You Can POLL Me, Al: Paul Simon's "Graceland"

I agree with you, 4 years ago. These are STILL the days of miracle and wonder.

If anything, that song hits harder now that when it was written.

i wish paul simon had just put together a collection of world music he liked, without ruining the songs by singing over them.

I call bullshit. (Or were you kidding?) It's VERY much a Paul Simon album that has world music in it, not the other way around.

No, strike that. It has a specific kind of regional African music in it. "World"... pfft.

Man, the playing on this album, what a joy!

every time this thread gets bumped i have to turn off whatever i have on this listen to this album

^yup

Still haven't been able to narrow down my pick, like at all.

This is a great album. Simon himself seems like a giant asshole, personally, and not just judging from the way he ripped off Los Lobos here.

God, fantastic album. That was on of the nicest things my girlfriend did for me when I was freaking out about graduating and being unemployed was put this on and talk about how it was always her go to album for when she was feeling hysteric as a kid.

And it's also pretty much why I hate Vampire Weekend, inoffensive vest-wearing weenies as they may be. It's like wanting Talking Heads and getting Clap Your Hands Say Yeah.

Automatic thread bump. This poll is closing tomorrow.

Narrowed to:

"The Boy in the Bubble" - 3:59
"I Know What I Know" - 3:13
"Gumboots" - 2:44
"Diamonds on the Soles of Her Shoes" - 5:45
"You Can Call Me Al" - 4:39
"Under African Skies" - 3:37
"Crazy Love, Vol. II" - 4:18
"All Around the World or the Myth of Fingerprints" - 3:15

and probably my heart belongs with "I Know What I Know" as outlined above, but I'm going to vote for "Gumboots" because:

* it has a lot of great little pretty parts, nice intro
* when I was a kid I loved "believing I had supernatural powers I slammed into a brick wall" (my best friend, to Simon: "Well, you're pretty stupid then!")
* somehow it feels the most "of this album" of any track on here. Like, everything about it says "album track" but also it just epitomizes the feel of the record - sweet, wistful, some ennui, some optimism, self-aware boomer guy with accordions carrying him along... like if you had to convey what this album's all about in the shortest possible time (2:44!) that'd be it.

tempted to go with "Graceland", which has been an emotional song for me lately. cosign on the 'window in your heart' lyrics etc.

but "diamonds" is clearly the best song for me; washes away all anxieties

I saw the title and gut-reaction voted for "Under African Skies" but it really should have been "I Know What I Know". It's so dense and I have fond memories of it being played towards the end of a good friends' wedding receptions and everybody freaking out.

That's a nice story. I've been swithering for days between:
- 'Graceland' for its fantastic bass and I like the glittery guitar too. It really drives along.
- 'I Know What I Know' for the incredible backing vocals and, like you say, the denseness of the guitar lines, but it loses a point because I don't like the lyrics so much
- 'Gumboots' for the joyous introduction and the terrific drums, and I like the delivery of 'If that's the way it's going to be I'm going to call the whole thing to a halt.' (if that's actually what he says, listening to it closely I'm not sure if he fluffs the line or not)

I think that 'Graceland' is probably the best song and 'I Know What I Know' has the best performance, but 'Gumboots' is the one that puts the biggest smile on my face and I doubt it'll get many other votes so it's getting mine.

i love this album, but what bugs me sometimes is Paul Simon's tendency to have lyrics like: "and i said.." " and you said.." "she said.."

err. yeah. really.

Automatic thread bump. This poll's results are now in.

Fat Charlie the Archangel slopes out of the poll
He says, well I don't claim to be happy about this, boys

btw this album is tagged as "soft rock" in itunes

Why - is it soft in the middle?

man I knew I shoulda voted for Crazy Love