Bop Till You Drop

Ry Cooder | Format: Audio CD

Product Details

• Audio CD (October 25, 1990)
• Number of Discs: 1
• Label: Warner Bros / Wea
• ASIN: B000002KKG
• Also Available in: Audio CD  |  Audio Cassette  |  Vinyl  |  MP3 Music
• Average Customer Review: 4.8 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (39 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #30,860 in Music (See Top 100 in Music)

Editorial Reviews

Amazon.com

For all the laudatory work he's done in rediscovering a panoply of artists from roots-based musical genres, Cooder's attempt to pay homage to influences closer to home, namely '50s rock and R&B, on Bop Till You Drop produced spotty results. While Arthur Alexander's "Go Home, Girl" and Cooder's own composition, "Down in Hollywood," are notable exceptions, most of the album suffers from languor stemming from a real lack of drive or direction. Cooder's failed attempt to place Elvis Presley's "Little Sister" in a broader musical context underscores the gap between intent and achievement which plagues the majority of songs on this well-meaning but unsatisfying effort. --Wayne Pernu

Product Description

CD

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

19 of 19 people found the following review helpful

5.0 out of 5 stars One of Cooder's best August 14, 2000

By David K. Bell

Format:Audio CD

Ry Cooder, more than anyone who has touched the pop music scene, has done a great service to music lovers by resurrecting nearly-forgotten genres of indiginous American music. From his early inspiration by Hawaiian slack-key guitar master Gabby Pahinui and the gritty, passionate Sleepy John Estes, to very early jazz forms to Tex/Mex to gospel, bluesy mandolin, Depression-era worksongs, the list is very long. But you cannot accuse him of being a dilettante, because he is extremely respectful of all the traditions he explores, remaining true to their spirits while somehow adding his own distinctive imprint. His interests have ranged abroad in more recent years to India, East Africa and, most famously, Cuba.

Bop Till You Drop explores neglected corners of the rhythm 'n' blues genre. I am a 30-year enthusiastic fan of Ry Cooder's work, and I think this is one of his best. Start with "Down in Hollywood," as tight a piece of funk as you will find. The peerless Jim Keltner anchors the rhythm section with his drum work that manages to be aggressive and tightly restrained as well. Chaka Khan's backup vocal is searing. Cooder's trademark combination of sly humor and get-down musicianship make this song a classic. The gospel-based Trouble You Can't Fool Me and I Can't Win are masterpieces of vocal harmony. I Can't Win is as poignant an unrequited love song as the best Motown ever produced. The Very Thing is once again vintage Cooder, with its effortless, flawless backbeat rhythm, stunning vocal harmonies and just-right instrumental work. The man knows how to put an album together. The cover of the old Ike and Tina Turner number Don't Mess Up a Good Thing is better than the original.

You wouldn't think rhythm 'n' blues would need resurrecting by America's preeminent working musicologist. But as usual, Cooder explores neglected gems off in the corners of the genre and shows us influences on it that give us more clues as to how it evolved. But make no mistake, this is no dry exercise. Go and fill your brown bag and put on all your clean rags. Let's go downtown and see what's goin' on.

10 of 11 people found the following review helpful

5.0 out of 5 stars eclectic critics ..... November 4, 2003

By Che

Format:Audio CD|Amazon Verified Purchase

i don't seem to agree with the music critics and even with ry cooder himself on this one. i read at [...], that ry disowned this recording.... which i don't understand at all. for me this is one of his standout efforts. eclectic, yes. but unpretentious and at ease with itself. r&b how it could be: funky, bluesy, with a gospel touch here and there. great playingfrom all, specially from fellow guitarist david lindley. great singing from chaka khan and bobby king. i prefer this one many times over ry's much praised efforts as "tourist guide" presenting latin roots music to a greater audience with his buena vista social club efforts. not that i don't like son: i love son, afro american music at it's best, but it does'nt need ry to discover it. and also unfortunately with his putting the spot light on some few cuban musicians - albeit great - many others, specially those not from cuba are left in the dark. with bop till you drop he does not "discover", but "plays" what he knows best.

7 of 7 people found the following review helpful

5.0 out of 5 stars More of the same please! March 26, 2000

By Ralph Jas

Format:Audio CD

I cannot understand anyone flogging this album. It has got warmth, it has got depth, there are some very good songs and a few great ones on it, and the people involved can really sing and play their instruments... which is something too rare, nowadays.

My personal favorites are the first four tracks, with the instrumental 'I think it's gonna work out fine' as the absolute pinnacle of top notch playing without getting technical. I mean, there still is a lot of emotion and feeling going on behind the flawless playing.

This album drew my attention to Ry Cooder and I have been buying all his stuff before and after. I can strongly recommend Chicken Skin Music and his work with the Buena Vista Social Club, although both albums are quite different from this one.

As a bonus: this was one of the very first digitally recorded popular albums - if not THE first.

Enjoy. Go with the flow. You'll get back to this album once you've learned to enjoy it.