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".
Steel Guitar Heaven
Ry Cooder Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
That's the only resting place for me
I want to go to steel guitar Heaven
There's a lot of swinging cats I been wanting to see
Like Joaquin Murphy and Jimmy Day
Shake hands with Speedy and shout hooray
That's steel guitar heaven to me
I heard about steel guitar heaven
I heard Paul Bixby's been waiting
He's got something new that he wants me to try
Lt turns itself on and tells you a joke
Lights you a drink and pours you a smoke
Paul I don't think it's ready!
That's steel guitar heaven to me
Well, folks, I think the good Lord must love steel players, He's made so many of them
Matter of fact, He's still trying.
But the good Lord knows that the steel player's life on Earth isn't often easy,
So He's set aside a little corner of Heaven, custom made, just for you.
First thing you'll notice, there's always plenty of courteous free parking
And don't it just seem like that old triple-neck ain't near as heavy as it used to be?
Step inside, and you'll find the walls are covered in real knotty pine,
And just take a gander at all that luxurious hi-lo shag, continuous filament,
Nylon-pile, wall-to-wall carpeting. Our Lord chose green-and-gold, my personal favourite.
The tables and chairs are upholstered in genuine naugahyde, and here our Lord chose red, I think it's appropriate.
There's always a lot of cowboy carrying on up on the bandstand, and you're bound to hear some old familiar voices calling, man, look who's here, come on up and sit on in. It's C6th day again.
You can't get fired up in Heaven
Your union card's all paid
There ain't no bosses up in heaven
I heard Spade Cooley didn't make the grade
Everybody's got a Story up in Heaven
Some we all know well
All steel players go to Heaven
Some just go through hell
But the Good Lord loves each and every one
When your ragtime cowboy days are done
Come up to steel guitar Heaven with me
That's steel guitar Heaven to me.
"Steel Guitar Heaven" by Ry Cooder is a tribute to steel players who have passed on or are about to pass away. The song seems tragic at first but ultimately ends up being a celebration of the instrument and its players. Ry Cooder, who is also a steel player, sings about wanting to go to steel heaven and meet the swinging cats who have played the steel, including Joaquin Murphy, Jimmy Day, and Speedy West.
In the chorus, Cooder describes steel guitar heaven as a resting place for him. He sings about hearing that Paul Bixby is waiting for him with something new to try. Cooder continues to describe this ideal place, where the steel player's union card is always paid, there are no bosses, and everyone has a story.
The song portrays the steel player's struggles while also celebrating their unique experiences. The heaven described in the song pays tribute to the dedicated and passionate steel players who made significant contributions to country and western music. It is the perfect resting place for these musicians who have dedicated their lives to perfecting their craft.
Line by Line Meaning
I want to go to steel guitar heaven
The singer desires to enter a place where steel guitars are plentiful and dominant
That's the only resting place for me
The singer believes that steel guitar heaven is the one and only place they belong
I want to go to steel guitar Heaven
Reiteration of the first line, emphasizing the desire to reach this destination
There's a lot of swinging cats I been wanting to see
The artist wants to meet famous steel players who have passed away
Like Joaquin Murphy and Jimmy Day
The artist names two highly regarded steel players they would like to meet
Shake hands with Speedy and shout hooray
The singer expresses excitement at the prospect of meeting Speedy, another well-known steel player
That's steel guitar heaven to me
The previous lines serve as a description of what the singer considers the essence of steel guitar heaven
I heard about steel guitar heaven
The artist has heard stories about a place called steel guitar heaven
I'm going when I die
The artist is certain they will go to steel guitar heaven after death
I heard Paul Bixby's been waiting
The artist heard that another steel player, Paul Bixby, is excited to show them something new
He's got something new that he wants me to try
The singer is interested in trying out Paul Bixby's latest innovation
It turns itself on and tells you a joke
Paul Bixby's invention is autonomous and equipped to provide entertainment
Lights you a drink and pours you a smoke
Paul Bixby's invention can also safely serve drinks and cigarettes
Paul I don't think it's ready!
The singer is hesitant to use Paul Bixby's invention, feeling it needs further review and testing
That's steel guitar heaven to me
The singer believes innovations like Paul Bixby's epitomize the kind of technological advancements made in steel guitar heaven
Well, folks, I think the good Lord must love steel players, He's made so many of them
The artist believes many people possess the talent to become skilled steel guitar players
Matter of fact, He's still trying.
The artist asserts that God continues to create gifted steel players
But the good Lord knows that the steel player's life on Earth isn't often easy,
The singer acknowledges that steel players face challenges in life
So He's set aside a little corner of Heaven, custom made, just for you.
Despite these challenges, God has created a place in heaven specifically for steel players
First thing you'll notice, there's always plenty of courteous free parking
Steel guitar heaven is described as having ample and convenient parking spaces
And don't it just seem like that old triple-neck ain't near as heavy as it used to be?
The artist notes that the instrument they carried during their lifetime feels significantly lighter in heaven
Step inside, and you'll find the walls are covered in real knotty pine,
The interior of steel guitar heaven has rustic and inviting decor
And just take a gander at all that luxurious hi-lo shag, continuous filament, Nylon-pile, wall-to-wall carpeting.
The carpeting within steel guitar heaven is lush and of high quality
Our Lord chose green-and-gold, my personal favourite.
The artist expresses a preference for the chosen colors of the carpet
The tables and chairs are upholstered in genuine naugahyde, and here our Lord chose red, I think it's appropriate.
The furnishings of steel guitar heaven are also high quality and luxurious, with the singer emphasizing their satisfaction with the color choices
There's always a lot of cowboy carrying on up on the bandstand, and you're bound to hear some old familiar voices calling, man, look who's here, come on up and sit on in. It's C6th day again.
Musicians in heaven perform music in styles familiar to the singer and the presence of other beloved musicians enhances the experience
You can't get fired up in Heaven
There is no pressure to perform or face negative consequences in steel guitar heaven
Your union card's all paid
Steel guitar players in heaven are free from financial burdens and obligations
There ain't no bosses up in heaven
There is no hierarchy or authority in steel guitar heaven
I heard Spade Cooley didn't make the grade
The singer has heard that a particular steel player, Spade Cooley, may not have been able to gain entry into steel guitar heaven
Everybody's got a story up in Heaven
Each musician and individual in heaven has a unique and valuable narrative
Some we all know well
Some stories are recognizable to everyone
All steel players go to Heaven
The artist believes that all steel guitar players go to heaven, regardless of their challenges or accomplishments in life
Some just go through hell
The artist acknowledges that many steel players experienced difficulties and hardships during their time on Earth
But the Good Lord loves each and every one
Despite past struggles, God, in the singer's view, cherishes and values every individual
When your ragtime cowboy days are done
The artist is suggesting that musicians reach steel guitar heaven when their time on Earth is up
Come up to steel guitar Heaven with me
The singer is inviting listeners to join them in the place they desire most
That's steel guitar Heaven to me.
The recounting of the description of steel guitar heaven throughout the song serves as a definition of what the term means to the singer
Lyrics © Warner Chappell Music, Inc.
Written by: RY COODER
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind