Ray Page #10

I hope I can call you Ray.

I want you to be

comfortable here.

Because I'll tell you something,

everything is gonna be better at ABC.

Moving from an indie label

to a major

means you can sell

a lot more records,

as well as attract much larger

crowds, both white and Negro.

Yeah, but Mr. Clark, you know,

I've been at Atlantic for so long,

I just want to give those guys a chance,

you know, to at least match the offer.

Mm-hmm.

Oh, certainly, certainly.

But, uh, I doubt

they'll be able to.

We're giving you

a state-of-the-art deal here.

Well, you know, since I'm producing my

own records, I was wondering if I could

uh, own my masters, too.

Well,

Ray, we've... we've never

done that before.

No record company has.

Well, I think I'm going to have to have it

that way for me to leave Atlantic Records.

Ahmet believes

we're family here at Atlantic.

I believe we're family

here at Atlantic.

Obviously, you don't!

Ahmet wouldn't believe it.

You know what he said, Ray?

He said you would never

turn your back on us.

Never for a schlockmeister

like Sam Clark!

That's rich.

Sam Clark's a corporate slug,

who wouldn't know the difference

between Earl Hines and Art Tatum!

We let you grow here, Ray.

And nobody's taking credit for

your talent, but we nourished it.

We let you do your thing.

God damn it!

We deserve better than this.

You know what, don't think

that I don't appreciate

everything you guys

have done here, Jerry.

Ahmet, I'm very proud of the work

that we've done here together.

But, Atlantic has done pretty good

money-wise on my records, haven't they?

Yes, we've done

very well, Ray.

You... you were the ones that taught

me that making a record is business,

and find the best

business deal you can.

Now, 75 cents of every dollar,

and owning my own masters

is a pretty damn

good deal.

Can you match it?

Ray, we would love to

match it, but we just can't.

That's a better deal

than Sinatra gets.

I'm very proud of you.

Looks like those boys are going

to get a taste of country dumb.

Yeah.

He'll be all right, man.

You guys

always do find the best.

Georgia

Georgia

The whole day through

The whole day through

Just an old sweet song

Keeps Georgia on my mind

Georgia on my mind

I said Georgia

Georgia

Listen to that crap.

Thought you said that ABC wasn't

going to force nothing on him.

They didn't.

It was Ray's idea.

Something new.

What are we then, Jeff?

Something old?

Yeah, what about us?

We got to eat, too.

Other arms should

reach out to me

Other eyes smile tenderly

Still in the peaceful dreams

I see

The road leads back

to you

It's a hit record.

What the hell

is wrong with that?

Critics say you've gone

middle-of-the-road.

The orchestra, the choir,

The Perry Como Show, man?

If I feel the music,

that means it's real.

No, it ain't.

Ray Charles is a sellout.

The blind Liberace, leaving

those Rocking Chair roots behind.

Quincy Jones.

Can we get a picture

of these two guys?

Six-nine!

Hey, boy.

Look, here, uh,

this interview is over.

I'd love to

get you two together, man.

S-some other time.

Look at you. How's it

going, man? You look good.

Let me look at you.

You look good, too.

You hear what they're

saying about me?

I just said that I... I can't do it

no more. I've gone middle-of-the-road.

So crank out

another hit.

Let me tell you something,

it ain't easy

to keep on being greezy, kid.

Where you blow in from?

Paris.

Bonjour.

Yeah, man.

France is where it's at.

Yeah, man. And all that stuff

you've been playing,

man, it's just...

it really feels out of sight.

You know, we gotta

record something together.

I mean, people will

really dig it.

So, where you going

after the Festival?

Oh, I... I go to D.C., Richmond,

uh, Virginia, Georgia.

You know what, once you get the

record out there, you gotta sell it.

The South, man?

I'm not doing that no more.

Hey, come on, kid, that's

where the money is, baby.

You know, When I left Seattle

with Hamp,

we went down there, man.

And it felt like

I walked into a prison cell.

You know, a black man is a

"boy" in Mississippi, Ray.

Even if he's 80 years old.

I'm never playing

to Jim Crow again. Ever.

If that's what you feel,

baby.

I'm serious, Ray.

Man, we gotta do something.

Well, you know,

what... what the hell, man.

You're just going to leave a lot

more money on the table for me.

You're welcome to it,

man.

You ready to work?

Work on what?

Get over here, you gotta

help me with this.

Percy just sent me

some new music.

You know what

they're saying about me?

Said I've lost something, said

I've gone middle-of-the-road.

They may as well say

the same thing about you.

You were the soul

of this band.

Now every time you're around,

you're just drunk.

Drunk soul

of a blind junkie.

What a lovely couple.

Why don't you

just get out of here?

I ain't drunk, Ray.

I'm pregnant.

Yeah, that's right.

I'm having your baby.

You ain't really...

You... you can't do that.

I'm gonna have to

talk to the doctor.

You gotta get rid of it.

My God!

What, because

I'm not your precious Bea?

I'm not good enough

to have this baby?

You lay up

in my bed every night.

My bed!

I'm gonna have this baby, Ray.

No, Ray! No! Come on, come

on. Come on, just listen.

Just listen to me.

You know

I care about you, baby.

I won't let nothing happen to

you. I'll pay for everything.

No!

It's gonna cost you

more than money.

I want you to leave her, Ray.

Come and be with our baby.

You out of your damn mind. You knew

the rules when you got into this.

You know goddamn well I

ain't gonna leave my family.

Leave your family?

You are a damn fool,

you know that?

Between the dope

and the music and me,

you already done left

your damn family!

You know what the sad part about

it is, Ray, you don't even know it.

You know what?

From now on, it's strictly

business between you and me.

Yeah, that's it. That's it.

Keep that anger.

Hit the road, Jack

And don't you come back

no more

no more,

no more, no more

Hit the road, Jack

and don't you come back

no more

You ain't right,

hit the road Jack

Don't you come back

no more

no more,

no more, no more

Hit the road, Jack

and don't come back

no more

What you sayin'?

Hit the road Jack

And don't come back

no more

no more,

no more, no more

Hit the road Jack

And don't you come back

no more

Now baby, listen baby

don't-a treat me

this-a way

For I'll be back

on my feet some day

Don't care if you do

'cause it's understood

You ain't got no money,

you just ain't no good

Well, I guess

if you say so

I'd have to pack my things

and go

That's right

Hit the road, Jack

And don't you come back

no more

no more,

no more, no more

Hit the road Jack

And don't you come back

no more

What you sayin'?

Hey, Ray, it's Sam.

Can you hear me? It's Sam!

Yeah, hey, Hit the Road

is our second number one.

Yeah. ABC is taking out ads

in all the trades.

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