Poor Man's Shangri-La - Ry Cooder

Tell you 'bout this friend of mine that you don’t know

He lives way up a road that’s lost in time

Don’t know his name, or where he’s coming from

Only thing you know, he’s a real gone cat

This friend of mine

He don’t have no uptown friends, or drive a Cadillac

But he’s got cool threads and a beat up car

All his downtown friends like me ride around in the back

'Cause he’s a real cool cat, yeah he’s a real cool cat

This friend of mine

La Loma boys will run with you

Do anything that you want them to

If you need a friend 'cause you’re feeling blue

Palo Verde girls never let you down

Na na na na na, living in a poor man’s Shangri-La

Firme guys in their firme cars

Underneath the moon and stars

The city lights way down below

What’s that sound?

What’s that light

Streaking down through the night?

What’s it mean?

It’s a red cloud over

Chávez Ravine

Oralé, UFO, come gliding low

Se cayó up Chávez Road

Space Vato, square cat

Say, «Caramba, partners, where’s the party at?»

I heard about the cool jerk, and the alligator

Tokay wine, Mary Jane, and Lil' Julian Herrera

Iwant to learn to dance, make romance

These La Bishop girls might take a chance

My friend says, «No, be cool, bro

If you want to dance slow

Learn to ask a mi hermana con respeto.»

UFO got a radio

Lil' Julian singing soft and low

Los Angeles down below

DJ says, we got to go

To El Monte, El Monte, pa El Monte

Na na na na na, living in a poor man’s Shangri-La