Searching for Sugar Man (Original Motion Picture Soundtrack) [Soundtrack]

Rodriguez, Sixto Rodriguez | Format: Audio CD

Product Details

• Audio CD (July 24, 2012)
• Original Release Date: 2012
• Number of Discs: 1
• Format: Soundtrack
• Label: Sony Legacy
• ASIN: B007ZRZWOA
• Also Available in: Audio CD  |  Vinyl  |  MP3 Music
• Average Customer Review: 4.8 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (356 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #67 in Music (See Top 100 in Music)
  • #5 in Music > Soundtracks

Editorial Reviews

SEARCHING FOR SUGAR MAN is a film about hope, inspiration and the resonating power of music. In the late '60s, two celebrated producers who were struck by his soulful melodies and prophetic lyrics discovered a musician in a Detroit bar. They recorded an album that they believed was going to secure his reputation as one of the greatest recording artists of his generation. In fact, the album bombed and the singer disappeared into obscurity amid rumors of a gruesome on-stage suicide. But a bootleg recording found its way into apartheid South Africa and, over the next two decades, it became a phenomenon. Two South African fans then set out to find out what really happened to their hero. Their investigation led them to a story more extraordinary than any of the existing myths about the artist known as Rodriguez. This soundtrack consists of a selection of songs featured in the film but originally found on Rodriguez's records COLD FACT and COMING FROM REALITY.

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

129 of 135 people found the following review helpful

5.0 out of 5 stars A `musico-politico' masterpiece July 24, 2012

By Robert Carraher

Format:Audio CD

you can read the myths, the rumors and the strange trip that went into making this movie. basically, Rodriguez was a Mexican-American from inner city Detroit who wrote and made two records that were absolutely brilliant but went nowhere. Then when it seemed Rodriguez star had faded, a bootleg found its way to South Africa where it became a rallying point in the anti-Apartheid movement reigniting interest in these two brilliant albums of funky psychedelic folk music from a man called the Latino Dylan. Certainly his songs would feel right at home in a Dylan repetoir.

The myth formed that he had set himself on fire at the end of a show with the lines that ended one of his songs, "Thanks for your time. And you can thank me for mine. And after that's said, Forget it. Bag it, man." and then ended his life in a flash. except that was nothing but legend, part of the myth of this man and how it took a decade for his masterpiece first album to go platnum half way around the world.

The music is brilliant. the song lyrics are still relivant today, and maybe more so. "This system's gonna fall soon, to an angry young tune-and that's a concrete cold fact." and when he sings of Rich Folks Hoax you can only wonder if he isn't the voice of todays 98%.When you hear "Crucify Your Mind", it sounds like the best that Dylan ever wrote. "Sugar Man" is a tale of life in the real inner city. Music like this, and a tale like this won't die.

The film is a great piece of entertainment, a great piece of `musico-politico' history. And now he is out touring again. get the sound track, it concists of music from both albums. See the movie if you can.

The Dirty Lowdown

59 of 61 people found the following review helpful

5.0 out of 5 stars GENIUS!! Simply put... August 6, 2012

By Larry Davis

Format:Audio CD

Firstly, like most Americans, I genuinely had never heard of this guy, Detroiter Sixto Rodriguez. But I read about this documentary movie about his career getting resurrected, how his bombed 1st album "Cold Fact" was bootlegged and beloved among anti-apartheid South African youth...I thought "Wow, that's cool!!", and I love the taste of people from the southern hemisphere, having known this kid in high school who was an exchange student from Perth, Australia in 1984/1985...would not be surprised if he was a Rodriguez fan either.

So, I had read about the movie, Rodriguez himself & this soundtrack/best-of CD, was in my local BestBuy, it was in the back of my mind and was curious if they had it...didn't think they would, but they did, for an unbelievable $6.99...so I took a chance and snapped it up, the price was right...best musical decision of the year by far...WOW...a total epiphany!!

My friend I was with had never heard of Rodriguez either but was curious to hear it...so I popped it on and "Sugar Man" came on...blew us both away and we were singing "Sugar Man" the whole time, even while having dinner and hanging afterwards...still singing it, it's permanently in my brain. But the other 13 cuts on the CD are equally mind-boggling as well, like SA fave "I Wonder"...like, why doesn't the whole world know this song?? Love his mix of timeless social commentary that still stings and feels like he's talking 2012, let alone 1970!! "A Most Disgusting Song" cracked me up too. Rodriguez is clearly my fave rediscovered artist of 2012. Stylewise, he is VERY Dylanesque, that's very clear, but just as much, he reminds me of Leonard Cohen if LC had a better singing voice...LOVE LC, one of my faves, but his vocal range is quite limited......Rodriguez has a better range and more dynamics and elasticity in his voice. He is of Mexican descent, but there's no accent, which was startling at first. The guy is not one-dimensional, his style is varied, which in a way makes him more listenable than Dylan to my ears...as much as I love Dylan...he's almost a higher-pitched Neil Diamond or something...but as appealing as his melodies are, his lyrics really hit you and even sting a little.

People say "better late than never", and he is 70 now, but still, I feel like his career was robbed a bit because he had this accidental success down under and he never got to enjoy it as it was happening, nor did he get paid until recently, living in obscurity and lost doing construction and living low-key...people thought he was dead. I love that on the back of the CD, it says he will be getting paid from royalties from this CD...I hope he is from the reissues of his 2 albums as well from Light In The Attic, and his sales down under.

He is touring now, playing in NYC on August 31st...I will be there...Rodriguez really is a living genius. Read more ›

63 of 68 people found the following review helpful

5.0 out of 5 stars Works nicely as a "Greatest Hits" collection July 24, 2012

By T. A. Daniel TOP 500 REVIEWER

Format:MP3 Music

Searching For Sugar Man is a film about Sixto Rodriguez -- he was a folk musician from the early 1970's, and after two albums and a compilation disc, he seemed to disappear off the face of the Earth. While gaining some popularity in South Africa (likely due to the thematic content of his lyrics), he's been relatively obscure in America. The documentary chronicles two longtime fans who attempt to find Rodriguez and discover his fate. Searching for Sugar Man uses many of the songwriter's best songs from his only two albums (COLD FACT and COMING FROM REALITY) and effectively functions as a lovingly made greatest hits collection.

Many of the lyrics and themes that Rodriguez penned pegged him as a "protest artist," similar to Bob Dylan. Many of these songs are pessimistic; ideas of oppression, loss of control, and civil unrest fill many of his songs. Even though these songs come from different albums, the lyrical themes and style that Rodriguez uses makes this soundtrack feel like a cohesive and cogent record.

For fans of Bob Dylan, I would highly recommend this soundtrack -- it's a great sampling of a long lost artist's work. For those interested, I would highly recommend the opening track, "Sugar Man." It's Rodriguez's biggest hit, and it sums up his work nicely. For a singer/songwriter whose music has been lost for quite some time, this compilation is quite a gem.

76 of 93 people found the following review helpful

1.0 out of 5 stars NO! BUY BOTH OF THE ALBUMS! January 28, 2013

By S. Stalcup

Format:Audio CD

Well-intentioned though this soundtrack to the documentary is, there is no reason not to get the two albums Cold Fact and Coming From Reality instead. In fact, if you opt for this instead of grabbing both of Rodriguez's releases (Note: There are no unreleased tracks on here) you are cheating yourself out of the rest of his brilliant, nearly forgotten work.

"And that's a concrete cold fact."

EDIT: Okay, so I'm getting marked unhelpful for telling people to buy both of the albums instead of a best-of. An action that would bring in more money to the label and hopefully for Rodriguez in his old age and give the consumer more brilliant music to enjoy. It's a Win/Win and I'm being docked for it? What a strange world we live in.