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Graceland 1986
Album · by Paul Simon ↗ View artist

Graceland

When Paul Simon embarked on the creation of Graceland, he was coming from a complicated personal and professional period. His previous album, 1983's Hearts and Bones, had not had the expected impact, and his marriage to Carrie Fisher had come to an end. It was in 1984, after a period of low spirits, that Simon stumbled upon a tape of South African street music, mbaqanga. That music, described as "very good summer music, happy music," reminded him of 1950s rhythm and blues and prompted him to start improvising melodies over it. This fascination led him to record in Johannesburg with local musicians for two weeks, alongside engineer Roy Halee. Subsequently, he added other American artists such as Linda Ronstadt and the Everly Brothers, as well as Rockin' Dopsie and the Twisters, and Los Lobos, to complete the sessions in the United States. The result was a sound that fused pop and rock with African rhythms like isicathamiya and mbaqanga, in addition to touches of zydeco.

Year
1986
Songs
11
Duration
42 min 37 seg
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About the album

Graceland, according to DoReSol

Graceland, released on August 25, 1986, became Paul Simon's most successful album in over a decade. It sold over 16 million copies worldwide and was recognized with the Grammy Award for Album of the Year in 1987. Songs like "Diamonds on the Soles of Her Shoes" and "You Can Call Me Al" became emblematic. The album also generated debate, as some organizations criticized Simon for breaking the cultural boycott of South Africa during apartheid, while others praised him for bringing African music to the West and for his message of collaboration between people of different races. In 2006, Graceland was inducted into the United States National Recording Registry for its cultural, historical, and aesthetic importance.

The genesis of the album also has a particular nuance. Simon was largely inspired by a tape lent to him by Norwegian multi-instrumentalist Heidi Berg, with whom he was collaborating on a project. The tape contained music by the Boyoyo Boys, and Simon was so captivated by it that he kept it to continue working on his own ideas, which eventually led to the inclusion of "Gumboots" on the album. Regarding "All Around the World or The Myth of Fingerprints", there was a later controversy with the band Los Lobos, who claimed that Simon appropriated a song they were working on together without giving them credit. Simon, for his part, expressed surprise at the accusation, suggesting that the dispute might have been driven by lawyers. Despite these controversies, the album solidified its place as a fundamental work in Paul Simon's career.