¶ Trash men didn't get my trash today ¶
¶ oh, why because they want more pay ¶
¶ buses on strike wanna raise the fare ¶
on your mark, get set, go! ¶ so they can help pollute the air ¶
¶ but that's what makes the world go 'round ¶
¶ the ups and downs a carousel ¶
I'm beatin' you.
¶ Changing people's heads all around ¶
¶ go underground young man ¶
¶ people make the world go 'round ¶
[ indistinct chatter ]
¶ Wall street losin' dough on every share ¶
¶ they're blaming it on longer hair ¶
¶ big men smokin' in their easy chair ¶
¶ on a fat cigar without a care ¶
ten, twenty, thirty, forty, fifty, sixty, seventy, eighty, ninety...
¶ but that's what makes the world go 'round ¶
¶ the ups and downs a carousel ¶
¶ changing people's heads all around ¶
¶ go underground young man ¶
¶ people make the world go 'round ¶
grandma, grandma, sick in bed.
She called the doctor and the doctor said.
Let's get the rhythm of her head. Ding-dong.
Let's get the rhythm of the hands.
Let's get the rhythm of the feet.
[ Indistinct shouting ]
[ Cheering ]
The odd finger is it.
¶ But that's what makes the world go 'round ¶
¶ the ups and downs a carousel ¶
yeah. ¶ changing people's heads all around ¶
¶ go underground young man ¶
¶ people make the world go 'round ¶
[ indistinct ]
¶ People make the world go 'round ¶
[ boy ] Wow! Look at that one!
¶ People make the world go 'round ¶
red light, green light, one, two, three.
You! ¶ people make the world go 'round ¶
top of the innin'. Billy bruton is up. My man bruton.
Home run. One-ten, even.
Home run! It's outta there! Outta the park!
You're cheatin'. I'm not. One, ten.
[ Indistinct chatter ]
You ain't showed me the cards. Just look at it.
[ Speaking Italian ]
[ Hinges squeaking ] Hey, number three!
Hey, mister number three!
I told you. I run a respectable roomin' house over here.
And you ain't paid your rent in two months. What gives, huh?
[ Speaking Spanish ]
I pay, okay? [ Speaks Spanish ] I pay!
No mas. Basta. Hey, "son a bitcha!"
[ Indistinct chatter ]
[ Boy ] That's a disgrace!
[ Chatter continues ]
Shut up.
Come on, Troy the boy. Hit it, Troy the boy. Ha!
You ain't hit nothin'!
Look at that! You hit air!
- [ Grunts ] - [ Grunts ]
Whoops. [ Glass crashing ]
I told you so! Lucky shot.
[ Blowing horn ]
Dinner!
Aw, daddy! Man!
Dang! Dang! Clinton, Wendell.
Come on. And bring Joseph.
Dad, I'm in the bottom of the ninth. Why can't I... I don't wanna hear it.
[ Dad ] I'm tired of that strat-o-matic.
I told you bring your brother in the house now.
- I was in the lead. He just hit a home run. - So what?
This thing hurts.
Go tell Clinton and Wendell to come and eat.
Clinton, Wendell! Time to eat!
I could've done that.
[ Kids chattering ]
Woody, that's enough sugar.
Oh, everybody, let's eat. Clinton, stop touching the black-eyed peas.
Can I have a piece of lemon, daddy? Mmmm.
Here. Can't get no better. Come on.
- Here you go, baby. - Black-eyed peas are nasty.
[ Woody ] Come on, now, and let's bow our heads.
Joseph, take your elbows off the table.
- Mommy, Clinton's sittin' in my chair. - Clinton, let's go.
- Let's eat already. - Yeah, the food's getting cold.
- Be quiet. Move, move. - I'm not really hungry.
Come on, boogie. Don't be like that.
The food's getting cold. Be quiet!
I'm not hungry. All right, everybody, let's bow our heads.
Gracious lord, we thank you for this food. Amen.
[ Kids chattering ] [ Mother ] Heavenly father!
We thank thee for the food we're about to receive...
For the nourishment of our bodies for Christ's sake. Amen.
[ All ] Amen.
Pass the butter. Looks good.
[ Mom ] Pass the salt. Elbow!
¶ [ Music playing ] Shucks, now. Every time we sit down to eat, there you go.
I just want some white meat, daddy. And a little more potatoes.
[ Clinton ] That's all he ever eats.
[ Mom ] He eatin' vegetables tonight. Quit bitin' your nails.
Daddy, my peas are touching my chicken.
You baby! Just move it over. That'll do.
[ Chattering ]
Get outta here, you possoms!
Mashed potatoes! Fresh-squeezed lemonade! String beans!
Oh, look what they got with that chicken! Oooh! What's she doin'?
[ Kids complaining ] And stay out!
[ Clinton ] Possoms should go eat their own dinner.
That was rude, little girl.
Wendell! Please close your mouth when you chew!
- Why can't I eat in peace? - 'Cause you're disturbin' the peace.
You eat like a pig. You chew like a cow. [ Grunting ]
Come on, gem. It's a compliment to your good cooking.
Compliment, my butt. That boy's just plain greedy.
I'm done. You didn't eat nothin'.
Yes, I did. I ate three peas.
Mom, I'm full too. See? Your eyes are bigger than your stomach.
May I please be excused? No, you may not.
You're gonna sit there 'til you eat every black-eyed pea on your plate.
When I come home tonight, I want this kitchen clean.
Dang! See what you started, Nate?
Shoot. I hate black-eyed peas.
[ Wendell ] Here we go. Yeah, that's right.
More lemonade, please. There is no reason why your father and I...
Should have to run around here cleaning up after you shiftless negroes.
- Daddy likes to clean up. Don't you, daddy? - Leave me outta this.
Your daddy may not mind, but your mama do.
I'm goin' with your father to his gig tonight.
When I come home, the house better be clean.
I'll be goddamned if I should have to do anything when I come home from work...
- But sleep and relax. - [ Woody belching ]
- [ Both ] Ewww! - Ewww! Come on, daddy!
- Excuse me. - Yuck.
- Excuse me! I... - ¶ [ Loud music ]
[ Indistinct ]
[ Wendell ] Brother, there he goes again. Tony eyes can't even sing.
[ Blowing horn ]
Not tonight!
¶ If I ever find that you've changed at any time ¶
¶ it's not unusual to find that I'm in love with you ¶
[ Clinton ] ¶ it's not unusual to find that I'm in love with you ¶
¶ in love with you in love with you ¶ goddamn son of a bitch.
I can't even enjoy my meal without that funky mcnasty faggot ruining my appetite.
- Woodrow! - It's true, gem.
Damn, not at the table. Put the salt down, Wendell, before I pull your head off!
[ Kids chattering, laughing ]
Dag, this is gettin'... oh, he got, he got blowed up!
You see his hands? [ Laughing ]
Why you laughing for? He don't even know what's goin' on; He's laughing.
- Hey, they... oh, man, they gonna get him. - Oh, they gonna get him.
[ Tony ] ¶ please release me ¶
¶ let me go ¶
[ dog whines ] ¶ for I don't love you ¶
¶ any more ¶
¶ [ continues indistinct ]
Troy. Troy, what are you doin'?
This isn't the bathroom. Get outta here!
That's disgusting. You better clean that mess up too.
Sorry.
Clinton! Have you lost your mind?
What? Didn't I tell you I wanted the kitchen clean?
Get up! Get up now! What time is it?
It's 4:00. Get up. Get your butt in there.
It's not fair... you get in there and do what I told you to do!
Hey, you! Get up!
All you little peanuts at attention! Get up, boy! Now!
Hey, little one. Everybody up. Get your butt out of that...
mutley, everybody! I'm sick of this shit! I don't wanna get up, mommy.
[ All shouting, chattering ]
Hey! Wendell. Wendell! Don't play with me, boy.
Get up now! Get your... stop it!
You'll get your butt up... get up now!
What did I tell you to do? What did I say at the table?
Get, get downstairs. Daddy...
your daddy? Your daddy ain't here. Get up.
Can't we do it in the morning?
Everybody, up against the wall.
From now on, everybody's gonna start pullin' their weight. Do you understand me?
Why you actin' so crazy? You make me crazy!
Boy, I'll slap the black off you. This is no hotel! You ain't slappin' me.
I will slap... I'll knock them teeth into tomorrow.
You're gonna start cookin' too. Get downstairs now. Go!
Get outta my face. Get outta my face right now!
Shh! And do not wake your father! You're waking everybody up.
Shh! You know why I'm screaming, don't you?
All because... no, child, I am not crazy.
You are gonna be crazy once I beat your brains outta your head.
My brains? You ain't beatin' my brains outta my head.
I'm crazy 'cause I got five of y'all that have run me stark raving mad!
This ain't no plantation! I know it ain't!
I'm not a slave! Nobody said you was.
And I'll tell you one damn thing: I certainly am not a plaything.
You understand me? What am I supposed to do?
You're supposed to have done what I told you.
Mommy, Clinton only washes one plate and one fork and one knife.
Shut up, heifer! Don't be a tattletale.
Don't call her a heifer. Clinton, you are gonna wash every fork, plate, spoon,
pot, pan, our drawers, mutley for a month.
What about Wendell and Nate? They never do nothin'.
Yes, I do! I empty the garbage!
You worry about your own shiftless self. You get busy!
Mommy, I'm hungry. That's too bad.
The kitchen is closed. You should've ate more than three peas.
[ Nate and Wendell ] "I ate three peas." Shut up.
Clinton. What kind of example are you setting, being the oldest?
Can you hear me? Yes.
You are so immature!
I hate doing... when you finish mashing peas into the floor, mop.
I'd rather have a father than a mother any day. Yeah, any day.
What'd you say?
What did you say?
He said, "I'd rather have a father than a mother any day."
Dang!
Take your father! Take your father! Let's see how your hungry asses eat!
I'm not playin'. Come here.
[ Mom ] Mornin', ladybug.
How are you today? Fine.
How are you? I'm good.
Are you gonna eat some breakfast? No, thank you.
Troy, I was wonderin'.
How would you like to go down and spend a few weeks...
With cousin viola in Virginia after school's out?
Aunt song and Uncle clem asked if you'd like to come.
- No, thank you. - What are you gonna do this summer?
I don't know. I'm teachin' summer school.
You can't be runnin' up and down the street after your brothers all day long.
Would I miss my birthday?
You would spend it with them.
That would be good. That would be great.
Would you please eat some breakfast? I have to go to work.
[ Snagglepuss on television ] Heavens to mergatroid.
Exit for child welfare stage right.
Don't you know better than to stand under a loose Boulder?
Heavens to vegetables. I've been squashed.
The question is, how does one baby-sit a Western-type baby?
Can I have some trix? Nope.
Please. I said no, you idiot!
That's a bet. I'm tellin' mommy. ...To be a Western TV star.
Mommy! Troy's eating a whole box of trix by herself.
And she won't share any with me!
Our fence-mender, cowboy hero...
mommy's not here, you silly, stupid rabbit.
Stupid. I'm a low-down, mangy pole cat coyote of a wild steer...
Get out! Whom you lassoed.
- Do you get the picture? - [ Cartoon character ] Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah.
Exit stampedin' all the way. Stage left.
Oh! Wendell!
Look at your eyes poppin' out of your head. What are you doin'?
[ Laughing ]
You better stop hittin' people.
¶ I'm your mother I'm your daddy I'm that nigger in the alley ¶
¶ I'm your doctor when you need... ¶ gimme that, snuff.
You know we stole this tube together. You better share that.
Come on, come on. Here, take this. ¶ I'm your pusherman ¶
ahh, yeah. Ahh.
My best friend, babe.
Nice glue. All right.
For the brothers who ain't here. Yeah, drain it out, baby.
Ahh. All right.
Gimme some. Give it here. Take some. Take that.
Ah, yeah!
¶
[ singing with record ] ¶ if I could ¶
¶ I'd like to be ¶
¶ a great big movie star ¶
¶ overnight sensation ¶
¶ drive a big expensive car ¶
stop throwing bottles there! We always get blamed for it.
He should clean up his stinkin' house, man.
Hey! Hey! You stinkin' faggot! Shut up.
My mother'll hear you.
Clean up after your friggin' dogs, man!
- It ain't funny. - You Chinese-puerto rican chink spic.
You friggin' chocolate black nigger moreno.
- What you say that? - Why you let him talk about me like that?
- I never said nothin' bad about your mom. - Your mama.
- Play your music. - Forget it. I'm getting all emotional. I can't sing now.
- You can't sing anyway. - [ Laughter ]
Hey, it's Vic! Look at him.
Clinton. Aw, my man Vic!
Hey, Vic. How you doin', Vic? Tommy LA LA.
I'm all right. Like that 'do.
Your mama know you out here? Yeah.
Vic. Ouch! What's up, Vic?
How you feelin', kid? All right, blood. All right. And you?
Vic. My number one soul brother. All right, all right.
[ Guys chattering ]
Great God! Later, Vic.
- Bye, Vic. - That's the bigs.
¶
- [ laughs ] It look funny. - It looks stupid.
- So? Look at yours. - At least mine don't look all funny like yours.
At least mine isn't standing on my head sticking straight out looking all like topsy.
I don't know who topsy is, but it looks stupid, and I can't stand it.
- I can't stand you either. - Why don't you sit down with your ol' black self?
- I'm black and I'm proud. - She got good hair.
- She got "Peter" rican hair. - Ay, dejame. Stop touching me, ugly.
Don't be callin' my sister ugly 'cause I'll slap you into next week.
You're not gonna slap nobody into next week, stupid.
- Minnie, get off my stoop. You think you're so pretty. - You think you're so cute.
So? Later for you. You think you so cute.
- Who wants to jump rope? - I do.
- [ Girls chattering ] - We playin' "all." Brenda and Cathy, y'all turnin'.
You always tell us what to do. I'm older. Now don't give me no lip. Let's go.
Minnie and Troy, get in the middle. Y'all can't jump big.
Yes, we can... shut up and just get in the rope.
¶ We got to live together ¶
here, kitty, kitty. ¶ I am no better ¶
¶ and neither are you ¶
¶ we are the same in whatever we do ¶
[ girls chanting ] ¶ you love me, you hate me you know me and then ¶
April, may, June, July, August, September...
[ chattering ] ¶ I am everyday people ¶
¶ yeah, yeah ¶
you better not be throwing that cat over here!
[ Girls screaming ]
[ Arguing, shouting ]
She looks like... she looks like a gorilla.
Shut up, Greg, with you and your welfare self!
How many times have you been left back? You stupid ass dummy!
So? So you mother's a ho.
Who's got money for right hand and my main man snuff? Give it up!
[ Shouting ]
[ Dogs barking ] ¶ different strokes for different folks ¶
oh, snap, what happened to your shoe?
Damn kids broke my shoe, man.
¶ Oooh, sha, sha ¶
snuff, man. ¶ I am everyday people ¶
got to get some bread, nigger.
I've got all night, Nate.
Come on, mommy. Why I got to eat this?
Black-eyed peas have calcium.
All the calcium in the world ain't gonna make up for this nasty taste.
It might have made up for your broke arm. Come on, mom.
I broke my arm because I just got hurt.
Besides, this is gross. Nasty.
It is not nasty. Everybody else likes it. They all crazy.
Yeah, and you sittin' here waitin' to eat.
Desserts, anybody? I got ice cream...
- And sand cake. - All right, daddy!
- Who wants some? - I do.
Get some spoons and plates over here. Come on.
You know I don't want them havin' that junk.
It's just a little sand cake.
[ Woody ] Here. Get rid of this.
Oh, no, buddy. You get nothin' 'til you finish your peas.
- [ Laughing ] - How come these fools get to have some?
You know what, doctor? You finish your food, I'm gonna save you a piece, okay?
- Yum, yum. - It looks good.
[ Wendell ] It tastes good too!
- Scrumptiadelious. - Scrumpdelyicious.
[ Clinton ] Hits the spot.
Take a bite. It's so moist.
Sweet. Come on, red.
Mommy, Clinton called me red!
Red, red, he pees in the bed.
- You so immature. Shut up. - Ugly monkey.
He ate my cake! Mutley ate my cake!
Here, boogie. Here. Have a brand-new piece, okay?
- Daddy, that's my piece! - All right. Here, here.
Half for him, half for you.
- [ Woody ] Okay? - Nate, I am tired of standin' here waitin'.
Pick up the fork and eat the peas.
Now!
Eat the peas!
[ Woody ] Nate, do like your mother tell you.
[ Kids shouting ]
Do I have to finish my peas? That's okay, doc.
- Let's get you to the bathroom, okay? - [ Clinton ] Disgusting!
¶ If you disrespect everybody that you run into ¶
¶ how in the world do you think anybody's supposed to respect you ¶
[ dog barking ]
¶ If you don't give a heck about the man... ¶
okay! All right, little mister. I saw you.
Did you think you were the secret army commando, that no one was watchin'?
Well, I'm always watchin', and you are gonna stop throwin' that garbage in my areaway.
I didn't throw nothin'. You imaginin' things. Oh, okay, smarty-pants.
- I'm gonna call the police. - Good. Why don't you let the cops in see how you live?
- You filthy, stinkin' pig. - Who's a pig?
- You're a pig. - You're a pig! You come from a whole family of pigs.
I see you and your little friends throwing that garbage
into my areaway and my backyard.
Just shut the hell up. That's a lie!
How dare you talk about my family like that? You should be shot.
Wendell, what's wrong?
This stinkin' man's accusin' me of things I didn't do.
Oh, you'll see. Look. Look.
Look at him pickin' up his own garbage.
I caught him throwin' this trash on my property.
And he's a ringleader. He makes these other kids that sit on the stoop do the same...
how dare you accuse my son? He does no such thing. Yes, it's him...
And this other one. We don't do nothin' to you.
My kids and their friends can't sit on our stoop,
let alone play in our backyard,
without having to smell that disgusting odor of dog shit emanating from your house.
- Clean up that filth. - My house is not filthy! Yours is filthy.
You don't know nothin' about my house.
You are a menace and a disgrace to this entire block.
The board of health oughta shut you down.
You t... I'll teach you to belt your kids. I can't hear myself think!
¶ Pull down your pants or pull up your ankles ¶
you're the ones who disturb the peace around here. I never had trouble 'til you moved in.
You sorry excuse for a man; You better be glad we moved in.
If I ever hear you callin' my kids names...
Or accusin' them of anything, you're gonna have to deal with me.
- You call yourself a mother... - Get your finger outta my face.
Keep them inside where they belong. You killed my mother!
- What? - You killed my mother! You know what happened!
[ Indistinct ]
Be quiet! You can't tell me...
Tony! My mother was a good person!
Take your dog-smelling ass into your doghouse, man. She believed!
You can't tell me what to do! I'm tired of your damn mouth.
- [ Angry shouting ] - [ Tony ] Call the police.
Call the police! I'm gonna sue you!
You can't do this!
You know what happens? Look at this!
I'm gonna tell you what's gonna happen to you!
¶ [ Radio ]
¶ I'll never go back to Georgia, uh-uh ¶
¶ I'll never go back to Georgia ¶
¶ I'll never go back ¶
¶ [ song continues ]
What you talkin' 'bout? I ain't no puta!
I ain't no puta.
I'm Connie. I keeps my panty clean.
Oh, come on, Connie. No, no, no, tito. You crazy.
Mira, mommy. Ten cents.
Hold your horses.
Give me two liquorice sticks, ten bazookas, some lemonheads,
some fireballs and some Boston baked beans.
[ Woman ] No caliente here. [ Tito ] I'm caliente.
Is that right? Ow!
Well, you ain't nothin' but a damn puerto rican.
Yeah? Well, I can give you something cosy.
Oh, yeah, that's what you say...
To all of 'em, fine thing. [ Tito ] Whoo!
[ Whistles ] Come on. [ Tito ] You want this?
[ Woman ] No, no. No, no, no, tito.
No tickee, no tockee, tito.
¶
¶ hey, Joe ¶
¶ where you goin' with that gun in your hand ¶
¶ hey, Joe ¶
¶ I said where you goin' with that gun in your hand ¶
¶ I'm goin' down to shoot my old lady ¶
¶ you know I caught her messin' round with another man ¶
¶ yeah ¶
¶ I'm goin' down to shoot my old lady ¶
¶ you know I caught her messin' round with another man ¶
[ indistinct shouting ]
¶ Hey, Joe ¶
hey, don't worry, papi. I'm gonna get you out tomorrow, okay?
Go home. No, you go home. Don't push me!
Go home! Go home!
Go home. [ Jessica ] Come on! He wasn't doing anything!
Vic, don't worry. I'm gonna come visit you tomorrow, okay?
[ Jessica ] Hey, papi, don't worry. I'll get you out of there.
Man, what's your problem? You and that stinking house! [ Tony ] Prostitute!
[ Jessica ] Prostitute? I'm not a prostitute!
[ Television ] I don't even want to think about it.
Hey, what are you all doin' in here? Get off my bed.
The cops came and took Vic away.
I know. Want some candy? What's in that bag?
- Psych your mind. Make you Booty shine. - Eggies. Thumbs up.
I called no eggies first. Thumbs down. When?
- When I bought it. - That don't count 'cause we couldn't hear it. Eggies!
- Y'all never give me nothin'. - Shut up, you evil, flat-chested wench.
You're not getting any, and I'm telling ma you called me an evil, flat-chested wench.
Go ahead. Tell. You are an evil, flat-chested wench.
- I'll tell her you went out to the store. - Nigger.
Pop-eyed heifer. All right, you greedy pigs!
¶ [ Indistinct ] [ Clinton ] Give me the lemonheads.
I throwed you the only red one.
Can you please chew with your mouth closed?
Yeah! Don't start with me.
I don't need you to fight my battles. Fool.
Quiet. It's the good part. Let's watch the Knicks.
¶ I woke up in love this mornin' ¶
y'all are turnin' so white. ¶ I woke up in love this mornin' ¶
¶ went to sleep with you ¶ oreos.
¶ On my mind ¶
¶ Nate woke up in pee this mornin' ¶
¶ I woke up in love this mornin' ¶
¶ went to sleep with you on my mind ¶
is the TV on?
I said is the TV on!
No! No! No!
Be quiet. ¶ not just for a night but for ¶
- don't turn it off. - ¶ ...My whole life through ¶
I'm just turning it down.
¶ I woke up in love this mornin' ¶
[ indistinct ] Come on. Let's watch the Knicks.
Joseph, how can you live with this? Please change your vote.
No, I'm watching the partridge family.
Joseph is not changing his vote.
Besides, we outnumber you. After this show, we'll be watching the Knicks.
[ Chattering ] Okay, okay! Come on. Get out.
A fuera. Out, out. Let's go. Out.
We didn't want to buy nothin' anyway.
[ Girl ] It smells funny in here.
[ Indistinct Spanish ] Dejame, estupido!
A un besito. Dejame!
I'm gonna tell your mother. Tell her.
[ Indistinct Spanish ]
[ Speaking Spanish ]
Hey! What are you doing?
Huh? I'm talking to you.
What are you doing?
Huh? You think you can come into my store and steal?
Huh? Do I go into your house and take things?
No. No.
Ten cents. Ten cents!
I don't have any money.
What? No money?
[ Speaking Spanish ]
Send her to jail.
No money, huh?
Then get outta here, and don't come back until you got some money, okay?
What took you so long? You let him catch you?
What was I supposed to do? You should have told him...
"I don't have to steal nothin' from you. I just forgot my money."
Oh. Next time, steal somethin' easier.
Yeah! My main man! Walt "Clyde" Frazier.
We better win tonight.
[ Sportscaster ] It's a very important game. Stupid!
Why you go and pass the ball to him? Jackson ain't nothin'.
Lucky rebound. He can't even dribble.
Pass it to Frazier before it passes to anybody.
Come on. Yeah, stupid.
Pass it to Frazier!
Come on. [ Sportscaster ] Five seconds.
Take it to the hoop! Jump shot!
It's good!
I knew he would make it in. That's number one right there.
[ Sportscaster ] Frazier with 24 points.
[ Clinton ] Oh, man! [ Game continues indistinctly ]
Only one way to find out.
[ Clinton ] Get the ball. What you waiting for, stupid?
¶
Damn it, Woody, you bounced another cheque.
I thought we had it covered.
[ Sighs ] I'll get some money.
When? When? What do you think I'm doin' right here?
Gem, let me just finish this music.
That's what I've always done. The problem is...
Your music's not bringin' anything into the house but music.
Gem, the money will come.
I'm waitin'.
I'm back teachin' school again, and I am waitin'.
Just keep doin' what you're doin', gem.
Now you know it wasn't always like this.
I made money before. I'll make money again.
I trust you, but you have got to realize...
We are on a limited budget.
I am trying to balance everything,
and when you write cheques and don't tell me about it,
it makes it extremely difficult.
As God is my witness, I want the best for you and the children.
But I have got to do it in my own way.
Look it...
cool? Cool. I went out and opened a separate bank account.
That supposed to get some kind of reaction from me?
What is that supposed to prove?
I don't know what it proves.
I'm interested in putting food on the table and keepin' a roof over our kids' heads.
Boy! You know, y-y-you really kill me.
I mean, on the one hand, you come down here...
Tellin' me about yet another mistake Woody done made.
But when I'm sittin' at that piano,
tryin' to do my work, tryin' to concentrate,
you won't let me do that neither.
You got a beef with that. I don't know what to do.
You can get up off my chair.
I don't want to talk about your mistakes. You keep track of those. I don't have time.
All I ask you is to write down when you spend the money I am making.
I told you it was a legitimate mistake. I appreciate that,
but you have made that mistake five times this month.
I just want you to change the pattern. I don't need no lecture...
About how to conduct myself in this house. I am asking you...
To help me conduct the business affairs of this family!
What the hell...
Do you think I'm tryin' to do?
I don't know what you're doin'.
Well, let me tell you. I got to be like a thief in the night in this house...
Every time I want some privacy to do my work.
You selfish child! Don't tell me about privacy.
Selfish nothin'! I can't even take a piss...
Without six people hangin' off my tits.
You a big Saint around here, and I ain't shit.
Call yourself what you want to.
- I just asked you to write down the cheque. - I wrote the cheque, right?
I wrote the stupid thing. I think you can do two things at once: Make music and write.
Woody... wrote...
A... bum...
Cheque.
- Here. - That's very cute.
You remember to write it down before it bounces next time.
You know, you seem to forget...
I'm the one used to pay for you and the children to go to bloomingdale's...
And lord & Taylor to get what you wanted when you wanted.
- [ Clinton shouting ] - You ain't the only one contributed to this family.
It's a foul! Where the referee? [ Indistinct ]
Clinton! What?
Don't answer me "what." Turn the goddamn TV off.
- I'm watchin' the Knicks! - I don't care what it is. No TV on a school night!
She can scream all she want. I'm watchin' this game.
- Hey! No TV! Turn it off! - Mom, it's just a game.
- Who is that? - That was Nate. - It wasn't me, mommy!
If the TV's not off, I'm whippin' everybody.
[ Joseph ] Troy! I have to go to the bathroom!
[ Knocking ] Open up before I pee on myself.
Come on, Troy!
[ Knocking ] Troy! What are you doing?
Come on! Open the door!
If you ever chastise your boys.
Hey! Clinton, don't let me get up there!
Clinton! [ Joseph ] Troy!
In a minute!
Walt Frazier's not payin' my bills!
It ain't about Walt Frazier!
[ Carolyn ] I'm sick of this shit.
Troy! Troy!
Surprise, boys.
I'm watchin' the game! Boy, I'll knock you out.
What's the big deal? I said no TV on a school night, damn it!
The Knicks got a job. You need an education.
I will throw this idiot box out the window.
Troy, let boogie in the bathroom.
She won't let me watch the game.
How dare you go to your father to defy me, boy!
Let him watch the game. Woody, don't touch me.
Come on, gem. Get your hands off of me.
Troy won't let me go to the bathroom. Shut up!
I own this mammy-jammy house. I pay con ed for the electricity.
When you start payin' the bills, everybody else gets to decide...
When you put the TV on and when not.
I'm watchin' this game.
Boy, I'm gonna knock you out! Get off me!
[ Screaming, shouting ]
¶ [ "I'll take you there" ]
Hey, Troy!
[ Shouting, screaming ]
Everybody, stop!
Stop!
What I want...
Is some respect for my work...
In this house.
You get out of my house.
You call your brother, and you tell him to come and get your shit.
That's just fine.
If that's what you want, that's what you get.
[ Nate ] See what you did? See what you started?
[ Clinton ] It wasn't my fault. You want to go to your room?
[ Nate ] You want some ice?
¶
¶ I, oh, I ¶
¶ I know a place, y'all ¶
¶ I'll take you there ¶ [ Doorbell rings ]
¶ Ain't nobody cryin' ¶
¶ I'll take you there ¶
¶ ain't nobody worryin' yeah ¶
¶ I'll take you there ¶
¶ no silent faces ¶
[ indistinct shout ] ¶ I'll take you there ¶
now with black side. ¶ power to the races ¶
¶ I'll take you there ¶ hey, little miss coomish mimmish.
Hi, Uncle browne. Here's the other bag, man.
¶ I'll take you there ¶ you ready to go?
Yep. Get down.
Troy, where's Clinton and Nate?
Nate's upstairs with mommy, and Clinton's in his room.
Okay, boogie, I'm gonna see you soon. I'm gonna wait for you.
No, come on. Come on now. No. We talked about this.
You're gonna be a big man. I'll put you in a big chair.
Like that? Hmm?
V-v-v-oom.
Bye-bye, daddy. Bye-bye.
All right, miss coomish mimmish.
Don't go, daddy.
You're too grown to give me a hug, huh?
Come on.
Now...
I'll be over at Uncle browne's.
You have his number. You call me if you need me, okay?
Okay. Wendell?
Come on, Wendell. Don't be like that now.
Wendell.
Okay, Troy? Yes, daddy.
All right.
Bye, dad. [ Door closes ]
Good morning, mommy. How are you today?
I'm fine. Thank you, ladybug.
I made you some breakfast.
I see. Thanks.
All y'all mad at me? Nah.
[ Door buzzer ]
I'll get it.
Hi, daddy. Hey.
Where's mommy? In her room.
Come here. I want to talk to you.
Guess what? I cleaned the kitchen, and I made mommy breakfast.
That's great. I think she's feeling better now.
That's good.
Troy, your father's sorry about last night.
It's not your fault, daddy.
You know daddy doesn't want to fight or yell or scream or holler.
All daddy wants to do is play his music.
That's all. Maybe if you played other people's music...
Mommy wouldn't scream and yell at you.
I can't do that any more, Troy.
I got to work on my music now.
Well, maybe you should just go for taking her out on a date.
You think so, huh? I do.
Hey, listen,
this is for you and your brothers.
- What, you don't like candy no more? - No, I do.
I want you to give this to your mother for me.
Okay? Sure.
- Everybody else doin' all right? - Yeah. I think.
All right, miss coomish mimmish.
Come here.
Hey.
Your father loves you, Troy.
I love you too, daddy.
Ah.
These are from daddy.
You could at least open this.
He told me to tell you he wants to take you out on a date.
Candy from dad.
Can I have a quarter?
¶
¶ oh-oh yeah ¶
¶ who ¶
¶ mr big stuff ¶
¶ who do you think you are ¶
¶ mr big stuff ¶
¶ you're never gonna get my love ¶
¶ now because you wear all those fancy clothes ¶
¶ oh, yeah ¶ ¶ and have a big, fine car ¶
¶ oh, yes, you do now ¶
¶ do you think I can afford ¶
¶ to give you my love ¶
¶ oh, yeah ¶ ¶ you think you're higher ¶
¶ than every star above ¶
¶ mr big stuff ¶
¶ who do you think you are mr big stuff ¶
thank you.
¶ You're never gonna get my love ¶
I still say y'all are rich. No, we aren't.
Yes, you are. I can tell by these fancy antiques and that foreign car you got.
- It's not fancy. It's just rare. - Ow!
Oh, my God!
I gotta go home. Thanks for the ice cream.
Yeah. Happy you drove my company away?
¶ Tell me, tell me who do you think you are ¶
¶ mr big stuff ¶
¶ you're never gonna get my love ¶
[ squeals ] Stupid!
I hate you! Idiot!
Hey, Wendell! You seen my tickets?
No, it wasn't me. Hey, man, you can't find the tickets?
I know, man. Shoot! I can't find 'em.
Well, keep looking.
Troy!
Troy, I know you can hear me calling.
Troy! You seen my Knicks tickets?
Who cares about you and your stupid... you seen my tickets?
If you took my tickets, I'm gonna break your neck. Break it then.
Ow! Get off of me! Shut up! Give me my tickets.
Why should I? You started the fight between mommy and daddy!
Give me my tickets! You're hurting me!
I don't care. Gimme my tickets and I'll let you go.
All right, nigger. I hate your guts.
Who told you you could go in my room in the first place?
Next time, I'm gonna punch you in your face. Heifer!
I spent them funny-lookin' nickels of yours also.
M-o-o-o-o-m!
H-e-l-l n-o and you are not it.
Outta here.
¶ There's a German in the grass with a bottle up his ass ¶
¶ stick it in, stick it out do you wanna be a scout ¶
hell, no. N-o spells "no" and you are not it.
Hot peas and butter! Come and get your supper!
Come on. You can run faster than that. I know you can find it.
You can't even guess. Come on, come on. I warned you!
Miss Carmichael, I see you.
- Be quiet. - I heard that.
You better keep tryin'. Oh, you're cold.
[ Kids chattering ] Oh!
Oh, you boilin' hot!
[ Indistinct shouts ]
I beg your pardon. I beg your pardon!
Bye, Troy. Bye, minnie. See you tomorrow.
Where you goin', Troy?
And you stop following me, Greg.
I ain't followin' you, Troy old boy.
Troy!
Huh?
I need to ask you somethin'.
Clinton claims you stole his prize collection of buffalo nickels.
They're very valuable, and they mean a lot to him.
Did you take them? No.
Did you take 'em? No!
You look cute, mrs Carmichael. Thank you, Greg.
[ Carolyn ] How's your mother? [ Greg ] She's okay.
What's wrong? Troy. She's always pickin' on me.
She teases me about school. She calls my mother names.
She treats me mean. She makes fun of me in front of her friends.
It's not fair. I want to be her friend, but she doesn't like me.
[ Carolyn ] Don't worry about it. I'll take care of it.
[ Greg ] Thank you. Troy!
Mommy, somebody left the toilet seat up, and I almost fell in again.
Never mind about that now. I do not believe what I just heard.
- Why are you calling people's mothers names? - Mommy, I didn't.
Don't lie to me. Why is that child standin' outside
with crocodile tears in his eyes?
You go back outside right now and apologize. But I didn't do anything!
Go!
I'm sorry, Greg. You sorry why?
Sorry I called your mother a ho.
You sorry about teasin' me about bein' left back three times...
And about me and my brothers havin' three different fathers?
All right, already.
I said I was sorry. You better be.
Thank you, mrs Carmichael. That's okay, baby.
Stupid. Hey, hey!
Hey, come here.
I want you to go to the supermarket and get some things for dinner.
Mommy, I hate food stamps. Besides, we ain't even on welfare.
Stop sayin' "ain't." You better be glad we got some food stamps. Go on.
Mommy! Everyone's gonna laugh at me.
Ain't nobody gonna laugh at you that ain't on welfare theyself. Scat!
How come I have to go? Do you want to have dinner tonight, Troy?
Go!
¶ Pass the peas, please pass the peas like you used to say ¶
¶ pass the peas like you used to say ¶
¶ [ continues ]
Where you going? Come back here!
Put those things on the counter. What do you mean you didn't take it?
If you don't put it down, I'm gonna call your mother.
I'll have your place shut down, man. Come on. Give it here.
Aha! What is this? This is your hips? So what!
Come here. Get your hands off me, you coconut west Indian monkey.
Listen you little pickaninny. Get out of my store...
And don't come back here no more!
Oh, God, these American children. They don't know how to act.
They have no manners. Miss, I'm sorry for the disturbance.
Please, go on. I'm very sorry.
[ Screaming ] I'm gonna get you, you ugly bitch.
I never did nothin' to you. Get off of me!
No fighting in front of the store! Get out of here, you little pickaninny.
Move out! You shut up! Mind your own business!
I got your food stamps!
You have your things? Don't pay her no mind.
Move on! You all right? I got your food stamps!
You got your stuff? I'm gonna punch you in your face.
You know where you live? Okay, go ahead.
[ Store manager ] Back to work.
Here! I told you not to send me!
Get up. What on earth happened to you?
- She took the change too. - Who?
- Peanut! - What were you doin'?
-Standin' there gettin' beat up. -Some boy beat you up?
Peanut's a girl. How big is she?
6'2", 200 pounds. Troy!
You round here wrestlin' your brothers all the time,
and you let some girl named peanut take my groceries and my food stamps?
I oughta whip your butt my damn self.
Go upstairs and get your brother and go get my things.
That's all right. I hate liver anyway.
I'm glad Troy got her butt kicked. Should have kicked her myself.
She thinks she's so cute.
Shut up, you ugly baboon. Why you be teasin' people?
You ain't talkin' to me. Be quiet with your rashy moustachie self.
Why you always callin' people names? 'Cause I feel like it!
Ain't nobody gonna do nothin' about it! [ Screaming ]
And stay off my stoop!
[ Screaming ]
¶
¶ now the time has come ¶
¶ no place to run ¶
¶ I ain't gettin' burned up by the sun ¶
¶ time ¶ ¶ well, I had my fun ¶
Troy! You glue sniffers! Leave me alone!
Where's our money at? I ain't got no money. I only got food stamps.
You know damn well we take those too. Leave me alone! Shut up!
Yeah, you like that, don't you? Breathe in.
One more time! Breathe out!
Get it, girl. Get it, girl.
¶ The hard thing is to realize ¶
bye, Troy!
¶ Time ¶ ¶ time has come today ¶
¶ time ¶ ¶ time has come today ¶
¶ time ¶
hey, miss coomish mimmish.
[ Soft moan ]
I'm flyin', and Snuffy and right hand man are chasin' me.
No, Snuffy and right hand man are not here.
Your papa's here.
Daddy, I'm glad you came back home.
Did you take mama out yet?
Not yet, but I will.
Take her out now, daddy. Take her out now.
Young lady, I want you to get some rest.
You hear?
It's for later.
They're spirited, but I don't know why our kids are ostracized by your family.
- Welcome back, daddy. - Thanks, Wendell.
Clinton, you go to the game? ¶ I can see clearly now ¶
yeah, Knicks won. ¶ the rain is gone... ¶
- daddy, you burnt the toast. - That ain't burnt. It's just a little dark. Give it here.
Kids in the delta would love to have that to eat,
and a father nice enough to burn it.
Okay? You are gonna give us heart attacks, Woody.
Daddy, these eggs are runny.
Eat those eggs! The food was prepared by your pops...
With tender, loving care, so you will eat it, am I right?
Celeste has had Joan, Sam and viola out to St. Louis,
and she's never asked our kids.
I ain't studying about Celeste. Woman's mean and evil.
[ Kids laughing ] That's your sister.
Yeah. I don't want to visit aunt Celeste.
We don't need to visit nobody.
We got the car. We can go for a drive.
Can we leave Brooklyn? Take you anywhere...
can we please leave Brooklyn? Yes, we can.
Hey, miss coomish mimmish. Come here.
How's my big girl? Good.
Feelin' better? You want some breakfast? Mm-hmm.
Okay.
So, we gettin' ready to go for a drive after breakfast?
- After we clean up. - Clean up!
What we gotta clean up for?
- I got an ailment here. - Hey, hey, hey! After y'all clean up.
- Can mutley come, daddy? - Yeah, mutley can come, boogie.
We gettin' ready to get in the car, gettin' ready to...
- ...roll on, roll on. - Uh-oh, here we go.
- You owe me a coke! - ¶ Roll on in the citroen roll on ¶
[ Clinton ] Daddy, you're ruinin' my ear.
Daddy. You get up front with me.
You can sit with me.
- This is 7 Arlington place? - Yeah.
I have an order to shut off your electricity.
- What? - You gotta pay your bill.
- The bill is paid. - No, the bill is unpaid.
"7 Arlington place. Unpaid bill. Service to be shut off."
Did you pay it? [ Sighs ] Yes, I paid it.
This is the second time they done made this mistake.
Children, go on in the house. Oh, daddy!
- You can call if you'd like. - No, I'm not makin' a call.
Just doin' my job. The bill is paid, gem. Okay, do what you gotta do.
All right.
Come on.
Oh, my God. 3 que Paso aqui?
[ Vic ] What the damn candles in here for? [ Jessica speaking Spanish ]
Looks like a church. Turn the lights on.
It's not working. What do you mean?
Oh, hey. How y'all doin'?
Hi, mr Carmichael. Y'all blow a fuse or somethin'?
- What happened to the lights? - Where y'all been?
What's with the candles? There's enough candles in here, I know that.
Yeah, we, uh... we havin' some financial problems right now.
We understand. I was hopin' that the food stamps would help.
Um, anyway... oh. Like I was sayin'...
here you go, Vic. We, uh...
we didn't blow no fuse. Uh, the damn electricity been cut off.
What? Yeah. Drag, man.
- Come again? - We ain't got no electricity, and neither do you.
You know I need my lights. Can't sleep, can't think, can't read without my lights.
It won't be for long. How I'm supposed to cook without no lights?
Probably just a couple of days 'til we can get it straight.
A couple of days? Ain't that a bitch.
Payin' you good money for rent, and I ain't got no damn lights?
Well, now, that's what I'm sayin'. I give y'all some candles.
Forget candles. You don't understand what you're dealin' with.
M-my disability requires that I have my light.
Well, I know it's an inconvenience, Vic.
It's an inconvenience to everybody.
But I'm gonna go down there tomorrow, and I'm gonna straighten it out, okay?
I hope you don't expect us to pay rent.
Si no hay luz, no hay renta: No lights, no rent.
Well, now, miss Jessica, I don't know 'bout no "us,"
'cause you don't even live here,
but I do expect you to pay, Vic. Now I don't live here?
You gonna let him say that to me? [ Speaking Spanish ]
I don't live here now? I think I done paid enough, mr c.
I got enough shrapnel in my back, I'm afraid to get wet.
I think I done paid far too damn much.
Now hold up now, Vic.
You know I don't want no hollerin' and screamin'. I don't mean no disrespect...
To you or your cares, mr c. Okay.
I think my rent has put just as much food on your baby's table as you do.
- Well, now, okay... - I did not have to give your wife those food stamps.
Vic, let's go. Just forget about it, okay?
I can't live like this no more.
[ Jessica muttering in Spanish ]
Now, at least y'all still got gas and hot water.
[ Jessica muttering ] Okay, Vic?
It's good, baby.
I like eatin' by candlelight. Kind of romantic.
- Are you wooin' me? - It wouldn't do me much good right about now, would it?
This is fun.
Does this mean we can't watch TV? That's right.
- No cartoons. - No Brady bunch or partridge family...
- For Troy and Nate. - Hey, nigger, I don't watch that show.
- You do so watch that show. - Liar.
- Nigger. - Stop calling each other nigger.
And you can't watch the Knicks.
Come on. Let's just eat in peace.
Daddy's got some good news. I'm giving a solo concert.
- [ Clinton ] Great. - [ Troy ] Wow! Daddy!
This is the one, gem. This one's gonna be real special.
Clinton, Wendell and Nate?
I need y'all to get out, put up some posters for daddy.
- Can you do that? - All right. - That's fine with me.
Don't worry. I'm gonna take care of the house.
Everything's gonna be all right.
Thank you, Tommy. And call those numbers if you need us.
You see anybody actin' suspiciously around the house,
you stand on that top step, and you sing, okay?
I'll see you when you come back.
You'll scare off the whole neighbourhood.
Drive safe, all right? Take care. Bye. Okay.
No one's gonna step on this stoop, I'll tell ya. All right, bye-bye.
Have a safe trip. Bye-bye!
Y'all didn't say bye to Tony.
Tommy LA LA can't sing a lick. Why'd you tell him that?
¶ [ "Tears of a clown" ]
[ Woody ] ¶ roll on, citroen ¶
¶ roll on roll on down the road ¶
[ whining ] What'd you hit me for?
[ Nate whining ] Y'all, cut that out.
Hey, hey, hey. It's not funny.
¶ Roll on down the road ¶ I'll tell mommy.
¶ Now Troy's gonna be with cousin viola ¶
¶ and Nate's gonna be with cousin Sam ¶
can't wait. Finally have some peace and quiet in the house.
¶ Roll on, citroen roll on ¶
¶ roll on, citroen roll on ¶
¶ roll on down the road ¶
how many times you gonna sing that same old song?
- Y'all don't like my song? - [ All ] No!
You know, I'm glad the kids are comin' South. I'm tired.
Don't know what's wrong, but I'm tired.
Woody, we need to make some changes.
The money I'm bringin' in is not makin' ends meet.
I need your help.
You want me to, uh, pick up a guitar and play some rock 'n' roll?
Yes.
If it'll help pay con ed, yes.
[ Sighs ]
This concert's gonna change a lot of things for us, gem.
Plus it's gonna bring in a nice piece of change.
Who's gonna come but us, Uncle brown, aunt Maxine and our friends?
People are gonna come to this concert. People still want to hear good music.
I don't give a damn how many records rock 'n' roll sells. People know the difference...
Between that and good, pure music.
I need you to support me in this, carolyn.
Oh... looka here.
Who gets up at the crack of dawn...
Monday through Friday, cookin' breakfast, go to school,
teach school, come home, cook dinner, grade papers,
make lesson plans, try to keep our rowdy kids from killin' each other...
Just so you can be a "pure" musician playin' "pure" music?
If that ain't support, I don't know what the hell... what is.
Thank you. [ Coughs ]
You woke up Troy. You satisfied?
What's the matter? Can't you sleep? No.
You want to come up here with us? Yeah.
Oh, whoa. You have long legs.
Whoo, miss coomish mimmish.
Troy, aren't you the lucky one.
Aunt song and Uncle clem said viola's beside herself that you're comin' down here.
[ Troy ] When am I coming home?
In a few weeks. Will the lights be back on?
Oh, yeah, baby. All the lights will be back on.
I don't wanna go. Troy, come on, come on.
You're gonna have a wonderful time. Please? Just this once?
[ Whispering ]
[ Horn honking "shave and a haircut" ]
[ Horn honking ]
[ Song ] Lord, have mercy, will y'all look at this.
Whoa. [ Women talking indistinctly ]
I'm sure y'all are tired. Lord, have mercy.
Y'all done brought your dog too. Oh, viola,
why don't you put queenie in the family room?
- Family room? - Man! You sure got a clean house.
Oh, isn't that cute. Clem, you hear what Clinton said?
- Huh? Oh, yeah, yeah. - I'm Wendell. - I'm Clinton.
Well, shut my mouth wide open.
Oh, carolyn, I just love yours and Troy's hair. Will you look at that?
All those little tiny braids and things. What y'all call that?
Braids.
Oh, no, sugar. We don't let the dogs in here.
This carpet's too nice.
Boy, take that dog outside. Put him in the car. What?
Nate. Come on, mutley.
Viola, ain't you gonna say hello to your cousin Troy?
Troy, you didn't say hi?
- Hi. - Hi.
She's just a little shy.
Get off the couch. Woody! I could use some coffee.
Oh, shoot, I don't mind. We are all family. Who's hungry?
I got some fried chicken and potato salad in the kitchen right out there.
Oh, man! Hey!
[ Woody ] You ain't changed. You have not changed.
[ Song ] Go on. Come on, Troy.
Aunt song, you sure can cook. Why, thank you, sugar.
Lord, Troy, you don't know how happy we are to have you here with us.
Troy, we're gonna have us some fun. Carolyn,
Troy can stay as long as she wants. Oh, song, that's so nice.
Troy, isn't that nice? Yeah.
Thank you. You're welcome.
Woody, we need to get on the road.
We still have to drop Nate off at Trudy and boo's.
All right, y'all. Finish your plates. We got about two hours to go.
[ Clem ] How soon you gettin' back to New York?
This food's good. Day after tomorrow.
Will you please try and cooperate with everybody...
And get along with everybody? I don't want to stay here.
Troy, you're gonna have a great time.
I wish I was stayin'.
Just don't leave me here. I hardly know these people.
They're your relatives. Come on.
I'm the one you ought to feel sorry for. I have to go up there with all those boys.
Thank you! Goodbye!
[ All chattering ]
Bye, Troy! [ Woody ] I love you, baby.
Bye! See you. Take care of yourself.
Bye, little Joe.
[ Song ] Let's go inside, Troy. Please don't leave me.
Mommy, don't leave me. Come on, Troy. Let's go inside, baby.
[ Horn toots ]
When you're getting dressed for bed, I have often heard it said...
Before you go to sleep, you have to put away your clothes,
[ snarling ] Because if you're going to do things,
do things right. [ Song ] Queenie,
is mama's baby gonna be nice to Troy?
Troy, honey, where are your pyjamas?
[ Record continues ] May I be excused?
And they'll say... "Yes!" To you.
Lord, have mercy, honey. You can't wear these.
Viola, give Troy one of your nighties. I'm gonna throw these things in the garbage.
Yes, mama. [ Record ] Get up. Wake up.
Get there on time for school. Don't you be late.
Find your place. Win the race.
Here, Troy. Go change in the bathroom, sugar.
Sugar, you ain't got a thing to hide with your skinny self.
Thinner than a blade of grass.
- Viola, you got your bra on? - Yes.
Come on.
All right, you rascals, let's say our prayers.
Viola, put queenie on the floor.
[ Both ] Now I lay me down to sleep.
I pray the lord my soul to keep.
If I should die before I wake,
I pray the lord my soul to take. Amen.
All right, now, I want you two right to sleep.
All right. Sleep tight. Don't let the bedbugs bite.
So glad you're here, Troy. We gonna have lots of fun.
Good night, hon. Good night, daddy.
- Good night, Troy. - Good night, Uncle clem.
Night-night.
I ain't no puta. I keep my pyjamas clean.
[ Giggling ]
I keeps my pyjamas clean.
[ Song ] Viola, what's that noise in there?
Nothin', mama. You better stop jumpin'...
Before she comes in. I don't care. I hate this place anyway.
Besides, my dog could kill your little rat dog.
I don't care either, and it ain't my dog; It's mama's dog.
You like livin' in Brooklyn?
A lot better than here. You should come visit me.
Good. I like aunt carolyn.
It's okay if you don't like aunt song.
She's not my real mother. I was adopted.
You were?
What's that funny noise outside?
- You ain't never heard crickets before? - Good night.
Lord, have mercy, child. You sure got one thick head of hair.
You need a hot comb on these naps.
You ain't got good hair like my baby.
[ Hair sizzling ] Ow!
Now don't tell me you got the nerve to be tender-headed with these naps.
[ Chuckling ]
What's those things you and your mother had? Beads and braids.
Lord, have mercy. Mmm-mmm-mmm.
¶ Troy's havin' a birthday party ¶
¶ pizza, pizza, daddy-o ¶
[ the Jackson 5 ] ¶ you went to school to learn, girl ¶
¶ what you never, never knew before ¶ I hit it!
¶ Bucket, bucket ¶ ¶ bucket, bucket, daddy-o ¶
you want me to go over the bump? No!
Okay, then hold on. I am!
I'm gonna go faster.
Bump coming.
[ Squealing ]
Hey! Hi!
¶ Shout it, shout it daddy-o ¶
[ Jackson 5 ] ¶ do-re-mi, a-b-c one, two, three ¶
- ¶ baby, you and me ¶ - ¶ Eeny-meeny sissaleeny ¶
¶ ooh-ah combaleeny oshie-koshie, liberace I love you ¶
¶ take a peach, take a plum take a stick of bubble gum ¶
¶ no peach, no plum just a stick of bubble gum ¶
¶ I like coffee, I like tea I like the coloured boy and he likes me ¶
¶ so step back, white boy you don't shine ¶
¶ I'll get the coloured boy to kick your behind ¶
¶ all, all, all in together now how you like the weather now ¶
¶ January, February march, April ¶
¶ may, June, July, August ¶
queenie! [ Television ] Before Jesus grew up to be our saviour,
he was a kid just like you. Hey, stay there.
Sing this song nice and loud so he can hear you up in heaven.
Here we go. [ Troy ] Voom.
¶ One, two, three the devil's after me ¶
oh, Troy, I like this song. ¶ four, five, six ¶
¶ he's always throwin' sticks ¶
¶ seven, eight, nine he misses every time ¶
¶ hallelujah, hallelujah hallelujah, amen ¶
[ singing in rounds ] ¶ one, two, three the devil's after me ¶
¶ four, five, six ¶
¶ he's always throwin' sticks ¶
come on and sing. It's real easy. ¶ he misses every time ¶
¶ hallelujah, hallelujah hallelujah, amen ¶
¶ amen ¶
[ song ] Ooh! Praise the lord.
Did y'all wash your hands when you came in from playin' outside?
Viola? Girl, I am speakin' to you.
- I don't have to listen to you. - All right, missy.
Don't go showin' off in front of your company.
I am gonna speak to your father about this.
Don't let me have to go get my switch. Jesus, help me. Clem!
Clem! She ain't my real mother.
But we know a secret, don't we?
Did you wash your hands? Yes.
Don't tell me a fib. You know it is sinful to lie.
Yes, aunt song. I washed them. Good.
You can run back to bed. Uncle clem and I have a surprise for you!
Come on, clem.
Happy Birthday, Troy. Happy Birthday! Happy Birthday!
[ Baby talk ] Say "Happy Birthday, Troy."
- Thank you. - Oh, isn't this nice?
I am going to make you a great big birthday cake.
What kind of cake shall it be?
Chocolate! Oh, no, sugar.
I can't do chocolate. The last time I did, viola broke out in hives.
- No, I didn't. You did. - Viola, don't argue with your mother.
You see, clem? I say it's white; She say it's black.
If the girl says she didn't get no hives, she didn't get no hives.
- See? I told you. - [ Song ] There you go, always takin' her side.
For Christ's sake, let Troy open up her presents, please, honey. Goddamn!
[ Viola ] Ooh. It's a dress.
Yes, it's from me and your Uncle clem. Ain't that pretty?
You are going to wear that today.
- Oh. Thank you. - Happy Birthday, Troy.
Thank you.
It's a training bra.
You not gonna need that for quite a while. Ahem!
Oh, this came in the mornin' mail. It's for you.
It's from my mommy. [ Song ] Oh, yeah!
What'd she say? I hope she don't mind about me takin' out those braids and things.
I didn't know what else to do. Let's let her read her letter in peace.
Come on, everybody. Let's make breakfast, hmm?
Viola? Let's go.
Jade. [ Carolyn's voice ] Dear ladybug:
Happy Birthday. The mailman just tapped on the window, and I got your letter.
Hooray! I'm glad to hear you're havin' such a wonderful time down there.
Could this be true? Although you've been gone only a month,
it feels like an eternity.
- Minnie wanted to know: - When will Troy be back from down South?
[ Carolyn ] All the boys are still on the stoop playin' strat-o-matic baseball.
What a waste of time. And Tommy still can't sing.
[ Off-key ] ¶ yester-you ¶
¶ listen to me ¶
¶ LA-LA-LA-LA LA-LA-LA LA-LA means ¶
¶ I love you ¶
[ carolyn ] Last night we had yet another run-in with Tony.
Vic Powell didn't slap him this time. Your father was there, thank God.
Wendell has been telling me that every morning Tony throws trash from his sidewalk...
Onto our stoop.
We finally caught him red-handed.
What the hell you think you're doin'?
Throwing this trash back. Who told you to throw it here in the first place?
How do you know it was us? You did it to your own stink house.
I know exactly what happened. You're the one who's always throwin' garbage.
[ Carolyn ] You know how it is on our block.
A little shouting starts. Before you know it, you got a big crowd wantin' a show.
- [ Arguing ] - Wendell, what's goin' on?
Caught him throwin' trash over there.
I expect more from a grown man.
What do you think you're doin'?
Your children are constantly over here throwin' their trash on my property.
- True. - And furthermore, they go on the roof,
and throw rocks down on my dogs.
- Untrue. - Machine gun, machine gun, machine gun!
[ Shouting ]
Are you doing this? Are you gonna believe this man?
Yeah, you gonna believe this stinky over us?
My children are doing no such thing. You ought to be ashamed of yourself.
You should start actin' like an adult and cut this foolishness out.
Tony, I hate to tell you this, but your house stinks. That's the truth.
Why you house stink, man?
[ All laughing ]
- [ Speaking Spanish ] - Hey, you up there.
Hey, mr ♪4. Mira, mira. Where's my rent?
I want to talk to you. When you gonna pay the rent?
You want me to, I'll come over.
I'll help try to straighten up, but this situation got to stop.
I smell your animals all in my house. You understand me?
Okay.
Here.
[ Carolyn ] Aren't you glad to be away from these crazy people in crooklyn, New York?
And now, about your father.
It started with Clinton.
You're the eldest. I expect more from you,
but I'm gonna let you make your own decision.
Man, why did daddy have to have his concert tonight,
the night of the nba championships?
- Dang! - Which is more important?
[ Browne ] All right! Nice!
Was that some new stuff tonight, brother? Yeah, man.
[ Carolyn ] You ought to record it, Woody.
I plan to. I also started working on my folk opera.
[ Maxine ] Folk opera? About what, Woody?
What you laughin' at? Jessica was laughing. She's from the city.
My folk opera is about me growin' up in Alabama.
[ Browne ] All right. You got the material for it.
You know that's right. [ Laughing ]
Doin' it right!
We were all trying very hard to lift your father's spirits.
And it was working, until:
[ Door slamming ]
The Knicks are world champs.
We got some ice cream and cake right here.
Clinton. I'm not hungry.
[ Footsteps ascending stairs ]
And the Knicks won. How 'bout that?
[ Carolyn ] I've enclosed some gifts for you and viola.
Ladybug, we all miss you dreadfully.
I miss you.
Love, mommy.
P.S. We got the lights turned back on,
thanks to Uncle browne, who is also buying your plane ticket home.
- Please write and thank him... - "Please write to him and thank him immediately."
[ Song ] Queenie!
Queenie!
I don't know where she's run off to.
- Well, here she is, the birthday girl. - These are for you.
- Thank you. - Did your mother send you those?
Mm-hmm. They're jade. Oh.
Aren't they pretty. What are they? Little elephants?
Look, mama. Aunt carolyn sent me some also.
Oh, well, viola, you don't have pierced ears.
-You know how I feel about that. -But Troy has pierced ears.
Well, Troy was also wearin' them funny...
Braids and beads and shells and things.
- You don't ever let me do what I want to do. - I want to go home.
- Beg pardon? - I'm going home.
Now, Troy, no need to get upset.
Everybody has a little argument now and then.
Uh, your aunt song didn't mean nothin' about your hair and your earrings.
- Did you, honey? - [ Troy ] I don't care!
- See what you did? - Lord, have mercy. Troy!
How would it look if you left now?
Aunt song has a big mouth sometimes.
You want your folks to think we done scared you back up north?
If she goes, I go.
Troy, aunt song loves you and your family.
Clem, do something!
Now look, folks. Troy wants to go home, Troy's goin' home.
That's all there is to it. Troy?
[ Pitifully ] At least stay for the birthday party I've prepared.
Song. Fix us some breakfast. [ Troy ] All right.
Queenie!
Queenie! Queenie, where are you?
[ Crying ] Oh, lord, have mercy. [ Clem ] Come on back in here.
Where is my baby? Queenie! Where are you?
Jesus, master, where is my child? Queenie!
Queenie, where are you?
Queenie? Where are you, baby?
[ Laughing ]
Stop that! Please!
- Did you find her, mama? - I just don't understand where my baby is.
It's not like queenie just to up and disappear. Why, lord, why?
- She'll be back, aunt song. - Don't worry. Queenie'll show up.
It's gettin' late, y'all. Everybody have enough ice cream and cake?
- [ All ] Yes. - Everybody brush their teeth and wash their hands?
- [ All ] Yes. - All right, help me pull this bed out.
Come on. Move!
Hurry, hurry, hurry, hurry. Pick up the pillow.
Viola, help 'em with the pillows.
Get out of here, Judy, Jody... whatever your names are.
[ Screaming ] Oh, dear God!
Oh, God, take me right now.
I don't want to live any more without my baby.
[ Sobbing ] Queenie!
[ Sobbing ]
Oh, God! Queenie!
[ Crying ]
[ Sniffling ] Looks like it's gonna rain.
That means that my baby is in heaven.
[ Sobbing ] Troy, I'll go get your bags.
Bye, aunt song.
I'm sorry about queenie. [ Sobbing ]
Maybe you could come stay with me sometime.
I'd like that.
Bye, queenie.
Sorry you got squashed to death in the sofa,
even though I hated your guts.
[ Engine starting ] ¶ never can say goodbye ¶
¶ no, no, baby ¶
¶ never can say goodbye ¶
¶ every time I think I've had enough ¶
¶ and start heading for the door ¶
¶ there's a very strange vibration piercing me right through the core ¶
¶ it says turn around, you fool ¶
bye, viola. Bye, Troy.
¶ Tell me why ¶
¶ is it so ¶ yeah, goin' back to bad old Brooklyn.
¶ Don't wanna let you go I never can say goodbye, girl ¶
¶ ooh-hoo, baby ¶
¶ I never can say goodbye ¶
¶ no-no-no no-no-no whoo ¶
¶ oh, I never can say goodbye, girl ¶
hi, little ladybug. Hi.
Welcome home.
Hi. Hi.
How do, miss coomish mimmish? How was your flight?
Good. Where's daddy? He had to go to rehearsal.
Your mother asked us to pick you up. Here's a little gift.
She didn't want to ride? Naw, she was busy.
- What happened to your hair? - Aunt song didn't like my braids, and she took 'em out.
Oh, goodness.
Carolyn Carmichael's gonna have a fit when she sees this, huh?
Well, you ready to go? Mm-hmm.
[ Maxine ] Has Woody been there all day? [ Browne ] Since this mornin'.
So you were ready to come on home, Troy. You had enough of the South.
- I don't blame you one bit. - Mm-hmm. It's too slow.
Y'all don't know what y'all missin' growin' up in the South.
I'm glad I missed it. Troy, when was your birthday?
- Yesterday. - Oh. So how old are you now? Eight?
- Ten. - No! How's my brother clem, aunt song and viola doin'?
Good. Thanks for the ticket. I didn't get a chance to write.
You're very welcome. That's what family's for. Gotta stick together, right?
Right. Sure you're right.
[ Maxine ] Troy, we're going to make a quick stop before we take you home.
[ Troy ] Who's sick? [ Maxine ] It's nothing serious, dear.
It's mommy, isn't it?
Well, it's just she hadn't been feelin' too well lately. What's wrong with her?
We don't know yet, Troy. The doctors are running tests.
How come she didn't tell me? How come nobody told me?
Because no one wanted you to worry yourself silly,
and your mother didn't think there was any cause for alarm.
Where's daddy?
He's in there with your mother.
Hey! Miss coomish mimmish! Hi, daddy!
Hey, baby. Troy's back.
Hmm? Oh! Oh, ladybug. Hi!
Hi.
Hmm?
Hi, mommy. How you feelin'?
Who did that to your hair? Aunt song.
Aunt so... oh, shit, I knew she would.
[ Coughing ]
Come on. Give me a big hug. I missed you.
So much! I missed you too. Even my brothers.
Gee, you must have been lonesome if you missed them.
Mommy, you work too hard. I can start helpin' you.
I can cook and clean. I don't even care if nobody else helps me.
Got to get your rest. That's very kind of you.
Come here.
You know, I need you...
To watch out for Joseph, your little brother.
He's the youngest.
He's your responsibility.
You promise me? Come here.
[ Whispering ]
I promise.
Woody, go get the car. I'm ready to go home.
Okay. You're comin' home now?
Mm-hmm. Really?
[ Woody ] Let's go, Troy.
Get the car. Okay.
Your car.
Aunt song kinda weird, huh?
Yeah. They talk funny down there.
What do you mean they talk funny down there?
[ Exaggerated Southern accent ] Oh, yeah.
Hey. Where'd those trees come from?
Your mother. She got the block association to put some life on this street.
[ Honking horn ] Hey! Clinton! Wendell!
Looka here. Don't she look good?
[ All ] Yeah! [ Clinton ] Look at that hair.
Hey, Tommy, turn that junk off now. Oh, come on.
Tired of you playin' that garbage on my stoop.
It's the chi-lites. Yeah, I know. Chi-nothin'.
You want some help? [ Buzzing noise ] Quit it.
Didn't expect to see you here for at least another two weeks.
Get off!
- Hey, leave her alone. - Hey, Clinton, grab this bag.
- Can't you see I'm busy? - Boy, you better come get these bags.
She should carry her own bags.
¶ They say let the woman take care of you ¶
¶ so I try to be hip ¶
¶ and think like the crowd ¶
¶ but even the crowd can't help me now ¶
¶ oh-oh-oh oh-oh-oh-oh ¶
¶ oh, girl ¶
¶ tell me what am I gonna do ¶
come on, mutley. ¶ I know I've got a guilty face ¶
¶ girl, I feel so out of place ¶
¶ oh, yeah, yeah ¶
¶ don't know where to go who to see, yeah ¶
[ TV announcer ] So great was the beauty of this magnificent black woman,
it has become legendary.
And now, out of the mist of 3,000 years,
emerges today's beautiful black queen.
Naturally beautiful. Radiant. She is black essence.
And her beautiful, natural hair is her crowning glory.
Afro sheen. Beautiful products for a beautiful people.
[ Troy sings commercial jingle ]
¶ Beautiful people use afro sheen ¶
change the channel. Don't think you can come back here givin' orders.
Yeah, crabby. Mommy ain't home. What do you care?
Be quiet. You be quiet.
The both of you can go back down South. Soul train on!
[ Clinton ] My favourite part of the show.
¶ Talk dirty, baby that's what I feel now ¶
¶ let's call this song exactly what it is ¶
look at that move. Somebody could get hurt.
Be quiet. You can't dance. Y'all got no soul.
[ Nate ] Look! He's down on his butt.
¶ And while you're movin' rock steady ¶
¶ rock steady, baby ¶
¶ let's call this song exactly what it is ¶
¶ what it is what it is what it is ¶
one turn. Turn around and watch them butts. Come on. Wide open.
¶ What it is we might be doin' ¶
¶ just want to dance all night ¶
Clinton, turn the TV off.
Aw, come on, dad. We watchin' the...
¶ Soul train ¶ ¶ soul train ¶
I got some news about your mother.
Everybody listen to me real good.
The doctors told me your mother's sicker than we thought.
- What? - They found...
- they found cancer. - What's cancer?
It means that your mother's gonna be in the hospital for a while.
There ain't no need to be afraid. Your mother's gonna be fine.
But she gonna have to stay in there for a while.
It's not fair. I know it ain't fair, but it's gonna be all right.
[ Children crying ] Listen to me now. All y'all, listen to me now.
Come on. Shh-shh! Y'all ain't listenin'. Come on. Now listen.
Shh-shh shh-shh! What they got to do is run some tests on your mother.
[ Crying ]
Come on.
It's gonna be fine. Come on. Don't be like that, baby.
It wasn't my fault. I know it wasn't your fault, baby.
Ain't nobody's fault. She gonna be out soon.
She just got to stay in there, and they gonna run some tests.
[ Boys crying ]
[ Troy ] ¶ ...Two, three the devil's after me ¶
¶ four, five, six he's always throwing sticks ¶
¶ seven, eight, nine he misses every time ¶
¶ hallelujah, hallelujah hallelujah, amen ¶
¶ one, two, three the devil's after me ¶
¶ four, five, six he's always throwing sticks ¶
¶ seven, eight, nine he misses every time ¶
¶ hallelujah hallelujah ¶
¶ hallelujah, amen ¶
¶ one, two, three the devil's after me ¶
¶ four, five, six he's always throwing sticks ¶
¶ seven, eight, nine he misses every time ¶
¶ hallelujah, hallelujah hallelujah ¶
I hope we don't have to dress up for mommy's funeral.
- [ Nate ] It won't be so bad. - Hey, Sam, how come you're not playin'?
- 'Cause I'm a girl, daddy. - [ TV dad ] Aw, come on.
Troy.
Look. Here are your new clothes.
Aren't they pretty? Picked 'em out myself.
[ Maxine ] Wait.
Wait 'til you see these shoes.
Aren't they just adorable?
Troy, why don't you at least try it on, okay?
Please, ladybug.
Don't be difficult, okay?
I know this is hard for you. It's hard for everybody.
But you have to wear something nice.
Don't you want to look all pretty like aunt Maxine?
Carolyn would be so proud of you.
Listen, my mother hates polyester.
She would never let me wear anything like that.
Right, Troy.
- ¶ Get yourself go ¶ - Get cheerios!
Troy? What?
Let's go. I'm not goin'.
Sh-sh-shit.
- Troy, baby, what are you doin'? - I'm sick.
Troy, you got everybody waitin' on you. So?
Miss coomish mimmish, please don't make this any more difficult than it has to be.
I hate funerals. I'm not going.
Troy, you're not the only one who's in pain.
We're all hurtin'.
But we gotta think about what would make mommy happy.
You wanna make mommy happy, don't you?
Ain't no reason tryin' right now.
Oh, yes, there is. Your mother would want...
Everybody to be at the church...
Together.
Will you do that for me? Yeah.
I want you to get yourself together. I'm gonna wait for you downstairs, okay?
All right.
I hate funerals too.
I'll be downstairs.
Okay.
¶
¶ ooh-ooh, child things are gonna get easier ¶
¶ ooh-ooh, child things will get brighter ¶
¶ ooh-ooh, child ¶
¶ things are gonna get easier ¶
I'm proud of you, Troy.
¶ Ooh-ooh, child things will get brighter ¶
¶ someday, yeah ¶
¶ we'll put it together and we'll get it undone ¶
¶ someday when your head is much lighter ¶
¶ someday, yeah ¶
¶ we'll walk in the rays of a beautiful sun ¶
¶ someday when the world is much brighter ¶
¶ ooh-ooh, child ¶
¶ things are gonna be easier ¶
¶ ooh-ooh, child things will be brighter ¶
¶ ooh-ooh, child ¶
¶ things are gonna be easier ¶
¶ ooh-ooh, child things will be brighter ¶ all right, Clinton.
You're the head of the family now. Look after your brothers and your sister.
[ Indistinct ] [ Clinton ] Yeah.
¶ Someday things will be brighter ¶ wait in the car.
I'm gonna talk to aunt song. Woody.
¶ Someday ¶
¶ we'll walk in the rays of a beautiful sun ¶
¶ someday when the world is much brighter ¶
¶ someday, someday, someday ¶
¶ [ song continues indistinctly ]
Hey there, little bit.
You want brother Vic to get you anything, little sister?
No, thanks.
All right. Okay.
¶ Ooh-ooh, child ¶
¶ things are gonna get easier ¶
¶ ooh-ooh, child things will get brighter ¶
¶ ooh-ooh, child things are gonna get easier ¶
¶ ooh-ooh, child ¶
who are these people, anyway? Comin' out of the woodwork.
Mommy sure had a lot of friends. I guess she did.
Troy! They keep laughing and pointing at me,
saying, "his mama's dead, his mama's dead."
- And they took my money. - Who?
The possoms! Right hand and Snuffy!
Come on, Joseph.
There they are: The possums!
Who said it? Who took your money?
Over there! Snuffy and right hand man!
[ Troy howling ] Whoa!
Snuffy, that's what you get.
Troy, what you do that for?
We're tired of being terrorized by you and right hand.
Go sniff on your own block.
¶ Ain't no sunshine when she's gone ¶
[ carolyn's voice ] I'm not comin' down there!
¶ It's not warm when she's away ¶
mother! Mother, stop it!
Mommy, I don't like it when you fight!
¶ Ain't no sunshine when she's gone ¶ daddy, you stop!
- ¶ And she's always gone too long ¶ - Mommy!
¶ Anytime she goes away ¶ daddy! Mommy!
Come on, damn rat! No! No! Daddy, stop!
Get out! Huh? Mommy?
Mom... no.
Troy, mommy's gone.
Mommy is gone. ¶ ain't no sunshine when she's gone ¶
¶ and this house just ain't no home ¶ Troy, you can cry.
¶ Anytime she goes away ¶ it's all right to cry.
Mommy's gone. Baby, you sick?
¶ I know, I know I know, I know ¶
[ retching ] You sick, baby?
[ Indistinct ]
¶ I know, I know I know, I know ¶
¶ I know, I know, I know... ¶ stand up, baby.
¶ Yeah, I oughta leave the thing alone ¶
¶ but ain't no sunshine when she's gone ¶ come here.
Come here. Let me wipe that.
¶ Ain't no sunshine when she's gone ¶
mmm.
¶ Only darkness every day ¶ okay.
¶ Ain't no sunshine when she's gone ¶ damn, Troy.
¶ And this house just ain't no home ¶
everybody was wonderin' when you was gonna break. ¶ anytime she goes away ¶
even Clinton cried.
¶ Anytime she goes away ¶ daddy, please don't make me move away.
I know aunt Maxine wants me to go and live with her.
Nobody's goin' anywhere. ¶ anytime she goes away ¶
mommy was in a lot of pain, wasn't she?
Yes, she was.
Then it's good she died.
So she wouldn't have to suffer.
That's a nice way of puttin' it, baby.
Yeah, that's real nice.
¶ ...a rich man, we can knock him off his feet ¶
¶ he'll have a mighty love ¶
¶ mighty, mighty mighty, mighty mighty, mighty love ¶
¶ comin' down on me baby, yeah ¶
ow! You're hurting me! Be quiet.
Doesn't hurt. If you combed it a little more often,
it wouldn't be lookin' all like a sheep's behind.
But it never hurt when mommy combed it.
I'm sorry, Joseph, but I'm not mommy. Ow.
Dear ladybug: How are you?
I miss you so very much.
I can't believe you just turned ten!
All of you kids are growing up so rapidly.
Ladybug, you turned out pretty good considering you were raised in a house...
Full of ashy, rusty-butt boys. Ow!
Can Joseph come out and play?
Troy, can he come out? All right.
Don't go too far. Dinner's almost ready.
Okay, I don't want to embarrass you.
[ Boys talking indistinctly ]
Come on! Let's play!
Wait for me! Wait for me!
[ Troy ] Don't go too far!
[ Don Cornelius ] That oughta hold you for a little while. Thank you for joining us.
We thank our guest stars Curtis Mayfield, the persuaders...
And, of course, the soul train gang.
Be right where you are next week, when we return,
and you can bet your last money it's all gonna be a stone gas, honey.
I'm don Cornelius and, as always in parting, we wish you love,
peace and soul!
¶
Here comes the pitch. And it comes in wide.
And the count now is one and one to Jackie Robinson.
¶ Honey, as another manic depressive ¶
¶ adolescent stares at death now what's left ¶
¶ when there ain't no God and a whole lot of fraud ¶
¶ it might be your homicide so let the drama slide ¶
¶ we don't want no problems bitch, get your name in the obituary column, sheik ¶
¶ 'cause life is too short and it just gets shorter ¶
¶ I wish I had a quarter for all my people they slaughtered ¶
¶ last year alone in the dead zone ¶
¶ walk straight but don't walk late ¶
¶ 'cause I'm comin' with a hate only made from what it made me ¶
¶ 'cause nobody ever played me now it's only gettin' worse ¶
¶ buckshot and ace in the land of the waste ¶
¶ stickin' you in your face we be doin' it up crooklyn style ¶
¶ what does it take to get you wild ¶
¶ my mentality is gettin' iller, killer ¶
¶ instinct is tryin' to infiltrate but wait ¶
¶ I know you want to enter but I can't let you in ¶
¶ my mind stays the maddest I'm gone with the wind ¶
¶ because it is survival of the fittest ¶
¶ when the shit hits the fan I got my shank in my hand ¶
¶ like man with the permanent tan ¶
¶ I come from the vill' that never ran, damn ¶
¶ I'm fillin' another part of reality ¶
¶ hit me when I represent the f.A.P. ¶
¶ straight from the hill 'til then played the Hilton ¶
¶ I mean it really when I say I make a killing ¶
¶ from a cipher, see I'm fillin' the busta Piper ¶
¶ original heads represent the Brooklyn all-nighter ¶
¶ do or die I'm sayin' it's you and I ¶
¶ bring your clique so we can get stoned like family sly ¶
¶ used to c.I. In the bush mighty mcfool rockin' the rock, givin' the push ¶
¶ we did it like that and now we do it like this ¶
¶ no one saw a finer time that you miss ¶
¶ and just think about the steel in your fist ¶
¶ it's just an extension of your arm, it's the ghetto type of charm ¶
¶ that makes all the homeboys swarm ¶
¶ can I drop the bomb oh, yes, I can ¶
¶ move with the grooves move like geechee Dan ¶
¶ who is the man that kid there ¶
¶ who is the chick with the pick in her hair ¶
¶ Angela, ah, Davis and we roll like avis ¶
¶ rent-a-car kid, there you are ¶
¶ you know where to find me whenever you need me ¶
¶ if you know the half follow the path ¶
¶ to the land of the aftermath but don't frolic in the mix ¶
¶ crazy-ass crooklyn kicks 'cause they always throwin' a body on my lawn ¶
¶ I'm gettin' in a rock, voila without a collar ¶
¶ get off my block or you give me a dollar ¶
¶ for the trouble of gettin' blown up like a bubble ¶
¶ let's take a sec to think back to the year of the 7-0 ¶
¶ when Brooklyn was the place to go, flow on a journey up to the heights ¶
¶ ebbets field, feel the real the rail on your life ¶
¶ trite individuals live in the pj's ¶
¶ the evil check my dj ¶
¶ hey, play what I wanna play in the day ¶
¶ but in the night I feel the right took the left ¶
¶ uptown Brooklyn break it down ¶
¶ heads from state to state travel less or unravel the rate ¶
¶ howitt, tapscot and sudder ¶
¶ I remember way back in the days playin' hot peas and butter ¶
¶ brother, if there were another lesson ¶
¶ Brooklyn session take it back black Smith & Wesson ¶
¶ press your luck you get stuck blow your bucks ¶
¶ master ace has the taste for ducks ¶
¶ and ducks off so tell lord digger ¶
¶ dig a dray for the bones sticks and stones ¶
¶ while I kick some ancient homes through your domes ¶
¶ ack went back to attack your homes ¶
¶ so tip, can I flip yes, you can ¶
¶ I'm in the world war with Mohammed, my man ¶
¶ feels so good to be a crooklyn dodger ¶
¶ what's happenin' to rerun and Roger ¶
¶ I think I seen 'em wearin' timberlands and runnin' down the block ¶
¶ from Dwayne and Dwayne had a clock ¶
¶ 'cause he be sellin' rock for the partridge family ¶
¶ and Reuben kinkaid drives a 300-e ¶
¶ and he be pimpin' Chrissy from three's company ¶
¶ plus he stuck mr t for all his jewelry ¶
¶ this is a seventies thing from the days when kids didn't act so crazy ¶
¶ crooklyn ¶
[ radio announcer ] Here comes the pitch.
It's a line drive to left field.
[ Announcer shouting indistinctly ]
And Brooklyn wins!
¶ Brooklyn's the borough ¶ [ Announcer ] Brooklyn wins!
Brooklyn wins!