Ry Cooder

[fox69]

"Dirty Chateau"

"Dirty Chateau"


I had a maid she used to come in days
Made the bed and mopped the floor
She didn't like my rowdy ways
And she ain't coming back no more

You waste all your precious time
Italian movies and Portuguese wine
Little round bottles all in a row
You're an unclean man in a dirty chateau

Dirty chateau it's long and it's tall
Stick around we'll have a ball
You'll get stuck and before you know
You'll be dancing around you're feeling all right

In my dirty chateau
She started life in the lettuce fields
Up in Salinas where the farm work is done
You go streaking by in your automobiles

You don't even know where your lettuce comes from
The short handled hoe it scarred my hands
Tell me why do they love it so
It broke mama down daddy too

Now I work for you in your dirty chateau
My friends are coming and they'd like to hear
A real sad Mexican song or two
They been drinking and they don't care

Just what you been goin' through
How bout Paloma Sin Nido
Pa Que Me Sirve la Vida
What about Pobre del Pobre

Also Lamento de un Prisionero
She used to call me borracho y perdido
Said I was loco y jodido
Buena para nada

Nunca quiero ver tu cara
But she's gone in the world somewhere
Turlock somewhere, Stockton somewhere
Salinas somewhere, Los Angeles somewhere, I just don't know...

 

[fox69]

"Ditty Wah Ditty"

"Ditty Wah Ditty"


There's a great big mystery
And it sure is worrying me
It's a ditty wah ditty
Mister ditty wah ditty
I wished somebody would tell me what ditty wah ditty means
I went out and walked around
Somebody yelled, "Now who's in town?"
Mister ditty wah ditty
Mister ditty wah ditty
I wished somebody would tell me what ditty wah ditty means
Some little girl 'bout four-feet-four
Said, "Come on, papa, and gimme some mo'"
Your ditty wah ditty
Your ditty wah ditty
I wished somebody would tell me what ditty wah ditty means
I went to church, put my hat on the seat
A lady sat on it and said, "Daddy you sho' is sweet"
Mister ditty wah ditty
Mister ditty wah ditty
I wished somebody would tell me what ditty wah ditty means
I said, "Sister, I'll soon be gone
Just give me that thing that you're sitting on"
My ditty wah ditty
Mister ditty wah ditty
I wished somebody would tell me what ditty wah ditty means
Then I got put outta the church
'Cause I talked about ditty wah ditty too much
Mister ditty wah ditty
Mister ditty wah ditty
I wished somebody would tell me what ditty wah ditty means

 

[fox69]

"Do Re Mi"
(originally by Woody Guthrie)

"Do Re Mi"
(originally by Woody Guthrie)



Lots of folks back east they say
Leaving home most every day
Beating the hot old dusty way
To the California line
'Cross the desert sands they roll
Getting out of that Old Dust Bowl
Think they're coming to a sugar bowl
But here's what they find
Police at the port of entry say
You're number fourteen thousand for to day

Hey, if you ain't got the Do Re Mi, boy
If you ain't got the Do Re Mi
Well, you better go back to beautiful Texas
Oklahoma, Kansas, Georgia, Tennessee
California is the garden of Eden
It's a paradise to live in or see
But believe it or not
You won't find it so hot
If you ain't got the Do Re Mi

You want to buy a home or a farm
That can't do nobody harm
Take your vacation by the mountains or sea
Don't swap your old cow for a car
You better stay right where you are
Better take this little tip from me
Well, I look through the want ads every day
The headlines in the papers always say

 

[fox69]

"Don't Call Me Red"

"Don't Call Me Red"


Don't call me red, don't turn me down, I've got a plan
Richard Neutra is my friend, and he's the man
He's been to school and he can see what's best for all of you
Please trust me, my name is Frank, don't turn me down
Don't call me red

Every church has its prophets and its elders
God will love you if you just play ball, that's right
Fritz Burns, Chief Parker, and J Edgar
I outlived those bastards after all

We survived those dark days full of danger
In the end fate has been good to me
If you're in the neighbourhood, stranger
You're welcome to drop in and see
My name is Frank, don't turn me down

Don't call me red

 

[fox69]

"Don't Mess Up A Good Thing"

"Don't Mess Up A Good Thing"


Good thing, good thing, good thing
You been cheating on me, now, baby
You know I know it's true
Ain't nobody in this whole wide world
Gonna love you like I do
Don't you be no fool, don't you be no fool
Gonna keep on fooling 'round now, baby
Gonna mess up a good thing
Gonna mess up a good thing, all right

Well, I might of cheated just a little bit baby
Like many others do
But when I get my little old paycheck now
It goes right back to you
Don't you be no fool, don't you be no fool
'Cause if you keep on fooling around now, baby
Gonna mess up a good thing, you're going to mess up a good thing

They tell me you got a part-time lover
Who's living way cross town
It won't be but a little while, baby
Before you put me down
Don't you be no fool, don't you be no fool
Gonna keep on fooling 'round now, baby
Gonna mess up a good thing
Gonna mess up a good thing, all right

Let me tell you something
Now, don't you go sneaking across town, baby
To catch me doing wrong
Don't you know everybody's jealous, baby
'Cause we got a thing going on
Don't you be no fool, don't you be no fool
If you keep on fooling 'round now baby
Gonna mess up a good thing
Gonna mess up a good thing

Good thing (You're messing up a good thing)
Messing up a good thing
Good thing
Good thing

 

[fox69]

"Down In Hollywood"

"Down In Hollywood"


Well, did you hear the good news?
There's gonna be some bad blues
Somebody said they're playing all night long
So go and fill your brown bag and put on all your clean rags
Let's go downtown and see what's going on

You take me down the Vine Street
Stop when you hear the back beat
And I'll sneak past the bouncer at the door
Now I know that he ain't looking
Not when the band is cooking
Because he's watching the ladies dancing on the floor

Going down in Hollywood
You better hope that you don't run out of gas
Down in Hollywood
He'll drag you right out of your car and kick your ass
Down in Hollywood
They're standing on a corner waiting for a sucker like you
Down in Hollywood
Now, if you want to stay healthy just keep a-moving right on through
Be careful, don't look back, keep moving, keep moving

Well, the scotch has started flowing
And some girls she is showing everything she's got
Folks, it's a sight!
Some men will give a week's pay if she would just dance down their way and say
"Baby, I'm gonna take you home with me tonight"
Outside the streets is shaking and I hear the windows breaking
Some poor fool's gonna land in jail tonight
Well, all those hookers trying to pull your coat and the pimps reach out to cut your throat
Ain't no way out of here without a fight
(What's that fool saying?)

Going down in Hollywood
You better hope that you don't run out of gas
Down in Hollywood
He'll drag you right out of your car and kick your ass
Down in Hollywood
They're standing on a corner waiting for a sucker like you
Down in Hollywood
Now, if you want to stay healthy just keep a-moving right on through
Be careful, don't look back, keep moving, keep moving

"Hi. You know that you're going to get arrested the way that those pants fit around your thighs. Oh, come back honey! Don't leave now"

"Hey, bud. Come here, let me talk to you for a second. Give me that"

"Cops coming"

"869 Victor"

"Jesus, this guy's a mess"

"Well, he's just drunk. Come on, pick him up, put him in the car and take him downtown"

Well, his mama told him not to go
Little sister told him too
But the poor boy just didn't listen
Like he should have, that's too bad
He hitchhiked all the way from Burbank
Now, he's gonna end up in drunk tank
Some old man say, "Yeah, well, that's just the way it goes down in Hollywood"

Going down in Hollywood
You better hope that you don't run out of gas
Down in Hollywood
He'll drag you right out of your car and kick your ass
Down in Hollywood
They're standing on a corner waiting for a sucker like you
Down in Hollywood
Now, if you want to stay healthy just keep a-moving right on through

For truth! Man, I'm telling you
Well, they'll do anything down in that low-down Hollywood
He'll be in a world of trouble now
Lord, have mercy
Can I get a witness

 

[fox69]

"Down In Mississippi"
(originally by J.B. Lenoir)
(from "Crossroads" soundtrack)

"Down In Mississippi"
(originally by J.B. Lenoir)
(from "Crossroads" soundtrack)



Far back's I can remember
Either had to plow or hoe
One of those long ol' nine feet sacks
Standin' at the old turn row
Down in Mississippi
Down in Mississippi
Down in Mississippi where I was born
Down in Mississippi where I come from...
They had a huntin' season on a rabbit
If you shoot him you went to jail
The season was always open on me:
Nobody needed no bail
Nothing I got 'gainst Mississippi
It also was the home of my wife
But I count myself a lucky man
Just to get away with my life

 

[fox69]

"Down In The Boondocks"

"Down In The Boondocks"


Down in the boondocks, down in the boondocks
People put me down 'cause that's the side of town I was born in
I love her and she loves me
But I don't fit in her society
Lord have mercy, I'm a boy from down in the boondocks

Now, every night I watch the lights from the house upon the hill
Well, I love a little girl who lives up there and I guess I always will
But I don't dare knock on her door
'Cause her daddy is my boss man
So I'll just have to be content and see her whenever I can

Take a trip on down in the boondocks
Take a ride on down in the boondocks
People put me down 'cause that's the side of town I was born in
See, I love her and she loves me
But I don't fit her society
Lord have mercy, I'm a boy from down in the boondocks

One fine day I'll find a way and move from this old shack
Well, I'll hold my head up like a king and I'll never, never will look back
'Til that morning I'll work and slave
And I'll save every dime
But tonight she'll have to steal away
To see me one more time

Get together, darling, down in the boondocks
Making love, darling, down in the boondocks
People put me down 'cause that's the side of town I was born in
I love her and she loves me
But I don't fit her society
Lord have mercy, I'm a boy from down in the boondocks
Lord have mercy, I'm a boy from down in the boondocks

 

[fox69]

"Dreamer"

"Dreamer"


I wonder would you like to meet a dreamer
Would you share a glass or two
Of red red wine and you might find
I'm a simple one like you

What do you drive I like Chevrolet
They don't make them like they used to do
If it's Japanese please don't feel ashamed
Come sit here with me there's just room for two

Can you remember trolleys passing by
Quiet streets leafy trees at twilight time
Vernon Green used to sing The Letter
He lived down on the corner he was a friend of mine

My brother passed it's been two years
He's resting now in Glendale town
We're all together in this picture here
Trenta y Ocho boys in his '39

Yes I've lapsed I must confess
Missed communion since he's gone
I'm drinking more here's another glass
Please don't go when the night is young

I wonder would you like to meet a dreamer
Would you share a thought or two
Of a vanished time and you might find
That you're a dreamer too

 

[fox69]

"Drive Like I Never Been Hurt"

"Drive Like I Never Been Hurt"


You told everybody that I couldn't drive
You didn't even want me around
You knocked my love and you know that's a lie
'Cause I'm a good man when the flag goes down
I'm gonna drive like I never been hurt
Down the road like you never lied
I'll find my way like I never been lost
And you never laughed and I never cried
I'll say goodbye to all my friends
That won't take too very long
They'll be real big men someday
Never gonna miss me when I'm gone
I'm gonna drive like I never been hurt
I'll be long gone like you never lied
I'll find my way like I never been lost
And you never laughed and I never cried
I'm in the road I'm in the right
I got a mind to drive all night
When I get there they'll know my name
My head's blowin' loose all over again
Fuel's gettin' hot sun's gettin' high
Salt is burnin' in my eyes
My brain's still good my tires are fair
If my drag chute fails baby I don't care