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".
Flathead One More Time
Ry Cooder Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Thought I heard a flathead motor roar, I thought I smelled gasoline.
A feeling came upon me, that I ain't had in years.
Something like a hot dry wind, whistling past my ears.
Saying "time, time, time is all you got".
There's a memory that's still burning, way down in my mind.
And that's why, I'm going out and trying, a flathead one more time.
I ain't seen my racing buddies in thirty years, or more.
One by one I lost them, out on the dry leaf floor.
We learnt to push those flathead cars as hard as they could go.
Just like old Whiskey Bob, down on Thunder Road.
I hear their voices calling, just across the finish line.
And that's why, I'm going out and trying, a flathead one more time.
I'll get back to you baby, don't you have no fear.
'cause I been there, and I wrecked that, and baby I'm still here.
But I can't take you with me, when I cross the finish line.
And that's why, I'm going out and trying, a flathead, one, more, time.
Time, time, time is all you got.
//lyrics transcribed by doobi18
The lyrics of Ry Cooder's song "Flathead One More Time" explore the nostalgia and longing for a bygone era of racing and camaraderie. The singer wakes up in the middle of the night, dreaming of the sound of a flathead motor and the smell of gasoline, both of which evoke memories of his youth. He recalls a time when he and his friends would race their flathead cars as hard as they could go, reminiscent of "Whiskey Bob" on "Thunder Road." The singer hears the voices of his old racing buddies calling to him from across the finish line, and he decides to relive those glory days by trying a flathead one more time.
Throughout the song, there is a sense of urgency and acknowledgement that time is limited. The repetition of the phrase "time, time, time is all you got" emphasizes the importance of living in the present and seizing opportunities while they last. The singer also recognizes that he cannot take his loved ones with him when he races, suggesting a certain amount of sacrifice in pursuit of his passion. Ultimately, the song is about the thrill of chasing one's dreams, even at the risk of failure.
Line by Line Meaning
Three o'clock, this morning, I woke up in a dream.
In the middle of the night, I had a dream and woke up at three o'clock.
Thought I heard a flathead motor roar, I thought I smelled gasoline.
In my dream, I imagined the sound and smell of a flathead motor revving up.
A feeling came upon me, that I ain't had in years.
I suddenly had a nostalgic feeling that I haven't experienced in a long time.
Something like a hot dry wind, whistling past my ears.
I felt a sensation like a warm, dry breeze blowing past me.
Saying "time, time, time is all you got".
This feeling seemed to emphasize that time is a precious commodity and should be spent wisely.
There's a memory that's still burning, way down in my mind.
There is a particular memory that is deeply ingrained within me and still affects me to this day.
And that's why, I'm going out and trying, a flathead one more time.
This memory has inspired me to pursue my passion for flathead motors once again.
I ain't seen my racing buddies in thirty years, or more.
It has been a very long time since I last saw my racing buddies.
One by one I lost them, out on the dry leaf floor.
Sadly, one by one, my friends from the racing world have passed away.
We learnt to push those flathead cars as hard as they could go.
Back in the day, we perfected the art of pushing flathead cars to the limit.
Just like old Whiskey Bob, down on Thunder Road.
We all admired Whiskey Bob's skills, especially his impressive performances on Thunder Road.
I hear their voices calling, just across the finish line.
I can still hear my friends' voices cheering me on, especially as I approach the finish line.
And that's why, I'm going out and trying, a flathead one more time.
The memories of my friends and our shared passion for flathead motors are driving me to try racing again.
I'll get back to you baby, don't you have no fear.
I promise to return to you safely, my love, so please do not worry.
'cause I been there, and I wrecked that, and baby I'm still here.
I have been in dangerous situations before, and while I have had accidents, I am still alive and kicking.
But I can't take you with me, when I cross the finish line.
Unfortunately, my love, you cannot come with me when I cross the finish line.
And that's why, I'm going out and trying, a flathead, one, more, time.
Despite the dangers and the fact that I must go alone, my passion for flathead motors and racing is too strong to resist.
Time, time, time is all you got.
Once again, this feeling emphasizes how valuable and fleeting time is.
Lyrics © Warner Chappell Music, Inc.
Written by: JARED (US) SMITH, JOACHIM HERBERT COODER, RY COODER
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind