[MICHAEL, spoken]
Hey, Rico, this is it! Hey, Novitski. Novitski! Nova!
[MICHAEL]
There is a train
There is a train
It leaves the station at a quarter after five
[MICHAEL, spoken]
Come on!
[DONNY & MICHAEL]
And it's direct
[MICHAEL, spoken]
That's right.
[MICHAEL]
From union terminal
Right there in public square
[DONNY]
A quarter after five
[MICHAEL, spoken]
Alright!
[MICHAEL]
And where does it arrive?
[MICHAEL, spoken]
Hey, Morris, I need that cover!
Rico, I need you, brother.
Novitski! Grenade on my go. Go!
[DONNY, spoken]
Get out!
[JEAN ANN, spoken]
Cleveland's WTAM radio with a special song to celebrate our victory.
[JEAN ANN & STUDIO SINGERS]
The boys are coming home
The flags are flying high
And mom has baked her
Special apple pie
You hug your girl
When you walk through the door
Before you know it
It'll be just like it was before
The band is tuning up
To play your favorite song
[JEAN ANN]
So like you
Used to
Come and
Sing along
And there are
Endless carefree
Days in store
[STUDIO SINGERS]
Doo doot doo
Doo doot doo
Come sing along
Ahh
[JEAN ANN]
Before you know it
[STUDIO SINGERS]
Kapow!
[JEAN ANN]
It'll be
[JEAN ANN & STUDIO SINGERS]
Just like it was
It'll be just like it was
It'll be just like it was before
[DONNY]
Finally home
And finally safe
And finally free
[DONNY, JEAN ANN, STUDIO SINGERS]
Soon it will be
Just like it was before
[ENSEMBLE]
It's like they popped a cork, the clubs are full again
[MEN]
With all the good time girls
[WOMEN]
And servicemen
[ENSEMBLE]
So grab your sweetheart tight and take the floor
Before you know it
It'll be just like it was before
[AL, spoken]
Good lord, it's Donny Novitski.
How long you been back, soldier?
[DONNY, spoken]
Couple days. Place looks terrific, Al.
[AL, spoken]
How about my house band, huh?
[DONNY, spoken]
You need me up there on keys.
[AL, spoken]
A pal of mine's looking for an accordion player for a wedding. You still do that?
[DONNY, spoken]
A gig's a gig.
[AL, spoken]
I'll tell him. Something'll turn up.
The cream always rises to the top, kid.
[DONNY]
All these swanky clubs
I owned this scene
I played every one
At seventeen
[ENSEMBLE]
It's been far too long
It's good to have you back
Wanna cut a rug with me?
[MEN]
The life we left has been here waiting
[WOMEN]
Isn't that worth celebrating?
[DESK CLERK, spoken]
Private First Class Donald Novitski?
Donald Novitski, please?
[SERVICEMEN]
Before you know it
[DONNY, spoken]
Here
[DESK CLERK, spoken]
Fill these out, please. Both sides on that one. Signature there, there and there. Back to me when you're done.
[DONNY, spoken]
Yes, ma'am.
[SERVICEMEN]
It'll be just like it was before
[SERVICEMAN 1, spoken]
What division?
[DONNY, spoken]
37th.
[SERVICEMAN 1, spoken]
What was that, uh, Solomon Islands?
[DONNY, spoken]
Yeah. And Bougainville.
[SERVICEMAN 1, spoken]
Shit, that must've been holy hell.
[DONNY, spoken]
Somethin' like that.
[SERVICEMAN 1, spoken]
When'd you get back?
[DONNY, spoken]
Couple weeks ago.
[SERVICEMAN 1, spoken]
You doing cash or college?
[DONNY, spoken]
I need the cash.
[SERVICEMAN 1, spoken]
Find something quick, pal. I been to three funerals this month. Nobody's talkin' about it 'cause those guys came back fine a while ago.
[DONNY, spoken]
What happened?
[SERVICEMAN 1, spoken]
They wanted a way to make it stop. Find something quick.
[DESK CLERK, spoken]
Corporal Beiting. John Beiting.
[SERVICEMEN]
It'll be just like it was before
[DESK CLERK]
Signature there, there, there.
[DESK CLERK 2]
Signature there, there, there.
[DESK CLERK 3]
Signature there, there, there.
[DONNY]
I'd like a good night's sleep
[TALENT BOOKER, spoken]
Our roster is pretty full, and our patrons come to hear the standards, not original tunes.
[DONNY]
Is that too much to ask?
[AL, spoken]
My pal loved you at the wedding. I could toss a few more your way.
[DONNY]
I need a shot of whiskey
All's I got is an empty flask
[JEAN ANN]
Before you know it
It'll be just like it was before
[DONNY, spoken]
Get out!
[ENSEMBLE]
We're on a winning streak
And it will stay that way
We're on an everlasting holiday
And any bad news you can just ignore
Before you know it
[DONNY, spoken]
I'll take the slow nights.
[ENSEMBLE]
We're on a winning streak
[MR. JACKSON, spoken]
But see, we just got a new headliner.
[ENSEMBLE]
And it will stay that way
[MR. JACKSON, spoken]
Just eighteen years old, baby face, the gals love him.
[ENSEMBLE]
We're on an everlasting holiday
[DONNY, spoken]
I'm sure I was playing circles around him when I was eighteen.
[MR. JACKSON, spoken]
Yeah, well, you're not eighteen now, are ya?
[ENSEMBLE]
And any bad news you can just ignore
[DONNY, spoken]
Some of us had a little service to take care of. Maybe you saw something in the papers.
[ENSEMBLE]
Before you know it
[MR. JACKSON, spoken]
Look, we're all thankful for your service, but I got nothin' for you here.
[DONNY, spoken]
Come on, I'm dyin' here. Whole town's giving me the same runaround. The only thing I live for is to play. If I can't play, what's the use of me makin' it back home?
[MR. JACKSON, spoken]
That's a bit dramatic. You wanna try out for the community theater guild, they're down the block.
[ENSEMBLE]
It'll be just like it was
It'll be just like it was
It'll be
[DONNY NOVA BAND]
Welcome home
Welcome home
[ENSEMBLE & BAND]
Just like it was
[DONNY]
That's what
They tell me
Why not believe it?
They want illusion
[ENSEMBLE& BAND]
Ah ahhh
Finally safe
Finally free
Finally home
[DONNY]
And they achieve it
We all relive the past
And never want to leave it
The world is ending
And we're pretending
[ENSEMBLE & BAND]
It'll be just like it was
[ANDRE BARUCH]
This is Andre Baruch for The American Songbook of Popular Music, brought to you by Bayer Aspirin. NBC Radio and Metro Goldwyn Mayer are looking for the next great swing band to write their very own song in honor of our boys in uniform. Yes, it's "The American Songbook's Tribute to the Troops". A winning band from each state will compete in a nationwide broadcast, live from the Palace Theatre in New York on December 16th - to determine who will appear in a spectacular new motion picture musical, and be immortalized in Hollywood history.
