Strike Up the Band Page #2

- He sure is.

- You know what that was?

- What?

A springboard. He just launched

the biggest ship that ever sailed.

- You're absolutely right. Okay.

- Let's take a short cut.

You know, I misjudged that man.

- Heart, that's what he's got. A lot of heart.

- Here, I'll help you.

- Something's been troubling me lately.

- What?

Do you think "our Love Affair"

has enough punch in it?

"Our Love Affair."

Oh, well,

now that you mentioned it, Jimmy...

Because I've got

a new arrangement on it.

Oh, it's a dynamite love song

just made-to-order for you.

I'll play it.

Wait until you get a load of this intro.

I've got some chords

that are really out of this world.

Listen.

It starts off a little flairy.

Are you listening to me?

Then it softens down here.

It's violins, you know?

Then the orchestra sneaks back in

for the vocal.

Our love affair will be such fun

We'll be the envy of everyone

Those famous lovers

We'll make them forget

From Adam and Eve

To Scarlett and Rhett

Flutes and oboes.

When youth has had its merry fling

We'll spend our evenings remembering

Two happy people

Who say on the square

With fiddles.

Isn't ours a lovely love affair?

Come on, sit down. Try it.

Are you sure you want me to sing

with the band? You're not just...

of course not, we need you.

You're as important to me

as the brass section.

- That's pretty important.

- Try the verse.

Here we are

Two very bewildered people

Here we are

Two babes that are lost in the wood

We're not quite certain

What has happened to us

This lovely thing that's so marvelous

But right from here

The future looks awfully good

Our love affair

Was meant to be

It's me for you, dear

And you for me

We'll fuss, we'll quarrel

And tears start to brew

But after the tears

Our love will smile through

I'm sure that I

Could never hide

The thrill I get

When you're by my side

And when we're older

We'll proudly declare

Wasn't ours a lovely love affair?

I'll learn to bake a chocolate cake

The kind of cake mother used to make

You hungry? Come on, let's go see

if we can find some of that cake.

Swell.

I hope there's some left,

if Daddy hasn't eaten it all up.

You know, Mary,

I'd never be satisfied with a small band.

I want a great big one. A symphony.

Why, I wanna make American music...

...just as important

as any other country's music.

Look at George Gershwin.

Why, his music is as good

as Beethoven or Bach, better maybe.

Best of all, it's American.

You like grapes and strawberries?

Can you imagine me conducting

a concert in Carnegie Hall?

Oh, boy, what a thrill.

On my left, I have 50 fiddles.

Fifty? That's a lot of strings.

And on my right,

I'd have the violas and the cellos.

Oh, wonderful.

And right in front of me,

I'd have the saxes and the clarinets.

You know, the woodwind

is the real body to an orchestra.

Right in back of them,

I'd have the brass section.

Over in the back,

I'd have the bass fiddles. Ten of them.

- Ten?

- Sure, you gotta have a good beat.

Then I'd have the drums

and the tymps. Over here.

Oh, you've gotta have

those drums in there, Mary.

And over in the back,

I'd have a piano on a platform.

- Piano.

- Make it two pianos.

- Two pianos.

- Oh, I just love pianos.

- And a harp?

- Yeah.

Then the lights would dim down,

and I'd come out.

Here, this is me.

I'd tap on my stand for order.

I'd get ready

to give them the downbeat.

I'd give the tymps a downbeat like this:

- There you are, Mary.

- That's wonderful.

Oh, that's the way

it's gonna be:
Success.

- Only...

- only what?

There's just one thing that it lacks

to make it perfect.

- Yeah, just one thing.

- What's that, Jimmy?

Oh, you'd think I was silly

if I was to mention it.

Oh, no I wouldn't.

Really, I wouldn't. What is it?

- Well...

- oh, Mary?

Yes, Daddy.

Where is my tobacco pouch?

It's on the desk, Daddy.

Well, it's a little late, isn't it?

It's just about that time.

I was just going.

Good night, Mr. Holden. Good night.

- Jimmy.

- Yeah?

- What is it?

- What?

You know,

what you're gonna say in there.

The only thing you needed

to make it all perfect.

Oh, a xylophone.

- Good night, Mary.

- Good night.

Isn't this a lovely love affair?

Wait a minute.

Hold it! Hold it, everybody!

Come on, fellas,

now let's get together!

Dick, you and Leonard

have been introduced.

You don't have to start taking a solo.

We gotta play a dance tonight.

People are paying money!

Okay, Jimmy, we'll get it.

All right, then, let's get it.

Everybody, right from the bridge,

let's take it again. Here we go. One, two.

How you doing, honey?

Well, I don't know, Annie.

I'm discouraged.

You know, it does something

to a girl's spirit...

...to keep on fighting a losing battle

to a snare drum.

Well, just keep holding out, Mary.

You'll win.

Gee, Mary, if I were Jimmy Connors,

I'd tell the whole world you were my girl.

Well, that's why

all the girls love you, Willie.

But who wants all the girls?

That's great. You play it like that tonight

and we can't miss.

That's all, everybody.

Leave your music on the stands.

Don't forget, 8:
00 sharp,

and everybody with a clean shirt.

Hey, Jimmy, I can't make it at 8:00.

I have to pick up Annie.

You have to pick up Annie?

Well, gee, Jimmy, I promised her

and it's a big night.

Are you gonna play a saxophone

or keep your mind on the gals?

- You know I'm... It's only that Annie...

- Somebody's gonna have to pick her up.

I can't take any chances on that.

I may lose her.

We're playing for big stakes now.

If we wanna get anywhere,

everybody's gotta hang in there.

Well, they tell me

that we've just sold our 257th ticket.

Oh, it's wonderful. You see, Phil?

Now, if we only had a good orchestra.

That's what I meant, Phil.

A female mind.

- Why...

- Annie, come here a minute...

...and sit down here.

I wanna tell you something.

Now, Annie, I've got something

kind of hard to tell you.

But I'm not worrying about it...

...because I know

you're big enough to understand.

Here comes the business.

Now, now, Annie, I'm not gonna be able

to bring you to the dance tonight.

- Oh, heck.

- Oh, don't worry about it.

Because I'm getting a friend of mine.

He's not very good-looking

but he's loyal.

- Can he rumba?

- Rumba?

Rumba, why, he made it up.

- Here you are.

- Thanks.

I gotta get here early and set up,

so I won't be able to stop by for you.

How about it, Willie?

Will you bring Mary for me?

- Well, yeah, sure.

- You don't mind coming with Willie, do you?

- No, of course not.

- Swell, see you tonight.

Yeah, so long.

I always have a wonderful time

when I'm with Willie.

- Don't I?

- Yeah.

And I always wind up

with a pat on the head.

Hey, Phil. It's a swell gait, isn't it?

Gee, Mary, I feel dandy.

Couldn't we go someplace

where we could, well, sort of be alone?

Oh, now, Willie, you be a good boy.

Remember what I told you.

You know, Mary,

I was studying up on Napoleon.

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