sings the hits by scotto moore · in blackout, a bit of music fades out, leading into a station...
TRANSCRIPT
SINGS THE HITS
by
Scotto Moore
CHARACTERS Amanda - a radio show host Melanie - a pop singer Grace - a jazz singer Carolyn - a diplomat David - a radio producer Ellie - a radio show host (doubled with Carolyn) Bailey - a talent manager (doubled with David)
In blackout, a bit of music fades out, leading into astation break.
MALE ANNOUNCER(voiceover)
You're listening to 90.9 FM, KUNI,owned and operated by theUniversity of Northern Iowa - aproud member of the Iowa PublicRadio network. The time is twelvemidnight.
We hear an elegantly constructed audio collage that servesas the introduction to Amanda's own radio show, snippets ofvoices recorded down through time, numbers stationrecordings, satellite transponder signals, old time radiocommercials, political speeches, scratchy 78 rpm records,culminating in Amanda, introducing her show.
AMANDA(voiceover)
I'm Amanda Bixby, and this isSignal Loss. Tonight's episode iscalled "Sings The Hits."
We hear a beautiful woman's voice singing a snippet of anaria or a jazz ballad, sampled from very old vinyl or tape,scratched or warped, but eerily pretty. We listen to asolid verse and chorus of the song before it abruptly ends.Lights slowly rise on Amanda in a small radio booth,headphones on, sitting at a desk in front of a microphone.
AMANDA (CONT'D)If the hook from that song soundsfamiliar to you, there's aseemingly simple explanation. Thesong was sampled by pop singerMelanie Wheeler on her hit song,"Ricochet," which tore up thecharts last year and is now one ofWheeler's signature tunes on tour.I learned this when I guest hosteda program called Spotlight OnSongs, a show that invites artiststo dissect the creation of theirfavorite tracks. It's normallyhosted by my old house mate EllieJamison. We got our broadcastingdegrees together at the Universityof Northern Iowa years ago.
2.
Lights up on ELLIE - a "flashier" personality than Amanda.Ellie and Amanda are on the phone together, as Amandadrifts out of her radio booth.
ELLIEAmanda - hi, it's Ellie!
AMANDA
Ellie! Are you okay?
ELLIEOf course I'm okay! Why would yousay that?
AMANDA
What's the emergency?
ELLIEDidn't David call you?
AMANDA
He emailed, but he just wanted toknow if I was available and thenhe said you'd call me and it justsounded - like, are they firingyou?
ELLIE
God no, it's nothing like that. Nolook, my sister's getting married,bless her spontaneous little soul,and the wedding's in Hawaii in twoweeks, and that happens to beexactly when Melanie Wheeler issupposed to drop by the stationand do my show.
AMANDA
Melanie Wheeler is doing yourshow? Holy shit, Ellie.
ELLIE
Well that's the rub - Melanie'sonly in Chicago for twenty-fourhours before moving on with therest of her tour, and I will be inHawaii during all twenty-four ofthose hours. So I worked it outwith Melanie's people that she'llcome on the show with a guesthost.
AMANDA
That's why you're calling?
3.
ELLIESurprise - yes! I convinced Davidto let you guest host for me. Thiscould be huge for you, Amanda! Imean I love your show, but theyput it on at two in the morninghere so I never get to hear it.
AMANDA
You can stream it online.
ELLIEMy point is - Signal Loss is agreat little niche and the peoplewho hear it love it, but I thoughtyou might love a chance tointerview Melanie Wheeler.
AMANDA
Ellie, of course I would! God - Ilistened to her first CD so much Ithink I wore off the acrylic andaluminum layers.
ELLIE
That sounds bad.
AMANDAPeople used to think CDs wereindestructible. Turns out, nottrue.
ELLIE
Anyway, I would need you inChicago on the 23rd to meet Davidand get a little orientation, dopaperwork, that stuff. Melanie'scoming by for a noon session onthe 24th. Can you make that work?
AMANDA
Of course I can make that work. Ofcourse.
ELLIE
You can crash at my place whileyou're here. And feed my cats, areyou allergic?
AMANDA
No, I love cats.
4.
ELLIEGood, wonderful, so look, all youneed to do is ask Melanie Wheelera few questions and make me proud.David will be your producer. Hecan be a bit rough around theedges but just trust him, he'llmake everything easy for you.
AMANDA
What does that mean, "rough aroundthe edges"?
ELLIE
I don't know, he's just very...you get used to him. He'sinterfacing with the tour whileI'm gone to make sure everything'slined up perfectly for you. Isuggest listening to a few of myold shows to get familiar with theformat.
AMANDA
Ellie - I know how your showworks.
ELLIE
Oh, do they actually air it inIowa?
AMANDA
Ellie-
ELLIEI'm just kidding! Of course Iowahas good radio, they have youdon't they?
AMANDA
You should stop before I change mymind here.
ELLIE
All right, but seriously, if youpull this off... if the interviewgoes well and if David likesyou... we could get you out ofIowa!
AMANDA
You know I like it here.
5.
ELLIEI know, but just think about it.Iowa Public Radio shouldn't be theheight of your ambition. Think howmuch fun we'd have in Chicagotogether. Anyway, you're a lifesaver. Anything I can do for you,you always know I'm here for you,right?
Lights fade on Ellie. Amanda turns to the audience.
AMANDAMy show, Signal Loss, is a loveletter to the world of dead anddying media - the hiss and scratchof degrading tape, the longforgotten voices of an era whenpeople huddled around their radiosets for entertainment. Ellie'sshow, Spotlight On Songs, is verymuch a deconstruction of thecurrent moment, through theperspective of some of the mostimpressive voices in modern music.Getting Melanie Wheeler on theshow was a coup, even for Ellie.But before I'd be allowed to meetMelanie Wheeler, first I needed tomeet Ellie's producer at WBEZ inChicago, David Caldwell.
Lights up on Amanda, in DAVID'S office. He's in his late30s or early 40s, in casual hipster attire, with a lightlycondescending vibe about him.
DAVIDIs this your first time inChicago?
AMANDA
I've been a few times, to seeEllie. Not for a while.
DAVID
Must be a big change of pace fromCedar Falls, Iowa.
AMANDA
How'd you guess.
6.
DAVIDLet me ask you, I know Ellie hasnothing but good things to sayabout you and I've heard a bit ofyour show, I can tell you've got agreat radio voice, very dusky Iwould call it-
AMANDA
Really?
DAVIDYeah, it's got kind of a,suggestive quality, I don't know,anyway my point is, Ellie saidyou've never interviewed someoneas big as Melanie Wheeler before?I mean, I'm guessing you don'treally get big pop stars comingthrough the studios at KUNI, am Iright?
AMANDA
That's definitely true.
DAVIDSo let me just explain a fewthings about how this will work.Usually a few roadies show upfirst to set up the star's gearand I'll supervise loading themin. Then these stars usually rollin and they've got an entourage,which it's my job to runinterference with the entourage,make sure the star's management ishappy, really the whole stationkind of gets involved to make surethe star is happy, the entourageis happy, the green room isstocked, all that stuff. Ellie'sshow is a fifteen minute segmentwhich airs live on a bunch ofstations and then gets syndicatedon a bunch more, but even thoughit's short, we'll still be undertime pressure to get the star outof here quickly afterwards so thatshe can get to the venue in plentyof time to relax before soundcheck.
AMANDA
Do we have to keep calling her"the star"?
7.
DAVIDWell it helps not to get toopersonal with these folks. They'renot like regular people and theytend to behave, shall we say,erratically when confronted withseemingly normal human behavior.But obviously when you sit down tointerview her, we need you to bevery personable, very warm, veryopen, very soothing, we want youto establish a connection with thestar that helps her feelcomfortable opening up to tell herstory to you. Which, to be clear,the only story she's agreed totell is how one specific song wasrecorded, and unfortunately, thereare some complications here. Wehave a list of questions you can'task.
AMANDA
What?
DAVIDThis hasn't hit the news yet, sothere's no way you would knowthis, but - she's about to sue herproducer and she doesn't want totalk about him, at all. Do youknow who I'm talking about?
AMANDA
Jason Nebula.
DAVIDYes, aka Nebula Rising Records,aka Nebula Rising Studio, akaJason Richards, one of the mostlitigious producers in rock music.Melanie's been fighting hercontract practically since the dayshe signed it, and they onlybarely tolerate each other to keepmaking music.
AMANDA
But doesn't he co-write all hermusic? How are we supposed todeconstruct one of her songswithout talking about that?
8.
DAVIDThat's your job to figure out.Talk about her side of thesongwriting process, talk aboutwhat she enjoys about being in thestudio, she's on tour now so maybeshe has some good tour stories -wait, I said this was your job tofigure out and here I am figuringit out for you. Just don't mentionJason Nebula and you'll be fine.
AMANDA
Why is she about to sue him?
DAVIDThey didn't tell me, I didn't ask.Usually in the music industry it'sabout money.
AMANDA
Or harassment.
DAVIDWhich you are not to discuss withher, am I clear? Anyway, why wouldyou immediately jump toharassment?
AMANDA
She was nineteen when she signedher contract. Jason Nebula alreadyhad a string of number one hitsunder his belt. The powerimbalance there is fairly obvious.
DAVID
Nineteen is old enough to sign acontract. Old enough for lots ofthings.
AMANDA
Old enough to regret signing acontract apparently.
DAVID
I doubt she regrets spending allher money or riding around thecountry in a half million dollartour bus.
AMANDA
You can be well-compensated foryour work and still be a victim ofharassment.
9.
DAVIDThat is literally up to a court todecide, now isn't it? Anyway, shehasn't sued yet, so we don't knowwhether she's accusing him ofharassment, or cheating her out ofroyalties, or lying about her tothe press... we don't know, andSpotlight On Songs is not theforum in which we will discuss anddebate the details of her lawsuit.
AMANDA
I understand.
DAVIDGood, because for a second there,you started to seem very feisty,and this show is not about feisty.
AMANDA
"Feisty"?
DAVIDSee, you're doing it right now.Anyway let's do a quick walkthrough of the station, I'll showyou the studio where you'll betomorrow, and then I thought wecould round up a few people andhit a happy hour across thestreet. Good chance for you tomeet some of the crew here. Elliesays you're looking to get out ofIowa, is that true?
AMANDA
Not exactly.
DAVIDWell maybe we can convince you.
AMANDA
Yeah, maybe. Lights fade on David's office. Amanda faces the audience,as lights come up on Ellie elsewhere on stage. Ellie isdressed casually for Hawaii (i.e. not in a gown for awedding or anything formal), as opposed to being dressedcasually for Chicago like the last time we saw her.
10.
AMANDA (CONT'D)"Happy hour" turned out to be akaraoke joint, which was all welland good until everyone from thestation went home - everyoneexcept for me, somehow, and David.
ELLIE
Ohhh, Amanda.
AMANDAI wanted to take a taxi home toyour place. I should have taken ataxi. Instead I let David driveme. His car has a great stereo.
ELLIE
Yes, trust me, I'm well aware.
AMANDAHe stopped in front of yourbuilding, and suggested we listento Melanie Wheeler's song, to"prepare" for the show tomorrow. Isaid yes, which on the one hand Ishouldn't have done, and on theother hand, seemed perfectlyreasonable after a couple drinksand knowing that I was supposed totry to impress this guy, eventhough I don't really want toleave Iowa but I just wanted tomake you, I don't know, proud ofme anyway.
ELLIE
Amanda, sweetie-
AMANDAI'm sorry, but it's kind of true.So Melanie's song came on thestereo. We listened quietly for amoment, I happen to really likethis song by the way, and then heput his hand on my leg and said,"Maybe we can listen to thisinside," and I said, "I don'tthink so," and I tried to get outof the car. I had to try twice.The second time he let me go.
ELLIE
Jesus.
11.
AMANDAAnyway I wanted you to knowbecause - Ellie, did you know hewas - going to be trouble? I mean,I assume you would have told me,right? Or was "rough around theedges" supposed to be code for "hemight try to get you alone in hiscar"?
ELLIE
Amanda, I'm sorry. I didn't think- you were only going to be thereliterally two days, I didn't thinkDavid would make a move on youthat fast.
AMANDA
"Make a move"? He wasn't asking meon a date, Ellie.
ELLIE
Look, we can talk about it when Iget back to Chicago.
AMANDA
Why can't we talk about it now?
ELLIEBecause I'm - on vacation.
AMANDA
You're on vacation? Ellie, does hedo this with all of the women atyour station?
ELLIE
No, he doesn't - care about all ofthe women. Anyway, now you know,now you can avoid being alone withhim and it won't be a problem.
AMANDA
I have to do a show with him! Ofcourse it will be a problem!
ELLIE
No, Amanda, it can't be a problem.Not with Melanie Wheeler coming onyour show. You have to focus onthat, okay?
(MORE)
12.
ELLIE (CONT'D)You don't have to make me proud oranything like that, but you dohave to make sure Melanie has agood time in that studio, do youunderstand?
(pause)Amanda?
AMANDA
Yeah, I understand. We willdefinitely talk more about thiswhen you get back.
Blackout. In the darkness, we hear the sound of someoneplunking a keyboard or tuning a guitar; a few bars of musicplayed. Lights rise on an audio performance studio, whereAmanda sits on a stool reviewing a small set of note cards.Next to her is MELANIE WHEELER, at an electric keyboard,with a sampler pad nearby. Melanie is young: in hertwenties. We hear David's voice from the booth off stage.
MELANIECan I get a little more in themonitors?
DAVID (O.S.)
Sure, how's that? Melanie and David go back and forth a little bit, adjustingthe keyboard levels, adjusting the percussion levels thatcome out of the sampler pad.
AMANDA(to audience)
Melanie wasn't traveling with anentourage. Her tour was strippeddown. She'd decided she didn'twant to work with her usual roadcrew, or the usual musicians shetraveled with. Instead, she'd madea snap decision to do this toursolo. Her only companion on thetour was her brother Pete, whodrove the van.
DAVID (O.S.)
Amanda, can I get a mic checkplease?
AMANDA
Check check, one two.
13.
DAVID (O.S.)Okay, thank you. Stand by. You'llbe on in about five.
MELANIE
You look a little nervous.
AMANDAI don't normally host this show.
MELANIE
I know. I was looking forward toseeing Ellie again.
AMANDA
Have you been on before?
MELANIENo, I met her backstage at aPitchfork Festival where she wasintroducing bands on one of thestages. I was just breaking at thetime and she was still doingcommercial radio back then, one ofthe first DJs to play "Invisible"actually.
AMANDA
Very cool. I love that song. Youknow, I have to just get this outof the way, I think I listened toyour first CD so much I wore offthe acrylic and aluminum layers.
MELANIE
I'm impressed you actually boughtit on CD.
AMANDA
I'm old fashioned that way.
MELANIEOld fashioned would be buying iton vinyl. Although I guess vinylis the hip thing now. God, thefirst time I saw my album in anUrban Outfitters, I wanted to cry.
AMANDA
Good cry or bad cry?
MELANIEAmbivalent cry I guess. Anyway Ican get you a new CD.
14.
AMANDAActually I just listen on Spotifynow. Oh shoot - do you get paidwhen I do that?
MELANIE
Theoretically.
AMANDAI'm sorry, that was a sillyquestion.
MELANIE
No, trust me, I ask my team thatquestion all the time. Are youreally nervous?
AMANDA
A little. Maybe we could talkabout how the session's going togo.
MELANIE
Sure.
AMANDASo David gave me a list of topicsthat are off limits. You don'twant to talk about your producer,Jason Nebula, at all, correct?
MELANIE
Let's just stick to the music.
AMANDAThat'll be a little tough becausehe co-writes your music, doesn'the?
MELANIE
He takes credit for a lot morethan he should.
AMANDA
But so - the format of this showis, we deconstruct one of yoursongs piece by piece and talkabout how it evolved in thestudio.
MELANIE
Uh huh.
15.
AMANDAWill that be - difficult to do -without talking about JasonNebula?
MELANIE
I just want to talk about mysongwriting process.
AMANDA
So he doesn't co-write with you?
MELANIENo - I write the songs. Period.I'm the one who sits down at thepiano, or picks up the guitar, andmakes a demo. I'm the one whosketches out the lyrics. WhatJason did on this record - headded texture to it. Beats,production, samples, horns,whatever.
AMANDA
If he's just adding productionelements, why does he share asongwriting credit?
MELANIE
Because my fucking contract -wait, are you recording this?
AMANDA
No, of course not.
MELANIEThis is exactly what I didn't wantto talk about.
AMANDA
I'm sorry. We won't talk about anyof this when we're rolling.
MELANIE
I thought I was just going to playthe song.
AMANDA
And then talk about the song.
MELANIEYes, about how I wrote it, andwhat it means to me.
16.
AMANDAEllie usually talks about how thesongs were made too. Theproduction process. I thought youknew that.
MELANIE
Is that necessary?
AMANDANo, I suppose not. But I mean,that's kind of the main engine ofEllie's show, I figured you knewwhen she booked you-
MELANIE
I haven't seen Ellie in a while. Iguess I didn't know her show hadan "engine."
DAVID (O.S.)
Okay here we go. How are you twofeeling?
MELANIE
Just great.
AMANDA(overlapping)
We're good.
DAVID (O.S.)Okay, live in five, four, three...
A pre-recorded introduction plays. A medley of snippets ofvarious pop, rock, jazz songs, and then a red "ON AIR"light comes on, and Amanda speaks.
AMANDAYou're listening to Spotlight onSongs, where we invite artistsfrom across the spectrum to play afavorite song for us and tell ushow it was made. I'm Amanda Bixby,sitting in for Ellie Jamison who'son vacation this week. With ustoday is one of the most strikingsinger-songwriters to emerge inthe past couple years. Her debutalbum, "Surrogate Genesis," soldtwo million copies and her firstsingle, "Invisible," has beensitting on top of the Spotifystreaming charts ever since.
(MORE)
17.
AMANDA (CONT'D)Joining us here today is MelanieWheeler. Thank you so much forbeing here, Melanie.
MELANIE
My absolute pleasure.
AMANDATell us what you're going to playfor us today.
MELANIE
Well, I figured most people havehad a chance to hear "Invisible"by now, so I thought I'd playsomething you haven't heard yet.It's called "Ricochet."
AMANDA
Wonderful - will this song be onthe new album?
MELANIE
Hopefully. Fingers crossed.
AMANDAAnd when is the new album going todrop?
MELANIE
Soon. Fingers crossed. Anyway,here it is.
Melanie kicks off a beat from the sampler pad, a beat thatincludes a recurring musical riff from an old jazz recordas a sample. She then sings & plays along with the beat,either on keyboard or guitar.
MELANIE (CONT'D)INSERT SONG LYRICS HERE
AMANDA
That was "Ricochet" by MelanieWheeler, live in the WBEZ studiosfor Spotlight On Songs. Melanie,that was fantastic.
MELANIE
Thank you so much.
18.
AMANDAHow did this song come to you? Doyou start with lyrics or melody,or how does that usually work foryou?
MELANIE
It's funny, when I was growing up,I used to have these fully formedmelodies pop into my head almostwithout thinking about it, but Istarted to realize over time thatthe first melody that pops intoyour head isn't always, or evenusually, the most interestingmelody. So I started openingmyself up to other inspirations.This song came when I was teachingmyself production techniques, youknow, learning how to sequence andprogram drums and that sort ofthing. And so I landed on thisrhythm.
Melanie triggers an isolated set of beats on her sampler.
MELANIE (CONT'D)This was the first time where I'dput beats together that didn'tfeel mechanical to me, you know? Imean, this was a new experience,where I felt like technology wasreally opening a door.
AMANDA
What technology were you using?
MELANIEOh I mean - this was literallyjust Garage Band at the time. Thetools are bone dead simple now.People are making albums on theiriPhones, you know? So I just satin my bedroom and listened to thatrhythm on repeat for, must havebeen hours, trying out differentthings, changing out kits, slowingit down and seeing if it workedfor a piano ballad, speeding itup, compressing it, all thatstuff, until finally I came upwith a tempo and a drum sound anda guitar hook that I liked.
19.
She triggers another sample, this time adding a loopingguitar riff to the beat we're already listening to.
MELANIE (CONT'D)And then I finally started workingthrough melody ideas.
AMANDA
All in one sitting?
MELANIEYeah, this was a long Saturdayafternoon for sure.
AMANDA
When you were playing the songjust now, there was anotherelement coming out of the sampler,right? Something - I guess itsounded like a scratchy old recordor something?
MELANIE
Oh, right. It's this. Melanie triggers one more sample. We hear a beautifulwoman's voice singing a snippet of a jazz ballad, sampledfrom very old vinyl or tape, scratched or warped, buteerily pretty - it's the song we heard at the opening ofthe show during Amanda's introduction.
AMANDAThat's beautiful. Where did thatcome from?
MELANIE
The studio has a whole library ofsamples. I'm not sure where thatone came from. But when I took mydemo into the studio to startworking on a proper arrangementfor it, someone played that samplefor me.
AMANDA
Oh, just the sample? So youhaven't heard the originalrecording?
MELANIE
No, I mean, people chop up oldrecords all the time and catalogsamples, it's just - it's a partof the machine, you know?
(MORE)
20.
MELANIE (CONT'D)Some people just write hooks, somepeople just make beats, somepeople just scour old records forsnippets we can bend and loop orwhatever. So you hear that kind ofstuff while you're just hangingout in the studio, just freefloating in the air sometimes, andI remember hearing this one andjust thinking, there was somethingreally sort of, haunting about itI guess.
AMANDA
Yeah, it's sort of mournful.
MELANIERight, but it's pretty at the sametime. It just fit what I wasalready doing organically withthis song.
AMANDA
The studio must know what thesource recording is, right?
MELANIE
I'm sure the studio knows. I'm notgoing to ask. I mean, I like thatit's mysterious to me.
AMANDA
That's so weird. It's like Irecognize it. Like I've heard itsomewhere before.
MELANIE
You never know. Sometimes peoplego into the studio and record somenew hook and then distress it soit sounds like it's really old.Like, people will press originalstuff to vinyl just so they canscratch up the vinyl and then makean old-sounding sample out of it.This could be anything really. Butlike I said-
AMANDA
You want to keep it mysterious.
21.
MELANIEIt's just a buried texture in thesong, you know? It's not like it'sadding meaning or whatever.
The "ON AIR" light goes dim.
AMANDA(to audience)
The show was over quicker than Iexpected.
MELANIE
Was that good?
AMANDAYeah that was great! Was I good? Imean-
MELANIE
Of course! What do you think ofthe new song?
AMANDA
I get the feeling I'm going to belistening to it many many times.
MELANIE
You're not just saying that to benice?
AMANDA
Melanie - no, I thought I toldyou, I'm a huge fan. Really!
David enters.
DAVIDThat was a wonderful performance,Ms. Wheeler. Do you need any helppacking up your gear?
MELANIE
Pete's out in the bus. I'll go gethim.
DAVID
Sure, I'll show you out.
AMANDAPretty sure she knows where thebus is.
DAVID
Well, just in case.
22.
AMANDAIf she gets lost, she can ask me.
MELANIE
I know where the bus is.
AMANDAThat's what I figured.
MELANIE
Will I see you at the showtonight?
AMANDA
I didn't think to get a ticket. Melanie produces a backstage pass and hands it to Amanda.
MELANIEBackstage pass.
AMANDA
Seriously?
DAVIDYou wouldn't happen to have two ofthose?
MELANIE
Nope. Melanie exits.
DAVIDWell aren't you something.
AMANDA
Oh. I'm sorry, was I not supposedto take this?
DAVID
On air talent gets all the perks.
AMANDADid you - want it instead?
DAVID
No, I just thought - your lastnight in town, I thought we'd hangout tonight. Especially after lastnight-
AMANDA
What do you mean, after lastnight?
23.
DAVIDI thought we had a connection lastnight.
AMANDA
What connection?
DAVIDWhat are you planning on doingwith yourself until the concerttonight?
AMANDA
I have some editing to do forSignal Loss.
DAVID
Ah right, your 2am show.
AMANDAMost stations run it at midnight.
DAVID
Well, I wouldn't want to interruptyour very important work. Do youneed a studio?
AMANDA
I could use a studio mic, yeah.
DAVIDYou can hook into that littleboard there. I'll make sure Peteknocks before he comes to getMelanie's gear.
AMANDA
Thanks. David turns to exit. Almost against her better judgment,Amanda stops him.
AMANDA (CONT'D)Do you think I could call herstudio to find out where thatsample originated?
DAVID
What? What sample?
24.
AMANDAWere you not listening? The samplewe discussed just now on the show,the old jazz recording she didn'trecognize. Maybe if I call herstudio, I can find out what it'sfrom.
DAVID
Call her studio? Are you kidding?We only barely got her to agree tocome on the show, and we promisednot to talk to or about her label,before during or after the show.
AMANDA
Aren't the recording studio andthe label different things?
DAVID
No, legally the studio is just anarm of the label, and the label isJason Nebula. And I'm guessingMelanie will not be pleased if shefinds out you called Jason Nebulato ask about his contribution toher favorite new song.
AMANDA
I mean, obviously I'm not going tocall and say "Hi, I'm the guesthost from Spotlight On Songs,would you please give me a list ofthe samples you used on MelanieWheeler's new single."
DAVID
Yes, that is the first among manythings you are not going to say toanyone about this sample.
25.
AMANDABut let's say for the sake ofargument that I simply called upNebula Rising Studio as a fan, assomeone who listens to SpotlightOn Songs, someone who lovesMelanie Wheeler, someone who isjust curious about mysterious oldjazz recordings, all things thatare true by the way, and justinnocently asked who the performerwas on that old jazz recordingthat I just heard on the radio,what possible harm could come fromit?
DAVID
Amanda, if Ellie comes back fromHawaii and finds out you didanything to damage the station'sreputation with Melanie Wheeler,you will suffer for it, do youunderstand? Just let it go. Stickto your weird little midnight showand let this go.
AMANDA
I'm not going to hurt Ellie'sreputation. Obviously. I just knowthere's a story behind thatsample, I can feel it, you know?
DAVID
No, I don't know.
AMANDAThe whole point of my weird littlemidnight show is following hunchesabout old recordings. I've got ahunch about this one.
DAVID
Use Shazam. David exits. Amanda turns to the audience.
AMANDAOf course I intended to useShazam. All I had to work with wasthe sample that Melanie played onthe show, which I was able toclean up with software toeliminate what seemed to besurface noise or tape distortion.
(MORE)
26.
AMANDA (CONT'D)The cleaned up sample sounded likethis.
We now hear the sample for the first time clear andunmuddied: a gorgeous woman singing in pure tones,accompanied by just a piano and maybe drums. Amanda holdsher phone up - she is Shazam-ing it.
AMANDA (CONT'D)Shazam came up empty - no match.But I had something now that Ididn't really have before. Listenagain.
The sample plays again start to finish.
AMANDA (CONT'D)I had lyrics, which aresearchable. I plugged them intoGoogle, hoping for a quick answerto this minor mystery.Unfortunately the answer wasitself another mystery. The samplewas the call sign for a numbersstation. I've dedicated more thanone episode of Signal Loss tonumbers stations because I findthem fascinating and eerie andmelancholy, and the verydefinition of mysterious. Numbersstations are shortwave radiostations that operate on variousfrequencies around the world.They're believed to be operated byspy agencies, broadcasting singleuse ciphers to be decoded byagents in the field. But anyonecan hear these signals if you knowwhere and when to tune in. Some ofthe most popular numbers stationrecordings have been collected andreleased by niche labels over theyears. And one characteristic ofmany of these stations is thatthey open with some kind ofsignature: a sound effect, or apiece of music. In this case,Melanie's sample was the signaturefor a station commonly referred toas E75.
In the background, we hear the sample, now filtered asthough we're hearing it over a ham radio. It's followed by
27.
a woman's voice (a voice we will later recognize) readingout a series of numbers.
VOICEThree nine seven one fiveSix six four seven fiveOne nine two seven fourNine two zero two eight
AMANDA
Someone in Nebula Rising Studiosmust have heard this numbers station recording and decided tosample it. Wouldn't be the firsttime - the Wilco album YankeeHotel Foxtrot is named after anumbers station recording.
A snippet of a woman saying "Yankee Hotel Foxtrot" isheard; the original sample can be found on The ConetProject album, disc one track four, "Phonetic Alphabet -NATO".
AMANDA (CONT'D)That night, I went to see MelanieWheeler in concert at the VicTheatre, a thousand seat venuewhere rising stars play. I wentbackstage before the show with myshiny backstage pass, and I triedto stay out of everyone's way, butMelanie spotted me during hersound check and convinced me tojoin her in her dressing roomafterwards.
Melanie and Amanda in Melanie's dressing room.
MELANIENow I can't stop thinking aboutthat sample. I keep coming up withstories in my head about who thewoman singing is and what the restof the song must sound like. Imean there must be more to it, youknow? I almost called the studioand asked them to send me thewhole file but fuck those guys,the last thing I want to do istalk to anybody there if I canhelp it.
AMANDA
Well, as it turns out-
28.
MELANIENo no - I can tell you're justbursting to tell me something andif it's about the sample, I don'tthink I actually want to hear it.
AMANDA
Really? You really don't want toknow?
MELANIE
Did you really find something out?
AMANDAI did. I mean, I didn't findeverything out that I wanted to,but I cleaned the file up and Idid some digging and, I mean, doyou want to at least hear what itsounds like without all that tapehiss and distortion?
MELANIE
I don't know, do I?
AMANDAWell, there's a voice there, youknow, I'm guessing someone likeyou, someone who thought she hadsomething maybe, like a shot atsomething, and thanks to you,she's finally getting her due, youknow?
MELANIE
No she's not. She's an anonymoustexture buried deep in the mix.Buried so deep we probably aren'teven bothering to clear the samplebecause it's transformed so much.
AMANDA
It's not just a sample, Melanie -the hook for your song mirrorswhat she's singing. You're usingher as the foundation of the song.You're not worried about clearingthat?
MELANIE
Clearing samples is the label'sbusiness. If we get sued, Jasontakes the hit, not me. That's oneof the very few protections I seemto have in my contract.
29.
AMANDAExcept it's your credibility too,isn't it?
MELANIE
What did you learn about thissample that makes you so worriedabout my credibility all of asudden?
AMANDA
Nothing. I mean, I don't knowanything about who's singing onthe recording or what the rest ofthe song sounds like. But thesnippet itself, the sample you'reusing, is the call sign for anumbers station.
MELANIE
So that means what? You know whoowns the copyright?
AMANDA
No.
MELANIEOr using it's fair use?
AMANDA
No, I don't think so,theoretically someone out there inthe world could claim copyright...
MELANIE
And then it'd be their lawyersversus Jason Nebula's lawyers.Which, fuck Jason Nebula'slawyers, by the way, did I mentionthat?
AMANDA
I'd heard rumors...
MELANIEWhat did you hear?
AMANDA
There was a whole list ofquestions I wasn't supposed to askyou.
30.
MELANIEJason Nebula sexually assaulted meseveral times in the recordingstudio when we were making myrecord. Like, I'm trying to singand suddenly his hand is down mypants, kind of thing. Here I madesuch a big fucking deal aboutkicking my mother out of thestudio so I can work like anadult, and what did it get me. Hitrecord, big tour, and JasonNebula's hand down my pants. AndI'm thinking, this shit, can'tpossibly, go on like this forever,I've been writing these songssince I was sixteen and I'mfinally getting a chance to recordthem, with the biggest producer inLos Angeles, and god damn it, hishand is down my pants. Anyway,it's my word against his and he'sa total professional when there'sengineers in the room or studiomusicians or whatever, so I figureout that I can record my ownvocals in my apartment and justbring them in, but he's like,they're never good enough, theyalways need sweetening, everyfucking song requires getting mealone in a vocal booth, jesus. Buthere I'm thinking it's worth itbecause my songs are going outinto the world. And then I findout he's got his name all over thepublishing. Like, every singlesong is split with him forpublishing. He was my producer,not my songwriting partner, butfuck, it was my first record, halfof a shit ton of money was goingto be great, except then I learnthat all the recording costs arecoming out of my half of what therecord earns, and he's the studioso he's making bank and I'm out ontour in a van that some punk banddrove into the ground andabandoned, and I might still bethinking I was on top of theworld, if I hadn't spent so muchtime in the studio being casuallyassaulted by that guy.
31.
AMANDAI'm sorry.
MELANIE
Why would you say that? Why wouldyou ever say that?
(pause)But thank you. I tried telling mymom and she just fucking laughedin my face because I was the onewho had kicked her out of thestudio in the first place. She waslike, "Didn't I tell you? Themusic business is no place for ateenage girl," and obviouslythat's true but it shouldn't betrue, I mean, some of theseteenage girls must be making it inthe music business without -whatever, I mean, that's not theexperience I had regardless.
AMANDA
Have you ever listened to thelyrics on that sample?
MELANIE
No. Didn't even occur to me therewere lyrics.
AMANDA
I cleaned up the recording and wasable to decipher them. Just twolines. "Time always runs the wrongway, when the stakes are high, andI’ve only got one chance to say goodbye."
MELANIE
Well, that's depressing.
AMANDAMaybe. I mean, sometimes you saygoodbye for very good reasons.
MELANIE
My song means something verydifferent knowing those lyrics areburied in the mix.
AMANDA
Well, you're the only one whoknows that.
32.
MELANIENo. Jason fucking Nebula knowstoo. The last good idea I got fromhim was the idea to use thatsample.
Lights fade on the dressing room as Amanda turns to theaudience.
AMANDAThe story should have ended there.A numbers station is a dead end,by definition. But it turns out Iwasn't the only one who found thatold jazz recording to be quiteintriguing. National Public Radiois syndicated across severalthousand affiliated stationsacross the country. Spotlight OnSongs - unlike Signal Loss - isheard on most of them. And becauseSpotlight On Songs doesn't stickto a particular genre, itslisteners cut across a wide bandof music aficionados. One suchmusic lover was Grace Ridley, whotracked me down via email afterher young daughter heard me guesthost the show. We spoke on thephone, probably right around thesame time Melanie Wheeler's vanwas leaving Chicago.
Lights up on GRACE RIDLEY, alone on stage, on the telephonetalking to Amanda. She appears elderly in this scene.
GRACEThank you for agreeing to speak tome. My daughter heard you hostingthat program - Spotlight On Songs.
AMANDA
Where are you calling from, Grace?
GRACEI'm in Milwaukee. The reason I'mcalling is because - my daughteris a very big fan of MelanieWheeler, and she tuned into yourprogram yesterday.
(MORE)
33.
GRACE (CONT'D)And she swore she heard somethingfamiliar, so we listened to theshow together later on your website, and sure enough, I heard myvoice on your program, and Iwondered if you could help meunderstand how that's evenpossible.
AMANDA
(to audience)It turns out Grace was a jazzsinger... well, not anymore, butin her younger days. She believedit was her voice in the samplefrom Melanie's single, althoughshe believed that the originalrecording was long gone. But shedefinitely recognized it.
GRACE
Well, yes, I definitely recognizethe song, because I wrote it.
AMANDA
That's incredible that you woundup hearing it on the radio.
GRACE
I suppose that's true. Especiallybecause I haven't heard it sincethe day we recorded it, and Idon't know anyone who has a copyof the recording.
AMANDA
Oooh, the archivist in me reallywants to know how that happened.
GRACE
Well, the song was a gift forsomeone I loved very much, and shetook the original recording withher - when she left.
Lights start to transition - we are flashing back into thepast to an empty night club, where a younger Grace standson stage at a microphone.
GRACE (CONT'D)In the early 80s I was singing ina night club in West Berlin.
(MORE)
34.
GRACE (CONT'D)This was before the Wall fell,back when West Berlin was stillcompletely surrounded on all sidesby East Germany. We were a tinylittle island of freedom in themiddle of an oppressive state, andI was working for the USO, singingfor American troops stationedthere. That's where I met Carolyn.
CAROLYN enters, a smartly dressed young woman - impeccableEnglish with the slightest hint of a German accent perhaps.
GRACE (CONT'D)Sorry dear, we're closed for thenight. I'm just squeezing in alittle extra rehearsal time afterhours.
CAROLYN
I know Inga. She let me in to seeyou.
GRACE
Did she now.
CAROLYNI heard your performance tonight.I quite enjoyed your singing.
GRACE
Well thank you.
CAROLYNIf you don't mind my asking, wheredo you get your songs?
GRACE
I write most of them.
CAROLYNOh I presumed as much. What Imeant was - where do they comefrom?
GRACE
You mean how do I write? Justcomes naturally I suppose.
CAROLYN
Not to everyone, or the nightclubs would be filled with singerslike you.
35.
GRACENight clubs are filled withsingers like me, but most peoplejust play it safe. "Nellie Brownsings the hits!" "Jimmy Lang singsthe hits!" But I've got a littleniche here singing original music.
CAROLYN
You bring in real musicaficionados.
GRACE
That's kind of you to say.
CAROLYNIt's true. I watch the people hereevery night. You have real fans.
GRACE
You've been coming in every night?
CAROLYNSince I discovered you, I suppose.A couple weeks ago.
GRACE
Thought I recognized you.
CAROLYNIs that so.
GRACE
You moved closer and closer to thestage every night. Always sit byyourself, unless some drunk idiotlands at your table before you cantell him to get lost.
CAROLYN
I don't mind the drunk idiots.Everyone here is lonely, most ofthe time anyway.
GRACE
Suppose that's true.
CAROLYNSo tell me how you write yoursongs. What inspires you?
36.
GRACECould be anything really. Theimportant thing is - you have topay attention, to the momentsyou're in.
CAROLYN
Like this one?
GRACESuppose that's true. What's yourname?
CAROLYN
Carolyn.
GRACEI'm Grace.
CAROLYN
I know as much. When you'refinished rehearsing-
GRACE
I'm probably good for the night.
CAROLYN-perhaps you'd care to get a drinkwith me?
GRACE
Clubs in this neighborhood are allclosed by now.
CAROLYN
My flat is close by here. It's anice night for a walk.
BAILEY enters - a crisply dressed man in a suit. He wasclearly expecting Grace to be alone.
BAILEYI thought the club was closed forthe night.
CAROLYN
Inga let me in.
GRACEThis is my friend Carolyn.
CAROLYN
Hello. Bailey sits at a nearby table.
37.
BAILEYDon't let me interrupt. Wait, letme guess - too late, right?
GRACE
Carolyn, this is my manager, Mr.Bailey.
CAROLYN
Good to meet you. Bailey lights up a cigarette. We split the scene betweenGrace talking to Amanda; and Grace, Bailey and Carolyn inthe night club.
AMANDAWas he your manager with the USO?
GRACE
No, he was someone who heard mefor the first time in West Berlin,and thought I could be asuccessful recording artistsomeday. He wanted to help melaunch a solo career, once I leftthe USO.
AMANDA
And what was he doing to help makethat happen?
GRACE
Initially - boosting myconfidence, introducing me tolocal musicians, suggestingadditions to my repertoire. Hefloated me some cash for betterwardrobe. Encouraged me to trywriting my own songs, which I wasmost of the way toward doing on myown but it was good to hear himsay he liked what I wrote. He saidhe could get me into a localrecording studio to make a demoonce I had a few really good songsunder my belt.
BAILEY
Did you see the show tonight,Carolyn?
CAROLYN
I did.
38.
BAILEYGrace is quite a talent, isn'tshe?
CAROLYN
I would say so.
BAILEYDo you think you'd buy a record ifGrace released one?
CAROLYN
I don't own a record player, I'mafraid. I travel a bit too much tocollect records.
BAILEY
If you heard Grace on the radio-
CAROLYNI would definitely stop to listen.
BAILEY
There, you see?
GRACEYou don't need to convince me ofanything, Mr. Bailey.
BAILEY
Carolyn, would you mind if I had afew moments alone with Gracebefore Inga kicks us all out?
CAROLYN
Of course.(to Grace)
Perhaps I'll stop in to hear yousing again sometime.
GRACE
I'll be here. Carolyn exits.
AMANDASo the sample that Melanie isusing must be from your demo, isthat it?
GRACE
Well, no, I'm afraid I never didrecord that demo. Mr. Bailey hadconditions.
(MORE)
39.
GRACE (CONT'D)He was expecting something from methat was a little beyond thetypical professional obligation.
AMANDA
Really?
GRACEThat surprises you?
AMANDA
I just kind of wonder if any womanever breaks into the musicindustry without facing"conditions."
GRACE
You're asking the wrong gal, I'mafraid. But I wasn't interested inMr. Bailey's conditions, and Isaid as much to him.
BAILEY
I'm not going to keep asking you,Grace. You realize that, don'tyou?
GRACE
I didn't lead you on in some way,did I, Mr. Bailey? Did I ever oncegive you the impression that I wasinterested in giving you more thana financial split of my supposedlylucrative future in the musicbusiness?
BAILEY
No, I will admit, in retrospect,your coyness and apparent interestin me seems to have been a productof my imagination.
GRACE
So where does that leave us?
BAILEYLeaves us with nothing much that Ican see.
GRACE
You want back the clothes youbought me?
40.
BAILEYConsidering it.
GRACE
I saved the boxes.
BAILEYDid you now.
GRACE
Just in case.
BAILEYWell that was thoughtful. I'llthink about it. See you around,Grace.
He exits.
GRACEThe next night, Carolyn was backto see me. And for some reasonthat night, I was actually alittle nervous.
Carolyn enters to watch Grace. Music comes up behind her,but she doesn't sing.
GRACE (CONT'D)Most of my friends in the citywere musicians, you see. I guess Iwas excited to finally meetsomeone outside my normal circles.I guess I was excited to finallyhave my own true fan. I suppose mybehavior toward her was a littleunprofessional, but Carolyn wasclearly an adult. We saw quite abit of each other over the nextcouple weeks.
Lights up on a tiny living room, where Grace and Carolynsit on a couch together, Carolyn perhaps smoking acigarette as they each drink wine and listen to records.
GRACE (CONT'D)You come in every night around8pm. What do you do with yourselfduring the daylight hours, when usnight owls are tucked away safe inour beds?
41.
CAROLYNIt's not worth mentioning. Nothingas glamorous as singing for aliving.
GRACE
You're sitting here right next toa singer, you're as glamorous asme.
CAROLYN
Anyway, it's not worth mentioning.
GRACETrying to preserve a littlemystery about yourself I see.
CAROLYN
When you're on stage, you becomemysterious. Did you know that? Youget a look in your eyes that seems- distant, like you're channelingsome other person. Are your songsmake believe, or are they aboutyou?
GRACE
You've heard my songs as much asanyone by now. What do you think?
CAROLYN
I don't know, I really don't.You're still mysterious to me too,Grace Ridley. Do you ever imagineyourself being famous? Singing allaround the world?
GRACE
I might have imagined that once ortwice.
CAROLYN
What about your manager, Mr.Bailey? I'm sure he's imagined thesame thing.
GRACE
I'm afraid Mr. Bailey and I partedways. He was interested in adifferent kind of arrangement thanme.
CAROLYN
Oh. That's disappointing.
42.
GRACEI don't imagine anyone reallycomes to West Berlin to discoverthe next singing sensation. AnywayI'm pretty satisfied where I am.
CAROLYN
Perhaps today you are. Why shouldyou resign yourself to obscurity?
GRACE
I might say I've got a prettysweet gig. Singing my own tunesevery night to an audience thatmostly just ignores me, could be alot worse.
CAROLYN
I want the whole world to hearyou, just like I do.
GRACE
Carolyn - I don't think anybodyhears me like you do.
Lights fade on the apartment, back to Grace chatting withAmanda.
AMANDAWere you and Carolyn romanticallyinvolved?
GRACE
Well, that's a complex question.We weren't involved sexually - Iwas just too young and tooinsecure and the times were just -what they were. But I'm sure wehad feelings for each other, evenif we didn't say it. I wanted totell her, but I didn't have thecourage to tell her directlyduring one of our middle of thenight chats. So I did the nextbest thing. I wrote a song forher, and one night I told her,"I'm going to sing somethingspecial for you on Friday night,"which was three days away. Iwanted to wait until Fridaybecause those were big nights atthe club and I wanted her song tohave a good audience.
(MORE)
43.
GRACE (CONT'D)But she said, "Why don't you singit tomorrow night instead," andright then I should have knownsomething was wrong. But I said,"Sure thing, I think it's ready,if you can't wait til Friday tohear it," and she said, "I can'twait."
Lights up on the night club. Carolyn sits alone, with a1980s era portable tape recorder and hand-held microphoneon her table in front of her.
GRACE (CONT'D)So there she was, right at 8pm asusual. And she had a tape recorderwith her, and for the first time,I felt nervous being on stage infront of her, because she wasgoing to capture this moment andit had to be perfect. But youknow, I'm a professional, and Ihad told her that song was ready,and I meant to sing it.
A theatrical light isolates Grace as she begins to sing theSong.
GRACE (CONT'D)AT FIRST, THE SMOKE INSIDE THEROOM BURNED MY EYESGETTING USED TO PAIN MEANT QUICKLYGETTING WISESUDDENLY THE LIGHTS ARE BLAZINGSUDDENLY A VOICE I’M RAISINGREACHING OUT TO YOU
CASUALLY I CROSS THE STAGE ANDLOOK YOUR WAYNEITHER ONE OF US CAN THINK OFWHAT TO SAYBUT WHEN THE LIGHTS GO DOWN I’MSTEADYSUDDENLY MY HEART IS READYREACHING OUT TO YOU
TIME ALWAYS RUNS THE WRONG WAY,WHEN THE STAKES ARE HIGHAND I’VE ONLY GOT ONE CHANCE TOSAY GOODBYE
44.
THESE DAYS WITH YOUFELT LIKE SOMETHING PRECIOUS, LIKEA PEARLTHESE DAYS WITH YOUCHANGED THE WAY I SEE THE WORLD
ALWAYS IN A SHOW YOU REACH THEFINAL BOWSWEAR YOU’LL KEEP IN TOUCH BUTIT’S AN EMPTY VOWBUT I WILL KEEP YOUR MEMORYAND KNOW THAT I WILL ALWAYS BEREACHING OUT TO YOU
Carolyn claps softly when the song is over.
GRACE (CONT'D)What'd you think?
CAROLYN
What do you call it?
GRACEIt doesn't have a title yet.
CAROLYN
Then I shall refer to it as"Untitled" on the label of thecassette.
GRACE
Did you record the whole set?
CAROLYNI did. I have your songsmemorized, of course, but somedayI imagine my memories of - thistime - will begin to fade.
(pause)Grace - I won't be back tomorrownight like usual. I won't becoming back at all, actually. I'vebeen - transferred.
GRACE
Just like that?
CAROLYNJust like that.
GRACE
How could that happen so suddenly?
45.
CAROLYNIt's not worth mentioning.
GRACE
I see. Where are you going?
CAROLYNI can't say.
GRACE
Will I ever see you again?
CAROLYNNo.
GRACE
Ah.
CAROLYNYour untitled song was lovely.
GRACE
I won't be singing it again I'msure.
CAROLYN
Thank goodness I thought to recordit.
GRACE
Take good care of that tape. Carolyn turns to exit, finds Bailey standing in thedoorway.
BAILEYSo let me see if I understand thiscorrectly. Your friend Carolyn iswalking out of here with a mastertape of a live recording, andyou're not even asking her for acopy? I thought I taught youbetter about this business.
GRACE
You taught me plenty about thisbusiness.
CAROLYN
This recording doesn't concernyou.
46.
BAILEYIs that so. Because I couldn't gether to record for me, and I washer manager. Did you know I sether up with this gig in the firstplace, after the USO had her stuckacross town in a cafeteria? Inegotiated her rate with Inga, andonly asked for a modest percentagefor myself. I figured someday Iwould recoup my time when wefinally recorded Grace's debutalbum.
GRACE
I wasn't recording an album.
BAILEYIs that so. Plenty of jazz albumswere recorded on shabbier gearthan that tape recorder there.Where'd you get that beauty, if Imay ask?
CAROLYN
You may not.
BAILEYAren't you mysterious.
CAROLYN
Grace, is there a problem here?
GRACENo.
BAILEY
There might be.
GRACENo. There isn't.
BAILEY
How did I do wrong by you, Grace?I thought we were on the samepage.
GRACE
Did you really think that? Or wereyou just waving fame and fortunein front of me thinking that wouldmake up for your shortcomings?
BAILEY
What shortcomings?
47.
GRACEYou weren't honest with me aboutanything, were you. You thought Iwas just like every other kid whowanted to be a star, and youthought I might do just aboutanything to make that happen. ButI didn't come here thinking I wason the road to fame and fortune.And I definitely didn't come hereto climb into bed with someonelike you.
Bailey takes a moment to look from Grace to Carolyn.
CAROLYNShe didn't climb into bed with meeither, if that's what you'rethinking.
BAILEY
Crossed my mind. Carolyn stares Bailey down until he shrugs and exits.
CAROLYNDoes that man need to be handledfor you?
GRACE
"Handled"? What does that mean?
CAROLYNConvinced to leave you alone.
GRACE
I can "handle" Mr. Bailey.
CAROLYNI want to believe you. By the sametoken, I am reluctant to leavetown wondering if you're up to thetask. Perhaps I should haveanother conversation with him onmy way out of town.
GRACE
I think you should probably justleave him alone.
CAROLYN
That's the question, isn't it,Grace?
(MORE)
48.
CAROLYN (CONT'D)Leave the man alone in his beliefthat his attitude toward you isjustified, or educate him aboutthe range of options that hisfuture might include.
GRACE
How are you proposing to "educate"Mr. Bailey?
CAROLYN
Like I said... I might simply haveanother conversation with him.
GRACE
In that case, you might want tohurry before he gets too far.
CAROLYN
I will have no trouble finding Mr.Bailey, Grace. Please, don't spendanother moment thinking about him.
GRACE
Well, that sounds easy enough whenyou say it like that.
CAROLYN
Good.(pause)
Maybe someday, I'll be able tosend you a copy of this recording,if you think you would like it.
GRACE
Eh... I like the idea of youhaving the only copy. For somereason, I find that to be...
CAROLYN
Is the word you're thinking of"romantic"?
Grace nods.
CAROLYN (CONT'D)I was thinking that myself.Goodbye, Grace.
GRACE
Goodbye, Carolyn. Carolyn exits.
49.
GRACE (CONT'D)At first, I didn't believe that Iwouldn't see her again. I keptexpecting that she'd turn upagain, just as suddenly as she'dturned up the first time.Eventually Inga took pity on meand pulled me aside, whispered abit of gossip to me. Some of thelocals thought Carolyn was - asecret agent, I guess you'd say. Aspy from East Berlin who'd crossedover to our side temporarily forsome inexplicable reason. But ofcourse that's not the kind ofthing Inga or anyone else couldprove.
AMANDA
So you never heard from Carolynagain?
GRACE
I never did.
AMANDAAnd she didn't leave you with acopy of the tape?
GRACE
No, she did not. So imagine mysurprise hearing it on the radio.
AMANDA
I am absolutely imagining that.It's awesome to think about.
GRACE
Perhaps you aren't imagining itcorrectly. If that recording isout there in the world - I wouldlove to know where it came from.
AMANDA
Yes. Of course. I'm going to playsomething for you. It's arecording of a numbers station. Doyou what that is?
GRACE
I don't.
AMANDAWell, listen first, and then I'llexplain.
50.
We hear the numbers station recording that we heardearlier, beginning with the jazz sample that we nowrecognize as Grace's voice, and continuing into the actualnumbers in a voice that we now recognize as Carolyn's.Carolyn's voice continues all throughout the followingdialogue.
AMANDA (CONT'D)Do you recognize that voice?
GRACE
I do. My god, I haven't heard hervoice in so long, but I dorecognize it. That's Carolyn.
AMANDA
(to audience)E75 generated hundreds of hours ofbroadcasts, from the mid 80sthrough to the early 90s, almostten years. Most of the time it's amale voice, but scatteredthroughout the broadcasts isCarolyn. When the male voice isabout to begin broadcasting, abrief snippet of a military marchplays first. But when Carolyn isabout to begin broadcasting, abrief snippet of Grace singing heruntitled love song plays first.The rest of the recording ofGrace, if it exists, is not to befound in the wild. And eventually,Carolyn stopped broadcasting, andE75 went dark. Grace and Ilistened to every documented hourof Carolyn's broadcasts, butnothing in her voice ever hintedat anything more than what you'rehearing now: an indecipherablemessage to a secret agent out inthe field somewhere in Europe,prefaced by Grace's own lyricsreflecting back at her. I askedGrace how her daughter recognizedher voice from the sample thatMelanie played for me in thestudio.
GRACE
Oh, I've been singing that song asa lullaby to Tess ever since shewas a baby.
(MORE)
51.
GRACE (CONT'D)It's really the only one of my oldsongs I still remember. I know Itold Carolyn I'd never sing itagain, but all I really meant wasI wouldn't perform it for anaudience again. Just wouldn't feelright without Carolyn there tohear it.
AMANDA
Actually Grace - I think youshould sing it for an audienceagain. A very specific audience.
Lights out on Grace.
AMANDA (CONT'D)Turns out Grace's voice on thenumbers station recording,combined with the testimony of herdaughter, who knew the song's fulllyrics by heart, was sufficient toconvince an arbitrator that Gracewas owed royalties on the song"Ricochet" for the unclearedsample of her voice. In the US, anartist owns an implicit copyrightover her work without having toregister with the copyrightoffice, and Grace presented acompelling case that she was thesongwriter. Turns out further thatNebula Rising was in breach of itscontract with Melanie Wheeler forfailing to clear all samples usedin their production of Melanie'salbum, even though they perhapsrightfully believed numbersstation broadcasts should beconsidered public domain.Nevertheless, that left Melanie'slawyers with a tiny butexploitable opening with which tocrack Jason Nebula's hold overMelanie's career and settle out ofcourt for Melanie's freedom.
(MORE)
52.
AMANDA (CONT'D)Although Jason very likely couldhave won an actual court caseagainst Grace, the optics ofstealing an elderly woman'slullaby for her daughter and thendenying her a songwriting creditwould not have helped anyone'scareer. And that story is thereason why, six months later,Melanie Wheeler and Grace Ridleyagreed to meet me in Chicago torecord an interview for SignalLoss, just as "Ricochet" wasclimbing up the charts.
Lights up on the WBEZ studio. Melanie and Grace are set upto perform. Amanda and Ellie sit nearby. The red "ON AIR"light goes on.
MELANIESo the last time I was here, Iplayed a version of this song, andit led to a whole sort of magicalseries of events in my life, whichincluded meeting Grace Ridley, whois here with me today.
GRACE
Hello.
MELANIEAnd so we're going to sing aversion of a song that we co-wrotetogether, without realizing it atfirst. But then we got togetherand came up with a newarrangement. It's kind of a remix,I guess. This is the "USO Remix"of "Ricochet".
Melanie and Grace perform a mash-up of "Ricochet" thatweaves the two songs together, focusing on bringing the twovoices into harmony and counter-harmony whenever possible.
AMANDAThank you both so much. Grace, areyou thinking about a career inmusic now?
GRACE
Might be a little too late.
MELANIENever too late.
53.
GRACEEasy for you to say.
MELANIE
Wanda Jackson's in her 70s andshe's still touring.
GRACE
Is she touring because she lovesit or because she needs the money?
MELANIE
Well, everybody needs the money,right?
AMANDA
Do you two plan to release the"USO Remix" of "Ricochet"?
MELANIE
Yes, we're going to put out aspecial vinyl seven inch.
GRACE
Figure I might as well send my ownlittle broadcast out into theworld in case Carolyn is out therelistening somewhere.
AMANDA
Melanie, you recently became yourown manager. What's that like?
MELANIE
I'm still getting used to it. It'dbe so easy to surround myself withthe wrong people, because -they're everywhere. But I'mfiguring things out.
GRACE
You got plenty of time. The "ON AIR" light goes off.
AMANDAThanks for letting us crash yourstudio, Ellie.
ELLIE
My pleasure. I'm so glad I got tobe here for this!
David enters.
54.
DAVIDHey just checking in - we're goingto need this studio in aboutforty-five minutes, will you guysbe clear?
AMANDA
We'll be clear.
MELANIEAnd we're not "guys" in case youhadn't noticed.
DAVID
Uh - okay. David exits.
MELANIEWhat's up with that dude?
AMANDA
He crossed a line with me lasttime I was in town. Wouldn't letme out of his car for a second.
ELLIE
I'm so sorry.
GRACEDon't apologize for him.
ELLIE
I just, I should have saidsomething to you.
AMANDA
Like you should have said youexpected him to do something likethat?
ELLIE
Well not exactly, but - I mean, Iwasn't sure what to expectexactly.
AMANDA
Ellie, come on. Has he been aproblem before?
ELLIE
He's not a real problem. He's notlike Bill O'Reilly or whatever.
55.
AMANDAThen you should talk to him so hedoesn't become that bad, you know?You can't just let that goanymore. You have to speak up.
ELLIE
Are you really lecturing me abouthow to be a better feminist?
MELANIE
Did you say something to him?
AMANDANo, I was too surprised. I'mlecturing myself as much asanyone. The next morning, at thestation, he acted like nothingunusual had happened the nightbefore. Maybe for him, nothingunusual had happened. Or nothingwrong had happened. I'll talk tohim.
ELLIE
No, I'll talk to him.
AMANDANo, let me do it. I mean, god, itwas nothing like how Jason Nebulatreated you, Melanie...
MELANIE
You don't grade consent on acurve.
AMANDA
I'll say something to David beforeI leave. And then if he pullssomething like that again, Ellie,you can say something to hismanager.
GRACE
And why do you think his manageris going to listen? Bill O'Reillylasted years.
ELLIE
David is not Bill O'Reilly! Jesus.
GRACEMaybe you're just used to it.
56.
MELANIEI don't think you get used to it.
ELLIE
How can you not get used to it?It's pervasive. Not from Davidspecifically... just, in theworld. I'm sorry I didn't eventhink to mention it to you. Ican't exactly post a warning signin the break room. And I mean -Melanie's settlement with JasonNebula means she can't even go onthe record about his behavior.
MELANIE
I'm still taking money out of hispocket. Other producers arenoticing that, trust me.
AMANDA
But he's completely getting offthe hook for the actual physicalabuse you had to deal with, isn'the?
MELANIE
I wasn't going to be able to provethat in court. You saw whathappened to Kesha. Lost every stepof her case. She put a new recordout, all by herself, and Dr. Lukeis still getting paid for it. If Iwent to court, it would have beenJason's word against mine, andhe's got a dozen lawyers and I'vegot one, and the one I've gotisn't sure he believes me. Youthink a court would believe me?But we got him to hand over hispublishing rights for "Ricochet"to Grace, and that's a victory,isn't it?
AMANDA
I guess.
MELANIEI would feel better if I heardmore than "I guess" at the end ofall this.
AMANDA
I know. I'm sorry.
57.
GRACEMelanie, what you did is, you wonthe battle he didn't see coming,you outsmarted him that way, andthat does mean something. Shakeshis confidence maybe. Or maybehe's too narcissistic to get themessage, but his lawyers weren't.
ELLIE
The only thing his lawyers learnedis to clear your damn samples -and that's a rookie message heshould have learned a long timeago. So he gets better about that,and the next protege he takesunder his wing, you think she'sgoing to get so lucky?
MELANIE
You think I can't track down aphone number for the next protegehe takes under his wing? I'mwatching that guy.
ELLIE
Well that's very noble, but it'snot exactly scalable to the entiremusic industry.
MELANIE
The point is, we do what we can.
AMANDAAnd what I can do, apparently, isput an episode of Signal Losstogether where I can't talk aboutwhat happened with David becauseit's not fair to call him out onnational radio for his mistake, Ican't talk about what happenedwith Jason Nebula because of your settlement agreement, and I can'ttalk about what happened with Mr.Bailey because we don't actuallyknow what happened with him in theend. Sounds riveting.
ELLIE
It's almost as though the formatof your show is constricting foryou, Amanda.
(MORE)
58.
ELLIE (CONT'D)It's almost as though doing aniche little show about deadanalog media isn't enough to getacross the ideas you're realizingyou want to spread. It's almost asthough you belong in Chicago,figuring out a new show, somethingwith a little more bite?
AMANDA
Yeah. It's almost like that.
ELLIEThat's my girl.
Lights fade on the studio. We are back to the sounds ofCarolyn's voice repeating on the numbers station as Amandafinally drifts back to her own little booth back in Iowa.
AMANDAOne question stuck with me - whatwas Carolyn doing in West Berlinin the first place, and how didshe then wind up with theequivalent of a desk job, as thevoice of a numbers station. Youdon't get to know these answerswhen spycraft is involved. I liketo imagine that her interactionwith Grace was off script, andthat this led to a furtherunsanctioned action with Mr.Bailey, all of which culminated inher being relieved of her fieldduties. The only thing I know forsure is that Carolyn verydeliberately used that recordingof Grace as her call sign, and hersuperiors must have known whereshe got it and what it meant. Andif it was that deliberate... Iwonder if her interaction withGrace wasn't off script at all. Iwonder if Grace was the intendedrecipient of those messages in thefirst place. I wonder if Graceherself was a spy, and I wonder ifGrace knows exactly what was inthose encrypted messages. And Iwonder if Grace agreeing to be onSignal Loss was her own way offinally responding to Carolyn,years later.
(MORE)
59.
AMANDA (CONT'D)I couldn't resist mentioning myfanciful theory to Grace. Shelaughed and said:
GRACE
If I could contact Carolyn again,I wouldn't use a cipher or a songto tell her how I felt.
AMANDA
I'm Amanda Bixby. You've beenlistening to Signal Loss. This episode was called "Sings TheHits."
END
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