Ry Cooder Quotes

All the money in the world is spent on feeling good.

No second chances in the land of a thousand dances, the valley of ten million insanities.

Bad music can make you weak.

You have to be around people you trust; otherwise you can't do anything - you're afraid, you're paranoid, and you can't do any work.

Los Angeles is not Mexico City, but we have many fine nightclubs and restaurants here. It is enough. One must not aim too high.

You're not born with certain skills; you have to acquire them.

Musicians understand each other through means other that speaking.

Beautiful tunes are all very good and fine, and great musicians are always great, but that alone isn't enough.

I always think you should push your envelope every chance you get.

Musicians communicate in other ways. That's just something you rely on.

I just feel that music is a great life, because it's very rewarding. It's a gratification. You do this for yourself, and you also do this for other people.

If you think you fit into a situation, it's worth trying.

Everything you do is challenging, hopefully, because if it's not, it's boring.

You should try to do something if you think you can see your way clear.

Something has to happen between you and the public, some interface that lets the public in on what you're doing.

You have to be able to improvise and respond to what's going on around you. Then you might get a good piece of work done.

Musicians are not so concerned with language.

There are those who make music and movies in a linear way: They plan them, they have a script. Of course, you have to have a script sometimes, but that alone isn't enough.

Once you feel that you've learned some skills and you know how to make records, the next thing is, "Do we ever get to make one that people will really like?" Because then we'll have something to do.

I have to think that somewhere on some little island in the Pacific, there's someone's who's great, but I'm probably never going to hear him.

If you can't get yourself understood, you may have trouble, so you need some interpretation every now and again wherever you might be.

Needless to say, you've got to have someone who can speak for you.