Genius (2017) s03e03 Episode Script

1
ANNOUNCER: Previously on Genius.
CL: I'm going to call
it the Freedom March.
We going to make change happen
because we going to demand it.
It'd be the biggest
freedom march in history.
TED: You know, a man like Dr. King
really should have his own march.
I mean that would really get a turn out.
ART: You're a wonderkind,
a wonder child.
CL: We go back on the road
I'm going to take you with me.
MAN: She ain't old enough
to travel on Gospel Circuit.
CL (OVER PA): I'm here with
my daughter, Aretha Louise.
She will come up on this
stage and sing for the very
first time on this Gospel Circuit.
MAN: Try this, it's sweet.
RONNY: You want to dance?
ARETHA: My tummy's been feeling
sick and my monthly hasn't come.
BIG MOMMA: Well, how long has it been?
ARETHA: Four months.
CL: The road is a wild place, Mom.
BIG MOMMA: I wanted her to stay home.
CL: This is not going to stop you
from what you were meant to do.
TED: You think you can
manage her better than me?
RUTH: We can both manage her, Ted.
She's going places.
ANNOUNCER (OVER PA):
The people of Chicago,
people of the world hereby crown you
(SMACKS)
the Queen of Soul.
(AUDIENCE APPLAUSE).
Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah.
Show me the way to
get to Soulville, baby.
Show me the way to go home
(CHEERING).
MAN: Aretha!
WOMAN: Ms. Franklin, Ms. Franklin.
Your music has saved my life.
ARETHA: Thank you so
much for coming to my show.
Would you like me to
sign anything for you?
WOMAN: Oh no, thank you.
It's enough just to shake your hand.
ARETHA: You're so sweet.
Thank you so much.
MAN: Ms. Franklin,
can you sign my album.
Ms. Franklin.
OFFICER: Back it up. Back up!
MAN: I didn't do nothing.
What are you doing, man?
ARETHA: That's not necessary. That's
not necessary. That's not necessary!
(THUDS)
That isn't necess
What's going to happen to him?
(THEME MUSIC PLAYS)
♪
(BABY CRYING).
ARETHA: Shh, I'm right here.
I'm right here baby.
Settle down.
Hungry?
No?
Big Momma, he won't stop fussing.
BIG MOMMA: Well, did
you check his diaper?
ARETHA: Um
I'm not a good mother, am I?
BIG MOMMA: Nah, you're good.
You're beautiful, wonderful.
(DOORBELL)
Look at mommy.
CL: We're here.
ERMA: Could you guys please
be quiet, I'm trying to read.
CL: Is that who I think it is out there?
Powder blue!
BROTHER CLEVELAND:
Yes indeed, yes indeed.
CL: Yes, sir. Brother Cleveland.
BROTHER CLEVELAND:
All the way from Chicago.
CL: Oh, come on in here.
This is my mother here, Mrs. Rachel.
Mrs. Rachel.
BROTHER CLEVELAND: Oh,
Mrs. Rachel, afternoon, ma'am.
Such a pleasure to meet you.
BIG MOMMA: Nice to meet you, too.
BROTHER CLEVELAND: Yes, yes, yes, yes.
Oh, and this young
lady must be little Re.
Uh-huh, yeah, I done
heard a lot about you.
(BABY CRYING).
CL: That's my grand-baby, Clarence.
BROTHER CLEVELAND: Oh, no, sweetheart.
I don't have a knack for that.
CL: Momma, Reverend James is
gonna be our new choir director.
- BIG MOMMA: Oh, nice.
- CL: Mm-hmm, mm-hmm.
And momma, I just found
he ain't got nowhere to stay.
He's going to be
staying with us for a while.
BIG MOMMA: He going
to be staying with us?
CL: Until he find a place.
BROTHER CLEVELAND: Ah, I hear
there's a little star in you.
ARETHA: I haven't played too
much since having the baby.
BROTHER CLEVELAND: Well, it's
time to start playing again.
CL: Brother, you must be hungry.
So, Momma, come on.
We got to get him something to eat.
BIG MOMMA: Hold on, hold on.
BROTHER CLEVELAND: I sure
can go for something myself.
What you got?
- BIG MOMMA: I'm coming.
- CL: You know I got you.
BROTHER CLEVELAND: Oh,
nice and golden fried chicken.
BIG MOMMA: You don't know
nothing about my chicken.
BROTHER CLEVELAND: You
gonna sock it to me?
BIG MOMMA: No, don't you cut my
(BABY CRYING).
REPORTER (OVER TV): A 10:00
PM to 6:00 AM curfew will be enforced
in a third of the city
as the rioting continues.
(GUNSHOTS OVER TV)
ARETHA: I'm worried, Daddy.
It's calm right here in, in
New York right now but it's
only a matter of time
before the madness comes here
and to Detroit too.
CL: Some of the young
people in the congregation are
especially agitated,
you know, I preach peace.
CL (OVER PHONE): But if
the people want to riot,
they gonna riot.
And if things get out of hand,
I've got my gun.
ARETHA (OVER PHONE): Please don't
say that, especially around the kids.
CL: I'll keep everybody safe, Re.
You take care of yourself.
ARETHA: All right. Bye, Daddy.
Uh-uh.
They put a crown on my head,
and you punched me in my face.
TED: Things got out
of hand for both of us.
I'm sorry. I'm cleaning up my act.
ARETHA: Well, until you can prove
that you can keep sleeping on the couch.
- TED: Come on now, baby.
- ARETHA: Have you lost your mind?
TED: Look, don't let that
"Queen" stuff get to your head.
ARETHA: I'm going to let that
"Queen" thing go wherever I want it to.
TED: I'm tired of
sleeping on this damn couch.
ARETHA: Shh, Dr. King is on.
ANNOUNCER (OVER TV): A lot of
us are looking at these images on TV
of people, Negros, fighting the
police and wondering how is this
going to make things better?
KING (OVER TV): Well, what we don't see
on our TVs is how the fighting started.
If a peaceful person has
violence inflicted upon him,
unfortunately,
violence is often the result.
ARETHA: I remember the first time he
came and preached at my daddy's church.
ANNOUNCER (OVER TV): Do you
believe in the power of nonviolence?
KING (OVER TV): I believe
that physical force is best
met with the power of the soul.
I would ask people of all
races to ask themselves how can
I help and how can I be of service?
ARETHA: He's right.
I want to be of service.
(TED SCOFFS)
TED: You going to be an activist now?
How you going to fit
that into your busy schedule?
ARETHA: How I fit it in my
schedule ain't your business.
But I'm going to find something to do.
I love you I love you ♪
I love you too ♪
Baby won't you call me the moment ♪
You get there ♪
CAROLYN: You liking it?
ARETHA: It's too easy.
RUTH: Uh, let me call you back.
Okay, thank you, uh-huh.
ARETHA: There's no longing and pain.
People are fighting and dying out there,
I don't feel none of that in this.
CAROLYN: Well, maybe that's
just cause you're holding back.
Aretha, you've got to
put some of you in there.
Come on.
KING CURTIS: I think I can help.
Listen to this.
(SOLO SAX)
(WHOLE BAND GROOVE)
ARETHA: Stop.
(MUSIC STOPS)
RUTH: Thank you, fellas. Thank you.
Hey, hey, hey, what's going on with you?
ARETHA: You watch the news?
RUTH: Yeah, what's on the news
doesn't stop me from doing my job.
ARETHA: You see Dr. King
on The Bachman Show?
RUTH: Yeah.
ARETHA: I want to go on
there, sing something.
RUTH: He's going to want an interview.
ARETHA: I'll do it.
Could be good to lend my voice, right?
RUTH: Sure, right, yeah.
JERRY: Put down
whatever you're drinking.
It is time for champagne.
ARETHA: What are we celebrating?
JERRY: "Baby I Love You" just
went number one on the R&B charts.
- RUTH: Hey!
- MAN: Congratulations.
ARETHA: Thank you. But I
don't feel very much like a party.
- JERRY: What?
- CAROLYN: Aretha.
JERRY: Ms. Franklin?
(MUFFLED CHATTER)
Bah-da bah-da-da-da ♪
Bah-da bah-da-da-da ♪
Monday, Monday ♪
bah-da bah-da-da-da ♪
So good to me ♪
Bah-da bah-da-da-da ♪
Monday mornin', it was
all I hoped it would be ♪
NAT: Excuse me.
Now, what does a brother
have to do to get a beautiful
woman like you to sign right here.
ARETHA: You need to
tell me what I'm signing.
NAT: Can I at least
tell you my name first?
- ARETHA: Mm-hmm.
- NAT: I'm Nat.
ARETHA: Like the rebel?
NAT: You're smart and beautiful.
Okay, I see.
ARETHA: What are you canvasing for?
NAT: Well, I'm working to
establish a new chapter of
Dr. King's Operation
Breadbasket here in New York City.
ARETHA: He was a guest at my
family's house when I was younger.
NAT: Wait a minute.
You're Aretha Franklin.
ARETHA: Shh. Don't tell everyone here.
NAT: What is "The Queen of Soul"
doing out here?
ARETHA: A little breath of fresh air,
hoping to find a way
to make a difference.
Maybe I can help you
hand out some flyers.
NAT: Absolutely. Here you go.
- ARETHA: What should I say?
- NAT: Just speak from the heart.
Here you go.
WOMAN: Oh, I'll take one.
NAT: Oh, absolutely, sister. There
you go. Come on, let's make a change.
Here you go.
Here you go.
You're getting the hang of it.
There you go.
ARETHA: Thank you so much.
NAT: Everybody's voice matters.
ARETHA: Would you like to take a flyer?
MAN: Yeah, thank you.
ARETHA: Thank you so much.
Hey, we could use your vote.
Hold on, I'm coming ♪
Any help you can give
is appreciated, thank you.
Hold on, I'm coming ♪
NAT: There you go. Look at you.
ARETHA: Sir, would you take a flyer?
Thank you so much.
JERRY: Ms. Franklin.
I thought I'd find you here.
We need to get going.
NAT: Woah, woah, woah, woah, woah.
You know this guy?
ARETHA: Jerry Wexler, this is Nat.
Nat, this is
JERRY: This is the guy who's got a
studio full of musicians waiting on her.
It was very nice to meet you,
would you excuse us please?
NAT: Would you excuse us?
I can't wait to tell everyone
I met the most beautiful woman
and it ended up being Aretha Franklin.
ARETHA: It was nice to meet you.
PROTESTER: Stop the war in Vietnam.
NAT: Pleasure was mine.
PROTESTER: The Vietnamese
are people too!
JERRY: We really do need to get going.
PROTESTER: Stop the war in Vietnam!
ARETHA: Feels like the world is ending
and I just can't sit by and watch.
JERRY: So, you hand out flyers?
ARETHA: It's something.
JERRY: It is. It's honorable work.
But right now, we need
you in the studio focused.
- ARETHA: You're right.
- JERRY: I am?
ARETHA: I need to go
where I can reach most people.
CROWD: Not people, war on poverty!
Not people, war on poverty!
I love you ♪
And I love you ♪
And I love you too ♪
Baby will you call me the moment ♪
You get there ♪
Hey, baby ♪
Mmm-hmm ♪
I know, I know, I know I know ♪
We've gone too far. ♪
Baby, baby, baby,
baby, baby, baby, baby ♪
It really doesn't hurt me that bad ♪
Yeah ♪
Because you're taking me with you ♪
I'm keeping you right
a-here in my heart ♪
It's all because I love you ♪
And I love you ♪
(UP TEMPO MUSIC)
BROTHER CLEVELAND: Yeah, darling.
You see how I'm putting
grease on them cords?
ARETHA: I see, I see.
BROTHER CLEVELAND: You see,
I take the sound in through
my ear and let it flow
throughout my whole body.
Yeah. I let it work me,
put my back into it.
Then I dig in.
Yes, yeah.
You got to go head-to-head
with these keys,
you see me wrestling with it?
ARETHA: I see.
BROTHER CLEVELAND: Uh-huh.
Here we go!
Yeah, now we feeling it.
ARETHA: Woo!
BROTHER CLEVELAND: Thank you my darling.
Thank you, thank you, thank you.
Which music you like better,
gospel or pop?
ARETHA: Do I gotta choose?
BROTHER CLEVELAND: You know,
gospel folks think that pop is sinful.
ARETHA: My daddy
likes all types of music.
BROTHER CLEVELAND: Yeah, there
ain't many preachers like your daddy.
ARETHA: I want you to come out
on the road with us this summer.
BROTHER CLEVELAND:
On the Gospel Circuit?
ARETHA: We could be friends.
I didn't have a friend last time.
BROTHER FRANKLIN: Maybe.
Let's see what you got on the keys.
Mm-hmm.
ANNOUNCER: A round of applause for
Ms. Aretha Franklin, everybody.
After our break,
we'll return with more
of The Alan Bachman Show.
TED: You're doing great. Need
me to go back out there with you?
- ARETHA: No.
- RUTH: You wanted to do this.
ARETHA: That doesn't make it any easier.
RUTH: Look, you'll be fine.
He'll want to hear about the
new record and then he'll ask
you some softball
questions about the movement.
ARETHA: What was I thinking?
RUTH: Just say whatever's
on your mind and then if that
doesn't work, talk about the new record.
TED: Need a little help?
ARETHA: No. I need to stay focused.
RUTH: You got this.
ALAN: Thank you, that
was wonderful Aretha.
They named you "The Queen of Soul".
Did they give you a crown?
ARETHA: They did, Allen, but I
only wear it on official state business.
ALAN: You've been performing
a lot of sold out shows.
You must be making a lot of money.
ARETHA: Oh, a lady never tells.
ALAN: Things are getting pretty
hot in your hometown of Detroit,
and I'm not just
talking about the weather.
There have been a lot of riots
across the country this summer,
some people are saying
that Detroit is next.
ARETHA: Well, I hope not.
ALAN: Some people think that
things are better for the negro
now then they've been,
let's say, a few years ago.
Can you explain the
reason for the riots?
ARETHA: Well, what I wanted to
say that I agree with Dr. King.
I think that now is the
time for love and healing.
ALAN: We've heard a lot
from Dr. King these days.
And your music has certainly
touched a lot of people.
You've sold millions of records;
do you feel pressure
as a successful singer to do
something about what's going on?
ARETHA: Not pressure, opportunity.
I could do more which is
exactly what I'm planning to do.
(AUDIENCE APPLAUSE)
WOMAN: We love you, Aretha.
ANNOUNCER (OVER TV): Today marks
the fourth day of escalating riots,
looting, and arson in Detroit.
ARETHA: Daddy, is everybody okay?
CL (OVER PHONE): We okay.
ARETHA: How's the church?
CL (OVER PHONE): The worst is
over but come home as soon as you can.
ARETHA: I'm flying in tonight.
Bye, Daddy.
ANNOUNCER (OVER TV): An entire
neighborhood has been leveled by fire.
There's a train a comin' ♪
You don't need no baggage ♪
You just get on board ♪
All you need is faith ♪
To hear the diesel's hummin' ♪
You don't need no ticket ♪
You just thank the lord ♪
CL: Baby, it looks like Brother
Wallace is going to pull through.
They done put him in a room
where the family could visit.
- ARETHA: Was he shot?
- CL: By the police.
ARETHA: How's Sister Boyd's son?
CL: He didn't make it.
Cecil talked to him.
ARETHA: How can I help?
What do they need?
CECIL: They need help
paying they hospital bills,
funeral expenses.
ARETHA: We need to help people,
raise some money so they could rebuild.
CECIL: You've got tour dates coming up.
ARETHA: I'll cancel them.
CECIL: You going to tell Ruth that?
ARETHA: I'll work around
them, it's not important.
This is important.
CL: I couldn't agree with you more.
ARETHA: You could preach, Daddy.
I could sing.
We could ask other people.
People would help
Detroit because of you.
CL: Then let's do that.
But first, let's get going on this.
We've got to help our people here.
Look, I'll be with you in a minute.
WOMAN: All right.
My ankle is starting to swell.
MAN: Much appreciated.
CL: Y'all better listen to Dr. King,
now he's got a lot to say.
KING: Thank you, Mother Franklin.
MOTHER FRANKLIN: Dr. King,
it is a pleasure and an honor
to have you in our home.
KING: Well, thank you.
Pleasure's all mine.
CL: Momma, can I have
a little more sugar?
Thank you.
- KING: Reverend?
- CL: Yes, sir.
KING: You truly resurrected
the spirit of Detroit tonight.
CL: Thank God, thank God.
KING: And Ms. Franklin,
I'm impressed to see you here.
I know you're busy the
way your career's going.
ARETHA: Well, I live in New York,
but Detroit will always be my home.
TED: I try to make sure she comes
back to Detroit whenever she can.
KING: And if you ever need
something done in Detroit,
everyone knows to call
on Reverend CL Franklin.
CL: Come on now, come on now.
KING: I wish I could
have come earlier but the
Southern Christian Leadership Conference
has been struggling financially.
They've been telling me
the best way to raise money
is to hold benefit concerts.
So, been hitting the road with
the likes of Harry Belafonte
and Joan Baez just to name a few.
ARETHA: I'd like to
join your tour, Dr. King.
KING: We'd love to have you.
CL: I'll clear my schedule, too.
KING: I don't want to pull
you away from Detroit, Reverend.
CL: Oh, no, no, no, no.
ARETHA: I think what Dr. King is saying
is that he only needs singers to help.
CL: Well, Detroit needs its favorite
daughter now more than ever.
ARETHA: But with Dr. King I
could reach so many more people.
KING: Your daughter would draw a crowd.
That would be quite a boon for us.
TED: We actually would
love to make this happen.
We just got to review the schedule.
CL: The schedule's grueling as it is.
You don't want to spread
yourself too thin, baby.
KING: Normally, I'd agree.
But your daughter's a star
of international prominence and
that comes with a
certain responsibility.
ARETHA: Come on, Daddy.
There's enough of me to go around.
CL: If Dr. King thinks it's
best then, well, of course.
ARETHA: And if you need
me in Detroit, I'll be here.
KING: The SCLC is having
our annual banquet soon.
Surely you can join us then.
CL: Well, I'll show up
wherever I'm invited.
ARETHA: How about I join you all
for the next couple of weeks?
KING: Amen. That'd be beautiful.
Go tell it on the mountain ♪
Over the hills and everywhere ♪
Go tell it on the mountain ♪
That Jesus Christ is born ♪
CL: Yeah, that's my girl.
That's right.
MAN: She's singing a lot
better than she did last year.
CL: She's more used
to the environment now,
that's what it is.
- MAN: Yeah.
- CL: Yeah.
MAN: Your daughter, I tell you she's a,
she's a baby singer if I ever heard one.
And you can really
bring in the crowd, Rev.
CL: I see you adding
some extra chairs over here.
MAN: We just sold a few more
tickets than I thought we would, so.
CL: Pay me more, huh?
MAN: We already,
already agreed on your fee.
CL: The word of God has no price,
but I know you charging
for them extra chairs.
You good?
MAN: Yeah.
Go tell it on the mountain ♪
Oh-oh ♪
Over the hills and everywhere ♪
CL: If I feel taken advantage of,
I might have to
cancel the show right now.
MAN: I'll tell you what,
there ain't no need for that.
I'll just, I'll tell you, I'll just
make the proper adjustments.
CL: That's what I want to hear.
Appreciate it.
Everywhere ♪
Go tell it on the mountain ♪
That Jesus Christ is born ♪
WOMAN: Let your light shine, yes.
(CLAPPING).
Jesus Christ is born ♪
CL: Yes, sir. Yes, sir.
Baby, baby. That's right.
Come here, girl. There's my girl.
You glad to be back on the tour?
ARETHA: Mm-hmm.
CL: That's right, come on.
ANNOUNCER: That's right, that's right.
There they go.
Come on choir, come on choir.
Woo, that's what I'm talking about.
Thank you, Jesus.
You just heard my daughter Aretha.
Now, we've been up
waiting for this all week.
No, don't take your seats.
Get up on your feets.
Don't take your seats,
get up on your feets.
(CLAPPING)
CL: Because what
you've been waiting for,
all the way from Greenwood, Mississippi.
The one, the only Mrs. Sammie Bryant.
(CLAPPING AND CHEERING).
♪
I got a robe ♪
You got a robe ♪
All of God's children got a robe ♪
When I get to heaven ♪
I'm gonna put on my robe ♪
I'm shout all over God's Heaven ♪
Heaven, Heaven ♪
WOMAN: What you mean you
left your baby at home?
WOMAN 2: He's just so precious. Aw!
WOMAN: He look just like you,
Re, especially around the eyes.
WOMAN 3: He sure does.
I got a wings ♪
You got a wings ♪
All of God's children got wings ♪
When I get to heaven ♪
I'm gonna put on my wings ♪
I'm gonna fly all over God's Heaven ♪
WOMAN: Now, who you say his
daddy was again?
WOMAN 3: Yeah, who is the daddy?
Everybody talkin' 'bout Heaven ♪
Aint' going there ♪
Heaven, Heaven ♪
I'm gonna fly all over God's Heaven ♪
ARETHA: I better put the picture away.
WOMAN: Give it back, Darlene.
SAMMIE: Let me see.
Ya'll keep your hands off of
other people's' precious things.
Come on, Re.
Let's go.
Girl, let's get away from them.
Re, honey, you don't need
to pay them gals no mind.
I know you was raised
to respect your elders,
but you don't need to give
them mean gals the time of day.
ARETHA: I'll remember that.
SAMMIE: Next time they
come for you, look for me.
Cause I'm going to look out for you.
I knew your mother;
she had that same shine you got.
She'd be proud of you.
ARETHA: I don't think Momma
would be proud of me having a baby.
SAMMIE: If your momma was around
that baby wouldn't have happened.
Is the father helping?
You ain't got to tell me who
he is, all I want to know is,
is he helping?
ARETHA: It's all right, Sammie.
You don't have to worry about me.
SAMMIE: What do you
like to do for fun when you
not on the road?
ARETHA: Roller skate,
listen to the radio.
SAMMIE: Have you heard that
song Loveable by Dale Cooke?
ARETHA: You don't know?
There's no such thing as Dale Cooke.
It's Sam Cooke using a pretend name.
SAMMIE: So, he can get
away with singing pop music?
No!
Sam Cooke is a gospel singer.
Ain't no way he going to be
going around singing no pop music.
ARETHA: I'd know his voice anywhere.
He used to sing at Daddy's church.
SAMMIE: Oh, if folks found
out they would pitch a fit.
ARETHA: Folks like
Darlene and her friends?
SAMMIE: They would say he's
singing that devil's music
and run him out of town on the rail.
ARETHA: Would you?
SAMMIE: If Sam Cooke was singing, ooh,
the minute he start to sweat,
I start fanning myself.
Stick with me and
I'll show you a good time.
ARETHA: He's something else.
(CROWD YELLING).
OFFICER: Hey! Get down on the ground.
MAN: Get back on that bus, you coon.
No one wants you here.
WOMAN: Get out of
here you dirty monkeys.
MAN: This is America not Africa.
WOMAN: We love you, Aretha.
MAN: Brownie, get the hell out of here.
(OVERLAPPING ANGRY CHATTER).
MAN: Niggers.
MAN: Aretha, we love you!
WOMAN: Take your devil
music somewhere else.
MAN: Stay strong, sister.
WOMAN: Y'all better watch it
there's some niggers comin'.
MAN 2: Go to hell you chocolate baby.
MAN 3: Ya'll a bunch of monkeys.
MAN 4: You're a dead man, King.
MOTHER FRANKLIN:
Dr. King, you all right?
KING: Fine, fine.
MOTHER FRANKLIN: You know,
when my son was a baby,
I carried him on my back in
the fields while I was working.
We were sharecroppers.
So, I want to thank you because
I never thought I'd see this day.
KING: Thank you, Mother Franklin.
I needed to hear that.
There's an old friend that ♪
I once heard say ♪
Something that touched my heart ♪
MAN: Sing your song!
And it began this way ♪
(CHEERING AND APPLAUSE).
WOMAN: Come on! Come on Aretha!
I was born by the river ♪
MAN: Yes sir!
In a little tent ♪
WOMAN: That's it, sing!
And just like the river ♪
I've been runnin ever since ♪
MAN: C'mon girl!
He said it's been a long time comin' ♪
But I know my change is gonna come ♪
Oh yeah ♪
He said it's been too hard livin' ♪
But I'm afraid to die ♪
WOMAN: Take your time!
I might not be if I knew ♪
What was up there ♪
Beyond the sky ♪
MAN: C'mon!
It's been a long, a long time comin' ♪
But I know my change is gonna come ♪
MAN: Yes, it will. Yes, it will.
Oh yeah ♪
(CHEERING).
I went, ♪
I went to my brother ♪
And I asked him, brother ♪
Could you help me, please? ♪
MAN: Yeah yeah.
MAN: What'd he say,
what'd he say Aretha?
He said, "My sister ♪
I'd like to, but I'm not able" ♪
And when I ♪
When I looked around ♪
I was right back down ♪
Down on my bended knees ♪
Yes I was, oh ♪
There've been times that I thought ♪
I thought that I
wouldn't last for long ♪
WOMAN: Sing girl!
But somehow right now I
believe that I'm able ♪
I'm able to carry on ♪
I tell you that it's been a long ♪
And oh ♪
I's been an uphill
journey all the way ♪
But I know ♪
I know, I know ♪
MAN: I know. I know.
I know my change is gonna come ♪
Yeah I tell you that ♪
My change is come ♪
(CHEERING AND APPLAUSE).
MAN: Change is coming.
We need a change; we need a change.
KING: Thank you.
CL: Hallelujah
(CHEERING AND APPLAUSE)
(ZIPPO FLICK)
(OVERLAPPING CHATTER)
KING: Having trouble sleeping?
ARETHA: A little.
Ted snores and I've got to be on
the road first thing in the morning,
so I figured I'd just stay up.
KING: I know that trick.
You sang really beautifully tonight.
Sam Cooke song was a good choice.
I appreciate you coming on the road,
traveling, and performing,
and taking care of some
of our transportation costs.
You're quite generous.
ARETHA: It's the least I can do.
Turns out, Daddy doesn't
want to be on the road with us.
KING: It's because he has
his own flock to attend to.
ARETHA: And he wants me to come home.
He and the mayor are organizing
an event that he wants me to attend.
KING: Having a preacher
for a father is a blessing.
But it comes with its challenges.
He took you out of the Gospel
Circuit when you were quite young.
ARETHA: Yes, he did. I learned a lot.
KING: Those gals teach you
how to wear the fur coat?
ARETHA: Well, these hotels
like to keep the air way up and
I don't like to be cold.
KING: Well, I'm going
to Chicago tomorrow.
How about you?
ARETHA: Columbus.
You know, you're about the
only person that I know that
is busier than I am.
Coretta and the children must miss you.
KING: I miss them too.
Is your husband, Ted, a good man?
ARETHA: I used to lean on
him a lot more than I do now.
KING: It's easier for a woman
to be the helpmate of a king than
it is for a man to be
the helpmate of a queen.
ARETHA: I don't think it is easy at all.
KING: Shall we have a toast to that?
ARETHA: Yes, please.
RUTH: Once you get to
Columbus you have a radio promo
at 7:00 AM and then you
have press interviews until noon.
Then you have a store
appearance until 2:00 PM.
After that, we go
straight to sound check.
There's no time for the
hotel, you okay with that?
ARETHA: We'll make it work.
TED: You get enough sleep last night?
ARETHA: I'll get some sleep
in the car on the way there.
TED: In the car, good luck.
ARETHA: I'll get a
couple drinks to help.
Can I see the set list?
RUTH: Here you go, sweetie.
MAN: Martin, I think you should
take it easy on that Vietnam issue.
KING: I'll say what I have to say.
MAN: But where we're going
isn't Riverside Church.
These folks are more conservative.
KING: If I don't talk
about it, who will?
RUTH: Also, I hate to bring this up,
but Jerry called again about the studio.
We got to get back to him.
ARETHA: I'm going to
be on tour for six months.
MAN: But aren't you
going to Philadelphia?
ARETHA: I'll do that, too.
I'll do it all.
KING: I'll see you in Philadelphia.
ARETHA: I'll be there.
Little Mama I took your lovin' ♪
But I wasn't true to you ♪
Little mama ♪
WOMAN: We've been to
Louisville, Bowling Green,
Shelbyville, and Jackson to name a few.
Bet you glad you left that baby home.
WOMAN: Having fun now.
MAN: Girl, you can sing and dance.
Look at you shimmy, go
ahead and sing it, girl.
SAMMIE: Little Re, little Re.
Girl, you was right.
Sam Cooke is singing pop music
and he's performing in town
tonight at a local juke joint.
We going.
ARETHA: I'm only 13.
I can't get into that place.
SAMMIE: Girl, let me worry about that.
Let's go.
Come on, we going to do it all.
We going to get you all dolled up.
To top it off.
All right, oh, shoot.
CL: I didn't know you was all that,
a hard partying girl.
I didn't know you was like that,
I thought you was a good church girl.
Come on, let's get in here.
Hold up, we gotta go to bed it's.
Where you all going?
It's late.
Only place you all
should be going is to bed.
We going to bed.
SAMMIE: Girl, let's go.
We get to see Sam Cooke tonight!
ARETHA: I'm so excited.
ANNOUNCER (OVER PA):
Ladies and gentlemen,
let's take your seats
for the Queen of Soul.
Ms. Aretha Franklin.
(APPLAUSE AND CHEERING).
TED: Now, you was up way too
late last night, you know that, right?
♪
(APPLAUSE AND CHEERING).
ARETHA (OVER PA): Hello, Columbus.
I'm feeling so good tonight.
How y'all feeling?
(THUD)
(CROWD GASPS).
CL: Broken in three places?
How long that thing
going to be on her arm?
DOCTOR: It's on track to heal
in four weeks, maybe six.
You're burning the candle at both ends.
My advice is for you to slow down.
This could have been a lot worse.
CL: You should have been
keeping your eye on her.
TED: I was, all right.
ARETHA: Now's not the time, Daddy.
I need to go back on tour.
CL: You need to stay home in Detroit.
TED: He right.
I'm going to tell
Ruth to cancel the dates.
ARETHA: I can still sing;
I just can't play piano.
CL: You need to
stay home, get some rest.
I'm cooking up a big event
for you with the mayor's office.
ARETHA: If I do anything, I'm going
to honor my promise with Dr. King.
CL: You can't risk
your health for him, baby.
ARETHA: I'm fine.
I just can't play, right, Doctor?
DOCTOR: No.
Whatever you do,
my advice is to slow down.
CL: You hear?
ARETHA: I don't use my arm to sing.
DOCTOR: I understand that,
but you need to minimize movements.
You got lucky this time.
One more fall or injury to that arm and
you may never play piano again.
CHILD: No, no, come on.
Stupid, I'll be right back.
CHILD 2: Like a rockstar.
TED: Oh, oh, okay guys.
Quit messing around, let's get ready.
CHILD: I can't get it.
TED: Come on here,
let me show you something.
CHILD: Come here, you dig?
TED: Your arm still hurting?
ARETHA: Only when it's cold out.
TED: They getting someone
to play the piano at the event?
ARETHA: They got someone
to accompany me tonight.
TED: Good.
Boy, I thought I
taught you how to tie a tie.
Come here.
CHILD: I forgot.
TED: Okay, now.
You're going to wrap
this big part around here,
you're going to tuck it in and under,
and then tighten the knot.
Got that?
- ARETHA: Clarence.
- CLARENCE: Here I come.
ARETHA: Put this on, keep it clean.
CLARENCE: Thank you, Momma.
TED: All right, I better not
hear y'all yelling and squirming.
None of that in the theater,
okay, this your momma big day.
You hear me?
- BOTH: Yes, Daddy.
- TED: All right.
Baby, what you going to wear?
ARETHA: Still thinking about it.
Y'all gotta vote.
TED: Yeah, girl, we'll
help you pick out the outfit.
Let's see what we got.
Unless you want to be up
on stage in front of all
those people in just your slip.
Now, I always been
partial to the lime green.
CLARENCE: I like the feathers.
Wear the feathers, Momma.
CHILD 2: You look good in green.
GROUP: Feathers, feathers,
feathers, feathers, feathers, feathers!
♪
It aint no fooling around with this ♪
Aint no fooling around ♪
MAYOR CAVANAGH (OVER PA):
As Mayor of Detroit,
I hereby proclaim February 16th
as "Aretha Franklin Day".
Some people call me selfish
cause I want ya to myself ♪
KING: Look at us both sneaking out.
ARETHA: Maybe they won't miss us.
KING: They're going
to wonder where we went.
ARETHA: I appreciate you coming
to celebrate my special day.
KING: Wouldn't have
missed it for the world.
ARETHA: I'm going back into
the studio in a few months.
I'd love it if you'd come record
some of your sermons on my album.
- KING: Really?
- ARETHA: Mm-hmm.
KING: I'm flattered.
Dr. King and the Queen of Soul.
But I wouldn't want to
cause any problems between you
and your father.
ARETHA: Don't you worry about that.
KING: Oh, I see what you do.
Between your father and your
husband, you make it all work.
ARETHA: Do I?
KING: I know you've heard me
speak probably more times than
you care to over the past many months.
But every time I talk about
freedom for our people,
I'm also talking
about freedom of the mind,
psychological freedom.
To achieve what we want to as a people,
we need to start with personal freedom.
Where did the bone break?
ARETHA: Uh, here was the worst of it.
I felt like a bird with a broken wing.
CL: There you are.
Ya'll done snuck out the party.
Come on, let's go back in.
Do you want folks to think you
chose Dr. King over your own father?
Come on.
KING: I'll be in, in a minute.
CL: All right, thank you, Doc.
KING: Get well now, cause we need you.
SAMMIE: And he gave you his jacket!
ARETHA: Only because he
knows me from when he used to
come sing at Daddy's church.
But the way he was singing tonight,
he never sang like that before.
You think I could be a pop singer?
SAMMIE: Sam Cooke sure think you can be.
ARETHA: And then I'll
throw my coat on the ground,
just like he does.
SAMMIE: Oh, you better pick
that up or I'm going to take it.
ARETHA: He never sang
like that in church.
And he never looked that way in church.
SAMMIE: If I married
him it'd be Sam and Sammie.
Ooh.
CL: Where the hell you been?
Oh, you grown now, huh, you grown.
SAMMIE: It's my fault,
Reverend Franklin.
Re didn't even want to go
out but I talked her into it.
CL: Did I ask you for your explanation?
Go on back in your room and let me
have a conversation with my daughter.
Go on now.
SAMMIE: I'm sorry.
ARETHA: I'm sorry, Daddy.
CL: Went to a juke joint, huh?
(CHUCKLES).
You're 13.
ARETHA: I wanted to
see Sam Cooke perform.
CL: I asked you to stay inside.
ARETHA: I was just listening to music.
CL: Oh, you fixing to get in trouble,
that's what you doing now.
Now, I'm going to send you back home.
ARETHA: No!
CL: You need to be with
the baby you have rather than
be out here trying to have another one.
Now, take that jacket off.
Give me that jacket.
And what, what you got on your lips?
Come here.
Go on and get inside now, go on.
MRS. JOHNSON: Hey, little Re.
I heard you had a late night.
I hope you don't mess up your song.
CL: Mrs. Johnson.
MRS. JOHNSON:
Evening, Reverend Franklin.
- CL: Mm-hmm.
- WOMAN: Reverend.
ARETHA: Please don't make me go home.
- CL: Well, why you want to stay?
- ARETHA: I want to keep singing.
CL: Hmm.
Would Sam's jacket help?
ARETHA: Yes.
CL: I bet it would.
Come on.
You better put this thing on.
Turn around, let me see you.
All right.
You better sang, baby singer.
(APPLAUSE).
ANNOUNCER (OVER PA):
Oh, this going to be good.
WOMAN: All right.
ANNOUNCER (OVER PA):
Ya'll about to hear the
little girl who is starting to
be the baby singer of our tour.
CROWD: Yeah! Oh, yeah!
ANNOUNCER (OVER PA):
You ready? You ready?
Put your hands together and
welcome Little Miss Aretha Franklin.
(APPLAUSE AND CHEERING).
WOMAN: That girl can sing.
MAN: Take your time, take your time.
Just ♪
Just a closer walk with Thee ♪
CL: Yes sir, yes sir, yes sir.
(CHEERING).
Grant it, Jesus, ♪
Is my plea ♪
WOMAN: Oh yes, oh Lord. Jesus.
CL: Call his name.
Daily walking ♪
Close to Thee ♪
Let it be ♪
Dear Lord ♪
Let it be ♪
MAN: Come on, come on. Come on.
Let it be ♪
I am weak but Thou art strong ♪
CL: That's right.
Jesus keep me from all wrong ♪
I'll be satisfied as long ♪
As I walk ♪
Let me walk ♪
Close to Thee ♪
When my feeble life is o'er ♪
CL: Sing it, girl.
Time for me will be no more ♪
Guide me gently ♪
Safely o'er ♪
To Thy kingdom's shore ♪
To Thy shore ♪
Just a closer walk with Thee
Grant it ♪
Jesus, is my plea ♪
CL: Yes, sir.
Daily walking close with Thee ♪
Let it be ♪
Dear Lord ♪
Let it be ♪
(APPLAUSE AND CHEERING).
CL: Yes, sir! That's right!
(APPLAUSE AND CHEERING).
KENNEDY (OVER TV):
Martin Luther King was shot
and was killed
tonight in Memphis, Tennessee.
(CROWD GASPS)
In this difficult day,
in this difficult
time for the United States,
it is perhaps well to
ask what kind of a nation
we are and what direction
we want to move in.
For those of you who are
black considering the evidence
there evidently is that
there were white people
who were responsible, you
can be filled with bitterness,
and with hatred,
and a desire for revenge.
We can move in that
direction as a country,
and greater polarization,
or we can make an effort
as Martin Luther King did,
to understand and to comprehend,
and replace that violence,
that stain of bloodshed
that has spread across our land
with an effort to
understand compassion and love.
I had a member of my family killed
but he was killed by a white man.
But we have to make an
effort in the United States.
We have to make an effort to understand,
to get beyond or go beyond
these rather difficult times.
My favorite poem,
my favorite poet was Aeschylus.
He once wrote
"Even in our sleep,
pain which cannot forget,
falls drop by drop upon the
heart until, in our own despair
against our will, comes wisdom
through the awful grace of God.
What we need in the
United States is not division.
What we need in the
United States is not hatred.
What we need in the
United States is not violence
and lawlessness.
But love and wisdom, and
compassion toward one another,
and a feeling of justice
toward those who still suffer
within our country,
whether they be white
or whether they be black.
(MUSIC PLAYS THROUGH CREDITS)