The Godfather

He was tired and ready for bed but one note of memory stuck with him: singing with Nino Valenti. And suddenly he knew what would please Don Corleone more than anything else. He picked up the phone and told the operator to get him New York. He called So

“Hey, Nino, how’d you like to come out here and work for me,” Joh

Nino, kidding around, said, “Gee, I don’t know, Joh

“I can start you at five hundred and get you blind dates with movie stars, how’s that?” Joh

“Yeah, OK, let me think about it.” Nino said. “Let me talk it over with my lawyer and my accountant and my helper on the truck.”

“Hey, no kidding around, Nino,” Joh

There was a long pause. Nino’s voice was sober. “Hey, Joh

Joh

Again there was a long pause and then Nino’s voice, very subdued, uncertain, said, “OK, Joh

Joh

Chapter 13

Joh

Nino Valenti was sitting at a piano fooling around nervously with the keys. He was also sipping from a huge glass of rye. Joh

Eddie Neils had made special arrangements of some old Italian and Sicilian songs; and a special job on the duel-duet song that Nino and Joh

Joh

Nino took a gulp of whiskey. “Who’s that, Lassie?”

Joh

Nino was impressed but couldn’t help saying with pseudo-hopefulness, “You can’t get me Lassie?”

The orchestra swung into the opening song of the medley. Joh

He pulled Nino to his feet and they both stood by their microphones. Nino flubbed the opening, flubbed it again. His face was begi

“I don’t feel natural without my mandolin,” Nino said.

Joh

It seemed to do the trick. Nino kept drinking from the glass as he sang but he was doing fine. Joh

When they came to the duet-duel song that ended the record, Joh

With stops and conferences they worked nearly four hours before they quit. Eddie Neils came over to Joh

Joh

Eddie said thoughtfully, “Nino will have to come into the studio tomorrow. He made some mistakes. But he’s much better than I thought he would be. As for your stuff, I’ll have the sound engineers fix anything I don’t like. OK?”

“OK,” Joh

“Tomorrow night,” Eddie Neils said. “Your place?”

“Yeah,” Joh

By this time it was late afternoon. Nino was still more than half-drunk. Joh

When Nino woke up, Joh

“What’s the matter with your voice?” Nino asked.

Joh

Nino said thoughtfully, “Tough, huh?”

Joh

Nino was already pouring himself a drink. “I’m always charming,” he said. He drained the glass. Gri

“Don’t be so anxious,” Joh