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".
The Prodigal Son
Ry Cooder Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
But after he left his father's house he thought he had gone astray
That's why I believe that, I believe that I will go back home
And I believe that, I believe that I will go back home
Well, I believe that, I believe that I will go back home
And be a servant of the Lord
He threw his arms around him, saying, "This is my darling child"
Now, I believe that, I believe that I will go back home
And I believe that, I believe that I will go back home
Well, I believe that, I believe that I will go back home
And be a servant of the Lord
The father asked the prodigal
"Son, why you been gone so long?
Well, did you so love the world and forget your happy home"
The prodigal said, "I searched for true religion
But no faith and no peace could I find
Until I came to a little place called Bakersfield, that eased my troublin' mind"
That's why I believe that, I believe that I will go back home
And I believe that, I believe that I will go back home
Well, I believe that, I believe that I will go back home
And be a servant of the Lord (well I)
I wandered into a tavern where a music band was playin'
Now, the steel guitar rang out so sweet, I feel that I was prayin'
And I asked a comely waitress, is this a new teaching
Yeah, she said there is no God but God, and Ralph Mooney is his name
I said, let me empty your ashtray, Mr. Mooney
And if the drunks interfere I'll be sad
But just as long as you sit there on the bandstand
And play your guitar like Buddha, I'll be glad
The father asked the prodigal,
Did you smell the sweet perfume and hear the angel band?
He said, dim lights, thick smoke, and loud, loud music
Is the only kind of truth I'll ever understand
I believe that, I believe that I will go back home
And I believe that, I believe that I will go back home
Well, I believe that, I believe that I will go back home
And be a servant of the Lord
I believe this, I believe that I will, yes I believe
I believe this, I believe that I will, yes I believe
I believe this, I believe that I will, yes I believe
I believe this, I believe that I will, yes I believe
I believe this, I believe that I will, yes I believe
I believe this, I believe that I will, yes I believe
I believe this, I believe that I will, yes I believe
I believe this, I believe that I will, yes I believe
In Ry Cooder's "The Prodigal Son," the singer tells the story of a rebellious son who leaves his father's house to explore the world. The prodigal son is not interested in following the strict rules and expectations his father has set for him. He strays from the path of righteousness and feels lost. However, eventually, the prodigal son realizes that he wants to return home and be a servant of the Lord.
When the prodigal son returns home, his father is overjoyed to see him. The father embraces his wayward child with open arms, and the prodigal son confesses that he had been searching for true religion but could not find it until he stumbled upon a place called Bakersfield. Here, he finds solace in a bar where a music band is playing, and the steel guitar touches him so deeply that it feels like he's praying. He learns from a comely waitress that there is no God but God, and Ralph Mooney is his name. The prodigal son finds truth in the dim lights, thick smoke, and loud music, a world that he understands.
The song's message is about redemption and the possibility of finding one's way back to faith and righteousness. The prodigal son sought to find his path in the world, but he ultimately realized that he could only find peace and happiness in returning home and serving the Lord. The song is hopeful, and it demonstrates that no matter how lost we may feel, we can always find our way back to the right path.
Line by Line Meaning
Now, the prodigal son was a forward child, his mind was not to obey
The prodigal son was a disobedient child with a rebellious attitude.
But after he left his father's house he thought he had gone astray
After leaving his father's house, he felt lost and disconnected from his roots.
That's why I believe that, I believe that I will go back home
The prodigal son expresses his desire to return home to find direction and purpose.
And be a servant of the Lord
He wants to serve God and live in accordance with his faith.
Now, his father saw him coming he met him with a smile
The father was overjoyed to see his son return home and welcomed him with open arms.
He threw his arms around him, saying, 'This is my darling child'
The father expressed his love for his son and forgave him for his mistakes.
The father asked the prodigal
'Son, why you been gone so long?
Well, did you so love the world and forget your happy home'
The father asked his son why he left and if he was distracted by worldly desires.
The prodigal said, 'I searched for true religion
But no faith and no peace could I find
Until I came to a little place called Bakersfield, that eased my troublin' mind'
The son shares his journey of searching for faith and finding peace in a small town called Bakersfield.
I wandered into a tavern where a music band was playin'
Now, the steel guitar rang out so sweet, I feel that I was prayin'
The son found solace and a sense of spirituality in a tavern where music was playing.
And I asked a comely waitress, is this a new teaching
Yeah, she said there is no God but God, and Ralph Mooney is his name
He talks to a waitress who shares a new teaching based on a musician named Ralph Mooney.
Did you smell the sweet perfume and hear the angel band?
He said, dim lights, thick smoke, and loud, loud music
Is the only kind of truth I'll ever understand
The father asks if the son experienced a spiritual awakening, but the son explains that he finds truth in the music and atmosphere of the tavern more than anything else.
I believe this, I believe that I will, yes I believe
The son reaffirms his belief and conviction to follow his faith and return home.
Lyrics © BMG Rights Management
Written by: DP, JOACHIM HERBERT COODER, RYLAND PETER COODER
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
@nashvegasnow
love that image you put in my mind
oh my
one day i might get the courage to thailand my life
i hope so
then stand back brother
yo woman gonna be dancing with me over pancakes and bananas
while you wish you never posted here
peace and love
and thanks
rock on
@justinthyme5382
I'm 81 years young and still rocking mainly in my rocking chair. Hi from Australia 😎🎵🎶🎵🎶
@russelljones182
Rock on my Aussie mate, love having you express yourself with the rest of us! Old Man meself in the American south.
@rickabbott5297
Hi mate, saw him play in Perth in about 1982 ish for three hours and it was all acoustic— riveting bit of a shame at the time thought it might get electrified at some stage but really didn’t matter.🎸🤗😁👍
@christianjamet884
I'm only 75 years but i move my leg on this groove and i'm happy!☺
@rowley1950
Me too mate... throw down the zimmer frame and get to it!
@charlesroer972
Listening to Ry for damn near 50 yrs . Just gettin better
@bobmiller2843
Bop till you Drop was my intro.
@bernadettecognacpitre2380
like good French wine😃
j'ai 73 ans ,et cette musique me "transporte tjs autant ....
longue vie à toi mon "frère" de musique
@Krog12354
Ry Cooder is the best guitarist most people never heard of.
@elizabethtowle7331
That's true and it's very odd! I do my part though, sharing far and wide. I've adored this man since the 70's.