— AS I WALK THIS LAND
OF BROKE —
EN DREE — EE — EAMS —
Deco lifted his voice for single words, then brought it back down again. He stopped before a word (—THIS) and thumped it. He slapped his thigh and tapped the heel of his right foot.
— I HAVE VISIONS O’ MANY THING —
INGS —
— Sisters, Joey The Lips shouted.
— Wha’? said Natalie.
— I want you to come in there, okay?
— How?
— Joey The Lips sang: —OF MANY THINGINGS. After Declan sings it, okay? — Right, Brother Deco. — I have visions.
— I HAVE VISIONS O’ MANY THING —
INGS —
— Sisters!
— OF MANY THING-INGS, sang the girls.
— Good good.
— BUT — HAPPINESS IS JUST AN ILLU—
SHUN —
— Sisters!
— JUST AN ILLUSION —
— Good.
— FILLED WITH SADNESS AN’ CON —
FEU —
SHUN —
— Go with him, girls.
— WHA’ BECOMES O’ THE BROKE —
EN HEARTED —
WHO —
HAVE LOVES THA’ ARE NOW DE-
PAR — TED —
I KNOW I’VE GOT TO FIND —
SOME KIND O’ PEACE O’ MIND —
BAY —
BEEE —
— Right, girls.
— UUH — EEE — UUH.
— Wonderful, Joey The Lips shouted.
He meant it. It had been woeful, but it was a start. Joey The Lips believed in starts. Once you had the start the rest was inevitable. The Lord made sure of that.
It was three in the morning when they stopped. They concentrated on the same song.
There were problems. Joey The Lips spent half the night twiddling knobs and yelling at the rest to get away from the amps. There were shrieks and groans and wails from the speakers.
Billy kept drumming too fast. At half-twelve they found out he’d been messing. Jimmy stepped in and told him off in no uncertain terms. (—You’re a cunt, Mooney.) Derek was lost for a while but Joey The Lips told him just to do what James was doing. That was grand, just the same note three times, one and then the other two together, then the same again, and again right through.
The girls were suffering by two o’clock. Joey The Lips had to tune Outspan’s guitar for him.
Jimmy had to take Deco aside and tell him to be patient.
— Give them a while, said Jimmy. — They’re not ALL naturals.
— I’ll try, Jimmy, said Deco. — It’s just — I’m ready, know wha’ I mean?
Jimmy nodded.
— There’s somethin’ in me tryin’ to get ou’, know wha’ I mean?
— I know, said Jimmy.
— Take it easy though, okay?
— Okay.
— Fuckin’ eejit, said Jimmy. (To himself.)
— Brothers and Sisters, said Joey The Lips at about three. — We have done the good work tonight. Would you all form a circle here, please? You too, Jimmy.
They were too tired to object. They made a circle and, without being told to, held hands.
— Good, said Joey The Lips. — Now drop hands.
They did this.
— Turn right.
They did this too. They were still a circle. Each of them was looking at a back. Joey The Lips was in the circle too. He lifted both his hands.
— Now, Brothers, Sisters, we pat ourselves on the back for a job well done.
They laughed as they patted.
* * *
It was the next rehearsal.
— Okay, James, my man, said Joey The Lips. — Take us there.
James looked around. Everyone was at battle stations. He started.
— DUM — DUMDUM —
Joey The Lips pointed to Billy.
— CLAH — CLAHCLAH —
To Derek.
— THUM — THUMTHUM —
Once Derek was in James could be a bit more adventurous. He went along with the girls.
— UUH — UUH — UUH —
UUH — UUH —
UUH — UUH — UUH —
Joey The Lips clicked his fingers. Outspan was off.
— CHI–CHICHI —
Then Deco started to sing.
— AS I WALK THIS LAND
O’ BROKE —
EN DREE — EE — EAMS —
It was going well, no mistakes.
Deco would have to be spoken to again. He’d started spinning the mike over his head.
The girls were good. Their step was simple; one step right, then back, then right again. They moved together. And they looked well, about the same height and size. Natalie clapped her hands, shook her head, bared her teeth.
Most of the other Commitments looked comfortable enough.
Dean looked petrified.
— I’LL BE SEARCHIN’ EVERYWHERE —
JUST TO FIND SOMEONE TO CARE —
I’VE BEEN LOOKIN’ EVERY DAY —
I KNOW I’M GOIN’ TO FIND A WAY —
NOTHIN’S GOIN’ TO STOP ME NOW —
I WILL FIND A WAY SOMEHOW —
They all stopped. The record faded quickly there. They didn’t know how they were going to end it.
Deco kept singing.
— I’LL SEARCH FOR YOU DOWN ON THE DOCKS
I’LL WAIT UNDER CLERY’S CLOCK —
They cheered.
Deco stopped.
— Wha’ was tha’ abou’? Jimmy asked.
— A bit o’ local flavour, said Deco.
— Tha’ was deadly, said Derek.
— Yeh said we were goin’ to make the words more Dubliny, said Deco.
— It’s just — yeh should’ve warned us, said Jimmy.
— It’s good though, said Billy.
— Very soul, said James.
— Soul is the people’s music, said Joey The Lips.
— Only culchies shop in Clery’s but, said Billy.
— Oh yeah, said Derek. — But, hang on. The clock’s hangin’ off the outside o’ the shop. On the street.
— Soul is street, said Joey The Lips.
— That’s alrigh’ then, said Jimmy. — The clock stays.
They walked home. Seven of the ten Commitments worked. Four of them made it into work the next morning.
* * *
The Commitments rehearsed three times a week. After the first few nights they stopped before half-eleven for the last bus.
Joey The Lips kept them on the easier, less frantic numbers. Chain Gang became their favourite for a while.
The girls would lift their hammers above their heads, and bring them down:
— HUH —
And again:
— HAH —
And again:
— HUH —
Derek got to sing too.
He’d growclass="underline" —WELL DON’T YOU KNOW before Deco sang:
— THAT’S THE SOUND O’ THE MEN —
WORKIN’ ON THE CHAIN —
GA — EE — ANG ——
THAT’S THE SOUND O’ THE MEN —
WORKIN’ ON THE —
CHAIN GANG —
Deco closed his eyes a lot for this one.
— ALL DAY THEY’RE SAYIN’ —
MY MY MY MY MY MY MY —
MY WORK IS SO HARD —
GIVE ME GUINNESS —
I’M THIRSTY —
MY — Y — Y —
MY WORK IS SO HARD —
OH OH MY MY MY —
SWEET JAYSIS —
MY WORK IS SO HARD —
— HUH, went the girls.
— HAH, went the girls.
— HUH, went the girls.
Derek wrapped it up.
— WELL DON’T YOU —
KNOW.
* * *
Joey The Lips had them standing in a circle.
— What’re we doin’ today, Joey? Dean asked him.
— Well, Brother, said Joey The Lips. — I think we’re going to bring our Soul Sisters to the front.
— Oh Jesus, said Natalie. — I’m scarleh.
— Hang on, said Deco. — What’s this?
— The Sisters are going to sing, said Joey The Lips. — Like the birds of the air.