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".
Willie Brown Blues
Ry Cooder Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Hey, Call me Willy
Blind dog Foolton
Smoke House Brown
Call me Willie the one and only Willie Brown
I'm build for comfort and I'm build for speed
I got everything you good girls need
It may not get this way no more
Call me Willie the one and only Willie Brown, Yeah
Hey pretty mama, you sure look fine
Call me dog but I ain't blind
Smoke-House man is back in town
Call me up when you love comes down
Call me Willie the one and only Willie Brown, Yeah
I'm loving all you women two by two
Ain't gonna stop ‘till the loving is through
It's to hot, when you turn
Baby play the fiddle when the Smoke House burns
Call me Willie the one and only Willie Brown, Yeah
Call me Willie, Call me Willie
Blind dog Foolton
Smoke House Brown
Call me Willie the one and only Willie Brown, Yeah
The lyrics to Ry Cooder's song "Willie Brown Blues" are about a man named Willie Brown, who is known by various nicknames such as Blind dog Foolton and Smoke House Brown. The song is an upbeat blues tune that emphasizes Willie's reputation with women and his ability to satisfy their needs. He is described as being built for comfort and speed, and as a man who loves women two by two and won't stop until the loving is through. The singer of the song urges women to throw their men outdoors when Willie comes around because he's the only one who can give them what they need.
The lyrics are playful and tongue-in-cheek, painting a picture of a man who is both confident and charming. The nickname "Smoke House Brown" suggests that Willie is a smoker or a cook, which adds another layer to his character. The chorus of the song, which repeats the line "Call me Willie the one and only Willie Brown," emphasizes his unique personality and reputation in the community.
Overall, the song is a celebration of Willie Brown's larger-than-life personality and his ability to charm and satisfy women. The lyrics are humorous and light-hearted, making it a fun song to sing along with.
Line by Line Meaning
Hey , call me Willie
Greetings, refer to me as Willie.
Hey, Call me Willy
Hello there, my name is Willy.
Blind dog Foolton
Blind friend Foolton.
Smoke House Brown
Person with a nickname Smoke House Brown.
Call me Willie the one and only Willie Brown
Refer to me as the unique Willie Brown.
I'm build for comfort and I'm build for speed
I have a large and powerful build and can move quickly.
I got everything you good girls need
I possess whatever a good girl may require or desire.
See me coming throw your man outdoors
When you see me approaching, send your male companion away.
It may not get this way no more
There may be no more opportunities or situations like this in the future.
Hey pretty mama, you sure look fine
Hello attractive mother, you appear to be in good condition.
Call me dog but I ain't blind
Address me as dog, but I am not visually impaired.
Smoke-House man is back in town
A person with the nickname Smoke-House man has returned.
Call me up when you love comes down
Contact me when you are available for romantic involvement.
I'm loving all you women two by two
I adore two women at a time.
Ain't gonna stop ‘till the loving is through
I will continue until the love has reached its conclusion.
It's too hot, when you turn
Things are intense when you reciprocate.
Baby play the fiddle when the Smoke House burns
My partner can express their love in a beautiful way, even in difficult circumstances.
Call me Willie the one and only Willie Brown, Yeah
Refer to me as the singular Willie Brown.
Call me Willie, Call me Willie
Address me as Willie, Willie.
Contributed by Declan C. Suggest a correction in the comments below.