Miss Mary Ann Fisher, ladies and gentlemen.
Wait till you see what I got in the goodie bag.
Goodie bag?
Gonna fly you to the moon, baby.
Let me get your hand, Ray.
There go three. That's for you.
I thought you was my friend, Fathead.
The weight is off.
Don't start with me, Ray.
The weight is off.
It ain't off.
When you get high, man, and you try to cop,
those dealers spank your ass.
You gotta have more discipline.
You know what, man? I ain't messing up my high tonight,
sitting here with you, arguing about nothin'.
Look, Fathead, just tie me off.
Come on, Fathead. Fat.
Take care of your bad self, you know so damn much.
Later, Margie.
Bye, Fathead.
Damn.
Ain't nothing free in this world but Jesus.
Hey, Margie.
Yeah? What do you want?
Do me a favor, sweetheart, and... and pick that up for me.
You're going to have to get me off.
I'll do it, if you let me try some.
Shit. No, honey.
This ain't for no little girls.
I ain't no little girl!
I understand. It's just that this stuff
will take you places that you don't want to go.
See, I want to share that with you.
Listen to me!
If I ever hear about you doing some drugs
you're through, you hear me?
You believe that more than you believe in Jesus!
Don't say that, Ray.
Ray!
Ray, I watch your show every single night.
And every night is new to me.
Maybe because it's new to you.
It's like you live every single word
and then you bend some crazy note,
And damn if you don't break my heart.
You got genius, baby.
I just want to be a part of that.
Just want to be a part of that.
¤ You know the night time, darling ¤
¤ Night and day ¤
¤ Is the right time ¤
¤ Night and day ¤
¤ To be ¤
¤ Night and day ¤
¤ With the one you love, now ¤
¤ Night and day ¤
¤ Say now oh baby ¤
¤ Night and day ¤
¤ When I come home baby, now ¤
¤ Night and day ¤
¤ I want you to hold my hand ¤
¤ Night and day ¤
¤ Yeah, tight as you can ¤
¤ Night and day ¤
¤ I know the night time ¤
¤ Night and day ¤
¤ Whoa, is the right time ¤
¤ Night and day ¤
¤ To be with the one you love, now ¤
¤ Night and day ¤
¤ You know what I'm thinking of ¤
¤ Night and day ¤
¤ Whoa! Sing your song, Margie ¤
¤ Night and day ¤
¤ Baby ¤
¤ Night and day ¤
¤ Baby ¤
¤ Night and day ¤
¤ Oh, baby ¤
¤ Night and day ¤
¤ Do I love you? ¤
¤ Night and day ¤
¤ No one above you ¤
¤ Night and day ¤
¤ Hold me tight ¤
Look at him. Look at his knees shaking.
He's got that junkie itch.
¤ Because the night time ¤
He's totally hooked.
¤ Oh, is the right time ¤
Yeah, but listen to that sound. He's brilliant.
You can never trust a junkie, man.
What do you want me to do? Listen to him, man.
¤ I said baby ¤
¤ Night and day ¤
¤ Baby ¤
¤ Night and day ¤
¤ Baby ¤
¤ Night and day ¤
¤ Oh, baby ¤
¤ Night and day ¤
Happy birthday!
Happy birthday, Ray!
You know what to do.
Take a deep breath. Go ahead.
He blow them out?
Every single one.
¤ I know the night time ¤
¤ Night and day ¤
¤ Everyday is the right time ¤
¤ Night and day ¤
¤ You know ¤
¤ Night and day ¤¤
You know what, l... I just want to thank you so very much.
Please, uh, another round of applause for Miss Margie Hendricks.
Thank you so much, and good night.
Hey, you see what time it is?
What's the problem?
The problem is on the contract. That's the problem.
Ray! Ray! You still got 20 minutes left.
Okay, what you want to do?
That fool's holding us to every second of the contract.
Go... go baby-sit him. I'll take care of it.
It's okay.
You know what, they say we got a little bit more work to do.
That was the last song in the book, Ray.
You know, Fathead, it ain't never the last song.
Now, band, follow me and do what I do, say what I say.
This is how we gonna do it.
¤ Hey mama, don't you treat me wrong ¤
¤ Come and love your daddy all night long ¤
¤ It's all right ¤
¤ Whoa, it's all right ¤
¤ Hey, hey, hey, yeah ¤
¤ See the girl with the diamond ring ¤
¤ She knows how to shake that thing ¤
¤ Whoa, it's all right ¤
¤ Hey, hey, hey, yeah ¤
That's what I'm talking about.
¤ Tell your mama, tell your pa ¤
¤ I'm gonna send you back to Arkansas ¤
¤ Oh yes, ma'am, you don't do right ¤
¤ Don't do right ¤
¤ What'd I say? ¤
¤ Tell me what'd I say ¤
Where can I get that record from?
I don't know. It doesn't exist yet.
I'll tell Ray he should record it.
¤ Oh, no ¤
¤ Mmm ¤
¤ Ooh ¤
¤ Eee ¤ ¤ Eee ¤
¤ Ooh ¤ ¤ Ooh ¤
¤ It's all right ¤
¤ Baby, it's all right ¤
¤ Oh, it's all right ¤ ¤ Baby, it's all right ¤
¤ Mama, it's all right ¤
¤ Baby, it's all right ¤
¤ It's all right ¤
¤ It's all right, now ¤¤
Yeah, that's it.
Oh, this is it.
I'm telling you, that is out of sight. That's a hit.
It's fantastic, Ray. But what the hell are we gonna do with this?
It's too damn long.
Every night we play this, man, we bring the house down.
I'm telling you, it's guaranteed.
Tom, cut the playback!
Come on out here.
¤ Baby, it's all right ¤¤
You know what, Ray, you're probably right.
I mean, I'm sure you're right.
I've never heard a sound like this before.
But how the hell are we gonna market this?
We could cut the second verse, pop back into the chorus.
Man, you cut that, I'll cut you in half.
All right, all right, Ray. Ahem.
We could, uh, split it up.
Do a Side AISide B type of thing.
It's been done before. What the hell, right?
Yeah.
It's s-sexual.
It's just too damn sexual for kids.
Let's do it.
Yeah, baby! That's why I love y'all, man.
All right. What the hell? It's Atlantic, right?
Atlantic!
We'll release it in the summer.
There's less censorship, school's out.
The kids are ready to kick loose.
Ha, okay!
Tom, let's see if we can cut this pumpkin in two.
Show me what your genius is all about.
You got it, boss.
Yeah, that is it. You put one on Side A, put another on Side B.
Man, that sounds out of sight.
How you feeling, Ray?
I feel groovy, baby.
I'm talking about the junk. What?
It's starting to show.
You're scratching all the time.
You can't sit still.
Hey, man, have I ever missed a date?
No, you never have.
Who's the one who delivers a record in one take, hmm?
Ray, you deliver better than anybody I know
but I'm not talking to you as a businessman.
Now come on, listen to me.
I'm worried about you.
As a friend, I'm telling you, man, your slip is hanging.
"Your slip is hanging."
You been hanging out with us country boys too much, man.
Uh, don't worry about this, man. If this monkey gets too heavy on my back,
I'll get an organ grinder, man, and put him to work.
¤ One more time ¤
He's off the Chitlin' Circuit.
Down Beat voted him Best Male Jazz Vocalist by a 2-to-1 margin.
Well, if you want to keep him in Philadelphia,
you're going to find him a bigger venue.
¤ Make me feel so good ¤
What'd I Say!
¤ Make me feel so good ¤
¤ Make me feel so good, yeah ¤
Forget second billing.
Ray Charles headlines at a thousand per or no deal.
¤ Make me feel so good, yeah ¤
Terrific.
¤ Make me feel so fine ¤
¤ Baby, it's all right ¤
Ray, I'm... I'm having second thoughts about this.
I don't... I don't know nobody in L.A.
Bea, I don't want my kids growing up in the South.
Now, L.A. Is where, you know, a Negro can spread his wings and fly.
Ray, my whole family's in Texas.
That's why we're moving to L.A.
Tell you what, Jeff, tell the boys they can go ahead
and start their vacation right now.
All right, boss. Once I get you inside.
¤ Make me feel all right ¤¤
Look at that huge coconut tree!
That ain't no coconut tree, Della. That's a palm tree.
There's thousands of them.
Okay.
Here's the keys to your life, a brand-new life.
Oh, Ray.
Ray, this is too much.
Have you seen the dining room?
But, baby, it's October.
But you know what, I wanted to celebrate early,
because the band is gonna be playing during the holidays.
You are unbelievable.
Look at your presents.
Baby, look at what Santa brought you.
You must have been good.
Go ahead! Christmas is early, baby!
Go get it.
What's he taken? A guitar.
A musician just like your daddy.
Can you play?
Hello?
What else you got?
What's that?
How'd you get this number?
How do you think I got it?
Put Ray on the phone.
Ray, telephone.
Deal with it, man.
Ray, it's important. Telephone.
I-I'll be right back.
All right.
Who is it?
It's Margie, man.
Junior, come... come and help your mama change your brother's diaper.
I don't want to go.
I want to stay and open my presents.
All right, come on! I don't want to go.
I don't care. Don't let me tell you twice.
Hello. Hey, baby.
Surprise! I came to L.A. To surprise you.
Surprise me? Are you out of your mind?
I'm with my wife and my kids.
Well, on the road, I'm Mrs. Ray Charles.
That's on the road.
Yeah, but, baby, come on, I got everything set up for us.
Did you hear what I just said to you, huh?
Oh, wait a minute, baby, look, I got a bottle of Bols, and...
Shut up. Shut up. Listen, we record in two weeks, okay?
I'll see you then.
Wait a minute, Ray! Bye.
Ray!
¤ One of these days, and it won't be long ¤
¤ You're gonna look for me ¤
¤ and I'll be gone ¤
¤ 'Cause I believe ¤
¤ I believe, yes ¤
¤ I say I believe right now ¤
¤ I believe ¤
¤ Yes I believe ¤
¤ Well I believe to my soul now ¤
¤ You're tryin' to make a fool of me ¤
¤ I believe, yes I believe ¤¤
Hold on, wait, wait.
Cut, cut, cut. You know, y'all know that sounds off.
Ahem, you know what, the three-part harmony is off.
Let's start it all over again, uh, from the top with the band.
¤ I believe it, I believe it ¤¤
Whoa, pardner! Uh, what was that?
I knew you'd like that, Ray. It's an eight-track. We just got it.
We can record each part separately.
Whoa, Nellie! You know, I can't wait to see that.
What's so funny?
Nothing, "pardner."
Margie's drunk. Jeff?
You should go home and sleep it off.
Margie, come on now, let me take you home.
No! I'll leave when I'm good and goddamn ready!
She's good and goddamn ready right now.
Why don't you make me leave this, sucker!
Teach you to treat me like some piece of meat!
I ain't shutting up!
Should we get in there? No.
Get them all out, right now.
You'll have to make me leave!
You know what, Jeff? Get all of them out of here.
You're a cold-ass bastard!
Let go of me, Jeff!
You're a cold-ass bastard, Ray!
See, he wouldn't spit on me if my ass was on fire!
Damn right I wouldn't.
Put me down, Jeff! Put me down! Damn it!
You dropped your shoe.
All right, come on, let's get back to work.
Tom, this is what I want you to do.
We'll lay my vocals down and finish the harmony parts.
Uh, how're we gonna do the harmonies, Ray?
You sent the girls home.
I know what I did with the girls. Let me take care of that.
You just turn that eight-track on, and I'll do the girls' parts myself.
And go out here somewhere and find me an "Oh, Johnny" girl.
Uh, one minute.
What the hell's an "Oh, Johnny" girl?
I think I've got an idea.
¤ Last night you were dreaming ¤
¤ and I heard you say ¤
¤ Oh, Johnny! ¤
¤ When you know my name is Ray ¤
¤ That's why I believe right now ¤
¤ I believe ¤
¤ Yes I believe ¤
¤ I say I believe right now ¤
¤ I believe ¤
¤ Yes I believe ¤¤
The sky's the limit, Ray.
I got you a $5,000-a-night raise.
They're gonna up you to 15 per.
Rehearsal in 10 minutes.
Jeff, could you get me some cigarettes?
Okay, boss.
15 per, huh?
You know, Ray, your contract with Atlantic is expiring in four months.
Yeah.
Yeah, I've got the contract with me.
They're going to double my royalties.
Before we jump back in that pond,
I thought I'd find out what else was out there.
I had a very productive chat with ABC-Paramount yesterday.
ABC? Who told you to do that, huh?
And you know, Atlantic is family, just like the Shaw Agency.
Ray, my job is to get you the best deal possible.
ABC is very interested.
No.
How interested?
How about a $50,000 advance each year for three years?
You produce your own records.
They'll deduct recording costs and give you
75 percent.
Ahmet and Jerry are flying in tonight,
so will you put them off until I can talk things out with ABC?
¤¤
Well, my mama said, ain't nothing wrong with talking.
Hey, enough of the formalities.
Come on, let's go back into the office, Ray.
I hope I can call you Ray.
I want you to be comfortable here.
Because I'll tell you something, everything is gonna be better at ABC.
Moving from an indie label to a major
means you can sell a lot more records,
as well as attract much larger crowds, both white and Negro.
Yeah, but Mr. Clark, you know, I've been at Atlantic for so long,
I just want to give those guys a chance, you know, to at least match the offer.
Mm-hmm. Oh, certainly, certainly.
But, uh, I doubt they'll be able to.
We're giving you a state-of-the-art deal here.
Well, you know, since I'm producing my own records, I was wondering if I could
uh, own my masters, too.
Well,
Ray, we've... we've never done that before.
No record company has.
Well, I think I'm going to have to have it that way for me to leave Atlantic Records.
Ahmet believes we're family here at Atlantic.
I believe we're family here at Atlantic.
Obviously, you don't!
Ahmet wouldn't believe it.
You know what he said, Ray?
He said you would never turn your back on us.
Never for a schlockmeister like Sam Clark!
That's rich. Sam Clark's a corporate slug,
who wouldn't know the difference between Earl Hines and Art Tatum!
We let you grow here, Ray.
And nobody's taking credit for your talent, but we nourished it.
We let you do your thing.
God damn it! We deserve better than this.
You know what, don't think that I don't appreciate
everything you guys have done here, Jerry.
Ahmet, I'm very proud of the work that we've done here together.
But, Atlantic has done pretty good money-wise on my records, haven't they?
Yes, we've done very well, Ray.
You... you were the ones that taught me that making a record is business,
and find the best business deal you can.
Now, 75 cents of every dollar, and owning my own masters
is a pretty damn good deal.
Can you match it?
Ray, we would love to match it, but we just can't.
That's a better deal than Sinatra gets.
I'm very proud of you.
Looks like those boys are going to get a taste of country dumb.
Yeah.
He'll be all right, man.
You guys always do find the best.
¤ Georgia ¤
¤ The whole day through ¤
¤ Just an old sweet song ¤
¤ Keeps Georgia on my mind ¤
¤ Georgia on my mind ¤
¤ I said Georgia ¤
¤ Georgia ¤
Listen to that crap.
Thought you said that ABC wasn't going to force nothing on him.
They didn't.
It was Ray's idea.
Something new.
What are we then, Jeff? Something old?
Yeah, what about us? We got to eat, too.
¤ Other arms should reach out to me ¤
¤ Other eyes smile tenderly ¤
¤ Still in the peaceful dreams I see ¤
¤ The road leads back to you ¤¤
¤¤
It's a hit record.
What the hell is wrong with that?
Critics say you've gone middle-of-the-road.
The orchestra, the choir, The Perry Como Show, man?
If I feel the music, that means it's real.
No, it ain't. Ray Charles is a sellout.
The blind Liberace, leaving those Rocking Chair roots behind.
Quincy Jones.
Can we get a picture of these two guys?
Six-nine! Hey, boy.
Look, here, uh, this interview is over.
I'd love to get you two together, man.
S-some other time.
Look at you. How's it going, man? You look good.
Let me look at you. You look good, too.
You hear what they're saying about me?
I just said that l... I can't do it no more. I've gone middle-of-the-road.
So crank out another hit.
Let me tell you something,
it ain't easy to keep on being greezy, kid.
Where you blow in from?
Paris.
Bonjour.
Yeah, man. France is where it's at.
Yeah, man. And all that stuff you've been playing,
man, it's just... it really feels out of sight.
You know, we gotta record something together.
I mean, people will really dig it.
So, where you going after the Festival?
Oh, l... I go to D.C., Richmond, uh, Virginia, Georgia.
You know what, once you get the record out there, you gotta sell it.
The South, man?
I'm not doing that no more.
Hey, come on, kid, that's where the money is, baby.
You know, When I left Seattle with Hamp,
we went down there, man.
And it felt like I walked into a prison cell.
You know, a black man is a "boy" in Mississippi, Ray.
Even if he's 80 years old.
I'm never playing to Jim Crow again. Ever.
If that's what you feel, baby.
I'm serious, Ray. Man, we gotta do something.
Well, you know, what... what the hell, man.
You're just going to leave a lot more money on the table for me.
You're welcome to it, man.
You ready to work?
Work on what?
Get over here, you gotta help me with this.
Percy just sent me some new music.
You know what they're saying about me?
Said I've lost something, said I've gone middle-of-the-road.
They may as well say the same thing about you.
You were the soul of this band.
Now every time you're around, you're just drunk.
Drunk soul of a blind junkie.
What a lovely couple.
Why don't you just get out of here?
I ain't drunk, Ray.
I'm pregnant.
Yeah, that's right. I'm having your baby.
You ain't really... You... you can't do that.
I'm gonna have to talk to the doctor.
You gotta get rid of it.
My God!
What, because I'm not your precious Bea?
I'm not good enough to have this baby?
You lay up in my bed every night.
My bed!
I'm gonna have this baby, Ray.
No, Ray! No! Come on, come on. Come on, just listen.
Just listen to me.
You know I care about you, baby.
I won't let nothing happen to you. I'll pay for everything.
No!
It's gonna cost you more than money.
I want you to leave her, Ray. Come and be with our baby.
You out of your damn mind. You knew the rules when you got into this.
You know goddamn well I ain't gonna leave my family.
Leave your family?
You are a damn fool, you know that?
Between the dope and the music and me,
you already done left your damn family!
You know what the sad part about it is, Ray, you don't even know it.
You know what?
From now on, it's strictly business between you and me.
Yeah, that's it. That's it. Keep that anger.
¤ Hit the road, Jack ¤
¤ And don't you come back no more ¤
¤ no more, no more, no more ¤
¤ Hit the road, Jack ¤
¤ and don't you come back no more ¤
¤ You ain't right, hit the road Jack ¤
¤ Don't you come back no more ¤
¤ no more, no more, no more ¤
¤ Hit the road, Jack ¤
¤ and don't come back no more ¤
¤ What you sayin'? ¤
¤ Hit the road Jack ¤
¤ And don't come back no more ¤
¤ no more, no more, no more ¤
¤ Hit the road Jack ¤
¤ And don't you come back no more ¤
¤ Now baby, listen baby ¤
¤ don't-a treat me this-a way ¤
¤ For I'll be back on my feet some day ¤
¤ Don't care if you do 'cause it's understood ¤
¤ You ain't got no money, you just ain't no good ¤
¤ Well, I guess if you say so ¤
¤ I'd have to pack my things and go ¤
¤ That's right ¤
¤ Hit the road, Jack ¤
¤ And don't you come back no more ¤
¤ no more, no more, no more ¤
¤ Hit the road Jack ¤
¤ And don't you come back no more ¤
¤ What you sayin'? ¤¤
Hey, Ray, it's Sam.
Can you hear me? It's Sam!
Yeah, hey, Hit the Road is our second number one.
Yeah. ABC is taking out ads in all the trades.
Yeah, oh, and congrats on your Grammy nomination.
No, no, no I know you're going to win.
Hey, you feeling all right?
Well, come on, baby, be happy. You're doing good.
Thank you, Sam.
I really am happy about that.
Yeah.
I'll stop by Jeff's room and get my money on my way out.
Ray.
Margie, you ain't gotta leave, baby.
I'm on your hit record.
If I'm ever going to go solo, then now's the time.
Yeah, l... I don't want you...
I don't want you to go solo.
Ray, for once, I'm doing something for me.
You remember the hummingbird, right?
What?
The hummingbird, Bea.
And I don't want you to go.
Somebody will fetch you
when your bus gets to St. Augustine.
And when you get there, show them this sign,
and tell them you're name is Ray Charles Robinson.
And them sandwiches I made, don't eat 'em all at once. You hear?
Oh, please, don't make me go away.
I'll keep up with the normal kids.
I'll be good, just like George.
This ain't got nothing to do with George.
I've taken you as far as I can, baby.
Them teachers at that blind school, they can teach you things I can't.
And you need an education in this world.
I don't want no education!
Don't say that!
I don't! I want to stay with you!
Stop it, Ray!
I won't have you living hand-to-mouth like me, you hear?
Now listen, if you want to do something to make your mama proud,
promise me, promise me you'll never let nobody turn you into no cripple.
You won't become no charity case.
You'll stand on your own two feet.
I promise.
I love you, baby.
I'm so proud of you.
No more segregation!
Welcome back to Augusta, Ray!
Hey, good to see you.
No more segregation! No more segregation!
Do you believe in the protest, Ray?
Get out of here!
Ray, I'm sorry about this. Hurry on up inside.
We got refreshments waiting.
Mr. Charles! Mr. Charles!
You know tonight's show is segregated?
The dance floor is whites only.
Negroes can't leave the balcony.
That's how it is, man. You know, this is Georgia.
You think we don't know that?
Negroes are persecuted in this state every day!
Ain't nothing I can do about that.
I'm an entertainer. And... and we all gotta play Jim Crow down here.
I'm sorry, man. Now get out of here, boy.
It doesn't have to be that way.
You could change things, right here and now!
I'm sorry, son. Ain't nothing I can do.
You hear that, boy? That's the way things are.
Ain't nothing or nobody can change it.
Now get your black ass out of here, and take that trash with you!
Hold on... hold on. He... he's right. He's right, Jeff.
Get them on the bus.
You sure?
Get them back on the bus!
Y'all heard him! Y'all heard Ray!
Back on the bus!
Are you serious?
Get them on the bus.
I can't do nothing here.
Ray, you know me.
I'm not gonna lose money just because you suddenly got religion.
Ain't nothing I can do, man.
We have a contract with me. You break it, I'll sue your ass!
I'll win, Ray! You gotta do what you gotta do.
Look, I'll win big!
Do what you gotta do.
I told you, I'll own your ass, Ray!
Thank you, Mr. Charles.
You could be the first.
No, thank you, son. You were right.
You're right.
You'll never work Georgia again!
He filed a lawsuit and it's more than a fine, Ray.
This guy's got juice. He can get you barred from ever playing Georgia again.
But he's willing to drop the suit if you'll make up the gig.
Not if it's segregated.
Ray,
I admire what you're doing, man, but you can't afford this.
Georgia is our highest-grossing state.
I'm not playing any more to Jim Crow joints ever again, did you got that?
Yeah. I got it.
Jeff, get those people in here so we can rehearse.
Com on, y'all, let's go.
¤ Unchain my heart ¤
¤ Baby, let me be ¤
¤ Unchain my heart ¤
¤ 'Cause you don't care about me ¤
¤ Unchain my heart ¤
¤ Why lead me through a life of misery ¤
¤ When you don't care a bag of beans for me ¤
¤ So unchain my heart oh please, please set me free ¤
Now, go ahead and dance!
Let's dance, everybody!
Come on!
Let's dance now!
Charles, you okay?
Yeah. What's going on?
Just kids onstage dancing.
Well, let them dance. That's what they're here for.
Please don't hurt them! Just keep dancing!
Keep going! Keep going!
¤ I'm under your spell ¤
¤ Like a man in a trance ¤
¤ But I know darn well ¤
¤ That I don't stand a chance ¤
¤ So unchain my heart ¤
¤ Unchain my heart ¤
¤ Let me go my way ¤
¤ Unchain my heart ¤
¤ You worry me night and day ¤
¤ Unchain my heart ¤
¤ Why lead me through a life of misery ¤
¤ When you don't care a bag of beans for me ¤
¤ So unchain my heart, oh please, please set me free ¤
¤ Please set me free ¤
¤ Oh won't you set me free ¤
¤ Please set me free ¤
¤ Whoa, set me free ¤
¤ Please set me free ¤¤
Mr. Charles, it's Western Union!
We have a telegram for you.
You have to sign for it, sir.
I'm coming.
Indianapolis police. Got a report of loud music coming from here.
Where do you think you're going, pal?
I'm just going to the bathroom.
Handcuff this son of a bitch.
Recognize this, Ray? Heroin's a felony.
It ain't like I'm dealing it, man.
I'm not hurting nobody.
Oh, no, you're hurting everybody.
Your jungle music is poisoning our kids' minds.
Hey, I'm gonna put your black ass away forever.
You have to understand. I got... I got a wife, I got kids.
I got responsibilities.
Why don't you tell that story to these people.
Bring them in!
Ray! Was it a setup, Ray?
How long you been on heroin?
Come on, Ray.
What did they charge you with?
¤ You give your hand to me ¤
¤ And then you say, hello ¤
¤ And I can hardly speak ¤
¤ My heart is beating so ¤
¤ And anyone can tell ¤
¤ You think you know me well ¤
¤ But you, you don't know me at all ¤¤
Hi, baby.
David.
Uh, uh, Bea, he can stay.
No. Baby, come on.
Bea? What?
You know, since I got back...
Since you got out.
Yeah.
Well, since I got here, you haven't said more than two words to me.
Ray, what am I supposed to say?
My words don't seem to mean much to you anymore.
Maybe they never did.
Come on, Bea, you... you know I love you.
Are you gonna stop then?
You know what, Bea, what you don't understand is
there's a lot of mean-spirited people out there.
Yeah.
Ray?
You know, I had to bring Junior home from school today
'cause of what the other kids were sayin'.
They got mean-ass kids around here.
I think we should move to Beverly Hills.
No, no, Ray, we're not gonna move.
'Cause it... it's not about where we live, Ray.
It's about what you're doing to yourself.
And those boys worship you.
You want them to end up using that poison, too?
Bea, that's not fair.
What's not fair? What's not fair, Ray?
That... that's a low blow.
Hello?
Don't jive me, Milt. Don't jive me, man!
Really?
Ah, good, good, good. Tell... tell Sam I said thank you.
All right. All right, then.
Oh, yeah!
What, Ray? What? Come on, now.
Ray, tell me what happened.
ABC got the case dropped.
The police didn't have a warrant.
They bought them off.
Damn it, Bea, do you want me to go to prison?
No. Ray, I want you to stop lying to yourself,
and they are making that completely impossible.
You know what, you don't understand.
Then make me understand, Ray!
Baby, when I walk out that door, I walk out alone in the dark!
I'm trying to do something
that ain't nobody ever done in music and business.
But I can't do it if I'm alone everywhere I go.
I don't want to be alone here, Bea.
Not in my own home.
Look, Bea, if you don't understand me,
then who will?
I don't know, Ray.
David? I'm coming!
Mama's coming!
Ray, we pull you out of the fire, and you want country music?
Look here, I've been singing country music all my life.
As a matter of fact, I used to play with the Florida Playboys.
We made a big investment in you
and it's paying off handsomely.
For both of us, I might add.
We don't want to lose your fan base.
Yeah, you know, you got a point there,
but I actually think that we have more to gain than we do to lose.
Ray, it's a bad idea.
When I came to ABC, you guys put in the contract
that I can choose my own music.
You want to read that paragraph?
It's on page three.
I don't need to see it.
Good evening, Saint Louis.
It's time for the main attraction.
The innovator of soul. The genius himself.
Ray Charles!
Go on, go on, Ray!
Thank you so much.
You know what, I know that a lot of y'all don't know that
l... I was brought up in the South.
You know, every time you turn on the radio there in the South,
you hear the Grand Ole Opry.
That's what I grew up singing, so I hope you don't mind,
l... I want to sing something to give you a taste of my country roots.
Unchain My Heart!
Georgia on My Mind, Ray!
¤ I can't stop loving you ¤
Turn 'em, the lights up top and on the mezzanine,
let's take everything down and hit Ray with a follow spot.
We're doing it, on it on my count.
¤ To live in memory ¤
IN 5, 4...
¤ of the lonesome times ¤
¤ Yeah ¤
¤ I can't stop wanting you ¤
¤ It's useless to say ¤
¤ So I'll just live my life ¤
¤ I'll live my life ¤
¤ in dreams of yesterday ¤
¤ Those happy hours ¤
¤ that we once knew ¤¤
Cab's here.
Okay.
Dad, if you can't see, how can you choose the right color socks?
I'm... I'm gonna show you, all right?
Let me show you something.
See? Right here?
The two, right there, I got it sewn in thick, so I can feel it.
So, it means two is brown.
One is black. Three is blue.
And... and... and where's four?
Nowhere.
Four ain't nowhere. There ain't no four. You're right.
¤ Heals a broken heart ¤
¤ But time has stood still ¤
¤ Time has stood still ¤
¤ Since we've been apart ¤
¤ Since we've been apart ¤¤
Still working on the balcony.
Okay, guys, we got 10 minutes to load out!
Change back at the hotel.
They bought that country jive hook, line and sinker.
Ray, man, you're amazing.
I'm gonna tell you something. Country music. You know why they like it?
The stories, man. They got great stories.
Hey, Joe.
Ray, I want to introduce you to Joe Adams. Hal Ziegler hired Joe
as the announcer for the rest of the tour.
I know you, Mayor of Melody.
I used to listen to your radio show in L.A. In the '50s.
We've both come a ways since then.
What was that counting you were doing back there?
I was cueing down the lights. That shuts up the audience
so you can sing your ballad instead of having to scream it.
Hey, well, I'll be damned. Who told you to do that?
No one. It just needed to be done.
See, that's what I'm talking about.
I like to hear a person say "It needed to be done"
as opposed to a person saying, "It ain't my job."
You know, tell me about Central Avenue.
¤¤
I know you know Jack Lauderdale.
Hello, New York!
Hello, Boston!
Hello, Saint Louis!
Good evening, San Francisco!
¤ Bye bye love ¤
¤ Bye bye happiness ¤
Ray, I got some good news for you.
We got the cover of Cash Box.
"The nation's hottest album: Modern Sounds of Country & Western."
You are hotter than hell.
That's what they say.
I've been watchin', your albums are going through the roof,
your concerts are always selling out.
You'll need shelters for your money.
You're in a new tax bracket.
Keep your drawers on, Fathead! I got the instruments!
Jeff, Joe was in the film Carmen Jones.
Who was the director again?
Otto Preminger.
He was also on Broadway with Lena Horne.
She was the star. I was supporting.
Is that a fact?
Prepare for an extraordinary evening of music.
Perhaps the most innovative, unique
and energetic musical voice today.
Please welcome to the stage...
It is my distinct pleasure...
Please give your warmest welcome, the one-of-a-kind...
I present Mr. Ray...
Ray... Ray Charles!
¤¤
¤ Bye bye love ¤
¤ Bye bye sweet caress ¤
¤ Hello emptiness ¤
¤ I think I'm gonna die ¤
¤ Bye bye love ¤
¤ I think I'm gonna die ¤
...Ray Charles!
¤ I think I'm gonna die ¤
¤ I think I'm gonna die ¤¤
Bea, there's a park right at the end of the street.
You can see the whole L.A. Basin from there.
Not even Beverly Hills has views like that.
How does it look, Bea, huh? You like it, don't you?
I don't know. I haven't seen it.
You got to like it.
Voilą.
This foyer is designed to impress anybody who walks through the door.
It has a big winding staircase, just like Gone With the Wind.
We should get our portraits painted, like Rhett and Scarlett.
Bea, bring him in here.
Ray, wait till you hear what's waiting in the living room.
What is it?
I had them build you a solid marble fireplace, two stories high.
Hot damn! How do you like it, Bea?
It's awful big.
It sure is: 8,500 square feet.
Biggest house in the neighborhood.
So, does this meet with your approval?
Man, this is a palace.
You think this is big? Wait until tomorrow when you see
30,000 square feet of RPM Incorporated.
Yeah, headquarters!
This is it, Ray. Your brand-new recording studio.
Did you get everything I asked for?
Totally state-of-the-art.
Tom Dowd built an eight-track mixing console, two recorders, the works.
Now, this room is bigger than most people's houses.
Got your own private bathroom to your left.
Right behind you is my adjoining office.
And step over to your private bar to your left.
Got a bottle of Bols right in the center.
You know me pretty good.
If you run out, shout, I'm right next door.
This is nice, right here.
It's the house that Ray built.
Yes, it is.
¤ Born to lose ¤
¤ I've lived my life in vain ¤¤
Ray Junior, slow down!
This ain't no baseball diamond!
Charles residence.
Mr. Charles?
Hey, girl, Bring that boy over here!
I got a hot dog with his name on it! Come on, now.
Hello.
Uh, yes, I know who you are.
What? Oh, God, no.
Ray.
Yes, I'll get on a plane and I'll be there as soon as I can.
What happened?
Margie's dead.
Oh, God! H-How?
She overdosed.
I didn't start her, Bea.
I didn't let her do dope around me.
L... I just wouldn't let that happen.
Yes, I'm sure, Ray. I'm sure you set a fine example.
What about her baby?
You knew?
His name is Charles Wayne.
He was born October 1, in New York City. He's 3 years old.
The baby's fine.
He's at her sister's.
All right. I'll start sending them some money.
You don't have to. I send them money every month.
¤¤
In five minutes, Mr. Charles will be here,
and he'll be ready to go.
Now the charts Jeff is handing out
should be turned in at the conclusion of...
You're late, that's a $50 fine.
I ain't late.
I give them a 10-minute grace period, Joe.
2:05. He's late. He'll be charged $50.
What? You know what? Where's Ray?
You don't have to talk to Ray, you're talking to me.
I'll talk to whoever I damn well please, and it sure as hell ain't you.
Jive jerk.
Hey, Ray,
this fool Joe Adams is trying to fine me for being late.
What time did you get here?
What? Just now. The band's still setting up.
Jeff don't... Look, I'm not Jeff.
That's a fact, Jack!
Ray, you said the band was my thing.
It is.
Then, Fathead, you go on back to rehearsal.
Ray.
Ray, you know how it is, you've been there.
Fathead, go on now. Let me handle this.
Fathead, go on now.
You want to tell me what the hell is going on, Ray?
I'm not doing anything I haven't been asked to.
Ray's running a business.
He shouldn't have to waste time hearing why people were late.
I'm not talking to you, Joe.
I'm talking to Ray.
Ray, now I know you think I'm soft on the band,
but those cats would do whatever I ask.
But If you come in here with this, uh, "running a business" crap,
you're gonna lose some good people. I'm telling you, Ray.
There are musicians waiting in line to play with Ray Charles.
Not for long, once they get a taste of you.
Ray, you're the leader, man. Be one! Come on, now.
You now what Jeff, I mean things have changed.
It ain't like the days when it was seven of us on the Chitlin' Circuit.
I mean, if you weren't busy building a bowling alley, you'd seen that.
So you know about that, huh?
I know about everything.
I'm just trying to figure out how you did it.
You think I'm stealing from you, Ray?
If the Shaw Agency is gonna give you a cut of the 10 percent I'm given them.
I might as well keep the goddamn money in my pocket.
Leave us alone. We need to talk.
Ray.
You can step outside, Joe.
I'll be in my office.
Ray, now I know that jealous bastard planted that lie in your head.
But I have never stolen from you, Ray, and I never will.
I got a small business loan, and, yeah, Milt Shaw was giving me a little extra,
but I'm not a thief, Ray.
Then what about that, Jeff, huh?
A promoter swearing you did side deals with him so you could split my overages!
How could you do that to me?
We've been through so much, we be so like brothers.
You know what, Ray?
If we were like brothers,
why are you paying Joe more than you're paying me?
Damn all that! You broke my heart, man.
Well, you know what, Ray? You broke mine a long goddamn time ago!
Well, then there it is.
You know something, Ray?
You're going to get yours one day.
And I pray to God that he has mercy on your soul, you son of a bitch!
Everything all right, Ray?
How the hell do you think it is?
Go tell him. Go tell him! Go, go tell him.
Hey, Dad. Hi, there.
I made the all-star team! The game's on Thursday.
Oh, that's great.
Oh, damn! I'm not gonna be in town. I'm gotta go on tour.
How about I buy you guys new uniforms, huh?
Tell the coach I don't care how much they cost.
Okay.
All right, son, you want to take your dad's briefcase inside.
The plane to Montreal leaves at 11:00. I'll pick you up at 8:30.
All right.
Did you hear what Ray Junior said to you?
Yeah.
Do you know how much making the all-star team means to him?
I know. I got things on my mind. We had to fire Jeff.
What?
He was stealing.
Jeff? Hmm.
I don't believe it.
Yeah, well, we're better without him.
¤ My mother told me ¤
¤ 'Fore she passed away ¤
¤ Said son when I'm gone ¤
¤ Don't forget to pray ¤
¤ 'Cause there'll be hard times ¤
¤ Hard times ¤
¤ Oh, yeah, yeah ¤
¤ Who knows better than I ¤¤
Excuse me! Get 'em out!
U.S. Customs!
We're goanna need to see some identification, please.
You just arrived from Montreal?
Yes. Is there a problem?
We were alerted there might be drugs on this plane.
What? That's outrageous! I'm going to call our lawyer.
No lawyers at international checkpoints.
Now, we're going to have to search everyone on this plane.
Mr. Charles, if you don't mind we'd like to start with you.
I'd like to see your overcoat.
I don't mind.
Don't say anything, Ray.
What's this?
Ray, this isn't some judge in Indiana.
It's federal. They can charge you of smuggling
which can mean real prison time.
Our lawyers will do what they can, but...
Hello.
You can't hide out in here forever, Ray.
Look, it's my house. I'm not in prison yet.
No, it's my house.
You ain't been here more than six days since we moved in.
No, Ray, no! A needle ain't gonna solve this!
Get out of the way. Move!
Only thing that can help you is God, Ray.
Don't think of God? Do you have any idea how it feels to go blind
and still be afraid of the dark?
And every day, you stand pray for just a little light, and you get nothing.
'Cause God don't listen to people like me.
Stop talking like that.
As far as I'm concerned, me and God is even and I do what I please.
If goddamn it, if I want to shoot up, I shoot up.
Then go ahead! But you walk out that door
and I'm doing something I should have done a long time ago.
I'm taking my boys and I'll leave.
You're not going away. You... you have no place to go.
No place? No.
You think I'm scared of losing this?
Ray, the only thing I was ever scared of losing was you.
Because where was I ever gonna find another Ray Robinson?
So I put up with some terrible stuff.
Maybe that makes me part to blame.
But I ain't scared no more.
You know I love you and those boys more than anything.
That is a damn lie and you know it!
You ever look at this?
Really look at it, Ray!
Ray Charles Junior's "Most Valuable Player."
He was so proud this day,
until you came home too loaded to go to his banquet.
No! No! There is something you love more than me and them boys,
more than all the women you ever slept with on the road,
more than all the dope you ever took.
What are you talking about? Your music.
And if you don't stop using that needle,
they're gonna take away your music and put you in jail.
Is that poison worth losing everything?
Mr. Charles?
Mr. Charles.
You don't have to go through this.
We have a substitute that can help wean you off heroin.
I have to do it on my own. I can do it. I can do it.
Ah. Don't touch me.
All right.
We'll do it your way.
Doctor?
Mr. Charles. Mr. Charles, I'm coming.
He's got no fluids left.
Get an I.V. In him right away.
I'll insert the needle. No needles.
Yes. It's very important. You need this.
Runner, I've got a runner!
Whoa.
Let me go. Let me go. Get him on the bed.
Put those restraints on him.
No needles.
No, no.
Oh.
George, I miss you. I miss you, George.
I miss you.
Oh.
Okay. Uh-oh.
You might be in trouble right there, Doc.
Hot damn, you whupped my ass again!
I-I'll tell you what, I won't lose again the same way twice.
I spoke with the judge in Boston, and he'll agree to probation.
He was impressed with your attorney's arguments,
and he believes you deserve one more chance.
Oh, that's great.
But you must complete our program
and agree to take periodic drug tests.
You know what. I'll do it. I know people don't believe
I'm done with this dope, but I'm finished.
Who's George?
Ray,
you've come through the worst of the physical reactions.
We should begin psychotherapy sessions.
Uh, look, forget the head shrinking, Doc.
I can handle this.
Mr. Charles,
you're not the first celebrity junkie I've treated.
Junkie? What...
Nobody cons me at any price.
I'm not trying to do that.
If you want me to give that judge a positive report,
you will have to earn it.
Doc?
Dr. Hacker?
Doc?
Ray, come on, Ray, play with me!
He ain't there.
Talk to me, son.
I ain't no bad dream. I'm a part of you.
Even all that dope couldn't keep me away.
Mama, I kept my promise.
You got strong all right.
Went places I never dreamed of.
But you still became a cripple.
Come here, baby. Come here.
Ray?
It wasn't your fault.
Now promise us
you'll never let nobody or nothing
turn you into no cripple ever again.
That you'll always stand on your own two feet.
Promise.
Today we're here to right a wrong
that was done to one of our native sons nearly 20 years ago.
In 1961,
Ray Charles was banned from performing in the state of Georgia
because he refused to play before a segregated audience.
Thankfully, we've come a long way since then.
Some of us have fought for equality through the political process,
but Ray Charles changed American culture by touching people's hearts.
So on this day, March 7, 1979,
we, the duly elected representatives of the state of Georgia
not only proclaim Georgia on My Mind our official state song,
we also offer Mr. Ray Charles a public apology
and welcome him back home.
¤ Every time I sing this song ¤
If only your mama was here.
She's here.
She ain't never left.
¤ I sing for ¤
¤ Georgia ¤
¤ Whoa, Georgia ¤
¤ The whole day through ¤
¤ Just this old, sweet song ¤
¤ Keeps Georgia on my mind ¤
¤ Georgia ¤
¤ Oh, yeah ¤
¤ Yeah, Georgia ¤
¤ A song of you ¤
¤ Comes as sweet and clear ¤
¤ as moonlight through the pines ¤
¤ I feel that ¤
¤ Other arms ¤
¤ reach out to me ¤
¤ Other eyes ¤
¤ smile ¤
¤ tenderly ¤
¤ Well, all right now ¤
¤ Yeah ¤
¤ Don't you know? ¤
¤ Still in peaceful dreams ¤
¤ I see a busy road ¤
¤ The road leads back to you ¤
¤ Oh, Georgia ¤
¤ No peace I find ¤
¤ Please stop by ¤
¤ Don't you hear me now? ¤
¤ Just this old, sweet song ¤
¤ I say, oh, I say ¤
¤ Keeps Georgia on my mind ¤
¤ On my mind ¤
¤ Yeah ¤
¤ Keeps Georgia ¤
¤ On my mind ¤
¤ You know that the little girls are on my mind, huh? ¤
¤ Yes, it did, now, yeah ¤¤
¤ Unchain my heart ¤
¤ Baby, let me be ¤
¤ Unchain my heart ¤
¤ 'Cause you don't care about me ¤
¤ Unchain my heart ¤
¤ You've got me sewed up like a pillow case ¤
¤ But you let my love go to waste ¤
¤ So unchain my heart, oh please, please set me free ¤
¤ Unchain my heart ¤
¤ Baby, let me go ¤
¤ Unchain my heart ¤
¤ 'cause you don't love me no more ¤
¤ Unchain my heart ¤
¤ Every time I call you on the phone ¤
¤ Some fella tells me that you're not at home ¤
¤ So unchain my heart, oh please, please set me free ¤
¤ I'm under your spell ¤
¤ Like a man in a trance ¤
¤ But I know darn well ¤
¤ I know darn well ¤
¤ that I don't stand a chance ¤
¤ I don't stand a chance ¤
¤ So, unchain my heart ¤
¤ Unchain my heart ¤
¤ Let me go my way ¤
¤ Unchain my heart ¤
¤ You worry me night and day ¤
¤ Unchain my heart ¤
¤ Why lead me through a life of misery ¤
¤ When you don't care a bag of beans for me ¤
¤ So unchain my heart, please, please set me free ¤
¤ Please set me free ¤
¤ Oh, won't you set me free ¤
¤ Please set me free ¤
¤ Whoa, set me free ¤
¤ Please set me free ¤
¤ Wow, set me free ¤¤