Rodriguez - Inner City Blues Lyrics






Going down a dirty inner city side road
I plotted
Madness passed me by, she smiled hi
I nodded
Looked up as the sky began to cry
She shot it.
Met a girl from Dearborn, early six o'clock this morn
A cold fact
Asked about her bag, suburbia's such a drag
Won't go back
'Cos Papa don't allow no new ideas here
And now he sees the news, but the picture's not too clear.
Mama, Papa, stop
Treasure what you got
Soon you may be caught
Without it
The curfew's set for eight
Will it ever all be straight
I doubt it.
7 jealous fools playing by her rules
Can't believe her
He feels so in between, can't break the scene
It would grieve her
And that's the reason why he must cry
He'll never leave her.
Crooked children, yellow chalk
writing on the concrete walk
Their King died
Drinking from a Judas cup,
looking down but seeing up
Sweet red wine
'Cos Papa don't allow no new ideas here
And now you hear the music
but the words don't sound too clear.
Mama, Papa, stop
Treasure what you got
Soon you may be caught
Without it
The curfew's set for eight
Will it ever all be straight
I doubt it.
Going down a dusty, Georgian side road
I wonder
The wind splashed in my face
can smell a trace
Of thunder.





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Rodriguez Inner City Blues Comments
  1. B.... M....

    مرسي

  2. M.... G....

    A man who collapsed the wall

  3. T.... B....

    I blame Baby Boomers for not picking up Rodriguez’ music during the late 60s/early 70s. He is a true lyrical genius, and I’m lucky to have stumbled upon him.

  4. a.... c....

    hey zimmerman, if you are listening, learn!

  5. c.... s....

    my uncle introduced me to Rodriguez one evening when we stayed up late listening to music. This was the last time i ever saw him before he took his own life, he had amazing taste in music and Rodriguez music will always remind me of him

    c.... s....

    He never took his own life.

  6. T.... ....

    I don't speak french and I don't know who is SEB, but sah quelle dinguerie

    T.... ....

    Fais genre ;) Personne t'a grillé haha

    T.... ....

    who Seb is.* Grilled ! :p

  7. Y.... Z....

    This song is very interesting...
    I... Like it :)

  8. E.... D....

    Où sont les fritos

  9. D.... D....

    C est pas mon style de musique mais c'est trop bien

  10. S.... ....

    Merci Seb de nous avoir fait découvrir une légende 🏆

    S.... ....

    Tellement ! C'est fou j'avais jamais entendu une seule de ses chansons et maintenant j'écoute toute sa discographie et c'est juste un génie 😍

  11. S.... R....

    MERCI SEB !

  12. C.... A....

    Merci Seb ✌👍

    C.... A....

    Perfectly said

  13. j.... ....

    He was huge in Australia in the early 70's. I loved his music he is a Genius!

  14. P.... M....

    Listening in NZ November 2019. [Thanks SA for burying the English at the WRC!]

  15. p.... l....

    HIS THE BEST

  16. k.... f....

    很牛逼的歌手

  17. A.... F....

    Watching The Black Godfather on Netflix led me here. A man named Clarence Avant is responsible for signing Sixto. I'm not gonna lie. When I saw the title I thought me may have sampled Marvin Gaye's song of the same title.

  18. M.... S....

    For those people liking his music I would recommend the Oscar winning documentary "Searching For Sugar Man". You will find out that he never found any appreciation or recognition of his talent in US. He found recognition in Australia and then in South Africa he became a star. It seems that he returned to US, but as I said all interested fans may look for the documentary.

  19. v.... ....

    I got this album in South Africa and its is still relvent.

  20. J.... b....

    I know why he didn’t get famous his voice sounds like an annoying French radio host with a slight speech impediment sounds like he’s never taken his sunglasses off ever and it wasn’t up beat enough music for the time I hate it sounds like shit that’s why guys!

    Nah I’m just kiddin I love it 🥰

  21. A.... S....

    Mexican-american proud!!!! Long live sugar man

  22. t.... c....

    Been listening to this album since I was 14 now 56. Still love it. So cool, you dig. Adelaide South Australia.

    t.... c....

    me too since a teenager now 52. Cheers Tim from NZ

  23. S.... B....

    little Croce, no

  24. C.... W....

    Ever since I heard this song back in the late 70s the end of the song were it trails off i always sung you want it,I've got it,I've got it,you want it,but that's just me rite?

  25. M.... ....

    great basslines

  26. D.... K....

    Clever lirasist with a backbeat ya cant resist

  27. J.... L....

    Je suis arrivée à la maison.

  28. T.... R....

    What makes this better is that he was Mexican-American.....Chicano Power!!!

  29. R.... B....

    Great man

  30. s.... C....

    Saw him last year

  31. F.... ....

    Who came here because of the documentary " Searching for Sugar Man"...

  32. j.... l....

    I wish people would stop insisting on comparing him with Dylan. Just enjoy a musical treasure!!!!

    j.... l....

    Only reason they compare him to Dylan is because it was mentioned in the documentary. Don't you know that most people are just parrot's? They repeat what they hear. It's not their opinion. They are repeating what they heard someone else say, and passing it along as their own opinion. Got to love people. Such phonies.

  33. n.... ....

    Nice lyrics but not nearly as deep as Kanye

    n.... ....

    I hope thats a joke

    n.... ....

    Yes it is

  34. M.... N....

    i love classic music..iam still 28..i came to know abt Rodriguez 5 years back..ill never be old now.. \/

  35. S.... T....

    Don't monetize other's content.

    S.... T....

    Is there something I can do about that? And what do you exactly mean by monetize? I am not seeing ads.
    I saw a similar comment before on one of my uploads.

  36. A.... ....

    Just a bit average.Apart from Crucify my Mind I can`t see what the fuss is about.Better than Bob Dylan don`t make me laugh

    A.... ....

    I'd take Sixto over Bob any day of the week.

  37. A.... C....

    Bob Dylan could have learned a thing or two from Rodriguez... The best artist no one ever heard of....

    A.... C....

    Are you for real?Bob Dylan is a genius that no one can compare with

  38. B.... C....

    This guy could have rivaled bob dylan

  39. Z.... ....

    Bro i dont wanna listen to this during the break fuck me wtf is this shit come on cuh. This isn’t 1971

  40. s.... s....

    Very Cool. Defiantly a Talented Guy.

  41. O.... L....

    "Going down a dirty inner city side road
    I plotted
    Madness passed me by, she smiled hi
    I nodded
    Looked up as the sky began to cry
    She shot it

    Met a girl from Dearborn, early six o'clock this morn
    A cold fact
    Asked about her bag, suburbia's such a drag
    Won't go back
    'Cause Papa don't allow no new ideas here
    And now he sees the news, but the picture's not too clear

    Mama, Papa, stop
    Treasure what you got
    Soon you may be caught
    Without it
    The curfew's set for eight
    Will it ever all be straight
    I doubt it

    7 jealous fools playing by her rules
    Can't believe her
    He feels so in between, can't break the scene
    It would grieve her
    And that's the reason why he must cry
    He'll never leave her

    Crooked children, yellow chalk
    Writing on the concrete walk
    Their King died
    Drinking from a Judas cup
    Looking down but seeing up
    Sweet red wine
    'Cause Papa don't allow no new ideas here
    And now you hear the music
    But the words don't sound too clear

    Mama, Papa, stop
    Treasure what you got
    Soon you may be caught
    Without it
    The curfew's set for eight
    Will it ever all be straight
    I doubt it

    Going down a dusty, Georgian side road
    I wonder
    The wind splashed in my face
    Can smell a trace
    Of thunder"

  42. K.... M....

    Fricken Awesome song

  43. G.... N....

    Being STONED on Durban poison at 12 years old, playing ping pong at the cousins house. whilst waiting for mom to pick you up at 4pm... Life's lessons of how to hold my own? Priceless!!!

  44. S.... M....

    WTF is up with that horrific ad for those save the 8th eejits before this video?!?!

  45. 2.... D....

    It's alright, Ma, the inner city blues are only bleeding

  46. S.... ....

    As a South African, hearing that people didn't know this man in other countries is nothing but strange, cold fact is an iconic album that many of us are raised off of. Almost every single music festival or concert that happens here has at least one cover of one of his songs, usually the brilliant and unique anthem of the people that is sugar man.

    Thank you Rodriguez for the music and thank you to the film makers of Searching For Sugar Man for popularising his music elsewhere.

    S.... ....

    He was known by everyone in Australia and was a staple on radio. He toured here several times including in the mid eighties. Don't believe the bullshit that he didn't know that he was well known. Good myth but not true .

    S.... ....

    Im from a city close to Detroit and I had never heard of him till I saw the movie. I was probably 13 or so when it came out and im so glad that it did. his music is gold.

    S.... ....

    Super weird ha!!,he was also big in Australia,,

    S.... ....

    I just viewed this on Netflix. I never heard of him sadly. Maybe now he will blow up in the states now that it was on Netflix. I love him. He is an amazing songwriter and singer. Good as Bob Dylan.

  47. G.... G....

    Going down a dirty inner city side road
    I plotted
    Madness passed me by, she smiled hi
    I nodded
    Looked up as the sky began to cry
    She shot it

    Met a girl from Dearborn, early six o'clock this morn
    A cold fact
    Asked about her bag, suburbia's such a drag
    Won't go back
    'Cause Papa don't allow no new ideas here
    And now he sees the news, but the picture's not too clear

    Mama, Papa, stop
    Treasure what you got
    Soon you may be caught
    Without it
    The curfew's set for eight
    Will it ever all be straight
    I doubt it

    7 jealous fools playing by her rules
    Can't believe her
    He feels so in between, can't break the scene
    It would grieve her
    And that's the reason why he must cry
    He'll never leave her

    Crooked children, yellow chalk
    Writing on the concrete walk
    Their King died
    Drinking from a Judas cup
    Looking down but seeing up
    Sweet red wine
    'Cause Papa don't allow no new ideas here
    And now you hear the music
    But the words don't sound too clear

    Mama, Papa, stop
    Treasure what you got
    Soon you may be caught
    Without it
    The curfew's set for eight
    Will it ever all be straight
    I doubt it

    Going down a dusty, Georgian side road
    I wonder
    The wind splashed in my face
    Can smell a trace
    Of thunder

  48. n.... ....

    dylan is good but he does not hold a candle to sixto. rodriguez should be in the RnR hall of fame!!

  49. B.... ....

    Been playin Rodriguez forever.....

  50. B.... P....

    la verdad

  51. E.... ....

    I grew up with Sugar Man Latino Detroit USA

    E.... ....

    I met a girl next door in Livonia

  52. L.... D....

    a legend doesn't need to be famous, that simple

  53. F.... J....

    One of my favorite memories is playing the entire Moon Safari album by AIR for Rodriguez in the coal bin under colored light while we shared joints late ‘99 he was really impressed w the album and was always interested in hearing what was happening and inspirational for us…  Got to know him really well beginning in the late 90’s and made some random recordings of our artist group hanging out then, posted one on my channel..  Rodriguez walked all over the Cass Corridor of Detroit constantly, a few times I picked him up or drove him home,, he showed up out of nowhere once when artist Paul Steele and I were painting on the corner of Woodward and Sibley in what was an open field then in the late 90’s and now is the new Detroit hockey stadium that is just being finished, we always drew crowds of street people and often police, the police where with us and Rodriguez came up kicking the dirt and growling like a wolf, we told the police it was ok we knew him well he is a great musician and the police left us alone…  So many stories, very thankful to have got to know him so well then

    F.... J....

    inglis loc

    F.... J....

    Bolox Cold Fact was in 1975

  54. F.... Z....

    Trop bien

  55. J.... S....

    Thank you!

  56. R.... R....

    fue un grande para mi una leyenda.

  57. f.... a....

    MAESTRO

  58. A.... D....

    Bloody text prediction I meant jol.

  59. A.... D....

    Such good meories of Joburg, Ramsgate on holiday. My god we had a job

    A.... D....

    I grew up in Ramsgate, this was my jam in 1999

  60. K.... U....

    Thank you for this video!! Great watch!! If you are interested, please check out our videos. Keep up the good work!

  61. C.... T....

    Perfection!

  62. F.... R....

    ESTUPENDA CANCIÓN DE UN GRAN INTÉRPRETE. GRANDE SIXTO RODRÍGUEZ!!!

  63. R.... J....

    "SEARCHING FOR SUGAR MAN" Documentary Brought me here.

    R.... J....

    another one, prior to this one, it is called "Dead Men Don't Tour - Rodriguez in South Africa 1998 (TV Documentary)"

    R.... J....

    yes.. coz was not that 6records sold in america who would

    R.... J....

    And me in 2019.

  64. D.... R....

    Some bad ass music rock on R

  65. A.... l....

    What a fucking tune the production in this song is amazing

    A.... l....

    the best subproduct of the industry
    what a shame !!!

  66. G.... F....

    I weep for what could have been. this guy is better than Dylan. hands down.

    G.... F....

    It was the name that killed him. The Record Company should've had him go by Sixto. Back then anyone who saw "Rodriguez" on a record would automatically think it was latin inspired music. And who the hell likes Latin music except for people from latin countries? There was no way to know what was on a record back then without actually taking it out and playing it first so you had to guess from the name and the cover whether you'd like it.

    G.... F....

    Yeah ain't that a cold fact

    G.... F....

    When I first heard him in the 70s I knew him as jesus Rodriguez

    G.... F....

    @Allen Sloot you just compared!

  67. s.... d....

    ...MADNESS PASSED ME BY.....................

  68. D.... H....

    phenomenal

  69. G.... C....

    What a legend.

  70. L.... L....

    Toots and the maytal

  71. S.... ....

    better than Dylan

    S.... ....

    Easy there, people. Without Dylan there would have been no Rodriguez. Dylan created this genre.

    S.... ....

    Jeez. Wake up.

    S.... ....

    BULL SHIT

  72. D.... H....

    highly underrated genius

    D.... H....

    I think he's great!

    D.... H....

    that's the fucking movie!!!

    D.... H....

    Love this song.

    D.... H....

    Recently discovered Rodriguez and I don't understand how he never made it big. He's so talented and his lyics are phenomenal. It really speaks to me and I consider it the sound my soul makes

    D.... H....

    Knuckleball Lady he did make it big. Just in South Africa. His music was used in the anti-aparteid movement.

  73. T.... M....

    Good old stuff

  74. N.... M....

    met a girl from dearborn six o'clock this morning a cold fact

  75. A.... W....

    Rodriguez is thee man

    A.... W....

    +Amy Wood Oh, yes! I'm happy to see someone understands

    A.... W....

    big here in australia in the 70's...cold fact...

  76. R.... W....

    your music is so unique your voice and your phrasing it's something I've never heard the things you sing about where exactly what's going on in the seventies and still is your music is in my blood love Rosa Welch

  77. s.... s....

    45 jealous fools, playing by some stupid rule.

  78. a.... ....

    Blues del Centro de la Ciudad

    Bajando por el polvoriento camino del centro de la ciudad,
    que yo tracé.
    La locura andó junto a mi, ella sonrió hola,
    asentí con la cabeza.
    Levanté la mirada mientras el cielo comenzaba a llorar,
    ella lo provocó.

    Encontré a una chica de Dearborn
    a las seis en punto de esta madrugada
    una fría realidad.
    Preguntada por su pesar,
    el suburbio es un asco,
    no voy a volver.
    Porque papá no permite nuevas ideas allí,
    y ahora él mira las noticias,
    pero las cosas no están demasiado claras.

    Mamá, papá, alto
    el tesoro que teneis,
    pronto podeis encontraros
    sin él.
    El toque de queda a las ocho
    ¿podrá mantenerse en pié?
    Lo dudo.

    Siete tontos envidiosos
    actuando segun sus reglas
    no pueden creerle.
    El se siente tan enmedio,
    no puede romper la escena,
    esto le atormentará.
    Y esta es la razón
    por la que le debe proclamar,
    que nunca la va a abandonar.

    Hijos descarriados, tiza amarilla
    escribiendo en el paseo de cemento,
    que su Rey ha muerto.
    Bebiendo del vaso de Judas,
    mirando abajo, pero pensando alto,
    dulce vino tinto.
    Porque papá no permite nuevas ideas aquí,
    y ahora tu escuchas la música,
    pero las palabras no suenan demasiado bien.

    Mamá, papá, alto
    el tesoro que teneis,
    pronto podeis encontraros
    sin él.
    El toque de queda a las ocho
    ¿podrá mantenerse en pié?
    Lo dudo.

    Bajando por el polvoriento,
    camino de Georgia,
    Me sorprendo.
    El viento salpica mi cara,
    puedo oler el vestigio
    del trueno.



    Taken from http://lyricstranslate.com/fr/inner-city-blues-inner-city-blues.html#ixzz3f1iIcast

  79. a.... ....

    fantanstico encontre las parablas en castellano en internet : lyricstranslate.com

    a.... ....

    grande amigo buscándolas, gracias por el aporte

  80. a.... ....

    c mon préféré

  81. G.... S....

    damm only now  the albums  are getting known ..

  82. M.... F....

    Massive Choon.

  83. A.... C....

    LISTEN TO THIS
    http://youtu.be/Yu8G8_oWMt8

    Amazing cover of this song

  84. L.... P....

    Ascoltando il silenzio compresi quanto è immensa la musica♥

  85. L.... ....

    Please you are the god of music here in earth , oh all haters to me cmon :/

  86. t.... ....

    Can someone recommend an artist that has a similar style to Rodriguez, except Bob Dylan.

    t.... ....

    Try Jim Croce

    t.... ....

    Leonard Cohen's Songs from a Room is kinda similar.

    t.... ....

    +tothebreakofdawn You want to hear something close to Rodriguez, check out Townes Van Zandt. His music is very powerful and meant for the real world. However, in my opinion, Sixto Rodriguez is the best there ever was.

    t.... ....

    Tom Waits "Early Years" albums definitely come to mind. Worth a listen!

    t.... ....

    Garland Jeffreys

  87. H.... E....

    좋은 노래 잘 듣고 갑니다.

  88. B.... T....

    he's better than bob dylan ? i'm thinking thats a little tongue in cheek
    I love them both, we are going to see rodriguez, he will be great

    B.... T....

    I've found Dylan to be quite hit and miss- more a poet than a musician, I couldn't listen to everything he's done and love it all. Whereas Rodriguez has the perfect mix of music and poetry: there is not a song of his I don't love.

    B.... T....

    @Devils Advocate actually.... there's this one utterly disgusting song.....

    B.... T....

    @Devils Advocate i see what you did there

  89. L.... K....

    so easy to get lost in this great man's music

  90. S.... E....

    good stuff

    S.... E....

    Yes I agree xxx

  91. S.... E....

    excellent...

  92. Z.... R....

    Blues++++++++++!I like it+++!!!!!!!!

  93. J.... B....

    Chill out, relax and breathe
     http://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLz9yzF9KZen6elty0ut35Z9M-HdqR0wPd

  94. N.... C....

    really great!

  95. a.... g....

    Nice to come across something i'd never heard before...found i wonder earlier and now this  can,t wait to hear more tks....

  96. v.... m....

    this guy is a genius cant help but feel sorry for him got ripped off big time from that gangsta from sussex records mother fucker...

    v.... m....

    He also ripped off Bill Withers. Bill sued him and that led to Sussex folding up and Bill also got the rights to his music which CBS Records reissued...