tavis: good evening. smiley. -- i am tavis smiley. tonight, a conversation with ry cooder, and cooder is out now with a timely and political new ce, -- cd, cd "election special," with his views on what he considers senseless war is. our conversation with ry cooder, coming up now. >> there is a saying that dr. king had that said there is always the right time to do the right thing. i try to live my life every day by doing the right thing. we know that we are only halfway to completely eliminating hunger and we have work to do. walmart committed $2 billion to fighting hunger in the u.s. as we work tother, we can stamp hunger out.

>> and by contributions to your pbs station from viewers like you. thank you. tavis: please welcome ry cooder to this program, the legendary guitarist. he is out now with a new project in time for the political season. the disk is called "election special," and i am told that it was inspired by a show that i was a part of. here is a song from the disk, "mutt romney blues." >> what were you thinking?

>> i did not know there was something wrong with this. >> the dog gets out of the car. >> pulling up, woof, woof, woof ♪ captioned by the national captioning institute --www.ncicap.org-- >> he secured the dog on the roof for a 12-hour drive. tavis: ry cooder, what goes through an artists head to give him the idea to write something like "mutt romney blues"? >> i said i have to talk some about mitt. how do you take a guy like this, a kind of colorless, odorless unknown character, and i tried to make a mormon song, but it

was too complicated, and so i got the idea of a dog, needing to tell his story and being a whistle-blower, and we know how dangerous it is to blow whistles sometimes. a dog will do anything. i thought, i know, i can do this, and i told my son to just follow me on this, and we sketched it out. tavis: just to go through some of the song titles of this new project, and i am jumping around, given the title. track number 6 is called the "going to tampa." tell me about it. >> it would be a delegate. an imaginary character. he has got his overalls on. the main thing he wants to do is meet sarah palin. he is hoping to capture in the hallway. strike up a conversation.

also, he has asked his wife, do not forget my bed sheet. i think we are going to see some of these kinds of people down there. also, this whole thing about the campaign. and i thought to myself, they should find the guy back invented him -- invented it and let him do something. and i wrote this song about the delegates going to tampa, and this is his suggestion. this is his contribution. let's bring back willie hornton, and two weeks later, they did. tavis: track number 9 is called "take your hands off it."

>> yes, take your hands of the constitution and leave my voting rights alone. if you let them bit by bit in road and chisel and chip away at the voting rights act and the other civil rights legislation, pretty soon, before you know it, it all crumbles and falls down, and then, what are we going to do? stand there and say, "how did that happen?" after the fact? i know you and cornell west talk about this on your show. tavis: you are too kind. speaking of this, another track, no. 7. " kool-aid." >> there was a whistle-blower who try to help out in africa, a

whistle-blower, and she got in some terrible trouble, and i think it was view that sinn it -- that said she was a strong supporter, and she said, "yes, i drank the kool-aid." and i wanted to get home before i lose it. 10 minutes, i had that song all mapped out, from the point of view of one of these republican drone, poor white guys. i got a gun, like you said. i stood my ground, like george zimmerman in florida. i drank the kool-aid. and this did not work out right. instead of being delivered up to a good job and a secure future, i have nothing now. my wife is over there losing sleep, and i am smoking.

i drank the kool-aid. i am so befuddled by people who would vote against them. -- him. and in your book, a great book, by the way, you learn a lot. so when i get that idea, something on the radio, something i have heard or read, if i am lucky, i can crank it into a song that lasts four minutes. i then have to render it down into some kind of song language, because it is not a book of speeches. tavis: i have been telling people, "ry cooder listens to my radio show." when i first heard that, i was blown away that you listen to the show, and then an inspirational songs on this project -- obviously, there is

no risk, or, at least, if there is a risk, you do not care about it, in being as outspoken as you are. being as truthful as you are, because that is a rare commodity these days, but whenever it is to you, just long ago, yes. >> i feel that you can do this. martin luther king said, "if you can do something, do it." in times of crisis, write a speech, a song, do it. just do not sit there. i believe it is right. it is also what i know how to do. i do not know how to do anything else. i do not have any hobbies or collect stamps, so i think and i listen and try to work out the problems and wait for an idea to come, like "mutt romney blues," and i thought that is perfect,

to myself. i can write to that. i feel it is an opportunity to make a point by showing an atmosphere or showing a character that can give you another point of view. the books in one kind of job, and a program like you have does another type of job. the song, that is my contribution. tavis: that is what i love artists, they say things that the rest of us cannot say or do not know how to say. when you are talking folk music or by any other name message music, it seems to me that that is as necessary now as ever before, given the condition of the world, given the suffering of so much of humanity, and music is more relevant now than ever before, and yet, there is so little of it as compared to before.

why is that the >> well, you know, record companies, we have watched it grow into a big corporate entity. they are less likely to want to present this. they are more likely to want to present a lifestyle message or a commercial message of some kind, thehereas in the 1930's, depression era, there was a lot of message music made by folks, and it was popular, and in the 50's, somewhere in the top 10. unbelievable today. tavis: but that is where we are now. these are depression-era-like conditions. >> the media, are they going to show you this kind of music? i assume that people are out there writing songs, thinking about songs. there are more people than ever

before in this kind of trouble. how are they going to hear this? it will be harder to find out about. tavis: i am not asking this question out of any naivete, but to play something like this from you, or there are others writing their music, telling their story about the way they see this country heading, what do you make of it that radio and other media outlets could not play this kind of stuff for fear of being labeled politically incorrect just to play it? do you follow me? >> yes. tavis: the culture has changed so much. 1960's --'s, 1940's, if i did that, somebody is going to send me some email about just playing part of "mutt romney

blues." i will get some flak for just playing that. if i did pieces of this, the male would come fast and ferias about me being politically incorrect or just plain this stuff. >> you have to remember also that the public airways are not public. -- public airwaves are not public. it is all centralized, and more centralized and mop -- monopolistic it is, and then i do not know if it is right to say on your show, but i do worry about the fact that there is so much aggression and organized aggression and even hatred that can be mobilized, going after tavis smiley. "did you hear what he said."

they will sit on you like a dog. tavis: since you raised it, i am happy to go there. what do you make of the fact that when you say to push that button, cyber hate or bullying, the technology is used, in do i not know, to bully people, to demean people, to lie about people, and that stuff circles around the world so fast, you can spend every living waking moment trying to deny it and tell the truth about what was said about you, and you do not have a shot. you do not have a shot against technology, against that silent voice. >> it is big. it is fast, diddley. we are supposed to have a

society here. it is like a mine field. i do not like it. what we want is solidarity and unity, and how are we going to get it? how are we going to maintain it? there was a time when the labor movement was very powerful in bringing people together, educational, the standard of living, doing things to protect people. what safety net? so what does this mean? some people i know really do believe that the occupy movement has a chance. tavis: there are some that believe, and i have seen polls that bear this out, that the best american days are behind us. are you one of those? >> well, it would be a shame to say it. when they say, "let's take this

country back," i would say unity and solidarity. the government needs to act for the people. we cannot have folks telling us that the government is evil and hate the government so they can dismantle the government so they can run it themselves for profit, privatizing everything, from schools to prisons, and all of these things, if you look at them, your head starts to spin. the one thing that everybody used to recognize, the basics of unionism, from the lobbies on down, there is more of us banned them. of course, if you were a politician 24/7, in the media, saying there are people dangerous to you, shoot them on sight, and that is a message 24/7, and i know you have been out in the country. it is different. i am thinking, of course, of

george zimmerman. now, what are we going to do about that? how do laws like that get passed? how does that happen? so we have to do something. it is easy to sit here in a television studio and say, "we have to do something about this ." i was hoping you would have a suggestion. >> -- tavis: that is why i invited you on. we are in trouble if we are looking at me. you have accomplished all lot more, so you are the elder that i respect. how do you maintain your hope? how do you sustain? >> well, i sit there in my house, with my family, and i play my instruments. i spend a lot of time more and more doing that, wanting to make

it the music -- i know i have it. i have been playing all of my life. my son plays. so we know who we are, and we know that music is positive, and it is helpful, and there are all kinds of good uses to put it to, but we have to work on the bubble to live in. the bubble of creativity or the bubble of peace and quiet and regard for other people and the feeling of community. you just have to keep believing, or i will spend all of my time at the acupuncturist, getting treatment for nerves. i am practically there right now. tavis: if it were just the machine, is it just the music machine that has shut down, or have the artists, let me ask you anyway, have the artists kind of

-- >> calling it a record business, the machine was scuttled. if you believe it was started in 1906 when caruso sold 1 million, and then 2006, you mean to say that the record business, beautiful sounds, the emotional stories, and everything that i have always wanted to do, and how are we going to do this? we cannot all just do "american idol." there is more to it than that, so i keep trying by doing this. i like doing this, by the way. it is on. i enjoy it. so i do not think the artists have changed as human beings. creativity, self expression.

it is always the same. man nature. but what to do? i might end up on the corner, giving these things to passers- by, but i do not know about putting this out. it is sort of an act of blind faith. i think they will like it if they hear it, but i do not know where radio is. then, of course, you do not have stores to go out and buy it in. it would be like having a nice shoes but no shoes stores. tavis: what do think about god creating and choosing you as a vessel for this stuff to come through? i mean, you could have been

directed in 1000 different paths, or no path, but given, again, i have just such a great regard for artists, but what do you make of the fact that this is what you were called to do? this is your vacation? >> i always felt like this because somebody gave me a guitar when i was out for the war, and they knew i liked music, and he was with the los angeles philharmonic, and he was black and could not work anymore. he brought it over and put it on my stomach, and strummed it. feeling the vibrations, what is that? that was it. and the opportunity of boring up in los angeles, where the record industry was starting to get steam. a lot of musicians were coming year, so by the time i was a

teenager, there were opportunities. you could make a buck. it turned out that you could support yourself. gas did not cost as much to get to a gig as it does now. blues, jazz, all of these things, so there again, luck was with me. tavis: a little bit of luck, but you have got a lot of talent. and who have you not played with over the years? the stones -- >> thank you, but talent is good if you have enough desire. a friend of mine says it is mostly desire. you want to do it. to push yourself. "i am going to learn the song or this thing on the guitar," and figure out how some guy in the mountains of appalachia or somebody plays this and then maybe to get a chance to ask them in person, which i did.

it is harder to do now. i would say, "what is that funny corn you just played?" "you just put your hands here." if there is talent floating around, just make it work. tavis: i do not know if you do, but if you had an ipod, what is in yours? who do you like to listen to? >> at home, i like hearing the good french classical composers. it is so special. and to me, it is a portrait of nature. there is water, trees, and, of course, nature for them from the 19th century to the 20th century, it was pretty vibrant. it was right there. you just went outside of paris, and you were in the countryside, and that was a world that was real to them, and they were good

at depicting it. music that was so expensive. after a nervous day. the "get me out of here. get me off of the freeway." takes you to so many places, but you do not have to think about it, and it has nothing with you. i do not feel that i need to good drink or eat or text people. so that is good. also, i loved jazz. bebop. swing music is so wonderful. the singing and nat king cole. i do not need too much more than nat king cole, and then i am going to want to hear the north mexican, that beautiful music, you see, because it is so vital, if it is so great. they play these things on the piano. it takes you away.

i wanted to be a piano player first and foremost, but i never got around to it. it is tough when you are older to get going on a new instrument. i would have to abandon everything else. i know i probably will not. i will sit in the chair and try to figure out some more tunes. but the classic music, the beauty of records. if it had not been for records, we would not have popular music. we would not have cole porter or whoever you want, and johnny hartman and guys like this. you have a society where you can produce a net king cole, you have a society. you have a country. look at what this country produced. tavis: is one that produd ry

cooder. there is some good stuff on here. i did not get to all of this. "guantánamo." "the wall street part of town." that should be all you need to know to go out and get it. ry, thank you so much. that is our show for tonight. until next time, keep the faith. >> for more information on today's show, visit tavis smiley at pbs.org. tavis: hi, i'm tavis smiley. join me next time for a night on the democratic convention for a conversation with arianna huffington. that is next time. we will see you then. >> there is a saying that dr. king had that said there is always the right time to do the right thing. i try to live my life every day by doing the right thing.

we know that we are only halfway to completely eliminating hunger and we have work to do. walmart committed $2 billion to fighting hunger in the u.s. as we work together, we can stamp hunger out. >> and by contributions to your pbs station from viewers like you. thank you. >> be more.