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".
Trouble You Can't Fool Me
Ry Cooder Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Trouble you can't fool me trying to get the ups on me
Trouble you can't fool me I see you behind that tree
You want to jump on me
Work hard for living, wanted just to get paid
But, sure'd be stealing for a year and a day
Would like to see a little sunshine, just to guide my way
That's why I wanna say you better look out!
Trouble you can't fool me I see you behind that tree
Look out! trouble you can't fool me trying to get the ups on me
Trouble you can't fool me I see you behind that tree
You want to jump on me
Trouble taught me a lesson I never never will forget
Now, he took my love, she ain't paid it back yet
I had to find another just to take her place
And I sure do love her, I said we're doing ok
So look out!
Trouble you can't fool me I see you behind that tree
Look out! trouble you can't fool me trying to get the ups on me
Trouble you can't fool me I see you behind that tree
You want to jump on me
Well, you know, everyday can't be Sunday (that's right!)
It's a funny thing, it seem just before daylight is your darkest hour
And you know one thing (what's that ?)
Behind every silver lining, there isn't a dark cloud
(and you just ain't got time to go 'round subtracting
And adding 'cause you'll just be too late]
You know one thing ? (what's that ?)
Every time you get around a tree, you better stop and grab a brick (why ?)
Old man trouble, laying and waiting on you
That's what I wanna say,
Trouble you can't fool me I see you behind that tree
Look out! trouble you can't fool me trying to get the ups on me
Trouble you can't fool me I see you behind that tree
You want to jump on me
Trouble took my money, Cadillac's gone
Best suit of clothes, all raised up in the closet, oh lord
But I'm so glad
Trouble don't last, always
You can't fool me
The lyrics to Ry Cooder's song "Trouble You Can't Fool Me" speaks about the artist's ability to see through the face of trouble and be aware of its presence lurking around him. The songwriter is aware that he must be cautious and always prepared when it comes to tackling difficulties. He is aware that these challenges may attempt to sneak up on him when he least expects them. The term 'ups' is slang for a violent attack, which the songwriter must be aware of those trying to harm him. The song also talks about the struggles of life and how financial security is important, but not the be-all and end-all of happiness.
In the second verse, the artist cements his understanding of trouble through personal experience. He has learned its tricks and tactics, and how to adapt and move on from each difficult situation. He implies that he has been cheated out of love and lost money due to being caught up in difficulties. However, he manages to move on and find someone who loves him for who he is. Old man trouble may lurk around the corner, and he must always be cautious, but finding peace of mind and happiness is still achievable.
Line by Line Meaning
Trouble you can't fool me I see you behind that tree
I am aware of the problems that are lurking around and trying to harm me.
Trouble you can't fool me trying to get the ups on me
I know that you are trying to overpower me, but I won't let you succeed.
You want to jump on me
You are waiting for the opportune moment to attack me.
Work hard for living, wanted just to get paid
I work hard to make ends meet and to earn my living.
But, sure'd be stealing for a year and a day
I would never resort to stealing or any other unlawful activity, even if I face financial hardships.
Would like to see a little sunshine, just to guide my way
I wish to have some positive energy and optimism to lead me towards a better future.
Would like to have a little peace of mind
I desire some calmness and mental stability in my life.
That's why I wanna say you better look out!
Therefore, I urge you to be careful and cautious in every situation.
Trouble taught me a lesson I never never will forget
I have learned a valuable lesson from my past experiences with adversity.
Now, he took my love, she ain't paid it back yet
My former partner betrayed me and left me heartbroken, and I am yet to receive closure from this experience.
I had to find another just to take her place
I had to move on and find someone else to fill the void in my life.
And I sure do love her, I said we're doing ok
Although my new partner was not my first choice, I have grown to love her and we are making progress in our relationship.
Well, you know, everyday can't be Sunday (that's right!)
I acknowledge that life has its ups and downs, and not every day can be perfect.
It's a funny thing, it seem just before daylight is your darkest hour
Sometimes, right before things get better, they seem to get worse.
Behind every silver lining, there isn't a dark cloud (and you just ain't got time to go 'round subtracting and adding 'cause you'll just be too late]
I need to focus on the positive side of things and not waste time worrying about potential negatives.
You know one thing ? (what's that ?)
Do you know what I mean?
Every time you get around a tree, you better stop and grab a brick (why ?)
Whenever you encounter a problem, you should be prepared to defend yourself and fight back if necessary.
Old man trouble, laying and waiting on you
Trouble is always present and waiting for the perfect moment to strike.
Trouble took my money, Cadillac's gone
I have experienced significant losses due to the presence of trouble and bad luck in my life.
Best suit of clothes, all raised up in the closet, oh lord
Even my most valuable possessions have been taken away from me by adversity.
But I'm so glad
Despite all that I've lost, I am still grateful for what I have.
Trouble don't last, always
I recognize that adversity is often temporary and that a brighter future is possible.
You can't fool me
I am aware of the challenges and difficulties around me and I will remain vigilant.
Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group
Written by: AARON VARNELL, FREDERICK KNIGHT
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind