I Know What I Know

The song *I Know What I Know* is from the album Graceland, a work that Paul Simon released in August 1986. This album is a fusion of genres that includes pop, rock, a cappella, zydeco, and South African rhythms such as isicathamiya and mbaqanga. The recording featured production by Simon himself and sound engineering by Roy Halee, as well as the participation of Mark Cobrin and Peter Thwaites.

In the early 1980s, Simon was going through a difficult personal time: his relationship with Art Garfunkel had deteriorated, and his marriage to actress Carrie Fisher had ended. His previous album, Hearts and Bones (1983), did not achieve the expected success. It was in 1984 when, after a period of discouragement, Simon became captivated by a tape of South African street music called mbaqanga. He and Roy Halee traveled to Johannesburg and spent two weeks recording with local musicians. This experience laid the foundation for the distinctive sound of Graceland, exploring musical influences from other parts of the world.