1) Sixto Diaz Rodrig… Read Full Bio ↴At least five artists share the name Rodriguez.
1) Sixto Diaz Rodriguez (also known as Rodriguez or as Jesus Rodriguez) (born in Detroit, MI, on 10 July 1942; died 8 August 2023) was an American folk singer-songwriter. He was named 'Sixto' (pronounced seex-toe) because he was the sixth child in his family. Rodriguez's parents were middle-class immigrants from Mexico, who left in the 1920s. In most of his songs he takes a political stance on the cruelties facing the inner city poor.
In 1967 (under the name Rod Riguez) he released the single "I'll Slip Away" through the small label Impact. He did not produce anything for another three years until he was signed to Sussex Records; an offshoot of the Buddah label. It was after the move to Sussex that he changed his professional name to just Rodriguez. Rodriguez recorded two albums with Sussex—Cold Fact in 1970, and Coming from Reality in 1971. But after mixed reviews and low album sales he was dropped from the label, which later folded in 1975.
After failing to make an impact in America, he gave up his career as a musician. However, although he was relatively unknown in his home country by the mid 70s, his albums were starting to gain airplay in countries like South Africa, Rhodesia (now Zimbabwe), New Zealand and Australia.
After imported copies of his Sussex albums ran dry, an Australian record label, Blue Goose Music, bought the Australian rights to his back catalogue in the mid 70s. The label released his two studio albums plus a compilation album At His Best (featuring unreleased recordings from 1976 "Can't Get Away", "I'll Slip Away" (a re-recording of his first single), and "Street Boy"). Unbeknownst to Rodriguez, it went platinum in South Africa, where he achieved cult status.
With a new buzz around Rodriguez, in 1979 he toured Australia with the Mark Gillespie Band as support. Two shows from the tour were later released on the Australian only album Alive—the title being a play on the rumors caused by his public obscurity that Rodriguez had died years ago. After the '79 tour he returned to Australia for a final tour in 1981 with Midnight Oil before quietly slipping back into normal life.
The 2012 Sundance Film Festival hosted the premiere of Searching for Sugar Man, from Swedish director Malik Bendjelloul, detailing the efforts by two fans to see if his rumored death was true - and if not, to discover what had become of him. The Simon Chinn and John Battsek produced documentary went on to win the World Cinema Special Jury Prize and the Audience Award, World Cinema Documentary. The film opens in NY and LA on July 27, 2012.
2) Rodriguez was a band which originated in San Luis Obispo, California. Formed in 1991 by bassist/vocalist Kyle Field (aka Little Wings) and guitarist/vocalist Matt Ward (aka M. Ward), drummer Mike Funk joined in 1993. Their only album to date, Swing Like A Metronome, released in 2000, was recorded by Grandaddy's Jason Lytle and featured songs written between 1992 and 1997. After Rodriguez disbanded, both songwriters went on to illustrious solo careers.
3) Rodriguez is a Garage Punk-Rock Band from Austria. More info at http://www.rodriguez.at
4) Rodriguez is a Swedish indie-electronica artist that released 2 EPs during the late 1990's and the early 2000's. He makes minimalistic instrumental tunes like Karate-dö, Kungen, Fred på jorden and Dominguez och Fernanduez.
5) Rodriguez is Pop - Techno Band fromGeorgia.
Members
David Svanidze - ვლადიმირ (დავით) სვანიძე
Levan SvaniSvili - ლევან სვანიშვილი
info, tracks : http://www.facebook.com/pages/Rodriguez/174566509308994?sk=wall
Cause
Rodriguez Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
And I talked to Jesus at The Sewer
And the Pope said it was none of his God-damned business
While the rain drank champagne
My Estonian Archangel came and got me wasted
'Cause the sweetest kiss I ever got is the one I've never tasted
Oh, but they'll take their bonus pay to Molly McDonald
Neon ladies, beauty is that which obeys, is bought or borrowed
'Cause my heart's become a crooked hotel full of rumors
But it's I who pays the rent for these fingered-face out-of-tuners
And I make sixteen solid half hour friendships every evening
'Cause your queen of hearts who's half a stone
And likes to laugh alone is always threatening you with leaving
Oh, but they play those token games on Willy Thompson
And give a medal to replace the son of Mrs. Annie Johnson
'Cause they told me everybody's gotta pay their dues
And I explained that I had overpaid them
So overdued I went to the company store
And the clerk there said that they had just been invaded
So I set sail in a teardrop and escaped beneath the doorsill
'Cause the smell of her perfume echoes in my head still
'Cause I see my people trying to drown the sun
In weekends of whiskey sours
'Cause how many times can you wake up in this comic book
And plant flowers?
The lyrics to Rodriguez's song Cause are incredibly poetic and deep, with a mix of political and personal themes. One interpretation of the song is that it's about the struggles of everyday people in capitalist society, specifically those who are struggling just to make ends meet. The opening lines paint a bleak picture of a person who has lost their job right before the holidays, leading them to turn to religion (Jesus and the Pope) and drown their sorrows in alcohol (rain drinking champagne).
The next few lines introduce an Estonian Archangel who comes to offer comfort in the form of alcohol, but even this escape is marred by the fact that the singer has never experienced a truly sweet kiss. The song then delves into the corrupt nature of beauty and how it's something that can be bought or borrowed. The singer's heart seems to be at war with itself, with rumors and out-of-tuners renting space inside, but the singer still pays the rent for them.
Line by Line Meaning
Cause I lost my job two weeks before Christmas
I lost my job during the holiday season
And I talked to Jesus at the sewer
I felt lost and turned to divine intervention even in a dirty place
And the Pope said it was none of his God-damned business
The Pope couldn't intervene in matters like these
While the rain drank champagne
It was a paradoxical time when the natural world didn't follow convention
My Estonian Archangel came and got me wasted
I turned to substances to numb the pain, and someone from the country of Estonia helped me with that
'Cause the sweetest kiss I ever got is the one I've never tasted
I treasure the hypothetical thoughts more than what I've already experienced
Oh but they'll take their bonus pay to Molly McDonald, Neon ladies, beauty is that which obeys, is bought or borrowed
People go to spend their money at strip clubs, but beauty is beyond that, it comes from within, it can't be bought or taken
'Cause my heart's become a crooked hotel full of rumors
My heart has lost its innocence, and it's become a place full of negative speculation
But it's I who pays the rent for these fingered-face out-of-tuners
I am the one who bears the repercussions of my decisions and judgments
And I make sixteen solid half hour friendships every evening
I have superficial relationships that only last for brief periods
'Cause your queen of hearts who is half a stone
The one you love has a fragile heart
And likes to laugh alone is always threatening you with leaving
She has a solitary personality and often thinks about leaving
Oh but they play those token games on Willy Thompson
People play meaningless games with vulnerable people like Willy Thompson
And give a medal to replace the son of Mrs. Annie Johnson
In some cases, people get recognition for replacing the loss of someone else's son
'Cause they told me everybody's got to pay their dues
They reminded me that everyone has to face the consequences of their actions
And I explained that I had overpaid them
I believed I had already faced the consequences and paid off more than required
So overdued I went to the company store
I went to the company store to settle payment
And the clerk there said that they had just been invaded
The company store had been robbed
So I set sail in a teardrop and escaped beneath the doorsill
I left quietly, feeling dejected
'Cause the smell of her perfume echoes in my head still
I'm still haunted by the lingering scent of someone I loved
'Cause I see my people trying to drown the sun
I see my fellow beings trying to fight against the inevitable, trying to defeat the unvanquishable
In weekends of whiskey sours
They do this while enjoying their drinks during their off days
'Cause how many times can you wake up in this comic book and plant flowers?
How many times can you gain hope and positivity only to be met with negativity again?
Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group
Written by: Sixto Diaz Rodriguez
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
@zackemmanuel7736
RIP Sixto Rodriguez.... Singer, Songwriter, Poet, Father, Labourer, Fascinating, Selfless, Wise, & Truly Humble Man; with the most incredible life story. I'm glad you found some fame and recognition in your life doing what you love most. Thank you for All the Music. Your songs and lyrics always touched me incredibly deeply. In many ways my brother, you will always be South African. Travel Well. Cold FACT.
@deborahcurtis1385
You left out philosopher, apart from that absolutely!
@zackemmanuel7736
@@deborahcurtis1385 Yeah i know he had a degree in Philosophy, but i thought I covered that with " wise". ;)
@deborahcurtis1385
@@zackemmanuel7736 I think philosophy is a process and wise is a result. If you're philosophical you're constantly musing you don't just arrive at the wisdom destination and stay there. JIMO but let's not be competitive, Sixto wouldn't like it!
@rafaelcarlosmirandajacome3683
Rodríguez en México nunca fue apreciado , ni siquiera en su país de nacimiento, pero ustedes los Sudafricanos pudieron escuchar su mensaje...fueron afortunados...sin duda...a mi solo me bastó escuchar una de sus canciones y lo supe de inmediato...
@TjuhuTiy
As I recall, his documentary says he's actually Native American. Sixto is from an Indigenous community in my hometown.
Also, he did not shoot himself on stage. That's not in the documentary, either, Searching for Sugar Man.
@kless001
Thank you South Africans for keeping this music alive.
@johnbredhauer3826
And Australians his albums whrte big here
@valsmith8485
Very True
@ozo4494
An old Australian made me listen to it while I was traveling in Australia when I was 19. Thanks to him too