Ry Cooder is one of those guitar players who seems to be able to play anything. I’ve always loved his playing, especially his slide guitar work. He never sounds like he is trying to impress you with how fast he can play. Everything he plays seems to fit the song, and his tone is immediately recognizable. He plays for the song and for a purpose.
This song appeared on Cooder’s 1980 album Borderline. Like so many songs associated with Cooder, he reached back into American music for this one. It was written by Billy “The Kid” Emerson, who originally recorded it in the 1950s. Cooder had a knack for finding older blues, R&B, country and folk songs and introducing them to another generation without taking away what made them interesting in the first place.
The song is basically built around a man’s complaint that every woman he knows wants a man with a car, while he is stuck walking around on his “rubber heels.” It’s funny and doesn’t take itself seriously. Cooder plays right into that humor, turning the song into something that feels almost like a conversation between the musicians.
That’s part of what makes the track work for me. It has a loose feeling, but don’t mistake loose for sloppy. These guys could play. Cooder’s guitar moves in and out of the song without taking it over. He could have easily turned it into a guitar showcase, but that’s never been what I like most about him. He plays for the song.
A live recording from London’s Victoria Apollo was also released as a single in 1981. That might be the perfect setting for a song like this because it works live really well. There is humor, great playing and plenty of room for the musicians to breathe.
Cooder’s career is an interesting one. He has worked with everyone from Captain Beefheart and the Rolling Stones to Randy Newman, Little Feat, John Lee Hooker and countless others. He also helped bring Cuban musicians to a huge international audience through the Buena Vista Social Club. Then there are his movie soundtracks, including Paris, Texas and Crossroads. His fingerprints are scattered all over music without him ever becoming the kind of big name his talent deserved.
I don’t know where I would rank Ry Cooder among guitar players, and I don’t really want to try. Guitar playing isn’t a sporting event. I just know that when I hear him play, I know who it is. That is telling in itself. Only a few guitar players have that certain style where you can tell.
It is fun, loose and rooted in music that came before it. That’s Ry Cooder in a nutshell. He didn’t just learn old American music. He listened to it, respected it and then helped keep it moving forward.
Crazy ‘Bout an Automobile (Every Woman I Know)
-Man, I’m gonna tell you my story
-Go on and tell about it, go on and tell about it more
-Just what I’ve been doing
-What you’ve been doing, Ry ?
-Well, you know I used to be particular about the women’s that I picked
-Aha!
-Yeah! They used to be tender, lean and tall, that’s all
-But the way things has been going, I’ll take ’em knock-kneed and bow-legged
-What ?
-I’ll even take ’em bald! Man. I’ll tell you why
-Please, tell me why!
Every woman I know is crazy ’bout an automobile
Every woman I know is crazy ’bout an automobile
And here I am standing with nothing but rubber heels.
He-hey, every woman I know, crazy ’bout an automobile
Oh, every woman I know, crazy ’bout an automobile
And here I am standing with nothing but rubber heels.
Now look’it here!
They say, walking women home is a thing of the past
Women want to ride and ride around in class
Some like Cadillacs, boys, some like Fords
Some like anything as long as it rolls.
Crazy ’bout an automobile [That’s right]
And here I am standing with nothing but rubber heels
Well, every woman I know she’s crazy ’bout an automobile
Every woman I know is crazy ’bout an automobile
And here I am standing with nothing but rubber heels
One more thing I wanna tell you
Said, riding and loving just can’t be beat,
You and your woman in your own front seat.
Now, she can play with your keys, shift the gears,
Turn on your radio just loud enough to hear.
Now, she can turn up the heat and flip on your fan,
And then you start rolling just as fast as you can.
Crazy ’bout an automobile
And just here I am standing with nothing but rubber heels
Man, when I get some money I just got to get me some kind of automobile
You don’t seem like the women in this town just don’t pay no attention to ya ‘less you’re driving
Look at that big, fine Buick over there
Oh, I like that one
Yeah, now, looks like somebody left the keys in it
Oh, let’s take a ride
Nothing but rubber heels
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I don’t know his catalog as well as I would like, so this song is new to me. Great live performance! I really wish I had made more of an effort to see him perform. A friend of mine named her son after him. He’s got to be 40 by now! They actually got to meet. So Ry Cooder, and maybe he picked it up from working with John Lee, is just plain cool. And John Lee Hooker cool is being cool without trying. Or needing to but most importantly – not really caring.
40 now! Time flies Randy…and that is not just a saying. Thank you for that story…that is so cool they got to meet.
Yes…the not really caring is what I think. They do what they do…like it or not.
As soon as I saw Ry Cooder’s name in the header I pulled out my headphones. You said it well. I recognized his tone immediately. And that’s the great Flaco Jimenez on accordion in the live video.
Cooder often plays a heavily-modified Strat and an unusual 12 string mando-guitar. And I agree – he can play anything and he plays in service to the song, not the other way around. As a leader or a sideman, he excels. I always want to hear more.
I agree that rankings are weird…and I suspect he would rank higher if the rankings were written by other guitarists.
My respect goes out to anyone that plays for the song and doesn’t try to rise above it. He has his own unique sound and not many can really say that. I thought that was Jimenez in the video.
Yes…rankings would completely change if they were written by their peers. That is what I would like to see.
I love this song. One of my top tunes of Ry’s. The whole Borderline album is incredible, but all of his 70’s albums are about the same quality. Never saw the live video before. Cool. He had the best backing singers. Check out some of Terry Evans’ solo stuff if you’re into it. Great accordion.
That live version was released… thats why I included it…but I would have anyway…it’s so cool.
Nice music Max and this song brings back memories of me picking up groups of girls that just wanted to ride around in my car with me, although they were all younger and didn’t have their own cars yet.
The car…was like a key to freedom…at least for me. And yes…having one meant everything with girls and friends back then.
I remember it vaguely, think the Classic Rock station played it from time to time. You’re right though, he’s a talented guitarist who has remained fairly anonymous through the years. I wonder if he craved major stardom?
I’m not sure if he did…I would guess probably not or he would have went a commercial route…more than he did. He worked with everyone and had a lot to do with the Stones Honky Tonk Women.
Great take Max. I could listen to this all day and probably will. The live cut is killer. Your last two paragraphs are bang on.
Thanks CB…this one was a fun write up with Cooder and that great song. I didn’t knnow it went back to the Sun Record days.
Interesting guy. He just does it for me. I think I sent you a clip of him, his son and his son’s friends doing a live cut of ‘Prodigal Son’ in his studio. Cant watch that enough. It’s all about what you’re talking about. Keeping that kind of music alive. A fave musician of mine for sure. Keep pulling these out Max
Oh cool….I’m listening to that one now…love Cooder’s tone on that…it is filthy sounding.
“Hey you guys wanna come over and play music with my dad?”
LOL…sure thing…once I get over my damn intimidation… that would be so much fun but scary at the same time.
Fine write up Max, you touch on all the bases here. Old school ties/influences? Check. Fun lyrics? Check. Musical ability? Check. Worth a listen- or three? Check.
Also the reverence and lust for the old automobile. How many songs have been written about the idea of wheels rolling, freedom, no horizons or parents or teachers to hold you back? (Somehow there’s more romance to rolling along in a big port-holed Buick than unplugging and programming the Tesla. Somewhere, somehow something got lost on the road to progress there.) Sorry, I’ve wandered off the track you selected and onto Nostalgia Drive!
Thanks Obbverse…I appreciate that. When you are a teen… ac car…I told Jim this morning…it’s the key to freedom… you are no longer bound by your parents or whatever…the world is yours…so you think. That makes the song worthwhile already!
Yeah, somehow the rite of passage of the old high octane automobile ride, beating back the boredom by driving nowhere, watching the street lights passing by as you tool around on a Saturday night, the fooling around in the back seat, all that is already fading into the past. Ah well.
Memories…you just hit mine! And most of the peoples…now…they just sit at home and play games…safer yes…as fun? No
Big Star ‘In The Street’ feels about right!?
Oh yes it does! Right on target. Speaking of them…tomorrow they will visit.
I waited until this afternoon to go back and read some of the comments, and am happy I did. There is so much to say about Cooder. The one track that is credited to Cooder that I play the most is this one. I simply love it.
And look at what you and the crew did, Max. You hit on everything, although I would give certain things more priority than this post did. That’s not a complaint. My God, there is just so much to say about it.
Cooder is an excellent guitarist. But what I hear more than his technical excellence is his sense of musicality. There are moments when Cooder takes an okay song, like this one, and brings it to a peak of excellence. Listen to the vocals and the arrangement. Absolutely amazing. Listen to the way the whole band punches it. Great.
Max, you often applaud the musicians who don’t take themselves all that seriously. Cooder is one who takes the music seriously, but not himself. Just so much fun.
Thanks.
Thank you Arthur! I thought you would like this one. He plays for the song…and that matters. He doesn’t play to be heard like some do…plus he makes it fun for everyone to join in.
Really like this one, always mean to check him out since he’s adjacent to lots of music i like.
He is worth checking out. The man has played with so many people.