Borderline (Ry Cooder album)

Borderline is an album by Ry Cooder, released in 1980.^[1][2] "The Way We Make a Broken Heart" is a cover of the John Hiatt song.^[3]

Borderline
Studio album by Ry Cooder
Released	October 1980
Recorded	Warner Bros. Recording Studio, Burbank, CA
Genre	Roots rock
Length	43:30
Label	Warner Bros.
Producer	Ry Cooder
Ry Cooder chronology
Bop till You Drop (1979) Borderline (1980) The Slide Area (1982)

Critical reception

Professional ratings

Review scores
Source	Rating
AllMusic	[4]
Robert Christgau	B−[5]
The Rolling Stone Album Guide	[6]

Robert Christgau wrote that "Cooder's current soul/r&b interests inhibit his songfinding."^[5] The Globe and Mail wrote that "Borderline" "is a lovely instrumental which features the least slick, most emotional playing by an efficient set of hired guns."^[7]

Track listing

Side one

1. "634–5789" (Steve Cropper, Eddie Floyd) – 2:56
2. "Speedo" (Esther Navarro) – 3:20
3. "Why Don't You Try Me" (E. Young) – 4:54
4. "Down in the Boondocks" (Joe South) – 3:21
5. "Johnny Porter" (Bobby Ray Appleberry, William Cuomo) – 5:21

Side two

1. "The Way We Make a Broken Heart" (John Hiatt) – 4:28
2. "Crazy 'Bout an Automobile" (William R. Emerson) – 5:03
3. "The Girls from Texas" (James Lewis, Jimmy Holiday, Cliff Chambers) – 4:40
4. "Borderline" (Ry Cooder) – 3:19
5. "Never Make Your Move Too Soon" (Will Jennings, Nesbert Hooper Jr.) – 6:08

Charts

Year	Chart	Peak
1980	Australian (Kent Music Report)	43[8]
1981	Billboard Top LP's & Tapes	43[9]

Personnel

Source: album cover

• Ry Cooder – guitar, vibes, vocals
• Jim Keltner – drums
• George "Baboo" Pierre – percussion
• Tim Drummond – bass
• Reggie McBride – bass
• William D. Smith – piano, organ, vocals
• John Hiatt – guitar, vocals
• Jesse Harms – synthesizer
• Bobby King – vocals
• Willie Greene, Jr. – vocals

Technical

• Leslie Morris – production assistant
• Lee Herschberg – recording, mixing
• Carlos Ruano Llopis – artwork^{[citation needed]}