Into the Purple Valley

Amazon.com essential recording
Ry Cooder may have been an in-demand session guitarist in the late '60s, but what set him apart in his early solo career was his extraordinary, if eccentric, taste in songs. Here he explores the repertoires of everyone from Johnny Cash to Bahaman folk master Joseph Spence to Leadbelly with enchanting results. While Cooder's vocal skills are no match for his slide guitar and mandolin talents (the latter showcased splendidly in "Hey Porter" and "Billy the Kid"), he's an amiable singer who resists the temptation to camp it up, even when essaying such antiquated oddities as "FDR in Trinidad" and "Taxes on the Farmer Feeds Us All." --Steve Stolder

Into the Purple Valley,Ry Cooder,Reprise / Wea,Album Rock,Blues-Rock,Country-Rock,Pop,Popular Music,Rock,Rock/Pop,Roots Rock,Slide Guitar Blues

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Into the Purple Valley

Average customer rating: Awful Singing, Great Guitar Ry Cooder: Into The Purple Valley Into the purple valley The Return to the Purple Valley. I wish I had this CD

Into the Purple Valley Ry Cooder Manufacturer: Reprise / Wea ProductGroup: Music Binding: Audio CD Contemporary Blues | Blues | Styles | Music Slide Guitar | Blues | Styles | Music Blues Rock | Rock | Styles | Music General | Rock | Styles | Music Country Rock | Rock | Styles | Music Roots Rock | Rock | Styles | Music Pop Rock | Pop | Styles | Music Album-Oriented Rock (AOR) | Classic Rock | Styles | Music Similar Items: Paradise and Lunch Boomer's Story Ry Cooder Chicken Skin Music Bop Till You Drop ASIN: B000002KBW Release Date: 1990-10-25

Tracks:

1. How Can You Keep Moving (Unless You Migrate Too)
2. Billy The Kid
3. Money Honey
4. F.D.R. In Trinidad
5. Teardrops Will Fall
6. Denomination Blues
7. On A Monday
8. Hey Porter
9. Great Dream From Heaven
10. Taxes On The Farmer Feeds Us All
11. Vigilante Man

Amazon.com essential recording

Ry Cooder may have been an in-demand session guitarist in the late '60s, but what set him apart in his early solo career was his extraordinary, if eccentric, taste in songs. Here he explores the repertoires of everyone from Johnny Cash to Bahaman folk master Joseph Spence to Leadbelly with enchanting results. While Cooder's vocal skills are no match for his slide guitar and mandolin talents (the latter showcased splendidly in "Hey Porter" and "Billy the Kid"), he's an amiable singer who resists the temptation to camp it up, even when essaying such antiquated oddities as "FDR in Trinidad" and "Taxes on the Farmer Feeds Us All." --Steve Stolder

Customer Reviews:

Awful Singing, Great Guitar.......2007-02-06

Whoa. I bought this album on the strength of these reviews and the 5 stars...but be careful, all is not 5 stars in the kingdom of Cooder. The reason you've never heard of this album is that while the guitar playing is impeccable, inspired and a mark of true talent, the singing is AWFUL. Cooder is almost tuneless and clearly has never learned how to sing. On tracks like Teardrops Will Fall, his back-up singers come in and really highlight how terrible his tune is. Consider yourself warned.

Ry Cooder: Into The Purple Valley.......2007-01-10

Into The Purple Valley is basically a concept album about 1930s America, and Ry Cooder's second solo record. The only other Ry Cooder album I own is his self-titled debut, which is great, but this one blows it away. Certain songs on Cooder's debut are among my all-time favorites, especially "How Can A Poor Man Stand Such Times And Live?", which has heartbreaking lyrics almost enough to make the staunchest Republican turn socialist (contrary to a previous review, "How Can A Poor Man" IS from Cooder's debut album, not from Into The Purple Valley). But overall I was disappointed by the self-titled album, mainly because my expectations were so high. The sound was not full enough, since Cooder used a backing band on only a few of the tracks, and too many slow songs slowed everything down.

This album, however, lives up to all expectations. The foot-tappers "Money Honey" and "Taxes On The Farmer Feeds Us All" are the two perfect songs, but almost equally great are "How Can You Keep Moving," "On A Monday," and "Denomination Blues," all of which have awesome, lighthearted lyrics that would have come off as merely cute if they had not been done exactly right. And then there are the beautiful/sad songs: "Teardrops Will Fall" (which sounds much more modern than the rest of the songs, both musically and lyrically - it could almost be a Smokey Robinson tune), and "Great Dream From Heaven," a short but sweet instrumental. I realize that I've named nearly every song on the album, something that usually annoys me when I'm reading other people's album reviews, but that just goes to show you how much I love this whole CD. If you are a fan of roots-conscious rock music like The Band and Rory Gallagher, then you can't go wrong with Ry Cooder; and if you are just getting into Ry Cooder, I don't think there is a better starting place than Into The Purple Valley.

(Bonus tip: if you have not heard of Rory Gallagher, definitely check him out too, especially his two live albums.)

Into the purple valley.......2006-11-02

It's a good sounding set of different songs of pass. I liked the different type music and lyrics.

The Return to the Purple Valley........2002-12-30

Ry Cooder has shown us a wide variety and diversification of musical influences since this 1972 release, but to me, this is his best effort. I love the broad range of musical influences that he has taken over the years, including the commercially successful Buena Vista Social Club, however, Into the Purple Valley is where he is at home. From beginning to end, this album carries such a magical feel, particularly the struggles of the poor and oppressed from a long ago era, however, seems to give us an indication that maybe our own "blues" maybe waiting around the corner for us all. ( You must remember that Nixon was in office when this was released...need I say more?). My personal favorites are "FDR in Trinidad", " How Can a Man Stand Such Times and Live", and the ever amazing rendition of "Vigilante Man". I love Mr. Cooder's travels into the realms of other cultures and rhythems. Through these venture, he has broadened our knowledge and appreciation for the sounds and rhythems of our world through the eyes and ears of those who we would have otherwise never known or heard. However, I feel that there is more for him to explore and interpret from The Heart of America and to give his own special stamp of originality. To those of you who have never heard "Into the Purple Valley" have no hesitation in going out immediately and purchasing. It will become one of your very favorites. And To Mr. Cooder, when you grow weary of world travels, come on back to the Purple Valley. We will all be waiting for you.

I wish I had this CD.......2001-12-20

I purchased this CD a year ago, right about the time when I was, coincidentally, doing a history project about the Dust Bowl. It provided the perfect backround music for it, and I have loved it ever since. In my mind there are no weak tracks, with the possible exception of Teardrops Will Fall, which I did not care for at first, but has grown on me. What amazed me the most about this album was the diversity within the particular style of music Cooder is dealing with. I normally group music like this under the term "down home," but on this disk that can range from folk to blues, or even a bit of calypso. I unfortunately lost this CD, along with Chickenskin Music, on a Continental Airlines flight this summer (and was rudely accomodated too), but I am sure that I will own it again in the near future.

Average customer rating:

Into the Purple Valley Ry Cooder Manufacturer: Wea ProductGroup: Music Binding: Audio CD Blues Rock | Rock | Styles | Music Country Rock | Rock | Styles | Music Roots Rock | Rock | Styles | Music Pop Rock | Pop | Styles | Music Album-Oriented Rock (AOR) | Classic Rock | Styles | Music Slide Guitar | Blues | Styles | Music Similar Items: Paradise and Lunch Ry Cooder Bop Till You Drop The Last Record Album Feats Don't Fail Me Now ASIN: B000RT3RSG Release Date: 2007-08-20

Tracks:

1. How Can You Keep Moving (Unless You Migrate Too)
2. Billy the Kid
3. Money Honey
4. F.D.R. in Trinidad
5. Teardrops Will Fall
6. Denomination Blues
7. On a Monday
8. Hey Porter
9. Great Dream from Heaven
10. Taxes on the Farmer Feeds Us All
11. Vigilante Man

Album Details

Japanese Digitally Remastered Limited Edition Issue of the Album Classic in a Deluxe, Miniaturized LP Sleeve Replica of the Original Vinyl Album Artwork.

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