Rodriguez Lyrics

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Alive Live Fact Sugar Man - The Best Searching For Sugar Man (soundtrack)

Cold Fact Lyrics

Lyrics taken from the 1971 South African album back cover and 1991 South African CD booklet. Corrections by Brian Currin. Updated February 2008 for Light In The Attic CD release.

1. Sugar Man 2. Only Good For Conversation 3. Crucify Your Mind 4. This Is Not A Song,It's an Outburst: Or, The Establishment Blues 5. Hate Street Dialogue 6. Forget It 7. Inner City Blues 8. I Wonder 9. Like Janis 10. Gommorah (A Nursery Rhyme) 11. Rich Folks Hoax 12. Jane S. Piddy

SUGAR MAN

Sugar man, won't you hurry 'Cos I'm tired of these scenesFor a blue coin won't you bring back All those colors to my dreams

Silver magic ships you carryJumpers, coke, sweet Mary Jane

Sugar man met a false friend On a lonely dusty road

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Lost my heart when I found itIt had turned to dead black coal

Silver magic ships you carryJumpers, coke, sweet Mary Jane

Sugar man you're the answerThat makes my questions disappear Sugar man 'cos I'm wearyOf those double games I hear

Sugar man, Sugar man, Sugar man, Sugar man, Sugar man, Sugar man, Sugar man

Sugar man, won't you hurry 'Cos I'm tired of these scenesFor the blue coin won't you bring back All those colors to my dreams

Silver magic ships you carryJumpers, coke, sweet Mary Jane

Sugar man met a false friend On a lonely dusty roadLost my heart when I found itIt had turned to dead black coal

Silver magic ships you carryJumpers, coke, sweet Mary Jane

Sugar man you're the answerThat makes my questions disappear

ONLY GOOD FOR CONVERSATION

My pocket don't drive me fastMy mother treats me slow My statue's got a concrete heartBut you're the coldest bitch I know

In the factory that you call your mind Graveyard thoughts of stone A master thief I wouldn't enter there You've nothing I would care to own, so help me

You're pretending that you got it madeYou know I know you know no truthYou're still serving cookies and kool-aidYou're so proper and so cute

My pocket don't drive me fastMy mother treats me slow My statue's got a concrete heartBut you're the coldest bitch I know, so help me

CRUCIFY YOUR MIND

Was it a huntsman or a player

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That made you pay the costThat now assumes relaxed positions And prostitutes your loss? Were you tortured by your own thirstIn those pleasures that you seek That made you Tom the curious That makes you James the weak?

And you claim you got something goingSomething you call unique But I've seen your self-pity showingAs the tears rolled down your cheeks

Soon you know I'll leave you And I'll never look behind'Cos I was born for the purpose That crucifies your mindSo con, convince your mirrorAs you've always done before Giving substance to shadows Giving substance ever more

And you assume you got something to offer Secrets shiny and newBut how much of you is repetitionThat you didn't whisper to him too

THIS IS NOT A SONG IT'S AN OUTBURST: OR THE ESTABLISHMENT BLUES

The mayor hides the crime ratecouncil 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 protectedPoliticians using, people they're abusingThe mafia's getting bigger, like pollution in the riverAnd you tell me that this is where it's at

Woke up this morning with an ache in my headI splashed on my clothes as I spilled out of bed I opened the window to listen to the news But all I heard was the Establishment's Blues.

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

The pope digs population, freedom from taxationTeeny Bops are uptight, drinking at a stoplightMiniskirt is flirting I can't stop so I'm hurtingSpinster sells her hopeless chest

Adultery plays the kitchen, bigot cops non-fictionThe little man gets shafted, sons and monies drafted

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Living by a time piece, new war in the Far EastCan you pass the Rorschach test?

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

HATE STREET DIALOGUE

Woman please be goneYou've stayed here much too longDon't you wish that you could cryDon't you wish I would die

Seamy, seesaw kids Childwoman on the skids The dust will choke you blindThe lust will choke your mind

I kiss the floor, one kick no more The pig and hose have set me freeI've tasted hate street's hanging treeI've tasted hate street's hanging tree

I kiss the floor, one kick no more The pig and hose have set me freeI've tasted hate street's hanging treeI've tasted hate street's hanging tree

The inner city birthed me The local pusher nursed me Cousins make it on the street They marry every trick they meet

A dime, a dollar they're all the sameWhen a man comes in to bust your game The turnkey comes, his face a grinLocks the cell I'm in again.

I kiss the floor, one kick no more The pig and hose have set me freeI've tasted hate street's hanging treeI've tasted hate street's hanging treeI've tasted hate street's hanging treeI've tasted hate street's hanging tree...

FORGET IT

But thanks for your timeThen you can thank me for mine And after that's saidForget it

Don't be inaneThere's no one to blame No reason why You should stay here And lie to me

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Don't say anymoreJust walk out the door I'll get along fineYou'll see

But thanks for your timeThen you can thank me for mine And after that's saidForget it

If there was a wordBut magic's absurdI'd make one dream come true

It didn't work out But don't ever doubtHow I felt about you

But thanks for your timeThen you can thank me for mine And after that's saidForget it

INNER CITY BLUES

Going down a dirty inner city side road I plottedMadness passed me by, she smiled hiI noddedLooked up as the sky began to cryShe shot it

Met a girl from Dearborn, early six o'clock this mornA cold factAsked about her bag, suburbia's such a dragWon't go back'Cos Papa don't allow no new ideas hereAnd now he sees the news, but the picture's not too clear

Mama, Papa, stop Treasure what you gotSoon you may be caughtWithout itThe curfew's set for eightWill it ever all be straightI doubt it

Seven 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 cryHe'll never leave her

Crooked children, yellow chalkwriting on the concrete walk Their King died Drinking from a Judas cup

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looking down but seeing up Sweet red wine'Cos Papa don't allow no new ideas here And now you hear the musicbut the words don't sound too clear

Mama, Papa, stop Treasure what you gotSoon you may be caughtWithout itThe curfew's set for eightWill it ever all be straightI doubt it

Going down a dusty, Georgian side roadI wonderThe wind splashed in my facecan smell a traceOf thunder

I WONDER

I wonder how many times you've been hadAnd I wonder how many plans have gone badI wonder how many times you had sexAnd I wonder do you know who'll be next I wonder I wonder wonder I do

I wonder about the love you can't findAnd I wonder about the loneliness that's mine I wonder how much going have you gotAnd I wonder about your friends that are notI wonder I wonder wonder I do

I wonder about the tears in children's eyes And I wonder about the soldier that diesI wonder will this hatred ever end I wonder and worry my friendI wonder I wonder wonder don't you?

I wonder how many times you been had And I wonder how many dreams have gone badI wonder how many times you had sexAnd I wonder do you know who'll be nextI wonder I wonder wonder I do

LIKE JANIS

And you measure for wealth by the things you can hold And you measure for love by the sweet things you're toldAnd you live in the past or a dream that you're inAnd your selfishness is your cardinal sin

And you want to be held with highest regard It delights you so much if he's trying so hardAnd you try to conceal your ordinary wayWith a smile or a shrug or some stolen cliché

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But don't you understand, and don't you look aboutI'm trying to take nothing from you So why should you act so put out for me?

'Cos emotionally you're the same basic tripAnd you know that I know of the times that you slip So don't try to impress me, you're just pins and paint And don't try to charm me with things that you ain't

And don't try to enchant me with your manner of dress 'Cos a monkey in silk is a monkey no less So measure for measure reflect on my said And when I won't see you then measure it dead

'Cos don't you understand, and don't you look aboutI'm trying to take nothing from you So why should you act so put out,And sit there in wonder and doubt, for me?

GOMMORAH (A NURSERY RHYME)

Come on down and see me You know my name wellI'm everything you readI've got it to sell

The ladies on my street Aren't there for their health Welfare checks don't paveThe road to much wealth

The cat and the rat thingsGo bump through the night They'll come do a dance thingJust turn off your light

Gommorah is a nursery rhymeYou won't find in the book It's written on your city's face Just stop and take a look

A story of pure hate With pictures between A tale for your kids To help them to dream

Sleep now little children Don't lose your way 'Cos tourists don't see things In the clearness of day

Gommorah is a nursery rhymeYou won't find in the book It's written on your city's face Just stop and take a look

RICH FOLKS HOAX

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The moon is hanging in the purple sky Baby's sleeping while its mother sighsTalking 'bout the rich folksRich folks have the same jokes And they park in basic places

The priest is preaching from a shallow grave He counts his money, then he paints you savedTalking to the young folks Young folks share the same jokesBut they meet in older places

So don't tell me about your successNor your recipes for my happinessSmoke in bedI never could digestThose illusions you claim to have going

The sun is shining, as it's always done Coffin dust is the fate of everyoneTalking 'bout the rich folksThe poor create the rich hoax And only late breast-fed fools believe it

So don't tell me about your successNor your recipes for my happinessSmoke in bedI never could digestThose illusions you claim to have going

JANE S. PIDDY

Now you sit there thinking feeling insecure The mocking court gesture claims there is no proven cure Go back to your chamber, your eyes upon the wall'Cos you got no one to listen, you got no one to call

And you think I'm curious

Drifting, drowning in a purple sea of doubt You wanna hear she loves youbut the words don't fit the mouth You're a loser, a rebel, a cause without

But don't think me callous

Dancing Rosemary, disappearing sister Ruth It's just your yellow appetitethat has you choking on the truth You gave in, you gave out, outlived your dreams of youth

And I can't get jealous

So go on, you'll continue with your nose so open wide Knocking on that door that says "Hurry come inside"But don't bother to buy insurance 'cos you've already died

And you can't be serious

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I saw my reflection in my father's final tears The wind was slowly melting, San Francisco disappears Acid heads, unmade beds, and you Woodward world queers

I know you're lonelyI know you're lonelyI know you're lonely...

Spoken:Thanks for your timeAnd you can thank me for mine And after that's saidForget it

Bag it, man

(Okay)

All lyrics written by Rodriguez except "Gommorah" and "Hate Street Dialogue" by Harvey/Coffey/Theodore

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Coming From Reality / After The Fact Lyrics

Lyrics taken from the South African CD booklet and the original US release of Coming From Reality with modifications, corrections and re-interpretations by Brian   Currin with help from Eva Rodriguez and Toshio Nomura. Updated February 2008 for Light In The Attic CD release.

1. Climb Up On My Music 2. A Most Disgusting Song 3. I Think Of You 4. Heikki's Suburbia Bus Tour 5. Silver Words 6. Sandrevan Lullaby - Lifestyles 7. To Whom It May Concern 8. It Started Out So Nice 9. Halfway Up The Stairs 10. Cause

Bonus Tracks on 2009 re-issue:

11. Can't Get Away 12. Street Boy 13. I'll Slip Away

CLIMB UP ON MY MUSIC

Have you ever had a fever,From a bitter-sweet refrain,Have you ever kissed the sunshine,Walked between the rain.

Well, just climb up on my music,And my songs will set you free,Well, just climb up on my music,And from there jump off with me.

Well, there was a girl named Christmas,Did I tell ya she drank gold,She wasn't very hard to capture,

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But she was rather hard to hold.

Well, just climb up on my music,And my songs will set you free,Well, just climb up on my music,And from there jump off with me.

Have you ever been in darkness, And your mind could find no peace, When you woke up after midnight,Found your swans had turned to geese.

Well, just climb up on my music,And my songs will set you free,Well, just climb up on my music, And from there jump off with me.

A MOST DISGUSTING SONG see original lyric sheet

I've played every kind of gig there is to play nowI've played faggot bars, hooker bars, motorcycle funerals In opera houses, concert halls, halfway houses.

Well I found that in all these places that I've playedall the people that I've played for are the same people So if you'll listen, maybe you'll see someone you know in this song.

A most disgusting song.

The local diddy bop pimp comes inActing limp he sits down with a grinnext to a girl that has never been chased The bartender wipes a smile off his face The delegates cross the floor,curtsy and promenade through the doors,and slowly the evening begins.

And there's Jimmy "Bad Luck" Butts who's just crazy about them East Lafayette weekend sluts Talking is the lawyer in crumpled up shirtAnd everyone's drinking the detergents that cannot remove their hurts

While the Mafia provides your drugs, your government will provide the shrugs, and your national guard will supply the slugs,so they sit all satisfied.

And there's old playboy Ralphwho's always been shorter than himself,and there's a man with his chin in his hand, who knows more than he'll ever understand.

Yeah, every night it's the same old thing Getting high, getting drunk, getting hornyAt the Inn-Between, again.

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And there's the bearded schoolboy with the wooden eyesWho at every scented skirt whispers up and sighs and there's a teacher that will kiss you in French Who could never give love, could only fearfully clench

Yeah, people every night it's the same old thingGetting pacified, ossified, affectionate at Mr. Flood's party, again

And there's the militant with his store-bought soulThere's someone here who's almost a virgin I've been told And there's Linda glass-made who speaks of the pastwho genuflects, salutes, signs the cross and stands at half mast

Yeah, They're all here, the Tiny Tims and the Uncle Toms, redheads, brunettes, brownettes and the dyed haired blondes,Who talk to dogs, chase broads and have hopes of being mobbed,who mislay their dreams and later claim that they were robbed

And every night it's going to be the same old thingGetting high, getting drunk, getting horny Lost, even, at Martha's Vineyard, again

I THINK OF YOU

Just a song we shared, I'll hearBrings memories back when you were hereOf your smile, your easy laughterOf your kiss, those moments afterI think of you,and think of youand think of you.

Of the dreams we dreamt togetherOf the love we vowed would neverMelt like snowflakes in the sunMy days now end as they begun With thoughts of you, and I think of you and think of you.

Down the streets I walked with youSeeing others doing things we doNow these thoughts are haunting meOf how complete I used to be And in these times that we're apartI'll hear this song that breaks my heartAnd think of youAnd I think of youAnd think of you and think of youAnd I do

HEIKKI'S SUBURBIA BUS TOUR

Did you read the Sunday paper about the strong stomached 25 Who from an expedition All came back aliveFrom that hostile country

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Where only the stones surviveOn Heikki's suburbia bus tour one.

Picture-taking touristThe war was half a dealThe natives can't believe itIt all seems so unrealJust to ask the question,Now how does it feelOn Heikki's suburbia bus tour ride

2,752 un-scheduled stopsWatch them kill the crabgrass But look out for the copsHospitals for flowers The matron ladies cryItchy trigger fingersas our caravan walks by Overcrowded laughter 'cause they're all four gallons highOn Heikki's suburbia bus tour ride

Read the Sunday paperthough you may disagreeAbout the maiden voyage of poets A to ZeeNone confuse to answer That happiness is freeOn Heikki's suburbia bus tour ride.

SILVER WORDS

Baby I ain't jokingAnd it's not what I'm smokingI really think you're niceDon't think I'm kidding And don't think that I'm biddingIf silver words are your price

But oh if you could see The change you've made in meThat the angels in the skiesWere envious and surprisedThat anyone as nice as you Would chance with me

But oh if you could seeThe change you've made in meThat the angels in the skiesWere envious and surprised That anyone as nice as youWould chance with me

SANDREVAN LULLABY - LIFESTYLES

Instrumental introduction (guitar/violin duet)

The generals hate holidaysOthers shoot up to chase the sun blues away Another store front church is open

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Sea of neon lights, a boxer his shadow fightsSoldier tired and sailor broken Winter's asleep at my window Cold wind waits at my door She asks me up to her place But I won't be down anymore

Judges with metermaid heartsOrder super market justice startsFrozen children inner cityWalkers in the paper rainWaiting for those knights that never cameThe hi-jacked trying so hard to be pretty

Night rains tap at my window Winds of my thoughts passing by She laughed when I tried to tell herHello only ends in goodbye

America gains another pound Only time will bring some people aroundIdols and flags are slowly meltingAnother shower of riceTo pair it for some will suffice The mouthful asks for second helpings

Moonshine pours through my window The night puts it's laughter away Clouds that pierce the illusionThat tomorrow would be as yesterday...

Instrumental coda

TO WHOM IT MAY CONCERN

Don't sit and waitDon't sit and dream Put on a smileGo find a sceneI'm sure you'd meet Someone who would really love you

Don't sit and hope Don't sit and pineIf you've been hurtMake up your mindI'm sure you'd findSomeone who would really love you

I don't know why you sit around I only know if love is gone Don't sit alone with your pride

To whom this may concern to sayDon't wait for love to come your wayDon't waste your time Make up your mindAnd make it happen

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I don't know why you sit around I only know if love is gone Don't sit alone with your prideListen to me and you would see Just how fine your romance could be

I don't know why you sit around I only know if love is gone Don't sit alone with your prideListen to me and you would see Just how fine your romance could be

IT STARTED OUT SO NICE see original lyric sheet

It started out with butterflies On a velvet afternoonWith flashing eyes and promisesCaught and held too soonIn a place called IxeaWith it's pumpkin oval moon

It started out so nice

Genji taught OrionSea-purple harmonyWhile Kogi hit secrets into seashellsAnd even the ocean laughed beneath that celestial canopy

Cuz it started out so nice

With the dust of stars they intermingled Durock of Avon would only jingle Marble money tunes As pale earthly circles swooned

Volume left Bohemia, a triangle for his thumb Questions fell but no one stopped to listenThat eternity was just a dawn awayAnd the rest was sure to comeLeaves, caught in winter's ice

Abandoned circus grounds of flower captains Prisms in a palm one way it happens The air was silver calmThe softly met were slowly moving on

Then all things in common suddenly grew strangeNow the Wurs were chasing other rainbows Trying to find where the wind blows To empty corners past dusty memories

Now in the third millennium the crowded madness came Crooked shadows roamed through the nightsThe wizards overplayed their names And after that the Wurs never bothered to haveSummer reasons...again,

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but it started out so niceit started out so nice

We started out so nice.

HALFWAY UP THE STAIRS

I'm only halfway up the stairsNot up or downI'm only halfway up the stairsSince you let me down So won't you tell me Tell me pleaseWhat you're gonna doCause you know I wouldn't be halfway with you

I don't want to seem impatientAnd please don't think me fastbut we've got something goingAnd I don't want to let it passso won't you tell me,Tell me please What you're gonna do'Cause you know I wouldn't be halfway with you

I don't want to seem impatientAnd please don't think me fastBut we've got something going And I don't want to let it pass So won't you tell me,Tell me pleaseWhat you're gonna doCause you know I wouldn't be halfway with you

CAUSE see original lyric sheet

Cause I lost my job two weeks before ChristmasAnd 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 tastedOh 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 rumoursBut 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 ThompsonAnd 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

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So overdued I went to the company storeand 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 stillCause I see my people trying to drown the sun In weekends of whiskey soursCause how many times can you wake up in this comic book and plant flowers?

The 3 songs that are not on Cold Fact or After   The   Fact , transcribed by Brian   Currin November 1997.

I'LL SLIP AWAY

And I'll forget about the girl that said noThen I'll tell who I want where to goAnd I'll forget about your lies and deceitAnd your attempts to be so discreet

Maybe today, yeahI'll slip away

And you can keep your symbols of successThen I'll pursue my own happinessAnd you can keep your clocks and routinesThen I'll go mend all my shattered dreams

Maybe today, yeahI'll slip away

Cause you've been down on me for too longAnd for too long I just put you onNow I'm tired of lying and I'm sick of tryingCause I'm losing who I really amAnd I'm not choosing to be like them

And if you get bored and you got lonelinessOr it's dislike for me you expressI won't care if you're right or you're wrongI won't care cause you see I'll be gone

Maybe today, yeahI'll slip away

Maybe today, yeahMaybe today, yeahMaybe today, yeah girlI'll slip away

CAN'T GET AWAY

Born in the troubled cityIn Rock and Roll, USAIn the shadow of the tallest buildingI vowed I would break awayListened to the Sunday actorsBut all they would ever say

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That you can't get away from itNo you can't get awayNo you can't get away from itNo you can't get away

Schooled on the city sidewalksColdness at every turnKnew I had to find the exitsI never, ever would returnScoffed at the prophet's omensThat said I would live to learn

That you can't get away from itno you can't get awayno you can't get away from itno you can't get away

Going unaided toward the west coastStopped in the sleepy townLeft my change and walked outI didn't even turn aroundWhat they were getting next toWas that old familiar sound

That you can't get away from itno you can't get awayno you can't get away from itno you can't get away

In a hotel room in AmsterdamOn a wild and windy August nightAs a cloud passed over a cold moonMy heart was seized with terror and frightSeeping up through the floorboardsComing in through the wallsComing in through the doorwayRinging up and down the halls

That you can't get away from itno you can't get awayno you can't get away from itno you can't get away

no you can't get awayno you can't get awayno you can't get away...

STREET BOY

Street boyYou've been out too longStreet boyAin't you got enough sense to go homeStreet boyYou're gonna end up aloneYou need some love and understandingNot that dead-end life you're planningStreet boy

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You go home but you can't stayBecause something's always pulling you awayYour fast hellos and quick goodbyesYou're just a street boy With the streetlights in your eyesYou better get yourself togetherLook for something better

Street boyYou've been out too longStreet boyAin't you got enough sense to go homeStreet boyYou're gonna end up aloneYou need some love and understandingNot that dead-end life you're planningStreet boy

Your sister says that every weekYou just come home to eat and go to sleepAnd you make plans you never keepBecause your mind is always in the streetsYou better get yourself togetherLook for something better

Street boyYou've been out too longStreet boyAin't you got enough sense to go homeStreet boyYou're gonna end up aloneYou need some love and understandingNot that dead-end life you're planningStreet boy

There's one last word then I'll concludeBefore you pick up and put on your attitudeBet you'll never find or ever meetAny street boy who's ever beat the streets

Street boyStreet boyStreet boyStreet boyStreet boyStreet boy

Sweet boy

All lyrics written by Rodriguez

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