Crossroads Quotes

Eugene Martone: Where and when for this thing?

Scratch: Ohh, I can get us there real quick... Jack Butler's gonna like you.

Eugene Martone: You know Willie, I came down here to learn a lost song, not to get slapped in the face by an 80-year-old man! I find out I gotta become "King of the Hobos" I can go broke...

Willie Brown: [interrupting him angrily] I'm sorry your life turned out so 'HARD', Eugene! But I got my own business to tend to down here, and I don't mean for you to slow me down.

Eugene Martone: Business? What business?

Willie Brown: Personal business. And given your attitude, you got no reason to know what.

Eugene Martone: My attitude? What the hell's the matter with MY attitude, I have a great attitude!

Willie Brown: You got your mind made up about how everything works. How you gonna learn anything new when you KNOW everything already?

[picks up Eugene's old, scratched acoustic guitar]

Willie Brown: Look at this old guitar here you been squeakin' on. I bet you saw this thing in a music store and bought it just because you thought it was beat up! Well you got it all wrong. Muddy Waters invented electricity.

Willie Brown: Why do you want to know about all that stuff?

Eugene Martone: I'm a blues man.

Willie Brown: A blues man?

[starts laughing]

Willie Brown: Where you from, boy?

Eugene Martone: Well, I was born in Long Island.

Willie Brown: Oh, Long Island aww shit, this is rich! Long Island: the famous 'breeding ground' for blues men!

[laughing almost hysterically]

Willie Brown: Oh, so the famous long island blues man come back for another visit, huh?

Eugene Martone: I have something that I think you'll be interested in.

Willie Brown: Is somebody saying he ain't been believing when I've been speaking?

Eugene Martone: That's right, Willie, I'm saying you're full of shit! You know something, everytime you mention Fulton's Point, nobody's ever even heard of the godamned place! And I'm starting to think you're just a con-man who used me just to get your ass out of a nursing home!

[Willie and Eugene start to walk away from each other on opposite sides of the road]

Frances: Where are you going?

Willie Brown: Look, you smart-assed kids, you don't need me! I do my business on this side of the road, and you white folks do your business on that side; that's the way they get things done in Mississippi!

Willie Brown: Meet Blind Dog Fulton. The one and only Willie Brown. You have found your man.

Eugene Martone: Aw, this GREAT, this is great! Listen, I know I'm not Robert Johnson, I...

Willie Brown: [interrupting] No, you AIN'T. You ain't even the beginning of a pimple on the "Late Great" Robert Johnson's ass! You might have a little bit of lightning in you, but you're missing everything else.

Willie Brown: You can't get enough mileage living at home with your Momma' wiping your butt.

Willie Brown: Where do you live?

Eugene Martone: It's a school dormitory.

Willie Brown: [sarcastically] Ooh, school dormitory. Oh, times is hard. Times is hard!

Willie Brown: OK, Mr. Janitor Man. What you want? I ain't made no mess.

Eugene Martone: Willie Brown?

Willie Brown: That's my name.

Eugene Martone: Look Willie, cut the shit, all right? Now, I'm serious about this song!

Willie Brown: The only shit to cut around here is you. Now I had it in me that you was another 'Lightning Boy', but you just a chicken-ass.

[stands up]

Willie Brown: Chicken-ass, chicken shit!

Eugene Martone: Hey Willie, look at this hat. All I need is a Mississippi string tie and I'm ready to roll!

Willie Brown: Yeah, you need a lot more than THAT.

Eugene Martone: Willie, here's something from the Delta, tell me this isn't Son House.

[plays a flawless blues riff in key of E]

Willie Brown: Sounds like bird shit.

Frances: Blind Dog and Lightning Boy? Who the hell are you guys supposed to be?

Eugene Martone: We're bluesmen...

Willie Brown: *I'm* the bluesman, he's from Long Island!

Scratch's Assistant: [Trying to intimidate Eugene] Well well well... who sent you here? Can't talk little man?

[laughs]

Scratch's Assistant: Bet ya can't play none, either!

Scratch's Assistant: [Eugene plugs in his guitar and stares back at him, saying nothing] Uh huh!

Eugene Martone: What are you doing?

Willie Brown: I'm changin' my tie, and I could use some help.

Eugene Martone: [hastily changing Willie's tie] I oughtta choke ya.

Willie Brown: [brandishing his fist] You do and you get knocked on your ass.

Eugene Martone: I'm a blues man!

Willie Brown: Blues man shit.

Willie Brown: What time he coming around?

Scratch's Assistant: [faux confused] What time who coming around?

Willie Brown: You don't be fooling with me. I'm talking about Legba.

Scratch's Assistant: [laughs] Legba? Where you been at, slick? He done changed his name to Scratch.