How many children do you want?
-Two. -You want to hold the line at two?
Uh, four.
Talent hits a target that any fool can hit.
Mr. Phillips, am I gonna get on the records for real?
I can't promise you will, son,
but if you don't give me something I wanna hear,
I can guarantee you won't.
But genius...
Genius hits a target that no one else can see.
You were born to be a singer.
That's who the Colonel's after.
Sam's booked next week.
My other phone is ringing. Please wait.
-'Scuse me... -Memphis Recording Service.
Mr. Phillips, please.
Saturday? Got a christening at 2:00.
-Tell Mr. Phillips I want to talk to him. -Be with you just a minute.
I'm here. Sorry I'm late. I'm sorry.
Did you ever think that a hit record could bring all this?
No way, no how, Becks. I didn't think, I knew!
That's what I've been telling you.
This is only the beginning.
Well, if you ask me, I think that Jerry brought us good luck.
Uh-huh.
-See you later. -Okay. Bye.
-We'll see you Saturday, thank you. -Whoa, ma'am!
'Scuse me, little lady.
Don't "little lady" me.
Please wait your turn.
Bob, where have you been?
Slim said yes.
Oh, I told you.
See, Bob here could promote a peep show in a convent.
You owe me, but if Presley freezes up on stage,
Slim'll barbecue the both of us.
It'll be fine.
Check out these jinglers, Bob.
Oh, I'm lookin all right.
Mind your manners.
This is a studio, not a cathouse.
Okay, girls.
Ladies, let's lay one down.
Please.
Excuse me, can we have five minutes?
We're gonna lay down a track. Come on.
Bob, this is Pete Isacson from Chicago.
-Hey, Bob. -Hey, Pete.
All right, jinglers, let's get jingling.
-Bob, would you mind grabbing the door?
Sun Records...
I'm sorry, Mr. Morris, I'll have to call you back.
Oh, Bob...
I like it.
I'm glad you like it, but I don't.
Whoa!
Girls, you're a bit out of sync.
Pick it up a tad. Take two.
♪ Use Ajax
♪ The foaming cleanser
♪ Cleans your sink...
Sam Phillips. Sam Phillips!
-Excuse me, we're recording here. -No, you're not.
What do you think you're doin'?
What do you think I'm doing, little lady?
Looks like you're screwing up our session.
And stealin' my board.
Reposessing. You're two payments behind.
Marion.
How do you expect me to pay if I can't record?
That ain't my damn problem.
Looks like the plug's bein' pulled.
Pete. How's about you pay for this session in cash?
Come on, man.
You don't want to break these little girls' hearts.
I'll give you two on the house.
Come on.
Do this favor for me. Just once.
I'm sorry, Sam, Leo Burnett doesn't...
You told me they're pressuring you to lower budgets,
which is why you came to Memphis.
We keep the board, you look like a hero.
There are no favors here, Petey boy.
True.
You're putting me in a bad position here.
You play so beautifully.
Thank you, ma'am.
I do believe the Lord has given me
an increase in talent since I took my vows.
And what vows are those?
Poverty. Obedience.
Chastity.
Well, now, I'm doing right by two of them.
I'm kinda struggling with one of them.
Leave it to you to figure which is which.
-Bless his heart.
♪ When the roll
♪ Is called up yonder
♪ When the roll is called up yonder
Kids, why don't you stand up?
♪ When the roll
♪ Is called up yonder
♪ When the roll is called up yonder
♪ I'll be there
♪ When the roll
♪ Is called up yonder
♪ When the roll is called up yonder... ♪
I gotta tell you, Jerry Lee,
I never believed you'd give up the honky-tonks
to become a warrior for Jesus.
"The Lord make me pure, but not yet." St. Barnabas.
St. Augustine.
One of them.
Thing is, it took a good woman's love.
And a cousin prayin' for me, day and night.
You know, ain't a drop of liquor
passed my lips since...
I don't know how long.
It's true.
Didn't hardly quit studyin' to eat dinner.
And I ain't gazed upon another woman either.
Oh, I might have gazed a couple of times.
But then I just asked myself,
"What would cousin Jimmy do?"
Oh, then I think of my darling.
So favored and pure.
Take a seat.
See?
No sin shall enter here.
Not even through that radio there.
No sin!
I'm a believer.
♪ When I'm calling you
There you go. Thank you.
-Have a good night. -Thank you.
What the hell happened to you?
You told me you were all squared up!
Just a little slip on the sidewalk.
Slim's all locked up.
Billy Walker, Sugarfoot Collins,
not exactly acts you build an empire on.
"Ellis" Presley?
Sure are a lot of folks here.
Ain't exactly the Grand Ole Opry, Gladys.
Car crash draws a crowd, too.
Shh...
I'm here to hear Slim Whitman!
Don't give a damn about Slim Whitman.
-I'm here to see Elvis Presley -Who's that?
My boy!
♪ ...your answering echo so dear
You all right?
Oh, my heart's beatin' like a drum.
You're not gonna freeze up on me now, boy, are you?
It'll be fine, Bob.
Picture everybody naked.
Hell, I do that with women, whether I'm nervous or not.
That is not helpful, Dewey.
Try prayin'.
Yeah. If that don't work, there's always bourbon.
Go on.
♪ You'll belong to me
♪ I'll belong
♪ To
♪ You
Show time, kid.
Whoa, hold on there, Bob.
I'm the one that broke the kid,
I do the introduction.
The sign outside says, "Bob Neal presents."
Go get 'em, kid.
Son of a...
The great Slim Whitman...
Betcha he's got every dog in the county howlin' right now.
You are a son of a bitch.
My good friend, Dewey Phillips!
Oh, but they love me.
Yessir, good people.
Daddy O'Dewey's got a real treat for ya.
He ain't appeared no place, no time, bar none.
WHBQ's been playing his record every night.
Mr. Jo-Jo Coogie at Pop Tunes says
he can't hardly keep it in stock.
Ol' Elvis is stealin' 'em fast as they put 'em out...
So, here's Scotty and Bill
with Memphis's own Elvis Presley!
My boy.
You hear that? Go get 'em boy.
I'm gonna be real honest with you, friends.
I'm jumpy as a frog on the highway with his hopper busted.
Just sing your song, kid.
Here's a song me and the boys worked up.
♪ Well, I heard the news
♪ There's good rockin' tonight
I can't watch this. Let's get outta here.
♪ There's good rockin' tonight
♪ I'm gonna hold my baby just as tight as I can
♪ Tonight she'll know I'm a mighty, mighty man
♪ I heard the news, there's good rockin' tonight
♪ I said, meet me and a-hurry behind the barn
♪ Don't you be afraid now I'll do you no harm
♪ I want you to bring along my rockin' shoes
♪ 'Cause tonight I'm gonna rock away all our blues
♪ I heard the news...
Can you believe that racial music
and spastic movements they would do?
He was absolutely terrible.
The kid's tanking. Come on, let's go.
Maybe I should get up there and ease the suffering.
Uh, he's gotta learn for himself.
-Was referrin' to the audience.
Say, what time is it?
In fact, I'm late. Can I borrow your watch?
Okay.
Oh, hi. Can you just sign this for us?
How y'all ladies doing?
♪ Well, we're gonna rock
♪ We're gonna rock
Do you like him?
♪ Let's rock
♪ Come on and rock
Come on. Come on.
Hey, why you being so mean to that little fella?
I have a business proposition for you.
♪ Have you heard the news? Everybody's rockin' tonight
Kid's gonna need a good manager
to show him the ropes.
You know a manager that good?
I do.
You want me to manage him?
Uh-huh.
Them bobbysox gals are clawing at him.
Like a naked Marlon Brando covered in ice cream sundaes.
♪ Well, we're gonna rock, rock, rock, rock
♪ We're gonna rock, rock, rock, rock
♪ Let's rock, rock, rock, rock
♪ Gonna rock, rock, rock, rock
♪ We're gonna rock all our blues away ♪
If I'm gonna book him, you gonna provide posters,
billboards, spiff money to pay off deejays.
Success don't come cheap.
Elvis Presley!
Outgoin's whuppin' incomin' by a country mile.
We gotta get Elvis back in the studio, pronto.
We're going broke on all this success.
Can we afford another hit record?
Good job, son. Good job.
Hey, Colonel.
-Beat it. -Okay.
Beat down didn't get your message across.
Maybe a hole in your kneecap will.
We want our money.
Hank Snow.
The Singing Ranger, Hank Snow.
-Big fan. -Is that so?
Also a friend of the Colonel's.
We go way back, when he was a lucky man.
Nowadays he's not so lucky.
Luck and him seem to have parted ways, if you know what I'm saying.
Well, s'pose you'll have to take that up with him.
You tell that tubby deadbeat
he's got two weeks, payment in full.
Oh, Hank...
♪ I walked down the street like a good girl should...
Excuse me, miss.
Miss.
-Miss, I have a question. -Leave me alone.
John!
I'm sorry.
♪ So listen and I'll tell you what this fella did to me
♪ I walked to my house like a good girl should
♪ He followed me to my house like I knew he would
Will this little band of gold soon be on your finger?
♪ And now you've heard the story
♪ Of what someone did to me
♪ And that's what he did to me ♪
Anybody care for more meatballs?
Oh, I couldn't possibly. Thank you.
I just want our new daughter to feel right at home.
Thank you for making me feel so welcome.
Every Sunday my Nonna makes homemade meatballs, too.
To tell the truth, I don't cook much Italian.
-And I hope you never do again. -That bad, huh?
I'll tell you, Mama,
three years chowin' down bratwurst, knockwurst, every different kind of wurst,
all I did was dream about that catfish stew of yours.
That and you, of course, honey.
I knew an Italian feller from Palermo before the war.
-That so? -Mmm-hmm.
Rudy Bussone. Remember him, JR?
Yes, Daddy.
He worked the cotton crop for Old Man Phelps one summer.
His skin got so dark, all that time in the sun,
Sheriff thought he was one of the nig...
Daddy, that is my wife you're talking about!
I didn't say she was one, did I?
He didn't mean nothing by it. Did you, Ray?
Of course, he didn't. He was just makin' conversation, that's all.
Well, it ain't a line of conversation that I appreciate.
Mama Cash, Johnny tells me
you were the one who taught him to sing and play guitar.
Aw, come on, honey.
Listen to your bride. Trust me.
She gonna wear you down, eventually.
♪ Come on back and let's play a little house
♪ And we can act like we did before
♪ Now, baby come back Baby, come
♪ Come back, baby
I want to play house with you
♪ Now, listen to me baby
♪ Try to understand
♪ I'd rather see you dead, little girl, than to be with another man
♪ Now, baby come back Baby, come
♪ Come back Baby, come
♪ Come back, baby I want to play house with you ♪
I might have made a mistake.
Kid's not gettin' any better.
There's something about him.
Anybody can do what he's doing.
But most people do it lying down.
Safe to go out there?
Don't worry yourself, Hank.
My debts will be settled in a day.
So you've been saying.
Fix your rug.
Get your hands a-clapping and toes a-tapping for the star of the show,
The Singing Ranger,
Hank Snow!
Let's go.
♪ Pardon me
-You wanna go? -Let's go.
♪ When we say goodbye
♪ Don't be angry with me should I cry ♪
Girls, come on. Come on. No, no, no.
No. Let him catch his breath.
Great show.
Got the girls peeing their pants.
Thank you.
Gonna get our take. Meet me at the car.
Yes, sir.
Well, you have quite the effect on the little ladies.
Hank Snows' manager, Colonel Tom Parker.
Hank Snow! My parents are huge fans.
You're out of Memphis, aren't you?
Yes, sir.
Well, you know, uh...
Hank's gonna be playing the Orpheum in a couple of weeks.
I'll put your folks in the front row.
I just need your address and phone number.
Oh, it's 462-Alabama,
MU-74103.
Let me give you a little free advice, son.
And the Colonel never does free.
Get rid of the hillbilly outfits.
Get yourself some new duds. Something flashy.
The girls will really love that.
Oh, I'd like to but I can't really afford it right now.
It's customary that your label pay.
Well, see you in Memphis.
Are you hungry?
Starving.
How about dinner and a movie?
Okay.
Let's go see The High and the Mighty with John Wayne.
I'd rather see Seven Brides for Seven Brothers.
Oh, I'm sure you would.
You know what, screw it. Let's do it.
I miss being with you.
-We're closed. -Oh...
Sun Records.
Evening, Becky.
Everything all right?
-I told you we were closed. It's all right. Just... Here.
Hey, Becks.
Pickles and Tootsie Rolls?
Ugh...
-You know, I already told Dewey I would... -Don't.
All right.
I'm on my way. I'll see you soon.
I'll make it up to you.
Just hurry up and go. I'll lock up.
Thanks, Marion.
Hey, I hear Taylor's does a mean stroganoff.
Is that what you hear?
Think we ought to put 'em to the test?
I already did. Greasy as hell.
-Pork chops? -Dry as a bone.
And I suppose the apple pie is over-spiced.
Oh, you have no idea.
The Salisbury Steak, however, is delicious.
All right.
So, how did you and Sam do on the road with Elvis?
Better than we could've hoped for.
Right.
Whoo.
I am so stuffed, my belly is about to pop.
I sure do wish we could stay longer,
but got to be back to the Institute.
Pastor Mitchell's taken a shine to Jerry Lee.
Let's sit down for a minute.
Just sit down.
Why don't we play a game?
It's called, "Just Suppose."
Just suppose you could be anything
other than what you are right now.
Peggy May?
Not sure.
Suppose I'd be...
A tiger.
Really?
I like tigers.
-Well, you already are a tiger.
Jimmy?
Well, I'd be on one of those television programs
playing better piano than Jerry Lee.
In your dreams, cuz.
No, I'd be on one of them circus trapeze acts.
You know, flyin' through the sky.
I received a letter today.
From Pastor Mitchell.
Said Jerry Lee
was at the piano making a mockery of the Lord's hymns.
Well, now... Reverend, I was there.
Jerry Lee didn't do nothin' wrong.
Son...
You been expelled.
Dad...
Daddy, can't you do somethin'?
I'm awful sorry, Jerry Lee.
Lucy, we're home!
Uh-oh.
Claire?
Something smells good.
Well, dinner is ruined.
-Hi. -I'm sorry, baby.
Look at it. It was so perfect hours ago
when you were supposed to be home.
Well, I didn't realize
that I was back in the Air Force, Captain!
You're a married man now.
Just 'cause he's married means he can't have a beer with his brother?
Actually, he oughta be out lookin' for a job,
savin' his money for diapers.
Diapers?
I was gonna tell you.
I'm pregnant.
Tony Curtis is so dreamy with that jet black hair,
marryin' Janet Leigh. It's not fair!
You tryin' to make me jealous, honey?
You know I'm true to you.
You're my very own Tony Curtis.
When are you comin' home?
It's boring here without you.
Soon. Real soon.
Mr. Neal and Mr. Phillips say the more shows I play, the more records we sell.
I miss you.
I miss you, too, baby.
-Sure gets lonely out here. -Yeah?
You know, I hear stories about singers out on the road.
Hey, I barely get time to sleep.
Besides, I got me a girl already.
Trixie, it's past bedtime.
And I'm looking at her right now.
...better off saving his money than runnin' up a long distance bill.
-Get to bed, now. -Okay, okay.
I gotta go.
Call me tomorrow.
Goodnight, baby. I love you.
Lily.
Jessica.
Molly.
Kid's gonna get more ass than a toilet seat.
Room Service.
I didn't order any room service.
♪ Well, I told you, baby From time to time
♪ But you just wouldn't listen Wouldn't pay me no mind
♪ So I'm movin' on Yes, I'm rollin' on
♪ You've broken your vow And it's all over now
♪ So I'm movin' on
♪ You switched your end
♪ And I ain't got time
♪ For a trapped little woman
♪ Don't mind me, now
♪ Now I'm movin' on
♪ You done your daddy wrong
♪ Well, I warned you twice Now you can settle the price
♪ But I'm movin' on
♪ But someday, baby When you had your play
♪ You're gonna want your daddy But your daddy will say
♪ He movin on
♪ You stayed away too long
♪ I'm through with you
♪ Too bad you're blue
♪ Keep movin' on
Good afternoon, ma'am.
I'm JR Cash. I'm from the, uh...
I'm from the Fuller Brush Company
and today I would like to demonstrate for you...
Just give me a minute to get the...
Deluxe premium fork duster,
sparklin' up your floors!
You certainly are a hard worker.
Yes. Proverbs 28:19
tells us, "A man who works hard has plenty of food,
"but a man who chases his fantasies will end up in poverty."
You're perspirin'.
I just have to fit this into there.
It's a bit hot in here.
Lead us not to temptation.
You're quite the Bible scholar.
Have you heard of this one?
"Give, and it shall be given unto you,
"good measure, tied down, pressed together,
"runneth over, and have men run to your bosom."
Ma'am, let me help you with that.
I got it.
Look, it's just my opinion, but you might be better suited to another line of work.
You're good at this.
It's awful.
Can't you see he's not himself today?
♪ 'Cause tonight I'm gonna rock away all our blues
♪ I heard the news There's good rockin' tonight ♪
Cut, cut. Man, I am not feelin' it.
I thought you said to play it with heart, Mr. Phillips.
Yeah. Now play it with balls.
What do you think this song's about, son?
Well... Rockin', I guess.
No! Screwin'!
It's a song about screwin', plain simple,
good, old-fashion screwin'.
Now, hold on a sec...
Are you a virgin?
Yes, sir.
I mean, no, sir.
Let's take five. Smoke break.
Let's go talk. Come on.
All right, out with it.
Something's on your mind, son, and it ain't music.
What is it?
Or, should I ask, who is it?
Someone you're...
Marion... Give us a sec.
What's on your mind?
See, I got this girl, Trixie.
Uh-huh.
Only it ain't her you're screwin'.
Sam, we're on the road, I mean...
-These girls they... -Uh-huh.
Well, life on the road is... Complicated, Elvis.
But it don't mean a thing
unless you make it a thing.
Understand?
I guess.
All I'm saying
is you ain't the only one.
All right. Thank you so much...
I'll see you Sunday.
Hey, y'all.
Becks, shouldn't you be home resting?
We're supposed to be at the doctor's at 2:00.
Oh, honey, I'm sorry.
Time got away from me.
Say hi to Elvis and the boys.
-How do, Miss Phillips? -Hey, Elvis, how are ya?
-Good. Good. -You have fun on the road?
Yes, ma'am.
Must have been nice having a motel room all to yourself.
Oh, I wouldn't know. I bunked with Mr. Phillips the whole time.
Guys, we should get back to work.
Let's head inside.
Thanks for the talk, Mr. Phillips.
Say, do you mind coming to Macy's with me later?
Help me pick out some new clothes.
Sure thing, Elvi.
-All right, boys, let's take it from the top. -Sam.
The baby's coming.
Quick, Elvi, get the car.
All right, come on.
Move! Move! The baby's comin'.
I love you.
Mrs. Presley?
Hank Snow's manager, Colonel Tom Parker, here.
Saw your son play the Hayride over in Shreveport.
Quite a show. I beg your pardon.
Waiter, I ordered the filet rare. This is...
This is well done.
That is not the type of service one expects from the Peabody Hotel.
I beg your pardon.
Hotels...
Anyway, you have raised a fine young man.
But, I would be derelict in my duties
as a Christian gentleman
if I failed to alert you
to the temptations of the road.
I'd certainly be glad to discuss
how I might be of service.
Say, Sunday.
After church.
I'll see you then.
...and he said, "Man, I'm as tuckered out as a cucumber in a convent!"
Man, you about as much fun as pulling detention.
This baby business is exhausting.
Elvis is the only thing keeping me going.
Yeah, well, things is changing, cuz.
Best be ready for it.
Me, I'm gonna tell the top dogs at BQ they'd better step up for ol' Dewey, man.
Plenty of opportunity out there.
Chaps my ass, Bob Neal promoting shows.
-It should be me. I know.
Great Googa Mooga.
Dear God.
That shirt is louder than your music, son.
Gals like it, that's for sure. Hello.
Well, my daddy sure won't.
Oh, come on, son. You gotta stand up to your old man.
Those britches ain't covering his ass.
Well, what do you think, Mr. Phillips?
It's $9.98 for the jacket.
$6.50 for the pants.
$12 for the shoes, and...
Well, Mr. Bill will throw this handkerchief in for free.
Oh, it's for free, huh?
You got that kind of money?
Oh, well, no, sir, but...
See the manager guy backstage at the Hayride said
that maybe my label could pay for it.
Did he, now?
-Well, Bob is uh... -Oh, not Mr. Neal.
It was Hank Snow's manager.
Colonel something.
He's an awfully nice fella.
I'll bet he was.
Son...
You're gonna meet all kinds of nice fellas.
And they ain't all gonna have your best interest at heart.
Remember that.
I'll tell ya what.
I'll have Lansky put it on account.
Well, poacher comin' after the kid's a good sign.
Mmm-hmm.
Ta-da!
Not on my account.
Just the shoes, then.
Agent of darkness,
Satan,
let me take you on.
Anti-Christ.
Beelzebub!
Deceiver!
Destroyer!
Seven heads and ten horns!
Right here.
-Right now. -Yell it, brother.
I want you to look Satan in the eye
and tell him, "I rebuke you."
"I rebuke you."
"You have no power over me."
Hallelujah. Amen.
Hallelujah.
Praise the Lord.
Amen. Amen.
Brother Lewis,
raise up our hearts in song
with hymn number 22.
Just a Closer Walk With Thee.
Praise Jesus.
♪ Just a closer walk with thee
Grant it, Jesus is my plea.
♪ Grant it, Jesus is my plea
♪ Daily walking close to thee
I'll see you around.
♪ Dear Lord, let it be
Amen.
Thank you, ma'am.
I think he's back at it.
I need you.
Baby.
It's a misunderstanding. It's not what it looks like.
God may forgive you, Jerry Lee.
But I don't.
I want a divorce.
Peggy, no...
I tried, cuz.
Honestly, I tried with everything in my heart.
It's just the Lord has other plans for me yet.
Maybe I am destined for that seat in Hell, after all.
Hmm?
Pumpkin.
It's black.
It's jet black.
Just like Tony Curtis.
Don't worry, Mama. It'll wash out.
What the hell is that smell? Vern...
Can smell it coming up the stairs.
What is this?
What we got, a beauty parlor here?
And what in tarnation is all this?
Mr. Phillips bought it for him to wear on stage.
And this don't smell rotten to you?
Him tryin' to buy him off with all these fancy duds and whatnot?
Be happy he's gettin' some success.
He's tryin' to take advantage of the boy.
I'm tryin' to protect you, boy. You understand that?
Sounds to me like you just tryin' to protect yourself.
Protect myself? What's that supposed to mean?
Maybe if you shook your tail off that couch once in a while
you'd see a red cent you earned yourself!
You're gonna wash that crap outta your hair
and get back to work at Crown Electric!
-Stop! -Just 'cause you signed some contract for me
don't mean you can tell me what to do!
Damn it, Vern!
-Elvis, wait. -"Damn it, Vern"?
Oh, yeah. Damn it, Vern!
Sam!
♪ We're gonna rock all our blues away ♪
You're about as far from a saint
as Ferriday to the moon when it comes to women.
Foolin' with my sister?
Next time on Sun Records...
When it comes to this here piano...
I ain't never seen no one play like that.
So glad you could make it.
You'll see plenty if Elvis signs with me, I guarantee it.
Son, this is your dream.
Colonel Parker here is the one who's gonna make that happen.
Man-to-man now, Elvi,
I ain't got nothin' to worry about here now, do I?
No, sir.