Graceland

simply lovely

incredible album

Jesus christ an accordion on the very first song. I nearly gave up there and then! After I calmed down I then realised there was an equally odd bass effect on first track. Like a dodgy bass horn or something. Thankfully the bass then becomes integral to the album creating a major contribution to the rambling and lively melody and contrasts with the guitair plucks perfectly. I dont think this album is amazing but it just does what it does so well. OK its not super diverse but it has a fun energy and Simon I think has his unique way of delivery which is excellent. To me it has aged but a popular powerhouse. Writing this review didnt take effort as once again banging that polished 80s drum of popular music endured for me.

The inspiration this album spawned is paramount. Lotta great songs. That said, at this point I’d rather listen to Vampire Weekend. Horrible I know, but true…

What a classic! Should listen to this one more often!

My dad had this album, and I remember not connecting much with it when I was a teenager. Not sure it hits me as well as the 60s stuff with Garfunkel still, but this album is really its own beast, and it's pretty cool. The first track has a nice swing to it. The title track is pretty cool as well. The African groove carries on to I know what I know and for a couple tracks until You Can Call Me Al, the album's main hit. I never knew for the longest time that song was from Paul Simon since it sounds so 80s--a far cry from his 60s stuff.

A guy waltzed into apartheid-era Johannesburg, jammed with some of the best musicians on the planet, and came back to the States with an Album of the Year and one of the most beautifully built records of the decade. So vivid and radiant.

Love this album. Especially call me al...

Still charming and playful after all these years. Makes me nostalgic for the 1980s and also somehow nostalgic about the nostalgic feelings for Simon & Garfunkel that this produced back then. It's a little hard to listen now without also thinking about Simon's reactionary politics about the South African liberation movement, and his breaking of the cultural boycott. A solid 4.5.

Graceland probably (among with some Peter Gabriel albums) was the starting point for world music hype in the eighties. I kind of liked the movement back then and also still enjoy this album.

Music for white people who enjoy the sounds of Africa. Cultural appropriation and apartheid issues aside, I enjoyed the music.

I saw "rock/folk" and instantly assumed I would hate this album. But it was not as bad as I thought it'd be! It was actually pretty interesting. I'm going to tentatively rate this 4/5, and I’ll listen to it again later for a more in-depth listening.

Cultural appropriation 🤷🏻‍♂️ As music, as introducing the world to more performers and respecting styles and genres, it’s great. Lovely clean sound, unique and wholesome. ‘call me al’ feels the epitome of this albums sound and writing. The clear hit that captures it all in its best form. Beautiful, important album 🙏🏻

Interesting.

Some of the most rhythmic music set to Paul Simon's writings

Can't deny I love parts of this album a lot. Really strong opening and track three is a superb mix of styles (featuring- and made by- The Gaza Sisters - I admit I had to Google that but will be checking them out imminently) I sort of lose interest as the album goes on though- Homeless is beautiful, but feel like I'm less impressed by Simon's lyrics these days - and the last few tracks just sound dated. I've never been sure how Zydeco music fits either? Leaving aside the appropriation stuff I'm giving it a 4- just cos I Know what I know makes me feel very happy

It isn't my kind of thing but I cannot deny this is a very good album. It is so well composed, excellent usicianship etc.

this is a fun album, not what I'd listen to on the daily but interesting sound

It’s hard to put my finger on exactly what it is about Paul Simon that I like. His vocals are never going to blow you away but the complex arrangements of his songs, his use of a myriad of instruments on every track, and lyrics that make you think all continue to draw me in to his music. Paul Simon is not my go-to artist, but I enjoyed the lively tempo of this album and am glad I listened to it in its entirety. Solid musician all around.

Classic album, always liked the African influence and vibe. The highllights on the is album are amazing Call Me Al, Graceland, Diamonds on the Soles of her Shoes are the three must listen to songs. Rest of the album solid. I still throw this album on every now and again, always a great listen. Full transparency i didnt listen yesterday, but I know this album well.

Det er noe med stemningen i dette albumet. Bassen og afrikansk inspirerte rytmer lager en helt spesiell atmosfære. Firer for meg.

Huge team to make this one, and it was truly a triumph. It's just so strong in every column. I don't think of myself as a Paul Simon fan, but this was very enjoyable. Aaaaaand I also just learned that he's also the Simon of Garfunkel 🤦

Oh my god, oh my god! An actual influencing album after 200 dregs and wannabees. 5,10,50 by comparison to last 10 albums I’ve reviewed . But in fact, I’m only giving it 4. And the whole ‘he sold out to apartheid’ thing can be read both ways. Always easy to pass judgment about event that happened before you were born, even when the same polarising events are taking place right now in your own country (looking at you, USA).

Graceland is a fun album. I don’t love Paul Simon’s voice, but he makes it work thanks to how unique and colorful the overall sound is. The blend of styles keeps it engaging from start to finish.

I didn't feel a big difference between this and the other Paul Simon album on this list. Maybe more... South African themes? Those are lovely

I enjoy Paul Simon, and while he clearly was the musical talent behind Simon & Garfunkel, I loved Simon and Garfunkel.

An intersting mix of styles. Really enjoyed the African influences. Some parts didnt work but for the most part its a great album. And "You can call me Al" is an all time classic.

To the people saying this is cultural appropriation, relax your butthole. He was inspired by the culture and hired local south african musicians accordingly. It's a great album. 4.5/5

8,9/10

So Simon took a lot of shit for breaking a "cultural embargo on South Africa" because of apartheid. But he was looking to showcase black musicians, which makes sense that their local music collective championed this and people didn't, since it was spreading a predominantly "black sound" - by a white guy. But it reads like he paid the musicians well (many who didn't know who he was), and showcased a lot of their local music/styles.

Liked it

I remember the grownups listening to this at their dinner parties when I was a kid. Hadn't heard it since, apart from the singles. You Can Call Me Al is a classic, some of the rest gets a little samey. I was always a little dubious about the narrative that Simon was inspired by the street sounds of Africa rather than the last couple of Talking Heads records, and it does start to feel a little bit like a gimmick in places. Undeniably solid songwriting though.

Great album. Love that bassline in "you can call me Al"

Kindheit 🤷🏼‍♂️

To be fair, it’s more about my appreciation of the endeavor, than my actual enjoyment of the record. Normally I would give it a 3, as it is so very clearly an 80s record, and with that just a little annoying, but I’m fascinated by Paul Simon, his ideas for this album, and the lasting impact it had on much of the pop music, that came after. The musicians are also simply amazing.

Still listen to this one once in a while. Simon's masterpiece, for sure.

I don’t know if it was just the Sunday vibes but this landed well today. I don’t recall listening to this in full before but I know some of the songs reasonably well and You Can Call Me Al extremely well - one I’ve always loved. Quite enjoyed the African influences on display here and whilst listening, I couldn’t help think Vampire Weekend must have been heavily influenced by this. I did manage to see Paul Simon live back in 2011 at Glastonbury but I have to admit in the baking Sunday sun and probably feeling tired and/or hungover, I wasn’t really enjoying it until You Can Call Me Al came on.

Can definitely hear the south African influence on the album, not that I've listened to much Paul Simon previously but it makes this album unique. Top 3 songs are graceland, diamonds on the sole of her shoes and you can call me Al.

I absolutely love this album. Diamonds on the Soles of Her Shoes is an all-time song for me. There are a handful of skippable songs, though, so this isn't all the way to a 5-star album for me.

Sonically interesting and musically varied, but not my cup of tea. A few dope baselines and I do like “You can call me Al”, I get why that’s the only one I’ve heard of before listening to this album

Some amazing songs but also some mediocre

as if i didn’t know that as if i didn’t know my own bed 😭

8/10 Top: The boy in the bubble, You can call me all

proto ska. Erg lekker

lafayette, louisiana mentioned‼️

Pretty good

funky , groovy bouncy

Popular album. Graceland and You Can Call Me Al are famous.

I’ve been in the hospital due to a serious work accident, going through some of the toughest times of my life, and this album has been the perfect spirit-lifter. Paul Simon himself was facing rough times before creating this album, and it feels like he came back to the music with a clean slate. His journey to South Africa to work with local artists brought such a culturally rich sound to this album. It’s like an 80’s pop rock album with art pop aesthetics, but so much more. It has folk elements and upbeat traditional African rhythms throughout. The lively, danceable tempo brings a strong sense of unity and openness, which made this album a great end to a stressful day. It’s lighthearted and uplifting, and the joy in the music helped lift my spirits and keep me going with a positive attitude. Music really does have a powerful impact.

Чудовий альбом. Подобається, як інтегрують world music, дуже органічно виходить. Топовий бас по всьому альбому. Є дуже хітові композиції.

Solid album. Great writing and fantastic music. Not a big Paul Simon fan but this is a solid album.

En lisant la description je me serais attendue à un album plus obscure/niché, et dans l'introspection vu qu'il a créé ça quand il se cherchait dans une mauvaise passe post-dépression. La vibe est super accessible, on est dans l'optimisme et le silver lining. (Quoi que jai pas écouté attentivement tous les textes). Il y a des bangers pop super accrocheurs! Ex DiamondsOTSOHS, et You can Call me Al juste après. La bass est incroyable, all over the place très jazz, et ça sonne lush. Bassiste principal = Bakithi Kumalo,  un sud-africain, il joue effectivement sur une fretless. Cest très 80s aussi, il y a des tones de claviers de l'epoque genre imitation brass, ça c'est moins mon bag mais bon c'etait l'époque.

I'd never listened to the entire album. A few songs saw heavy rotation on MTV and the radio back in the 80s. Very good mix of music and musicians

Fun, poppy

Hard from beginning to end

great

My second ever concert was Paul Simon on this tour, so it’s a sentimental favorite. It’s also a terrific record that introduced me (and many others) to several new musical styles. Great set of songs and incredible musicianship.

Good enough Folk Pop. Interesting touch with the African choral sounds.

suffers from having that sucky 80s production that i don’t like but overall pretty damn great

I mean this is great obviously Only not a 5 because the second half isn’t quite as strong as first half

Lov it

Good album with some stand out tracks. Love the African influence which seems ahead of its time.

his best solo album in my opinion. I prefer his Simon and Garfunkel stuff. it's the stuff of legends. and also one of the best concerts I've ever been too.

For the most part, Simon and Garfunkel as an act were greater than the sum of their parts. That’s the Paul Simon I prefer, but Graceland still holds up as a solid solo album. “You Can Call Me Al” remains a timeless classic, and the title track, “Graceland,” delivers exactly what you'd expect from Simon’s songwriting. “Diamonds on the Soles of Her Shoes” also caught my ear with that memorable, distinctive intro. While it doesn’t quite reach the heights Simon achieved with Garfunkel, this record is catchy, thoughtful, and undeniably well-made.

Overall really good. I only knew one song before listening.

Wow, such good music. That doesn't mean I like it, just that I recognize how well put together it is. I appreciate many of the individual songs, and I tired of the album at the same time. I don't fully understand why I'll rate this a four, when I know it is not an album I'm likely to seek out, but I am.

This seemed ubiquitous when it came out. I don't hear it much now, but when I do it takes me back!

This is not an album I'm going to really put on of my own choosing, but my wife likes it, and I do respect it now that I'm older. When it came out, it blended in with so many other albums that felt just like "adult contemporary" and "mid-life crisis" music. However, I do now appreciate the exploration that Paul Simon was making into different styles and the musicianship and songwriting where he deliberately was getting away from his sad folk songs into something more joyful.

Weird but good

Very nice album, I was only familiar with a couple of tracks on here.

A classic for a reason. Simon's best work. Great production & mixing as well.

Paul Simon really knocks it out of the park with this one

Probably the most well-regarded Paul Simon album. This is the one where he incorporates a lot of the different instrumentation, guest musicians, and African choir, etc. There are a few standout tracks - Graceland, You Can Call Me Al, Diamonds on the Soles of Her Shoes.

Solid album and an interesting back story of production.

Great stuff

I know this album gets flack for appropriation and breaking the boycott of South Africa but I can't help but love it. I love the zydeco, I love the South African sound, I love Ladysmith Black Mambazo I love the unmistakable mid-80s sounds. One of my faves.

Classic 80’s release. Some of the production dates it a little but it’s crammed full of great pop songs, so this can be easily overlooked

Mycket bra, dragspel kul

I probably need a few more spins to get a feel for most of the tracks beyond "YCCMA" and "Graceland." Still, a classic for those two alone.

Great music but the whole concept and the weird over the top fretless bass would be frowned at and ridiculed if released today

Really good album. Call Me Al is a phenomenal song surrounded by other really enjoyable and unique music from the 80s.

nice

Art Garfunkel was holding Paul Simon back???? Really cozy, good instruments, it was like a nice hearty meal. Very enjoyable Favourite Song: You Can Call Me Al

Good stuff. Few tracks miss the mark, but overall it's pretty solid.

Really fun, really joyful album. You Can Call Me Al is an anthem, but the whole album is great

This was a fun one, I love Simon & Garfunkel and I’m a fan of Simon’s solo career as well. His writing is still pretty strong despite what the 80s did to a lot of 70s and 60s artists. The use of South African vocal groups adds a lovely texture to this album that would’ve been a standard sounding 80s Paul Simon album. The album is worse than his early 70s records in particular his self titled which is also on the list and I got a month or two ago but it’s a very solid 80s record and a fun time. In particular I liked the title track, “Diamonds On The Soles Of Her Feet”, “You Can Call Me Al”, “Under African Skies”, “Crazy Love Vol. II”, and “All Around The World or the Myth Of Fingerprints”.

My mum loves this album. I also think it's very nice.

On Graceland, world music, by which I mean the various styles indigenous to South Africa, is distilled into Simonian wit and punctuated by imagery only a New Yorker would know. It's hard to tell what exactly Simon sings about - where biographical criticism applies and where it doesn't - but at his best here, Simon recruits the fecund uplift of African music in order to explore themes of loss and solitude: 'And my traveling companions are ghosts and empty sockets / I'm looking at ghosts and empties'; 'She was physically forgotten / Then slipped into my pocket / With my car keys.' Tho it includes absolute classics, Graceland does miss at times, w/ 'Homeless' bearing obvious saccharinity, but mostly, it's an essential, beautiful listen.

Classic stuff - wonderful musicians - fab songs - production maybe just a little too clean?

Wondeful album - one I've returned to a LOT. It's like Paul Simon's mini-world tour, mixing folk, African, Zydeco, rock, etc. It's a ton of fun to listen to, even though its themes are all over the place.

I've known this album for years, and it took me a lot of listens to really appreciate. It's one of those albums that I don't necessarily choose, but when I hear it, it always takes me on a journey.

Such a fun album by the late bow-tie wearing senator and author from Illinois!

Simon recruited some amazing musicians for this album and it definitely is a fun listen. It has that distinctive gloss that was prevalent in 80s production. I would prefer it have a little more organic mix. But that's a small gripe. It really is a solid record. 4/5 #115

It's one of Paul Simon's best solo efforts with some absolute classics on it. I can't imagine anyone not enjoying "Diamonds On The Souls Of Her Shoes" or "Call Me Al." "The Mississippi Delta was shining like a national guitar I am following the river down the highway through the cradle of the civil war" In my opinion the above is one of the greatest opening couplets of any song ever.

Fun album with a couple of bangers which will get stuck in your head for days

Full of charm, and “international flare” (especially relevant, considering this came out in the 80s). Paul never sounded more sincere.

African influences add this music a sense of wonder of the unknown, vocals match perfectly

The Boy in the Bubble is such a weak opener. It's followed by my 3rd favourite Simon song of all time. I Know What I Know is fundamentally irritating. Gumboots is good fun, but has never been anything specialy. Diamonds on the Soles is wonderful choral arrangement and lets you forget how Paul completely shunned an international boycott on South Africa to get some sweet sweet Joburg voices on the track. You Can Call Me Al is a great song to walk down the aisle to. I said it. I feel like if I listened to Under African Skies every day until I was 60 I'd get it but it's just a little kitschy for me. Homeless I can only assume is a song about the living situation of the thousands of South Africans left disenfranchised by an Apartheid regime which Paul Simon decided to slightly turn a blind eye to in order to record this beautiful acapella track. Crazy Love, vol II. is what I can only assume to be Paul Simon's response to Van Morrison's track. It seems Paul isn't interested in a romantic partnership which Van has proposed. Shame, it would have done so much for the gay community. Nice track though. That Was Your Mother, a.k.a. The Benny Hill (Remix) featuring Paul Simon. I like this song's cutesy touch and sax inclusion, however. Finally, All Around the World... I still don't know what he means by "ever since the watermelon". I estimate that if I smoke pot for a solid 6 months this album will become one of my favourites, but I'm Still Crazier over the album of the same name a bit more. It's less interesting, but it's better. 7/10

I can't in good faith give anything with a banger like You Can Call Me Al less than a 3. Lucky the rest of this album was a good listen, too! I will be remaining neutral on the whole cultural appropriation/supporting Apartheid, and my impartiality has NOTHING to do with the fact that I have a South African girlfriend.

Paul Simon is an amazing songwriter with an effortlessly smooth singing voice. The instrumentals on this album are fantastic, the echoey guitar and fuzzy bass lines come together so well. You can call me Al goes particularly hard. Front-loaded album for sure. Some of the more inconspicuous tracks on this album, instrumentally, reminded me of 2010s comedies, particularly Sandler ones. I felt this the most on Crazy Love Vol II. That track could have played under a wide shot of a resort or cruise ship in one of the movies Sandler made to give his friends millions of dollars and film while on a nice holiday. Still easy to listen to though. Highlights: The Boy In The Bubble, Graceland, Diamonds on the Soles of Her Shoes, You Can Call Me Al

I first heard about this album from a co-worker when I had my first office job at a newspaper. He was the son of Bush War veteran and lived in what is now Zimbabwe. He said some of the most vile and racist shit I have ever heard in my life, which is saying something because one of my oldest friends is from Perth and lived in Alice Springs for a while. My co-worker LOVED this album and talked about what a moment it was when Paul Simon broke the cultural embargo on Apartheid-era South Africa to record this (he also loved Queen and Linda Ronstadt because they too broke the embargo by going on a tour, I am beginning to think this older white South African gentleman MAY have been a racist). The breaking of the cultural embargo was a big deal and it landed Simon on the hitlist of some organisations in South Africa where Silvio from the Sopranos had to step in to negotiate for his life. I wish that I could say the album itself is as interesting as the story behind the album. This would have been huge in the 80s when it came out, but if you have ever eaten at Nando's before you would have heard this sort of thing before. Having said that, the hits here are massive. Side A is stacked with hits and Side B opens with the best song on this album. The album doesn't really hit those same highs for the rest of the runtime but it is such an easy listen. I can't really level any serious criticism of this album, it's an absolute joy. I'm not giving this a 5 because the Everly Brothers are on here and I know my old co-worker is looking up at me from hell and I'm not giving him the satisfaction. Highlights: The Boy in the Bubble, Graceland, Diamonds on the Soles of Her Shoes, You Can Call Me Al, Homeless

What happens when a combination of sounds blends to meet and make an instantly listenable album.

Great album, some of the best bass licks out there. You can call me Al is a masterpiece. Only detractor is that Paul Simon is not a particularly cool dude. 4/5

Album contained Alfie’s theme song. Brought a lot of childhood memories 🥰

repeated a couple times out of enjoyment After reading about the connection and influence on Vampire Weekend's debut album on the wikipedia page that makes total sense.

Enjoyable listen on a sunny day

Diamonds on the sole of her shoes into Al is a delight. Hearts and bones being before this is wild, zero to hero

A groundbreaking album that has aged well from my perspective. Also demonstrates the ability of music to integrate across cultures into something new and compelling, esp when undertaken with authenticity and humility, which is an important lesson in today’s world where simplistic arguments over “cultural appropriation” might have stopped this creativity in its tracks.

I haven’t listened to the entire album in a long time, but it still sounds as awesome as when it came out. Brought African sounds to the US mainstream and not in a gross white savior way.

listened to again absolute banger

C’était étonnant ! Je m’attendais pas du tout à ça, je pensais avoir une idée de cette album mais elle était totalement erronée. J’ai bien aimé.

Paul Simon is the goat. Some songs that are a bit of a bore, keeping from a 5 Star rating. But several classics here as well.

Great album with the weird "we haven't really figured out multiculturalism" moments of the 80s sprinkled in. All around my favorite Simon album of the ones I've heard. Diamonds and Graceland are two of my favorite songs of his so that goes a long way.

Classic

I like it a lot actually Great production Catchy songs

afrika man.. afrika man paul simon.. heaaaa ... amawemaamewawemaaa.. babasilaaweasilabababamimbaa.. acktuaalisesti erittäin luova ja kivsu albumi, kevyttä kuunneltavaa hehheh miten ei voi hymy lämmittää tätä päivää.. mbaqanga.. amawemaamewawemaaa.. babasilaaweasilabababamimbaa.. taas valkoiset tekevät afrikka musiikkia paremmin eikö... heh sen takia ei listalla pahemmin näy muita heh... amawemaamewawemaaa.. babasilaaweasilabababamimbaa.. ´´i dont give a single fuck about some apartheid shit´´ - pauli simoni. ja sitten lähtee amawemaamewawemaaa.. babasilaaweasilabababamimbaa.. homeless

Kind of soft rock vibes. A fun listen for when you want something gentle, but still has some energy.

not a great album to run to lol. still good classic the like

This album reminds me of listening to the radio and my parent’s albums in the 80s and how these songs still get me to dance, even if some of it is cringe in 2025.

This is an album your dad likes.

You can call me Al. Also enjoyed the last song, All around the world…

Great cross-genre album that has withstood the test of time. Is it a pop album? Is this polka folk? Does this album kick ass? Yes to all of the above.

This will be my second review of a Paul Simon solo album, and my third from my aunt's CD collection. Though admittedly, this one's a bit of a doozy, because the making of this record is marred with controversy. Graceland is the byproduct of Paul trying to reignite his career after his last album, Heart and Bones, failed to sell well, and his relationships with former music partner Art Garfunkel and ex-wife Carrie Fisher had deteriorated. He ended up taking a gig producing a record for an up-and-coming singer-songwriter who worked in house bands. This individual sent Simon a bootlegged tape of what she wanted the record to sound like, and the style they were going for was mbaqanga, a particular South African music from Johannesburg. Paul wanted to identify the artists on that tape, and then a record producer suggested he record an album of South African music. Thus, he went and did just that, despite the cultural boycott imposed on South Africa by the United Nations due to the apartheid going on at the time. Even with Paul trying to be as fair and compensatory to the artists he invited to record with him, it proved to be a tumultuous time to record there amidst the tense racial laws of the land. Nevertheless, the resulting record came out, and it's fine. This is a case where, for me, the story behind the album's creation was more profound than the album itself. That's not to say it's a bad listen, far from it. Paul was able to write a selection of jaunty tunes with various session musicians who contributed world musical elements. Whether it's the backing choir Ladysmith Black Mambazo on tracks like "The Boy in the Bubble" and "Diamonds in the Sole of Her Shoes", or the polyrhythmic percussion on "Crazy Love, Part II", or the contributions of full bands such as the Boyoyo Boys on "Gumboots", Rockin' Dopsie and the Twisters on "That Was Your Mother", and Los Lobos on "All Around the World or the Myth of Fingerprints", there's a large palette of sounds that coalesce into generally likeable music with very wide-eyed lyrical imagery. For sure, there are definite standout songs such as the title track about Paul's trip to Elvis Presley's estate after the dissolution of his marriage, "You Can Call Me Al" with its complex bass lines and rhythmic bounce paired with lyrics about a man's experience with a midlife crisis, and "Under African Skies" with its angelic vocal harmonies shared with Linda Ronstadt. But deep down, as much as Paul was trying to reinvigorate his career by embracing other cultural landscapes, there was an opportunity to push this genre-bending into more challenging territory. It's pleasing to have on in the background, but it doesn't go that extra step further. I still generally enjoyed Graceland for what it is, embracing African music from a Western perspective. It certainly became influential in that regard.

You Can Call Me Al is one of my favorite songs of all time. The rest of the album, though, is a little disappointing in comparison. The deluxe version has a demo of YCCMA, and the progression from demo to the album version illustrates in reverse my disappointment with the rest of the album. It's like they gave none of the other tracks the "pop single treatment".

Really like the African vibes, it’s super chill. Not very exciting but nice to listen to in the background

This is a great album

lekker vrolijk

This is actually really good and I dig the African musical influences in the album

Top, 4 stars

as cool as a Vampire Weekend prequel can be!

This was a fun album. I listened to it with Cathy An. It was fun how it included and adapted other cultural influences. We learned a lot by reading the Wikipedia about the album.

Akkordeonmusik

Diamonds on the soles of her shoes, you can call me al, great songs. I love the African beats in this album

tolles album mit gutem „sound“ - slap bass, gitarre, perkussion.

Classic. Still plays well.

Simon and Garfunkel Go to Africa

mr simon ily

Much better than I thought, thoroughly enjoyed

Paul Simon locked tf in

Ein toller Mix aus verschiedenen Stilen. Highlights "Graceland" und "You can call me Al". 4/5

Fun album, not the 1st time listening to Paul Simon but the 1st full playthrough of this album. 'Graceland' and 'Diamonds on the soles of her shoes' are my favourites

I really enjoyed this.

it’s crazy that I haven’t listed to this album in so long, but I remembered a lot of it. Dad had it and I remember him listening to it. It’s fun album. Every song just makes you feel happy in a different way.

fucking phenomenal

Un álbum pionero en adaptar la música africana a los gustos occidentales. En plena crisis de la mediana edad, Paul Simon se enamora de la música mbaqanga de Sudáfrica y crea un álbum muy pop que conecta las tradiciones musicales de ambos lugares. Aunque hoy en día no suene tan especial, supongo que en su época tuvo que ser un bombazo. Y musicalmente sigue siendo muy bonito de escuchar. Es un álbum que combina la felicidad y energía que transmite la mbaqanga con la elegancia pop-folk de Simon. Un álbum muy bueno que merece formar parte de esta lista tanto por su calidad como por su influencia y su contexto histórico.

Really enjoyed it, found myself bopping my head along to majority of songs, “You can call me Al” is a classic

Not a huge Simon fan, but this album is solid and an easy and fun listen.

I didn’t want to like this album. I don’t like folk, I don’t really like adult contemporary or whatever Paul Simon identifies/d as. But his exploration of various genres here is so genuine and authentic and well done, even someone not in love with the genre(s) itself can appreciate the craft.

Really good stuff.

I liked the song where he teamed up with Ladysmith Black Mambazo.

He has a great voice, the South African musicians sound great as well. The lyrics are solid and well done, Simon is a great storyteller. However, I don't really want an entire album that's just stories. It's too bright and sunny for me. It's a very pleasant album which is kinda why it rankles me a wee bit. It sounds too bright.

Can definitely tell Vampire Weekend got some influence from this album

Entertaining world-pop blend with a great showcase of African music. Does feel a little odd coming from Paul Simon, but a really solid listen with a ton of fun moments. Easy and laid back. Top tracks: Diamonds on the Soles of Her Shoes, You Can Call Me Al, Homeless

Incredible start that just fades a little toward the later songs

>The Beatles

Excellent. Loved the intense, driving beat on The Boy in the Bubble. Favourite tracks: The Boy in the Bubble, You Can Call Me Al & Diamonds on the Soles of Her Shoes. Definitely worth a relisten. 4/5

Not sure I'm qualified to speak on the appropriateness of a moderately wealthy American white guy "highlighting" the street music of apartheid era South Africa on his hugely popular record with his name at the top. For context, all music at this time that wasn't english speaking western music was called "World Music", so clearly there was some work to do there. A very listenable record on the whole. Upbeat, catchy Diamonds, Al, and Graceland are the big bops on this one

Really liked this one, I was unaware of all the controversy at the time it came out.......

Well isn't this just lovely? I feel like if golden-doodles had the ability to make music, this would be the kind of album they would make.

3.5 - Good

For some reason I don't like Paul Simon but I can't beat his catchy tunes.

Funkier bass lines than I expected

I think the first half of this album is pretty awesome but this unfortunately changes from Under African Skies onwards. These songs aren’t nearly as strong in my opinion, with That Was Your Mother being my least favourite. Still, there is nothing bad at all on here, so it’s a solid 4 stars. Favourite tracks: Graceland, Diamonds on the Soles of Her Shoes, You Can Call Me Al

Finally listened to this one in full, and yep it's very good. Diamonds on the Soles of her Shoes is particularly good.

Fun listen. There were some really cool harmonies and various different folk elements. I’d give it a 6-6.5/10

Dope

Paul Simon est célébré quand il fusionne la musique africaine à sa propre marque de folk, de rock, influencée par les sons du Sud américain. Le résultat est très agréable, mais on peut voir ces appropriations d'un œil critique.

So close to a 5 but some of the later songs like Under African Skies, Crazy Love Vol II, and the last track just don't do it for me. Practically everything else is a banger plain and simple. A strong 4.

Doesn't feel as developed as his later albums but still very beautiful. You can definitely tell it is from the 80s. Feels very Sting. Really in between a 3 and 4 (like 3.75).

fire

Enjoyable throughout with some classic songs

pretty good, would prob listen again

Жизнеутверждающий альбом. 6,5 из 10.

Much better than Coldplay

Graceland- classic timeless song. You can call me Al- also classic.

Swooping a 'Capella harmonies, cod highlife guitar, cajun sounds and 80s yacht rock with Simon's fragile, crystal clear vice rising to the top. It is cheesy, but everything was cheesy in 1986, and at least it was original (and yes, problematic). Back in ye olde days this was ubiquitous and would show up in everyone’s music collection as well as littering the bins of record fairs (and later charity shops) up and down the land. And - Seinfeld slap bass not withstanding - I can finally see why.

Interesting album. Very upbeat pop with a South African street music flavor.

Great continuation of Paul Simon's brilliance, he continues to know his way around a song and this album is special. Contains great hit singles like Graceland and You Can Call Me Al as well as interesting collaborations with various other musicians that all add to the album.

quality slightly dips near the end of the record for me, but this is so close to being 5 stars. a big whopping 4.5. 'I Know What I Know' one of the greatest songs of all time

Really enjoyed this. You can call me Al probably my least favourite on it. Will definitely listen again

Delightful

Tough call between a 4 and a 5 for me. A great album, probably Paul Simon’s best solo effort. One of the best songwriters ever and a really high degree of difficulty to merge African music with American folk and mostly pull it off. Graceland the song is an all timer. Ultimately, there are just too many only OK songs to get to a 5 for me.

4.5 I wouldn't classify myself as a Paul Simon fan but really liked this album, Great mix of folk stylings and World music. I thought the bass playing throughout the album was awesome, interesting lines and even better tones. This would probably be a 5-starer if I was more familiar with it. I will have to read more about the apartheid context when I have more time.

Fantastic! Not a real dud on the album and lots of great jams. Faves include: Graceland Homeless (lady smith black mambazo!!) You can call me Al (holey saxamoley!) Diamonds on the soles of her shoes Crazy love

Love it. Beats are great. Drums are great.

I like Paul Simon. It might be growing up seeing reruns of him on SNL or my dad playing some of the hits (not a huge Paul Simon fan, but he liked the hits like anyone). I can't really give this five stars, but I was not upset about having this on my list.

4.5 stars. Really good pop/rock record that has big hits as well as some world-influence variety. Simon's voice and style is very easy on the ears. "You Can Me Al" and the title track are standouts while "I Know What I Know" is annoying and the only major dud on the album.

Very unique album and sound the whole way through. Although I respect it more than enjoy it

very vibey 8/10- really enjoyed learning about the history behind the music

Beautiful, unique sound. Excellent songwriting, a worthy classic!

Story telling Vocal harmonies are interesting Rhythm is well thought out One banger One surprise

Lovely.

OVERALL: Very African influenced. I like the lyrics on most of the songs, and the backing vocals are always great, but it can get pretty boring. There are still interesting songs, though. Particularly Diamonds On The Soles Of Her Shoes, You Can Call me Al, and All Around The World or the Myth of Fingerprints, which are all incredible songs. Despite this, I feel like this is probably here because of influence, as it probably popularized African music and/or criticized apartheid while it was going on. Really good message, especially in the closing track. Pretty good percussion. Although it can be a little boring, it's a great album with a really good message. SONG AVG: 7.8/10 PERSONAL RATING: 7.75/10 The Boy In The Bubble: I don't really like the intro, and the instrumental is kinda weird, but I like this. Great lyrics, and the instrumental works very well with Simon's voice. Great commentary about apartheid (I think) and terrorism, very good overall. Also uses a fade out outro. Sonically, it isn't doing too much to impress me, but it still sounds pretty good. 9/10 Graceland: Pretty nice, I really like the bass. The instrumental is a bit repetitive, but it's still pretty good. The lyrics are fine, but I don't really understand what human trampoline is supposed to mean. I guess it's a bit boring, but that's pretty much it. 7.5/10 I Know What I Know: Kinda annoying, but I don't really mind. I like the story, but the weird noises in the instrumental kinda turn me off. It is pretty fun, though. 7.5/10 Gumboots: I'm not a big fan of the talking-singing, and I don't think it works very well with the instrumental. I do like the sax solo, but that's kinda it. The rest of the instrumental is kinda annoying and repetitive. 5/10 Diamonds On The Soles Of Her Shoes: Nice little intro. I really like the instrumental. Pretty nice story of a rich woman and a poor guy, although I feel like the lyrics end earlier than they should. I like the backing vocals. 9/10 You Can Call Me Al: As soon as I heard those synths, I instantly thought that this was going to be a side 2 kinda thing. Really nice instrumental, I have no complaints at all. Great backing vocals. I didn't really pay attention to the lyrics, but they seem fine. I guess Simon's vocals aren't the greatest here, but they aren't that bad. The only complaints I kinda have are that it's a little boring and the vocals at the very end aren't good in my opinion, but those are very minor issues. 9.5/10 Under African Skies: Pretty nice. It's pretty good overall, great concept and really good instrumental. I love the duet. I don't really have any complaints, but it doesn't really excel in anything other than the duet I guess. 8/10 Homeless: Very beautiful, unfortunately I can't understand most of the lyrics. It also doesn't have any instrumental. The vocals are very good though. I don't really like what they say after "somebody say", it's kinda annoying and it sounds like someone gasping for air. It also feels like it goes on for way too long. 5.75/10 Crazy Love, Vol. II: Pretty good I guess. Nice instrumental. I guess it's kinda boring. Pretty nice message and vocals. 8/10 That Was Your Mother: This does not sound like it should be on here, such a change in style. I think I like it? I don't really like the intro, and the drums can be kinda weird, but it sounds fine. Pretty nice jam, but the lyrics are kinda mid. Pretty fun I guess. 7/10 All Around The World or the Myth of Fingerprints: That's a pretty long title, I feel like The Myth Of Fingerprints is a better title than All Around The World. Great closing track, great message. Basically, everyone is the same and nobody is more special than another. Really good closing track. Oh yeah, the song is pretty good. The instrumental combines all of the styles on the album, and the vocals are pretty standard with the rest of it. Pretty nice. 9.57/10

Belle découverte, je ne connaissait le duo mais pas l'artiste seul.

Volgens mij de zesde keer dat ik Paul tegenkom en alle voorgaande albums scoorden een 1 of een 2. Ik ben geen fan van suffe Paul, dat is duidelijk. En ik erger me ook wel aan het veel te vaak opnemen van dezelfde artiest. Maar toch word ik deze keer wel verrast. Gek misschien, want ik kende ook wel weer verschillende nummers. Maar toch was dit blijkbaar verdwenen uit mijn beeld van saaie Paul. De zang zelf verveelt mij deze keer niet zo. Het is ook niet zo, dat ik erg onder de indruk raak van de zang. Maar mij niet ergeren is al heel wat bij Paul. Muzikaal hoor ik voor het eerst echt iets interessants. Dat zal wel vanuit de samenwerkingen komen. Het is vooral opvallend dat de meer Afrikaanse klanken prima samengaan met Paul. Al zit er af en toe een misser tussen. De Lion-King-klanken zijn mij toch wat te overdreven. Al met al kom ik op 3,5 ster.

Dit is weer een van die iconische albums en daar word ik dan op zich wel weer blij van. Ook omdat er veel herkenning in zit, met het fijne Graceland en de iconische bassolo van You can call me Al. Ik begrijp alleen die fascinatie met Afrika niet zo. Tuurlijk, iedereen mag zijn eigen fascinatie voor een land hebben, sommigen hebben dat met Japan of Italie, in de 80s was apartheid natuurlijk wel een dingetje waar de goegemeente zich druk over maakte. Het is geinig om die Afrikaanse invloeden op een mainstream westers album te horen, dat geeft een album absoluut een fris en nieuw geluid. Ik vind het niet altijd geslaagd, zoals Homeless, maar als het gedoseerd wordt toegevoegd, in de ritmesecties of de gitaargeluidjes, dan is het zeker wel interessant. Het album is ook mede door die fusion iconisch geworden vermoed ik, anders was het misschien wel het zoveelste Paul Simonesque album geworden. Het uiteindelijke luisterplezier zorgt ervoor dat ik het tussen een 3 en een 4 zou waarderen. Ik ken graag bonuspunten toe aan de iconische bassolo en daarmee rond ik het af naar een 4.

The "Diamonds" into "Call Me Al" combo needs to be nerfed, it's way too overpowered. Rest of the album has no such cause for alarm.

I like the music in this one and the collaboration was really interesting and unique

I really love the instrumentation on this album, particularly the eclectic little hits and an accordion player who WILL. NOT. QUIT. Simon sounds amazing, but I did find my attention drifting from the vocals often.

Classic!

4/5. I think this album is definitely culturally significant. Simon wanted to use South African music in his album and provided malicious incompetence in why he couldn't wait. He was offered the reason why he couldn't do it according to the African National Congress, he ignored it, and then wondered why they were mad at him. He made up his own reasoning why it was a good idea, without knowledge of the apartheid, and then later said "well actually what I did was good." I'm sure the musicians on the album enjoyed the experience and royalties but at the expense of the rest of the country. Now did he end up ruining everything down there? Obviously not, but it made the fight that much more difficult. And now, the music. This is a classic in its innovativeness and songwriting. It introduces South African music to a wider audience, providing more South African artists to gain mainstream and for other artists in America and elsewhere to use and implement this style of music. The songs are all well written and even the inclusion of an a cappella song offers a fun listening experience. Taking these songs out of context and placing them through normal Simon albums, they would still be mostly popular. The base is still there and the songs are carried mostly by his vocals and choices of classic instruments he normally uses. They are only amplified here, making them stand out more. I don't think it's a perfect album and loses it's steam in the latter half but it is still an important listen. It's important to remember that art can exist on its own while still being relevant to its surroundings context. You can enjoy an album but to deny, or worse, reject, reality and the cultural implications this album stirred, is to offer a chance to repeat history at some other time and/or place. Everything is more than one thing and for those reviews on either side of the fence, to view things in black and white can cause more harm than good. Simon can be ignorant in his hubris to create his album while still benefitting African music in the long run by providing a larger audience. Just because that was the outcome, does not mean it did not cause harm in doing so. Retrospect is 20/20 and each art piece battles with the perspective of Time. Best Song: You Can Call Me Al, Diamonds On The Soles Of Her Shoes, The Boy In The Bubble

3.5 possibly?

Never really had a sit to listen to Paul Simon. I like it. At first thought, way more accordion than I expected. The fretless bass is an acquired taste, but makes the whole sound of this record alongside the chorusy lead guitar riffs ala The Smiths. Somehow this record kinda hits like a hip hop record in the way that the different layers come together and Paul kinda singy-talks over everything. This is another one of those records where I can pinpoint its influence all over modern music. Very cool.

Well call me Al that was a good album start to finish.

strong start... great first 4 songs good singles Homeless kinda weird that was your mother is a groove Just finished, feeling a solid 4/5 Would rate 80/100

Great album, creative and very worldly sounding.

Yea man Paul Simon the GOAT good shout from whoever sent him to Africa

A later career masterpiece

A great controversy.

I was skeptical of more Paul Simon, but this album is a lot of fun and the broad influences are unique and interesting.

frekar flott plata. ekki viss um að ég hlusti á það aftur. afrísku áhrifin.

The first time I ever listened to this record was also the first time I was ever stoned, so I have a lot of strong associations with it. At the time as a teenager I had a know idea about the background and circumstances around it. I still think it's a great album and it hits in the right ways, but problematic for sure.

A classic for a reason

One of those albums that is always in the top of these lists. I would say 2/3 of it I think is really good. A third are just fine. The recording of it is done exceptionally well and is worth a listen on your best equipment. The song Homeless always catches me but surprise at how good it sounds.

# 430 - 06/03/2025 - Great album, I like this. Graceland is the best song here. I love the African influences in the music. Top 50 of the Rolling Stone 500 Greatest Albums and 1987 Grammy Album of the year!

What a great album! I've heard at least 3 of these songs a lot. Cecelia, She's Got Diamonds on the Soles of her Shoes, and You Can Call me Al. These songs are really fun and refreshing. I added a few to one of my main playlists

It’s good. Paul’s great.

It really was a huge release when it came out, and it reinvigorated Paul Simon's career. In general, I think it holds up. At the time, CDs were pretty new, so it was used quite a lot to demonstrate audio systems. It is recorded well. Ladysmith Black Mambazo sounded so good on those rack systems, especially "Homeless".

нормалек, раньше такого не знал.

Pretty enjoyable listen. Was more familiar with his stuff with Art Garfunkel (which I still think I prefer) but glad to have this in the rotation.

Lots of songs I knew, didn't know the context of the album. 7/10

High 4 Side A is a lot of fun track Side B is a bit too "lionn king" other than "you can call me al". A fun alvum with a lot to like

just a little guy having fun with it. An absolute joy

I believe this is the best solo album made after 1970 by any 60s icon named Paul. When it came out, my girlfriend’s dad played the cassette on repeat on a long road trip we took together. The songs are well written and interesting, and also safe for the whole family.

Absolutely stellar. Paul Simon take one idea and just runs with it. The incorporation of South African music in his Contemporary Folk songs is seamless. It spotlit this little-known (to Western audiences) music genre without it ever sounding like a pastiche or letting it overwhelm the songwriting. Peter Gabriel also did something similiar a few years earlier with his fourth self-titled album, but here Simon makes it a lot more appealing to a general audience. And no, I don't care about "cultural appropriation", nor do I think it is a valid concept. Key tracks: The Boy in the Bubble Graceland I Know What I Know Diamonds on the Sole of Her Shoes You Can Call Me Al Homeless

Evidence of an amazing solo career

Call-out for my hometown of Lafayette in the title track

First of all, I simply like the sound of this album. Simon had done the album's initial recordings in South Africa (during the height of apartheid, mind you) and thus you hear the likes of South African vocal groups such as Ladysmith Black Mambazo and the Boyoyo Boys across a few tracks, as well as plethora of other native South African musicians contributing their works. They all come together to create great, memorable melodies and uplifting messages that would eventually land this album various Grammy awards. Makes for great road trip music too. Best tracks: Graceland, Diamonds on the Soles of Her Shoes, You Can Call Me Al, Homeless

I feel like I'm on an early morning road trip with my hair in the wind

3.5

Sehr entspannte Lieder für gute Laune, vor allem Gumboots und das letzte Lied des Albums haben mir gefallen

afrikka ethnic on slight cheating...

Cultural appropriation ... before the term was mainstream. Boomers love this album.

So cozy and comfortable to listen to. It felt like a good day on a holyday. I'm gonna give it 4 stars.

Melhor música: I know what i know início em grande! bluesy mas ao mm tempo faz quase lembrar funana(a concertina ou synth ou o que seja) cordofones bue fixes nao adoro a voz (nao tem nada de diferente é so o paul simon - canta bem mas não gosto q parece quase q tem reverb naturalmente)

It's always nice to hear artistas getting inspiration from other cultures. I like the mix with western and africano folk music. It sounds like this was done with respect and admiration. I don't think it's cultural appropiation.

Not his best. But some gems here.

Another album I enjoyed more than I expected. I always thought Simon's songs were a bit dull, but there are some incredibly evocative lyrics, lovely melodies, and a great range of sounds and textures. Call me Al and Diamonds are perhaps the obvious singles, but I found something to like in every song. Didn't quite reach the level of a 5, because I do find him a little repetitive after a while. Also surprised that such an 'african' album would have so many references to places in the US!

82/100. Graceland by Paul Simon is a great singer-songwriter record that stands out due to its unique influences. Drawing heavily from his trip to South Africa, the album blends folk and rock with vibrant African rhythms and instrumentation, giving it a distinct and refreshing sound. Simon’s songwriting is as strong as ever, and the fusion of styles makes this album feel both adventurous and deeply personal.

i love this album. it has such strong songs, and it’s such a good first half. the last part gets a little like yeah we get it. but i love it!

I can call this album great, fun, and important due to it's cross cultural significance ... and you can call me Al!

So fun, lots of international sounds and flair.

This is such a weird time capsule from the 80s. My dad had this tape. I remember listening to this riding around in his Chevy work van when I was 8-10 years old. I can't not love this even though, if I'd never heard it before, I'd probably give it a shit review.

Admittedly pretty iconic.

A classic

I knew some of these already. I enjoyed the album, although I found it quite mellow at times and wished it would get more lively! You can call me Al is still my favourite from here. 4

4 - I was a bit disappointed. I felt it didnt really know how to start and stumbled a bit. Then once the bangers came it was good old paul simon.

Nice to listen to. Can't say I was paying too much attention though. Lovely.

Sick

Thoroughly enjoyed the African influence, the story telling, and the big hitters like Diamond's On the Soles of Her Shoes and You Can Call Me Al. Concise and tight album, would listen again

Great album. 4.3/5

James Taylor yesterday and Paul Simon today. It's 70's singer-songwriter week but I can't decide if that's a good thing or a bad thing. We know Jim Croce won't be on any lists any time soon. Personally, I would put at the very least You Don't Mess Around with Jim in the book but it was not my decision. In my opinion, Croce is superior to both James Taylor and Paul Simon. Paul Simon tickles the fancy of music critics because he incorporates African sounds into his music and that makes them feel like the music Simon writes is more important and open-minded. "Look at all the African artists Simon is bringing to the forefront!" Unfortunately, your average music listener could not tell you which African artists are featured on Graceland but they do know Chevy Chase was in the music video for You Can Call Me Al. Enough about my slight distaste for Paul Simon being the musical version of white guilt that only serves to inhabit and profit from those he is "helping," rather than highlighting their talent. I would think this is Paul Simon's best album and I say that having only listened to his debut album. I know he has another album in this book (which is insanity), so perhaps I'll change my mine once I hear that one. I think this album deserves a place in the book, despite my feelings about all of the other things around it outside of the music. There is not a bad song on here, though You Can Call Me Al feels like a pop song written to sell records. Of course, Paul Simon would never do that. Would I listen to this album again? I very well may, because it's a good album and if I am listening to Paul Simon then it contains much of his less haughty and annoying song writing.

Amo a Paul, este disco es súper verano

Chill album. Easy to listen to. Classic 80s vibes

Slapped

Man Ive always loved “You Can Call Me Al” so much. Maybe too much. Perhaps it’s because it kept playing in an ad for a while last July, perhaps I’m just chronically white. But that song is just a super ear worm and is complete fun. I wasn’t aware that most all of this albums would be just as fun. It seriously impresses me that Paul Simon was in the midst of a failing marriage, lost partnership with Art, and off the heels of a solo album that apparently flopped. I’d love to be 40 and find this much fun and inspiration from the world in the midst of such personal turmoil. I think he does the South African sound well and weaves in its native collaborators really nicely. The title track is such a good rambling road trip song with a memorable set of chords under its pre-chorus. I was a little unsure about how this album would score for me as a whole, or if it would take a thematic turn, but when the first minute or so of “Diamonds On The Soles Of Her Shoes” finished up, I was just smiling ear to ear. How incredibly fun. I shouldn’t be shocked, but this little hymn was just gliding around in my head for hours after. At this point, I knew that the vibrancy and easy fun of this record was here to stay. I love art thats this kind to the senses, it’s like a little musical vacation. Paul Simon was in his bag for this one

My mum would play this a lot on car journeys so it is ingrained in my brain. Is Paul Simon a bit of a twat? Probably! Is this bordering on cultural appropriation? Quite likely, but it’s catchy and introduced some African artists to the wider world

Wonderful

4/5 Paul gives us some great songs here, full of life and character. Diamonds on the Soles of Her Shoes stands out with an amazing, groovy instrumental, fantastic vocals, and pointed lyricism, but the whole album is cohesive and easy on the ears. The Boy In the Bubble 3.5/5 Graceland 4/5 I Know What I Know 4.5/5 Gumboots 4/5 Diamonds on the Soles of Her Shoes 5/5 (FAV) You Can Call Me Al 4.5/5 Under African Skies 3.5/5 Homeless 4/5 Crazy Love, Vol.II 3.5/5 That Was Your Mother 2.5/5 (LEAST FAV) All Around the World or the Myth of Fingerprints 5/5

Good album. Favourite songs: The boy in the bubble, Graceland, Gumboots, Crazy love, vol.II 4 stars

Found out Paul Simon is 5'2, absolutely clearing the short king threshold. Bet you all feel bad for rating it so low now don't ya?

Lekker album. Twee echte bangers en de rest is ook gewoon solid

Fun folk pop with a lot of accordion. Favorites: you can call me Al, diamonds on the soles of her shoes, under African skies, all around the world.

Ja, ganz okay. Gerade so 4 Sterne.

++: The Boy in the Bubble, Graceland, I Know What I Know, Diamonds on the Soles of Her Shoes, Homeless, That Was Your Mother +: Gumboots, You Can Call Me Al, Under African Skies, Crazy Love, Vol.II, All Around the World or the Myth of Fingerprints 8,5/10

I believe this is the best solo album made after 1970 by any 60s icon named Paul. When it came out, my girlfriend’s dad played the cassette on repeat on a long road trip we took together. The songs are well written and interesting, and also safe for the whole family.

Banger 4/5

I liked the beats and riffs very catchy. But does suffer from the poetry rambling.im finding that context matters so much in an album. Knowing the history of this albums creation def makes it better

4.5

Maybe it's because of my familiarity with the album from my later youth. Although this mix of African music, world music and pop usually gets on my nerves, I quite enjoyed listening to the album. Even if I won't listen to it that often, it has brought me closer to African rhythms. 4/5

High quality listen. 3.5

An uplifting, groovy record and a fascinating experiment. A breath of fresh air in Simon's musical catalogue.

I own thos album. Its pretty great.

The Good: An album by Elvis! The Bad: Wait… it’s not by Elvis… The Ugly: Then why call it Graceland? Ahhhh, the comments I am reading about cultural appropriation… People should get a fucking life and appreciating all that has been “stolen” over the ages to get us where we are today. When this album came out you had the musical community trying to help out others; Feed The World, I Won’t Play Sun City et al Artist were voicing opinions and trying to create awareness. Little Paul was in a creative rut, heard something that inspired him to create new music, and boy what a record did he make. Would the record not have been conceived without him hearing mbaqanga? Maybe. Does it matter? No. I doubt that the South African artist he took on tour with him worried about global attention to their art, and more importantly, to their plight for freedom. Going to dish out 4*

Pretty good, lots of different musical styles incorporated. Some of it works really well, some of it...is a bit over the top. The musicianship is top-notch, especially the bass work which is phenomenal. Overall a quite interesting listen.

8/10. Some of this feels like slumming it, and Simon’s weird apartheid-evasiveness diminishes some of the staying power of this otherwise-very good record.

Immeasurably influential

Wow, this was not the vide I was expecting when I saw Paul Simon. I did really enjoy the different feel and the african styles. Some songs weren't my favorite (Crazy Love springs to mind), but for the most part very enjoyable.

Absolute fire

Very popular album when it was released. I enjoyed it.

I'm glad I revisited this album.. Though I've always rated it as a four, I think this list ends I really got into the textures of the albums. Still not quite the all out fiver of it's reputation for me but getting closer (9.5)

My favourite Paul Simon album. I really like the African influences on here. 4.5 stars

Lots of great songs here including "The Boy in the Bubble", "I Know What I Know", and "Diamonds on the Soles of Her Shoes". I do think it loses a little steam near the end which keeps it from a 5, but it's still a great listen. 4.5 stars.

Generally very good. A rich, buzzing tapestry of South African folk, freewheeling Paul Simon wisp and the pharpiest 80s bass. Boy In The Bubble, Graceland and You Can Call Me Al the main highlights and true songs of miracle and wonder.

Molto bello pure lui.

Really good, every song was at least good, most were class plus it had ladysmith black mamboza

Is it 4-stars because it’s a banger or because all the other albums recently have been mid? I’ll never know.

Sure, I get it. Super clean production and mixing. I can go one way or the other with Paul Simon, really cool album.

oooooh i'm going to graceland.

I was waiting for this to appear on this list at some point! A classic, feel good album. I’m sure there’s probably some important message in amongst this that’s historically important or something like that. But I just think it’s fun to listen to, musically.

4 - love Paul Simon

4/5

Overall: 8/10 For some reason I never had much interest in Paul Simon. I've always liked You Can Call Me Al, especially with it's Chevy Chase starting music video, but none of his other songs got any attention from me. Now that I've listened to a full album, I'm a bit more intrigued! I love the use of world music (exclusively Africa?) and Paul has a pretty good voice. It at least made me interested in hearing more! I also have to point out the incredible bass playing of Bakithi Kumalo, easily my favourite part of the whole album. Fav Song: You Can Call Me Al Least Fav Song: Homeless

Paul Simon is one of the great singer/songwriters. Combining his folk background with the African backing leads to this glorious masterpiece. Is it tricky politically - yes. Is it cultural appropriation? I'm not so sure, it's more of a beautiful fusion. "You Can Call Me Al" is played to death but there aren't many more beautiful openings than : "the Mississippi Delta was shining like a national guitar"

More electric guitars, Call me Al, listen to rhythm of the saints

Fantastic record! Have to admit I never listened it in its entirety (just song by song) but I'm glad I did. Cool album!

Good vibes, would listen to again.

First time with this Paul Simon album. ‘Call me Al’ is probably his biggest song and I’m sure I’ve heard a couple of the other tracks as well. This probably deserves 5 stars from me but there’s something about Simon that rubs me wrong.. great voice, great songwriting.

🎺🎺🎺

Graceland rules.