Thursday, August 2, 2018

17 Days: Rodriguez

Today's ear worm can be found below.

As ear worms go I'm quite happy with this as I think Rodriguez is phenomenal.

Never heard of him? Neither had I until I discovered a the documentary"Searching for Sugarman".
Highly recommended viewing if you like a doco about the little guy coming good. It won an Academy Award - the documentary is that good. (It's available on Stan)




Some things about Rodriguez:
  1. He's coming to Melbourne in February.
  2. He has been huge in South Africa for over forty years.
  3. Outside of South Africa, nobody has heard of him.
  4. I have been very hard on my South African friends - of which there are plenty - for not introducing me to him sooner.
So, I had one of his songs going around and around in my head for most of the day. Finally, an ear worm I can cope with.

I passed a colleague in the office - a former South African.

"Hey Michael, I have Rodriguez playing in my head."
"Who?" he asked.

You could have knocked me over with a feather.

"Rodriguez - you know - Sixto Rodriguez."
"Nup, never heard of him."
"Seriously?! You're from bloody Durban - how can this be?"
"Nup. Never."

My eyes started to roll. Michael is about my age. Not knowing Rodriguez when you are South African and in your mid-forties is like being an Australian of a similar age who has no idea what Cold Chisel is about. If South Africa had a citizenship test, there would be a question about Rodriguez. (I'm sure there is a question on our citizenship test about the words to Khe Sahn.)

I walked off disgusted. How could this be?

Michael fessed up later that he was pulling my leg. He was surprised that there was an Australian who knew who he was. He admitted that not knowing a few songs from the Rodriguez back catalogue will get your South African passport revoked.

We're both considering tickets to his concert in February.

I'm still amazed it too so long to find this gem.



Today's Song:


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