[theme song plays]
♪ Demons come from every side ♪
♪ In the darkness is the light ♪
♪ Out of the shadows of my life ♪
♪ In the darkness is the light ♪
♪ Surrender will win the fight ♪
♪ This girl's walked on fire and ice ♪
♪ But I come out ♪
♪ On the other side of paradise ♪
♪ Paradise ♪
[Fi] You know, some girls make a guy flip out without even trying,
and I have to admit, sometimes I wonder what that would be like.
I mean, girls get all these messages about how if you can be pretty enough,
or mysterious enough, you can have power over boys.
But it's not like that idea was invented by movies and TV.
Way back in ancient times, the poet Homer wrote about sirens,
these demonic women with hawk wings and claws,
whose songs drove sailors insane.
I could skip the hawk claws,
but wouldn't it be cool to have guys go ga-ga
at just the sound of your voice?
♪ La-la-la-la-la ♪
Are you in my power yet?
-Carsickness pills for Ned. -Got it.
-Stuff to read. -The entire Goo-boy collection.
So, you guys looking forward to going back on the road?
Yeah, I'm going to miss Candy and all my friends.
You know, we keep in touch with e-mail.
[chuckles] They tell me stuff in e-mail they'd never tell me in person.
Yeah, I've noticed that.
-Jack! -I'm kidding.
Hey, you're going to love it, man.
You won't want to go back to Boulder after a month with us.
[scoffs] Dude, UC Boulder is as cool as it gets!
Tell him how it is, bro.
Oh... well, you know.
[all laughing]
Hey, didn't this used to be the computer store?
Great. Where am I going to get my printer cartridges?
Seems like there are a lot more clubs in town than there used to be.
Is Hope Springs turning into LA, or what?
Yeah, well, musicians want to get away from the smog,
so they head for the mountains.
Hope Springs has got this whole reputation now.
Hey, guys, why don't we try that office supply place around the corner?
-[Jack] Oh, they might have it. -[Clu] Yeah.
[muffled singing]
♪ Questions I... ♪
♪ I watch TV ♪
♪ Listen to songs ♪
♪ Talk about the questions ♪
♪ I don't like your answers ♪
♪ If I had one myself ♪
♪ It would be wrong, too ♪
I don't get it. I mean...
♪ Who are you? ♪
The voice is OK and she's pretty enough, but what's the big deal?
♪ A look and a smile ♪
♪ A promise unfulfilled ♪
♪ A reflection in my eyes unreal ♪
[vocalizing]
[man] I'm just going to check out that sound board.
I'll be right out, OK?
Hi. I was, um...
I was going back to check out the, uh...
The, uh... [laughs]
I actually just wanted to come back here and talk to you.
I don't like men in my dressing room.
Well, that's OK, because I'm not a man, exactly.
I'm more of a, uh... man-boy.
You know, like, really manly, but with that, uh, boyish quality.
-Oh, can I see that? -No!
Right, sorry.
Yeah, I don't like people handling my guitar, either.
Did I mention that I was a musician?
Is there something specific that you wanted?
Yeah.
I, uh, I specifically...
wanted to tell you that that the song you played out there
was the most mesmerizing piece of music I've ever heard.
Really. And when you stopped playing,
and singing, and playing that, um... thing...
whatever it is... I, um...
I was totally lost for a minute.
But the words...
What about them?
They're so sad, so mistrustful about love.
I mean, I don't know you, maybe you've been hurt before,
hurt badly, but, you know, it happens to people.
It happened to me. And it's not all like that.
You know, people... they're not all like that.
There's still some people out there that believe in romance,
maybe not for just a month, or until summer, but, uh, for the long haul.
Forever.
And you are one of those people, man-boy?
Yeah.
Evelyn.
-Hi, I was just-- -I know what you were just.
Walt! More recycling back here!
So, you're her mom?
No, I'm her manager, and you're way out of your league.
Oh, well, I've got to go. My friends, they're waiting.
-Hey, man-boy? -Yeah?
-What's your name? -Carey. Carey Bell.
Dude, she wanted to know my name!
You've got to stay away from them.
They don't know what they're dealing with.
She's more than a singer, Mom, she's, like... like an experience.
He bent our ears about her all afternoon.
[Clu] Just say we'll go to the gig, Mom.
You know, Carey, we have an awful lot of work to do in here
before we go back on the road.
Yet I have to say, he... he is making me curious.
Yes! We should go, we should go, we should go, we should go!
Oh, Mom, and she could totally use a new manager!
I mean, this one she's got is no prize.
Evelyn something?
Evelyn?
Ah, you know?
It might be a great idea to get a break from all this... glamor.
All right, Mrs. P! I'm going to go get the tickets!
♪ Questions I ♪
♪ I don't like your answers ♪
♪ If I had one myself ♪
♪ It would be wrong, too ♪
♪ Who are we? ♪
♪ A boy and a girl ♪
♪ Aching hunger unfed ♪
♪ A reflection of the times ♪
♪ A chance of a circumstance unreal ♪
Mom... have you noticed
that the three of us are the only women in this audience?
Well, honey, some singers aim for the male audience.
Although, I've never seen anyone hit the target quite like this.
[vocalizing]
Come on, we can get an autograph... Ow!
You're not going to become a groupie, Ned.
Mom, that's her manager. Looks totally replaceable, right?
That's her.
Hey!
Molly, Irene, I'd heard you guys moved here.
Cal... Callie, this is Molly Phillips!
-Hello. -Nice to meet you.
My, uh... my brother was right. You are absolutely amazing.
I've never heard music like that.
And these are my boys, Clu and Ned.
Carey, you've met already, I guess.
Carey, sorry. When I chased you out, I didn't know you were Irene's son.
Or you would have chased him out faster.
[exclaims] Irene, that's ancient history.
Molly and Rick hiring you instead of me
was the best thing that ever happened to my career.
I've been so busy. I don't think I've had a vacation in ten years,
unless you count all those international tours as vacations.
But I'll tell you, of all the acts I've worked with,
this one has the most potential.
I found her in a little bistro on the Adriatic.
Can you believe it?
I brought her here to your little artist's colony
to, you know, get her some practice dealing with bigger crowds.
Sometimes, her audiences get a little too enthusiastic.
The whole audience or just the men?
This is my daughter, Fiona, and my son, Jack.
Yeah.
Well, anyway, we're about to close up shop.
Callie's demo got huge response from all the big labels.
So, we are leaving for LA day after tomorrow to talk deals.
Congratulations. That's great.
-Isn't it? -Are you kidding? It's incredible.
Well, hey, I mean, if you guys are gonna be leaving soon,
you should come over to our house for dinner or something.
What a great idea! We won't take no for an answer.
I make a great feta cheese lasagna.
Well, actually, we're on kind of a tight schedule--
Let's go.
I'd like to go.
Cool! Then tomorrow night. It's settled, OK? [chuckles]
Hah...
[computer beeping]
[computer voice] Message sent.
[engine starts]
Sirens.
[Fi] The song of the siren was said to be so irresistible
that merely by singing a single note, these evil creatures
were able to lure mariners to their deaths on the rocks.
I knew you'd come.
I had to talk to you again.
You said you believe in love, Carey?
I do.
How much?
Would you do anything for someone you love?
Yeah... Yes!
Then tomorrow night, we're going to go away together,
and we'll be together forever. For the long haul.
[chuckles]
[music playing on headphones]
-[Fi] Hey, Carey. -[gasps]
Your mom wants you to come upstairs and set the table.
They're going to be here soon.
Jack and Clu dropped out of the dinner.
I think Callie made Jack uncomfortable.
You know, he said that after meeting her, he couldn't think about anything else.
Yeah, she's really something, isn't she?
[sighs] I don't know.
Carey, don't you think there's something strange about her?
"Amazing" is the word I'd use.
Fi...
[music playing on headphones]
Hey! Hey! No, no, no. No, don't.
It's not an oxygen tube, Carey, calm down.
Just tell me what you hear.
[music playing on headphones]
It's, like... like, I can't tell you.
Try.
You don't hear it?
It's like... like she knows me. Like, deep inside.
Like, when she sings, I think about things
that I haven't thought about since I was five,
or things I would've thought tomorrow, only she's telling me first.
-Did you ever read The Odyssey? -Yeah, in freshman English.
-OK, remember the part-- -Only the Cliff Notes, though.
Oh... well, I've been reading it all day,
and there's these freaky creatures Odysseus meets. Sirens.
Yeah, Clu told me that you're into all these weird things.
-Magic spells and stuff. -This isn't about what I'm into, Carey.
You're right, this is different. This is love.
Maybe when you get a little older, you'll understand.
No, you don't understand!
In these legends, men love the song so much
that they jump off a boat and drown trying to join the sirens.
Look around. Am I on a boat?
-I'm worried about you. -Don't be.
Just stay out of my love life, OK?
[sighs]
[laughs] Yes, it's amazing. In fact,
we're already sold out in advance for tonight's show.
That's great.
Oh, but enough about us.
Catch me up on your career, Molly. Is it rough starting over?
-Molly used to be famous. -She is.
Actually, that's what I wanted to talk to Callie about.
I started in the music business when I was really young, too,
but this must be overwhelming, moving to America...
I find people are the same everywhere.
Callie's too new here to really understand what a terrific future she has.
How long have you been here?
You must miss your parents back in Anthemoessa.
[Evelyn] Oh, I just tell her she has a new family with every audience.
[all laughing]
[Molly] Well, um, I think that's a really good point,
but the reality is that the people who handle your business affairs
often become your family,
which is why it's important to choose them very carefully.
And she has.
Carey, would you show me the house?
Yeah. Now?
Sure. OK.
Look, Molly, I'm not sure what your agenda is here, but I don't--
-Hey, Mom? Can I be excused? -[Molly] Sure, honey.
It's probably time for a little adult conversation, anyway.
Oh, well, uh... I'll just bus the table.
Off you go.
OK, but do we have to leave right now?
I mean, if I could just say goodbye to them for...
[vocalizing]
[Fi] Can we talk for a minute?
-We're busy. -I noticed.
Um, could you tell him to step outside?
I know he'll do whatever you say.
Fi, this is none of your business.
I was right about Anthemoessa, wasn't I?
What?
I know the legends about who lives there. The creatures who play this.
Step outside. Just for a moment.
If you know the legends,
then you know that sirens are said to have razor-sharp talons.
Claws that could shred metal.
It's brave of you to stay in the same room with me.
-So you are a siren? -Did I say that?
Then what are you doing here? Are you trying to hurt Carey?
No. I like him.
Tell me what you're doing to him, or I'll tell them what I know.
-I need him to help me escape. -Escape? From what?
From Evelyn.
Has she got some kind of hold over you?
The same one you've got.
If I don't do everything she says,
if I don't perform whenever she tells me to,
she'll expose me, she'll go to those tabloids you have here.
I'd be a freak... and no man will ever love me.
What are you talking about? I mean, every man loves you.
They love my song, not me. They don't even know me.
It's the curse of being a siren.
Men say they love you, men like Carey,
but you never know if it's true, if it's real.
And now, no matter what I do...
I'll never find anyone.
Come on, let's get out of here.
Callie, it's time to leave for the club.
-Where is she? -I don't know.
Did you check downstairs?
Callie?
A trick.
-This whole thing was a trick. -What?
Hi, Evel--
Callie!
OK, Callie's gone. With your children.
-How bitter are you? -What are you talking about?
That girl is going to make me.
She's going to be bigger than you ever were,
and there's nothing you can do to stop it.
Now, if you'll excuse me, I've got to go find my client.
Not if we can find her first.
[groans] I cannot believe Clu took the car.
The one time he doesn't skateboard.
When we get to Greece or wherever, we're definitely going to have to get
our own wheels, maybe, like, one of those little scooters. [chuckles]
By the way, Fi's not coming with us, is she?
Carey, we've got to concentrate here.
We have to find somewhere for Callie to hide out.
[pager beeping]
That'll be Mom. She'll help.
She's no fan of Evelyn's.
Hey, you guys, I need to find a phone.
Wait!
My lao-toe.
My instrument, I left it at the club.
Callie, we're in a hurry here.
It was a gift from my father. It's the only thing I have left of him.
Your father?
Ooh, I've got a great idea. Why don't you come on tour with us?
She has to vanish, Carey. I mean, if she's with us, Evelyn will know.
Evelyn already knows.
Callie, there's a big crowd out there ready to hear you sing.
I know you haven't forgotten our deal.
I'm not letting this happen.
Please, this is between me and my client.
Do you ever want another client?
My daughter tells me that you don't even have a contract.
Evelyn, I don't know what you're holding over her head,
but if you coerce Callie into performing,
we contact everyone we know in the industry and spread the word.
You don't know what you're talking about.
-You don't know what she is. -Yeah, I do.
You do.
She's me. Twenty years ago.
We know a lot of people, Evelyn,
and they've all been burned by people like you.
They're not gonna wanna be part of this kinda business.
Uh, the manager wants to know when the talent's coming on stage.
We've got a show to do.
The talent has left the building.
You want to tell that to the manager, or do I?
Tell the manager three minutes.
Um, hi, guys.
Callie Snow couldn't make it tonight.
I'm Molly Phillips,
and I'm a friend and an admirer, and I've offered to fill in.
[guitar playing]
♪ Rebecca moves across the world ♪
♪ She's a sirocco on the sand ♪
♪ She is the Nile that flows forever ♪
♪ Cutting a wound across the land ♪
-♪ She'll be your friend ♪ -[knocking]
♪ Before you know her... ♪
Callie, you came... you came back.
You really want to leave with me?
I just came to say goodbye.
You can't.
I need to go home for a while.
To figure things out.
Maybe someday...
Until then, I'll think of you, Carey Bell...
And sing for you.