Paul Simon topped charts around the world with an album that defied the United Nations cultural boycott of South Africa. After the commercial failure of 'Hearts and Bones' and the dissolution of his marriage to Carrie Fisher, Simon felt lost. Inspired by the music of the Boyoyo Boys, he decided to travel to South Africa and record new material with local musicians in Johannesburg in February of 1985; and more recording was done later in New York. 'Graceland' blends the musical styles of Africa with American rock and roll, demonstrating the unifying power of music; and the UN decided that he had not violated the boycott because he supported the musicians, not the government. It became the best selling album in Simon's career, reaching number one in in Australia, France, the Netherlands, New Zealand, and the UK. In the US, the album peaked at number three, selling over five million copies, and winning the 1986 Grammy Award for Album of the Year.
Starting the album with an accordion played in the African tradition, 'Boy in the Bubble' strikes a balance between cynicism and hope with its foreboding images of technology gone awry. The accordion would be revisited later in the cajun-flavored 'That Was Your Mother'.
"It's a turn-around jump shot
It's everybody jump start
It's every generation throws a hero up the pop charts
Medicine is magical and magical is art
The Boy in the Bubble
And the baby with the baboon heart
And I believe
These are the days of lasers in the jungle
Lasers in the jungle somewhere
Staccato signals of constant information
A loose affiliation of millionaires
And billionaires and baby
These are the days of miracle and wonder
This is the long distance call
The way the camera follows us in slo-mo
The way we look to us all
The way we look to a distant constellation
That's dying in a corner of the sky
These are the days of miracle and wonder
And don't cry baby, don't cry
Don't cry"
'Graceland' describes a father and son pilgrimage to find some kind of redemption amidst the "ghosts and empties" and human trampolines, and heal a broken heart after a broken marriage. It features vocals by The Everly Brothers. It won the Grammy Award for Record of the Year in 1987.
"She comes back to tell me she's gone
As if I didn't know that
As if I didn't know my own bed
As if I'd never noticed
The way she brushed her hair from her forehead
And she said losing love
Is like a window in your heart
Everybody sees you're blown apart
Everybody sees the wind blow"
Written with Joseph Shabalala, 'Diamonds on the Soles of her Shoes' is rich with symbolism and layers of meaning. One one level, it uses the diamond trade as a metaphor for hope in the midst of South African apartheid. Miners often had diamonds stuck to the soles of their shoes. The romance between a rich girl and a poor boy starts out unbalanced; but somewhere in the middle the diamonds are shared and the situation is equalized. There is more going on than simply materialism. There is a sense of material wealth and spiritual poverty. The soles could easily be heard as "souls"; and the song seems to invite us to walk a mile in the shoes of the South African people. The idea that "walking blues" are lost with the diamonds suggests that they refer to a positive outlook on life; and the limited "teaspoon" thinking is set up in contradiction to the freedom of the "wave". The refrain that "everybody would know exactly what I'm talking about" might simply mean that the diamonds represent love. There is a bit of irony with the fact that Simon capitalized on the music of South Africa just as diamond merchants profit by extracting the nation's wealth; yet he also brought a lot of attention to the situation there, undoubtedly helping to end the racial segregation.
"She makes the sign of a teaspoon
He makes the sign of a wave
The poor boy changes clothes
And puts on after-shave
To compensate for his ordinary shoes"
'You Can Call Me Al' describes a man in the midst of a midlife crisis who seems to find spiritual revelation in the third world. The names Al and Betty were mistakenly given to Paul and his wife Peggy Harper by the host of a party. The amazing bass solo by Bakithi Kumalo was recorded halfway and played backwards for the second half. Morris Goldberg played the pennywhistle solo. The single reached number two in Australia and Ireland.
"A man walks down the street
It's a street in a strange world
Maybe it's the third world
Maybe it's his first time around
Doesn't speak the language
He holds no currency
He is a foreign man
He is surrounded by the
Sound, sound
Cattle in the marketplace
Scatterlings and orphanages
He looks around, around
He sees angels in the architecture
Spinning in infinity
He says Amen! and Hallelujah!"
'Under African Skies' features vocals by Linda Ronstadt, whose childhood inspired the second verse. It speaks to the common heritage we all share and of returning to God through music. The Joseph in the song could be the Biblical Joseph who was sold into slavery by his brothers, or the Joseph who travelled to Egypt with Mary and Jesus, or it could be Joseph Shabalala from Ladysmith Black Mambazo, who inspired Simon in the production of the album and co-wrote songs with him.
"This is the story of how we begin to remember
This is the powerful pulsing of love in the vein
After the dream of falling and calling your name out
These are the roots of rhythm
And the roots of rhythm remain"
'Homeless' was co-written with Joseph Shabalala. It borrows from the Zulu language to paint a picture of a strong wind that leaves destruction in its wake. It suggests political and spiritual upheaval. Ladysmith Black Mambazo provide the vocals in this stirring a capella.
Strong wind destroy our home
Many dead, tonight it could be you
Strong wind, strong wind
Many dead, tonight it could be you
'Graceland'
full album:
All songs written by Paul Simon, except where noted.
Side one
1. "The Boy in the Bubble" Forere Motloheloa, Paul Simon 3:59
2. "Graceland" 4:48
3. "I Know What I Know" General MD Shirinda, Simon 3:13
4. "Gumboots" Lulu Masilela, Jonhjon Mkhalali, Simon 2:44
5. "Diamonds on the Soles of Her Shoes" Joseph Shabalala, Simon 5:45
Side two
6. "You Can Call Me Al" 4:39
7. "Under African Skies" 3:37
8. "Homeless" Shabalala, Simon 3:48
9. "Crazy Love, Vol. II" 4:18
10. "That Was Your Mother" 2:52
11. "All Around the World or the Myth of Fingerprints" 3:15
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