Paradise and Lunch

{{Use mdy dates|date=June 2025}}

{{Infobox album

| name = Paradise and Lunch

| type = studio

| artist = Ry Cooder

| cover = ParadiseandLunchalbumcover.png

| alt =

| released = June 1974

| recorded =

| studio = Warner Brothers Studios, North Hollywood, CA and
The Burbank Studios, Burbank, CA

| venue =

| genre = Roots rock, blues, folk, Americana

| length = 36:51

| label = Reprise

| producer = Russ Titelman, Lenny Waronker

| prev_title = Boomer's Story

| prev_year = 1972

| next_title = Chicken Skin Music

| next_year = 1976

| misc = {{External music video|{{YouTube|m2Mx9npkNlI|Tattler}}}}

}}

{{Music ratings

|rev1 = Allmusic

|rev1score = {{Rating|4.5|5}}[{{AllMusic|class=album|id=r33853|pure_url=yes}} Allmusic review]

|rev2 = Christgau's Record Guide

|rev2Score = A−{{cite book|last=Christgau|first=Robert|author-link=Robert Christgau|year=1981|title=Christgau's Record Guide: Rock Albums of the Seventies|publisher=Ticknor & Fields|isbn=089919026X|chapter=Consumer Guide '70s: C|chapter-url=https://www.robertchristgau.com/get_chap.php?k=C&bk=70|accessdate=February 23, 2019|via=robertchristgau.com}}

|rev3 = Rolling Stone

|rev3score = (favorable){{Cite magazine|url=https://www.rollingstone.com/artists/rycooder/albums/album/109818/review/5945830/paradise_and_lunch|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20071001030606/http://www.rollingstone.com/artists/rycooder/albums/album/109818/review/5945830/paradise_and_lunch|url-status=dead|archive-date=October 1, 2007|title=Rolling Stone review|magazine=Rolling Stone }}

| rev4 = The Rolling Stone Record Guide

| rev4Score = {{Rating|5|5}}Marsh, Dave; Swenson, John (Editors). The Rolling Stone Record Guide, 1st edition, Random House/Rolling Stone Press, 1979, p. 84/598.

| rev5 = Tom Hull

| rev5Score = B+{{cite magazine|last=Hull|first=Tom|authorlink=Tom Hull (critic)|url=https://tomhull.com/ocston/nm/get_gl.php?n=Ry+Cooder|title=Ry Cooder|magazine=Tom Hull - on the Web|accessdate=May 26, 2024|via=tomhull.com}}

}}

Paradise and Lunch is the fourth album by roots rock musician Ry Cooder, released on June 8, 1974 on Reprise Records.{{Cite web|title = Ry Cooder - Paradise And Lunch (original)|url = http://www.discogs.com/Ry-Cooder-Paradise-And-Lunch/release/595865|website = Discogs|accessdate = 2015-11-17}}{{Cite web|title = Ry Cooder Biography|url = https://www.rollingstone.com/music/artists/ry-cooder/biography|archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20120216213352/http://www.rollingstone.com/music/artists/ry-cooder/biography|url-status = dead|archive-date = February 16, 2012|website = rollingstone.com|publisher = Rolling Stone Magazine|accessdate = 2015-11-17}} The album is composed of cover versions of jazz, blues and roots standards and obscurities recorded at the Warner Brothers Studios. The final track, "Ditty Wah Ditty," showcases a duet between Cooder and jazz pianist Earl "Fatha" Hines.[{{AllMusic|class=album|id=r33853|pure_url=yes}} Allmusic.com review by Brett Hartenbach] It was produced by Russ Titelman and Lenny Waronker.{{Cite web|title = Welcome To My World - "Ry Cooder Primer"|url = http://www.rhino.com/article/bob-lefsetz-welcome-to-my-world-ry-cooder-primer|website = rhino.com|accessdate = 2015-11-17|last = Lefsetz|first = Bob}} The album reached #167 on the Billboard 200.{{Cite book|title = Billboard Magazine (print)|url = https://books.google.com/books?id=YgkEAAAAMBAJ|publisher = Nielsen Business Media, Inc.|date = 1974-06-22|language = en|first = Nielsen Business Media|last = Inc|page = 62}}

The album also includes Cooder's updated arrangement of bluesman Washington Phillips' "The Tattler" that stands out for its guitar playing.{{Cite web|title = Deep Cuts: Ry Cooder's Funky Fingerstyle|url = http://www.premierguitar.com/articles/21343-deep-cuts-ry-cooders-funky-fingerstyle|website = www.premierguitar.com|accessdate = 2015-11-17}} It was subsequently covered by Linda Ronstadt on her 1976 album Hasten Down the Wind and by David Soul on his 1977 album Playing To An Audience of One.{{Cite web|title = Paradise and Lunch {{!}} 1000 Recordings to Hear Before You Die|url = http://www.1000recordings.com/music/paradise-lunch/|website = www.1000recordings.com |accessdate = 2015-11-17 |first = Tom |last = Moon |author-link=Tom Moon|date = 2008}}

In 1990 the album was released on CD,{{Cite web|title = Ry Cooder - Paradise And Lunch (CD release)|url = http://www.discogs.com/Ry-Cooder-Paradise-And-Lunch/release/2540593|website = Discogs|accessdate = 2015-11-17}} while a remastered version appeared in 2007.{{Cite web|title = Ry Cooder - Paradise And Lunch (remaster)|url = http://www.discogs.com/Ry-Cooder-Paradise-And-Lunch/release/6023318|website = Discogs|accessdate = 2015-11-17}} It was newly remastered from the original master tapes for a high-resolution SACD in 2017.{{Cite web|title = Ry Cooder - Paradise And Lunch (Hybrid Super Audio CD release)|url = https://www.discogs.com/Ry-Cooder-Paradise-And-Lunch/release/10066688|website = Discogs|accessdate = 2018-05-25}}