Ry Cooder
Ryland "Ry" Peter Cooder (b. 1947) is a guitarist, singer and composer from the … Read Full Bio ↴Ryland "Ry" Peter Cooder (b. 1947) is a guitarist, singer and composer from the United States. He is known mostly for his slide guitar work, his passion for American roots music, and for his collaborations with the Rolling Stones, the Buena Vista Social Club and many other musicians from countries all around the world.
Born in Los Angeles, California on 15th March 1947, Cooder first attracted attention in the 1960s, playing with Captain Beefheart & his Magic Band, after having worked with Taj Mahal in The Rising Sons.
He was a session guitarist on various recording sessions with the Rolling Stones in 1968 and 1969; Cooder's contributions most notably appear on the Stones' Beggars Banquet where he shares a prominent credit with pianist, Nicky Hopkins on the back cover. He continued to appear on the succeeding albums, Let It Bleed, and Sticky Fingers, on which he contributed the haunting slide guitar solo to "Sister Morphine". Cooder is reputed to have taught Keith Richards to play in open-G tuning, now a Richards hallmark, as well as to have written the open-G signature riff of "Honky Tonk Women". He was briefly considered to fill the departed Brian Jones' place in the Rolling Stones, but reportedly Cooder and Keith Richards did not get along very well. For some time after the sessions, Cooder accused Keith Richards of "ripping him off" musically, but now refuses to talk about his experiences with the Stones. Cooder played slide guitar for the 1970 film Performance, which contained Mick Jagger's first solo single, "Memo from Turner" on which Cooder played guitar.
Throughout the 1970s Cooder released a series of Warner Brothers albums that showcased his guitar work, to some degree. In this respect, Cooder's guitar work on these records is not unlike the guitar playing of Robbie Robertson on the Band's albums: Both virtuosos emphasized song over solo. Cooder's 1970s albums spotlight, more than anything, a wide-ranging taste in music. Cooder has been seen as almost a musicologist, exploring bygone musical genres with personalized and sensitive, updated reworkings of revered originals. Cooder's 1970s albums (with the exception of Jazz) cannot be neatly pigeonholed by genre, But - to generalise broadly - it might be fair to call Cooder's first album blues; Into the Purple Valley, Boomer's Story, and Paradise and Lunch, folk + blues; Chicken Skin Music and Showtime, a unique melange of Tex-Mex and Hawaiian; Jazz, 1920s jazz; Bop till You Drop 1950s R&B and blues; and Borderline an eclectic mix of Tex-Mex with blues, R&B, and country and Get Rhythm, with more rock-based excursions.
Cooder has worked as a studio musician and has also scored many film soundtracks, of which perhaps the best known is that for the 1984 Wim Wenders film Paris, Texas. Ry Cooder based this soundtrack, and the haunting title song "Paris, Texas" on Blind Willie Johnson's "Dark Was the Night (Cold Was the Ground)", which he described as "The most soulful, transcendent piece in all music from the US." His other film work includes Walter Hill's The Long Riders (1980) and Southern Comfort (1981).
In recent years, Cooder has played a role in the increased appreciation of traditional Cuban music, due to his collaboration as producer in the Buena Vista Social Club (1997) recording, which was a worldwide hit. Wim Wenders directed a documentary film of the musicians involved, Buena Vista Social Club (1999) which was nominated for an Academy Award in 2000. Cooder worked with Tuvan throat singers for the score to the 1993 film Geronimo: An American Legend.
Cooder's solo work has been an eclectic mix, taking in dust bowl folk, blues, Tex-Mex, soul, gospel, rock, and almost everything else. He has collaborated with many important musicians, including the Rolling Stones, Little Feat, the Chieftains, John Lee Hooker, Gabby Pahinui, and Ali Farka Toure. He formed the Little Village supergroup with Nick Lowe, John Hiatt, and Jim Keltner.
Cooder's 1979 album Bop till You Drop was the first popular music album to be recorded digitally. It yielded his biggest hit, a disco/R&B cover of Elvis Presley's 1960s recording "Little Sister".
Born in Los Angeles, California on 15th March 1947, Cooder first attracted attention in the 1960s, playing with Captain Beefheart & his Magic Band, after having worked with Taj Mahal in The Rising Sons.
He was a session guitarist on various recording sessions with the Rolling Stones in 1968 and 1969; Cooder's contributions most notably appear on the Stones' Beggars Banquet where he shares a prominent credit with pianist, Nicky Hopkins on the back cover. He continued to appear on the succeeding albums, Let It Bleed, and Sticky Fingers, on which he contributed the haunting slide guitar solo to "Sister Morphine". Cooder is reputed to have taught Keith Richards to play in open-G tuning, now a Richards hallmark, as well as to have written the open-G signature riff of "Honky Tonk Women". He was briefly considered to fill the departed Brian Jones' place in the Rolling Stones, but reportedly Cooder and Keith Richards did not get along very well. For some time after the sessions, Cooder accused Keith Richards of "ripping him off" musically, but now refuses to talk about his experiences with the Stones. Cooder played slide guitar for the 1970 film Performance, which contained Mick Jagger's first solo single, "Memo from Turner" on which Cooder played guitar.
Throughout the 1970s Cooder released a series of Warner Brothers albums that showcased his guitar work, to some degree. In this respect, Cooder's guitar work on these records is not unlike the guitar playing of Robbie Robertson on the Band's albums: Both virtuosos emphasized song over solo. Cooder's 1970s albums spotlight, more than anything, a wide-ranging taste in music. Cooder has been seen as almost a musicologist, exploring bygone musical genres with personalized and sensitive, updated reworkings of revered originals. Cooder's 1970s albums (with the exception of Jazz) cannot be neatly pigeonholed by genre, But - to generalise broadly - it might be fair to call Cooder's first album blues; Into the Purple Valley, Boomer's Story, and Paradise and Lunch, folk + blues; Chicken Skin Music and Showtime, a unique melange of Tex-Mex and Hawaiian; Jazz, 1920s jazz; Bop till You Drop 1950s R&B and blues; and Borderline an eclectic mix of Tex-Mex with blues, R&B, and country and Get Rhythm, with more rock-based excursions.
Cooder has worked as a studio musician and has also scored many film soundtracks, of which perhaps the best known is that for the 1984 Wim Wenders film Paris, Texas. Ry Cooder based this soundtrack, and the haunting title song "Paris, Texas" on Blind Willie Johnson's "Dark Was the Night (Cold Was the Ground)", which he described as "The most soulful, transcendent piece in all music from the US." His other film work includes Walter Hill's The Long Riders (1980) and Southern Comfort (1981).
In recent years, Cooder has played a role in the increased appreciation of traditional Cuban music, due to his collaboration as producer in the Buena Vista Social Club (1997) recording, which was a worldwide hit. Wim Wenders directed a documentary film of the musicians involved, Buena Vista Social Club (1999) which was nominated for an Academy Award in 2000. Cooder worked with Tuvan throat singers for the score to the 1993 film Geronimo: An American Legend.
Cooder's solo work has been an eclectic mix, taking in dust bowl folk, blues, Tex-Mex, soul, gospel, rock, and almost everything else. He has collaborated with many important musicians, including the Rolling Stones, Little Feat, the Chieftains, John Lee Hooker, Gabby Pahinui, and Ali Farka Toure. He formed the Little Village supergroup with Nick Lowe, John Hiatt, and Jim Keltner.
Cooder's 1979 album Bop till You Drop was the first popular music album to be recorded digitally. It yielded his biggest hit, a disco/R&B cover of Elvis Presley's 1960s recording "Little Sister".
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Ry Cooder Lyrics
13 Question Method (Chuck Berry) Now, the thirteen question method is the one …
3 Cool Cats 3 cool cats 3 cool cats Parked on the corner in a…
3rd Base Dodger Stadium Mister, you’re a baseball man As anyone can plainly see Grea…
5000 Country Music Songs I started writing country songs in 1962 Just a dream…
634-5789 If you need some good loving Call on me And if you…
Across the Borderline There's a place where I've been told Every street is…
Alimony Look at this one, look at that one Tell me do…
All Shook Up A well'a bless my soul What'sa wrong with me? I'm…
Always Lift Him Up / Kanaka Wai Wai (Alfred Reed)/(Traditional) (G) - (C) - (D) (G) When a fell…
Amos de Loca Juventud Mueren ya las ilusiones del ayer Que sacié con lujurioso amo…
Available Space (Ry Cooder) Instrumental…
Ax Sweet Mama Well, I ax sweet mama, let me be her kid She…
Baby Joined the Army It was on a Friday evening wasn't nobody 'round I was…
Barrio Viejo Viejo barrio, Barrio Viejo. Solo hay lugares parejos. Dond…
Big Bad Bill In the town of Louisville They got a man they call…
Billy The Kid (Traditional, arranged by Ry Cooder) (G) - (D) (G) I'll sin…
Blue Suede Shoes Well, it's one for the money, two for the show Three…
Boomer (Traditional, adapted by Ry Cooder) Come and gather all aro…
Brother Is Gone We met old Satan down where the two roads crossed…
Can I Smoke In Here? Can I smoke in here can I sit down Am I…
Canción Mixteca Que lejos estoy del suelo donde he nacido! Inmensa nostalgia…
Cardboard Avenue Well, thank you for the drink my friend, that's alright…
Cat and Mouse Well I had an Uncle Charley, back in my hometown Said,…
Chan Chan (Francisco Repilado) (Dm) - (F) - (C) - (A7) De (Dm) Alto…
Cherry Ball Blues (Instrumental)…
Chinito Chinito Chinito, chinito, toca la maraca chinito Chinito, chinito, n…
Chloe Chloe! Chloe! Someone's calling, no reply Nightshade's f…
Christmas in Southgate Well, you got no credit and I got no cash Now…
Christmas Time This Year Our boys and girls will be here soon coming home…
Comin Comin' in on a wing and a prayer Comin' in on…
Corrido de Boxeo Que ironia, si lo sabes, Que habian dos hermanos Chavez. Pug…
Crazy (William R. Emerson) -Man, I'm gonna tell you my story -Go …
Crossroads I went down to the crossroad Fell down on my knees…
Crow Black Chicken Well, I went on the mountain And I gave my…
Dark End Of The Street At the dark end of the street That's where we always…
De Camino a La Vereda !Óigame compay! No deje camino por coger la vereda !Óigame …
Denomination Blues (Washington Phillips) (G) - (C) - (D) (G) I wanna tell you…
Dirty Chateau I had a maid she used to come in days Made…
Ditty Wah Ditty (Arthur Blake) There's a great big mystery And it sure is w…
Do Re Mi Lots of folks back east they say Leaving home most every…
Don If your man has got you on the run, why…
Don't Call Me Red Don't call me red, don't turn me down, I've got…
Don't Mess Up a Good Thing Good thing, good thing, good thing You been cheating on…
Dos Gardenias Dos gardenias para ti Con ellas quiero decir Te quiero, te a…
Down in Hollywood Well, did you hear the good news? There's gonna be some…
Down in Mississippi They have a hunting season on the rabbit If you shoot…
Down in the Boondocks Down in the boondocks, down in the boondocks People put…
Dreamer I wonder would you like to meet a dreamer Would you…
Drive Like I Never Been Hurt You told everybody that I couldn't drive And you didn't…
Ejercito Militar Voy a cantar esos versos Que hace tiempo habia desiado. Pa…
El Carretero Por el camino del sitio mío Un carretero alegre pasó Con su…
El Corrido de Jesse James The outlaw Jesse James was up in heaven With old friends…
El Cuarto de Tula En el barrio La Cachimba se ha formado la corredera En…
El U.F.O. Cayo En los cincuentas paso. Por la ventana vi yo. Cuando en sile…
Everybody Ought To Treat A Stranger Right Everybody ought to treat a stranger right, long ways from…
F.D.R. In Trinidad (Fitz MacLean) (C) - (G) - (Am) Capo on 2 (C) When…
Farm Girl Well w,e ran out of cheese in Goleta town, so…
FDR in Trinidad (Fitz MacLean) (C) - (G) - (Am) Capo on 2 (C) When…
Feelin' Bad Blues [Instrumental]…
Fernando Sez I'm recording again and you know why I need money and…
Flathead One More Time Three o'clock, thismorning, I woke up in a dream. Thought I…
Fool for a Cigarette / Feelin (Sidney Bailey)/(J.B. Lenoir/Jim Dickinson) Uhm, I'm a fool…
Footprints in the Snow Well, some folks like the summertime they can walk about St…
France Chance (Joe Callicott) Drop down baby, just like showers of rain I…
Gentrification Standing on the corner, spending my time Out of a job,…
Get Rhythm Get rhythm when you get the blues Hey, get rhythm…
Go Home Girl Well, me and Frank we're the best of friends And…
Goin I'm going to Brownsville, take that right hand road Well,…
Going Back to Okinawa (Ry Cooder) Goin' back down to Okinawa Sorry, baby, but I c…
Going to Tampa Goodbye my honey, farewell my baby Don’t look for me around…
Good Morning Mr. Railroad Man (Traditional) Good morning, Mr. Railroad Man What time do y…
Goodnight Irene (Huddie Ledbetter/John Lomax) (E) - (E7) - (A) - (B7) (E) I…
Green Dog Walkin' cross the desert, it ain't no fun Too hot in…
Gypsy Woman From out of nowhere, through a caravan, around the campfire…
Hank Williams You been over at that jukebox, mister, all this afternoon P…
Harbor Of Love There's coming a time on the great judgement morning When th…
He Put your sweet lips a little closer to the phone. Let's…
He Made a Woman Out of Me I was born on a levy A little bit south of…
He'll Have to Go Put your sweet lips a little closer to the phone. Let's…
Hey Porter (C) Hey, Porter, Hey Porter! Would you tell me the…
Hold That Snake I love my baby like a bull dog loves his…
How Can A Poor Man Stand Such Times and Live I remember a time when every thing was cheap Now…
How Can a Poor Man Stand Such Times and Live? (Alfred Reed) (G) - (C) - (G7) - (D) - (D7)…
How Can You Keep Moving (Agnes Cunningham) (C) - (F) - (G) (C) How can you keep…
How Can You Keep Moving (Unless You Migrate Too) (C) - (F) - (G) (C) How can you keep on…
Humpty Dumpty World Our God looked down what did He see The work of…
I (Traditional) (C) - (F) - (G) - (Am) (C) And I went…
I Can Tell By the Way You Smell (Walter Davis) Hey, look here baby, what's going on ? Step …
I Can't Win I've been trying so hard to find a way to…
I Got Mine (Traditional) (C) - (F) - (G) - (Am) (C) And I went…
I Need a Woman (Bob Dylan) It's been raining in my mouth all day Dripping …
I Want My Crown In the dark of night the secret vote was cast We…
I'Ll Be Rested When The Roll Is Called I'll be rested when the roll is called I'll be rested…
I'm A Good Old Rebel (Traditional, arranged by Ry Cooder) Oh, I'm a good old Reb…
I'm A Pilgrim I am a pilgrim and a stranger Traveling through this worris…
I'm Drinking Again (Ry Cooder & Jim Keltner) Yes, it's me and I'm drinking…
If There Republicans changed the lock on heaven's door Keys to the ki…
If Walls Could Talk (Bobby Miller) Well, if things could talk then I'm sure you…
In His Care One day when I was walking and talking down that…
It Well, baby used to stay out, all night long She made…
It's Just Work for Me Well I got my old bulldozer. Got my dozer-hauling truck. A…
J. Edgar Down on the farm we had a pig, J. Edgar…
Jesse James Jesse James we understand Has killed him many a man…
Jesus And Woody Well bring your old guitar and sit here by me Round…
Jesus on the Mainline I know Jesus is on that mainline Tell Him what…
John Lee Hooker for President When I first came to town people I was walkin'…
Johnny Cash I was just a boy in school 1954 I heard Johnny…
Johnny Porter Johnny Porter was the oldest in his family And I…
Let (Bunn) I wanna ball like I never did ball before [Before,…
Let's Work Together Together we'll stand Divided we'll fall Come on now people…
Lets Have a Ball (Bunn) I wanna ball like I never did ball before [Before,…
Little Sister Little sister won't you please, please,please Little sister…
Little Trona Girl Little Trona girl little Trona girl Little Trona girl will …
Long Ride Looking back over my life I can see where I caused…
Look at Granny Run Run Said, look at Granny run, run Grandpa runnin' close behind …
Lord Tell Me Why Lord tell me why a white man ain't worth nothing…
Los Chucos Suaves Antes se bailaba swing Boogie-woogie, jitterbug Pero esto ya…
Mama Don't Treat Your Daughter Mean (Ry Cooder) Hey, mama, don't you treat your daughter mean H…
Married Man's A Fool Had a friend, Louie Brown, he was a deacon, Just as…
Medley: Fool For A Cigarette / Feelin Good (Sidney Bailey)/(J.B. Lenoir/Jim Dickinson) Uhm, I'm a fool…
Mexican Divorce It's a sin for you to get a Mexican divorce Down…
Money Honey (A) Well, the landlord rang my frontdoor bell (E) I…
Mutt Romney Blues 1, 2, 3, 4 Now boss Mitt Romney went for a…
Muy Fifi Mi hijita, por Dios te lo pido, No salgas con ese…
My Dwarf Is Getting Tired A mobile home in Anaheim It's double-wide it's new, it's cl…
My Name Is Buddy Now my name is Buddy, don't you pity me Don't you…
My Old Kentucky Home Turpentine and dandelion wine I've turned the corner and I'm…
Need a Woman (Bob Dylan) It's been raining in my mouth all day Dripping …
Never Make Your Move Too Soon Three days of snow out in Birmingham Thought you would wonde…
No Banker Left Behind My telephone rang one evening, My buddy called for me Said…
No Hard Feelings This land should have been our land You took it for…
Nobody Nobody knows the trouble I see Nobody knows but me When lif…
Nobody's Fault But Mine Nobody's fault but mine, nobody's fault but mine If I don't…
On a Monday (Huddie Ledbetter) (D) - (A) - (C) - (E) (D) On a…
Onda Callejera Era la medianoche, when oímos the scream "Se requieren cien …
One Meat Ball (L. Singer-H.Zaret) A litle man walked up and down, T…
ONE Meatball A little man walked up and down To find an eating…
Paris, Texas PARIS TEXAS - by RY COODER (Soundtrack of the film of…
Pigmeat (Huddie Ledbetter) Just look here mama Don't pick pig …
Police Dog Blues (Arthur Blake, adapted by Ry Cooder) All my life I've been…
Poor Man Tell you 'bout a friend of mine that you don't…
President Kennedy (Sleepy John Estes) Late one Friday evening everybody was s…
Quick Sand I left my home in Tamaulipas In Sonoyta I came across Just…
Rally Yes, we'll rally 'round the flag, boys We'll rally 'round ag…
Rally Round the Flag Yes, we'll rally 'round the flag, boys We'll rally 'round a…
Ridin' With The Blues It's gettin'-out time down at the high school We're checki…
School Is Out (Anderson/Barge/Guida/Royster) (C) - (F) - (G) (C) No more …
Shine When I was born they christened me plain Samuel Johnson…
Shrinking Man Well, it's a change in the ocean, change in the…
Simple Tools My wife used to say she couldn't understand Why I make…
Smack Dab in the Middle Pick me a town in any clime Where people like a…
Somebody's Callin' My Name Ry Cooder Somebody's Callin' My Name You better Hush, hus…
Soy Luz y Sombra Antes se bailaba swing Boogie-woogie, jitterbug Pero esto ya…
Spayed Kooley I got a dog in this fight I got troops…
Speedo Well, now they often call me Speedo But my real name…
Stand by Me (G) When the night is come and the (Em) land…
Steel Guitar Heaven I want to go to steel guitar heaven That's the only…
Straight Street Well I used to live on Broadway Right next to…
Strike! Well I got off the train one evening in a…
Suitcase in My Hand When I was still a kitten, daddy told me, Son, There's…
Take Your Hands Off It Get your dirty hands off my Constitution now It was written…
Tamp (Traditional) Tamp 'em up solid, so they won't come down Ta…
Tattler (Ry Cooder/Russ Titelman/Washington Phillips) Whenever you …
Taxes on the Farmer Feeds Us All (Traditional, adapted by Ry Cooder) (D) - (A) - (E) (A) We…
Teardrops Will Fall (Dickey Doo-Marion Smith) (E) - (A) - (B7) (E) I read your…
That Brand new day, brave new man It's a miracle what love…
The Bourgeois Blues (Huddie Ledbetter/Alan Lomax) Me and my wife went all ov…
The Dark End Of The Street At the dark end of the street That's where we always…
The Dream i saw her with another man walkin downtown she's not mine…
The Dying Truck Driver Well, we made our way up 99 in the springtime…
The Girls From Texas Well, I met a girl from Texas 'bout a year…
The Long Riders (Ry Cooder) Instrumental…
The Prodigal Son Now, the prodigal son was a forward child, his mind…
The Story (Traditional, adapted by Ry Cooder) Come and gather all aro…
The Very Thing That Makes You Rich My father told me, lying on his bed of death, "boy,"…
The Very Thing that Makes You Rich (Makes Me Poor) My father told me, lying on his bed of death, "Boy"…
The Wall Street Part Of Town I’m walkin’ if it takes all night Hopin’ that we can…
The Way We Make a Broken Heart Just a one more kiss He'll have to miss This…
There Republicans changed the lock on heaven's door Keys to the ki…
There's a Bright Side Somewhere Well there's a bright side somewhere, there's a bright side…
Three Chords and the Truth I'm going to tell you a story right here Huh, you…
Trouble You Can't Fool Me Trouble you can't fool me I see you behind that…
UFO Has Landed in the Ghetto Lonesome outerspace invader blasting through the night Tunin…
Veinte A%C3%B1os ¿Qué te importa que te ame, tú no me quieres…
Veinte Anos ¿Qué te importa que te ame Si tú no me quieres…
Vigilante Man (Woody Guthrie) (E) - (A) - (B7) Capo on 1 (E) Have…
Viola Lee Blues The judge decreed it, clerk he wrote it I say he…
Viva Seguin / Do Re Mi Lots of folks back east they say Leaving home most every…
Volver Volver Este amor apasionado Anda todo alborotado por volver Hoy c…
Waitin' For Some Girl I was robbed I was framed What ever happens now ain't…
Which Came First You may be a hater, you may be a lover…
Why Don If your man has got you on the run, why…
Wildwood Boys This here was our situation We was just young wild…
Willie Brown Blues Hey , call me Willie Hey, Call me Willy Blind dog Foolton …
Women Will Rule The World (Raymond Quevedo) How different the ladies of long ago to t…
Y Tu Que Has Heublo En el tronco de un árbol una niña Grabó su nombre…
Yellow Roses I just received, sweetheart, your yellow roses You tell me t…
You Must Unload Now you fashion-loving christians sure give me the blues You…