[Applause, Faint ]
[ Applause, Cheering ]
[ Rock ]
[ Continues ]
Owwwww!
[ Whooping, Laughing ]
[ Cheering Continues ]
Darling, you've gotta let me know
[ Continues ]
Should I stay or should I go
If you say that you'll be mine
I'll be yours till the end of time
But you've gotta let me know
Should I stay or should I go
[ Stephen ] "Should I Stay Or Should I Go?"
That's a punk song, isn't it?
I would say so.
Shit.
Did you-
Have you ever heard it before?
Always tease, tease, tease
You're happy when Im on my knees
One day's fair, the other's black
So if you want me off your back
Then you've gotta let me know
Should I stay or should I go
Should I stay or should I go now
[ Stephen Narrating]
Billed as "Seniors Behaving Badly"..
Young A t Heart
is a chorus like no other.
With an average age of 80...
their renditions of songs
from the likes of Outkast...
Radiohead, Jimi Hendrix
and The Clash...
have won them sensational reviews
all over the world.
So com e on and I et m e know
Can you think of any other names of people
who sing those songs that you sing?
Well, the Beatles.
We have sung some of theirs.
Rolling Stones,
they've come into it.
And the, um-
Oh, a more recent one.
Uh, Crash?
Should I stay or should I go now
[ Stephen Narrating]
I first saw the chorus in London a year ago...
and was instantly hooked.
Now I'm in America to spend
the next seven weeks filming them...
as they prepare to put on a new show.
In the process, I find myself
acquiring 2 4 new grandparents...
except they're nothing like
any grandparents I've ever seen.
Should I stay or should I go
[ Laughing, Cheering, Applause ]
Thank you!
Thank you.
[ Stephen Narrating ]
It's a Thursday afternoon...
in the choruss hometown
of Northampton, Massachusetts...
and the first day of rehearsals
for the new show...
which they'll perform
in just seven weeks ' time.
[ Chattering ]
[ Man ]
Hello!
Charming stuff.
But in New Orleans theyre still-
[ Exhales ]
- Did you bring any booze with you?
- No.
Its in here. Its in here.
[ Chuckling ]
[ Stephen Narrating ]
The choruss director, Bob Cilman...
started Young A t Heart
back in 1 982...
with a group of seniors performing
old vaudeville numbers at a meal center.
One night, an 84-year-old called
Diamond Lil stood up in the middle of a show...
and did a version of
Manfred Manns "Do Wah Diddy"..
which brought the house down.
Things were never the same again.
Good afternoon.
Is everybody happy youre all here?
- [ Cheering, Chattering ]
- Id like to thank you all
for showing up on time.
That was very cool.
Very cool.
First thing we gotta do,
and it's really important today...
is wish Jack Schnepp happy birthday.
- So, uh-
- [ Cheering, Applause ]
[ Man ]
All right, Jack!
It's a specially great
birthday for Jack today...
'cause while Jack is sitting here...
we have the possibility that
hell pass a kidney stone for us...
which is just-
[ Men Chattering, Indistinct ]
Is there any other medical issues
that people wanna reveal here today?
U h, no.
Anybody having a baby?
Well, Jack, good luck.
There's about seven or so new songs
that I wanna take a look at.
Id like to get through
three of them today. All right?
- Whoa!
- No problem.
[ Stephen Narrating]
Just as I'm beginning to think...
this is going to be some sort
of gentle afternoon sing-along...
Bob pitches the chorus straight into
the first new song for the show...
a track called "Schizophrenia "
by punk band Sonic Youth.
[ Bob ] Billy, listen to this.
This has got a lot of good drum stuff.
- [ Drum s ]
- "Schizophrenia."
Whoo!
[ Guitar, Drums ]
[ Stephen ] What kind of reaction do you
think you're gonna get to "Schizophrenia "?
I think that the words
will be tricky at first.
And these guys really are
in tune with the words.
What's great about this group is that
you really hear the words when they sing it.
- Do you think they're gonna like it?
- No.
I went away
To see an old friend of mine
His sister came over
She was out of her mind
- [ Stephen ] So, what kind of music do you like?
- Classical.
With opera at the top.
- [ Continues ]
- Her light eyes were dancing
She is insane
My music?
Uh, classical music.
And if you look at
the top of my TV set...
you'll see a schedule of the
Metropolitan Opera broadcasts.
[ Continues ]
Of course, I like My Fair Lady
and The King And I...
and, um-
What's the very popular one
with Julie Andrews?
"Climb Every Mountain."
What was that one?
- Sound Of Music.
- Yes.
[ Continues, Loud]
- [ Ends ]
- [ Bob ] We're gonna-
We're gonna feature Billy on this.
What do you think?
- [ Men, Women Exclaiming ]
- [ Bob ] You cant hear what?
The words. Because of the music.
The music was too loud.
Im always excited
to start new work.
Its one of my favorite
parts of the process.
I think it's that moment
where they don't trust you at all.
They think that
this is a crazy idea...
and it's gonna backfire completely.
And then they start
to warm up to it.
There is something wonderful
about that whole process.
- Wow! I feel good
- [All Laughing]
I knew that I would now
[ Stephen Narrating ] Next on Bob's list
of new songs is James Brown...
and it's a whole different story.
So good, so good
I got you
[ Screams ]
- [ Continues ]
- Whoo!
- [ Bob ] Come on! That's your part!
- Whoo!
Okay, Bob!
Let's hear it now!
[James Brown ]
When I hold you in my arms
I know that
I cant do no wrong
And when I hold you in my arms
My love wont do you no harm
U m, I wanna see Stan and Dora
here for a second.
[ Woman ]
All right!
[ Stephen Narrating ] Bob kicks off with
an incongruous pairing for "I Feel Good"-
Stan Goldman, a 76-year-old suffering
from an extremely painful spinal condition...
and Dora Morrow, an 83-year-old
great-great-grandmother.
You do the "wow"
and " I feel good" for a second.
Okay?
"Wow! I feel good."
And then Im gonna want you
to do the "like I knew I would."
Okay? And then Im gonna-
Let's- [ Chuckles ]
Oy.
- Whoo!
- [ Snare Drum Hit ]
Whoo!
I feel good
- [ Piano, Drums ]
- Like I knew I would
Okay, you gotta get
the rhythm though.
- It's, "Wow! I feel good."
- [ Piano ]
Like I knew that I would
And yours is just-
Like I knew that I would
- Can you do that?
Like I knew that I would
- Like I knew that I would
- You know what? [ Chuckles ]
But you know what?
- [ Singers Complaining ]
Let's just get the music
and forget the face for a second.
Like I knew that I would
Like I knew that I would
Like I knew that I would
Like I knew that I would
Okay, so, Dora, oww!
I feel good.
Ow!
I feel good
- Like I knew that-
- No, no, no, no!
[ Bob Humming ]
Oh, man, this is gonna be
such a pain in my backside.
[ Laughing ]
Oh, God.
Oww!
- I feel good
- Nice!
I'm sorry.
I - Let me do it-
That was a perfect "oww!"
And you can come in any time you want.
- Do your "oww!" again one more time.
- Give me the "oww!"
Oww!
- You know what? This is gonna be excellent!
- [ Laughing]
- But it may not be till the year 2009!
- [ Laughing Continues ]
This is-
[ Laughing ]
[ Stephen ]
What do you think of the song?
It's all right. It's got-
It's got some, uh, juice to it.
Did you put some earplugs
in your ears?
Yeah, well, only bits of tissue is what.
[ Laughs ]
- Whoo!
- Oh, see? She's-
It's in her bones already.
She's getting it.
[ Stephen Narrating] The next morning
I start my rounds of the chorus...
beginning with the oldest member,
Eileen Hall.
She joined Young A t Heart at the age of70
when one of her star turns was a striptease...
an act she performed with great success
for the next 20 years.
[ Stephen ]
How old are you, Eileen?
Now? 9 2.
Its funny, isn't it?
[ Laughing ]
U m, n-no, Ive had a good life though.
Very good life.
Can you believe you're 92?
Ye- No!
No, I tell people Im 29.
That'll do.
- You just switch the numbers round?
-Just switch the numbers round.
Let's go into your bedroom, shall we?
Can we do that?
- Oh, shall we cut there?
- Sure!
[ Laughing ]
- What an invitation!
- Oh, gosh! What have I done?
Here Ive got, what, three or four men?
[ Laughing ]
- Oh, my goodness.
- Shall I ask you that again?
Yes.
Shall we go into your bedroom?
All of us?
Yes, all of us. Come on, boys.
[ Laughs ]
- I could come as close to you-
- No, no, it's fine.
[ Laughing ]
You're getting a bit close here, Eileen.
Yes. I've gotta shut up, haven't I?
[ Laughs ]
- Getting a little intimate here.
- Gotta be careful.
All of these men around.
- Don't get nervous till I-
- You're a bit of a flirt, aren't you?
Don't get nervous till I start taking
something off. You're all right until then.
- You're a bit of a flirt, Eileen.
- Am I?
Were you always, or is that something
that's happened since you got to 90?
No, I was rather shy.
- Really?
- Yes. Very shy.
You dont strike me
as being shy at all.
No, I don't strike anybody that way.
But I was a very shy child.
Miserable kid, really.
[ Stephen Narrating ]
For the past three years, Eileen has lived...
at the Arbors Nursing Home,
about 20 miles from Northampton.
As well as being
one of the oldest residents...
shes also the only one to possess
her own key to the front door...
since she often gets back from
late-night gigs with the chorus...
well after all the staff
have gone to bed.
- I ' I l see you, kid.
- Take care.
See- Our show.
Bye-bye.
- [ Rock ]
- Thank you!
Enjoy your afternoon.
[ Continues ]
Twenty, twenty
twenty-four hours to go
I wanna be sedated
Nothing to do
and nowhere to go
I wanna be sedated
So put me in a wheelchair
Put me on a plane
Hurry, hurry, hurry
before I go insane
I can't control my fingers
I can't control my brain
No
Bam-bam, bam-bam
B-Bam-bam, bam-bam
I wanna be sedated
Bam-bam, bam-bam
B-Bam-bam, bam-bam
I wanna be sedated
[ Guitar Solo ]
Twenty, twenty
Twenty-four hours to go
I wanna be sedated
Nothing to do
and nowhere to go
I wanna be sedated
So put me in a wheelchair
Take me to the show
Hurry, hurry, hurry
before I go loco
I can't control my fingers
I can't control my toes
Oh-oh-oh-oh-oh-ohh
Bam-bam, bam-bam
B-Bam-bam, bam-bam
I wanna be sedated
Bam-bam, bam-bam
B-Bam-bam, bam-bam
I wanna be sedated
[ Funk]
Now is the time for all good men
To get together with one another
[ Stephen Narrating ]
With just six weeks to go before the show...
the choruss director, Bob Cilman,
has stepped up rehearsals...
from one to three times a week.
Despite lots of grumbling in the ranks,
everybody s till turns up.
[ Man ]
How do you feel, Stan?
[ Man Laughing ]
- [ Continues ]
- This afternoon they get their
firs t s tab at the next new song...
an R&B track by Allen Toussaint
called "Yes, We Can Can. "
Gosh almighty, yes, we can
I know we can can
Home again.
One, two, three, four, one.
I know we can make it
I know that we can
I know darn well
we can work it out
Oh, yes, we can
I know we can can
Yes, we can can, why can't we
if we wanna, yes, we can
[ Stephen Narrating] It rapidly becomes clear
that this is one of those songs...
that's going to drive everybody insane
over the next few weeks.
- For one thing, the word "can "
crops up no less than 7 1 times.
- I know we can can
I want you guys to sing-
Oh, yes, we can, I know we can can
Yes, we can can, why can't we if we wanna
Yes, we can can
And you're gonna respond-
Oh, yes, we can, I know we can
- Yes, we can, great gosh almighty
yes, we can, I know -
The thing that you do
by yourselves earlier.
So on the third one
it's call and response. Okay?
I will write this all down.
- - I know we can make it -
- - I know that we can -
- I know we can make it if we try -
- I know we can
I know we can can -
[ Stephen Narrating ] To cope with a song which
sounds like an extended tongue twister...
Bob picks three of his most
reliable singers for the solos...
including Joe, whos famous for memorizing
entire songs in an afternoon.
- Why cant we if we wanna
Yes, we can can -
- Oh, yes, we can, I know we can can
Yes, we can can -
- Great gosh al mighty
Yes, we can, I know we can can --
- Whoo!
- [ Chattering ]
I love this rehearsing.
No, I think, uh, singing
does a lot for your whole body.
Your lungs and everything.
I love it.
Everybody take out "Schizophrenia."
Where'd Eileen go?
[ Stephen ] Up next is the song which seems
to me by far the craziest of Bob's ideas.
How he's going to get the chorus to make
sense of such a weird track, I've no idea.
But one thing's for sure- they all hated
"Schizophrenia " from the word "go "...
and still do.
- My future is static -
[ Bob ] Okay, I dont need you
to make fun of the song, so if-
- I don't know where it goes!
- It's just said.
We used to sing things like
"Yes, We Have No Bananas"...
and, uh, " Honey Bun."
Even with Bob-
He would pick those and-
- Yabba-yabba-yabba
Da-da-da-da-da-da-da-da
Da-da-dat dat-dat-dat-dah -
I doubt you remember that. It was
too far back for you. [ Chuckling ]
I want you to talk to each other here.
Just say these lines to each other.
Okay, so it's- My- Don't worry about the-
Just talk to each other.
My future is static.
- It's already had it.
- Okay, talk to each other.
So you say, "My future is static. "
- I had a dream -
- - And it split the scene -
- -- [ Bob Singing Along ]
- But I got a hunch -
- - Its coming back to me -
- -- [ Continues ]
You can do that with her.
- Its coming back to -
- Me -
- I'm gonna let you have that, actually.
- Oh, a note!
- A note!
- Okay, shh! Yeah.
- Um, Joe and Lenny.
- Yeah?
I want you to work on
" Life During Wartime."
Its going to be a conversation
between the two of you.
[ Narrator]
As a big Talking Heads fan...
Bob has decided to try out the song
"Life During Wartime " for the show...
which hes giving to Joe
and his best friend Lenny.
Joe, youre gonna be singing...
- Heard of a van that
is loaded with weapons -
[ Narrator]
Joe is a phenomenon in the chorus...
an 83-year-old who went through
six bouts of chemotherapy...
before ignoring
his doctor's advice...
to join the most
recent tour to Europe.
[ Bob ] Do you have those CDs?
I'd like you to listen to them.
I s this the one that we- That's the one that-
the side that plays, right?
- What?
- I s this the side that plays?
- Yes! [ Laughing ]
- This is the side, right?
The one that says " New Music" on it.
This is the side that plays.
I don't think so.
It's this side.
- When you put it in the, uh-
in the, uh, CD player-
- You put this side up.
Oh, I thought it was
this side that played.
- No, I think it plays with this side.
- Oh, boy.
I'm not familiar
with the electronics.
- [ Lenny ] - I'm a Yankee Doodle Dandy -
- -- [Joe Whistling Along ]
- A Yankee Doodle do or die -
- A real, live nephew
of my Uncle Sam -
- Born on the Fourth of July -
[ Stephen Narrating]
Every week for the past decade...
Lenny, Joe and Eileen have traveled
to and from rehearsals together.
A great friendship
has grown up between them.
They call themselves
the Three Musketeers.
- I am a Yankee Doodle boy --
- Should I give it the gas?
- When youre a star, everybody wants you. Right?
- [ Siren Wailing ]
- Oh, boy.
[ Stephen Narrating ] Since Lenny,
an ex- World War II pilot...
is the only one of them that can
actually see properly, he gets to drive...
an activity he performs
with great gusto.
- [Joe ] Lenny, they knew you were coming.
- [ Lenny Laughing ]
They got me.
I thought they would eventually.
- [ Tires Screeching ]
- [ Stephen ] Those are tight turns
you're doing there, Lenny.
- Oh, yeah? Okay.
- Yeah.
- Those are some tight turns.
- [Joe ] I told you he was a good driver.
[ Stephen ] You're gonna have me through
the window in a second at this rate.
[ Eileen ] The way you drive, Lenny,
weve got it made.
Im not going any faster than I usually go.
[ Chuckles ]
[ Eileen ] No. We dont need you to.
You're a good, confident driver.
[Joe ]
Hes got good brakes on this.
We used them just about an hour ago.
- [ Stephen ] What happened?
- Going through a red light.
[ Laughing ]
[ No Audible Dialogue ]
[ Stephen Narrating ]
The following morning...
I drop in on Stan to see how he's
getting on with "I Feel Good"...
a song which, by all accounts,
he seems to have really taken to heart.
- I feel nice -
- Like sugar and spice -
-- [ Continues ]
- So nice, so nice -
- Ive got you -
- - Yeah --
- -- [ Ends ]
[ Stephen Laughing ]
So, do you think you're in tune?
[ Clears Throat ]
Well, you tell me.
- -- [ Snare Drum Hit ]
- - I feel good -
- Nice. Nice.
- [ Chattering ]
- - Like I know I should -
- Nice! Nice! Sugar and spice.
- I feel good -
N ice! No, you see-
I think he's thinks Im telling him "nice."
"I feel nice. " Okay.
You caught me on a roll.
No, it's "I feel nice. "
[ Narrator]
"I Feel Good" is rapidly shaping up...
to be one of Bob's
biggest headaches.
Stans got the rhythm
but cant get the words.
- Dora knows the words but cant get the rhythm.
- You have the " I got you."
- I feel good -
[ Bob ]
- So good -
- - I need -
- Whoo!
[ Laughing ]
[ Bob ]
It's "So good, so good, I got you. "
I got you. Here, you can have that.
Ready? That was so close.
[ No Audible Dialogue ]
[ Man ] What do you love
about Young A t Heart?
- Or do you love-
- Oh, I do! I do. I wouldn't be here if I didn't.
Uh, I mean, this-
And this goes back to way before
we even started going to Europe.
I mean, that's a- that's icing on the cake,
but the cake was there before.
You forget all about...
the creaky bones and...
the knee, the hips,
the shoulders, the fingers.
- Shakespeare's sonnets.
- [ Stephen ] You're a bit of a
culture vulture, aren't you?
I guess you could
call me a culture vulture.
So what are you doing singing punk songs
and rock songs and God knows what?
Well, Im trying to-
[ Laughs ]
I don't know if this will do it,
but Im trying to expand my horizons.
Its kind of fun when you blend together
and you make that big sound.
Sort of makes you
feel good to be part of it.
What a nice bunch of people they are.
You know?
And I say to myself,
they are a caring group of people...
including our director, Bob Cilman.
It's, um, all keeping
your brain going, you know.
It's true-
If you don't use it, you lose it.
[ Sneezes ]
- [ Woman ] Bless you.
- Excuse me. Thank you.
That's the first blessing I get today.
[ Laughs ]
[ Stephen Narrating ]
Bob has come up with the idea...
of bringing back two former members
of the chorus for the show.
Both of them had to leave
because of ill health.
His plan is to give them the Coldplay song
"Fix You" to sing as a duet.
Today I'm off to meet Fred Knittle,
a colorful personality in the chorus...
until a heart attack five years ago
forced him to stop.
- An old cowpoke went riding out
one dark and windy day -
- Upon the trail he res ted
as he went along his way -
- When al I at once a mighty herd
of red-eyed cows he saw -
- A-ridin' through the ragged sky -
- And up a cloudy draw -
- Yippee-yi-ay
Yippee-yi-oh -
- Ghost riders in the sky --
That was the song that we sang
that started the show off.
That seemed to go over pretty well.
We did that all over Europe.
We went from continent to continent
until I became incontinent...
and then we didn't go any further.
There's something about Fred's personality
onstage that makes it all work.
You know, he's-
he's really got this- this charm...
th-th-that comes out of him
when he sings.
And so he's a- You know,
he's- he's pretty magnetic.
[ Stephen ]
Why do you need the oxygen?
I have congestive heart failure...
and it builds up fluids
in the lungs, in the legs.
Um, and so the lungs,
when it's filled with fluid...
you have to have a supplement...
and that's what the oxygen is for-
to replace the space
that I don't have anymore.
That's from years of smoking
and carousing and so forth.
- A lot of carousing, huh?
- A lot of carousing. Right.
Bob Cilman says I have
a high and a low voice.
Um, the high is for ballads
and things like that...
and then occasionally
he'll want me to do a low voice.
- Um-
- How low can you go?
Well-
- Many brave hearts are asleep in the deep -
- So beware -
[ Pitch Lowers ]
- Be-e-e-e-ware -
- [ Stephen Laughing]
- A little bit. I get it down there.
Again, it all depends
how loose my shorts are.
[ Narrator] Fred's partner
in the new song is Bob Salvini...
whose solo of "Every Breath You Take"
where he played a nurse...
was one of the highlights
of the chorus back in the '90s.
[ Bob ]
- Every breath you take -
- Every move you make -
- -- [ Continues ]
- [ Stephen ] Four years ago, at the age of7 1...
Bob developed spinal meningitis.
Within hours his condition
had worsened so rapidly...
that a priest was called in
to deliver the last rites.
[ Bob ]
- I'll be watching you -
[ Stephen ]
How close were you to dying?
Oh, very close.
I wasn't supposed to live.
The doctor told her, in so many words,
he's probably gonna die.
Boy, it sounded so bleak.
I had-
It was shocking to me that he made it back
from what he went through.
He really sounded like
he was on the verge of death.
And, you know, he has never
come back to us since then.
From that point on it was hell.
I couldn't see. I couldn't hear.
I couldn't talk.
I didn't know anybody.
I didn't know my wife.
I didn't know my children-
for months.
I took him to the local hospital here.
While he was in there-
It was three days-
he did nothing but sing
day and night.
I mean, the top of his lungs,
day and night.
The doctors would laugh, and the nurses-
they'd say, "He's still in there singing."
They felt they could not do anything
for him there, so they sent him to a-
- [ Laughing ]
- to Dartmouth Hitchcock up in New Hampshire.
- What was he singing?
- Everything.
Everything from Young At Heart chorus.
He was singing "Golden Years."
- Golden years, bwop-bwop-bwop -
Laying in the bed, singing.
That was the thing about it-
His state of mind- He would say things
that were actually really, really funny...
almost acting as if he was on stage.
He was so sick, and that was really
what was causing him to do those things...
but it was so much
in his personality.
Bob Cilman came in and he said...
"You sang every song that we did on the tour
in chorus in the emergency room...
and it's the first time
you didn't make any mistakes."
[ Laughing ]
[ Stephen Narrating]
For the next four years...
Bob's life revolved
around hospitals.
Only recently has he been well enough for
Bob Cilman to consider bringing him back.
But he has never sung
since he first became ill.
What if it doesnt work out
and you jus t cant find that voice again?
- How's that gonna be?
- Ah.
Devastating.
Yeah.
[ Clears Throat ]
-- [ Organ ]
-- [ Continues ]
[ Man ]
- When you try your best -
- [ Cheering, Applause ]
- - But you dont succeed -
- When you get what you want -
- - But not what you need -
- [ Bob ] How many were in the
group when Bob Salvini was here?
- When you feel so tired
but you cant sleep -
- Stuck in reverse -
Good to see ya.
- And the tears come
streaming down your face -
- When you lose something -
- You cant replace -
- When you love someone -
- But it goes to waste -
- Could it be worse -
[ Bob, Chorus ]
- Lights will guide you home -
- And ignite -
- Your bones -
- I will try -
- T o fix you -
[ Bob Cilman ]
I want the first two lines from you, Bob...
and the next two from you, Fred.
-- [ Continues ]
[ Singing Along With Recording ]
- And high above or down below -
- When you're too in love
to let it go -
- But if you never try
you'll never know -
- Just what you're worth -
[ With Chorus ]
- The lights will guide -
- You home -
- And ignite -
- Your bones -
- I will try -
- To fix you --
It's great to see guys like that
not give up and come back.
I think that's a really cool thing.
'Cause they spent so much time doing this,
and they didn't want to stop doing it.
It was just health that
made it impossible for them.
[ Cheering, Applause ]
Thank you.
- Whoo!
- Whoo! Whoo!
[ Stephen ]
Fred, how was that?
It was fun. I-
I didn't run out of air!
It's gonna take a little work.
I should really sing that an octave higher,
what I used to do.
But I- We'll put it together.
- Do you like the song?
- Yes. Beautiful.
So, what's it like to be back?
Wonderful. It's like
being back in the saddle.
Back in the saddle again.
- -- [ Rock ]
- [ Cheering, Applauding]
[ Stephen Narrating ]
It's five weeks before the show...
and at great personal risk
I'm letting Lenny drive me to rehearsal.
- [ Chorus ] - Ah, ohh -
- -- [ Continues ]
Everybody loves Lenny...
despite his tendency to go suddenly blank
in the middle of "Purple Haze "...
his one solo with the chorus...
a factor which makes each performance
a nail-biting experience.
- Purple haze
All in my brain -
[ Woman ]
- Lately things just dont seem the same -
- [ Bob ] Oh!
- Oh, boy.
-- [ Ends ]
[ Stephen ] Give me a breakdown of
the different things you do in the week.
[ Lenny]
Tuesday, as you know, we have rehearsal.
And, uh, Wednesday
I've got, uh, the club bike ride.
This is a Trek.
It's an American-built bicycle...
and it's held up
a pretty darn good reputation...
for avoiding repairs.
And they even have club rides
on every Sunday.
But I don't go on that
because I sing in the choir.
- All the earth proclaim the Lord -
- Sing your praise to God --
[ Stephen ]
What about the Harmonicats?
Oh, yeah.
[ Chuckles ]
- Just because you think
you're so pretty -
- Just because
you think you're so hot -
- Just because you think
you've got something -
- That nobody else has got --
Over here, okay?
Here we go.
[ Man ]
Right from the top?
[ Stephen Narrating ]
Over the past few days...
the chorus have been hard at work
on all the new songs...
though it's anybody's guess which ones
will be ready in time for the show.
This afternoon Lenny and Joe get their
first crack at "Life During Wartime. "
- Heard of a van
that's loaded with weapons -
- Packed up and ready to go -
[ Bob ]
Get ready down here.
- Heard of some gravesides
down by the highway -
- A pl ace where nobody knows -
- The sound of gunfire
off in the distance -
- Im gettin' used to it now -
- Lived in a brownstone -
- Lived in a ghetto -
- I lived all over this town -
Yeah, you know what was
really interesting?
Joe's take on " Life During Wartime."
That was really incredible.
He just came out and nailed it.
- High on a hillside
trucks are loaded -
- Everything's ready to go -
Nice!
Yeah! Nice!
- - I sleep in the daytime -
- [ Chorus ]- I work in the nighttime -
[Joe ]
- I might not even go home --
Boom.
That was a revelation.
That happens a lot with this group.
You're thinking
about other things...
and you try something you don't think has a
chance, but you figure you might as well do it.
That was really something for the first time.
I really liked it.
- Now is the time -
[ Grunts ]
- [ Chorus Grunts ]
- [ Stephen ]
Bob's optimism comes crashing down...
with the next song,
"Yes, We Can Can. "
Apart from Joe,
who knows it off by heart...
nobody in the chorus has yet managed
to get their heads round all 7 1 "can "s.
- And try to find peace within -
- Without steppin' on one another -
Those words are hard
to put together.
"I think I can, I think I can,
I think I can-can-can"? That's hard!
- I know darn well
we can work it out -
- Oh, yes, we can, I know we can can
Yes, we can -
- Oh, gosh almighty, yes, we can
Oh, yes, we can can -
"Oh, yes, we can.
"I know we can can.
Yes, we can."
[ Laughs ]
- Oh, yes, we can, I know we can can
Yes, we can can -
- Why can't we if we wanna
Yes, we can can -
- [ Stephen ] Can you do it?
- No!
- I think I can can can
I think I can can if I wanna -
- I can can, think I can
Yes, I can, yes, I can -
- I know darn well I can
Yes, I can can -
Them words are too hard
to put there!
You know,
I'm ready to scrap this thing.
- [ Laughing, Chattering ]
- But, um-
But here is the thing.
If you guys will learn the whole song-
everybody learn the whole song.
It's one of those things you've gotta
commit to. Learn the whole song.
I've learned it.
You can't scrap it. We're gonna
throw you out if you scrap it.
- I'm ready to scrap it unless you learn it.
- No. No.
Here's what- Here's what-
The only way- Do you wanna do this song?
Of course! Its a great song!
A lot of energy.
I don't know about that song.
I love that song. I love the feel of that song.
I love what it has to say.
But I just feel like- Wow.
It's a foot-stomping,
hand-clapping kind of thing.
The audience will love it.
We love it. I love doing it.
It's got a lot of life.
That's what we have- a lot of life.
-- [ Pop ]
[ Singing Along With Stereo ]
- The world in which we live -
[ Stephen Narrating]
Steve Martin is an ex-Marine...
whose zest for life
is positively mind-blowing.
He drives a 1 30-mile-an-hour
Chrysler convertible...
works out three times a week...
and hes got Mary Lou,
the girlfriend he calls his squeeze.
- -- [ Singing ]
- I'm having a hard time
remembering hes nearly 80.
- Try to find peace within -
- Without steppin' on one another -
- And do respect
the women of the world -
[ Stephen ] I've seen a little statuette
you've got downstairs which says...
- "You sexy beast"!
- [ Laughing ]
I got that-
I got that from Mary Lou...
so youll have to
ask her about that.
I think she's been the recipient
of some of my physical activities.
[ Chuckles ]
So that's another clich we could explode,
isn't it, about older- older people?
Al I that bah, hum bug.
Just stay healthy and-
[ Chuckling ]
Does life in that department
stop at 70, or-
Hel I no!
It gets better.
Takes longer and you have more fun.
- [ Chattering ]
- -- [ Guitar]
Ooh, yeah!
[ Laughs ]
[ Chorus ]
- Golden years -
- Ohh-oh, wop-wop-wop -
- Golden years -
- Go, wop-wop-wop -
- Golden years -
- Gold, wop-wop-wop -
- Don't let me hear you say
Life's taking you nowhere -
- Angel -
[ Chorus ]
- Come, get up, my baby -
- Look at that sky
Life's begun -
- Nights are warm
and the days are young -
[ Chorus ]
- Come, get up, my baby -
- There's my baby
Lost, that's all -
- Once, I'm begging you
save her little soul -
[ Chorus ]
- Golden years -
- Gold, wop-wop-wop -
- Come, get up, my baby -
- Last night they loved you -
- Opening doors
and pulling some strings -
- Angel -
[ Chorus ]
- Come, get up, my baby -
- I n walked luck
and you looked in time -
- Never look back
Walk tall, act fine -
[ Chorus ]
- Come, get up, my baby-
- I'll stick with you, baby
for a thousand years -
- Nothin's gonna touch you
in these golden years -
[ Chorus ]
- Go-o-o-o-o-old --
-- [ Funk ]
[ Stephen Narrating ]
With each new rehearsal...
"I Feel Good"
is rapidly going backwards.
Dora still cant get the timing...
while Stan keeps getting stuck
on the same two lines.
- And I'll hold you in my heart -
- I want- Nothing can do-
You know- -
[ Bob ]
- My love cant do you no harm -
- [ Grunts ]
- - My love can't do you no harm -
There's two lines,
and you just gotta get it.
You're holding the song
back right now.
Um-
- When I hold you in my -
You know what? Stan, take the mike
and just give it to us real big.
- [ Stephen ] Bob can be pretty tough on you.
- Yeah, Bob can get tough.
Bob can get tough, and a lot of 'em
gets kinda upset when he holler at 'em.
And I looked at 'em, I says,
" He holler at you, holler back."
[ Chorus, Bob ]
- So good, so good-
- I got you -
Aaah!
- I feel nice -
- - Like I knew that I- -
- Like sugar and spice!
You know what? Forget it.
We'll just- Im giving up on this one.
All right, let's go to the next one-
"Nothing Compares 2 U."
A-Actually- Okay?
Uh-
[ Stephen ]
He's a tough guy, isn't he, Bob?
Oh, yeah.
He chews nails and spits rust.
[ Chattering ]
But Im tough too.
I can handle it.
We have five or six songs we're hoping to
try to present that are brand-new here...
and, um, I'll be surprised
if two or three make it, so-
But we're working really hard.
That's the important thing. And, uh- uh-
- So, where are we right now?
- We're in hell.
[ Stephen Narrating]
Later that evening...
it's something of a relief
to escape the hothouse rehearsals...
when Fred and his wife Barbara
invite me over to their house.
[ Stephen ]
How long have you two been married for?
[ Both ]
Fifty-four years!
You heard m e say the other day
that we stayed together for the kids-
she didn't want 'em, neither did I.
That wasn't true.
That's just his silly-
And we did things romantically.
We went dining and dancing
twice a week.
I went Tuesday, she went Thursday.
Wh- And then-
And then we had-
Our marriage was built
on faith and trust.
She had no faith in me
and I didn't trust her.
[ Stephen ]
That's a beautiful picture.
[ Fred]
Our first dance as Mr. and Mrs.
[ Stephen ]
Did he used to sing, Barbara?
- Oh, sure.
- Yeah?
- Was this a big thing for him to sing, or not?
- Yeah. He loved to sing.
Where did he used to sing?
- I n the bathtub.
- I n the john. [ Laughing ]
[ Stephen Narrating ]
It's the Thursday before Easter...
and my last chance to catch up with the
chorus before they break for the holidays.
The first song on the agenda
is "Fix You. "
Nobody knows why, but Bob Salvini
didnt make it to yesterday's rehearsal.
Today hes back, but I'm s truck by how weak
he looks since I last saw him five days ago.
I don't know which is worse to watch,
you getting down or Stan getting up.
That was a rough landing.
-- [ Piano ]
[ Weakly ]
- When you try- best -
-- [ Slurring Words ]
- You get what you want
but not what you need -
-- [ Piano Continues ]
[ Bob ]
Try it from the beginning.
- your best
but you don't succeed -
- - When you get - No.
- You gotta wait.
-- [ Piano: Melody]
- Tired, but you cant sleep -
- Stuck in reverse -
That's great! Do that again.
Stuck- That sounds great.
- Do that again?
- Yeah, I like that.
- Stuck in re- -
You surprised yourself.
- Stuck in reverse -
Can you go just a little bit-
- Stuck in rever-er-erse -
- Id like to.
- Don't think so?
- Stuck in rever- er- -
No.
Okay. That's all right.
- Stuck in reverse -
That's fine.
Bobby, it sounds great.
- Really?
- It really sounds great.
You can't do anything
wrong here, Bob.
Al I right.
[ Stephen Narrating ]
Only afterwards do we learn...
that Bob had been in hospital yesterday,
suffering from chest pains.
This afternoon his son
had begged him to stay at home...
but Bob insisted on
coming to rehearsal.
- [ Stephen ] Bob, why did you come today?
- Why am I here?
- Yes.
- I was afraid that if I missed another one...
Bob would put
somebody else in my spot.
[ Laughs ]
He's been known to do that before.
Basically, why did I come?
I came here because I love it.
You know, I've given him now
the blank CD...
and it may be that
he just does that at home.
We check 'em out one or two times.
I don't see the point
of making him come each time.
You know, whatever he gives us
on that song will be strong...
because it'll be coming
from, uh, somewhere.
We'll have to work
on certain points...
but, you know, this is the first I'm hearing
that he was in the hospital...
so that really...
makes me pause.
I-I don't want him doing things
that he's not capable of doing.
Are you sure it's a wise idea
for you to keep going?
Oh, yeah. Ab-Absolutely.
Yeah. Yeah.
Yeah.
I really love what Im doing.
And, uh-
[ Clears Throat ]
Okay, well, I wish you
the very best of health over Easter.
We'll see you guys in about
- Have a safe flight.
- Yeah. Thanks very much. Have a safe everything.
- See you soon. Best of luck now.
- Right. Thank you.
-- [ Cowbell ]
-- [ Drums, Bass, Piano ]
[ Stephen Narrating ]
Easter has been and gone...
and I'm back in Northampton
to catch the chorus in full swing...
as they gear up for the show
in less than three weeks.
The posters are being printed
and the show has got a name-
Alive and Well
Featuring Joe on sparkling form.
- And all the joy within you dies -
- Don't you want somebody to love -
Ahead lies a packed timetable
of extra rehearsals...
plus a very unusual gig in a local jail
at the end of the week.
- You'd better find somebody to love --
But theres been one
major change over Easter.
Two days after I left, Bob Salvini had
a cardiac arrest and was rushed to hospital...
where the last rites
were read to him.
Miraculously he pulled through...
but for a few hours it was touch and go
whether he would live or die.
Oh. I thought that was it.
I really thought that was it.
So did my kids.
My younger daughter,
as soon as she got the phone call...
she woke up her baby,
threw him in the car and rushed over here.
We were all in the hallway thinking,
"This is it." You know?
Bob has had so many things...
where we think, "This is it"...
and he gets better.
I'm not sure if it's prayer, which-
I believe in prayer. Terribly believe in prayer.
Or if it's his strong will.
I think we're all set.
[ Stephen Narrating] Three days ago
Bob came out of Intensive Care.
This afternoon he's being moved from hospital
to a convalescent unit near his home.
Although hes still very weak...
his doctors are amazed
by the speed of his recovery...
and his determination to make the show
in less than three weeks.
[ Doctor]
Said he wasnt hungry and he wasnt gonna.
I brought your watch. I thought that would
make you feel good if you had your watch on.
Get that for you.
- [ Stephen ] Hi, Bob!
- [ Whispers ] Hi, Steve.
Mary Ellen said
that he has 20 lives.
- Mmm.
- And, uh, he's used a bunch of 'em up.
But he's, uh- Yeah, he's-
Yeah, he is amazing.
Are you going to make the show...
if you can make it, Bob?
Are you going to sing with the Young At Heart
chorus if you can do it?
That performance- If you can do it.
I know you're gonna do it
if you can do it.
There's our poster that he looks at.
Makes him feel happy.
Yeah, I-I think- I think, um,
if he can do it, he will do it.
He's a trouper too. He wants to get back
and he may get back in time for the show.
- [ Stephen ] You think he might?
- He may.
Bob thinks he will-
Bob Cilman thinks he will.
So at the moment
you're doing his part, aren't you?
Im learning it
just in case he doesn't make it.
That's trouper ship,
whatever they call it.
How you feeling, Robert?
Good?
Just give yourself a big hug.
When we say "three," just squeeze tightly.
- Ready?
- One, two, three.
[ Monitor: Sustained Tone ]
[ Woman ]
- Well, we -
[ Chorus ]
- Know where we're goin'-
[ Doctor]
Bye, Bob. Take care.
- But we dont know -
- Where weve been -
[ Woman ]
- And we -
[ Chorus ]
- Know what were knowin '-
- Take care.
- - But we cant say -
- [ Stephen ] Good luck, Bob.
- - What weve seen -
[ Woman ]
- And were -
[ Chorus ]
- Not little children -
- And we know -
- What we want -
- [ Woman ] - And the -
- [ Chorus ] - Future is certain -
- Give us time to -
- Work it out -
- Im glad that's done.
- [ Ambulance Door Slams ]
I'm glad it's done.
I feel like were on our way now.
-- [ Continues ]
[ Chorus ]
- Were on a road to nowhere -
[ Man ]
- Come on inside -
[ Chorus ]
- Taking that ride to nowhere -
- Well take that ride -
- Were on a road to nowhere -
Yaah-ha-ha!
- There's a city in my mind -
- Come along and take that ride -
- And it's all right -
- Baby, it's alright -
- Though it's very far away -
- But it's growing day by day -
- And it's alright -
- Baby, it's all right -
- They can tell you what to do -
- But they' I l make a fool of you -
- And it's all right -
- Baby, it's all right -
- Theres a city in my mind -
- Come along and take that ride
and it's all right -
- A little bit faster now
A little bit faster now -
- Though it's very far away -
- But it's growin' day by day
and it's alright -
- A little bit faster now
A little bit faster now -
- Yes, they'll tell you what to do -
- But they'll make a fool of you
and it's all right -
- A little bit faster now
A little bit faster now -
[ Chorus ]
Wait a minute!
[ Fred] We may be lost,
but we're making good time.
- We're on a road to nowhere -
- [ Chorus ] - Way-ay-ay-ohh -
- - Way-ay-ay-ohh -
- Were on a road to nowhere -
- [ Chorus ] - Way-ay-ay-ohh -
- - Way-ay-ay-ohh -
- Were on a road -
- T o nowhere --
So, you know,
here's the report on Bob Salvini.
Some of you have been asking.
And that's that, um,
he has now been moved...
to, um, Sunbridge...
and he's getting rehab there.
And he should be done with that in
two weeks, and then on the Academy stage.
- [ Chuckling ] I dont know
how it's gonna work, actually.
- [ Laughing, Murmuring ]
You know, Bob was in bad shape.
- I don't know if you know.
- [ Woman ] Yeah, I know. I saw him-
- [ Man ] He had the last rites!
- He had the last rites.
Im curious- Have any of you
ever had the last rites said for you?
John, you had
the last rites said for you?
They didn't know what was wrong
and they says, "We'll give you last rites."
- I said, "I don't care!"
- [ All Laughing ]
[ Woman ] They don't call 'em
the last rites till you're dead.
[ Bob ] You were dead. There was
no point in the last rites at that point.
Jean, did you see that white light
that everybody talks about?
N o.
I refused to look.
[ All Laughing ]
- That's great! I don't wanna see the white light!
- [ Bob ] That's a good one!
Who wants to see the light?
Right? [ Laughing ]
Who knows if it's ever gonna stop?
- I know we can make it -
- I know that we can -
- I know darn well
we can work it out -
- Oh, yes, we can, I know we can can
Yes, we can can -
- Why can't we if we wanna
Yes, we can can -
[ Stephen Narrating ]
The last time I heard it...
Bob was ready to throw out
"Yes, We Can Can. "
But the chorus spent the Easter break
getting their heads round all the "cans "...
and now it's back in with a chance.
- You missed a verse.
- You know what? I wanna end it there.
- Its getting way too long.
- Okay.
Can't we just go there
and end it there?
[ Man ] With "Great gosh almighty,
yes, we can" and out?
No, I'd do it twice.
- Oh, yes, we can, I know we can can -
[ With Bob ]
- Yes, we can can -
- Why can't we if we wanna
Yes, we can can --
[ Stephen Narrating ]
It's 9: 00 on a Friday morning...
and the chorus are off
to the local jail...
to perform before
a bunch of prisoners.
Over the years, they've
toured all over the world...
even sung to
the king and queen of Norway.
But this will be, in every sense,
their toughest audience yet.
Before we join them on the bus...
Bobs assistant Diane tells me she wants
to say a word to the chorus first.
She asks us to wait outside.
- [ Woman ] Quiet!
- [ Man ] Listen up!
[ Diane ]
I have some sad news.
Bob Salvini died last night.
- [ Al I Groaning ]
- [ Woman ] That's not true!
[ Chattering, Murmuring ]
[ Diane ]
We got the call this morning.
[ Woman ]
Oh, my God.
It was quite sudden.
Yesterday afternoon,
he was practicing his song...
and he was looking forward
to seeing Bob Cilman today...
to practice it some more.
But... he gave out...
and we go on.
I know that this is
a difficult thing to hear...
as you're pulling
yourselves together...
to go and do a performance.
And my thoughts
are with you especially...
'cause I know
he was a big part for us-
- [ Man ] He certainly was.
- for all of us.
[ No Audible Dialogue ]
We gotta press on...
in spite of it...
and, uh, keep him in our memory.
Yeah.
That's- That's-
That's the, uh, road we travel...
I'm afraid.
Good morning.
Good morning and welcome.
And, uh, a very, very warm and enthusiastic
welcome to the Young At Heart chorus-
[ Stephen Narrating]
Just one hour has passed...
since the chorus learned
about Bob Salvini's death.
Now, before they've barely
had time to absorb the shock...
they have to face
an audience and perform.
Let's have a very warm, enthusiastic
welcome to the Young A t Heart.
[ Cheering, Whistling ]
Thank you very much.
Thanks for, uh...
Letting us come and
do some songs for you.
U h, hope you enjoy them.
-- [ Rock ]
- You can't start a fire -
- You can't start a fire without a spark -
- This gun's for hire -
- Even if we're just dancing in the dark -
[ Steve ]
- I get up in the evenin' -
- And I ain't got nothin' to say -
- I come home in the morning-
- I go to bed feeling the same way -
- I ain't nothing but tired -
- Man, I'm just tired
and bored with myself-
- Hey, there, baby -
- I could use just a little help -
[ Chorus ]
- You can't start a fire -
- You can't start a fire without a spark -
- This gun's for hire -
- Even if we're just dancing in the dark--
[ Stephen ]
How do you go on in a situation like that?
Well, I -I guess
the other question is...
how do you not do it?
You know, how can you not...
out of respect for him,
respect for the situation-
I mean, people are
expecting you to perform.
And, you know...
I think you really have to go on.
We've had to do this a lot.
I mean, there have been many times...
when the chorus had to perform...
right after finding out
that somebody else had died.
And I think, uh-
I think it's really helpful...
to have everybody together
at that moment and to sing.
[ Bob ]
We got bad news today.
One of our chorus members
died today.
His name was Bob Salvini. He was
a wonderful guy, and, uh, this is for him.
"Forever Young. "
-- [ Soft Rock ]
- May God bless and keep you always -
- May your wishes all come true -
- May you always do for others -
- And let others do for you -
- May you build a ladder to the stars -
- And climb on every rung -
- May you stay -
- Forever young -
- Forever young -
- Forever young -
- May you stay -
- Forever young -
- May your hands be always busy -
- May your feet be always swift -
- May you build a strong foundation -
- When the winds of changes shift -
- May your heart always be joyous -
- And your song always be sung -
- May you stay -
- Forever young -
- Forever young -
- Forever young -
- May you stay -
- Forever young --
-- [ Vocalizing ]
[ Cheering, Whistling ]
Yeah!
[ No Audible Dialogue ]
All right!
[ Voices Overlapping ]
I would like to say that...
this is the best performance
I ever seen in my life.
Fantastic. Fantastic.
Lot of spirit in these folks.
You're in my heart forever.
You're in my heart forever.
- Thank you.
- Thank you.
[ Stephen Narrating] In the days
that follow the concert at the jail...
the reality of Bob Salvini's death
sinks home to everyone in the chorus.
Above all, perhaps, to the man
most immediately affected by his loss.
- You get what you want
not what you need -
- When you feel so tired
but you can't sleep -
It was just a shock because
I knew he was ill, very ill...
but I didn't realize
it was that bad.
And I just-
My son came up that night
and he said...
"What's the matter, Dad?
You seem strange."
I guess I was just moved
by the fact that...
this man that I was going
to be doing a duet with...
um, passed away.
I always think that people who have
been with the chorus are with us.
You know, I think about the people
who aren't here anymore...
and I think that in some ways,
we always think about them.
But this is quite immediate, so-
- Lights will guide you home -
- And ignite your bones -
[ Stephen ]
Does it give you second thoughts...
about whether you want to go on
to this concert next week?
- Do you feel maybe you shouldnt?
- Not a bit. No.
Im still ready to go to the concert,
because that's-
When Bob first asked me,
this is what it was to be.
And Im-Im pleased to do so.
- But do you want to do it?
- Sure.
In fact, I wanna
dedicate this song...
to Bob Salvini.
- Today is Lenny's...
- [ Lenny] No, no. Please.
- [ Chattering ]
- -- [ Organ ]
- Happy birthday to you -
[ Stephen Narrating ]
With just 1 0 days to go before the show...
once again the chorus are together...
and this time
with something to celebrate.
- Happy birthday- -
Lenny told me hes too old
to like birthdays anymore...
but I cant help thinking
that right now...
he looks less like 86
and more like about 1 0.
- - To you --
- - To me --
Thank you all!
Thank you. Thank you.
Thank you.
[ Bob ]
It doesn't just stop there.
- Happy birthday.
- [ Bob ] What's going on?
Lenny, you're being
attacked by women.
[Applause ]
[ Stephen ]
My exposure's all wrong.
- [ Lenny ] Its a little dark in here.
- Its a little dark in here.
I'm gonna-
Just give me a second, yeah?
Ill give you
whatever you want, dear.
[ Lenny]
Wow. There you go. What an offer!
Yes!
That's got Lenny excited.
[ Laughter]
- [ Chuckling ]
- [ Stephen ] Happy birthday, Lenny.
Oh, you already said-
That's enough "Happy birthdays."
[ Eileen ]
We wanna keep saying it.
[ Stephen ] Yeah. So what's the problem
with birthdays then?
Nothing, except when
you reach this level of age...
you figure you don't need
to celebrate anymore.
[ Stephen Narrating ] The next morning
brings some worrying news.
After experiencing
breathing problems...
Joe went to see
his doctor yesterday.
He was told that
his white blood cell count...
had sunk to dangerously low levels...
making him extremely
vulnerable to infection.
Given his history of cancer...
hes been brought to hospital
for an immediate blood transfusion.
So what happens if there's some extra blood?
Where does that go?
- [ Laughing ]
- Does it come out here or what?
- No, no.
- It doesn't?
You just call me.
Im right here.
[Joe ]
What do you want me to call you?
Any itching, chills, okay?
- If you're not feeling good,
You just let me know.
- Okay.
I'll be checking your blood pressure
in another 1 5 minutes.
[ Stephen ]
Are you, um-
A t the back of your mind,
are you worried about whether...
the cancer might be coming back?
Not really.
It doesn't bother me a bit.
Ive forgotten about it.
Im just happy...
to be up and around
and doing some singing.
That's- That's what my life is now.
You know, singing.
Helping my son and the family,
you know.
I don't think about it at all.
[ Scoffs ]
Don't bother me one bit.
The Lord knows how long
you're gonna be here, right?
You can push it
a little bit, but, uh...
your time is pretty well marked.
But I don't feel that it's here yet,
not for a long time.
I'm not worried about it at all.
Did I convince you?
- [ Stephen ] No.
- [ Chuckling ]
[ Stephen Narrating]
Over a period of four years...
Joe went through
six bouts of chemotherapy...
enough, according to his doctors,
to kill most people.
But in all that time,
he barely missed a single show.
You gonna keep on singing?
I think that's the key.
Keep on singing,
going to these countries.
And the people
appreciate you so much...
it kinda gives you
an uplift, you know.
Makes you feel great, you know.
I love it...
especially when you
go out on stage there.
They start clapping and everything else.
Oh, God.
That's really something.
[ Woman On P.A., Indistinct ]
Here we go.
- One more time, Ed.
I gotta get through a lot here.
- -- [ Pop ]
-- [ Vocalizing ]
[ Stephen Narrating]
Despite Joe's absence, Bob presses on.
Of all the songs, "Schizophrenia" seems
to have made the biggest leap forward...
almost unrecognizable from
what it was just six weeks ago.
- Ah, ah, ah, ah, ah, ah, ah, ah
ah, ah, ah, ah, ah, ah -
- Ah, ah, ah, ah, ah, ah, ah, ah
ah, ah, ah, ah, ah, ah -
It is great! It's great.
It's our song, right?
It's the kind of song
we need to make us-
"pow," you know, with the audience.
That's us.
That's us, baby. That's us.
- [ Stamps Foot Down ]
- You got it.
- When I hold you in my arms -
[ Stephen Narrating ] But there's one song
which just never changes.
After more than 15 rehearsals...
Stan is still stuck
on the same two lines.
- - I won't do you-you no harm- -
- -- [ Stops ]
What, do you want me to
put more oomph into it?
- Well, just- Yeah.
- Alright.
Like you know it. Right now,
it looks like you're thinking about it.
- Okay. Okay.
- It's just two lines.
- Yeah.
- And the more energy
you put into it, the better.
- - I know I won't do you no harm -
- Right.
- Yeah.
- Yeah.
- I'm nervous about it.
- You're nervous? Why?
Huh? Well, just the, uh-
- just the impending performance.
- Oh.
But I'll get over that.
- Don't worry about that.
- No, I get it.
[ Phone Line Ringing ]
- [ Ringing Continues ]
- [Joe ] Hello?
[ Bob ]
Yeah, hi, Joe. How are ya?
- [Joe ] Bob, I just came back from the doctor's.
- Yeah.
How is- How's your breathing?
- Not- Not that great.
- Yeah.
Yeah, it's not very good.
- So what you need to do, Joe,
is stay home tomorrow.
- Yeah.
- And, uh-
- I was afraid to tell you that.
No, don't be afraid.
We just-
- I didn't think you'd like it.
- No, no, I don't mind at all.
You do the best you can, you know?
The only thing we care about, Joe,
is you getting better.
- Yeah, well, me too.
- And that's all.
- I wanna be around for another 1 0 years anyway.
- I know. I know.
We got, uh-
We got-
We gotta cross the seas pretty soon,
so we need you healthy for that.
- Yeah.
- All right?
- I realize that.
- Yeah.
So do whatever you need to do
to take care of yourself.
- I will.
- All right.
- Thank you.
- Okay. We'll talk to you later.
- Adios, amigo.
- Adios to you too.
- Take care.
- Bye-bye.
[ Replaces Handset In Cradle ]
[ Stephen Narrating ] With everything
that's happened, Fred's wife Barbara...
is now becoming concerned
about Fred performing in the show.
But nothing will
s top Fred from going ahead...
despite the fact his doctor
gave him just two years to live...
after his last heart attack...
a deadline that ran out
four months ago.
You don't get out of this world alive,
that's for dam n sure.
But this, it doesn't bother me.
Ive already written my eulogy
in poetry form.
"If you're hearing this now,
you'll know that...
"I have gone to that
development office in the sky.
"But don't feel bad.
I've had a good life.
"I had a wonderful family
and a wonderful wife.
"And then, of course,
there have been all you folks.
"You've abided my kidding,
you've laughed at my jokes.
"You've heard them all,
even my little dog Rover.
You've heard them
all over and over."
That's already been written,
my eulogy...
at the end of which,
by the way, my nephew-
We were always kidding him
about being out of the will.
At the end of which I say,
"And if I go either to hell or heaven...
make sure Terry gets $1.87."
-- [ "Stayin' Alive"]
- Now you can tell by the way
I use my walk -
- I'm a woman's man
no time for talk -
- Music loud and women warm -
- Ive been kicked around
since I was born -
- But it's all right
It's okay -
- You can look the other way -
- We can try to understand -
- The New York Times ' effect on man -
- Whether you're a brother
or whether you're a mother -
- You're staying alive
staying alive -
- See the city breaking
and everybody shaking -
- We're staying alive
staying alive -
- Life's going nowhere -
- Somebody help me -
- Somebody help me, yeah -
- Life's going nowhere -
- Somebody help me -
- Yeah -
- Im staying alive -
- Im staying alive --
[ Stephen Narrating ]
It's four days before the show...
and I'm joining Lenny for breakfast.
I'm keen to see how he's getting on
with "Life During Wartime "...
before the choruss
final rehearsal this afternoon.
But the latest news on
his singing partner Joe isnt good...
and it's now almost certain he wont
be well enough to make the show.
I understand he, uh- he's back-
He's got pneumonia, and, uh...
that's something you don't, uh,
push off.
You know, that can be disastrous.
I'm hoping that he's got a strong enough
immune system to offset it.
[ Stephen ]
Joe is on the center of that poster, isn't he?
That's right. That's right.
We're gonna miss him.
Well, let's hope he's gonna be
well enough to actually be there.
- Yes.
- Okay.
- Do you wanna put it up?
- H uh?
- Yeah.
- Okay.
There we go.
[ Chuckles ]
[ Stephen Narrating ] Fifteen minutes
after Lenny puts up the poster...
he receives a phone call
from Bobs assistant Diane.
She tells him that
Joe died early this morning.
Last night, he checked himself
into hospital with breathing problems.
His worst fears had been realized.
The cancer had come back
and had entered his blood.
He died just a week
after Bob Salvini.
- Its been seven hours -
- And 1 5 days -
- - Since you took your love away -
- - Love away -
- I go out every night -
- And sleep all day -
- - Since you took your love away -
- - Love away -
- Since you've been gone -
- I can do whatever I want -
- I can see whomever I choose -
- I can eat my dinner -
- In a fancy restaurant -
- But nothing -
- I said nothing can
take away these blues -
- - 'Cause nothing compares -
- - Com pares -
- Nothing compares to you --
H e was just the most sweetest guy.
He never had a bad word
to say about anybody.
He made you happy.
There's gonna be a giant hole here.
I don't know-
There's nobody ever gonna fill that.
[ Stephen ]
How are you guys bearing up?
N-Not well.
After the initial
shock and sadness...
we sort of got together
and decided...
that we would go on with the show.
But we've all said that about ourselves.
I've always said...
"If I collapse on the stage, just drag me off
and continue with the show...
because I'm only one person."
[ Stephen ]
Do you think it's very difficult for you...
to go on and do this concert?
No, it's not difficult for me, um...
because I knew him so well...
that he would want it to go on.
You know, he would definitely
want it to go on.
Absolutely positive.
And I would-
If anything happened to me...
I wouldn't want everybody to fall apart
and say, "Oh, we can't go on."
Um, I'd expect them to go on,
because I always tell people-
For years, I've told 'em- I said...
"When I pass on,
I shan't go out of your life.
"I shall be sitting up on a rainbow...
"looking down watching you.
"So keep doing what
we've always done together...
because I'll be there."
I n the first act
it'll be one, two and three...
although I kind of want
me and Johnny near each other.
- I think it kind of works
with a pair and a single one.
- Okay.
We lost a lot of light there.
Wanna sharpen it up, make it look-
No, it looks sharp.
[ Stephen Narrating]
At the end of the week in which Joe died...
the day of the show has arrived.
A t 8: 00 tonight, the curtain goes up
at the Academy Theater.
-- [ Humming ]
[ Man ]
That's good!
- [ Stephen ] What happens in the next hour?
- U h, I pace.
You know, I just-
I burn the rug here.
I just keep on going
back and forth...
and thinking about what it is that
we're going to be doing here tonight.
- I feel nice -
It's sold out. The person I was
supposed to go with couldn't make it.
My friends couldn't even get in.
Eight people, 1 0 people-
I'm by myself.
You might want to try the balcony.
- To a great show. For Joe Benoit-
- Great show.
-Joe Benoit and-
- Right.
- And Bob.
- To Joe and Bob.
- And Bob. God bless them.
- Salud. Salud.
- Have fun.
- Good show, everybody.
Good show.
Come on.
Let's give 'em hell.
- [Audience Cheering ]
- Give 'em hell. Let's do it.
-- [ Pop ]
- Well, no one told me about her -
[ Chorus ]
- The way she lied -
- Well, no one told me about her -
- How many people cried -
- But it's too late
to say you're sorry-
- How would I know
Why should I care -
- Please don't bother
trying to find her -
- She's not there -
- Well, let me tell you about the way
she looked, the way she'd act -
- And the color of her hair -
- Her voice was soft and cool -
- Her eyes were clear and bright -
- But she's not there -
-- [ Continues ]
- Thank you for coming.
It's the Young At Heart chorus!
- [Applause ]
On piano, Ed Wise.
On accordion, Chris Haynes.
On guitar, Freddie Johnson.
On drums, Billy Arnold.
On violin, Miriam Leader.
--[ Ends ]
[ Applause ]
We're working on a new show...
and we've got some new music
we're gonna try on you, if that's okay.
So we are going to try
to do a song by Sonic Youth.
[ Stephen Narrating ]
Over the last six weeks...
Bob has driven the chorus in ever
weirder directions with "Schizophrenia. "
Not even they quite know
what they're doing with the song.
So what the audience will now
make of it is anybody's guess.
-- [ Rock ]
- I went away -
- T o see an old friend of mine -
- H is sister came over -
- She was out of her mind -
- Her light eyes were dancing -
- She is insane -
- Her brother says she's just a bitch -
- With a golden chain -
[ Chorus ]
- She keeps coming closer -
- Saying, I can feel it in my bones -
- Schizophrenia -
- Is taking me home -
- Ah, ah, ah, ah, ah, ah, ah, ah
ah, ah, ah, ah, ah, ah -
- Ah, ah, ah, ah, ah, ah, ah, ah
ah, ah, ah, ah, ah, ah -
- Ah, ah, ah, ah, ah, ah, ah, ah
ah, ah, ah, ah, ah, ah -
- Ah, ah, ah, ah, ah, ah, ah, ah
ah, ah, ah, ah, ah, ah -
[ Elaine ]
- My future is static -
- - It's already had it -
- - Already had it -
- I could tuck you in -
- - And we could talk about it -
- - And we could talk about it -
- I had a dream -
- - And it split the scene -
- [ Chorus ]- Split the scene -
- But I've got a hunch -
- - It's coming back to me -
- [ Chorus ]- It's coming back to me -
-- [ Vocalizing ]
- Ah, ah, ah, ah, ah, ah, ah, ah
ah, ah, ah, ah, ah, ah -
- Ah, ah, ah, ah, ah, ah, ah, ah
ah, ah, ah, ah, ah, ah --
[Applause ]
[ Bob ] Steve Martin,
Elaine Fligman and Eileen Hall...
on "Schizophrenia. "
[ Woman ] That was great, Louise.
You rocked my world.
[ Bob ]
Good job, guys. Really good job.
H ad fun in that first act.
Once we get out there,
we give it all we can. [ Laughing ]
[ Stephen Narrating ]
"Schizophrenia" was a triumph...
but the second act is yet to come...
and Bob is now
a complete bundle of nerves.
Hes still got
three songs to get through-
"Yes We Can Can "
with its 7 1 "cans "...
"I Feel Good, " and "Fix You"...
which began as a duet
and is now a solo.
[ Man ] You were saying to me that
this was your last performance.
- What do you mean by that?
- Well, instead of a swan song,
it's my Ugly Duckling song.
Id left the chorus
because I can't get around...
and it's very difficult
to sing all the time with this thing.
So this is probably,
you know-
I won't sing with them
unless it's a special occasion.
Maybe a 25th anniversary,
I'll come back and do a number.
Those are the only times
I come back.
- When I hold you in my arms -
- I know I can't do no wrong -
[ Stephen Narrating]
With five minutes left before the second half...
I catch Stan and Dora
outside the theater...
cramming in some badly needed revision
on "I Feel Good"...
a song they've never actually managed
to get through from start to finish...
in the entire seven weeks
they've been learning it.
- - I feel good -
- -- [ Vocalizing ]
[ Stephen ] So, are you gonna
make any mistakes tonight?
- H uh?
- Im not planning on it.
- We ain't gonna make no mistakes.
- Im not planning on it.
If we make mistakes,
we just have to keep going through it.
- That's right.
- We cannot stop.
- Yes. I n the-
- If we make a mistake, we keep going.
- Definitely in the, uh- in the showbiz tradition.
- Right.
- If we make a mistake, we do not stop.
- You just don't stop at all.
We just move- move on.
Just put your word in there
and keep going.
- That's all we have to do.
- We are not supposed to make no mistakes.
- And we'll capture that audience.
- Yes, we will.
- We'll get 'em. We'll take 'em down.
- We'll get 'em.
- Don't worry about that.
- We'll fix 'em. We'll fix 'em.
[ Both Laughing ]
- --[ Piano ]
- [ Screams ]
- - I feel good -
- --[ Soul]
- Like you know
that I should now -
- Come on, Grandma!
- - I feel good -
- Like you know
that I should now -
- So good
So good -
- I got you -
[ Screaming ]
- I feel nice -
- Like sugar and rice -
- I feel nice -
- Like sugar and rice -
- So nice, so nice -
- I got you -
- When I hold you in my arms -
- I know that I can't do no wrong -
- And when I hold you in my arms -
- My love won't do you no harm
I feel good -
[ Dora ]
- I fe-ee-ee-ee-ee-el nice -
[ Screams ]
- Like sugar and spice -
[ Dora ]
- I fe-ee-ee-ee-ee-el good-
[ Stan ]
- Like I knew I would -
- So good, so good -
- - I got you -
- - I got you -
- - I feel good -
- [ Screaming ]
- Like I knew that I should now --
Whoo!
-- [ Ends ]
Take a bow with Stan.
- Dora Morrow and Stan Goldman.
- [Applause Continues ]
Many of you probably know that
two of our members passed away this week.
The first was Bob Salvini.
Bob was this wonderful singer-
Italian singer.
He came to us singing
Italian love songs...
and, uh, light opera...
and we made him sing rock and roll.
Joe Benoit was part
of our current group...
and he was really one of
the centers of our current group.
Joe was just a beautiful guy.
He was one of the sweetest, most wonderful
people you'd ever wanna meet.
And his loss has left
a huge hole for us...
and we wanna pay
tribute to both of them.
One of the great performers
of all time with Young At Heart...
is here with us today
to sing a song.
Please welcome Fred Knittle.
[Applause ]
-- [ Pop ]
- When you try your best -
- But you don't succeed -
- When you get what you want -
- But not what you need -
- When you feel so tired-
- That you can't sleep -
- Stuck in reverse -
- And tears come streaming -
- Down your face -
- When you lose something -
- You can't replace -
- When you love someone -
- And it goes to waste -
[ Chorus ]
- Could it be worse -
- Lights will guide you home -
- And ignite your bones -
- And I will try -
- To fix you -
[ Chorus ]
- Tears stream down your face -
- When you lose something -
- You cannot replace -
- T ears stream -
- Down your face -
-- [ Vocalizing ]
- Lights will guide you home -
- And ignite -
- Your bones -
- And I will try -
- To fix you --
- -- [ Ends ]
- [ Applause ]
Thank you.
Fred Knittle.
[ Fred]
It's good to be back.
My family.
[ Fred's Voice ] "Dear friends
in the Young A t Heart chorus.
"You folks are phenomenal.
"I know I could never
keep up with you.
" But thank you for the opportunity
to sing with you one more time.
"Obviously, I enjoyed it
more than you will ever know.
"I just hope I reached the quality
of performance that you all have.
"I was so worried,
but you are always so supportive.
"Thank you, all of you.
You are true friends.
"I close with love
from Barbara and me.
"Fred Knittle.
"P.S.:
"Pay attention to Bob Cilman.
"He may be a taskmaster...
but that is exactly why
the Young At Heart is what it is."
-- [ Pop ]
- Now is the time -
- Now is the time -
- Now is the time for all good men -
- To get together with one another -
- Iron out the problems
and iron out the quarrels -
- Try to live as brothers -
- Try to find peace within -
- Without stepping on one another -
- And do respect
the women of the world -
-Just remember
we all have mothers -
- And make this land a better land -
- Than the world in which we live -
- And help each man
be a better man -
- With the kindness that you give -
- - I know we can make it-
- - I know that we can -
- I know darn well
we can work it out -
- Oh, yes, we can
I know we can can -
- Yes, we can can, why can't we
If we wanna, yes, we can can -
[ Dora ]
- And we can -
- Take care of the children -
- The children of this world -
- They're our strongest hope
for the future -
- The little bitty boys and girls -
- And make this land a better land-
- Than the world in which we live -
- And help each man be a better man -
- With the kindness that we give -
- I know we can make it
I know that we can -
- I know darn well
we can work it out -
- Oh, yes, we can
I know we can can -
- Yes, we can can, why can't we
If we wanna, yes, we can can -
- Oh, yes, we can, I know we can can
Yes, we can -
- Great gosh almighty, yes, we can
I know we can can -
- Oh, yes, we can, I know we can can
Yes, we can can -
- Why can't we if we wanna
Yes, we can can -
- Oh, yes, we can, I know we can can
Yes, we can -
- Great gosh almighty, yes, we can
I know we can can --
-- [ Ends ]
[ Bob ]
Steve, Jean, Louise and Janice.
[ Audience Clapping I n Rhythm ]
Great audience! Wasn't that a great audience?
They were alive!
Fantastic!
Very, very, very, very good.
I'm never gonna complain about being
too old and too tired again.
We're the darlings of Northampton!
My first one.
How did I do?
- [ Man ] How do you think you did?
- Fair.
[ Laughing ]
I think they're having
a lot of fun...
- and I enjoy looking at them having fun.
- Yeah.
Would you like this booze, dear?
[ Laughter]
[ Man ]
Do you feel good now?
I feel good,
like I knew that I would.
- I don't wanna hear it anymore!
- Me neither.
It was a thrill.
You know, it really was.
And Im so glad he made it.
[ Cheering]
Fred Knittle did a job on "Fix You," man.
He was just beautiful.
I hope to stay in this for
a good long time to come.
God be willing.
If the creek don't rise-
[ Chuckles ]
Whoa-oa-oa-oa!
Yeah!