searching for sugar man

I was on my way out the door and I heard this clip on the radio about Rodriguez.  It needed more investigating, so my trip to the nursery has been a tad delayed.   Not many of us 70's teenagers were without the album Cold Fact in our record collection.  I had the CD too (until Gareth hijacked it) and I remember every song word for word on the album.  I saw him when he toured SA in the late '90's and remember the story at the time of how a South African journalist went looking for him to bring him out to South Africa. He did not even know that he was popular in SA as he had not sold many records in the USA.

(In case you want to sing along)

Sugarman

Won't ya hurry

Coz I'm tired of these scenes

For a blue coin

Won't ya bring back

All those colours to my dreams

Silver magic ships, you carry

Jumpers, coke, sweet MaryJane

Sugarman

Met a false friend

On a lonely, dusty road

Lost my heart

When I found it

It had turned to dead, black coal

Silver magic ships, you carry

Jumpers, coke, sweet MaryJane

Sugarman

You're the answer

That makes my questions disappear

Sugarman

Coz I'm weary

Of these double games I hear

Sugarman .........

(don't you love the echo and the way the song fades out?)

The Sundance Film Festival is on at the moment.  Read here.  Yesterday this documentary played to rave reviews, tears and standing ovations.  A major distributor is now wanting to distribute it worldwide. The director of the documentary, Malik Bendejello (from Sweden) is telling the story of two South Africans looking for a presumed dead Rodriguez (rumour had it that he shot himself on stage).   Apparently, yesterday throughout the screening of the documentary Americans were finding themselves bewildered and wondering about why and how this Swede and all these South Africans knew all about this musician from Detroit and they had never heard of him (Hellooo...).

Some background to his visit to South Africa.

Sugar Man was of course the most popular song (Just Jinger did a great version a couple of years ago) but I think it was the song "I wonder" that had most of us South African teenagers dancing, pointing fingers, stamping, giggling and singing the lyrics to our boyfriends or girlfriends (or ex-boyfriends and girlfriends).

I wonder how many times you've been had

And I wonder how many plans have gone bad

I wonder how many times you had sex

And I wonder do you know who'll be next 

I wonder I wonder wonder I do

I wonder about the love you can't find

And I wonder about the loneliness that's mine 

I wonder how much going have you got

And I wonder about your friends that are not

I wonder I wonder wonder I do

I wonder about the tears in children's eyes 

And I wonder about the soldier that dies

I wonder will this hatred ever end 

I wonder and worry my friend

I wonder I wonder wonder don't you?

I wonder how many times you been had 

And I wonder how many dreams have gone bad

I wonder how many times you had sex

And I wonder do you know who'll be next

I wonder I wonder wonder I do

And now while looking for the stuff on You Tube I have found this gem:-

My favourite Paolo Nutini from Glenfield Road in Orchy also knows about Rodriguez.  Made my day!!  Bring back the CD Gareth, before I come after you!!