That Thing You Do! Quotes
A Pennsylvania band scores a hit in 1964 and rides the star-making machinery as long as it can, with lots of help from its manager.
Faye: I have wasted thousands and thousands of kisses on you - kisses that I thought were special because of your lips and your smile and all your color and life. I used to think that was the real you, when you smiled. But now I know you don't mean any of it. You just save it for all your songs. Shame on me for kissing you with my eyes closed so tight.
Jimmy: [Speaking about Diane Dane ] She told me never trust a label. And I'm beginning to believe her.
Lenny: Well, sure. I mean, come on. They put us up in a first class hotel, all expenses paid, while our record climbs the charts; bunch of lyin' snakes.
Jimmy: Sorry I'm buggin' you! I guess I'm alone in my principles.
[leaves the room]
Lenny: Oh come on. Oh, there he goes off to his room to write that hit song "Alone in my principles."
Lenny: Well, sure. I mean, come on. They put us up in a first class hotel, all expenses paid, while our record climbs the charts; bunch of lyin' snakes.
Jimmy: Sorry I'm buggin' you! I guess I'm alone in my principles.
[leaves the room]
Lenny: Oh come on. Oh, there he goes off to his room to write that hit song "Alone in my principles."
Guy Patterson: I'm Guy Patterson, I'm from Erie, Pennsylvania, I'm in a band called The Wonders and we just cut a record, we're out here on the coast and I play the drums and I have all your records well not all of them but a lot of them but ah at least I did until some of them got swiped when I was stationed in Germany and you were playing in Germany at the time that I was stationed there, but you know what I couldn't see you because you were playing in Hamburg and I was stationed in Munich but I listen to your records and I think you're great.
[takes a breath]
Guy Patterson: You are my biggest fan.
Dell Paxton: Thanks.
[takes a breath]
Guy Patterson: You are my biggest fan.
Dell Paxton: Thanks.
Mr. White: He was joining the Marines in August anyway. It was gonna happen sooner or later. Guys, say hello to Scott Pell, Wolfman.
Jimmy: How you doing?
Guy: Uh, replacement?
Mr. White: Yes.
Jimmy: Who's he player with?
Mr. White: The Techniques, uh...
Scott 'Wolfman' Pell: Roy Maxwell and the Corsairs.
Lenny: Ha-ha... really?
Mr. White: He's your new bass player.
Guy: Mr. White... no offense, but I... we've been together a long time.
Mr. White: There aren't a lot of options here, Guy.
Guy: Can he handle our tunes?
Scott 'Wolfman' Pell: I think I can handle them, junior.
[plays some wicked bass licks]
Jimmy: Ok.
Lenny: Ok.
Guy: Fine.
Jimmy: How you doing?
Guy: Uh, replacement?
Mr. White: Yes.
Jimmy: Who's he player with?
Mr. White: The Techniques, uh...
Scott 'Wolfman' Pell: Roy Maxwell and the Corsairs.
Lenny: Ha-ha... really?
Mr. White: He's your new bass player.
Guy: Mr. White... no offense, but I... we've been together a long time.
Mr. White: There aren't a lot of options here, Guy.
Guy: Can he handle our tunes?
Scott 'Wolfman' Pell: I think I can handle them, junior.
[plays some wicked bass licks]
Jimmy: Ok.
Lenny: Ok.
Guy: Fine.
Victor 'Boss Vic Koss' Kosslovich: Hello, Pittsburrrrrgh!
[crowd cheers as he dances across the stage]
Victor 'Boss Vic Koss' Kosslovich: Hello, Pittsburgh, hello!
Crowd: Boss Vic Koss!
Victor 'Boss Vic Koss' Kosslovich: Who am I?
Crowd: Boss Vic Koss!
Victor 'Boss Vic Koss' Kosslovich: Thanks for remembering, Pittsburgh, we've got a great show for you today, a big show, a king-sized show! Which reminds me, how're you sleepin'?
[crowd cheers as he dances across the stage]
Victor 'Boss Vic Koss' Kosslovich: Hello, Pittsburgh, hello!
Crowd: Boss Vic Koss!
Victor 'Boss Vic Koss' Kosslovich: Who am I?
Crowd: Boss Vic Koss!
Victor 'Boss Vic Koss' Kosslovich: Thanks for remembering, Pittsburgh, we've got a great show for you today, a big show, a king-sized show! Which reminds me, how're you sleepin'?
Faye: But I thought you already decided on The Echoes.
Jimmy: Nah, some band in Buffalo's the Echoes. And I wasn't wild about that.
Lenny: Let's just call us The - Band You're About To Hear.
Chad: How about The Corvettes?
Jimmy: Is that The Corvettes, or the Chordvettes?
Chad: No, Corvettes, like the car.
Jimmy: Well see, I was thinking like the Chord...
[writes Chordvettes]
Jimmy: *Chord*vettes, like chords in our music.
Lenny: [Guy walks in] Is that "Skitch" Patterson?
Chad: Here he is, Erie's lone beatnik.
The Bass Player: How about the Tempos? Ya know, tempos?
Lenny: Not the Tempos, the Tempos. I was in a band already called The Tempos, and we were... terrible.
Chad: Hey Guy, weren't you the drummer for the Tempos?
Guy: Heard that.
Jimmy: Nah, some band in Buffalo's the Echoes. And I wasn't wild about that.
Lenny: Let's just call us The - Band You're About To Hear.
Chad: How about The Corvettes?
Jimmy: Is that The Corvettes, or the Chordvettes?
Chad: No, Corvettes, like the car.
Jimmy: Well see, I was thinking like the Chord...
[writes Chordvettes]
Jimmy: *Chord*vettes, like chords in our music.
Lenny: [Guy walks in] Is that "Skitch" Patterson?
Chad: Here he is, Erie's lone beatnik.
The Bass Player: How about the Tempos? Ya know, tempos?
Lenny: Not the Tempos, the Tempos. I was in a band already called The Tempos, and we were... terrible.
Chad: Hey Guy, weren't you the drummer for the Tempos?
Guy: Heard that.
Jimmy: [strums on his guitar] It just appeared, like magic, for the whole world to see.
Faye: I didn't say anything, I was just as surprised as you.
Jimmy: 'Careful, girls, he's engaged.' Am I supposed to buy you some diamond ring now?
Faye: You're ruining this beautiful moment.
Jimmy: Where'd you get the idea that we're engaged? We're not! Last thing I need in the world!
Faye: I didn't say anything, I was just as surprised as you.
Jimmy: 'Careful, girls, he's engaged.' Am I supposed to buy you some diamond ring now?
Faye: You're ruining this beautiful moment.
Jimmy: Where'd you get the idea that we're engaged? We're not! Last thing I need in the world!
Phil Horace: [after the mantinee at Orpheum] Guy, I keep telling you, you are the drummer. The backbone, the timekeeper. You can't let a tepid reaction from one matinee house affect your dedication to the band.
Guy: I was playing like one of those little wind-up monkey toys. They booed us off the stage, Phil! Jimmy couldn't even hear how off-key he was.
Phil Horace: You're gonna get it all back tonight, I promise you.
Guy: I was playing like one of those little wind-up monkey toys. They booed us off the stage, Phil! Jimmy couldn't even hear how off-key he was.
Phil Horace: You're gonna get it all back tonight, I promise you.
Guy: [first lines; phone rings at Patterson's] Patterson's.
Mr. Patterson: What's going on down there?
Guy: Dad?
Mr. Patterson: Harriet Priestly just called your mama. Her husband drove by the store and said the lights are still on. What are the lights still doing on?
Guy: Cookin' the books as usual, Dad.
Mr. Patterson: The sign, Guy. The sign is still on. Are we open for business all night now?
Guy: Uh, no. Sorry, I'll uh, turn that right off.
Mr. Patterson: Is that music playing on one of them store hi-fis?
Guy: I'll turn that right off, too.
Mr. Patterson: [mimicking] 'Turn that off, too.'
Mr. Patterson: What's going on down there?
Guy: Dad?
Mr. Patterson: Harriet Priestly just called your mama. Her husband drove by the store and said the lights are still on. What are the lights still doing on?
Guy: Cookin' the books as usual, Dad.
Mr. Patterson: The sign, Guy. The sign is still on. Are we open for business all night now?
Guy: Uh, no. Sorry, I'll uh, turn that right off.
Mr. Patterson: Is that music playing on one of them store hi-fis?
Guy: I'll turn that right off, too.
Mr. Patterson: [mimicking] 'Turn that off, too.'
Jimmy: [Lenny taps his mic before their performance at the Orpheum] Hey, hey! The mic's not on!
Lenny Haise: [going backstage to Boss Vic Koss] We - the mic's not working. The mic isn't working.
Victor 'Boss Vic Koss' Kosslovich: All right, who am I not payin' back here? Come on!
[turns on their mics, but the audience complains from the feedback]
Lenny Haise: [the mic feedback fades] Thank you. Thank you. We're the Oneders.
Victor 'Boss Vic Koss' Kosslovich: Will you play some friggin' music? C'mon!
[Guy starts playing, but his crash cymbal crashes to the stage, and the audience laughs; he and Lenny right the cymbal again]
Victor 'Boss Vic Koss' Kosslovich: Right nowww!
Lenny Haise: [going backstage to Boss Vic Koss] We - the mic's not working. The mic isn't working.
Victor 'Boss Vic Koss' Kosslovich: All right, who am I not payin' back here? Come on!
[turns on their mics, but the audience complains from the feedback]
Lenny Haise: [the mic feedback fades] Thank you. Thank you. We're the Oneders.
Victor 'Boss Vic Koss' Kosslovich: Will you play some friggin' music? C'mon!
[Guy starts playing, but his crash cymbal crashes to the stage, and the audience laughs; he and Lenny right the cymbal again]
Victor 'Boss Vic Koss' Kosslovich: Right nowww!
[Reading an ad from a competing megamart]
Mr. Patterson: Open Saturday ten to ten. Open Sunday twelve to six... open on Sunday from twelve to six! You know, I don't believe I want to live in a country where you stay open on Sunday to business. You shouldn't have to work on Sunday to support your family.
Mr. Patterson: Open Saturday ten to ten. Open Sunday twelve to six... open on Sunday from twelve to six! You know, I don't believe I want to live in a country where you stay open on Sunday to business. You shouldn't have to work on Sunday to support your family.
