Everything about You Know They Got A Hell Of A Band totally explained
You Know They Got a Hell of a Band is a short story by
Stephen King. It was first published in the horror anthology
Shock Rock and later included in King's collection
Nightmares and Dreamscapes, concerning a young couple on a road trip in
Oregon when they accidentally wander into a small town inhabited by late musicians.
The title comes from the chorus of a
Righteous Brothers song,
Rock and Roll Heaven.
Plot summary
(The following summary is based on the television adaptation of the story, rather than the original print version.)
Clark and Mary Rivingham (
Steven Weber and
Kim Delaney) are a couple on a roadtrip in
Oregon, spending the last few days in the state before they move for Clark's profession (he's a computer engineer).
Deciding that a spontaneous road trip could be fun, they set out into the state's secluded open roads and Clark is inspired to keep driving. However, his refusal to get directions gets them lost until they wander into a small, cozy-looking town, improbably named Rock and Roll Heaven. A few people they see around town look oddly familiar but the couple pay no attention, thinking the locals are just unusual for both their demeanor and their dress style. They stop in a diner for lunch where they're greeted by the friendly, bespectacled waitress who seats them. Clark is awestruck by the diner's impeccably clean appearance, modeled to look like a 1950s' diner and wanders over to the jukebox to look at what songs can play. As they order their food, Clark stares at the waitress who is singing
Janis Joplin's
Cry Baby which Mary elbows him, assuming that he's checking her out. However, Clark believes she's the spitting image of Joplin herself and Mary takes a look. Such a glance strikes Mary like a shot through the heart as everything around her fades to black and white momentarily.
Soon after, a waitress leaves a napkin for Mary, warning her to get out while they can just as Clark sits down to the pie he ordered. Calling to compliment the cook who modestly answers Clark: "Me and Mom, we hung out in the kitchen a lot." prompting a satisfied Clark to take a good look at the cook. As the waitress and cook playfully banter, the husband and wife suspect that the cook literally is
Ricky Nelson. Such a revelation hits Clark just as it has with Mary, while everything turns black and white. The couple soon realize that the waitress
is Janis Joplin and these people are the real article, and not just look-alikes, having died years before. Soon after,
Roy Orbison and
Buddy Holly step into the diner before terrorizing the couple in a very twisted fashion, along with Nelson and Joplin. The two escape the restaurant and see other late music legends such as
Ronnie Van Zant and
Duane Allman, the two locals that looked familiar start chasing after them. The stars gather and begin tormenting the couple as they make a narrow escape out of their car from the town. In turn, Clark runs over Nelson (who jumped onto the hood of their car), only to see him rise and stand as if nothing happened to him, save for the devilish grin on his face.
When they try to leave however, they crash into a bus - accompanied by the tune "Magic Bus" - escorting
Jimi Hendrix and his entourage. Hendrix casually walks out to inspect the damage and then summons a police car to the tune of an unnaturally loud
guitar version of the
Star Spangled Banner. A police car shows up right behind them and its passengers step out in broad daylight, with the police escort being
Otis Redding and the other being the friendly mayor,
Elvis Presley, who informs that they won't be allowed to leave: they're not the only 'normal' people in town, and from now on, that'll join the captive audience for the massive concerts that happen every night on the town square, and last for months, performed by late music idols like
Freddie Mercury,
Marvin Gaye,
Mary Wells,
Patsy Cline,
Jim Croce,
Stevie Ray Vaughan,
Keith Moon,
John Lennon, and
Cass Elliott among many others who died tragically. As emcee, an enthusiastic
Alan Freed finishes his introduction with "rock n roll will never die." The wife simply says to herself, "That's exactly what I'm afraid of," as they settle into a town where that'll be staying forever. The story ends with the couple asking another captive how long she's been here. As
Janis Joplin arrives on stage to perform for the crowd, the woman replies that she's been here for several years now, but is still the exact same age.
Film, TV or theatrical adaptations
The story was adapted as one of the episodes of the 2006
Turner Network Television series
Nightmares & Dreamscapes.
Trivia
Kurt Cobain and George Harrison died after the story was published in 1993, which doesn't make any reference to them. But in the television version, their names are mentioned by Alan Freed as part of the upcoming act.
The story is based on a Righteous Brothers song called Rock and Roll Heaven, which is a tribute to late musicians. Jimi Hendrix, Janis Joplin, Otis Redding, Jim Morrison and Jim Croce are referred to in the song. In the subsequent print version of You Know They Got a Hell of a Band, Hendrix, Joplin, Redding and Morrison appear in the story. But in the television adaptation, only Hendrix, Joplin and Redding appear while Morrison and Croce are referenced. Croce's name is mentioned in the short story as well, by emcee Alan Freed.
When Clark and Mary encounter Elvis Presley and Otis Redding, initially Mary quickly thinks to herself that maybe John Lennon would be the musician who steps out from behind the wheel of the cop car but dismisses it since Lennon's motto was to question authority. However, Lennon's name is also mentioned by Alan Freed in the television version.
When Buddy Holly and Roy Orbison begin listening to music in the diner where Ricky Nelson is the cook, Holly appraises Orbison's Oh Pretty Woman as it plays from the jukebox and says "But it ain't no Rave On", a Buddy Holly song which was believed to be Ricky Nelson's last known song performed before his death.
Further Information
Get more info on 'You Know They Got A Hell Of A Band'.
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