Tag Archives: Graceland

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Song of the Day #969: ‘Crazy Love, Vol. II’ – Paul Simon

I’m continuing my four-week series on great albums with a selection from perhaps the greatest one on my list, Paul Simon’s Graceland.

If Paul Simon had never recorded Graceland, he’d still go down as one of the finest songwriters and performers in history. His work with Simon & Garfunkel alone could land him in the canon. Throw in solo gems such as ‘Slip Slidin’ Away,’ ‘Still Crazy After All These Years,’ ‘Hearts and Bones,’ the exotic sounds of Rhythm of the Saints and even his less heralded, more recent work. That’s a catalog for the ages.

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Song of the Day #956: ‘Gumboots’ – Paul Simon

If somebody were to ask me to name the great songs on Paul Simon’s Graceland, I’d quickly run off a string of titles: ‘Diamonds on the Soles of Her Shoes,’ ‘Under African Skies,’ ‘Crazy Love Vol. 2,’ ‘Graceland.’

Then I’d take a breath and keep going with ‘The Boy in the Bubble,’ ‘You Can Call Me Al,’ ‘That Was Your Mother,’ ‘Homeless,’ ‘I Know What I Know,’ ‘All Around the World.’

The last song I’d mention, and one I might even forget it if put on the spot, is ‘Gumboots.’ And ‘Gumboots’ is a freaking amazing song.

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Song of the Day #631: ‘Diamonds on the Soles of Her Shoes’ – Paul Simon

Following the disappointment of Hearts and Bones (which followed the disappointment of One Trick Pony), Simon was on the ropes. And he responded by recording one of the greatest albums of all time, 1986’s Graceland.

Inspired by the sound of South African groups whose music he’d been introduced to, Simon packed up and flew there to record his newest batch of songs. He worked with the vocal group Ladysmith Black Mambazo on several tracks (including today’s SOTD) and a host of local musicians. The music hewed closely to that African sound but Simon also found room for a little Tex Mex and zydeco toward the end of the album.

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Song of the Day #101: ‘Under African Skies’ – Paul Simon

Here’s another entry in that Greatest Albums Ever sweepstakes, and this one might just be the easy winner. Paul Simon’s Graceland was a revelation when it was released in 1986 and it remains a revelation today. Blending African rhythms with his city-boy pop aesthetic, Simon crafted a masterpiece that artists are still drawing inspiration from 25 years later (see: Vampire Weekend).

This is an album that never gets old. Even ‘You Can Call Me Al,’ which got more than its share of airplay on radio and MTV, still sounds fresh today. It’s that potent combination of the infectious rhythm tracks and Simon’s brilliant lyrics… you can always find something new in these songs.

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