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".
Crazy
Ry Cooder Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
-Man, I'm gonna tell you my story
-Go on and tell about it, go on and tell about it more
-Just what I've been doing
-What you've been doing, Ry ?
-Well, you know I used to be particular about the women's that I picked
-Aha!
-But the way things has been going, I'll take 'em knock-kneed and bow-legged
-What ?
-I'll even take 'em bald! Man. I'll tell you why
-Please, tell me why!
Every woman I know is crazy 'bout an automobile
Every woman I know is crazy 'bout an automobile
And here I am standing with nothing but rubber heels.
He-hey, every woman I know, crazy 'bout an automobile
Oh, every woman I know, crazy 'bout an automobile
And here I am standing with nothing but rubber heels.
Now look'it here!
They say, walking women home is a thing of the past
Women want to ride and ride around in class
Some like Cadillacs, boys, some like Fords
Some like anything as long as it rolls.
Crazy 'bout an automobile [That's right]
And here I am standing with nothing but rubber heels
Well, every woman I know she's crazy 'bout an automobile
Every woman I know is crazy 'bout an automobile
And here I am standing with nothing but rubber heels
One more thing I wanna tell you
Said, riding and loving just can't be beat,
You and your woman in your own front seat.
Now, she can play with your keys, shift the gears,
Turn on your radio just loud enough to hear.
Now, she can turn up the heat and flip on your fan,
And then you start rolling just as fast as you can.
Crazy 'bout an automobile
And just here I am standing with nothing but rubber heels
Man, when I get some money I just got to get me some kind of automobile
You don't seem like the women in this town just don't pay no attention to ya 'less you're driving
Look at that big, fine Buick over there
Oh, I like that one
Yeah, now, looks like somebody left the keys in it
Oh, let's take a ride
Nothing but rubber heels
The song "Crazy 'bout an Automobile" by Ry Cooder is a playful commentary on the fascination women have with automobiles. The lyrics tell the story of a man who has recently come to accept that women are more interested in men who have cars than men who don't. He describes how he used to be more particular about the physical appearance of the women he dated, but he has since become more open-minded and willing to take a woman regardless of her appearance. The chorus states that every woman he knows is crazy about an automobile, leaving him with nothing but rubber heels.
The lyrics also touch on the idea that walking women home is becoming a thing of the past, as women now prefer to ride around in style. The man in the song acknowledges the variety of preferences women have when it comes to cars, with some preferring Cadillacs and others Fords. The final verses of the song suggest that a couple riding in a car together is unbeatable, as the woman can play with the keys, shift gears, and control the radio while the man drives. The song ends with the man expressing his desire to get some money and buy a car so that he can be more desirable to women.
Overall, the song is a lighthearted but pointed take on the role of cars in the dating world and the ways in which they can influence people's choices.
Line by Line Meaning
Man, I'm gonna tell you my story
I'm going to share my experience with you
Go on and tell about it, go on and tell about it more
Please elaborate and tell me more
Just what I've been doing
I'll let you know what I've been up to
What you've been doing, Ry ?
Please let me know what you've been up to, Ry
Well, you know I used to be particular about the women's that I picked
I used to be selective in my choice of women
Aha!
I see, go on
Yeah! They used to be tender, lean and tall, that's all
I used to prefer delicate, slender, and tall women, nothing else
But the way things has been going, I'll take 'em knock-kneed and bow-legged
But lately, I'll even settle for women with crooked legs
I'll even take 'em bald! Man. I'll tell you why
I'll even accept bald women, and I'll explain why
Please, tell me why!
Do tell me why, please
Every woman I know is crazy 'bout an automobile
Every woman I know loves cars
Oh, every woman I know, crazy 'bout an automobile
All the women I know are car enthusiasts
And here I am standing with nothing but rubber heels.
Meanwhile, I don't even have a car, just shoes
Now look'it here!
Let's take a closer look
They say, walking women home is a thing of the past
Escort a lady on foot is outdated
Women want to ride and ride around in class
Women want to travel in style with cars
Some like Cadillacs, boys, some like Fords
The car preference could be different for everyone
Some like anything as long as it rolls.
Some people would be content with any car as long as it can move
Said, riding and loving just can't be beat,
Traveling together with your loved one is one of life's pleasures that cannot be surpassed
You and your woman in your own front seat.
Sharing the front seat with your partner is a cozy experience
Now, she can play with your keys, shift the gears,
She can fiddle with the car keys and control the gear
Turn on your radio just loud enough to hear.
She can play the music at a comfortable volume
Now, she can turn up the heat and flip on your fan,
She can control the temperature of the car using the heater and fan
And then you start rolling just as fast as you can.
The car with both of you inside starts moving at full speed
Man, when I get some money I just got to get me some kind of automobile
If I get some cash, I must purchase a car
You don't seem like the women in this town just don't pay no attention to ya 'less you're driving
Women in this town don't seem to note your presence unless you are driving
Look at that big, fine Buick over there
Check out the enormous and elegant Buick there
Oh, I like that one
I must say, that's my kind of car
Yeah, now, looks like somebody left the keys in it
It seems like someone left the keys dangling in the ignition
Oh, let's take a ride
Let's go for a spin!
Nothing but rubber heels
Just standing there in my shoes
Lyrics © O/B/O APRA AMCOS
Written by: WILLIAM EMERSON
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
@nashvegasnow
no one except someone who would drag their son off to cuba to record the last greats of the '50's would have a mind like this or the skills to pull it off
is this is what went thru ry's mind the first time he heard this song?
best version ever
oh, how i can dig that kinda mind
ry oh my
thank you
@erikstekelenburg3020
One of the greatest all time!
@caraphyllis
The world's best back-up singers. Almost an insult to call them that, they're so good.
@jimmie200
Yes. They are all exceptional.
@garywhitt98
Cracks like lightning. Name of Ry Cooder.
@JH-yk4xk
When a dude is making guitar faces and mouthing every note like he does, you know he's on another level
@johnnymorys
I love Slide Guitar!!!!!!!!!!!!!
@macfleetwood1
Gotta love anyone who is filming a documentary and wears a t-shirt like that!
@daverenick5830
I've been into Cooder again lately after decades. Like rediscovery. Very inspiring. Just great singers he's with.
@Arnomac
Ry is and always has been one of the smartest and insightful musicians and educators I've ever met! The end!!!!!
@nashvegasnow
yep