Cook's West Virginia-born mother played guitar and mandolin and sang on local radio shows. Her father, a Georgia native, also performed country music and served jail time for running moonshine. Upon his release, he and Elizabeth's mother played in local bands together, eventually marrying. Elizabeth, born in 1972, moved to Nashville in her twenties and quickly got a publishing deal. Demos recorded between 1997 and 2000 comprised her independently released debut album, "The Blue Album", which showcased her formidable songwriting ability and featured such well-known Music City musicians as Tim Carroll, Kenny Vaughan, and Rick Schell.
She made her major label debut in 2002 with "Hey Y'All". But following a corporate re-structuring that left the album virtually abandoned and stagnant on sales, Elizabeth fought back with her 2005 independent release "This Side Of The Moon", which received positive reviews.
Her album "Balls" was released May 2007. It was been her most successful album to date, thanks to glowing press reviews and significant video play for the song "Sometimes It Takes Balls To Be A Woman."
Her 2010 album Welder features appearances by an all-star roster of guests including Dwight Yoakam, Crowell and Buddy Miller, and continued her increasing popularity becoming her highest charting album in the U.S.
Her album "Gospel Plow" was released June 2012.
Cook hosts the morning radio show "Elizabeth Cook's Apron Strings" on the Sirius XM radio station Outlaw Country on Channel 60. The show airs weekdays from 10:00 AM until 2:00 PM (Eastern Time). The show format is a mix of Americana, Outlaw, and Alt Country.
In 2016, Cook released her sixth studio album Exodus of Venus.
Official Site
El Camino
Elizabeth Cook Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
He wears shirts that are trippin on LSD
I must be high as a kite on diesel fumes
He got me sportin' bell bottoms and braids to school
I never thought he'd get this far
Certainly not in THAT kind of funky-ass car
He's been pickin me up everyday at the curb
In his nineteen seventy-two refurb
EL CAMINO (Brown and Tangerine)
EL CAMINO (Drinkin gasoline)
CAMINO (Lean and obscene)
EL CAMINO
I told him your car is CREEPY man
And not in a gangsta kinda way
But in a PERV kinda way
You got a lot of nerve drivin that kind of car
And takin me fishing out to the park
You're like some dude on blow in that movie Boogie Nights
And this Friday night you wanna go to the fights in your...
After Saturday matinee roller derby
We went parking and things got blurry
I thought man I can't get much hotter
And then I caught a whiff of pina colada
And we were making love in the disco era
And he was Travolta and I was Farrah
I was like man what is happening here
Dude must of put a qualude in my beer
If I wake up married, I'll have to annul it
Right now my hands are in his mullet
In Elizabeth Cook's song "El Camino," she tells the story of a guy who is all wrong for her but is winning her over with his funky attitude and even funkier car, a 1972 El Camino. The singer acknowledges that the guy is not her type, as he wears crazy shirts like he's tripping on LSD, and her wearing bell bottoms and braids is out of character for her. However, he has managed to catch her attention and affection in his ridiculous car. She finds his El Camino both creepy and perverted, but she goes along with his plans, drinking gasoline and enjoying the lean and obscene ride. Even though she knows it's a bad idea, she goes out on outings with him, even going out fishing and to the fights. However, the moment it all falls apart for her is when they were making love in the disco era, and she realizes that he may have spiked her drink. Even though she's willing to have fun, she doesn't want to wake up and see herself married to a guy like him with his mullet hair.
There's an interesting backstory to this song. According to Cook, she wrote this song about a guy she used to date who had a '72 El Camino. She initially wrote the song as a joke, but her producer, Rodney Crowell, heard it and loved it. He convinced her to record it for her debut album. The song became her breakout hit and earned her critical acclaim, leading her to perform on various TV shows, including David Letterman's show. The song even earned her a spot on the 2007 season of The Grand Ole Opry.
Line by Line Meaning
I know this guy, he's all wrong for me
I am aware of this individual, and I acknowledge that he is not a suitable partner
He wears shirts that are trippin on LSD
The clothing he wears is reminiscent of the experience of being on LSD
I must be high as a kite on diesel fumes
I feel intoxicated, and this could be attributed to the smell of diesel fumes in the air
He got me sportin' bell bottoms and braids to school
Under his influence I was enticed into wearing bell bottoms and braids to school
I never thought he'd get this far
I did not expect him to be someone I would go out with
Certainly not in THAT kind of funky-ass car
I am surprised by his choice of vehicle as it is unusual and unconventional
He's been pickin me up everyday at the curb
He meets me every day at the curb to pick me up
In his nineteen seventy-two refurb
He drives around in a refurbished 1972 automobile
EL CAMINO (Brown and Tangerine)
The car he drives is an EL CAMINO, in shades of brown and tangerine
EL CAMINO (Drinkin gasoline)
The EL CAMINO is fueled by gasoline
CAMINO (Lean and obscene)
The vehicle is an obscene and questionable mode of transportation
EL CAMINO
The EL CAMINO is mentioned once again
I told him your car is CREEPY man
I informed him that his choice in car is creepy
And not in a gangsta kinda way
It is not creepy in a gangster way
But in a PERV kinda way
Rather it gives off a perverted vibe
You got a lot of nerve drivin that kind of car
It takes a lot of nerve to drive a car that is questionable in nature
And takin me fishing out to the park
He took me fishing in a park
You're like some dude on blow in that movie Boogie Nights
I likened him to a character in a movie about individuals on cocaine
And this Friday night you wanna go to the fights in your...
He expressed an interest in going to watch fights on a Friday night
After Saturday matinee roller derby
After we had attended a roller derby matinee on a Saturday
We went parking and things got blurry
We went parking, and due to various factors, things became unclear or hazy
I thought man I can't get much hotter
At that time I believed that things could not get any hotter
And then I caught a whiff of pina colada
Afterwards, I smelled a Pina Colada
And we were making love in the disco era
We engaged in [intimate] activities in a party atmosphere which was reminiscent of the disco era
And he was Travolta and I was Farrah
He fancied himself to be like John Travolta, and believed I was like Farrah Fawcett
I was like man what is happening here
I was incredulous and confounded by this particular situation
Dude must of put a qualude in my beer
I believed that he had put a qualude in my beer
If I wake up married, I'll have to annul it
I claimed that if I was to wake up one day married to him, I would have to annul the marriage
Right now my hands are in his mullet
At the current moment, my hands were in his mullet hairstyle
Contributed by Eva A. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
@healthcareforallfiftyseven3773
Heard this tune briefly on the Bob & Tom show today. Love it!
@bartacus42
I listen to Miss Cook every morning on Outlaw. This is my first time seeing her. Even more purty than I had ever imagined.
@bassinjules
Love it,sure enjoy listening to you on apron strings on the outlaw country,always keeps me awake after work.
@robertslegers257
She was the best thing ever on Outlaw Country.
@thegonz7833
Love this funky ass tune.
@LuckyDogDave
Great song and a legend... included in Dave's Basement Tracks - Autos, Vans, & Trucks Ed. 183
@robb6146
Cook and Sturgill are my favorites
@RAYMONDJSILKE
Cookie's the real deal lol... love listening on Outlaw Country
@chellerose
yes!
@jimmymillsaps2894
Hell yes Chick got it ✌️