Paul Simon's 'Graceland'

The whole album's good, and the best songs are way better than good.

You're the one saying 'primitive', 'exotic' and 'other', buddy! I don't think that's how the record is received. What has fetishism got to do with it anyway?

At this distance, the album is both a classic and overrated. There is an awful lot of filler on the second side. But the first six songs are among the best Simon has ever written, musically and lyrically. Boy and Graceland, especially, have fabulous lyrics, and Diamonds remains stunningly pretty. Nothing on Rhythm of the Saints or Hearts and Bones -- both of which I like a lot -- really comes close to those.

The colonialism charge is completely misplaced. This was totally different than, say, Joni Mitchell's Jungle Line, where she recorded over loops of field recordings of African drums, and used those sounds as a metaphor for mystery, darkness, man's primitive nature, primal truth, etc. Simon was inspired by a new kind of music he heard, but he was never using it in an objectified way. His use of township jive for hipster New York narratives emphasized the sophistication and (gulp) universality of the music, not its exoticism. He was using African music much the way Kurt Weill used blues in Mahagonny, or Mahler used Chinese music in Das Lied von der Erde, or Cheb Khaled used Irish music in Abdul Qadr, or David Byrne uses Brazilian music all the time, or, for that matter, all of alt-country: acts of cross-cultural engagement and respect, not appropriation.

And, just to make things clear to those who were not around then, Simon bent over backwards to credit his African collaborators at the time. Not just Ladysmith Black Mambazo, but also especially Ray Phiri (guitar) and Baghiti Khumalo (bass), both of whom also contributed to Rhythm of the Saints and toured with Simon for years. But there was never any question that these were Paul Simon songs (except for the one song that was recorded over a pre-existing track). That is part of what gave the project its strangeness and excitement.

Thought two: this-- "His use of township jive for hipster New York narratives emphasized the sophistication and (gulp) universality of the music, not its exoticism. He was using African music much the way Kurt Weill used blues in Mahagonny, or Mahler used Chinese music in Das Lied von der Erde, or Cheb Khaled used Irish music in Abdul Qadr, or David Byrne uses Brazilian music all the time, or, for that matter, all of alt-country: acts of cross-cultural engagement and respect, not appropriation" --is quite right and well put.

Thought three: "Boy in the Bubble" ought to have been a bigger hit than "You Can Call Me Al," but such things can't be helped. I also like "I Know What I Know" and even the one with Linda Rondstadt, "Under African Skies."

Thought four: I agree that Rhythm of the Saints is a fantastic record that is way underrated.

Of course, if you don't like Simon (and I really can't stand Simon & Garfunkel), then this "Graceland" argument is largely moot. I think it and the eponymous debut are his best work.

I've been curious about "Hearts & Bones" for years (I heard the track with Chic the other day), but am afraid it's gonna sound as static and morose as "Rene & Georgette Magritte..." or "Train in the Distance."

Anyway, I don't know--this record annoys me, actually; like many here I like that bass playing. But Paul Simon is a very annoying singer to my ears. Every time I hear this or that awful fucking Ry Cooder Buena Vista Social Club crap, I think back on the Drew Friedman cartoon of Simon and Byrne meetin' up in the jungle, both with their portable tape recorders. Still, Ry Cooder is far more the villain for doing what he did to Cuban music, in my opinion; it's ridiculous, too, that we can't *go* to Cuba easily and find out what's going on there.

I liked "Graceland" aside from the Ronstadt track (she irks me on a number of levels), and saw the '86 show at Radio City (Ladysmith, Masekela, Makeba).

I ask you: is this a government that cares about art?

As for Simon...I'm loath to call Simon a colonialist. Insulting labels are only applicable in the case of failed or flawed art, which Graceland certainly isn't.

The graceleand album whether it is your cup of tea or not is a remarkable album from what I call a genius of a man. He is a phenomenal singer, and I think comments like eddshurts:

Anyway, I don't know--this record annoys me, actually; like many here I like that bass playing. But Paul Simon is a very annoying singer to my ears. Every time I hear this or that awful fucking Ry Cooder Buena Vista Social Club crap, I think back on the Drew Friedman cartoon of Simon and Byrne meetin' up in the jungle, both with their portable tape recorders. Still, Ry Cooder is far more the villain for doing what he did to Cuban music, in my opinion; it's ridiculous, too, that we can't *go* to Cuba easily and find out what's going on there.

Is a bunch of bullcrap ok you dont like it, but he didnt do anything to cuban music its called a striving musician growing and striving for something new and exciting, and succeeding in that too!

Like I said any good musician would have respect for if not love Paul Simon.

ILM: Arguing About Records We Don't Own And May Not Have Even Heard

The Blue Aeroplanes onced covered it, but I never found their version particularly engaging. I'm actually not sure if it was an issue with their cover specifically, or just general fatique with the song.

Matter of fact, they would sound dissapointingly weak then, with the exception of "Diamonds On The Soles Of Her Shoes" and maybe one or two more. The songs were built around the African beats, and they just don't hold up as pure songs the way the songs on his earlier albums did.

Which I why I like consider "Graceland" one of his weakest albums btw.

Generally it is a good way to judge whether a song is good or not. Personally I know it would show very well how those songs are not good.

The best songs work perfectly backed by only a guitar or a piano. Always. This also includes Simon's best songs. Most of which were written in 1982-83 or earlier.

Perhaps that's because he's American.

-- Geir Hongro (geirhon...), May 17th, 2006.

http://www.mywasteofspace.com/heehee.gif

Western music is European.

Legit. pre-release version of a forthcoming release; rare Japanese import; bootleg; or figment of someone's imagination?

http://www.bide-et-musique.com/images/thumb150/1391.jpg

i have to admit i hated the record at the time (flat mate at the time played the fragger to death and killed it for me)

ha, me too! still love love love this album.

Never been a fan of the "Canned orchestra" effect

It does feel like its moment has cycled around again, somehow...

A while back someone posted a copy of the bootleg cassette that may have inspired Simon. Whether that was true or not who knows, but I know I downloaded a copy and that it was a great listen. Anyone remember the title so that I can find it on my computer?

Oh, that was easy:

http://www.kleptones.com/blog/2012/06/28/hectic-city-15-paths-to-graceland/#.W3F3cy2ZPVo

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hYJv6nol0Fw&feature=youtu.be

Crazy comments in here.

that's a cool belew story but not sure I completely get the point - he's doing the main riff on YCCMA or he's doing some weird synth buried in the mix?

Pretty sure he's saying he did the main "horn" riff! As "played" by Chevy and Paul here:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uq-gYOrU8bA

wow, that's kinda wild

Oh, that was easy:

http://www.kleptones.com/blog/2012/06/28/hectic-city-15-paths-to-graceland/#.W3F3cy2ZPVo

― Josh in Chicago, Monday, August 13, 2018 1:22 PM (two hours ago) Bookmark Flag Post Permalink

All these years and I've never heard that. It was worth logging on one more time.

Josh - thanks for the link, that tape is great.

Long 1987 profile:

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— Esquire Classic (@EsquireClassic) March 27, 2019

lol paul simon qualified as angst in 1987 what fn babies

Over the mountain, down in the valley, live some bitter Los Lobos

― something of an astrological coup (tipsy mothra), Friday, April 10, 2015 3:43 PM (six years ago) bookmarkflaglink

Mentioned it in the main Simon thread, but the 5-hour audio doc on Paul Simon covers a lot of Graceland ground, including some of the jams that led to the songs, and the complications of the whole thing. Worth buying (or streaming on Audible), for sure.