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".
Quick Sand
Ry Cooder Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
In Sonoyta I came across
Just six of us when we started
Walking behind the coyote boss
The old man said let me go there with you
Yes I'm old but I'm mighty tough
I know the road maybe I can help you
First night we stopped and rested
Next morning our guide was gone
The cinole boy was pouring ???
The old man said we can't go wrong
But up on Tinajas Altas he stumbled and he fell
He begged and pleaded we had to leave him
Lying on Camino Diablo trail
Quick sand I think we lost direction
Quick sand now we're losing ground
Quick sand nobody 'round to help us
Quick sand now we're sinking down
Thought we was getting close to Yuma
I heard it's an unfriendly town
We just need a cool drink of water
Even Yuma can't turn a poor boy down
Then a Dodge Ram truck drove down on us
Saying I'm your Arizona vigilante man
I'm here to say you ain't welcome in Yuma
I'm taking you out as hard as I can
I saw mi Madre crying in her rocking chair alone
I saw La Llorona flying please take a message back home
Quick sand I think we lost direction
Quick sand now we're losing ground
Quick sand nobody 'round to help us
Quick sand now we're sinking down
Quick sand I think we lost direction
Quick sand now we're losing ground
Quick sand nobody 'round to help us
Quick sand now we're sinking down
The lyrics of Ry Cooder's song "Quick Sand" tells a story of a group of people attempting to cross the border to the United States from Tamaulipas, Mexico, relying on a coyote (a paid guide) to lead them through the treacherous terrain. The group includes an older man who insists on joining, despite his age. However, as they cross the desert, their guide disappears, leaving them alone and lost. The group struggles, facing quicksand, exhaustion, and hostility from those who would prevent them from reaching their destination. Despite the challenges, they keep pushing forward with determination, only to be met with disappointment in the end.
The song depicts the harsh realities of the border crossing experience for many people seeking a better life. The lyrics reflect the fear, difficulty, and danger involved in the journey, as well as the desperation to succeed. The old man represents the generation who has seen and endured much and wishes to be a part of the new beginning. However, despite their collective experiences, the journey is too difficult for them to withstand, and they fall victim to the dangers of the desert.
Overall, "Quick Sand" is a poignant insight into the lives of those who risk everything for the chance of a better life, despite the overwhelming odds against them. The song's depiction evokes empathy and understanding for those enduring the trials of the border crossing and reminds us of the humanity behind their struggle.
Line by Line Meaning
I left my home in Tamaulipas
I departed from my place of origin in Tamaulipas.
In Sonoyta I came across
In Sonoyta, I happened upon.
Just six of us when we started
We were only six people when we embarked on this journey.
Walking behind the coyote boss
We followed behind the person responsible for leading us through the desert, also known as the 'coyote boss.'
The old man said let me go there with you
The elderly gentleman offered to join us on our journey.
Yes I'm old but I'm mighty tough
Despite being old, the man proclaimed his strength and resilience.
I know the road maybe I can help you
He had prior knowledge of the route and believed he could be of assistance to us.
I got good shoes, I won't hold you up
He reassured us that his footwear was suitable and wouldn't slow us down.
First night we stopped and rested
We took a break and rested on the first night of our journey.
Next morning our guide was gone
The person leading us disappeared the next morning.
The cinole boy was pouring ???
Not sure what this line means.
The old man said we can't go wrong
The elderly man reassured us that we were on the right path and shouldn't worry.
But up on Tinajas Altas he stumbled and he fell
While walking up Tinajas Altas, he tripped and fell.
He begged and pleaded we had to leave him
Despite his pleas, we had no choice but to abandon him.
Lying on Camino Diablo trail
He was left on the Camino Diablo trail.
Quick sand I think we lost direction
We're disoriented and uncertain of our intended path.
Quick sand now we're losing ground
We're making little progress and may be sinking into quicksand.
Quick sand nobody 'round to help us
There's no one nearby to offer assistance or guidance.
Quick sand now we're sinking down
We're gradually descending further into quicksand and becoming more and more trapped.
Thought we was getting close to Yuma
We believed that we were nearing the town of Yuma.
I heard it's an unfriendly town
We heard rumors that Yuma wasn't a welcoming or hospitable place.
We just need a cool drink of water
We were desperately in need of a refreshing drink of water.
Even Yuma can't turn a poor boy down
We hoped that even Yuma would have pity on us and offer help to those in need.
Then a Dodge Ram truck drove down on us
A Dodge Ram truck suddenly approached us.
Saying I'm your Arizona vigilante man
The driver introduced themselves as the 'Arizona vigilante man.'
I'm here to say you ain't welcome in Yuma
The driver stated that we weren't welcome in Yuma.
I'm taking you out as hard as I can
The driver threatened to harm us in some way.
I saw mi Madre crying in her rocking chair alone
I had a vision of my mother crying alone in her rocking chair.
I saw La Llorona flying please take a message back home
I saw the mythical figure La Llorona flying and asked for a message to be brought back to my home.
Lyrics © Warner Chappell Music, Inc.
Written by: RY COODER
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind