My Name Is Buddy
Encyclopedia
My Name Is Buddy: Another Record by Ry Cooder is a social-political concept album
by Ry Cooder
. Cooder has described it as the second in a trilogy
that began with Chávez Ravine
and concluded with . The album is packaged in a small booklet that includes a brief story and drawing to accompany each song. Both the songs and the stories relate tales from the viewpoint of the characters, Buddy Red Cat, Lefty Mouse, and Reverend Tom Toad. The liner notes ask listeners/readers to join them as they "Journey through time and space in days of labor
, big bosses, farm failures, strikes, company cops
, sundown town
s, hobo
s, and train
s... the America
of yesteryear."
) The album was particularly well received, however, in folk music circles, becoming a cover feature in Sing Out!
and receiving a nomination for the Award for Best Contemporary Folk Album
at the 50th Grammy Awards
.
Concept album
In music, a concept album is an album that is "unified by a theme, which can be instrumental, compositional, narrative, or lyrical." Commonly, concept albums tend to incorporate preconceived musical or lyrical ideas rather than being improvised or composed in the studio, with all songs contributing...
by Ry Cooder
Ry Cooder
Ryland Peter "Ry" Cooder is an American guitarist, singer and composer. He is known for his slide guitar work, his interest in roots music from the United States, and, more recently, his collaborations with traditional musicians from many countries.His solo work has been eclectic, encompassing...
. Cooder has described it as the second in a trilogy
Trilogy
A trilogy is a set of three works of art that are connected, and that can be seen either as a single work or as three individual works. They are commonly found in literature, film, or video games...
that began with Chávez Ravine
Chávez Ravine (album)
Chávez Ravine: A Record by Ry Cooder is a concept album and historical album by Ry Cooder which tells the story of Chávez Ravine, a Mexican-American community demolished in the 1950s in order to build public housing. The housing was never built...
and concluded with . The album is packaged in a small booklet that includes a brief story and drawing to accompany each song. Both the songs and the stories relate tales from the viewpoint of the characters, Buddy Red Cat, Lefty Mouse, and Reverend Tom Toad. The liner notes ask listeners/readers to join them as they "Journey through time and space in days of labor
Labour movement
The term labour movement or labor movement is a broad term for the development of a collective organization of working people, to campaign in their own interest for better treatment from their employers and governments, in particular through the implementation of specific laws governing labour...
, big bosses, farm failures, strikes, company cops
Company police
Company police, also called private police, are police officers who work for a private company rather than a government agency.-United Kingdom:...
, sundown town
Sundown town
A sundown town is a town that is or was purposely all-White. The term is widely used in the United States in areas from Ohio to Oregon and well into the South. The term came from signs that were allegedly posted stating that people of color had to leave the town by sundown...
s, hobo
Hobo
A hobo is a term which is often applied to a migratory worker or homeless vagabond, often penniless. The term originated in the Western—probably Northwestern—United States during the last decade of the 19th century. Unlike 'tramps', who work only when they are forced to, and 'bums', who do not...
s, and train
Train
A train is a connected series of vehicles for rail transport that move along a track to transport cargo or passengers from one place to another place. The track usually consists of two rails, but might also be a monorail or maglev guideway.Propulsion for the train is provided by a separate...
s... the America
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
of yesteryear."
Reception
My Name is Buddy was widely reviewed in the mainstream media to a generally favorable reception (earning a score of 76 out of 100 at MetaCriticMetacritic
Metacritic.com is a website that collates reviews of music albums, games, movies, TV shows and DVDs. For each product, a numerical score from each review is obtained and the total is averaged. An excerpt of each review is provided along with a hyperlink to the source. Three colour codes of Green,...
) The album was particularly well received, however, in folk music circles, becoming a cover feature in Sing Out!
Sing Out!
Sing Out! is a quarterly journal of folk music and folk songs that has been published since May 1950.-Background:Sing Out! is the primary publication of the tax exempt, not-for-profit, educational corporation of the same name...
and receiving a nomination for the Award for Best Contemporary Folk Album
Grammy Award for Best Contemporary Folk Album
The Grammy Award for Best Contemporary Folk Album was awarded from 1987 to 2011. Until 1993 the award was known as the Grammy Award for Best Contemporary Folk Recording. In 2007, this category was renamed Best Contemporary Folk/Americana Album...
at the 50th Grammy Awards
50th Grammy Awards
The 50th Annual Grammy Awards took place at the Staples Center in Los Angeles, California, on February 10, 2008. Kanye West received the most nominations, with eight. Amy Winehouse was the big winner, winning a total of five awards. Herbie Hancock's River: The Joni Letters won Album of the Year,...
.
Track listing
- "Suitcase in My Hand" (Ry Cooder) - 2:54
- Ry Cooder (vocal, guitar), Roland WhiteRoland WhiteRoland White is an American bluegrass music artist, performing principally on the mandolin.-Biography:At an early age, White formed himself, his two brothers and his sister into a bluegrass band which performed locally...
(vocal), Joachim Cooder - drums), Paddy MoloneyPaddy MoloneyPaddy Moloney is one of the founders of the Irish musical group The Chieftains and has played on every one of their albums.He was born in Donnycarney in Dublin. His mother bought him a tin whistle when he was six and at the age of eight he started to learn the Uilleann pipes. He also plays button...
(whistle, uilleann pipesUilleann pipesThe uilleann pipes or //; ) are the characteristic national bagpipe of Ireland, their current name, earlier known in English as "union pipes", is a part translation of the Irish-language term píobaí uilleann , from their method of inflation.The bag of the uilleann pipes is inflated by means of a...
), Mike SeegerMike SeegerMike Seeger was an American folk musician and folklorist. He was a distinctive singer and an accomplished musician who played autoharp, banjo, fiddle, dulcimer, guitar, mouth harp, mandolin, dobro, jaw harp, and pan pipes. Seeger, a half-brother of Pete Seeger, produced more than 30 documentary...
(banjoBanjoIn the 1830s Sweeney became the first white man to play the banjo on stage. His version of the instrument replaced the gourd with a drum-like sound box and included four full-length strings alongside a short fifth-string. There is no proof, however, that Sweeney invented either innovation. This new...
, fiddleFiddleThe term fiddle may refer to any bowed string musical instrument, most often the violin. It is also a colloquial term for the instrument used by players in all genres, including classical music...
)
- Ry Cooder (vocal, guitar), Roland White
- "Cat and Mouse" (Ry Cooder) - 5:02
- Ry Cooder (vocal, guitar), van Dyke ParksVan Dyke ParksVan Dyke Parks is an American composer, arranger, producer, musician, singer, author and actor. Parks is perhaps best known for his contributions as a lyricist on the Beach Boys album Smile....
(piano)
- Ry Cooder (vocal, guitar), van Dyke Parks
- "Strike!" (Ry Cooder) - 5:07
- Ry Cooder (vocals, guitar), Joachim Cooder (drums), Mike Seeger (fiddle, harmonicaHarmonicaThe harmonica, also called harp, French harp, blues harp, and mouth organ, is a free reed wind instrument used primarily in blues and American folk music, jazz, country, and rock and roll. It is played by blowing air into it or drawing air out by placing lips over individual holes or multiple holes...
, jaw harp)
- Ry Cooder (vocals, guitar), Joachim Cooder (drums), Mike Seeger (fiddle, harmonica
- "J. Edgar" (Ry Cooder) - 2:37
- Ry Cooder (vocal, guitar), Mike Seeger (banjo), Pete SeegerPete SeegerPeter "Pete" Seeger is an American folk singer and was an iconic figure in the mid-twentieth century American folk music revival. A fixture on nationwide radio in the 1940s, he also had a string of hit records during the early 1950s as a member of The Weavers, most notably their recording of Lead...
(banjo)
- Ry Cooder (vocal, guitar), Mike Seeger (banjo), Pete Seeger
- "Footprints in the Snow" (Bill Monroe with new lyrics by Ry Cooder) - 3:07
- Ry Cooder (vocal, bajo sextoBajo sextoA bajo sexto is a musical instrument with 12 strings in 6 double courses, used in Mexican music. It is used primarily in norteño music of northern Mexico and across the border in the music of south Texas known as "Tex-Mex", "conjunto, or "música mexicana-tejana".A similar instrument with five...
), Roland White (vocal, mandolin), René Camacho (bass), Joachim Cooder (drums), Flaco JiménezFlaco JiménezLeonardo "Flaco" Jiménez is a Tejano music accordionist from San Antonio, Texas. Jiménez's father, Santiago Jiménez Sr. was a pioneer of conjunto music. He began performing with his father at age seven and recording at age fifteen, as a member of Los Caporales...
(accordion), Van Dyke Parks (piano), Mike seeger (fiddle)
- Ry Cooder (vocal, bajo sexto
- "Sundown Town" (Ry Cooder, Joachim Cooder) - 2:57
- Terry EvansTerry EvansMichael Terry Evans is an American professional baseball outfielder for the Philadelphia Phillies of Major League Baseball.Evans was traded from the St...
(vocal), Bobby KingBobby KingBobby King is an American gospel-style, R&B and soul singer. He formed a singing duo with Terry Evans in the early 1970s. Since 1973, King has sung on most Ry Cooder albums. He was also the lead backing vocalist in Bruce Springsteen's Human Touch tour band of 1992-93...
(vocal), Ry Cooder (guitar, bass), Jim KeltnerJim KeltnerJames Lee "Jim" Keltner is an American drummer known primarily for his session work. He has contributed to the work of many well-known artists...
(drums)
- Terry Evans
- "Green Dog" (Ry Cooder) - 7:33
- Ry Cooder (vocal, guitar), Juliette CommagereJuliette CommagereJuliette Commagere is a Los Angeles based singer/songwriter who previously worked with the band Hello Stranger and The Bird and the Bee. She has toured with Nick Lowe, Ry Cooder, Pete Yorn and played the Download Festival with Bat for Lashes as well as co-headlined the 2nd annual Manimal Festival...
(vocal), Joachim Cooder (drums), Stefon HarrisStefon HarrisStefon Harris is an American jazz vibraphonist. In 1999, the Los Angeles Times called him "one of the most important young artists in jazz" who is "at the forefront of new New York music" and "much in demand as a star sideman"...
(vibesVibraphoneThe vibraphone, sometimes called the vibraharp or simply the vibes, is a musical instrument in the struck idiophone subfamily of the percussion family....
, marimbaMarimbaThe marimba is a musical instrument in the percussion family. It consists of a set of wooden keys or bars with resonators. The bars are struck with mallets to produce musical tones. The keys are arranged as those of a piano, with the accidentals raised vertically and overlapping the natural keys ...
), Jacky TerrassonJacky TerrassonJacques-Laurent Terrasson is a jazz pianist better known as Jacky Terrasson.He was born in Germany, but his mother was American and his father French. He studied at the Berklee College of Music before playing in Chicago and New York City clubs. He gained increased attention on winning the 1993...
(piano)
- Ry Cooder (vocal, guitar), Juliette Commagere
- "The Dying Truck Driver" (Ry Cooder) - 4:56
- Ry Cooder (vocal, guitar), Roland White (vocal, mandolin), Mike Seeger (harmonica)
- "Christmas in Southgate" (Ry Cooder) - 3:27
- Ry Cooder (vocal, bajo sexto), René Camacho (bass), Joachim Cooder (drums), Flaco Jiménez (accordion), Van Dyke Parks (piano), Mike Seeger (fiddle), Roland White (mandolin)
- "Hank Williams" (Ry Cooder) - 4:09
- Ry Cooder (vocal, guitar), Joachim Cooder (drums), Mike ElizondoMike ElizondoMichael "Mike" Elizondo is a well-known songwriter, bassist, keyboardist, and hip hop music producer.-Musical career:Mike Elizondo is especially known for his collaborations with internationally successful producer Dr. Dre and rapper Eminem. He has played the bass for many of Dr...
(bass)
- Ry Cooder (vocal, guitar), Joachim Cooder (drums), Mike Elizondo
- "Red Cat Till I Die" (Ry Cooder) - 3:08
- "The original Cardboard Avenue Jaywalkers": Buddy Red Cat (vocal, guitar), Lefty Mouse (fiddle), The Reverend Tom Toad (tambourine)
- "Three Chords and the Truth" (Ry Cooder, Joachim Cooder) - 5:02
- Ry Cooder (vocal, guitar, bass), Joachim Cooder (drums)
- "My Name Is Buddy" (Ry Cooder) 3:12
- Ry Cooder (vocal, mandolin, guitar, bass, keyboard), Joachim Cooder (drums)
- "One Cat, One Vote, One Beer" (Ry Cooder, Joachim Cooder, Jared Smith) - 4:15
- Ry Cooder (vocal), Joachim Cooder (keyboard, percussion), Jon HassellJon HassellJon Hassell is an American trumpet player and composer. He is known for his influence in the world music scene and his unusual electronic manipulation of the trumpet sound.-Life and career:...
(trumpetTrumpetThe trumpet is the musical instrument with the highest register in the brass family. Trumpets are among the oldest musical instruments, dating back to at least 1500 BCE. They are played by blowing air through closed lips, producing a "buzzing" sound which starts a standing wave vibration in the air...
)
- Ry Cooder (vocal), Joachim Cooder (keyboard, percussion), Jon Hassell
- "Cardboard Avenue" (Ry Cooder) - 4:33
- Ry Cooder (vocal, banjo), Joachim Cooder (percussion), Mike Elizondo (bass), Jim Keltner (drums), Mike seeger (fiddle), Roland White (mandolin)
- "Farm Girl" (Ry Cooder) - 3:54
- Ry Cooder (vocal, guitar), Juliette Commagere (vocal), Mike Elizondo (bass), Jim Keltner (drums), Mike Seeger (fiddle), Roland White (mandolin)
- "There's a Bright Side Somewhere" (Traditional with new lyrics by Ry Cooder) - 4:49
- Ry Cooder (vocal, guitar), Mike Elizondo (bass), Flaco Jiménez (accordion), Jim Kelter (drums), Paddy Moloney (whistle), Van Dyke Parks (piano), Mike Seeger (fiddle)
Production
- Recorded by Don Smith at sound City Studios, Van Nuys, California
- Additional recording by Sunny D. Levine at Orange Stella Studio, Santa Monica, CaliforniaSanta Monica, CaliforniaSanta Monica is a beachfront city in western Los Angeles County, California, US. Situated on Santa Monica Bay, it is surrounded on three sides by the city of Los Angeles — Pacific Palisades on the northwest, Brentwood on the north, West Los Angeles on the northeast, Mar Vista on the east, and...
and in Beacon, New YorkBeacon, New YorkBeacon is a city located in Dutchess County, New York, United States. The 2010 census placed the city total population at 15,541. Beacon is part of the Poughkeepsie–Newburgh–Middletown, NY Metropolitan Statistical Area as well as the larger New York–Newark–Bridgeport,...
; Martin Pradler at Chateau Martin, Los AngelesLos ÁngelesLos Ángeles is the capital of the province of Biobío, in the commune of the same name, in Region VIII , in the center-south of Chile. It is located between the Laja and Biobío rivers. The population is 123,445 inhabitants... - Mixdown by Don Smith and Martin Pradler at Sound City Studios
- Mastering by Martin Pradler
- Production assistant: Aisha Ayers
Artwork
- Illustrations by Vincent Valdez
- Photographs by Susan Titelman
- Package Design: Martin Pradler and Ry Cooder
Charts
| year | chart | peak |
|---|---|---|
| 2007 | The Billboard 200 | 168 |
| 2007 | Billboard ToP Internet Albums | 168 |
| 2007 | European Top 100 Albums |
Releases
| year | format | label | catalog # |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2007 | CD | Nonesuch Nonesuch Records Nonesuch Records is an American record label, owned by Warner Music Group and distributed by Warner Bros. Records.-Company history:Nonesuch was founded in 1964 by Jac Holzman to produce "fine records at the same price as a trade paperback", which would be half the price of a normal LP... |
79961 |
Further reading / listening
- "Cooder's Buddy Revives Tales of Bygone America", Morning EditionMorning EditionMorning Edition is an American radio news program produced and distributed by National Public Radio . It airs weekday mornings and runs for two hours, and many stations repeat one or both hours. The show feeds live from 05:00 to 09:00 ET, with feeds and updates as required until noon...
, NPR, March 6, 2007 - "From the Dust", The ObserverThe ObserverThe Observer is a British newspaper, published on Sundays. In the same place on the political spectrum as its daily sister paper The Guardian, which acquired it in 1993, it takes a liberal or social democratic line on most issues. It is the world's oldest Sunday newspaper.-Origins:The first issue,...
, March 4, 2007
External links
- My Name is Buddy, site at Nonesuch RecordsNonesuch RecordsNonesuch Records is an American record label, owned by Warner Music Group and distributed by Warner Bros. Records.-Company history:Nonesuch was founded in 1964 by Jac Holzman to produce "fine records at the same price as a trade paperback", which would be half the price of a normal LP...