Into the Purple Valley


Into the Purple Valley is the second studio album by roots rock musician Ry Cooder, released in 1972.
The album's front cover is listed at number 12 on Rolling Stone's 100 Greatest Album Covers. It shows Cooder and his then wife, Susan Titelman, in a Buick convertible at the Warner Bros. film lot in Burbank, California.

Background

The selection of songs focuses primarily on older American music, including covers of works by Lead Belly and Woody Guthrie, as well as calypso and gospel numbers such as "F.D.R. in Trinidad" and "Denomi Blues". "F.D.R. in Trinidad" was also covered on Discover America, a solo album by Van Dyke Parks, who played keyboards on this album.
"Tear Drops Will Fall" is a cover of a song that became a hit single in 1959 for Dickey Doo & the Don'ts. However, Cooder himself has stated that he first became familiar with the song through Wilson Pickett's version.

Critical reception

Record Collector wrote that the album "reached deep into tradition, unearthing neglected treasures from America’s past and reshaping them for the post-Woodstock generation."

Track listing

Side One
  1. "How Can You Keep On Moving " – 2:25
  2. "Billy the Kid" – 3:45
  3. "Money Honey" – 3:28
  4. "FDR in Trinidad" – 3:01
  5. "Teardrops Will Fall" – 3:03
  6. "Denomination Blues" – 3:58
Side Two
  1. "On a Monday" – 2:52
  2. "Hey Porter" – 4:34
  3. "Great Dream from Heaven" – 1:53
  4. "Taxes on the Farmer Feeds Us All" – 3:52
  5. "Vigilante Man" – 4:15

Personnel

;Technical
  • Mike Salisbury – cover design
  • Marty Evans – cover photography