After yesterday’s Vashti Bunyan, another inspirational story of obscurity to long-sought recognition fro the mysterious Detroit-born Mexican immigrant singer-songwriter, made famous in the documentary Searching For Sugar Man. Sixto Rodriguez, like Bunyan, released an album, Cold Fact in 1970, and a follow-up, Coming From Reality in 1971, but due to commericial failure, disappeared from the public eye for almost two decades.
He spent that time doing low-paid manual labour, bringing up children, and campaigning for human rights issues, including the anti-apartheid movement. Unknown to him, his albums remained popular and sold well, especially in South Africa and Australia. It was rumoured that this passionate young man had killed himself in the early 70s, but the documentary, with a certain level of storytelling suspense, tells the story of his great comeback, including an emotional late-90s concert in South Africa.
The folk-psychedelic Sugar Man, his best-known song, is about searching for a drug-dealer for escapism. The more piano-ballad Neil Diamondesque song, To Whom It May Concern, is about finding love instead of drugs (there are parallels), but is ambiguous whether the narrator is talking to himself, or someone else, perhaps, rather sadly, someone from whom he has parted. In a larger sense it is also a portent of his long period in obscurity, until, over two decades later, he was loved again by fans.
Rodriguez is an intriguing character - certainly evasive and humble, but his songs have a burning anger, frustration and passion, always suggesting that “I could have been a contender” feeling, that he could have been a Donovan or a Bob Dylan, with a voice of great strength and authority. Now 75, at least it proves talented artists can re-emerge from a tough, frustrated life, and rediscover the success they have always wanted. but who knows how many others, like Rodriguez, there are out there, who never will?
[Verse 1]
Sugar man, won't you hurry
Cause I'm tired of these scenes
For a blue coin won't you bring back
All those colors to my dreams
[Chorus]
Silver magic ships you carry
Jumpers, coke, sweet Mary Jane
[Verse 2]
Sugar man met a false friend
On a lonely dusty road
Lost my heart when I found it
It had turned to dead black coal
[Chorus]
Silver magic ships you carry
Jumpers, coke, sweet Mary Jane
[Verse 3]
Sugar man you're the answer
That makes my questions disappear
Sugar man cause I'm weary
Of those double games I hear
[Chorus]
Sugar man, Sugar man, Sugar man, Sugar man
Sugar man, Sugar man, Sugar man
[Verse 1]
Sugar man, won't you hurry
Cause I'm tired of these scenes
For the blue coin won't you bring back
All those colors to my dreams
[Chorus]
Silver magic ships you carry
Jumpers, coke, sweet Mary Jane
[Verse 2]
Sugar man met a false friend
On a lonely dusty road
Lost my heart when I found it
It had turned to dead black coal
[Chorus]
Silver magic ships you carry
Jumpers, coke, sweet Mary Jane
[Verse 3]
Sugar man you're the answer
That makes my questions disappear
[Verse 1]
Don't sit and wait, don't sit and dream
Put on a smile, go find a scene
I'm sure you'd meet
Someone who would really love you
[Verse 2]
Don't sit and hope, don't sit and pine
If you've been hurt, make up your mind
I'm sure you'd find
Someone who would really love you
[Chorus]
I don't know why you sit around
I only know if love is gone
Don't sit alone
With your pride
[Verse 3]
To whom this may concern to say
Don't wait for love to come your way
Don't waste your time, make up your mind
And make it happen
[Chorus]
I don't know why you sit around
(Do-do-do-down) I only know if love is gone
Don't sit alone
With your pride
[Bridge]
Listen to me and you would see
Just how fine your romance could be
[Instrumental Break]
[Chorus]
I don't know why you sit around
I only know if love is gone
Don't sit alone
With your pride
[Bridge]
Listen to me and you would see
Just how fine your romance could be
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