THE OFFICIAL RODRIGUEZ WEBSITE
As voted by visitors to the SugarMan.org blog.
1. Sugar Man
2. Crucify Your Mind
3. I Wonder
4. Establishment Blues
5. Rich Folks Hoax
6. Inner City Blues
7. Forget It
8. Cause
9. I Think Of You
10.Street Boy
11.Like Janis
12.Sandrevan Lullaby / Lifestyles
13.I’ll Slip Away
14.Hate Street Dialogue
15.Jane S Piddy
SEARCHING FOR SUGAR MAN is a film about hope, inspiration and the resonating power of music. In the late ’60s, two celebrated producers who were struck by his soulful melodies and prophetic lyrics discovered a musician in a Detroit bar. They recorded an album that they believed was going to secure his reputation as one of the greatest recording artists of his generation. In fact, the album bombed and the singer disappeared into obscurity amid rumors of a gruesome on-stage suicide. But a bootleg recording found its way into apartheid South Africa and, over the next two decades, it became a phenomenon. Two South African fans then set out to find out what really happened to their hero. Their investigation led them to a story more extraordinary than any of the existing myths about the artist known as Rodriguez. This soundtrack consists of a selection of songs featured in the film but originally found on Rodriguez’s records COLD FACT and COMING FROM REALITY. – Amazon.com
| 1. Sugar Man |
| 2. Crucify Your Mind |
| 3. Cause |
| 4. I Wonder |
| 5. Like Janis |
| 6. This Is Not A Song, It’s An Outburst: Or, The Establishment Blues |
| 7. Can’t Get Away |
| 8. I Think Of You |
| 9. Inner City Blues |
| 10. Sandrevan Lullaby – Lifestyles |
| 11. Street Boy |
| 12. A Most Disgusting Song |
| 13. I’ll Slip Away |
| 14. Jane S. Piddy |
SEARCHING FOR SUGAR MAN is a film about hope, inspiration and the resonating power of music. In the late ’60s, two celebrated producers who were struck by his soulful melodies and prophetic lyrics discovered a musician in a Detroit bar. They recorded an album that they believed was going to secure his reputation as one of the greatest recording artists of his generation. In fact, the album bombed and the singer disappeared into obscurity amid rumors of a gruesome on-stage suicide. But a bootleg recording found its way into apartheid South Africa and, over the next two decades, it became a phenomenon. Two South African fans then set out to find out what really happened to their hero. Their investigation led them to a story more extraordinary than any of the existing myths about the artist known as Rodriguez. This soundtrack consists of a selection of songs featured in the film but originally found on Rodriguez’s records COLD FACT and COMING FROM REALITY. – Amazon.com
| 1. Sugar Man |
| 2. Crucify Your Mind |
| 3. Cause |
| 4. I Wonder |
| 5. Like Janis |
| 6. This Is Not A Song, It’s An Outburst: Or, The Establishment Blues |
| 7. Can’t Get Away |
| 8. I Think Of You |
| 9. Inner City Blues |
| 10. Sandrevan Lullaby – Lifestyles |
| 11. Street Boy |
| 12. A Most Disgusting Song |
| 13. I’ll Slip Away |
| 14. Jane S. Piddy |
Review by Brian Currin
From the simplistic, yet instantly recognisable bass guitar intro of I Wonder, to the last fading echoes of Thanks For Your Time, this was a show that enthralled everyone from the die-hard old fans with their balding heads and beer paunches to the new virgin devotees.
From sweet songs to street songs,
from bitter to beautiful,
from minor keys to metal mayhem,
from tear-jerker to tear-it-up,
from disgusting songs to rock anthems…this was truly a magic show of vast proportions.
Rodriguez has not released new material in over 25 years, he has no chart-topping singles, yet he opens to a standing ovation – and everybody sings along to all the songs.
Colin Taylor from KFM radio opened the show by shouting with great enthusiasm:
“Cape Town, put your hands together and welcome a true legend on stage – Rodriguez!”
Reuben Samuels started a slow drum beat and when Graeme Currie introduced that classic bass line (de-de de-de de-dum) the crowd went wild in instant recognition and when The Man slipped quietly onto the stage, the Velodrome stood up in adoration for this long-lost legend. I Wonder was wonderful and after the song, Rodriguez just stood and stared at the audience in awe.
Only Good For Conversation was done hard and heavy with great guitar from Willem Möller.
“..you’re so proper and so cute” sang Rodriguez with a smile in his voice.
Can’t Get Away was superb and when he started to sing the second verse again by mistake, the band supported him and the audience forgave him.
All the favourites followed with the arrangements staying very close to the originals and the crowd hanging on every word. Tonia Selley from The Pressure Cookies and Big Sky provided superb backing vocals throughout.
A highlight was the solo rendition of “A Most Digusting Song” sung with great humour. “There’s someone here who’s almost a virgin I’m told” was met with much laughter.
And when he sang “…your government will provide the shrugs” a responsive chord was hit, even though this song was written in 1970!
Rodriguez doesn’t say much, he lets his music and words speak to us, but he did give us one message:
“I want to wish you the best of luck
in everything you do,
you’re gonna do it,
you’re gonna solve it,
you’re gonna heal ’em,
you’re gonna do it“
– perceptive and profound words from this poet and prophet.
And then into an absolutely incredible blues-rock version of Climb Up On My Music. Willem Möller burnt up his fretboard with a classic rock guitar solo and Russel Taylor played a jazzy-blues keyboard solo which left us breathless.
Rodriguez slipped away as the band ended the song, but soon returned to perform a 3-song encore starting with Sugar Man, then Establishment Blues and ending with the perfect show-closer Forget It with those poignant words “Thanks for your time“.
“Thank you, Cape Town” sang Rodriguez.
No, thank YOU, Rodriguez – the mystery and myth may be gone, but the music and memories will live forever and the magic of that night will stay with us always.
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