♪ 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 ♪
[girl playing on piano]
[Annie] Have you ever wondered how some people
can be really good at something
while others are just so-so?
In ancient times,
the Greeks believed that people who were good at things,
especially artistic stuff like music and poetry,
were helped by mythological creatures called "muses."
In fact, the word "music" comes from the word "muse."
Muse. Music.
Pretty simple.
[magical swishing]
[Annie] Now, it's pretty weird to think of an actual muse
coming down to visit somebody and inspire them...
[piano music continues]
[Annie] But what might be even weirder,
is if the muse suddenly wasn't there anymore...
[swishing]
[plays false notes]
[Annie] And once a muse leaves...
does it ever come back?
[Molly] I can't believe I'm actually back here.
[man] Oh, room three.
As requested, Ms. Phillips.
If you need anything, the phone is at the end of the hall.
[Molly] It's exactly the way I remember it.
This room hasn't changed in 18 years.
That I can believe.
[Molly] Rick sat right there.
[chuckles]
We stayed up all night talking about our lives,
about music...
About everything.
[melancholic music playing]
[Irene] Uh-huh.
All right, yeah.
[phone beeps]
[Irene sighs] Ned's waiting for us in Portland.
I said we'd be there when we'd be there.
[Molly] Sounds good.
[Carey] Mom...
What's wrong with Molly?
She told me yesterday she came here looking for her muse.
Yeah, well, I don't get all this talk about muses.
This is where your mom met your dad.
Where she first played music with him.
She told me she felt the magic here for the first time 18 years ago.
She's hoping to find it again.
[car revs]
[technician] That's it for monitors.
[indistinct chatter]
Look. Look. There's our picture right there.
Come on, you guys.
[chuckles]
[Jack] I can't even see your face, Mom.
Son, your dad and I were hardly headliners back then.
I saw him for the first time
about an hour before this photograph was taken.
Howdy, folks.
What can I get you?
-Uh, I'll have a pastrami on rye. -[waitress] Uh-huh.
And I'll have the same.
Penny for your thoughts.
Okay, adjusted for inflation,
-a dollar for your thoughts. -[laughs]
I was thinking about those photos on the wall.
What about them?
Photography is so cool.
I mean, to be able to leave a record of something like that
that happened years and years ago...
[chuckles]
Uh, Mom...
Irene said that you, uh,
you lost your inspiration to play music.
Well, I'm just a little staled-out, honey.
That's all. Okay? But don't worry about me.
I'll be fine.
Okay?
Okay.
And you're sure that's all it is?
I'm positive.
[suspenseful music playing]
[loud tinkling]
[creaking]
What was that?
[camera clicks]
[creaking]
[Molly whispers] Strange.
[scoffs]
[loud banging]
[Molly] What?
[glass breaks]
[Molly] Hello? Hello?
[grunts]
-[handyman] Oh, excuse me. -What is going on?
Sorry, ma'am. This whole section must have rotted out.
Can't you just... plug it up?
Well, soon as I've fixed the pipes. [sighs]
[metallic clank]
You know, uh...
I'd get a lot better angle on these babies if I came around to your side.
You mind if I impose on you for just a couple of minutes?
-Come in. -[handyman] Thank you.
Thank you very much, ma'am.
It won't take more than just a couple of minutes.
[tools jangling]
[indistinct chatter]
You know what's really weird?
I think Mom actually believes that there's a real muse
walking around here somewhere.
Well, maybe there is.
Okay, Annie. Why don't you show us what this muse looks like
so we can introduce it to Mom?
Okay, well, after Irene mentioned that thing about muses,
I went and got this off the net.
[sighs]
This is what they supposedly look like?
[Annie] Sometimes. See, the thing about a muse is
it can take almost any form.
Any form?
Exactly. It can be human or animal.
Oh, good. Human or animal. That narrows down the search.
Well, hello there...
Lorraine.
What's good today?
Everything's good here.
Oh, great. I'll have that, then.
[laughs]
-Say, Lorraine. -[Lorraine] Yeah?
Could you tell me, is there a "Phillips" in town?
[Lorraine] Sure. That'd be Molly Phillips.
She's playing a concert here tonight, if you want to watch the show.
Oh, say, young lady,
you're with the Phillips' party, aren't ya?
Yeah.
You her daughter?
No...
But why are you looking for Molly Phillips?
You don't know?
No. Should I?
I couldn't help but notice that piece of paper you had.
The one with the muses.
Yeah, and...
We're not supposed to broadcast it, but...
I'm her muse.
[magical swishing]
[Molly] Excuse me.
I thought you were going to be working on the pipes.
[handyman] Uh, yes, ma'am.
Well, it seems to me that you're just making the hole bigger.
Yeah, well, that's where the pipes are.
[laughs]
Hey, Mom, I was just going to come and see how you're doing.
Is this your son?
You got the music bug like your mom?
Uh...
Not really sure what kind of bug I have,
or if I even have one.
Well, I can't say I know a whole lot about music,
but pipes have got their own kind of music.
Some of them go...
[rustling]
..."wang." [laughs]
[Molly] Uh...
Jack, why don't we go talk outside?
-[Jack] Yeah, okay. -Others go "hmm."
[rustling]
[handyman] Every one's different.
-Some of them go "schlaang." -[rustling]
Okay, where does it say this?
Uh, don't bother with the fine print.
[muse] It's right there. Phillips... Eugene, Oregon.
Wednesday.
A muse.
In the flesh... more or less.
We change our looks all the time.
Prove you're a muse.
[swish]
A card?
It's just a card. It doesn't prove anything.
Fine.
How about this, then?
[magical tinkling]
♪ Yo, burgers, baby all the way ♪
♪ I know how to cook If you know how to pay ♪
♪ Steak and fries, I can do it ♪
♪ Watch me now get right to it ♪
♪ Mess with me, fool You're asking for trouble ♪
♪ Tip me good or I smack you double ♪
♪ Change the grease ♪
♪ It's all good, baby, give it up... ♪
Why is she doing that?
Well, could it be, perhaps, that she's suddenly...
inspired?
♪ Hot dogs, baby, is what I do ♪
♪ Here's one for me and one for you ♪
That's inspired?
-[exhales] -[Lorraine raps on]
[sighs]
[swish]
-[dog whines] -[Lorraine continues rapping]
So you really are a muse.
At your service...
Or, rather... at Molly Phillips' service.
[Molly humming]
That's good, Mom.
[Molly] Yeah, it's not half-bad.
Jack?
[exhales]
I figured it out.
And dad was only about two years older
than I am now when you two met here.
Wow. Yeah, I guess you're right.
And he knew absolutely that he wanted to be a musician, right?
Yes, he did.
I don't know what I want to be.
I mean, I have some ideas, I guess, but,
-[ladder rattles] -I think about photography...
Uh, sorry, but I have to fix this broken gutter.
-Are the pipes finished yet? -[man grunts]
I'm afraid not. I need a bigger drill...
So I thought I might as well do the storm drains.
-Ow! -[thud]
[grunts]
Oh, sorry.
A muse can take either human or animal form.
[dog heaves]
[chuckles]
A dancing dog...
No.
[Carey] Wait. Muses can take animal form.
Oh, this is insane.
-Give it up, yo, give it up. Give it up. -[camera clicks]
So if you're Molly's muse, you can help her get inspired again?
With my eyes closed and one hand behind my back.
Well, let's go.
[Lorraine] Give it up! Give it up!
How're you feeling?
[Molly exhales]
I don't know, Irene. I guess I expected...
[imitates explosion] Something big to happen.
Excuse me, is there a problem?
[handyman] Well, the owner says there's a loose board.
Any of you hear a squeak when you were walking around?
A mere squeak would be a welcome relief right about now.
Molly...
-Here he is! -Here who is?
Your muse, Ms. Phillips.
Have inspiration, will travel.
What's going on here?
[camera clicks]
Something for the scrapbook.
[muse] Okay, Molly.
Would you like the special of the week?
Three parts inspiration, two parts enthusiasm...
Maybe a little spoonful of genius tossed in.
Just for fun?
-Yeah, give her that one. -[muse] Okay.
All right.
Oh, yeah.
[swishing]
[exhales]
So?
Feeling inspired?
A little dance? A little...
music?
Uh...
This is ridiculous.
I don't even know why we came here in the first place.
This must be the most stupid idea I've ever had.
What, I'm looking for my muse?
No, that's it.
[Molly] We're leaving.
What about the concert?
No! No concert tonight.
[Irene exhales]
What did you do?
I don't know, I mean...
I did exactly what I was supposed to do.
[Molly] Sorry, Rick,
but you can't blame me for trying.
You can't leave, Mom. The concert's sold out tonight.
So they can refund the money,
and I will pay the rest of the expenses.
Mom, you've never walked out on a commitment like this.
[Molly] Jack, honey...
Okay, let me explain this to you.
That stage...
It's never been just a place to go and play music
for paying customers.
It's always meant much more to me than that, and...
And now that I've finally come back here after all these years,
I don't know what it was that I was expecting to find,
but, honey, it isn't here.
And I'm not going to get up on stage in front of all those people,
and just go through the motions. I'm just not going to do it.
What is it, Carey?
Okay, but first you'll have to promise me you're not gonna laugh.
Okay.
I don't really believe in this kind of stuff either, right,
but I just, I thought, I don't know, whatever, right?
It's worth a shot.
[whistles]
[dog whines]
What's with the dog?
I figure there's an outside chance that, um...
-You know... -No, I don't know.
Molly, meet your muse.
Oh, no, not again.
Carey, we're sort of overdosed on muses right now.
[exhales] Watch this.
[Carey] Do your dance.
Come on, come on, do your little dance thing.
-[Carey] Come on. -Dance, Carey?
He dances. Watch.
Dance, come on.
[Carey] Do... come on, listen, here, do the dance.
-[Jack] Very impressive, Carey. -[exhales]
[Carey] Excuse me.
I never really thought you were the muse anyway.
[exhales]
Maybe there's something wrong with the work order.
-[dial beeps] -Oh, right. So muses have cellphones now?
It's a rapidly changing world.
[busy signal]
Line's busy.
[Annie] Oh, your bosses should get call waiting.
[Carey] Oh, good.
Perfect!
Now he decides to dance.
So, how long have you been doing this?
I've been training all my life.
[Annie] Training?
This is my first...
-job. -Oh, it's your first job?
So Molly's future is your first job?
Everybody has to start somewhere.
-[knocking on door] -[handyman] You all right, ma'am?
Yep, I'm fine.
You can fix your pipes in peace now.
Actually, I just came to get my tools.
I'm all done, so...
But there's a giant hole in the wall.
Ah, I'll finish it later.
I feel bad now.
All my hammering and jabbering's gone and driven you out.
It's not you. It's me.
Well, that dog that Carey had didn't help, Mom.
I tried to tell him there's no such thing as a muse.
Well, I don't know if I can agree with you on that one, son.
Um, you believe in muses, too?
Well, if you mean, like, fairies floating around
sprinkling magic dust on people, no.
But I believe that there's things that push us,
make us better than what we are.
Did you have a muse?
I sure did.
My dad.
He's the best plumber who ever strapped on a wrench.
How come everybody seems to have a muse but me?
You've got one.
Really? Where?
Well, I can't answer that, but if you pay attention,
watch, listen...
You see, I'm a simple kind of guy.
I mean, my... tip of my tongue pokes out when I do arithmetic,
but the way I figure it,
a muse is where hard work and inspiration come together.
But first I have to listen.
Yeah.
That's what we've all got to do.
We've got to listen.
Have a nice concert.
[exhales]
[Annie gasps]
[Jack] Mom?
How do I look?
You look great. What's going on?
The concert. That's what's going on.
Come on, let's get over there. I've got something new.
Everything okay with your room? We aim for comfort.
[Molly] Yeah, the room is fine,
except for the guy who was banging on the pipes all day,
but he didn't really bother me.
The who?
The handyman.
We don't have a handyman here.
Never have. I do all the maintenance work myself.
Moll, concert, you, me.
But... but he...
[cheering]
Welcome to a very special night
at the Big Board Cabaret.
I hope she'll be okay.
She'll be great, muse or no muse.
Ladies and gentlemen,
Molly Phillips!
-Yeah! -[cheering]
Hey.
I guess it's been a while, huh?
Well, first of all, I'd like to thank my band
for learning this song so quickly.
[chuckles] We wrote it today.
And secondly, I would like to dedicate this song
to my muse.
[cheering]
[band starts playing]
♪ Doodle-doo-doo-doo-doo-doo ♪
♪ Sometimes I feel undone ♪
♪ A stranger comes ♪
♪ A whisper that I lost someone ♪
♪ He tells me right and wrong ♪
♪ He helps me sing my song ♪
♪ Lifts me up, makes me strong ♪
♪ Oh yeah, now ♪
♪ I'm thinking about tomorrow ♪
♪ Slamming the door on days gone by ♪
♪ Saying hello to the sunny skies ♪
♪ Now I'm thinking about tomorrow ♪
♪ Slamming the door on days gone by ♪
♪ Leaving my troubles saying goodbye... ♪
I don't know how I did it, but I did it.
[Jack] Did what?
Never mind.
Here. Why don't you take this?
Your camera? Really?
Well, I was going to take some shots for my portfolio, but...
♪ Who knows the way The cold wind blows... ♪
Thanks.
♪ Will catch my heart ♪
♪ Giving me a new start, oh yeah ♪
♪ Now I'm thinking about tomorrow ♪
♪ Slamming the door on days gone by ♪
♪ Saying hello to the sunny skies ♪
♪ Now I'm thinking about tomorrow ♪
♪ Slamming the door on days gone by ♪
♪ Leaving my troubles saying goodbye ♪
♪ Now I'm thinking about tomorrow ♪
♪ Slamming the door on days gone by ♪
♪ Saying hello to the sunny skies ♪
♪ Now I'm thinking about tomorrow ♪
♪ Slamming the door on days gone by ♪
♪ Don't want my troubles ♪
♪ Waving bye-bye ♪
♪ Now I'm thinking about tomorrow ♪
♪ Slamming the door on days gone by ♪
[cheering]
[mysterious music playing]
Rick?
[cheering]
All right, folks.
Don't leave yet. We're just getting started.
You mean I didn't make it happen?
Did you do your homework?
[Molly singing in background]
Of course I did...
Sorta.
Did you read the entire work order?
Oh, I... scanned practically all of it.
Your assignment was for Phillips...
Not Molly Phillips.
Jack Phillips.
Oh no!
[exhales]
Don't worry.
I handled Molly.
You took care of your job. You didn't even know you'd done it.
I did?
The camera.
Aw, yes! [laughs]
Now, it's a long trip home,
so I want you to listen good
so you don't make this kind of mistake again.
[Molly's band playing in the background]
♪ Yo, burgers, baby, all the way ♪
♪ I know how to cook If you know how to pay ♪
♪ Steak and fries, I can do it ♪
♪ Watch me now get right to it ♪
♪ Hot dog, hot dog, hot dog, baby ♪
♪ Change the grease, it's all good, baby ♪
♪ Give it up for the cooking lady! ♪
♪ Down that sewer and close your trap ♪
♪ I've got work to do before I rap ♪
♪ Hot dog, hot dog, hot dog, baby ♪