RODRIGUEZ : Cause [1971]

This has to be one of the most emotionally 'challenging' song by the rediscovered Rodriguez, and part of a great vignette on the "Searching For Sugar Man" documentary.  Starting with an almost demo-like quality to his acoustic guitar, his strong voice then hits you with depressing lyric after lyric.  The sweet string section enters around 0:54, and intersperses with Rodriguez' chords and words for 5+ minutes...

Cause I lost my job two weeks before Christmas
And I talked to Jesus at the sewer 
And the Pope said it was none of his God-damned business

While the rain drank champagne
My Estonian Archangel came and got me wasted 
Cause the sweetest kiss I ever got is the one I've never tasted

Oh but they'll take their bonus pay to Molly McDonald,
Neon ladies, beauty is that which obeys, is bought or borrowed

Cause my heart's become a crooked hotel full of rumours
But it's I who pays the rent for these fingered-face out-of-tuners

And I make 16 solid half hour friendships every evening
Cause your queen of hearts who is half a stone 
And likes to laugh alone is always threatening you with leaving 

Oh but they play those token games on Willy Thompson
And give a medal to replace the son of Mrs. Annie Johnson

Cause they told me everybody's got to pay their dues 
And I explained that I had overpaid them 
So overdued I went to the company store
and the clerk there said that they had just been invaded

So I set sail in a teardrop and escaped beneath the doorsill
Cause the smell of her perfume echoes in my head still

Cause I see my people trying to drown the sun 
In weekends of whiskey sours
Cause how many times can you wake up in this comic book and plant flowers?

Song: "Cause" by Rodriguez

From the LP "COMING FROM REALITY" [Sussex] Nov. 1971

LINEUP :
Rodriguez : guitar, vocals
Jimmy Horowitz : arrangement

Link in title