Poor Man's Shangri-La (Ry Cooder)

Tell you 'bout a 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 that 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 gone cat, this friend of mine La Loma boys will run with you Do anything that you want 'em to And 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 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 Chavez Ravine Orale, UFO, come gliding low Se cayo, up Chavez road Space vato, square cat Say, "Caramba, partners, where's the party at?" I heard about the cool jerk and the alligator And I heard about Tokay Wine, Mary Jane, and lil' Julian Herrera I wanna learn to dance, make romance These La Bishop girls might take a chance My friend say, "No, be cool, bro' If you want to dance slow Learn to ask a mi hermana con respeto" UFO's got a radio Lil' Julian singing soft and low Los Angeles down below DJ say, we got to go, where? To El Monte, El Monte, El Monte, pa El Monte Na, na, na, na, na Livin' in a poor man's Shangri-La Na, na, na, na, na Livin' in a poor man's Shangri-La Na, na, na, na, na Livin' in a poor man's Shangri-La Na, na, na, na, na, na Livin' in a poor man's Shangri-La El Monte, El Monte Come El Monte, come on, pa El Monte Oh, the UFO got a radio Na, na, na, na, na Livin' in a poor man's Shangri-La Na, na, na, na, na, na, na Livin' in a poor man's Shangri-La