Music that impacted the anti-apartheid movement

I would like to share with you the story of Sixto Rodriguez, a Mexican-American songwriter who was very famous in South Africa, but he didn't know it. 

How did Rodriguez impact South Africa?

South Africa during the Apartheid Regime was an incredibly oppressive regime. For years, the government censored all material that was deemed a threat to them. All media outlets were state run and in many cases, South Africans did not have a television. South Africa housed a massive collection of songs which talked about sex, drugs and anti establishment over the years that were forbidden to be played by radio stations. In fact, playing such songs was practically impossible as they had destroyed many of the tracks on vinyl.

Rodriguez was the first musician that spoke about standing up against the oppressor that got heard in South Africa. Much of this was made possible to the bootlegging of his albums which could partially explain why he was unaware that he was famous in South Africa. In the film “Searching for Sugarman”, a man named Sugar Segerman explains how Rodriguez’s songs, including “Sugar Man” and “I Wonder” became anthems for the country’s white youth who began to stand up against Apartheid.

The first anti-apartheid movement groups derived from rock musicians listening to his words. His songs were leading these people to really wake up to the problems in South Africa. The story of Sixto Rodriguez is an incredibly unique one. For a man to have such an influence on a nation and not even be aware of it sounds like it is made up. For many years South Africans believed Rodriguez was dead; many different stories had circulated throughout the country in the last 30 years. The most difficult thing about Rodriguez was that he was a complete mystery to South Africans. In 1997, Stephen “Sugar” Segerman set up a website, called ‘The Great Rodriguez Hunt’, with the intention of finding any information about the mysterious US musician of ‘Cold Fact’ fame. In the same year Brian Currin established ‘Climb Up On My Music’, a tribute site to the life and works of Rodriguez. In 1998, when Rodriguez was discovered, alive and well and living in Detroit, by Sugar and Craig Bartholomew Strydom, the search was over. South Africa had finally found the man responsible for inspiring many South Africans during a very troubled time.

(Source: https://jryantheaed.wordpress.com/2015/08/04/sugar-man-empowering-anti-apartheid-south-africa/ )

The documentary "Searching for Sugar Man" tells the story of how this musician who failed to succeed in his own country, became so famous in South Africa. And the most interesting thing is that he didn't know this for more 25 years! I highly recommend this documentary! I'll leave the trailer for you to see it and one of his most famous songs during the Apartheid, which is considered the  anti-apartheid anthem. I hope you like it!

"This is not a song, it's an outburst: or the Establishment Blues"

The mayor hides the crime rate
Council woman hesitates
Public gets irate but forget the vote date
Weatherman complaining, predicted sun, it's raining
Everyone's protesting, boyfriend keeps suggesting
You're not like all of the rest

Garbage ain't collected, women ain't protected
Politicians using people, they've been abusing
The mafia's getting bigger, like pollution in the river
And you tell me that this is where it's at

Woke up this moming with an ache in my head
Splashed on my clothes as I spilled out of bed
Opened the window to listen to the news
But all I heard was the Establishment's Blues

Gun sales are soaring, housewives find life boring
Divorce the only answer smoking causes cancer
This system's gonna fall soon, to an angry young tune
And that's a concrete cold fact

The pope digs population, freedom from taxation
Teeny Bops are up tight, drinking at a stoplight
Miniskirt is flirting I can't stop so I'm hurting
Spinster sells her hopeless chest

Adultery plays the kitchen, bigot cops non-fiction
The little man gets shafted, sons and monies drafted
Living by a time piece, new war in the far east
Can you pass the Rorschach test?

It's a hassle is an educated guess
Well, frankly I couldn't care less

Searching for Sugar Man trailer