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At His Best

A compilation album released in Australia
and New Zealand only.

Tracks | Releases| Comments | Sleeve notes | Lyrics | Chords

1. Crucify YourMind (2.28)
   from Cold Fact
2. Sugar Man(3.45)
   from Cold Fact
3. Sandrevan Lullaby(6.35) see comments
   from Coming From Reality
4. Inner City Blues(3.23)
   from Cold Fact
5. Can't Get Away(3.53)
6. I Wonder (2.30)
   from Cold Fact
7. I'll Slip Away(2.50)
8. Street Boy(3.43)
9. Cause (5.24)
   from Coming From Reality
10. Jane S Piddy(2.51)
    from Cold Fact
11. Establishment Blues(2.04) see comments
    from Cold Fact

Total time: 40.10 (All track times taken from CD)

Releases:

This album was first released in June 1977 on BlueGoose Music (The actual disc credits Blue Beat, a subsidiary of Blue Goose). The catalogue number was BGM-1001. It reached #28 on the Australian album charts.

New Zealand: I have 'At his best' as well as 'Cold Fact'. Both are virtually in mint condition as I've maybe played them 3 or 4 times between the both of them. They are distributed by Festival records in New Zealand. 'At his best' 1977, Interfusion, L 36338 and 'Cold Fact' 1978, Interfusion, L34226, SMX 38229 (SXBS-7000), 1978 A&M RECORDS, Sussex... Licensed by Blue Goose Music Pty Ltd. Both distributed by Festival Records (NZ) Ltd Auckland
- Cliff, New Zealand, August 2000

It was re-issued in 1986, this time on BMG Arista (Ariola) with cat. number BGM 001. In 1993 RCA Australia (distributed by BMG) released the CD on cat. no. VPCD6748.

Comments:

• Sandrevan Lullaby
  The full title of this track is actually Sandrevan Lullaby - Lifestyles. "Sandrevan Lullaby" is the instrumental intro section and "Lifestyles" is the biting commentary piece about life in America. The timing on the original LP is 5.00 compared to 6.35 on the CD. The instrumental intro, a wonderful guitar/violin duet (played on a Stradivarius, says Rodriguez), is slightly longer on the CD version and is repeated again at the end. I guess it had originally been edited for some obscure reason. The At His Best CD is the only place to find the full-length version of this track on CD.
  
  
• Establishment Blues
  Full title: This Is Not A Song, It's An Outburst: Or The EstablishmentBlues
  
  
• The album cover is a collage of the images from Cold Fact and Coming From Reality (i.e. The Bubble and The Steps). It is also very similar to After The Fact, the South African only re-issue of Coming From Reality released in 1976.
  
  
• The Best Of Rodriguez album released in 1982 in South Africa has exactly the same tracks, but a completely different cover.
  
  
• The 3 previously unreleased tracks (Can't Get Away, I'll Slip Away and Street Boy) were recordedsometime in the mid-70s (Rodriguez thinks maybe 1976).
  
  I'll Slip Away was released as a single by Impact Records in August 1967 and credited to Rod Riguez (composed by Sixto D. Rodriguez). Released on The Best Of Impact Records CD (Collectables COL-5883) in November 1997. More here...
  


• The original LP included a lyric sheet with some errors. No lyrics were included with the 1993 CD re-issue. Clicking on the song titles will take you to the lyrics pages.

Sleeve notes from LP backcover (omitted from CD cover):
This album contains the only available recordings of a unique singer/songwriter:Rodriguez.
Five songs (6 actually) originated on his first albumCold Fact, three (2)came from his second album Coming From Reality,and three have never previously appeared on record. Both Rodriguez's earlieralbums are now completely unavailable and much sought-after collector'sitems, and the man himself has chosen to drop from the public view. Nevertheless,the demand for his music continues unabated. Hear why for yourself.