SugarMan.org

The Official Rodriguez Website

Rodriguez - The Music

"... It's not a song it's an outburst ..."

Guitar Chords

These songs have been transcribed and supplied by various people and a big thank you to all of them. Rodriguez had a very tattered Cold Fact songbook with him on the 1998 South African tour. I couldn't get to scan or photocopy it, but I did get to touch it!
Brian Currin

Cold Fact Music Book
I first heard Cold fact in the early eighties. I was in my late teensand a member or the Young Socialists. The music was cool and the lyrics hithome. I grew up in the inner city of Sydney, Australia. I was learning to play guitar. I went out and bought the sheet music in a book format for the whole Cold Fact album. I still have it. The pages are white with blue print. I still love to play his music.

The sheet music is titled "Rodriguez Cold Fact".
Here is some info from the book.
This book was compiled and produced by David Hayes for and on behalf ofUnited Artists Music(Aust.) Pty. Ltd. Music arrangements by Ivor Davies. Engraving by Harmony Music Copy Services Sydney.Cover artwork by kind permission of Blue Goose Music Pty. Ltd. and SevenRecords. Inside artwork by Sue Rooke. Booth Printing Australia. Sole selling agents: Festival Music Pty. Ltd.

I dont know if this is the catalogue number but it has "F 820" on the backcover. The cover is the same as the album cover except it has a white background.
Warren, Australia, June 1999

Biography from Australian music book for Cold Fact, published in the early '80s.
Info supplied by Warren, July 1999.

COLD FACT SONGBOOK

"It's not a song it's an outburst" - Rodriguez

Rodriguez is a young Detroit native of Mexican background who grew up in the slums of motor city and managed to escape because of his intelligence and soul. He sees himself as a mouthpiece for the many sided unhappiness of the American system and is tempted by a very live sense of urgency to help the people who can't emerge themselves and to fight the system that gives them no chance. He jokes: "You'll see man, I'm gonna get the Grammy Award and I'll stand up there and I'll say 'Thank you very much everybody for liking my songs but I want to tell you, the children of the inner city are starving!"

Rodriguez first started as a ghetto minstrel, he wrote blues songs about the inner city, wasted lives, junk and hookers. He was born with his talent for melodies and phrasing and became a sponge for all his ideologies and social concerns and poignantly portrayed his anger and disillusionment through his songs.

At this stage he was signed to a small recording company. A couple of standard R&B songs were produced but this agreement folded, due to lack of interest and Rodriguez's distaste for status and economic success.

Rodriguez is not an idealist, he practically attempts to change the system which he believes is grossly unfair to a large proportion of humanity. He has now retired from recording and has graduated as a Social Worker and is working for the Common Council.

Rodriguez has recorded two albums 'Cold Fact' and 'Coming to Reality'. 'Cold Fact' was originally released many years ago and after heavy demand was finally re-released. The twelve songs on the album are lyrical portraits of human suffering and problems. Though brutally real, all of Rodriguez's material contains humour and hope, confidence that the revolution is half way here and like all outbursts it's easier to listen to than live.