Ry Cooder

[fox69]

"Ax Sweet Mama"

"Ax Sweet Mama"


Well, I ax sweet mama, let me be her kid
She said "I might but I'd like to keep it hid"
Well, she looked at me, she began to smile
She says "I thought I might use you for my man awhile
But just don't let my husband catch you there
I say, just don't let my husband catch you there"
Well, I went upstairs to pack my leavin' trunk
I never saw no whiskey
The blues made me sloppy drunk
I ain't never saw no whiskey
The blues made me sloppy drunk
Well, I ain't saw no whiskey
The blues made me sloppy drunk
Well, some said it was beans, some said it was greens
But it's slow consumption killin' you by degrees
It's slow consumption killin' you by degrees

 

[fox69]

"Baby Joined The Army"

"Baby Joined The Army"


It was on a Friday evening wasn't nobody 'round
I was sitting by my window watching the sun go down
My baby came up to me saying daddy I got news for you
I have been recruited and there ain't nothing you can do

'Cause I can't stand sitting 'round this crazy town no more
Not since the little baby shot dead down on the second floor
And what about that poor old lady crippled in a police raid
They told me if I get killed in battle I still get paid

When the train pulled out next morning I just stood and waived bye bye
My baby joined the army wasn't nothing I could do but cry
There was a time there was a dance that I used to do
There was a dream that was working I had other plans for you

His family and his pride is all a man like me has left
Better watch your back better take care of yourself
When the train pulled out next morning no precious child was left behind
My baby joined the army, wasn't nothing I could do but cry

Some day people will look back and say
That was a time when peace didn't declare
But I won't be around watching the evening sun go down

 

[fox69]

"Barrio Viejo"

"Barrio Viejo"


Viejo barrio, Barrio Viejo
Solo hay lugares parejos
Donde un dia hubo casas
Donde vivio nuestra raza

Solo quedan los escombros
De los hogares felizes
De las alegres familias
De esa gente que yo quise

Por las tardes se sentaban
Afuera a tomar el fresco
Yo pasaba y saludaba
Ya parece oigo al lejos

?Como ha estado, Juanita?
Buenas tardes, Isabel
Ahora que dices, Chalita
?Como esta Arturo y Manuel?

Viejo barrio, Barrio Viejo
Que en mi infancia te goze
Y con todos mis amigos
Iba descalzo y a pie

Desde el Meyer hasta al Oyo
Desde el Ocho hasta la Secia
Desde la Secia hasta el rio
Ese era el mundo mio

Dicen que eramos pobres
Pues yo nunca lo note
Yo era feliz en mi mundo
De aquel barrio que adore

Bonitas las serenatas
A las tres de la manana
Que le cantaba mi chata
Pegadito a su ventana

Por la calle del convento
La casa destruida
Quedo como monumento
Pa'l gran amor de mi vida

Pobrecito viejo barrio
Como te debe doler
Cuando en el nombre del progreso
Te tumban otra pared

Viejo barrio, Barrio Viejo
Yo tambien enviejesi
Y cuando uno ya se hace viejo
Nadie se acuerda de ti

Vamonos muriendo juntos
Que me entieren en tu suelo
Y seremos los difuntos
Rodiados de mil recuerdos

 

[fox69]

"Big Bad Bill (Is Sweet William Now)"

"Big Bad Bill (Is Sweet William Now)"


In the town of Louisville they got a man they call Big Bad Bill
I want to tell you, he sure was tough, and he certainly did strut his stuff
He had folks all scared to death, when he walked by they held their breath
He was a fighting man, sure enough

Now Bill took himself a wife, and he leads a different life, cause

Big Bad Bill is Sweet William now
Married life has changed him some how
He's the man that they all used to fear
But now the people call him sweet pappa Willie dear
Stronger than Samson I declare
Till the brown skinned mama bobbed his hair

Big Bad Bill don't fight any more
Well he washes dishes and he mops up the floor
Well he used to spend his evenin's lookin' for a fight
Now he's got to see his mama every night
Big Bad Bill is Sweet William now

Well he used to spend his evenin's lookin' for a fight
Now he's got to see his mama every night
Big Bad Bill is Sweet William now

 

[fox69]

"Billy The Kid"

"Billy The Kid"


I'll sing you a true song of Billy the Kid
I'll sing the record of deeds that he did
Way out in New Mexico a long time ago
When a man's only friend was his own forty-four
Now when Billy the Kid was a very young lad
In old Silver City he went to the bad
Way out west with a knife in his hand
At the age of twelve years he killed his first man
Fair Mexican maidens play guitars and sing
Songs about Billy their boy bandit king
Before this young manhood reached its sad end
He'd a notch on his pistol for twenty one men
It was on one black night that poor Billy died
He said to his friends, "I'm not satisfied
There's twenty one men that I've put bullets through
And sheriff Pat Garrett's gonna make twenty-two"
Well, this is how Billy the Kid met his fate
A big moon was shining and the hour was late
Shot down by Pat Garrett, Silver City's best friend
The poor outlaw's life have reached its sad end

 

[fox69]

"Blue Suede Shoes"

"Blue Suede Shoes"


Well, it's one for the money, two for the show
Three to get ready and it's go man go
You can do anything that you want to do
But uh-huh honey, lay off of my shoes
And don't you step on my shoes
Don't you step on my blue suede shoes
You can do anything that you want to do
But uh-uh honey stay off of my shoes
And don't you step on my blue suede shoes

You can burn my house, steal my car
And drink my liquor out of my fruit jar
You can do anything that you want to do
But uh-uh honey stay off of my shoes

And don't you step on my shoes
Don't step on my blue suede shoes
You can do anything that you want to do
But uh-uh honey stay off of my shoes
And don't you step on my blue suede shoes

Well, it's down on Beale Street late one night
A woman got mad and started a fight
Split my chin and bust my nose
Tore out the back of my best suit of clothes

I said, "Knock me down, step in my face
Slander my name all over the place
Do anything that you want to do
But uh-uh honey stay off of my shoes"

And don't you step on my shoes
Don't step on my blue suede shoes
You can do anything that you want to do
But uh-uh honey stay off of my shoes
And don't you step on my blue suede shoes

 

[fox69]

"Boomer's Story"

"Boomer's Story"


Come and gather all around me
Listen to my tale of woe
Got some good advice to give you
Lots of things you oughta know
Take a tip from one who's travelled
And never stopped a-ramblin' 'round
'Cause once you get the roamin' fever
You never want to settle down, boy
You never want to settle down

I met a little gal in Frisco
And I asked her to be my wife
Told her I was tired of roamin'
Goin' to settle down for life
Then I heard the whistle blowin'
And I knew it was the Red Ball Train
And I left that gal beside the railroad
And I never saw the gal again, boy
I never saw the gal again
Saw the gal again
I never saw the gal again
Left that gal beside the railroad
And I never saw the gal again

Travelled all over the country
I've travelled everywhere
I been on every Branch Line railroad
And I never paid a nickel fare
I been from Maine to Califor'ny
And from Canada to Mexico
I never tried to save no money
And now I got no place to bo, boy
Now I got no place to go

Listen to a Boomer's story
Pay attention to what I say
Well, I hear another train a-comin'
Guess I'll be on my way
If you wanna do me a favor
When I lay me down and die
Just dig my grave beside the railroad
So I can hear the trains go by, boys
So I can hear the trains go by
Hear the trains go
Hear the trains go by
Just dig my grave beside the railroad
So I can hear the trains go by

 

[fox69]

"Brother Is Gone"

"Brother Is Gone"


We met old Satan down where the two roads crossed
Just me and brother Dave by my side
It was in the prairie town of Wichita
We shook hands with Satan on a deal that night

You will be exalted in the evil works of men
High powered, rolling over land and sea
But some dark night I'll be coming round again
And take one of you down back to Hell with me

Oil spills and cancer towns was our steppin' stones
Immigration bills and foreclosure homes
States' rights we proclaimed like in the good old Jim Crow days
Our highest aim was to take your vote away

Brother is gone
Brother is gone
Brother is gone
Little brother is gone
Brother is gone
When I woke up this morning, he was gone

His bed was made
And there's his Bible, too
I wonder did he have time
To put on his travelin' shoes

Brother is gone
Brother is gone
Little brother is gone
Brother is gone
He's gone
Brother is gone

Old Satan, he's a man of his word
Oh, brother is gone

 

[fox69]

"Can I Smoke In Here?"

"Can I Smoke In Here?"


Can I smoke in here can I sit down
Am I bothering you are you alone
Is my tie on straight do you rate me polite
Do I need a shave do I seem all right

Names don't matter mine's Kash Buk no it's true
Go ahead laugh it's good for you
What's that you're drinking I like your smile you know
Hey mister bartender please don't be so slow
I think we got a lot in common
That's my brand wouldn't trade it for the World
We're about the same age on the outside
Inside I'm a thousand years old

Is this your room I can't do 60 like once I could
Bet you didn't know I was that hot
You didn't know I was that good
You got nothing to fear can I smoke in here

Steel player friend of mine lived right down the half
These walls are thin nobody heard him fall
Last of the best without a shadow a doubt
Hi-Lo shag's the last thing he saw before it all faded out

What's that you say 'life is like a low budget movie'
Slow down there honey' you lost me that time
'We all took less then it closed'
Truest thing you said all night that's a laugh
You can write it on my epitaph

See you in Heaven or next time which ever's first
I ain't USDA prime God knows you seen worse
Just tell Saint Peter at the Golden Gate
I won't be late but let me get it straight
Can I get a beer can I smoke in here

 

[fox69]

"Cardboard Avenue"

"Cardboard Avenue"


Well, thank you for the drink my friend, that's alright with me
Let's drink to the workingman, wherever he might be
Remember what he stood up for and the struggles he went through
Then let us take a little stroll down Cardboard Avenue
Down on the street where I live, when evening comes around
No T.V. or radio, never hear a lonesome sound
Except some poor Joe cryin', Lord, can I make it up to you?
But he never gets an answer down on Cardboard Avenue
Well here's my little heartbreak hotel, now don't you be let down
When the ghost of Hobo Bill comes a-shufflin' around
He might pause by your side, saying, Buddy, can you spare a dime or two?
Then he'll just drift off into the night on Cardboard Avenue
Now, I hear the whistle blowing now, must be the Red Ball train
We'll see you in the North Country, when the springtime comes again
Just ask any workingman, wherever you might be
The whereabouts of Reverend Tom, Lefty Mouse, and Buddy
And if he asks you, Were you in the fight, did you join the strike of 1932?
Just tell him that you knew us down on Cardboard Avenue