It's Red Hot and Blue on WHBQ.
Now it's time to slow it down with the one and only
Blue Baron Orchestra!
Get that boy off your teat, Gladys.
He's too old to be coddled...
And what's he gonna get from you, tell me that?
Sitting around drinking all day.
That ain't gonna get him no place.
Why don't you get a job?
You know my back's out.
And Elvis ain't getting C's and D's
'cause I'm sucking on a beer now and again...
That song, pun'kin.
That's grown folk's music.
You shouldn't be listening.
Ain't nothing' but a diddly ol' song, Momma.
"For God is the King of all the Earth, sing praises with a psalm!"
You wanna help the boy?
Wash that grease outta his hair and get him a damn haircut.
Tell him to put down that guitar.
Then maybe he'll get some friends 'sides his mama.
Where you off to?
Just gimme half the attention you give him.
Then stay home. Stay put!
Reason being?
Rock and roll all came out of Sun Records.
I know 'cause I was there.
I'm the killer. Jerry Lee Lewis.
And this is how they all hopped on it.
What are we going to do if we run out of gas here?
Well, they have cars, Becks!
I'm pretty sure they have gas stations.
So you're just going to leave us in the car while you go in and get gas?
Told you we should have filled up back at the Flying A.
Well, what do we have here?
Dewey Phillips.
Huh!
Sam, why are we stopping?
Oh, you can stay in the car, baby.
Hey, hun, look!
Dewey Phillips.
- Some kin of yours? - Mmm!
Ain't no telling.
Cash Box just done a big write-up on him. Whoo-whee!
When he jumps on a record, boy, you get outta the way.
Come on.
- Come on. - Sam...
- Come on, come on, Becks. - Sam!
You're gonna enjoy this.
Knox, come here, baby.
- Hey, fellas! - Hey!
Oh! Yes, sir, good people, it's "Daddy-O"Dewey Phillips.
Hottest cotton picking thing in the country, boys.
All right, all right, all right, now listen up, I got me a new sponsor, boy.
"Dudz does it."
Man, someone's just washed out his drawers. Must be the weekend.
I'll tell you what, I sure hope "Dudz does it",
'cause they've got some competition, baby. Yeah!
Fug detergent!
You know their slogan?
Well, "If Dudz won't do it, then fug it."
Devil's disgrace.
Oh!
We got us an electrician in the house.
Hey, you saved our hearing, man. What little we got left.
You ain't from around here, huh?
Uh, no, no.
Just loaded outta Nashville this morning.
Gonna open up a record studio.
Memphis Recording Service.
Oh! What's your name?
Sam Phillips.
- That there's my wife... - Phillips!
Dear God, man, I knew I liked you, huh?
Do you reckon we're related?
Hell, I got kissing cousins all across north Alabama.
Tell us all about this studio of yours, cuz.
Uh, we're gonna record personal disks for anyone
crazy to know how good they sound.
398 and you walk right home with it.
Yeah? Do I get my money back if I sound like a darn idgit?
Oh! And I got portable equipment.
We'll record anything, anywhere, anytime.
Weddings, funerals...
Well, make sure they pay you upfront on the funerals, man!
Sam, we need to go!
Uh, no, no, no, no!
No, don't be scared, little lady!
If you're here, you're family.
Take it away, fellas!
It's Red Hot and Blue on WHBQ.
Every weeknight, eight till midnight.
Every Saturday night, I am right here, till the police comes.
I see you, brother, I see you!
Where are we going?
It's a short cut! Hang on!
Elvis, turn around!
This is the colored part of town.
We shouldn't be here.
- Would you listen to that? - Elvis!
Wow, Trix.
Now, ain't that the most beautiful thing you ever heard?
No.
We shouldn't be here.
Oh, but, listen. They got the... They got the feeling on in.
Man, it, it's sending chills down my back.
Let's go?
You know what this studio means to me, don't you, hun?
Of course.
Darling, even Dr. Kerr said change would be good for you,
"As long as it isn't too stressful."
Aw, Lord Almighty, I'm fine.
Now, who wouldn't go stone crazy reading dumb old commercials day in, day out?
I just want the Sam Phillips I married.
I want him back.
And you have him.
This is what I was put on this Earth to do, Becks,
and I know you came here to help me do it.
I just want you to know it's gonna be all right.
Marion!
I swear, I thought Marion had...
Oh!
Sam, we sunk every penny into this.
Marion!
Coming!
Deliveries were late.
Half this stuff just came today.
And those microphones you wanted are gonna be another two days, at least.
Well, cancel the session.
Well, we can't do that.
We're cutting shows for the Skunk Meadow Boys,
and they're sponsored by Arkansas Rural Electric.
We'll blow our reputation before we start.
Man!
Plus, I took a deposit and we've spent it.
Well, what are we doing just standing around?
We gotta turn this place into a recording studio!
You're right.
Hold on one second.
Yeah.
Right there.
That is where we are gonna hang our first hit record.
Daddy!
Hold on!
- Daddy! - Hey, Jed.
Come here.
Evening, Mr. Cash.
Them people tenanting?
They bought it off from the bank.
What do you mean, bought it?
There weren't meant to be no colored here.
You damn well know that.
You could have bought it. It's been on offer for two years near about.
I ain't got no 2,000 dollars. But that ain't the point!
Well, I dunno what to tell you.
The bank don't see black and white so much as green.
Hey!
Daddy, come on.
Them folks got every right to make a living same as anyone.
You ain't got a goddamn lick of sense, J.R.
Once a bunch of niggers comes in, then 'fore you know it,
this place is gonna be worth less every year.
It ain't worth less 'cause you got negroes moving in.
It's 'cause the land is played out.
- If Jack was alive... - He'd be living any place but here,
I'd bet you that!
He'd still be living if you'd been with him as you was supposed to be,
instead of fishing' and lollygagging' around.
Ray!
I don't wanna call the law on you!
Just quit it now.
I tell you, the wrong one got killed.
Ray. Just quit it now.
Look here, Trix.
This is my secret place.
You go all the way that way and you'll drop right in the Pacific Ocean.
All the way that way, and you'll drop into the Atlantic.
Ever wonder what's 'tween here and there?
You sound like you've been reading that...
What's that thing everyone's been reading?
On the Road?
- I read a little of it. - I heard it's dirty.
Maybe I should've stuck with it.
All right, east or west, babe? Where we going?
- How 'bout home? - Home?
How 'bout New York?
How 'bout Hollywood?
There's a big old world out there, Trix.
There's, there's nothing here in Memphis.
It's a good place to raise a family.
- Well, ain't you coming? - You get back here!
Your daddy's gonna be mad at you.
Oh, he don't care nothin' about me.
Well, your mama does.
Hell, this is never gonna work.
Marion!
Marion...
Level test.
Oh.
"Our dungy Earth alike feeds man as beast.
"The nobleness of life is to do thus."
- Hmm! - All right.
I have no idea what the hell you said, but, all right! I think we got it!
Oh, Sam!
Howdy, we're the Skunk Meadow Boys.
I'm Clem.
Sam Phillips.
Man, Clem, did we have us a session last night.
- Just now got through. - Yeah.
Now I hope you boys ain't that crazy
or I'm gonna have to tack on a hefty clean-up charge.
If you're hosing' down, old Wichita here could use a bath.
- Wichita! - Yeah.
Well, uh, now you boys set up.
All right.
Hey, now, boys, don't rush them verses and hold back a bit.
Wanna give it a while with the chorus.
Hope I patched those cables right.
Didn't you test the board?
No time.
You boys sitting all ready?
Oh, we was born ready!
One, two, three.
He's in the jailhouse now
In the jailhouse now
He's in the jailhouse now
In the jailhouse now
Well, I told him once or twice
To quit playing cards and shooting dice
He's in the jailhouse now
Well, I had a friend named Rambling Bob
He used to steal, gamble and rob
He thought he was the smartest guy in town
Cheer up, Sam! We all gotta start somewhere!
Yee-haw!
But I found out last Monday
That Bob got locked up Sunday
They took him to the jailhouse way down town
Jack, man.
I can't stay here.
Everybody's going or gone.
Memphis.
Detroit.
Any place except here.
And now every night, I gotta hear every which way
about the coloreds in the Murphy place.
They could save daddy's damn life and he would still cuss 'em out.
I'll come back and visit with you.
But right now I need to see this place in my rearview mirror.
So?
How do we sound?
Let's take a listen.
What do you think, Mr. Phillips?
Ooh! That's a good job, fellas.
You'll make folks mighty glad they got electricity!
We'll have those 17 disks ready for you tomorrow.
So bring a check for 68 dollars for the disks and 11 for studio time.
- Uh... - That's 79.
Make it out to Memphis Recording Service.
Yes, ma'am. I'm hauling' for Light, Gas, and Water,
so I'll be here just as soon as I get off work.
Thank you.
Bye!
All right, sounded pretty good.
It sounded to me like right on the money, fellas!
Yeah, I think we really got something here.
We did it! Our first session!
Who would've thought I'd come from Nashville to record hillbilly music.
Third-rate hillbilly music.
Oh, you're too hard on them, Sam.
Don't worry, it gets better.
Hmm?
You're recording a Catholic funeral in Covington tomorrow!
Would you ask yourself, "How can I be more like our Savior?"
Let us turn to the seventh chapter of the Gospel of Mark.
Right here is where Jesus is beginning to preach the incoming kingdom of God,
but more importantly, he is preaching with his actions.
We find Our Savior in tire,
for those of you who went with us to the Holy Land this past Easter,
you would know that this is the furthest point
that Jesus went in his ministry.
As we follow the savior's journey to Cavalry,
we all know that in the end...
I ain't feeling real well, Momma.
...that we will all be looking towards,
or in essence we all go to the house.
Listen to me, brothers and sisters.
Don't let the Devil rent no space in your head.
Now.
God can see a black ant on a black rock on a black night.
You can maybe slide a little something past your wife,
your husband, or even your boss,
but you can't hide nothing from God!
Do you hear me?
Now, think on that awhile, won't you?
You gotta tell the Devil right here, right now,
he ain't gonna rent no space in your head.
Can I get a amen?
Yeah!
Above the screaming and crying of them
that keeps putting off being saved
'cause they say they got more important business.
Yeah!
All the way down there, I want the Devil to hear you say, "Yeah!"
Whoo!
Remember, we are heading for better days,
when all men will walk together as brothers.
Come on, Brother Ernest and lead us on out with Run On!
Yeah!
Come on, baby face!
Raise your voice! Let's hear you!
Come on, come on!
It's all right, come on!
Come on! Yeah, that's it!
That's it, baby! That's it!
U.S. and UN troops have gathered in Pusan.
General Ridgeway says after two years,
the campaign against the North Koreans is not to seize ground,
- but to halt the Communist... - We've had about enough of that.
Well, if they just dropped
one of them nuclear bombs on 'em like we done to the Japs.
Stop wasting American lives.
J.R., why don't you help me on I Got That Joy.
Hmm? Let's lighten the mood a little.
Love hearing you sing.
What's got you so glum, J.R.?
Daddy, Momma.
Look, I know that this probably ain't the time, but...
I went by the enlistment center.
Joined the Air Force.
You are gonna get blown to bits over there in that Korea.
Nah, they gave me a choice.
Alaska or Germany.
Pretty sure I'm shipping out to Germany after basic training.
Germany is so far away.
Your ass'll be on the front line if the Commies invade, Johnny Boy.
"The good Lord promises us many things,
"but He doesn't promise us tomorrow."
You know that, Daddy.
This should've been the Cash family farm.
That's why I poured so much sweat into clearing and all, I cannot...
Daddy, look,
this land here doesn't make but a bale an acre in a good year
and there ain't been a good year in a while.
'Tween the skitters and the floods, it's just low-rent, bottom land.
I'm gonna miss all of you every day.
Good Lord knows I will.
Your daddy loves you, John.
He can't bear to lose another son.
I believe I might just love him more from 6,000 miles away.
Randall, I need to stop at Piggly Wiggly, and get some cornmeal for my fritters.
And vanilla bean ice cream.
That the Presley boy?
Why is Elvis at the colored church?
I knew that Presley kid was nothin' but trouble.
I told you so.
You will never see him again, you hear me?
Never!
Over there!
Come on! Gather round, gather round!
Come on, folks!
You seen grandma dance when she's had a belt,
but you ain't never seen dancing ducks!
No way, no how.
Five cents will get you somethin' you're gonna talk
about for the rest of your days!
Now, Alabama ain't seen nothin' like this.
You shoot 'em, you eat 'em, you chase 'em round the yard,
you seen 'em floating' in the pool, but you ain't never seen 'em dance.
There ain't no music and them ducks are still dancing.
It's rigged!
Uh, music or no music, the ducks keep dancing.
It's like the melodies are in their head!
It's amazing!
There's no need for that now.
Oh! I don't appreciate that.
Madam, you are no lady.
Where're you going?
All right now, hold on! Now, hold on!
- Hold on! - I want my money back!
Hold on! Let me explain.
That's just to keep 'em warm. That's all.
That's just... It's chilly out!
Hey, it's Eddy!
All right, all right, everybody!
That's Eddy Arnold, boy! Go get his autograph!
Hey, Eddy! Come on!
You saved the Colonel's ass, son.
Yeah, I've been wondering' how you got all them ducks to dance.
And if it gets too hot, I got dinner!
You know, Colonel, I just signed with RCA Victor.
Sure could use a good front man.
I'd have to give up the ducks.
Mmm-hmm.
I tell you what,
if the Colonel were to be persuaded,
when you drive into town, you'll see your face on every lamp post,
hear every drunk singing your song.
Is that right?
Uh-huh.
That sounds like a deal.
All right.
Here's what we're gonna do first.
Boy, I tell you, I'm in bad shape, boy!
If you can't lay on her, then, boy!
Yeah, sir, good people, it's "Daddy-O"Dewey,
coming at you from the Chisca Hotel, Red, Hot and Blue 56 WHBQ.
Hottest cotton picking thing in the country, boy.
Better believe it!
Brought to you here tonight by CV Beer.
Champagne Velvet.
This right here is the best beer money can buy.
Drink it now or, hell, freeze it for later.
Just make sure you always got a case or two on hand.
All right!
Now, did they boost us to 50,000 watts yet, Diz?
Not yet, partner.
Well, gosh-darn,
but you can hear us clear across Arkansas if that wind's blowing just right.
Now, we gonna slow it down.
If you wanna make a move with your old lady, well, now's the time.
Let's go, old man!
How's it going, cuz?
Pills are hitting good tonight, boy.
I might be up till Tuesday.
What, what day is it today, cuz?
- Sunday all day. - Sunday. Bath day.
Well, that's a good deal.
So how's that, uh, studio of yours shaping up?
Well, to tell you the truth,
I'm recording piss-poor hillbilly bands and funerals.
Man!
Now what makes a cat like
Mr. Sam Phillips here come all the way to Memphis?
I wanna make music, man.
Man, Memphis got everything.
Hillbilly, big old orchestras at the Peabody,
blues straight up from the Delta.
Dear, God! You like our colored Rhythm 'n' Blues!
No, man, the way I see it, music ain't got no color.
You open your soul to it, and it'll...
It'll make you feel like your walking down Beale Street on a Saturday night.
Exactly, man!
Man, good music is gonna find good people.
Now, I believe that in my heart and soul.
I'll tell you what I really wanna do, man.
I wanna find me songs
that I can feed to one of them big old record companies, huh?
Well, I got me a song.
Yeah, it's called Get off the Turntable, Mable.
You're Too Old to Be Running Around.
What do you think of that there, Sam?
Man, I think people are gonna be stacked up clear 'cross Arkansas to buy it, man.
Friends and neighbors, little rabbit twisters,
we've been talking with Mr. Sam Phillips.
Memphis Recording Service. Go on down, see Sam.
Union Marshall. Run a carload of mad hogs
through the front door and tell him, Phillips sent you from Red, Hot and Blue!
Whoo!
You son of a... Man, you should have told me we was live.
Man, I knew you wouldn't say nothin' dirty.
All right, tell you what, Slick.
Fella coming down here next week from Los Angeles.
Joe Bihari, Modern Records, okay?
So maybe I could put you with him.
He's all the time bitchin' 'bout having to record in hotels and Elks Clubs.
Bring him on.
Bring him on, man.
Yeah, he's cutting a new fella I hipped him to.
Guitar player.
Whoa!
He can play his black ass off, man. B.B. King.
Maybe you could record him, hmm?
I'd appreciate that.
Doggone, I appreciate that!
It's "Daddy-O"Dewey coming at you from Memphis, Tennessee...
Eddy Arnold, Tennessee Plowboy.
Tickets are selling out fast so get 'em now!
Hey, kid!
Hey, there.
Want a grape knee-high?
Mighty good, ice cold.
Sure, mister.
Colonel, not mister.
Now, look, nothin' comes from nothing.
But you know that, huh?
I'm going in that Five and Dime.
By the time I come out,
I don't wanna see no other posters
except Eddy Arnold all up and down Main.
You got it?
What about them Bob Wills posters?
Uh, paste over 'em.
Bob's a friend.
He said it'd be okay.
Attaboy.
Eddy Arnold's coming to town!
Eddy Howard?
No, Eddy Arnold.
Uh, Cattle Call. He's playing two shows out at Big Dewey. Sold out.
You gonna wanna make sure you got plenty of stock on hand.
You know what, I, I happen to have an RCA order form right here.
50 copies ought to keep you covered.
You know what, we better make it a 100.
Uh, do you have a stamp and an envelope?
- Stamp? - And an envelope.
That's better.
All right, thank you, sir.
Pleasure doing business with you.
Good day.
Beale Street.
If we're gonna find talent anywhere, it's here.
I'm hungry. Let's go back.
I'll make your favorite bologna and Velveeta.
Look, Bihari's a pretty big player, all right?
He's got two or three records in the top 10 pretty much every week.
So you'll record B.B. King for him.
Mmm! That smells good. I'm so hungry.
There's no time for eating.
See, I'm recording this King fella?
Oh, God bless Dewey for setting it up,
but that only gets us studio time money.
I gotta find me an artist I can pitch to Bihari.
My artist, not his.
Now that gets us the Do-Re-Mi Money.
You're not fooling me, Sam.
This is not just about Do-Re-Mi.
You're looking for somethin' new.
Different.
Hear that?
That band sounds hot!
Holy cow, Marion, won't you look at that.
That's a lot of music from one man.
Now don't worry, we ain't the police or nothing.
Cheese sandwiches look mighty good.
Oh, well, we'll split one.
Uh, give me one of them, uh,
cheese sandwiches, a slaw, and a potato salad, yeah?
I appreciate a little appreciation for the BeBop Boy!
Come on, now, folks, come on!
Whoo-whee!
Man, that was one hell of a set.
You know, walking by, I could have swore I heard a four-piece in here.
Thank you, sir. I'm glad you enjoyed it.
- What's your name? - Joe Hill Louis.
The BeBop Boy.
BeBop Boy.
Sam Phillips.
Now listen here, I got a recording set-up, corner of Union and Marshall.
Now how'd you like to come by,
see if we can't get somethin' down on you?
Well, sure.
But can I get somethin' to eat first?
You see, my deal is I get the kitty, sandwich and beer.
You hold that thought.
Sam?
Eat this.
BeBop Boy, we gonna make us some records.
Eat up.
Order up.
Hey, Trix.
Hey, listen, ain't this pretty?
I was dancing with my darling
To the Tennessee Waltz
When an old friend
I happened to see
I introduced him to my darling
And while they were dancing
My friend stole my sweetheart from me
I remember the night
And the Tennessee Waltz
Now I know just
How much I have lost...
You ruined it!
You ruined everything, Elvis!
Now, Mr. Phillips.
The folks have been really goin' for the Chattanoogie Shoe Shine Boy.
Well, it's been did.
Tell you what, give me somethin' I ain't never heard.
Oh, you mean a booty-shaker?
Yeah, man, give me a booty-shaker.
All right.
Hey, whoa, whoa, whoa, whoa, whoa, whoa, whoa, whoa!
I gotta get this down!
Let's go!
Hey, Caldonia,
Now where in the world has you been
Come find your soul
I've been here all the afternoon
Marion, this is it. By God, this is it!
Drinking wine and feeling fine
How's that?
- Yeah, man, I'm liking it. - All right.
Just when I come home from work, it's all I heard
These cats told me...
- What is he singing about? - It ain't about the damn words!
No melody, either.
Damn right there's no melody. He's just throwing down.
Now there ain't no use for you, baby
Looking at me like three sheets in the wind
Got you one of these long chairs
And I knock you down to your knees
Then we all gotta go to jail
But I don't care 'cause I'm tired of messing with you
Now you know when I first met you, baby
I told you I'd do everything I could do in this world for you
I'd buy you fine clothes and an automobile
Now look at you
Going around, hanging around with all these cats
With their long straight pants
And their long-toed shoes
Evening, Miss Dean. Is Trixie here?
After what you did, you have the nerve to show your face at our home?
You should be ashamed.
Let me see what I can get going here.
Thank you, Mr. Philips.
Thank you.
The BeBop Boy.
That's what you were looking for, isn't it, Sam?
Oh, man, you better believe it.
Thank you.
She wants me so damn bad, it scares the shit outta me, man.
Now, play these in this order.
You Elmo Lewis's boy? Jerry Lee Lewis.
You're a natural born piano player, Jerry Lee.
My old man made me disappear.
I was just telling Eddy here that we're upping his royalty to three percent.
There is no deal. What?
You stay the hell away from the colored church.
Riley "Blues Boy" King,
you are now an RPM Modern recording artist.