Born in Detroit in 1942, Sixto Diaz Rodriguez came from a working-class background and dropped out of high school at the age of 16. Dividing his time between hanging around the university campus and playing assorted unconventional clubs and bars, he was introduced to Impact's Harry Balk, which led to the recording of his first single, "I'll Slip Away," in 1967. When Balk took off for a career as a creative director at , session players and ardent Rodriguez supporters and Mike Theodore put him under the direction of Clarence Avant. About to set up his label, the latter was genuinely impressed with the artist's take on Detroit street life and supplied Theo-Coff Productions with sufficient means to cut an album's worth of material. Naturally, Theodore and took up keyboard and guitar duties, in addition to employing second-wave for a rhythm section. Recording Rodriguez separately, they matched his voice and acoustic guitar afterwards to a sonic palette of various orchestrations and psychedelic effects. Being 's first release, the resulting Cold Fact was a stone-cold folk-rock classic with an otherworldly feel to it.
Though industry-wise it was met with positive reviews, commercially the album gathered only dust. Theories as to why it didn't catch on in the climate of socially conscientious albums like Cloud Nine and What's Going On range from either not being played by underground radio and thus not meeting its intended public, or insufficient marketing by , with whom had a promotion and distribution deal. Though subsequently concentrating on , Avant offered Rodriguez the chance to record a follow-up in London with Steve Rowland (renowned for Family Dog's "Sympathy"). When 1971's Coming from Reality met a similar fate as its predecessor, the artist left the music business to enroll at university when he wasn't working construction to support his family and wasn't heard from again until 1979, when, much to his surprise,
he was requested to do some small theater shows Down Under, coinciding with the chart success of Australian re-releases of his albums. Fast forward to 1998, when Rodriguez was even more amazed to find vast amounts of mainstream acceptance. Apparently, some South African fans had invested quite a bit of effort in tracking down their long-lost hero. Their excitement at finding him alive and well convinced Rodriguez to play arena-sized venues.
At last, in the 21st century, his genius was acknowledged across America and mainland Europe, his popularity re-sparked by hip-hop-loving-crate diggers like , whose mix compilation Come Get It, I Got It used Cold Fact's opening shot "Sugar Man" for its own eclectic musical journey. In 2008, Cold Fact became more easily available through a lovingly annotated re-release, followed in 2009 by Coming from Reality. To celebrate his umpteenth rediscovery, Rodriguez embarked upon a world tour, meeting old fans and a whole new generation of admirers. This renaissance was spurred by the 2012 Oscar-winning documentary Searching for Sugar Man and its compilation soundtrack. The success of the film earned Rodriguez a significant audience in the United States, and he began touring in North America, playing the songs he recorded in the '70s for a new and enthusiastic audience. Despite having a fan base in the United States, Rodriguez continued to live a quiet life in Detroit. He passed away on August 8, 2023, at the age of 81. ~ Quint Kik, Rovi
Jane S. Piddy
Rodríguez Lyrics
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The mocking court gesture claims there is no proven cure
Go back to your chamber, your eyes upon the wall
'Cause you got no one to listen, you got no one to call
And you think I'm curious
Drifting, drowning in a purple sea of doubt
But the words don't fit the mouth
You're a loser, a rebel, a cause without
But don't think me callous
Dancing Rosemary, disappearing sister Ruth
It's just your yellow appetite
That has you choking on the truth
You gave in, you gave out, outlived your dreams of youth
And I can't get jealous
So go on, you'll continue with your nose so open wide
Knocking on that door that says hurry come inside
But don't bother to buy insurance 'cos you've already died
And you can't be serious
I saw my reflection in my father's final tears
The wind was slowly melting, San Francisco disappears
Acid heads, unmade beds, and you Woodward world queers
I know you're lonely
I know you're lonely
I know you're lonely
Thanks for your time
And you can thank me for mine
And after that's said
Forget it
Bag it, man
The lyrics of Rodriguez's song Jane S. Piddy describe a person feeling insecure and doubtful while being mocked by others who claim there is no cure for their insecurities. The person is isolated and has nobody to listen to them or to call. The song suggests that this person is curious and wants to hear that someone loves them, but they feel like they are a loser, a rebel, and a cause without a clear purpose. Despite the person feeling lost and alone, the singer assures them that they are not being callous and that they are not jealous.
The song then mentions two women, Dancing Rosemary and disappearing sister Ruth, who seem to represent a carefree nature and a fleeting sense of belonging that the person longs for. However, their youth and freedom have faded away, leaving them with a yellow appetite that chokes on the truth. The person in the song has also outlived their dreams of youth, but the singer claims that they cannot be jealous of the two women because they are also lost in their own way.
The song ends with the singer reflecting on their own life and seeing their father's final tears in their own reflection. They mention San Francisco disappearing and refer to "acid heads, unmade beds, and Woodward world queers." The song concludes with both the person feeling insecure and the singer acknowledging each other's loneliness and thanking each other for their time before ultimately telling each other to forget it and move on.
Line by Line Meaning
Now you sit there thinking feeling insecure
You are currently feeling uneasy and unsure of yourself.
The mocking court gesture claims there is no proven cure
Society ridicules those who express their emotions, implying that there is no remedy for such vulnerability.
Go back to your chamber, your eyes upon the wall
Find seclusion and solitude within yourself.
'Cause you got no one to listen, you got no one to call
You feel that you have no one to turn to and no one to share your troubles with.
And you think I'm curious
You suspect that I am interested in your situation.
Drifting, drowning in a purple sea of doubt
You are aimlessly floating and suffocating in a sea of uncertainty.
You wanna hear she loves you
You desire to hear that someone cares for you.
But the words don't fit the mouth
However, the words do not correspond with the true feelings of others.
You're a loser, a rebel, a cause without
Others consider you to be a failure and a nonconformist with no purpose or direction.
But don't think me callous
Although I do not share your emotional turmoil, I am not insensitive to your suffering.
Dancing Rosemary, disappearing sister Ruth
Your friends and family members are either evasive or completely absent from your life.
It's just your yellow appetite
Your primary motivation is fueled by greed and avarice.
That has you choking on the truth
Your lust for material possessions hinders your ability to acknowledge reality.
You gave in, you gave out, outlived your dreams of youth
You have surrendered and compromised on your original aspirations from earlier in life.
And I can't get jealous
I feel no envy towards your current predicament.
So go on, you'll continue with your nose so open wide
You will stubbornly persist in your ways with no intention of changing your perspective.
Knocking on that door that says hurry come inside
You will search for refuge and comfort, but to no avail.
But don't bother to buy insurance 'cause you've already died
There is no point in trying to reverse your life's circumstances because it is too late.
And you can't be serious
Your attitude is casual and insincere.
I saw my reflection in my father's final tears
I recognized my own emotional struggles in my father's last moments.
The wind was slowly melting, San Francisco disappears
The city of San Francisco fades away, as if it were never there at all.
Acid heads, unmade beds, and you Woodward world queers
I recall people who were under the influence of drugs, slept in untidy beds, and LGBTQ+ individuals that I encountered in the past.
I know you're lonely
I understand that you feel isolated and alone.
I know you're lonely
I understand that you feel isolated and alone.
I know you're lonely
I understand that you feel isolated and alone.
Thanks for your time
Thank you for talking with me.
And you can thank me for mine
And you can thank me for taking the time to listen to you.
And after that's said
Now that our conversation concludes.
Forget it
Let's not dwell on it any further.
Bag it, man
Let's end this conversation here.
Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group
Written by: SIXTO DIAZ RODRIGUEZ
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind