Graceland (album)
Released August 25, 1986
Recorded October 1985 – June 1986
Studio New York City, London, Los Angeles, Louisiana and South Africa
Genre
Worldbeat pop rock folk
Length 43:18
Label Warner Bros.
Producer Paul Simon
Graceland is the seventh solo studio album by American singer-songwriter Paul Simon. Produced by Simon and Roy Halee, the album was released on August 25, 1986, by Warner Bros. Records.
In the early 1980s, Simon’s solo career had hit a low point. Following a very successful but fraught reunion with former partner Art Garfunkel, Simon’s marriage fell apart and his previous record, Hearts and Bones (1983), was a significant commercial disappointment. In 1984, after a period of depression, Simon became fascinated with a bootleg cassette of South African township music. He planned a trip to Johannesburg in the new year with Halee, where he spent two weeks recording with South African musicians.
Recorded in 1985 and 1986, Graceland features an eclectic mixture of musical styles, including pop, rock, a cappella, zydeco, isicathamiya, and mbaqanga. Simon created new compositions inspired by the recordings made in Johannesburg, collaborating with both African and American artists. He faced controversy for seemingly breaking the cultural boycott imposed by the rest of the world against South Africa because of its policy of apartheid. Following its completion, Simon toured alongside South African musicians, combining their music and the music of Graceland.
Despite the controversy, Graceland was a major commercial hit, becoming Simon’s most successful studio album. His highest-charting effort in over a decade, Simon’s return to the forefront of popular music was considered a remarkable comeback. It was lauded by critics, won the 1987 Grammy Award for Album of the Year, and is estimated to have sold up to 16 million copies worldwide. Graceland has frequently been called one of the best albums of the 1980s, and is on numerous publications’ lists of greatest albums. It was added to the National Recording Registry in 2007, having been judged to meet the registry’s admission criterion of being “culturally, historically, or aesthetically important.
Track listing
Side one
1. “The Boy in the Bubble” Forere Motloheloa, Paul Simon 3:59
2. “Graceland” Simon 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
No. Title Writer(s) Length
6. “You Can Call Me Al” Simon 4:39
7. “Under African Skies” Simon 3:37
8. “Homeless” Shabalala, Simon 3:48
9. “Crazy Love, Vol. II” Simon 4:18
10. “That Was Your Mother” Simon 2:52
11. “All Around the World or the Myth of Fingerprints” Simon 3:15
2004 reissue previously-unreleased bonus tracks
No. Title Writer(s) Length
12. “Homeless” (demo version) Shabalala, Simon 2:28
13. “Diamonds on the Soles of Her Shoes” (alternate version) Shabalala, Simon 4:43
14. “All Around the World or the Myth of Fingerprints” (early version) Simon 3:17
2012 reissue previously-unreleased bonus tracks
No. Title Writer(s) Length
15. “You Can Call Me Al” (demo version) Simon 2:04
16. “Crazy Love” (demo version) Simon 2:32
17. “The Story of “Graceland”” (as told by Paul Simon) Simon 9:37
Personnel
Paul Simon – lead vocals (all tracks), acoustic guitar (tracks 1 and 11), guitar (tracks 5 and 7), Synclavier (tracks 3 and 4), six-string electric bass (track 6), background vocals (tracks 1, 2, 4, 6, and 9)
Rob Mounsey – synthesizer (tracks 1 and 6), horn arrangement (track 6) (uncredited on album)
Ray Phiri – guitar (tracks 2, 5, 6, 7, and 9)
Adrian Belew – guitar synthesizer (tracks 1, 6, and 9), guitar (track 7)
Demola Adepoju – pedal steel guitar (track 2)
Daniel Xilakazi – lead and rhythm guitar (track 4)
Sherman Robertson – guitar (track 10)
César Rosas – guitar and backing vocals (track 11)
David Hidalgo – guitar, accordion, and backing vocals (track 11)
Conrad Lozano – bass (track 11)
Alonzo Johnson – bass (track 10)[69]
Lloyd Lelose – bass (track 9)
Bakithi Kumalo – bass (tracks 1, 2, 5, 6, and 7)
Isaac Mtshali – drums (tracks 5, 6, 7, and 9)
Vusi Khumalo – drums (tracks 1 and 2)
Petrus Manile – drums (track 4)
Alton Rubin, Jr. – drums (track 10)
Louie Pérez – drums (track 11)
Steve Gadd – additional drums (track 11)
Makhaya Mahlangu – percussion (tracks 1 and 2)
Ralph MacDonald – percussion (tracks 4, 6, 7, and 11)
Youssou N’Dour – percussion (track 5)
Babacar Faye – percussion (track 5)
Assane Thiam – percussion (track 5)
Lulu Masilela – tambourines (track 4)
David Rubin – washboard (track 10)
Alton Rubin, Sr. – accordion (track 10)
Jonhjon Mkhalali – accordion (track 4)
Forere Motloheloa – accordion (track 1)
Barney Rachabane – saxophone (track 4)
Mike Makhalemele – saxophone (track 4)
Teaspoon Ndela – saxophone (track 4)
Lenny Pickett – tenor saxophone (track 5)
Earl Gardner – trumpet (track 5)
Alex Foster – alto saxophone (track 5)
Ronnie Cuber – bass and baritone saxophone (track 6)
Jon Faddis – trumpet (track 6)
Randy Brecker – trumpet (track 6)
Lew Soloff – trumpet (track 6)
Alan Rubin – trumpet (track 6)
Dave Bargeron – trombone (track 6)
Kim Allan Cissel – trombone (track 6)
Morris Goldberg – penny whistle (track 6), soprano saxophone (track 9)
Johnny Hoyt – saxophone (track 10)
Steve Berlin – saxophone (track 11)
The Everly Brothers – additional vocals (track 2)
The Gaza Sisters – vocals (track 3)
Diane Garisto – backing vocals (track 4)
Michelle Cobbs – backing vocals (track 4)
Ladysmith Black Mambazo – vocals (tracks 5 and 8)
Joseph Shabalala – vocals (track 8)
Linda Ronstadt – additional vocals (track 7)
Roy Halee – enginee
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