Ry Cooder : Paradise and Lunch
Genre: Folk	Dates: 1974

Cooder, better known to many 21st century fans as a soundtrack ace and orchestrator of the Buena Vista Social Club/Cuban All-Stars explosion, began his career as a West Coast session guitarist, making significant contributions to records by such pioneers as Taj Mahal and Captain Beefheart. Once he went solo, he proved himself an inspired archaeologist, digging up cool but forgotten American songs of varied pedigree, and he never did it better than on this record. He ain’t the greatest singer in the world, but he has sharp soul backup in Bobby King in his corner, and the tunes were penned by folks like Blind Willie McTell (“Married Man’s a Fool”), The Womacks (“It’s All Over Now”), J. B. Lenoir (“Feelin’ Good”), Blind Blake (the ever-mysterious, ever-mischievous, ever-blasphemous “Ditty Wah Ditty), and even The Poet of ‘60s Suburbia, Burt Bacharach (“Mexican Divorce”). The proof of the pudding is the interpretations stand with the originals, and Ry’s own “Tattler” sounds like it belongs. Oh yeah, one more thing—he plays a mean guitar.

Playlist:
1. Tamp 'Em Up Solid
2. Tattler
3. Married Man's A Fool
4. Jesus On The Mainline
5. It's All Over Now
6. Fool For A Cigarette / Feelin' Good
7. If Walls Could Talk
8. Mexican Divorce
9. Ditty Wah Ditty