joe.

Nobody knows who they are yet.

You know, I got friends at Warner
bros., and people are talking.

And they're not talking
the way you want to hear.

You know what they're not
talking about, Joey? Huh?

Shit that doesn't scare them.

Nelly, are you ready?
Yeah. Or excite them!

Or make 'em want to dance,
or laugh, or fuck, or cry,

or fucking matter at all.

Thank you, because the fact
that people are talking,

that's music to my ears.

And you really spent
all the three million dollars

warners gave you as an advance?

Actually, I spent four million.

Showtime, Neil.

Oh, sounds like
they're playing my song.

Yeah, well, just remember, the
house always wins, even against you.

You wanna bet? I bet they suck.

Uh-huh.

Hello. So, lhad a thought

on my way over here tonight.

I thought to myself,

"what the hell am I doing in
Humphrey bogart's actual suit?"

Poor kid from the Brooklyn
projects, son of a postman.

Oh, stand up, pops. Pops.

There he is.
Thank you. Thank you.

Sure. Take a bow. Why not?
Learned everything from me.

Bad stuff from his mother.

Hell of a long trip
from Brooklyn, huh?

Not so far, kid.

Dreams only come true
for those who believe in them.

So, tonight,
to celebrate the launch

of the biggest independent
record label in history,

we thought we 'd share
some of our dreams with you.

So, you may have heard them
on the radio,

but after what you're
about to experience tonight,

you're never gonna forget
these guys.

So, put your two lips together

for the hottest band
in the world, kiss!

Yeah, yeah, yeah, that way.

Hello, Los Angeles!

How we feeling tonight?
Nancy: Yeah, good. More.

Well, the night's begun

and you want some fun

do you think
you're gonna find it?

Think you're gonna find it

you got to treat yourself
like number one

do you need to be reminded?

Need to be reminded?

It doesn't matter
what you do or say

just forget the things
that you've been told

We can't do it any other way

e verybody's got to
rock and roll

whoa, whoa

shout it, shout it

shout it out loud

yeah!

Shout it, shout it

shout it out loud...

Neil: You know, kiss may have been
unlike anything anyone had ever seen,

but I could see them.

I could see it all.

Neil: The performance was great.

I just, uh, you know,
forgot about the smoke.

And the fire alarm.

And the sprinklers.

Shout it, shout it

shout it out loud

Man: Shit!

Shout it, shout it...

Woman: Guys, don't stop playing.

Shout it out loud

shout it, shout it

shout it out loud

Joey: You fucking kidding me?

All right. Guys. Guys. Guys.

I knew they were gonna suck.

Kiss my ass.

Man 1: It's not
your fault, guys.

They don't understand art. Man
2: Just be careful around the water.

I fucking warned you!
Man 2: Don't touch anything.

Neil! Man 2: Don't
touch... don't electrocute...

Man 3: Paul, please.
Nancy: Paul. Paul, come on.

Just like that,
the night it all began,

we were finished.

You okay?

You made it rain inside, daddy.

Do another trick.

I'm working on it, honey.

I'll get Jill home
to Beth and the boys.

Just tell her I'll be home soon.

But you promised
we'd dance, daddy!

You bet I did.

Prettiest girl in all the world.

I had worked my whole life
leading up to that night,

but kiss was dead the moment
they took that stage.

The town just hated them.

About the time
I got home to Beth,

even she had heard
what a disaster it had been.

From the day I married her, she
always knew the truth I was hiding.

She just didn't always admit it.

Hey, you okay?

Your sister tell you
what happened tonight?

Yeah.

Neil: Even with everything
that had happened along the way,

we 'd still always
been better together.

They, uh, say the
biggest sin of a record man

is believing in something
because you have to,

not because you do.

But I had believed in kiss,

and I knew what
Casablanca could be.

But after the party, the town was already
celebrating the death of Casablanca.

Hello, Casablanca.

Neil: Not that that
was gonna stop us.

Nancy: Mark parenteau, wabx! Kiss
got added to regular rotation in Detroit.

Nance, you paid off Mark
to do that, didn't you?

Of course I did.

Love this woman.

Mo ostin at warners
needs you to call him back.

Of course he does.
He called six times.

Of course he did.

Hey, cec!

Cecil: Hey. Bill called.

Gene and Paul are
demanding a meeting.

Just tell them
to get ready for the tour.

You got kiss a tour? Neil:
No, but you're gonna do it.

Just find 'em a headliner
that's not gonna be

intimidated by them
as an opening act.

New artist from giorgio.
He'll be expecting a yes.

Scotty! You listen to this
yet? Cecil: Oh, yeah,

but they're giorgio, you
know? They're different.

How different? After
last night, too different.

Neil: Last night went exactly as we
expected, and that includes the sprinklers.

All set. Cecil: Like he” it did.

I love to love you, baby...

N eil: Her voice just
cut right through me.

You layin' so close to me

there's no place
I'd rather you be

than with me here

ooh, llove to love you, baby...

Woman: Play that again.

I love to love you, baby

I love to love you, baby

do it to me again and again...

Yeah. Get me giorgio.

He's ready for you, Mr. Moroder.

Sorry I missed it, your party.

I spoke to cess-ull.

Cee-sull. You have no money.

Well, there's always money,
giorgio, if you know where to find it.

Listen. Those new songs
of yours were different.

The eighth
and the sixteenth notes,

that open hi-hat
on the down-beat.

That's new. It makes
you move. Hmm.

Where did you find that voice?

An American girl.

She does the musicals in Munich.

Ladonna gaines.

Gaines. Gaines.

Her first husband's
name was sommer.

Everything is hotter in summer.

An Italian from Germany
writing in English.

You know what? Maybe
we pretend she's German.

I never could
figure out his accent.

What? Neil, you can't
afford to buy my music.

I may not have been
at your party,

but I could read. Even English.

The party was to announce
that we're open for business.

And now we're on
the cover of everything.

Because they say
you're finished.

That's 'cause they don't know
what starting looks like, giorgio.

Now, I don't want your music
for our label, okay?

I want it for yours.
Oasis through Casablanca.

You let them write about that.

Giorgio, why don't we take
a look at some artwork?

Cecil: Good old
flash paper trick, huh?

Oh, Nelly, warners wants
to bleed us to death.

I snuck a tape recorder into
their little sales meeting.

They wanna kill kiss to kill us.

Receptionist: Hello, Casablanca.

Neil, I think
you're overreacting.

So, you're telling me that Bruce did not
tell your teams not to push our records?

Bruce, the boys have concerns
about how we're handling Casablanca.

Actually, brucie,
the boys here are concerned

that you might be
a spineless little cocksucker.

Oh, yeah, that's also
true. Well, we don't have

any actual proof
about the cock-sucking.

Butwe all know, and no one
here's gonna judge you, Bruce.

Fuck you, and fuck
you! You see that, mo?

He's trying to fuck me.
I don't blame you.

Bruce: Nobody gives
a shit about kiss.

Were you not at the party?
This ain't got a damn thing

to do about the party,
and you know it.

Oh, you're right about that.

It's about the fact that
they can't cut a radio hit.

Their bullshit stage tricks make
them a fucking joke, not an act.

That's why their
record's not selling.

I wanna play you a little
something from our newest record.

You're an asshole, Bruce.

Mo, just take a listen.
It's got a hell of a hook.

Bruce: We don't
promote kiss or any Casablanca records.

We don't push 'em,
they can't sell 'em,

and that's how we end 'em.
Fuckin' bleed 'em to death.

You fucking recorded me?
Don't touch me.

My wife got me that table.
He fucking touched me, man.

What the fuck?
This is fucking Warner Bros.,

not some fucking New York back
alley you just crawled out of, assholes!

You messed with our
business, Bruce, and nobody,

fucking nobody messes with
our business, not even you, mo.

What the hell
do you really want?

You didn't come all the way
over here just to beat up Bruce.

I did.

We want out.

From our distribution?
Fucking everything, all of it.

You're broke.

The whole town knows it.
What are you gonna do?

Go door to door
across the country,

selling your records yourselves?

You'll never survive without us.

No. We'll never
survive with you.

You're gonna remember
this fucking meeting.

No, and... and not
with a fucking smile.

So, bill me for your table
and have a nice fucking day.

Hey. You do know no
one's ever done this before?

Because no one's
ever tried before.

Launching our own distribution, we
weren't just going up against warners.

We were waging an all-out war
against all the majors at once.

But if we were gonna survive,
we absolutely needed a hit,

which meant we absolutely
needed something new.

Ladonna Adrian gaines
may have been born in Boston,

but her dreams had
landed her in Germany,

which is where her story
with us really begins.

You're late. I'm as
early as I could be.

He's releasing the song in
america, and I mean right away.

What? We haven't even
recorded the real song yet.

It's just a demo. When
I'm done with the mix,

no one will care.

I'll care.

You gave him control
over how I look?

He creates an image, a
story. It's what he does.

Well, don't you think he
should at least meet the real me

before he decides there
needs to be a fake one created?

Ladonna, your daughter
is asleep in the hallway

instead of a bedroom
all her own,

dreaming a sweeter dream than
you could ever provide her alone.

You will never get
another chance like this.

Sign it.

They... they legally
changed my name?

He changed his, too.

Neil: He was right. Lhad.

And not just once.

I was actually born Neil bogatz,

growing up in the Glenwood
projects of Brooklyn, New York.

All right, Neil.
What else do you want?

All of it.

By the time
I was eight years old,

I already knew that
the life that I wanted

was far, far away from here.

I swear, I swear!

Please. I swear!

You hear that, kid? Your pops
says he swears this time!

You dropped your egg cream.

We'll get you a refill.

Are we poor, pop? What?

What you worried about? Huh?

Hey, money's easy.

You can always find money. A
person's got to know what to do with it.

That's what counts.

Do you know what to do with it?

Because it's not here.

Do me a favor, boychik.

Look at all these people, huh?

Now, you got a choice. You
can live in a full color world

or one in black and white,
like all these schmucks

too terrified to dream of a world
outside of our four shitty blocks.

Yeah. Not me.

I know what to do with it.

I'm gonna get us
the hell out of here.

Hey. I promise you.

Just need a little
more time. That's all.

Neil, you got
all the machines going.

It saves my time,
Mrs. Finklestein.

If I leave these with you, you'll
put them in when you're done?

I'll give you five cents.

Ten cents.

Saves your time.

You better fold them.

Neil: Within a month, I had 40
kids working the neighborhood.

Here's how it's gonna go.
I'm gonna assign...

Within two, I was bringing
in more than my dad.

You know how it feels making
more money than your father?

Exactly how you think it does.

By 1961, lhad changed
my name again to Neil Scott.

I tried acting, playing
the piano, even the sax,

and while I always
wanted to be a singer,

it was as a dancer that
I finally found the beat.

My
Fiancee, erminie mcnulty, everybody.

I am Neil Scott, your
singer, your dance instructor,

and anything else you need me to
be tonight.

But that's not why
I'm telling you this part.

Dance.

Is that a statement,
or a question

without the inflection
at the end?

Dance with me.

We don't dance with the staff.

Our parents own the hotel.

Well, okay. Well,
then I work for you.

From within, a dim light cast

two silhouettes on the shade

oh, what a lovely couple

they made

put his arms around your waist

held you tight

kisses I could almost taste

in the night

wondered why I'm not the guy...

Where did you learn
to dance like this?

I couldn't hide...

My father.

The tears in my eyes

silhouettes, silhouettes
silhouettes, silhouettes...

So, you met your lawyer yet?

Your doctor?

Whoever your parents
have already set up for you?

They'll never be
able to compete.

With you?

With you.

All this really the life
that you want?

When you're all alone
and nobody's watching...

Lights are out...

Just about to fall asleep...

What do you dream?

Dreams are for children.

You don't really believe that.

Someone just told you you did.

What do you dream of, Neil?

Tonight, I'm gonna dream about
how it feels dancing with you right now.

Loved you like I never loved

you, my sweet

vowed that you and I would be

two silhouettes on the shade

all of our days

two silhouettes on the shade

silhouettes, silhouettes
silhouettes, silhouettes

silhouettes, silhouettes

two silhouettes

Neil: With Beth, lfinally
felt everything was possible.

All we had to decide
was which dream came next.

No. The second verse still needs
to be pop-ier, right up into the break.

Licorice...

And then, boom! That,
that is when they will swoon.

Who's gonna swoon?
The girls, Mr. Darnell,

the ones actually
buying the records.

The girls buy records
after the first take, Neil.

Trust me.
Let's just do it again.

Iknom/pninghtaboutths. How?

Because I can hear it!

Can't you? Come on!

So, Murray the 'k'
does a monthly competition.

He pits one new single
against another.

The one that comes out on top,
he spins it till the grooves wear out.

Well, okay. So,
when do we start?

Next month. This month,
it's against Elvis.

Neil. What? Bill, I
know the contest.

The... the call-in votes
can only be local, right?

We can beat him! No, you can't.

Yes, we can!

It's against Elvis!

Presley, Neil.

Murray the 'k': The votes
are in! The game is won... yes!

And the hot new kid from
Brooklyn just beat Elvis Presley!

We beat Elvis. We beat Elvis!

Oh, my god! Neil!

My baby's
kisses taste like candy

every time that her
lips touch mine

I don't want to stop

oh, we can dream

about our sundae

when I see my sugar

down at the candy shop

She's the cherry on top

my life was bittersweet

before her

she's the cherry on top

she floats my ice cream

when she smiles

she's the cherry on top

I'm crazy for her lips

bright red like licorice

okay. So, where do we
dream from here?

Murray the 'k':
This is Murray the 'k, ' wins,

where Neil Scott is the name
you're gonna wanna remember!

N eil: As Neil Scott, I'd recorded
two more songs for portrait records.

But we'd made cherry on top
a hit, it never made me one.

One-hit wonder. Well,
you know that story.

Anyway, after a short stint as
soft porn actor Wayne Stewart,

which there's really
no need to get into now,

I'd become Wayne Roberts,
freelancing for fortune employment.

You know, getting
other people jobs.

When mgm records called

looking for someone
to run record promotions

and well, fuck me
if! Didn't know just the guy.

His name?

Beth: You changed our names?

After Humphrey bogart?

"Here's lookin' at us, kid."

Us? Does that mean
I get a say in this?

Yeah, of course. You get a say
in everything. We'll take a vote.

Did you really change our names?

You got to write down your vote.
You know, who do you wanna be?

I want to be me.

Okay. Well, you got to...
You gonna vote or not?

You got to do the vote.
You got to do the vote.

Ready? Come on. Come on.

Oh. Bogatz. Bogafl. Bogafl!

I win! I get two votes!
Why? Why?

I get two votes, because
I voted on that, too!

Come on. Come on.

It's finally the record business
again, for real this time.

For real this time?

Yeah. For real.

And what do we change
after our names, huh? Huh?

Everything.

Listen. You put this
on the side. Neil. Neil...

How many... you put it up here.

You got a big yellow sign... I
put what I want in my window!

Saying, "come look
at my merchandise!"

I put what I want in my window!

Come on. It's a great song. Neil,
you just keep trying, okay, buddy?

One week. One week. I
take it down after one week.

Then we put a new one up.
What are you gonna do for me?

You're asking him
to advertise your records.

No. I'm asking him to put a
couple posters up in the window.

It's not the same thing.

It's exactly the same thing, except
you're asking him to do it for free.

Well, you know, mgm
won't pay for local advertising.

Who says you have to
call it advertising?

Mgm won't pay for anything.

Who says it has to come
from them, huh?

Wooly bully

wooly bully

I already voted. No.

Wooly bully

watch it now, watch it

and this is what comes next.

You got it, you got it

yeah

yeah

you're moving up
in the world, Neil.

Neil: Iwasn't running promotions
for a year before I was running it all.

No. I...

I'm running mgm records,

and I didn't even
finish high school.

Matty told hatty

and there's not a single person
who ever did finish high school

that could possibly be better
at running mgm records.

I'll teach you.

Wooly bully

wooly bully

wooly bully

I know what comes next.

Wooly bully

watch it now, watch it

here it come

you got it, you got it

this is what I dreamt of.

The night you asked me
when we first met?

This was my dream.

Yummy, yummy, yummy
I got love in my tummy

Neil: Buddah records,
1650 Broadway, in the brill.

Other than what we'd create
later at Casablanca,

no more infamous address in
the music business ever existed.

Ooh, love to hold you

ooh, love to kiss you

we 'd built the kind
of independent record company

that no one
had ever seen before.

The artists worked
with us, not for us.

They were family, and
that made all the difference.

Neil.

He'll see us.

Man: Still holding for buck.

Hey, man. What
the fuck you doing?

Rudolph: What the fuck
it look like, black?

Trying to open
the fucking window.

You're the ones making
a lot of noise downstairs,

that buddah records. Yeah.

Big music needs
big speakers, Ron.

Big music needs big
dollars, Neil. Black dollars.

Green dollars, my man. It's
the only color that matters.

Maybe to you.

So, cec tells me
you recorded something new.

I want it.
You ain't even heard it yet.

Well, you're
the fucking isley brothers.

So, if motown is too busy
to make you a priority,

then Berry gordy
can go to the record stores

and buy your fucking music
like everybody else.

Plus, you know that we move
product better than anyone.

We know y'all be paying motherfuckin'
DJs to play the records you tell them to.

We don't get
pimped out. You dig?

Because we are
the motherfuckin' isleys.

Goddamn right.

But you got to be out your mind.

You going head-to-head
with Berry gordy himself.

Well, it is called
show business.

So, why don't you play me
the song that we're releasing

off of your own new label?

Mm-hmm. Our own new label?

That's what you're offering us?

Neil: Well, that's
yourthing, right?

It's a black thing.
A black label.

Careful, motherfucker.

You talk a good talk,
but there's a line.

I'm sorry. I thought
you didn't believe in lines.

You played him the
motherfucking record, didn't you?

Because he wouldn't even be acting
like this if he ain't heard the shit.

Isangitforhhn.
Dontbeang torne, man.

It's a hot fucking song, Ron.
The man had to hear it.

Do me a favor. Why don't you
scoot on over, Ronnie?

Who the fuck you calling... this
motherfucker just called me Ronnie.

You don't know him like that.

Don't be callin' the man Ronnie.
Just a term of endearment.

Do I look like
a motherfucking Ronnie to you?

Do I look like
a motherfucking Ronnie to you?

As a matter of fact, yeah, you
look exactly like a fuckin' Ronnie.

You're a crazy motherfucker.
You got some balls, man.

Let me show you a few ideas
I've been hearing in your music.

Now, you got ideas
to my fucking music?

Yeah.

Show me what you got, Neil.

That dirty guitar?

No, no. You got to turn that
shit up. That nasty brass. Oh.

You tell me that each punch
isn't meant to cut Berry gordy

right through the fucking gut.

You're a dangerous man,
ain't you?

No, man. I'm just the guy
who knows that you are,

and you fucking should be.

But knockout punches, they
gotta come clean, be relentless,

and never stop until the
body hits the fucking floor!

Now, that's a hit.

Motherfucker.

Hey. What's up?

What's going on, brother?

Man: Ron isley!

What's up, motherfucker?

It's your thing

do what you want to do

I can't tell you
who to sock it to

said it's your thing, girl

do what you want to do

said I can't tell you

who to sock it to

Ron wasn't completely wrong
about us and the DJs.

Now, you may have heard of this
as something called payola, but to us,

mm, it was just another day
at the office.

You need love now
just as bad as I do

oh, makes no difference now

who you give your thing to

oh, it's your thing...

Neil: Frankie Crocker was
one of the most influential DJs

in the business,
which is saying a lot,

since he was one of the only black
DJs white audiences ever accepted.

Said it's your thing, girl

said it's your thing, girl

oh, baby...

Neil: The thing no one
ever really got about payola

is that we never paid anyone to
play records they didn't wanna play.

Ron, you got
my damn table pregnant.

But did we spread a little love to
get our records a little more attention?

What do you think?

The records were spinning
as fast as we were.

The hits just kept coming. There
was nothing that could stop us.

They bought the company?
These fucking guys?

Viewlex. They make
film projector lenses.

Which means they know
absolutely fucking nothing

about the music business.

One toke over the line...

Singing about
Jesus again. Really?

I think you're missing
the subtext.

Cecil: You wanna sell
this as gospel?

It says "sweet Mary."

What the hell do you think
they're singing about?

I know exactly what
they're singing about,

and so do you. Sweet Mary.

Beth: Cash and airplanes again?

Hey. Neil: Hello, boys!

Damon: Where do you think
you're going with all that cash?

To make more of it, Darren.
I'm Darren. He's Damon.

Oh, shit. Sorry. Did I do that?

I'm just excited about
Jesus and Mary.

It's... it's a druggie song!

Did hejust call it
a druggie song?

You cannot buy this record!

I made over a million dollars
for your bosses last month.

How much did you make them?

That my mama said

If I should choose to make
a part of me

would surely strike me dead

And now I'm
one toke over the line...

Neil: Buddah records became
one of the most successful

independent labels
there ever was. Stop!

Every single bet we 'd
made, we 'd been right.

But every gambler knows
you don't cash your ticket

until your horse
actually crosses the line.

Al: Hey, hey. There he is.

Why we meeting here?
You want a tip or something?

Look at that.

You see the one called,
uh, ghost train?

Al: Yeah. Don't know him.

She's mine, pop.
I just bought her.

Yeah. You know,
people bet on her.

That means
they're betting on me.

Wow. Well, you're
always in a rush.

And now you got
a horse to prove it.

Why don't you come in
with me? Hmm?

We can be partners.

Partners on a horse?

Yeah, sure.

No. I... I don't know anything
about feeding and training

and all that bullshit at my age.

Nah. You go ahead. I, uh,
I got my own things going on.

It's going great. You sure?

'Cause when you called,
it was... no, I mean,

I got a cash flow situation.

Temporary. You know,
it's nothing.

The bookies I got,
they're saying it's, like, five.

Closer to 10, you know,
but it's...

They're talking
out of their asses.

I'll clear it up. It's nothing.

I'll get it back
to you, all of it.

I just need a little time.
I know, pop.

Hey, I'm not worried.

Why would you? Swinging
for the trees, right, boychik?

You got the... got the horse,

and your singers, and
the big-time life.

Look at you. What
you got to worry about?

Hey, I got to go
to work, so, uh...

Sonny, some nuts
on the house, this guy.

Yeah. It... don't spend it all.

Cookie told me
about Cecil's raise.

Must be a hell of a thing, changing
someone's whole life like that.

Hmm.

Your mom says you must have helped
your dad again. He bought all-new clothes.

Everybody's counting on you,
Neil, but you still keep going up

against those guys at viewlex,
but you do work for them.

What do you see?
I'm being serious.

No, no. This, this is our
daughter's view of the world.

She sees the ceiling,
not the sky.

Most people grow up in the same
four blocks that they were born into

because they can't even dare
to dream what's beyond them.

You're quoting your father
now. That's dangerous.

No. No. What's dangerous is

the day we stop dreaming
these walls away.

And ifwhat's beyond them
still isn't enough for you?

Ooh child
things are gonna get easier

ooh child
things 'ii get brighter

ooh child
things are gonna get easier...

Beth.

Beth wasn't wrong.

Beth.

She just didn't realize
how right she was.

Truth is, neither did I.

I just never saw her coming.

Woman: Neil, no one
told me you were here yet.

Uh, this is my partner, bill.

Why don't we talk
business first?

Well, this is business first.

I'm Joyce biawitz.

Direction plus. Nice name.
Yeah. I'm the plus, and bill directs.

And Joyce does pretty
much everything else.

She writes, produces.

Commercials, mostly,
but only up until now.

That's not what we invited
you down here to talk about.

Right. Your... variety show.

No, it's not a variety show.

No. It will be unlike anything
anyone's ever tried before.

Really?

I'm sorry. What am I missing?

Everything.

We're ready for you,
Mr. Aucoin. Yeah. One sec.

So, we're here in a...

You're gonna shoot your
show in a recording studio?

That's right.
Somebody's finally gonna

make a music show that
actually sounds like music.

She practice that line for me?

Yes.

I'm gonna... I'm going
to go check on the crew.

Here. Give this to them. Yep.

So, now that he's gone,
you're gonna close me?

I'm not here to close you.
I'm here to convince you.

You didn't become who you are
without seeing what most people don't.

Hmm.

People love their music.

It's not just what they
listen to. It's who they are.

It's personal.

We don't wanna just
play music on TV.

We wanna show where
it really comes from,

why the hell it
matters so much to us.

Even ifjust for a song.

Well, shit. You're gonna
do all that in a show?

I am sure as hell gonna try.

And who the hell are you?

Ineedto, uh_.

I need to get back to this.

But I really do hope you will
consider it. It would mean a lot.

To you?

To everyone who watches.

Neil: Every great artist has
someone who believes in them,

but every once in a while,

it's the believer who's
the most gifted artist of all.

I had never met anyone like her.

You know how you know when you're
about to do something really reckless,

when you can't think
about doing anything else?

Come and work for me.

What?

Come work for me!

I'm not gonna work for you!

Iwork for me, with bill.

Okay. Well, then
come work with me...

.I'm...

Listen. Here's the deal. I
can't stop thinking about you.

Well, try harder.

You don't even know me, Neil.

I'm just some
broke chick from queens.

Well, that's just about
the last thing you are.

It's small. I know.

I grew up in smaller.

Yeah, but you got out.

Yeah. I still am getting out.

And when I looked at you...

Give me one of your
artists for my show.

I am offering you
more than that.

And I'm not buying. What
I'm selling is the show.

I've done my research, Neil.

You clearly like to gamble.

I like to win.

What happens when you don't?

Then I just keep
gambling unfilldo.

Joyce: You have a family, Neil.

Yeah. I know it's complicated.

But hey, my life outside
that door is my problem.

It's not yours.

We both know that's not true.

Joyce: You're married. Yeah.

It doesn't change the way
I'm feeling right now.

It's just...

Different.

Neil: Is there anything
I should know, uh,

about something going on
between you and bill?

Bill's gay. He plays
straight to protect me.

From people like me.

From people exactly like you.

Neil: It's like you
remind me of someone.

Who?

You don't wanna bet
on the show? Fine.

Place the bet on me.

Much intuition

but before you wreck

your old home

be certain of the new

dadgummit girl

who is he?

"Kiss.

The demo. That
demo tape over there.

Kiss. It's a good name.

You really wanna talk
business right now?

You really expect me
to climb up there?

If you want to sleep
with me, you are.

Neil: I know whatyou're thinking,
but I'd never met anyone like her.

And I know I said that
about Beth, too,

but it's only because it's true.

I was honestly in love
with both of them.

Falling in love with Joyce,

for the first time in my life
I finally felt like me.

Withers: Ain't
no sunshine when she's gone

it's not warm when she's away

ain't no sunshine
when she's gone

she's always gone too long

any time she goes away

I wonder this time
where she's gone

wonder if she's gone to stay...

Kid works in a airplane
factory installing toilet seats,

and yet he could dig
deep enough to write this.

Ain't no sunshine
when she's gone

she's always gone too long

any time she goes away...

What are you thinking?

That we can make him matter.

Ain't no sunshine
when she's gone

only darkness every day

Neil: Mr. Bill withers.

Shit, Neil.

I see why you're
bringing the hit, huh?

Thank you, Mr. Crocker.

Neil: You know, I can remember
watching my dad as a kid,

thinking, "here's a guy who's
taking risks with all our lives,

"just never ones big enough
to actually change our lives."

And I know, lknow, lknow
lknow, lknow, lknow

lknow, lknow, lknow
lknow, lknow, lknow

lknow, lknow, lknow
lknow, lknow, lknow

I ought to leave those
young things alone

ain't no sunshine
when she's gone

Neil: I am gonna win

bigger than anyone
has ever done before.

Or else I'm gonna fail.

It's ending up lost
somewhere in the middle

that I just, I can't live with.

Any time she goes away

bill withers was born
in the small coal-mining town

of slab fork, West Virginia,
with a stutter.

Did not stop him from becoming
the bill withers that we all remember.

Signing him before motown could

changed everything for buddah.

Shit. Changed everything for me.

Withers: Lean on me

when you're not strong

and I'll be your friend

I'll help you carry on

for it won't be long...

There he is. Here.

With money in your pocket,
you're fucking wise,

you're fucking handsome,
and you sing better, too.

Old Jewish proverb?

It's a new one for me.

Be careful, kid.

Oh, not in this life, Joey.

That you won't let show

you just call on me, brother

when you need a hand

we all need somebody
to lean on...

Big fuckin' problem.

Oh, shit.

Cecil: Manny,
what the hell? Really?

Your boy's on trial,
motherfucker!

Hey, you're really gonna cross
this line over us signing bill withers?

Withers, Hawkins,
fucking isley brothers!

And you got the nerve
to come to our convention

and try to steal our music?

Manny, is this a black thing?

Buck. I'm-a kill you last, buck,

so you got time
to think about it.

Andre.

Manny, just put the gun
away, man! Come on!

Easy, easy. Easy, easy!
Sorry, cec!

You backed
the wrong colored horse.

I got my orders.

Orders? Somebody actually
put out a fucking hit on us?

Manny, who did this?
Was it gordy?

Let's just say you crossed
one too many fucking lines.

Cecil: Manny!

You are gonna need
to make a phone call.

True story.

Ask big Joey.

You just called the Italian mob
to tell the black mob not to kill us?

You had a better idea?

Nance, you know you can't
tell Beth about this.

Not about any of it.

I know, Nelly.

Buck: Thank you.

Y'all need Jesus.

Call me

if you need a friend

call me

oh, just call me

call me

you okay?

How was Miami?

Uh, it's complicated.

Not sure which question
you just answered.

Coffee's in the kitchen.

Beth. Beth!

You can't go after
gordy yourself, man.

The man fight dirty.

He gonna come after your life.

Now, you know 110
percent I got your back.

Mm-hmm.

But we don't have to
fight this war.

There's no need. We good.

Are you fucking kidding me?

You're talking about
not starting a war

with the man who just showed his
black chest to fucking white america?

It's almost like
they don't realize

that the black voice
is coming from a black man.

Say, could you imagine dreaming
of something your whole life,

finally getting on that stage,

thousands of screaming fans...

Singing every single lyric
to every single song,

loving the music, but
hating the color of my skin?

What kind of dream is that, man?

I don't know, man.

I know where I come from.

Shit. I can't forget it.

I'm just trying to figure out

how to change where we're going.

Shit. We still
talking about music?

You're always
talking about music.

That's the weapon.

Oh, man.

You got lucky, kid.

I could've been
on the other line

when your friend
from Miami called.

Played the odds.

Yeah, well, motown
was gonna sign

the withers kid,
and you knew it.

It's just business.
Not with Berry gordy.

Yeah.
Look. A gambler's a gambler,

and you're a gambler, kid,

but you're risking everything
with those fuckin' suits

who're just waiting for any
excuse to bring you down.

If you're gonna bet
this big, bet on yourself,

or keep away
from the fucking table

before too many people get hurt.

All right. All right.

Big Joey was right.

We 'd taken buddah records
as far as we could go.

If we were ever gonna really matter,
we were gonna have to raise the stakes,

higher than ever before.

Man: Let's go.

Whoo!

What have you told her?

Cecm: That you've gone insane.

We're really gonna steal
Gladys knight from motown, too?

You're the one that told me
she's pissed off that gordy is giving

all their best stuff to Diana,
and Marvin, and the temptations.

Yeah, she is. She is. All right.

So let's swing
for the fences, cec.

One last big hit.

What do you mean,
one last big hit?

Well, I've always kind of dreamed
of owning my own record company.

Didn't you?

Neil.

Midnight plane to Houston?
My people from Georgia.

They would never
take a plane to Houston.

I'm-a have to change that.

I... I'll let him know.

Mrs. Gladys knight,
this is Mr. Neil...

Neil bogart.

I have definitely heard of you.

Well, only good things, I hope.

I heard you got
something special.

Listen. If Berry
finds out about this...

Hey, if motown
was treating you properly,

you wouldn't be here.

No. You wouldn't be here.

Hmm.

Do you mind?

Go ahead.

Let's see.
Midnight plane to Houston.

All right. Here we go.

L.A...

Okay.

Proved too much for the man

So he's leaving the life mm-hmm.

Both: He's come to know...

You love your tracks
lush, don't you?

All the time.

Ah. Well, we'll add a full horn
section, keyboards, a wurlitzer.

Has anyone ever told you no?

Always been a bigger fan of yes.

I can't believe I'm
singing with Gladys knight.

Let's keep going. Yeah? Yeah.

World...

I like that. Wait, wait, wait.

My world

his world

our world mine and his alone

I've got to go his world

I've got to go her world

I've got to go her world

his and hers alone

I've got to go our world

that works!

I've got to go...

Let's sing the chorus.
What do you think?

Yeah, but I have to
change that line.

It has to say Georgia
because... Georgia.

Houston is not working for me.

Who wants to go to Houston?
Let's go to Georgia.

Give me some peaches.
Here we go.

How you feeling tonight?

L.A.

Proved too much for the man...

Hey, guys.

Making me feel your pain.
Makes me feel that ache.

So he's leaving a life

he's come to know

Chorus: He said he's going

say he's going back

going back to find

ooh, what's left of his world

on that midnight train
to Georgia...

Oh, I love that.

As long as it says
"Georgia," I'm good.

Oh, my god.

This is good. That's
beautiful. That's just the best.

He's leaving

leaving

on that midnight train
to Georgia

leaving on a midnight train

ooh lord

say he's going back

I've got to go I've got to go

a simpler place and time

oh, yes he is...

What does a train sound like?

Okay.
The pips can do that in Harmony.

Neil: Yeah... both: Ooh-ooh

I 'd rather live in his world

chorus: Live in his world

than live without him in mine

chorus: Her world is his

his and hers alone

You resigned from buddah?

Ifwe're ever gonna do
something that truly matters,

it's gonna have to
be on our own.

In California?

Cecil just called.

Everyone's going?
Okay. Not everyone.

Larry's never leaving New York,

but Cecil, yeah, buck, Nancy.

And Beth?

And Beth.

Don't look away.

Hey.

Don't turn away.

How long have you
been planning this?

Since I was eight.

Okay. So this comes next.

Beth: You're not even
gonna look back?

Oh, I have already seen it.

Gladys: Lknow he's leaving

yeah chorus: Leaving

on that midnight train
to Georgia

leaving on the midnight train

hey

said he's going back to find

chorus: Going back to find

ooh, a simpler place and time

oh, yes, he is

and I'm gonna be with him

chorus: Lknow you will

on that midnight train
to Georgia

chorus:
Leaving on a midnight train

oh, yeah, yeah

I 'd rather live in his world

chorus: Live in his world

Gladys:
Than be without him in mine

chorus: Her world is his

his and hers alone

Neil: Come on!

Boy: A pool?

It's a pool!

You couldn't find
a bigger house?

Just close your eyes and jump.

And dream ahthese walls away?

Hey, can't you see?

There are no walls here.

Come on, mama!

Neil: And we all lived
happily ever after, right?

Well... it's complicated.

I'd been betting on what I
believed in my whole life.

Al: I promise you.

Beth: So, where do we
dream from here?

Kiss!

And every bet we'd made back
at buddah had paid off,

but Casablanca, kiss,
and now Donna...

So far, we 'd lost every hand.

No, no, it's dance music, right?

There is no other
voice like her.

It's worse than
we thought. What?

Donna's not selling anywhere?

No one knows
what to make of her.

R&B doesn't want her.
Pop doesn't get her.

She's just... different.

The song's dead, man. You
were wrong about the gaines girl.

It's summer, okay?
It's Donna summer.

Well, you were wrong
about her, too, man.

Hello.

By 1975, we'd done
everything we could think of

to introduce Donna to the world.

Right in my heart.

The world just didn't care.

You said that he loved the song,

that he was so sure that it
would change everything.

The song is over, ladonna.

I was wrong.

Just because the audience doesn't
hear it does not mean it isn't there.

Sometimes, it just takes time.

But we were out of that, too.

Bill: Neil, don't do this.
Hey, you called me, bill.

To talk, not so that you could
do whatever you're gonna do.

This came from
Steven Tyler himself.

Said if we don't cut the pyro
and get a smaller sound

and lighting rig, we gotta
pack it up and go home.

He is the headliner, so.
Bill, you have to trust us.

Well, I thought we were the us.

We're their managers,
Joyce, you and me.

Neil, I'm begging you,
please don't gamble on this.

Buck: We should have
parked closer.

Neil: And sometimes,

they hear it even
when they don't know it.

Hey, Mr. Aerosmith!

What kind of rock
and roll pussy are you?

You show us
everything you've got

you keep on dancing
and the room gets hot

you drive us wild

we'll drive you crazy

you say you want to
go for a spin

the party's just begun

we 'ii let you in

you drive us wild

we'll drive you crazy

come on!

You keep on shouting
you keep on shouting

come on!

I want to rock and roll

all night

and party every day

I want to rock
and roll all night

and party every day

I want to rock
and roll all night

and party every day

I want to rock
and roll all night

and party every day

they love them
when they see them.

So why the hell can't we get
them to buy their records?

You drive us wild

we'll drive you crazy

you keep on shouting...

I just...

You keep on shouting...

I need... I need more time.

I want to rock
and roll all night

and party every day

I want to rock
and roll all night

and party every day

You lost us an aerosmith tour.

The tour was already lost, gene.

Aerosmith doesn't want you
anywhere near them. All right?

No headliner does. Your...

Your show scares
the hell out of everyone.

So you want us
to scale everything down,

cutthe pyro and the
lights? No. No. No.

If you're gonna be a headliner,

we're gonna need to make
everything all that much bigger.

That means more explosions
and so much, so much louder.

I have this guy, all right?
He's got these risers that...

You really think that
more fire and some forklifts

are going to be what
finally breaks us through?

No. It is gonna be the music,

and it was always gonna be
the music, but we might

just make enough noise
to get enough people

to actually listen to it,
to pay attention.

Why did you sign us?

Our demo was good, not great.
Even I can admit that.

You had to know how hard this
was gonna be. Why take the risk?

Because your real name
is Chaim witz,

and you moved here from Israel
when you were eight years old,

speaking nothing but yiddish.

Because Paul's real
name is Stanley eisen.

Because two kids from queens

had dreams about being
the next gods of rock.

And little Neil bogatz
from the Brooklyn projects

thinks he can make
everybody's dreams come true...

If he's just given
a little more time.

You know, your demo
really was that great, gene.

Yeah. Raw and honest
rock and roll,

even without all the costumes.

But I'll tell you
what your real brilliance is,

and I don't even
think you know this.

It's that you write
every single one of your songs

with the same
four goddamn chords.

That means that any, any 14-year-old
kid can go out there and buy a guitar,

and within 20 minutes,
they can be you!

And that matters, gene.

That is who you are.

Now, why did you sign
with me, huh?

Brand-new label,
with you as our only act.

You had to know you were
taking as much of a risk as we were.

Because you never should have
gotten out of the Brooklyn projects.

And yet, here you are.

Here we are.

Two imposters.

Only if we're wrong.

I get that you like to gamble,

but what if Joey was right?

In the end, what if the
house does always win?

Well, then we raise the stakes
so high that we become the house.

Two hundred grand more.

You're still upside down
the last hundred.

Why don't you make it
a personal loan, then?

Don't do this. You go
upside down this big,

it don't matter how much
I fucking love you.

Hey, you ever gambled
yourself, Joey?

That thumping in your chest right before
that dealer turns over your next card?

Anything is possible
right before that moment.

Neil, I'm telling you,

I'm not gonna be here for
you this time if you don't pay off.

Are you gonna give me
the money or not? No.

Two hundred? Two hundred.

I know it's bad.

I just wish you would be
honest and tell me how bad.

It's... it's fine.

No. It's not fine.
We're not fine.

None of this isfine, new

we were fine when we were
on the floor of our home

in New Jersey, when I was teaching
you even how to read those books.

And now we are broke, and
you are giving the guys bonuses!

Hey. No. Did your sister tell you
that buck was the only one that took it?

Maybe he was the only
one smart enough to.

God... hey. Hey.

Come on.

Just dance with me.

You stopped dreaming again.

You did.

You know what I dream of?

It's that you're actually
here with us, Neil,

and not in New York,
or Las Vegas,

or wherever else
you disappear to

when you're too afraid
I'll see the truth.

What do you think the truth is?

Beth, I love you. Come on.
I'm always with you.

I'm always with you.
You, the kids,

you're all I think about.

You have to know she's going
to end up just as hurt as me.

I convinced myself
forsolong that it was okay

when I knew that you were
sharing your bed, Neil,

but you are sharing your heart.

Tell me I'm wrong.

It's complicated.

It's not.

It's really simple.

You've got a real type of
thing going down

getting down

there's a whole lot of
rhythm going round...

George: You want a
little bit more or you good?

What?

George: Yeah, yeah. You good?

I'm fucking great.

Oh, there he is. There he is.

Is that what you gave me?
That's it right there. Uh-huh.

Hey, what up, Neil?
Look at the space in here...

I can't even feel
my lungs anymore.

George: Now it's a party.

George, George, George,
ifwe're gonna sign you,

you cannot be your own
opening act, all right?

You are parliament and
funkadelic. It's confusing.

George: Only
on some planets, man.

See, that's why I need
a motherfucking spaceship,

so we can leave this earth.

When the mothership gets built,

the connection between
earth and the galaxy

is gonna be made, and
everything will be clear.

I'm trying to tell you,
it'll make sense. You'll see.

How quickly can you
out us this new record?

How quick can you build me
a motherfucking spaceship?

How much?

A million motherfucking dollars.

Would those be earth dollars?

I can't even feel
my bones anymore.

He's giving me space...

George: I know what
you need to do, Neil.

It's party time. Yeah?

It's time to fly. I'm gonna need
you to hop on this ride with me.

Neil: If buck can
handle it, so can I.

You in or you out?

Neil: Ldidn't start
the heavier drugs

because of what was going on
between Beth and Joyce.

Didn't start them because
of what was going wrong

with kiss, and Donna,
and Casablanca.

I just...

I did them because I like...

I liked how it made me feel.

George: Why don't you
take a ride with me, Neil?

All right. Let's go,
Neil. It's on you. Okay.

You ready to go? Buck: Do it.

George: You ready to
build us a spaceship, Neil?

Fuck it.

George: You look like
you like it. I think he likes it.

Let's build you
a motherfucking spaceship.

That's what I'm talkin' about.

Liftoff. Let's go.

We need the funk

we got to have that funk

we want the funk

give up the funk

we need the funk

we got to have that funk

We want the funk

this mother

give up the funk

we need the funk

this mother

we got to have that funk

we want the funk

this mother

give up the funk

Well, all right

partying on the mothership

I am the mothership connection

if you hear any noise

it's just me and the boys

hit me...

Hit it, fellas.

Swing down, sweet chariot

stop and let me ride

swing down, sweet chariot

stop and let me ride

swing down, sweet chariot

stop and let me ride

swing down, sweet chariot

stop and let me ride

Neil: That million dollars
actually went a long way.

And not just for the mothership.

George bought two new tour buses
and new cars for everyone in the band.

Everyone, 28 of them.

George: We had
rolls-royces, Mercedes benz,

jaguars, six sevilles.

Everybody got a car,
except for me, motherfucker.

I needed a spaceship,
because I don't drive.

Let me ride

swing down, sweet chariot...

They pioneered almost every
genre that came after them.

They just spent more money
than they ever made,

and the money
just kept bleeding.

That's really beautiful.
I love that.

Thanks. They've been
making fun of me.

They don't think
it sounds like kiss.

Oh, no. Hey. Hey. Not those.

Those are... those are
the empty shells, right?

Hide them somewhere
in the back. Wait. Empty?

Yeah. Those are empty?

Yeah. They might just make
you look as big as you sound.

You know, now you're
beginning to sound just like him.

Bill, is he... is he serious?

Guys... Give us five.

It's a bullshit trick. Bill.

Okay? It's a mirage.

And it sure as hell isn't
rock and roll, and... and...

And I wish any of that
mattered right now,

but it just doesn't.

Nobody's buying our records.

No one's coming to see us play.

And if an empty speaker
cabinet tricks people into thinking

that we sound better,
because we sound louder...

If this is what it finally takes

so that everybody else
feels the way we do...

What I think is,

we do what we
have to to survive.

It's just another
part of the show,

like the costumes,
the... the makeup.

Gene: No.

It's not.

It's a lie.

About the music.

We've never lied
about the music.

Paul: Hey, uh, why don't you...

Why don't you sing that song?

The one that you
said you liked it.

You liked it, right?
Sing it. Sing it for him.

He thinks he's got
our next single.

Peter: Beth, I hear you calling

but I can't come home right now

me and the boys are playing

and we just can't find the sound

Just a few more hours

and I'll be right home to you

I think I hear them calling

oh, Beth, what can I do?

Beth, what can I do?

Paul: What's the matter?

It's not the radio hit
you were hoping for?

Paul!

I will drop you right off on that
fucking street corner in queens.

Paul: You can't.

We're all you got.

The song was not supposed
to be Beth, okay?

Peter wrote it for his wife.
He'll change it back.

We'll change it, Neil.

No. No. Hmm. No, we won't.

"Beth" just has a better...

I don't know, it's just
got a better ring to it.

Okay. Dontyoutmnk?

I think I finally got the
lights the way you want 'em.

What'd I miss?

You know...

You guys are just a couple of
fucking children playing dress-up.

Paul: Where you going? Come on.

He bet everything on you!

No, no, no, no.
He bet everything on him!

We just happen to be
the cards he was dealt!

You say you feel so empty

thatourhouse just ain't a home

I'm always somewhere else

and you're always there alone

just a few more hours

and I'll be right home to you

I think I hear them calling

oh, Beth, what can I do?

Beth, what can I do?

Beth, I know you're lonely

I know I'll be all right

'cause me and the boys
will be playing

all night

Hey. Hey.

You look like shit.

You get in
okay? Limo was waiting?

Yeah, yeah. Like movie
stars. Your mother loved it.

Okay. How much
you need this time?

You got to talk to me
like that? I'm your father.

You think that's why we flew in? I
wanted to see how my son's doing,

if he's okay.

What do you need, pop?

It's for your mother, okay? For
the foster home. She's going nuts.

I don't know, like,
10 or something.

You make it harder than
getting money from loan sharks.

It's just fucking money.

What is it you always say? Uh,
you just got to know where to find it.

Like at the card tables?

I heard things, Neil.

What are you doing, huh?

Oh, you know, just still trying to escape
those four goddamn blocks!

Vvhatthefucks the
matter with you? Hey! Fuck!

I raised you to be smart!

How you gonna be smart
shoving that shit up yournose?

Come on! I'm talking to you!

How you gonna know when you're
hot, when to bet big, when to fold?

You can't even decide who
you want in your fucking bed!

I have everything under control.

Doesn't look that way.

You've lost the music, kiddo.

Hey. You understand?

Is there anything else you need?

Hey, you don't think
you could have made it

using your real name?

Bogart is my real name.

Sure.

Tell me what I'm supposed to do.

Just keep dancing, Neil.

Always was the one thing
you were best at.

I did always love
the way you moved.

No. Just...
I'm... I'm asking you.

Just tell me
what I'm supposed to do.

Go and say goodbye to your kids.

That's what you're
supposed to do.

You're breaking my heart.

Hurts like hell, doesn't it?

She won't even
put them on the phone.

My kids.

My kids.

I don't know how to stand up.

I'm just... I'm sitting
here, and I don't...

I don't know how to get up.

Hey, you can almost see
Brooklyn from here.

This is bullshit. There isn't a thing that
you've asked for that I haven't given you.

You know exactly how expensive it is
to keep you on tour and in the studio!

Let's seriously talk
about releasing Beth.

No! We're not releasing
that shit. No.

Cross us over
into mainstream radio.

It's not who we are.
Nobody knows who you are,

which is why you're not
making any fucking money!

Isn't that your job? Huh? To
get them to know? And yours?

Or is that not the kinda
pillow talk you two like to talk?

Bill: Jesus, Paul. What?

I'm just saying
what everyone's thinking.

Joyce: No. Let him
say it. It's just the truth.

You're our manager,

and you are fucking the
president of our record company.

You're right. That is the truth,

which you didn't seem to
mind when you asked me

to give him your demo.

You didn't mind either, bill,

when you begged me to
convince Neil to sign us,

even though Warner Bros.
Begged him not to.

Or when you asked me
to get us on tour, Paul,

and keep us on tour.

You were all just fine asking
me to roll over on my pillow

and talk to the president
of your record company then.

Yes. I am your manager,

and you know just how
lucky you are that I am,

because if I wasn't, you'd
still be trying to figure out

how to wear your mom's makeup,
'causeltaughtyou how to do that, too.

Who I love is my business.

Your business is to
make the damn music.

Thatsyourjob! Start
doing it. No, no, no.

It doesn't matter how
we got here. This is real.

This is happening. This is
happening right fucking now.

Tell them, bill.

You really want us to be
the hottest band in the world?

He better start paying us
like we already are.

There he is.

There he is, folks,

Chaim witz, the demon
of rock and roll.

You want some real money, gene?

You want some real money?

Well, then you go out there
and you write us a fucking song

that will actually make us some!

Bill: No, no, no. Wow!

No, no, no, no, no. Fuck you.

You don't make it
about them. Not this time.

Joyce: Bill. Uh-uh. I am sorry.

We are renegotiating
right now, or we're leaving.

Bill.

Okay. Okay.

How much?

A million dollars an album.

And another million
in tour support.

You want
two million dollars an album

for a band that can't
sell a fucking single?

I want two million dollars
an album for kiss.

Bill.

Okay. Fucking fine. Deal.

We finished?

Paul: It's just business.

It's nothing personal.

Of course it is,
and you fucking know it.

Paul: It's okay.

Male announcer: And
now, ladies and gentlemen,

here's Johnny!

Carson: Here he is,
Lenny Bruce himself!

Maybe you should
slow down a little.

Maybe you should speed up a lot.

Hey! I love Lenny Bruce.

Did you know that he
was 40 when he died?

You think it was worth it, dying so
young but then having all that success?

No. I think dying old
and having all that success

would be worth it.

You promised our
distributors a sure thing

so they'll keep letting us
ride on everything else.

Well, it's
Johnny Carson. It is a sure thing.

Besides, a bet is
only a bet if it matters.

Lenny: It's the wedding night,
and you're both virgins. It's disgusting.

Abe, Abe...

You don't mean that.
No, because it's me, Abe.

Because you've always trusted...

Cecil: Talk to me. They're
not waiting for Carson.

Cecil: What?

They're returning
all the unsold kiss albums,

and Donna, and
parliament. Everything.

That's too many fucking
records. No shit, buck.

What do we do? We take 'em back,

but you tell every single
fucking one of them

if they do,
they don't get Carson!

Neil. Neil!

What?

What if we were
wrong about Carson?

I mean, we're
shipping gold. More.

Over 750,000 copies already.

And with the money we're spending
on commercials and print ads...

It's Johnny fucking Carson!

And nobody understands
why the hell we're even doing it!

Then ship more!

Spend more! Do your job
and make them understand!

This is gonna be the biggest
fucking album of the year, okay, folks?

You've lost your mind.

Did you not hear what
they said on the phone?

And they're on our fucking side!

Nobody is on our fucking side.

Because nobody understands
what the fuck you're doing anymore!

Not even me!

We were wrong about kiss, Neil,

and we were wrong about Donna.

Even George and
his fucking spaceship.

We were just wrong!

And here we are, still betting
money we don't even have on them!

I can't even pay my...

If we're wrong about Carson...

We are not fucking wrong, cec,

not about any of them.

We just haven't figured out
a way to finally be right!

What the hell's happening?

I dared question the
postman's son from Brooklyn,

and he didn't like
what he heard.

Oh, is that right, cec?

Is that the same postman's
son been carrying your ass

from nowhere to somewhere
your whole fucking career?

Excuse me? Tell me this.

Did you believe we could
make it this far?

Be honest. Do you believe that
we could actually go further?

So you do your fucking job,

and I will go get
the fucking money!

He didn't mean that.

Cec. Shit.

Male announcer:
And now, ladies and gentlemen,

here's Johnny!

Neil: The Carson album's
still considered

one of the biggest disasters ever
conceived in the record business.

The joke was that we 'd shipped
gold but returned platinum.

Just wasn't a joke.

We'd given away
so many promo copies

that when the stores started
returning them to get their money back,

we were on the line
for every last one.

And it was killing us,

killing us, because I was wrong.

Biggest sin of a record man,

believing in something
because you have to,

not because you do.

I fucking begged you
to pay back that money, Neil.

You kept sayin',
"waiting for Carson."

And I convinced them to wait,

because this is me and you,

but they're done waiting.

I'm sorry.

It's okay, Joe.

Just tell them not the
arm I sign contracts with.

I remembered my dad,

remembered my promise to
never become anything like him.

I just can't remember
the exact moment when I did.

Egg cream?

Joey: Just get us
the fucking money, Neil.

I fucking hate L.A.

Cecil: Jesus. Joyce: Neil!

Jesus.

It's not that he was
a postman. It's just...

I knew that he knew that's all
he was ever gonna be.

Here. I'm scared.

Cecil: Come on. I'm scared.

Justour little secret, brother.

Cecil: Can we get something
to clean him up?

Buck: You want a cigarette?
Cecil: You're all right.

Joyce: Okay. It's okay.

Okay. Come on.

Cecil: Get him up.
Walk it off. Walk it off.

Fuck.

Cecil: Come on. Buck: Fuck.

If we cannot sell enough
kiss records on our own,

then folks, we are
gonna need an army.

It's merchandise, Nelly.
It's a movement, Nance.

I love kiss, but how the fuck
are we gonna get people

to buy shit about the album and we
can't even get them to buy the album?

Because kiss has always been
about the experience,

and that is where
we have failed.

If you're not in the kiss army,

oh, then you are not
in the kiss army!

You don't get the limited edition posters,
the signed t-shirts, the comic books!

So we have comic
books now? Neil: Yes.

Created specifically
for the kiss army.

And the only way to get
into the kiss army...

Is to buy their albums.
Neil: Thank you.

Now, we have one very
important question to answer.

What color do we
paint the building?

Hundred bucks to whoever
gets the... the best color.

Okay. Can we just...
Can we just get a minute?

Thank you. Thank you so much.

What about black?

Can you imagine the whole fucking
block was painted fucking black?

No, I can't. Oh.

Neil, you are my brother...
Mm-hmm.

And if you want me
to go off this cliff with you,

I'll even be the first to jump,

but you have got to
help me understand why.

We are broke. Yes. Yes.

That is exactly what all of
these fuckers are saying.

So, by tomorrow,
I want an entire crew...

No, two crews outside,
painting the entire block,

and I want you to pay
them extra to do it slowly.

The longer they're
out there working,

the longer people are just
gonna drive by and see 'em.

See 'em doing what?
Painting the building.

Neil: We're gonna
place one final bet.

On who?

On us.

It started with a
makeover of the building,

but to the town, we were
building our own makeover.

I mean, every day, we'd
announce a new promotion,

but in real life, we were
just swapping titles around

like the paint colors
of the building.

We called everyone we owed,
hyped every plan we had,

making most of it up
as we went along.

We made them root for us...

Not against us.

Where the fuck is all
the money coming from?

Nowhere. There was none. We... we
just made everyone believe there was.

We bet everything we had on
everyone we already believed in.

She's a stone-cold stunner...

Neil: We'd gone as far as we
could go, as fast as we could go.

It's just, we were now
seven million dollars in debt.

Well... until that night.

She's a stone-cold stunner

with a body, too

so watch out

huh!

She's a stone-cold stunner

Woman 1: Hey, come here.

Do you wanna dance with me?

Woman 2: Sure. Both of you.

Oh. Llove to love you, baby

I love to love you, baby...

Woman 3: Hey,
play that song again.

Woman 4: Play that again.

Man: Yeah. Play that again.

When you're laying
so close to me

there's no place
I'd rather you be

than with me, here

I love to love you, baby

I love to love you, baby

lay your head down
real close to me

ease my mind and set me free

set me free, yeah

oh, love to love you, babe

oh, love to love you, babe

oh, love to love you, babe...

Man 1: Put it back on.
Man 2: Play it again.

Woman 1: Somebody put the
music back. Man 2: Don't stop now.

The song is too short
to have sex to.

Woman 1: Do you wanna
dance with me?

Woman 2: Play it again.
We're dancing.

Hey! Play it again!

Neil: The answer
had been there all along.

I just never imagined she'd
be hiding 7, 000 miles away.

Oh, love to love you, babe

Neil: Not that she
was happy to see me.

Ladonna, please wait.

Giorgio said you'd be coming through.
So, I hope that you enjoyed the show.

Have a nice flight back.

My real name's not bogart.

I changed it, actually,
a couple times.

Was Neil Scott
when I was a singer,

Neil Stewart when I worked
for a modeling agency,

uh, Wayne Roberts
when I did a soft porn film.

You made pornography?

Well, to afford my wife's
engagement ring.

Okay. So, you did a dirty film

so that you could ask
your wife to marry you?

The point of the... yes.
The point of the story

is that we can be
whoever we want to be.

Well, that may be the point
of your story, but not mine.

It's the point of
everyone's story, ladonna,

especially yours.

Why didn't people like the song?

I liked it.
No. I mean, why didn't...

No. I... I know
what you meant. I...

And the answer is that
they didn't get it,

because I failed to get them to.

So, then why are you here?

Giorgio told me that he wanted
me to cut the same song again.

I don't understand.
You don't have to, okay?

You just have to
trust that I do.

I don't even know you.

But I know you,

ladonna Adrian gaines.

Grew up singing in a choir.

Raised by your mom in Boston.

You heard your voice
raising all the way up

to the top of those
stained glass windows,

and you let yourself believe
that you could be more

than just that girl in a church.

And now, here you are,
performing halfway across the world,

getting further and further
away from that stained glass.

And every night,

you close your eyes,

dreaming that maybe
someone will come along

and give you onelastchance.

Now, you tell me I'm wrong,

and I'm on the next plane.

Why me?

Because I have never heard

a voice like yours.

I will make you a star.

Llove to love you, baby

I love to love you, baby...

You... you know what?
I wanna do this again.

I just... go back from the top.

Giorgio: It's impossible!

Repeat the same eight
measures over and over again?

It's just one lyric, Neil!

Yeah, which is going sound like
something new each time she sings it,

when she sings it right.

This music is about the music,

not the fucking vocal!

Her fucking vocal
is the music, giorgio!

Her voice is the thing that's
gonna make people wanna dance,

and nobody wants to dance
for three minutes.

People wanna to dance forever!
And when they're making love,

they wanna make love forever!

Nobody could make a fucking
half-hour song, Neil!

Not even you!

Buck: Neil could make
a half-hour song.

Hey, you okay? I don't know.

You just got giorgio to leave
his own studio. You tell me.

Let's just try it one more time.

Llove to love you, baby

I love to love you, baby

What? What's wrong?

You're just singing...
You're just singing the lyrics.

I'm a singer. That's what I do.

No. I just...
Give me one second.

One.

I don't understand
what you want from me.

To escape, Donna. That is
what everyone wants, all right?

In the discos, on the dance floors,
they want to fucking escape, all right?

And you, you will be
the one to take them there.

You have to be their fantasy!

Do you know what
my mother will think?

Yeah. I do.

Llove to love you, baby

both: I love to love you, baby

more.

I love to love you, baby

when you're laying
so close to me

feel it.

There's no place I'd
rather you be than with me

think it.

That's it.

Love to love you, baby

even sexier.

Loudeh

I love to love you, baby

harder!

I love to love you, baby

when you're laying
so close to me

there's no place I'd
rather you be than with me

oh, llove to love you, baby

I love to love you, baby...

Justyou. No one else is here.

I love to love you, baby

ooh, llove to love you, baby

You and the music.

I love to love you, baby

I love to love you, baby

it's just you.

Oh, llove to love you, baby

Love to love you, baby

use your whole body, Donna.

When you're laying
so close to me

there's no place
I'd rather you be...

Arch your back.

It's impossible, Neil.

It's absolutely impossible.

When... when am I supposed
to play the commercials?

Frankie Crocker,
you cranky fucker.

Fuck the commercials!

Fuck the commercials, man.
It's a test. It's science.

Let's test it out on the...
What's your name again?

Shan. Shan. That's
mynmflmflsname.

Neil: Come on. Come on. This
is something new, Frankie, right?

She's explosive.
She's dangerous,

and you, my friend, can be the
one to introduce her to the world.

We already introduced this
fucking single, and it didn't move shit.

No, we did not
introduce her to the world.

That was a different fucking
record. That was not this record.

This is different.
This is... this is new.

I mean, we were
right about this girl.

She's amazing. You
listen to the man, frank.

And what does that mean?

I'm right about a lot of shit
I don't put on the radio.

This may be Casablanca's
last fucking chance, Frankie.

Neil, it's 17 minutes
long, all right?

I can't...
How do I explain that?

Handcuffs.

Frankie... I brought mine.

Now, you ain't had
those last night.

I didn't need them last night.
Hey, how about you take

a bathroom break, Frankie?
We'll take over from here.

Damon: Come on. Whoo!

Frankie: I gotta be out
of my fucking mind.

You're in your mind. You're
about to be out your pants.

You motherfuckers
gonna owe me one.

Looks like you got
two, motherfucker.

Neil: Sixteen minutes
and fifty seconds.

With the record glued to the
turntable, it played all night long,

with Frankie still locked
in the bathroom.

Lawyers were calling even
before we landed back in la,

swearing they'd never play
a Casablanca record again,

except something happened,

something that never had before.

Not just in New York. Stations
all across the country are calling.

Everybody's trying
to find a way to play her.

Tell them I'll buy them all.
Buck: Buy what all?

The whole half-hour block.
On every station.

Every city. The ad campaign,

"tune in at midnight
for a half-hour of love,

"brought to you by Casablanca."

Call giorgio. Joyce: And then?

Call everybody else!

Donna: Love to love you, baby

do it to me again and again...

Neil: We released our version
of love to love you in 1976,

and when we did, it was like
nothing else there ever was.

Branded too graphic by some critics,
it was even banned by some stations,

which only helped us
to sell more records.

Oh, love to love you, baby

time magazine reported 22
simulated orgasms in the song,

and the more people talked
about it, the more they wanted more.

I mean, we were riding the
biggest single we ever had

with the biggest artist
we ever had,

and we were literally making
her up as we went along.

Oh, love to love you, babe

is this make-believe, mama?

No, sweetheart. This is real.

I need makeup in here.

We brought in everything,
designers, hair, makeup.

In the end, we went with wigs,

in every picture
you've ever seen.

We invented every detail.

But the truth was that
the first lady of love,

the superstar we were
selling her as,

was as far from who Donna
really was as she could be.

I want to know this woman.

You raised my vocal in the song.

Your vocal is the song.

Bad girls

talking about the sad girls

sad girls

talking about bad girls

yeah

see them out on
the street at night

picking up
all kinds of strangers

if the price is right

and you can score
if your pocket's tight

plus you want a good time

you ask yourself

who they are

like everybody else

they come from near and far

she's gonna be great. I know it.

I love you.

Man: You got it, Donna.
Nailed it.

Ladonna?

So, what happens next?

You do.

Dim all the lights sweet darling

'cause tonight it's all the way

turn up the old victrola

gonna dance the night away

love just don't come easy

no, it seldom does

when you find the perfect love

let it fill you up

Dim all the lights sweet darling

'cause tonight it's all the way

hey, baby

turn up the old victrola

gonna dance the night away...

Neil: Donna was every one of our dreams
wrapped up in a once-in-a-lifetime voice

that didn't just rise up to
those stained glass windows.

She smashed right through them.

Now, when people
who remember Casablanca

actually remember Casablanca,

this is what they remember.

Donna on top of the world,

as if this was the moment
that began it all.

Up

Hey, baby

dim all the lights sweet honey

Neil: Having spent my
entire life in venting my life,

I'd now invented hers.

That voice, the way Donna
would just flow inside you,

that came from something
far more inventive than me.

But the first lady of love?

The queen of disco?

That was as much
of a fairy tale as I was.

Let's replace Gladys with Donna.

N eil: And suddenly,
for the first time,

it wasn't just breaking one hit,

because once Donna broke,
the hits just never stopped coming.

I knew what else
we'd done wrong, too.

Recording alive album of greatest hits
from a band who doesn't even have one?

That's new, Neil, even for us.

Hey, they've always had hits.

We just failed to record them in
the way they needed to be heard.

By recording kiss live,

we finally captured
the experience of kiss live,

which is what we 'd really been
chasing from the very beginning.

Turned out, we'd been
right about them, too.

We sold over
nine million records.

Every bet we'd made,

we were right about all of them.

We just needed enough time

for all of you
to catch up with us.

Ruth: What is this?
What are you doing?

Oh, my god. Ai.

Welcome home, ma.

Nelly, I already have a house.

Yeah, well, this one's
bigger. Love you!

Al: Are you nuts?
What are you doing here?

Al, look.

We don't need this. Come on.

What?

No. No. That is too much.

Neil: I can only do all this
because you taught me.

Who taught you?
I taught you nothing.

Taught you how to lose.
No, you taught me how to win.

You taught me to
swing for the trees,

to bet big to win big.
You remember?

You taught me how to dream!

Maybe a little bit.

No. Maybe a lot.

And, you know, maybe
you were just a little unlucky.

Right? Well, I got your luck.

Nah. You made your own luck.

You're a genius.

You're a fucking Jewish
genius. Ah, come on.

Hey.

You're a good son, bubbeleh.

Four-color world, pop.

I'm in heaven.

Jesus Christ. If you can't keep the beat,
let's just fucking spell, okay? Y, m...

That's right. We created
the village people, too.

Y.M.C.A. became one of the
all-time biggest selling singles,

more than 10 million copies.

Though, other than the cop,
none of the others even sang.

Not on the records, not
at the concerts, not ever.

Again. Let's go again.

You don't trust me? Look it up!

We went from living
on the brink of bankruptcy

to earning five million
in one month, six the next.

Beth, I hear you calling...

Neil: I finally even let kiss
release Beth on the destroyer album.

It would hurt every
single time I heard it,

but it was the smash we'd
been chasing since it all began.

Now, this is a love story.

You're the best fake
boyfriend ieverhad.

Just a few more hours

and I'll be right home to you

I think I hear them calling

oh, Beth, what can I do?

Beth, what can I do?

Beth, I know you're lonely

and I hope you'll be all right

'cause me and the boys
will be playing

all night

Neil: As for Donna,
even with all her success,

I don't really believe
ladonna Adrian gaines

ever really became Donna summer.

We just made you
all think that she had.

So, truth is, none of us were still
who we 'd been when it all began.

Casablanca had become
something else.

I had become something else.

Okay, Neil.
What's this all about?

We sold half the
company to polygram.

Forty-nine percent.
We still keep control.

We've lived an awful lotta
years pretending to be rich.

You wanna see what it feels
like when we finally actually are?

Nelly!

Jesus Christ.

I'm sorry, I never use the
lord's name in vain, but...

Neil: Fifty million dollars
for just half the company,

made out to Neil bogart...

A name and a life
I'd made up along the way.

Even paid mo back every penny.

Not because I had to,
but because I could.

My dad had been right.

Most were all still there on the
same four blocks of their lives.

For those of you who don't know,

I left Casablanca finally
on February 8, 1980.

Itwas a Friday.

It was five days
after my 37th birthday.

Now, disco had officially died
the year before, when a local dj

set a bunch of records on fire
to the roar of a crowd,

as if that was a fucking
concert.

Yeah. It was a good bet
most of those were ours.

Now, all of you remember,
I'm sure,

Donna and kiss and George,

village people, Gladys,

the isleys, bill withers,
all the others.

But I bet each of you $100

that not one of you
has ever heard of my name.

And that's okay. It's not like
I had the talent that they did,

because I didn't, you know,

or that I mattered
like they did,

because, uh... I couldn't.

But I sure as hell
made you dance.

I sold over 200 million records,

and all that music
that I helped make possible...

Became the soundtrack
of your lives.

And we were in the business
of making dreams come true.

Didn't we do that?

And if we did, didn't...
Didn't that matter?

Didn't I?

Evenif_ even if only for a song?

Idied...

May 8th, just two
years later, from cancer.

I was only 39 years old.

I... iwouldn't change
a fucking thing.

I just wish I had more time.

Donna: Ineed you

by me

beside me

to guide me

to hold me

to scold me

'cause when I'm bad

I'm so, so bad

so let's dance

the last dance

let's dance

the last dance

let's dance

the last dance

tonight

lastdance

last chance for love

yes, it's my last chance

for romance tonight

oh, I need you

by me

beside me

to guide me

oh, to hold me

to scold me

'cause when I'm bad

I'm so, so bad

so let's dance

the last dance

let's dance

the last dance

let's dance

the last dance

tonight

chorus: Oh, oh, oh

yeah

hey, hey

whoa, I need you

by me

beside me

to guide me

to hold me

to scold me

because when I'm bad

I'm so, so bad

so come on, baby

dance that dance

come on, baby

dance that dance

come on, baby

let's dance tonight

Neil: It was
the greatest time of my life

yeah, the greatest time
of my entire life

always made sure I took
a road less travelled

till the curtain closed

living for my story to be told

'cause we all have
a story to be told

it was the greatest time of
our lives

It was the way we felt
the love on hot summer nights

we never thought about
getting old

and every day was rock and roll

living for our stories
to be told

so we dreamed so big

they were destined to explode

we knew one day that
we 'd be spinning gold

we bet it all, to never fall

we 'd rather die than fold

we just want our story
to be told

it was the greatest time
of our lives

when it was over, all we know

is that we got it right

with every heartbeat
and every note

let's dim the lights
and start the show

ready for our stories to be told

call on me, brother
when you need a hand

so we dreamed so big
they were destined to explode

we all need somebody to lean on

we knew one day
that we'd be spinning gold

we bet it all to never fall
ooh child

things are gonna get easier

I've got to go I've
got to go I've got to go

no matter how high
or fast we went

we never looked back
and lived life, no regrets

wanted to leave this world
a better place wheneverl left

and give you something
that you'd never forget

oh, let's dance

the last dance

let's dance

the last dance

both: Let's dance

the last dance

tonight

dreams so big
they were destined to explode

we knew one day
that we'd be spinning gold

we bet it all, to never fall

we 'd rather die than fold

we just want our story
to be told

and so we dreamed so big
they were destined to explode

well, all right. Star child.

That we'd be spinning gold

my baby's kisses
taste like candy

I 'd rather live in his world

than live without him in mine

want to rock and roll all night

we knew one day that
and party every day

we 'd be spinning gold

I want to rock and roll

all night

and party every day

oh, we were destined to explode

'cause we knew
that we'd be spinning gold

and we said we'd
rather die than fold

we want our stories to be told

just a few more hours

and I'll be right home to you

let's dance the last dance

do n na: Tonight we
just want our story to be told

Female interviewer:
You had a lot of resilience.

You have been up and down,
and you've made a lot of money.

And you've been
flat on your bum.

It's nicer being up. Yes.

If that was the question.

Oh. Why your resiliency?
Where does it come from?

Where's that drive come from?

Probably, it originally
comes from Brooklyn.

Brooklyn. You know, all people

that are born in Brooklyn seem
to be able to bounce back,

because you have to
if you come from there.

You have to have the desire
to succeed and be a gambler,

and I both have the desire
and I am a gambler.

So, you were poor? Yes. Yeah.

I came from Brooklyn,

and I used to sing on
the street corners and stuff

do you think... lmean, what
does it take to be a greaser?

I mean... you got what it takes.

You probably got what it takes.

Female interviewer: What do
you think is the biggest misunderstanding

about Neil bogart?

There are quite a few
misunderstandings about Neil bogart.

If you feel like rocking
the Hollywood bowl,

it feels like being rocked.

Male interviewer: How'd
you get so down and out, Neil?

Neil: / came out to California

after having a company called
buddah records in New York City,

which was very successful,
and I went into partnership

with warners bros. Records.

Um, inside of eight months, the
partnership had just about dissolved,

and I lost the quickest
three million dollars

anybody ever put up
for anybody else.

Female interviewer: What does it feel
like to lose a couple of million dollars?

Well, the strange thing is, I
really didn't have it, you know?

Of course.

I don't think if! Had
it, I could have taken the risk.

You know, it was a kind of
situation where I just kept going

and really didn't stop to think of
how I was going to pay it back.

And fortunately, success
was around the corner,

and I was able to pay it back
and come from behind.

You did it by giving,
first of all,

one of the largest parties ever
given in this town, didn't you?

Yes, it was. Because...

He laughs about it.

And you couldn't
leave a tip, right?

That's... at the end,
I couldn't. Um...

The party was fabulous.
The reception was fabulous.

The welcome to California
was exciting,

and from there
everything went downhill.

Um, about eight months later, I
realized that it wasn't going to happen.

Um, I had just finished

probably the most expensive album
ever done in the record industry,

which was here's Johnny: Magic
moments from the tonight show,

and we opened... you did that?

Yeah. That was our record.

You all bought that,
mdntyou? Yeah.

We over-advertised
and we over-promoted,

and we did everything
you could possibly do wrong.

Um, and iwent to acapulco,

and while I was there,
scuba diving,

I thought that, "you owe
three million dollars.

"You don't have any
money left in the bank."

Yeah. "You might have payroll

"for about two
or three weeks left."

And I was down there,
and I took the mouthpiece out

and said, "it could be over."
I mean, that could be it.

You don't have to
come back to the problems.

You don't have to come back
to face the failure. And...

The last record
I released at buddah records

was a thing by Gladys
knight and the pips,

that when L.A. seemed
too much for the man,

he couldn't make it, so he's
leaving the life he's come to know.

He's leaving on a
midnight train to Georgia.

And I just realized
that wasn't me.

I had to win, or I had
to fail. I couldn't cop out.

And I put the mouthpiece
back in. I swam and found Joyce.

Um, I said, "come on back.
We're going upstairs.

"We're gonna go back,
and we're gonna do it.

"We're going to win,
or we're gonna fail."

And in the back of my head,
I always had the thought

that I can always
go back to Brooklyn

andopen a candy store. Yeah.

Except there are a lot of those
there, aren't there?

Yeah. But, you know,
growing up there,

I mean, that was always
a kind of comforting thing,

that I could always go back to that,
and that... and that was a great life.

Woman: What does a tiger say?

Neil: That was the bogarts,
the fabulous bogarts!

Well, I want to thank you all.

Jill, Timothy, Bradley, come on.

Come on. Say goodbye
to the audience.

We'll see you again!

Bye, everybody!

Bye!

Do you have one more word
you'd like to say to everybody?

Goodbye. Cheerio.

What was that?

From the fabulous bogarts!

See you next week!

Boy: Yeah!