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