Into the Purple Valley

Into the Purple Valley Artist: Ry Cooder
Label: Reprise / Wea
Category: Music


Average customer rating: 4.5 out of 5 stars
Media: Audio CD
Number Of Discs: 1


UPC: 075992720021
EAN: 0075992720021
ASIN: B000002KBW


Release Date: 1990-10-25

Into the Purple Valley


Related Categories:

Contemporary Blues Contemporary Blues
Categories | Blues | Styles | Music
Slide Guitar Slide Guitar
Categories | Blues | Styles | Music
Blues Rock Blues Rock
Categories | Rock | Styles | Music
General General
Categories | Rock | Styles | Music
Country Rock Country Rock
Categories | Rock | Styles | Music
Roots Rock Roots Rock
Categories | Rock | Styles | Music
Pop Rock Pop Rock
Categories | Pop | Styles | Music
Album-Oriented Rock (AOR) Album-Oriented Rock (AOR)
Categories | Classic Rock | Styles | Music

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

Similar Items:

  1. Paradise and Lunch
  2. Ry Cooder
  3. Boomer's Story
  4. Chicken Skin Music
  5. Bop Till You Drop

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." <I>--Steve Stolder</I>

Customer Reviews:

3 out of 5 stars 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.

5 out of 5 stars 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.)

4 out of 5 stars 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.

5 out of 5 stars 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.

5 out of 5 stars

Music Album:

  1. Into the Purple Valley ~ Ry Cooder
  2. Into the Purple Valley ~ Ry Cooder
  3. Piece of Sun Shine ~ Scarrots
  4. Deepa ~ Troop
  5. Here Comes the Sun / Let It Be ~ Nick Cave
  6. Whole Lotta Shakin ~ Jerry Lee Lewis
  7. Loud & Heavy ~ Various Artists
  8. Deepa ~ Troop
  9. Leaving Through the Window ~ Something Corporate
  10. Burning Organ ~ Paul Gilbert

Music Album

Music Album

Music

Serenade to the Moon ~ Esteban

Soulero ~ Kenny Burrell

Charisma ~ Lee Morgan

The Accuracy of Broken Whispers ~ Destro

Flamenco Guitar ~ Paco Pe%C3%B1a

30 de Centroamerica Pegaditas ~ Various Artists

Roots of Communication ~ Miled Tarabay

Samba Passarinho ~ Peri

Serie Retratos ~ Danilo Caymmi

Chikai ~ Ziggy