Other Titles • Unchain My Heart: The Ray Charles Story
Quotes from Ray (2004)
1
[to Margie] Ray Charles: You know what they're saying about me? Said I lost something. Said I've gone middle-of-the-road. They might 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. The drunk soul of a blind junkie. What a lovely couple.
(25 votes)
2
Ray Charles: I have a question for all of you. How would you like to go on the road with me? Margie Hendricks: Um, how much you gonna pay us? Ray Charles: Ahmet takes care of all of that. Margie Hendricks: You mean he don't listen to you? Ray Charles: You better know he does. Don't worry about it. Brother Ray will take care of all of you. Margie Hendricks: Well my mama taught me to take care of myself, honey. Ray Charles: Well is your mother here? Margie Hendricks: No she's not, but I speak for us. Ray Charles: Okay Speak For Us, how about $20 a week. Margie Hendricks: We'll take $40. Each. Ray Charles: Forty each? Margie Hendricks: You heard me! Ray Charles: Naw! How about $25. Margie Hendricks: We'll take $30. Ray Charles: I better say yes before you talk me out of my drawers. [the Cookies cheer and laugh] Ray Charles: Is it a deal? Margie Hendricks: Oh! Yeah! Ray Charles: You'll be called the Raelettes. Margie Hendricks: Does that mean we have to let Ray? Ray Charles: Oh, what am I gonna do with you? Margie Hendricks: I'm sure you'll think of something.
(23 votes)
3
Della Bea Robinson: Let me call you a cab. Ray Charles: I got it. Three blocks up, left for two, right for one, fifteen giant steps and I'm at the Crystal White Hotel. Hello!
(25 votes)
4
Ray Charles: Ms. Antoine, it's been two weeks. Della Bea Robinson: It's been three. [they kiss and she pushes him inside] Ray Charles: Well, where's the preacher at and the wife? Della Bea Robinson: They're in Dallas till Monday. Ray Charles: Well, hallelujah.
(23 votes)
5
Ray Charles: I hear like you see. Like that hummingbird outside the window, for instance. Della Bea Robinson: [astonished] I can't hear her. Ray Charles: You have to listen. Della Bea Robinson: [closes her eyes, hears the hummingbird] Yes! Ray Charles: Yeah. Yes, you can... Uh-oh. Did you hear that? Della Bea Robinson: What? Ray Charles: Her heart just skipped a beat.
(23 votes)
6
[repeated line] Ray Charles: Don't jive me, man.
7
Jack Lauderdale: So Ray, we got to talk about your name, man. Robinson. I mean, Sugar Ray got to Robinson franchise all sewed up. So I'm thinking we go with your middle name: Charles. As in "Ray Charles." Ray Charles: I don't care what you call me, man, just as long as my name is on the record.
8
Della Bea Robinson: He isn't my gift to you, he's your son.
9
[first lines] Aretha Robinson: Always remember your promise to me. Never let nobody or nothing turn you into no cripple.
10
[talking about Jack Lauderdale] Gossie McKee: You need watching out for and he ain't got time to look after you the way I been looking after you. Ray Charles: Is that what you been doing, Gossie, watching out for me? Is that why you get paid double what I do? Gossie McKee: Who told you that? Ray Charles: Well it's true, ain't it? You and Marlene been gaming me ever since I got here. Marlene: Ray, baby, listen... Ray Charles: I ain't got to listen to you! Gossie McKee: Listen Ray, I been meaning to talk to you about that. Ray Charles: Then why aren't you talking? Gossie McKee: Look Ray, let's not do nothing stupid. Ray Charles: I might be blind, but I ain't stupid!
11
Aretha Robinson: If you want to do something to make your mama proud, promise me. Promise me you won't let nobody turn you into no cripple, you won't become no charity case, and you'll stand on your own two feet. Young Ray Robinson: I promise. Aretha Robinson: I love you, baby. I'm so proud of you.
12
Ray Charles: Could you do me a favor and close that bag? Quincy Jones: What's wrong with you? You got two hands. You can close it yourself. Ray Charles: I got two feet too. Could you close the bag?
13
Jeff Brown: Where you from Ray? Ray Charles: North Florida. Jeff Brown: Old North Florida boy. Do people steal down there? Ray Charles: Naw. Jeff Brown: All right. Hey, pardon me for asking, but how do you get around so good without a cane or a dog? Ray Charles: How do you get around so good without a cane or a dog? Jeff Brown: I'm sorry, I didn't mean to pry. Ray Charles: My ears gotta be my eyes, man. Everything sounds different, you know? That's why I wear hard sole shoes so I can hear the echo of my footsteps off the wall. When I pass by an open doorway the sound changes. Jeff Brown: Wow, that's cool. Ray Charles: You gotta learn pretty quick if you want to get around on your own.
14
Fathead Newman: Look at Ray over there. You see that? He feels her wrist because he figures that's the way to tell if she's good looking or not.
15
Ahmet Ertegun: If you think pennies, Mr. Charles, you get pennies. If you think dollars, you get dollars.
16
Milt Shaw: Ray Charles. We believe in your talent. We want to be in the Ray Charles business. We've already got you booked on a ten city tour with Roy Milton's Solid Senders and Tangula, the exotic shake dancer. Ahmet Ertegun: She is gorgeous.
17
Ray Charles: From now on we're gonna sing a four part harmony. Ethel, I want you to sing alto. Margie, I want you to sing tenor. Pat, soprano, and Mary Ann, bass. Mary Ann Fisher: I ain't no bass. I'm a soprano. Margie Hendricks: I'll sing bass. Where we come from we can sing anything. Mary Ann Fisher: We talking about singing, sugar, not hog calling. Fathead Newman: Oh that's cold. Margie Hendricks: Who you calling a hog? Mary Ann Fisher: Well, if the corn cob fits.
18
Milt Shaw: He's off the Chitlin Circuit. Down Beat just voted him best male jazz vocalist by a two to one margin. [short pause] Milt Shaw: Well, if you want to keep him in Philadelphia, you're gonna find him a bigger venue.
19
[to Ahmet] Ray Charles: Don't worry about it, man. If this monkey gets too heavy on my back, I will get an organ grinder and put him to work.
20
Milt Shaw: Forget second billing. Ray Charles headlines at a thousand per or no deal. [pause] Milt Shaw: Terrific.
21
Ray Charles: Marge is drunk, Jeff. Go home and sleep it off. Jeff Brown: Let me take you home. Margie Hendricks: No. I'll leave when I'm good and goddamn ready to. Ray Charles: She's good and goddamn ready right now.
22
Jerry Wexler: Ahmet believes we're family here at Atlantic Records. I believe we're family 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. Ha! 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. Nobody's taking credit for your talent, but we nourished it. We let you do your thing. Goddamn it, we deserve better than this. Ray Charles: You know that I appreciate everything you guys have done here, Jerry. Ahmet, I'm very proud of the work we've done here together and Atlantic has done pretty good moneywise on my records, haven't they? Ahmet Ertegun: Yes, we've done very well, Ray. Ray Charles: You're the ones who taught me that making a record is business and find the best business deal that you can. Now seventy-five cents of every dollar and owning my own masters is a pretty damn good deal. Can you match it? Ahmet Ertegun: 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.
23
[Ray is recording "Georgia on my Mind"] Margie Hendricks: Listen to that crap. I thought you said ABC wasn't gonna force nothing on him. Jeff Brown: They didn't. It was Ray's idea. Something new. Margie Hendricks: What are we then, Jeff? Something old? Fathead Newman: Yeah. We got to eat too.
24
Milt Shaw: He's filed a lawsuit, Ray, and it's more than a fine. This guy's got juice, he can get you barred from ever playing Georgia again. But he's willing to drop the suit if you make up the gig. Ray Charles: Not if it's segregated. Milt Shaw: Ray... I admire what you're doing, man, but you can't afford this. Georgia's our highest grossing state. Ray Charles: I'm never playing Jim Crow Georgia ever again, do you got that? Milt Shaw: I got it.
25
Fathead Newman: Ray, this fool, Joe Adams, is trying to fine me for being late. Ray Charles: What time did you get here? Fathead Newman: What? Just now. The band's still setting up. Jeff never - Joe Adams: I'm not Jeff. Fathead Newman: That's a fact, Jack. Jeff Brown: Ray, you said the band was my thing. Ray Charles: That's right, I did. Jeff Brown: Fathead, you go on back to rehearsal. Fathead Newman: Ray! You know how it is, you've been there. Jeff Brown: Fathead, go on now. I'll take care of this. Ray you want to tell me what's going on man? Joe Adams: I'm not doing anything I haven't been asked to do. Ray's running a business. He shouldn't have to waste time hearing why people were late. Jeff Brown: I'm not talking to you, Joe. I'm talking to Ray.
26
[after Ray accuses Jeff of stealing] Ray Charles: How could you do that? We've been through so much. We were like brothers. Jeff Brown: Ray... if we were like brothers, why are you paying Joe more than you're paying me? Ray Charles: Damn all that. You broke my heart. Jeff Brown: Well you know what, Ray? You broke mine a long goddamn time ago. Ray Charles: Well, there it is. [Jeff walks away] Jeff Brown: You know something, Ray? You're gonna get yours one day. And I pray to God he has mercy on your soul, you son of a bitch!
27
Della Bea Robinson: [talking about Ray's drug problem] You have got to stop this now because there is something you love more then me... Ray Charles: No, don't say that, Bea.... Della Bea Robinson: ...there is something you love more then me, the children, and every woman you ever slept with. Ray Charles: No, don't say that, Bea. You know I love you more then anythin' Della Bea Robinson: [shouts] It's your music! [starts to cry] Della Bea Robinson: And if you keep usin' that needle they'll take away your music and put you in *jail!* Is that what you want?
28
Aretha Robinson: Somebody'll fetch you when the bus gets to St. Augustine. When your there, show'em this. [name tag] Aretha Robinson: Tell them your name is Ray Charles Robinson. Aretha Robinson: An' the sandwiches I made, don't eat them all at once... ya hear me? Young Ray Robinson: [starting to cry] Mama... please don't make me go away. I'll keep up with the normal kids. I'll be good, just like George. Aretha Robinson: This got nothin' to do with George... I've taken you as far as I can, baby. The teachers at St. Augustine know things I can't teach you. An' you need an education in this world. Young Ray Robinson: I don't want no education! Aretha Robinson: Shh! don't say that! Young Ray Robinson: I don't! I wanna stay here with you! Aretha Robinson: Stop it, Ray! I won't have you livin' hand to mouth like me, you hear? [after Ray nods] Aretha Robinson: Now... If you wanna do something to make Mama proud, promise me you'll never let nobody turn you into no cripple... You won't become no charity case. An? you will *always* stand on your own two feet. Young Ray Robinson: I promise. Aretha Robinson: I love you baby... I'm so proud of you.
29
[last lines] Della Bea Robinson: If only your mama was here. Ray Charles: She's here. She ain't never left.
30
[last title card] Title card: As celebrated as he became, he never forgot his roots, contributing over $20 million to African-American Colleges and charities for the blind and deaf. Title card: Ray kept his promise. He never touched heroin again.
31
Quincy Jones: Say, daddy-o, what axe you play? Ray Charles: Uh, piano. Just blew in from Tampa, Florida. Me and my partner, Gossie McGee, came here, you know, want to fatten up our style. Cop some licks from some more experienced cats, you dig? Quincy Jones: You know what? Why don't you let me take you inside? You know, show you around. Ray Charles: All right. Perfect gentleman. Quincy Jones: Yeah, this is just like my place. So, what's your name? Ray Charles: Ray Robinson. Quincy Jones: I'm Quincy Jones.
32
Ray Charles: Man, you told me if I think pennies, I get pennies. I'm thinking dollars, man.
33
Jerry Wexler: Ruth Brown's got a tour booked in Georgia. She needs a band. Ray Charles: I'll take it. I could write the charts for her, I could do backup, and I could also be an opening act. Ahmet Ertegun: Okay. But you're gonna be financially responsible. You're gonna have to make it work, Ray. Ray Charles: Yeah, yeah. I'm gonna make it do what it do, baby.
34
Jerry Wexler: [Listening to Ray perform "I Got a Woman"] Ahmet. Ahmet Ertegun: Yeah? Jerry Wexler: We gotta get this on wax. Ahmet Ertegun: Oh, yeah.
35
Della Bea Robinson: I'm having second thoughts about this. I don't know nobody in L.A. Ray Charles: Look, Bea, I don't want my kids growing up in the South. Now L.A. is where, you know, a Negro can spread his wings and fly. Della Bea Robinson: Ray, my whole family is in Texas. Ray Charles: That's why we're moving to L.A.
36
Della Bea Robinson: The only thing that can help you is God, Ray! Ray Charles: Don't you talk about God! You have any idea how it feels to go blind and still be afraid of the dark? And every day, you stand and pray just for a little light, and you don't get nothing. Cause God don't listen to people like me. Della Bea Robinson: Stop talking like that. Ray Charles: As far as I'm concerned, me and God is even, and I do what I damn well please.
37
Ray Charles: I love the stories. You know, about fallin' in love, and having love knock you around, and then the pressures of the world on you so tough it makes you feel small. You just want to give your soul to God. You might as well, your ass belongs to him.
38
Ray Charles: If I feel the music, that means it's real. Quincy Jones: No, it ain't. Ray Charles is a sell-out. The blind Liberace, leaving those Rocking Chair roots behind.
39
Ray Charles: From now on you guys are gonna be called the Raylettes. Margie Hendricks: Does that mean we have to "let Ray"?
40
[as Ray is going blind] Aretha Robinson: I'll show you how to do something once, I'll help you if you mess up twice, but the third time you're on your own. 'Cause that's how it is in the world.
41
Ray Charles: There's some things you're not understandin'... Della Bea Robinson: Well, make me understand, Ray! Ray Charles: Baby, when I walk out that door I walk out alone in the dark. I'm trying to do something ain't nobody ever done in music and business. But I can't do it if I'm alone everywhere I go. I don't wanna be alone here, Bea. Not in my own home. Look, Bea, if you don't understand me, then who will?
42
Aretha Robinson, Ray Charles: Scratch a lie, find a thief.
43
[Della Bea has just discovered Ray's drug problem] Della Bea Robinson: That stuff kills people, Ray. Now you've gotta stop it. Ray Charles: I don't have to do a *goddamn* thing!
44
Marlene: [speaking suggestively to Ray] I've got some more blackberry cobbler for you!
45
Ray Charles: I want you to promise me something. Promise you won't feel sorry for me just because I'm blind. Della Bea Robinson: How can I pity someone I admire?
46
Gossie McKee: Look, Ray! Ray! We can make a new deal; whatever'd make you happy! Ray Charles: The deal is *you* can "lay the pipe" now!
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