The Making of Alan Parker's Film 'The Commitments' Page #2

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so... I thought yeh were sellin' drugs.

Hey, lads. This is Dean Fay.

Howayeh? Outspan Foster.

Derek Scully.

His influences are Clarence Clemons

and the guy from Madness.

- That's a nice sax.

- I haven't had it long.

Me uncle gave it to me

when his lung collapsed.

- This the band, is it?

- Yeah.

Bet U2 are shittin' themselves.

- Still got blue suede shoes, Mr Rabbitte?

- F*** off, carrot-head!

# Who's sorry now?

# Who's sorry now?

Any chance for me, lads?

In your wildest dreams, Jimmy,

did yeh ever think you'd be this big?

To be honest, Terry, I did.

Even in the early days.

As big as The Rolling Stones?

Who the f*** are they, Terry?

- Who's in there with yeh?

- I'm being interviewed on television!

It's Colonel Jimmy Rabbitte now, wha'?

Interviewed on television!

He's interviewing himself!

- Yeah?

- Jimmy, there's another one.

Yeah?

- I saw the ad.

- Did yeh?

- Yeah. I'm a singer.

- Is that right? Let's hear yeh, then.

- Here?

- Yeah.

- Can I come inside?

- No.

- In the hall, even?

- No.

I can't sing. Not out here.

Fair enough. See yeh.

OK. Thanks.

# Only the lonely

# Know the way I feel tonight

# Only the lonely

# Know this feeling ain't right

I can't play for yis cos me drum kit's

in the pawnshop. But I'm good.

- Who are your influences?

- Animal in the Muppets.

Animal!

Jaysis!

- I used to play in a band.

- What did they do?

- Depeche Mode. Aztec Camera.

- F***in' art-school stuff.

- The Beatles went to art school.

- So did Roxy Music, and you liked them.

It's who it's aimed at. Wankers with funny

haircuts and rich dads with f***-all to do.

That sounds like me arse.

But I'm sure you're right, Jimmy.

- Me boss has a truck I can get the use of.

- Could be handy, Billy.

Might help till we get a tour bus.

Hey! There's Imelda Quirke!

F***! Do you know her?

- Yeah.

- She was in our school.

- Oh, look at that body! She is beautiful!

- She's a little ride, isn't she?

Yeh'd think she'd be in a cocktail bar

sippin' drinks with umbrellas.

She's almost too perfect.

You mean you'd stand a chance

if she had bandy legs and a hump?

When this band's happenin',

you'll be fightin' women off.

Ohh! Rock'n'roll!

- You won't get that with And And And.

- We told Ray we left the band.

- How did he take it?

- Not too bad.

- He said he was goin' solo.

- Doesn't have much bleedin' choice!

- Howyeh, Bernie.

- Howayeh, Jimmy?

- How's things?

- Shite.

Gis a bag o' chips, will yeh?

I like the hair. Are yeh growing out

the Sinad O'Connor?

F*** off!

- D'yeh wanna be in a band?

- Wha'?

- Back-up singer, like.

- Me?

Why not? You used to sing

in the church choir. Lovely voice!

F*** off! D'yeh want salt an' vinegar?

I'm serious. On the Bible.

I'm puttin' a band together. I need singers.

I'll think about it.

- How much is that?

- 50p.

Thanks.

Are you still friendly

with that, uh... Imelda?

Imelda Quirke?

Imelda Quirke. Will you ask her as well?

Yeah.

Thanks. See yeh.

Jimmy? Me friend Natalie's

got a great voice.

Good. Bring her.

But don't forget Imelda.

- OK. See yeh, Jimmy.

- See yeh.

What the f*** do they want Imelda Quirke

for? F***in' tits and arse - that's it.

Anyone sittin' here?

Doesn't look like it.

- How's the soup?

- Poxy.

- Anything worth eatin'?

- It's all poxy.

Me name's Jimmy Rabbitte. I'm puttin'

a band together. I need a singer.

Me?

Yeah! I heard yeh.

You've a rare pair o' lungs.

- Where'd yeh hear me singin'?

- The Quirke wedding.

I was pissed out o' me brains.

I had 1 4 rum an' blacks.

- You got up and sang.

- I did?

No one told me.

Hey, you!

Hey, you!

Hey!

That's enough!

Had to see if he could play before I paid.

I'll be back at the end o' the month.

- That's what they all say.

- I will!

It's me ma's.

She thinks I'm havin' it cleaned.

Oi! Ginger!

Shut the f*** up, will yeh!

# I... I... I...

# I

# I

# I

# I

# I

# I can feel

# Love

# I love you so

- Can you sing that sort o' stuff?

- I can sing anythin'.

It's not the singin'. It's how he does it.

The showmanship.

Brilliant!

I'm not doin' that! I'd kneecap meself!

He's hurt, look. They're helpin' him off.

What'll they do now?

Bring on a substitute?

It's the act, lads. Watch.

- Five minutes, Jimmy.

- How are you, gorgeous?

Go an' shite!

That's what you've got to

measure up to, lads.

D'yeh not think, uh...

What?

Well, like... maybe we're

a little white for that kind o' thing.

D'yeh not get it, lads?

The Irish are the blacks of Europe.

And Dubliners are the blacks of Ireland.

And the northside Dubliners

are the blacks of Dublin.

So say it once, say it loud:

I'm black an' I'm proud!

# Now I know it's wrong

# The things I ask you to do

# But please believe me, darlin'

# I don't mean to hurt you

# But could you slip away

# Without him knowin' you're gone?

# Could you meet me somewhere?

# Take my hand

You must be gettin' desperate. Wait till

you see the little bollix askin' for yeh.

# Take my whole life too

# One, two, cha-cha-cha

# One, two, cha-cha-cha

# One, two, cha-cha-cha

# One, two, cha-cha-cha

Yeah?

God bless you, Brother Rabbitte.

Your band need a trumpet?

You're the same age as me da!

You may speak the truth.

But I'm 16 years younger than BB King.

- You've heard of BB King?

- I jammed with the man.

Piss off!

Leicester Mecca, 1972. Didn't give it me

best, though. Had a bit of a head cold.

What's your name, pal?

Joseph Fagan.

Joey ''The Lips'' Fagan.

And I'm Jimmy ''The Bollix'' Rabbitte!

I earned me name for me horn playin'.

What did you earn yours for?

- Don't get snotty with me, son.

- I get snotty with no man.

- You played with BB King?

- Among others, brother.

- Like?

- Have we got all day?

Screamin' Jay Hawkins. Martha Reeves.

Sam Cooke.

Poor Sam.

Otis Redding. May the Lord

have mercy on his sweet soul.

Joe Tex. The Four Tops. Stevie Wonder.

He was only 11 . A pup.

- Wilson Pickett...

- Why are yeh in Dublin?

I'm tired of the road.

And me mammy isn't very well.

- Why would yeh want to join us?

- The Lord sent me

and the Lord blows my trumpet.

- What did Evel Knievel want?

- God sent him.

- What?

- God sent him.

On a f***in' Suzuki?

Jaysis!

He can play. That's for sure.

- The Lord doesn't like it if we whisper.

- Why? Is he deaf?

I didn't join this band to sing

Moon f***in' River.

It's merely my favourite lip-loosener.

We'll be playin' soul.

See, the Lord told me the Irish brothers

needed some soul. Well, Ed Winchell,

a Baptist reverend on Lenox Avenue

in Harlem, told me.

But the Lord told him to tell me.

He said the Irish brothers wouldn't be

shootin' the arses off each other

if they had... soul.

I can't figure him out, Jimmy. He talks

like a priest and he's wearin' slippers!

He's played with all the greats.

Even The Beatles.

- The Beatles?

- Yeah.

# All you need is love!

# Da-da-da-da-da!

That was Joey.

- What's Steven Clifford doin' here? He's...

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