Graceland

Very diverse sound, with a consistent storytelling aspect to the songwriting

Very good. Still very catchy. Although wow do I not like some of the bass guitar sounds on this album.

This album has been a part of my life for so long it’s like furniture, but you know, very special furniture. I will knock it down a star because it definitely smells of cultural appropriation, but at least the Apple Music credits included the African musicians.

Historically, Paul Simon is my favorite band/musician. I know he’s had his controversies, including accusations of plagiarism, not excluding this album. There’s also a story about how he was going to produce the first album of a SNL band member as a favor to Lorne Michaels, that artist gave Paul a tape of African music and said “I’d like to do something with this.” and Paul went “Nope. This is mine now.” All that being said: this album exists. I remember being in high school and buying Paul’s albums on CD based on the list of albums on the jacket of his CDs. I remember getting to Graceland, putting the CD in, hitting play, the opening accordion riff starting, and my head turning as I was like “WTF? Did my speaker break? Oh, wait…this is how it’s supposed to sound??” And then my mother immediately reminding me I needed to mow the lawn. I remember mowing the lawn thinking “I gotta hear the rest of this album!” Anyway, I’m retrospect, if I were to tier Paul’s albums, I don’t think I’d put this one in the top tier. He’s got 4 or 5 better albums. It makes sense that this is on this list, though. I get it. It’s still a 4 and there’s some very good songs on here (Diamonds on the Souls of Her Shoes, Graceland) …and then there’s You Can Call Me Al.

Very upbeat, feels Texan. Folk Rock.

This album is great!

Classic album. Some of these songs are unreal. Unfortunately there are some tracks that are boring and that general 80s feel in the background takes me down from a 5 to a 4.

Quand je vois Paul Simon, sachant que j'aime énormément ses morceaux de folk, et que je vois la date 1986 et une couverture typique de l'époque, je prends un peu peur parceque je m'attends à un album avec beaucoup de synthétiseurs clichés et à un artiste qui essai de rester à la page Mais loins de là en fait Déjà super surpris par le mélange culturel que représente cet album, on y retrouve beaucoup de musique sud africaine et aussi mexicaine, un mix et une production vraiment hyper clean On reconnait son type de chant et d'écriture, c'est toujours lui, mais plus ouvert à d'autres choses peut être Puis j'ai lu le contexte dans lequel il était au moment de faire cet album et j'ai bien compris son état d'esprit et ça m'a rendu assez joyeux On entend là quelqu'un qui recherche à se réinventer et à s'ouvrir au reste du monde un peu plus, un album au final engagé en pleine apartheid C'est top Belle découverte 4/5

Timeless, accessible, full of hits, and somehow not cheesy.

I really like the clear, bright sounds on this album. I think the production is my favorite part of this album. A lot of the licks are very catchy (Graceland, You Can Call Me Al), but they can get pretty repetitive. Simon seems to have a fairly small register, which makes his songs feel sing-songy compared to other artists like Peter Gabriel.

I like: I Know What I Know Gumboots Diamonds On The Sole Of Her Shoes You Can Call Me Al

good dad album

Great album. Paul Simon continuing to prove who the genius behind Simon and Garfunkel is.

Ótimo álbum com rock dos anos 60~70.

A remarkably rich and intriguing album. It's crafted with a great deal of beauty and meticulous attention to detail. The album effortlessly navigates through a multitude of musical styles, creating a captivating journey. It was nice to recognize Ladysmith Black Mambazo, whom I first discovered on this website, as part of this musical tapestry.

This is good, for this is the first time to join in this project, I was excited to hear more celle the albums in the future! The first album is really good, it’s a good choice for morning music, it made me relax and chill in the tough morning, very good one!

73/100

there's a real nice upbeat style to this album. it feels very hitching a ride on a train and traveling across the united states. i enjoyed listening more than i thought i would.

Lovely album - very listenable with great upbeat tracks

excellent

Very enjoyable and guaranteed to put you in a good mood.

This record was like dildoing yourself to death. In a chuffing good way, bro. It's sweet serenade, reminded me of a young Nigel Spackman lapping at the pussy of his grandmother. Who is Nigel Spackman?

Solid but not mind-blowing. Graceland, You Can Call Me Al, Under African Skies, Homeless, and All Around the World are bops, but the rest of the album is kind of underwhelming to me and I find a lot of the songwriting to be sort of bland. That said, the presence of LBM on this album bumps it up a point for me.

It's great, still. I want to read about it though. Specific vocal moments stand out to me from hearing this play in the car as a child. Linda Ronstadt who is nobody's backup anything (thanks Mom).

One of my favorites

Auðveld hlustun. Ég fíla Paul Simon. Get skellt þessari á fóninn af og til

You Can Call Me Al.

LP

An album I associate with people showing off their new CD player in the 80s. To be fair, the sound is great, but I remember this album being huge and now it just seems OK.

Tää on mahtava albumi. Afrikkalaiset rytmit ja laulannat parasta antia, Simon yksinään ei ehkä jaksaisi kannatella koko levyn läpi.

Excellent light listening with solid instrumental backing to good vocals.

Easy listening. Chill. Very lyrical. Obviously tribal, indigenous inspiration. Major Vampire Weekend influence.

She Paul on my Simon til I Garfunkel

im definitely biased bc i grew up listening to some songs from this album but after hearing the whole thing i can confirm that i do fuck w this. love the blend of folk-ish style and world music, but i didn't like the last few tracks that much (african skies/homeless/that was your mother)

Luv

Really liked the album but wish it had more variation in sounds. Favorite: diamonds on her shoes even though it took a billion years

Great lyrics, chill vibes

I really really really dislike Simon & Garfunkel, but I don't mind Paul Simon solo at all. Strange.

Really unique songs. Reminds me a bit of David Byrnes’ solo work.

The bass really shines on this album. Love it! The catchy songs make this a classic for me.

9/10

3.5/5 stars

Surprised at how much I liked this. Love African type guitar and drums anyway and some outrageous jazzy bass playing. I'd actually like the instrumental version. Lyrics and singing probably not my kind of thing - but still liked it. The synths are a bit too naff 80s at times - think with real instruments it would have aged better

Some really good songs on here.

Summer sounding music. Happy.

A lot of fun here....embarrassed I didn't know him sooner!

All around the world or the myth of fingerprints is SUCH a great closing track!

A pleasant change of pace compared to what's been suggested in the past couple of weeks. While I never got into Paul Simon's solo career (I love Simon & Garfunkel), this was a joy to listen to.

I've always enjoyed this album. Happy to hear it again.

Brani Preferiti: - "You Can Call Me Al" - "The Boy In the Bubble" Note: C'è poco da dire, un'ottimo album con diversi momenti interessanti .

There’s a few songs I loved on this album. Boy in the Bubble, Graceland and You Can Call Me Al

I'm getting this thought that Paul Simon actually is the best song writer. Ever. I may be wrong, but something is going on.

Pierde un punto por las flasheadas étnicas.

I loved it back in the 80s but for me it hasn't improved with time. I never listen to it now, although I still believe the songs are perfect. Strange.

Really tasteful and wholesome album. Loved the island vibe, great concept

Leuk album met "Afrikaanse" muziek door een Amerikaan. Het zou in deze "woke" tijd niet meer overleven helaas. Mooie muziek maar niet echt catchy. De bass is geweldig, vooral in "You Can Call Me Al". Tijdens een autorit zeker het luisteren nog waard.

Really a great album. I had a good time listening to it. My favorite songs after a first listen are Graceland, Diamonds on the soles of her shoes and All around the world

Probably some of Paul Simon's best on here

God musik med fede rytmer

Lowkey and relaxing. Draws on African influences in ways that are generally interesting instead of distracting or distasteful. A strong listen. Best song: Graceland

Paul Simon uses a flawless ensemble of African musicians to geographically transport you to the scenery he recorded the album in. This thing is so damn memorable that it has to be the best thing he ever made.

Good album! Almost forty years after this album's release, I left wondering if the artist could have credited or highlighted the African musicians that were involved in the creation of this album, but I am lacking a lot of the backstory.

Huge african inspiration, this album is a blast to listen it through!

Guete Sound. Aber nonig 5 Stern.

That bass guitar is really amazing. The songs are alright, but some should have been a little shorter. It was definitely different from what was popular at the time. Last 2 songs feel a little out of place. It's not one of my own favorite albums, but no doubt at all it belongs on the list. The youtube playlist is very uneven mastering wise. Favorite song: Under African Skies

Verrassend divers. Leuke Afrikaanse invloeden, energiek. Vele leuke nummers naast You Can Call Me Al.

Great album! Very fun. Mostly bouncy good time songs.

Surprisingly good! The Simon & Garfunkel, together or solo, albums I've had on here have bored me too death so far. Not my usual type of music but I could still really enjoy this. Great African infusion, some tracks didn't do much for me but didn't really grate. Some others though we're thoroughly enjoyable. One to listen to again for sure.

Good

4 ETOILES

Catchy up beat fun beat much to say tbh!

Okay this slapped way harder than I expected. Go off Paul

4/5 Fun music

Funky kind of island beats with accordions, trumpets, and flutes. Paul sings some poetic storytelling lyrics. Enjoy his calm voice. Really interesting folk-y island-y mix. It hit different when he said “roly-poly bat faced girl”.

Proto-Vampire Weekend

some good songs, not all great, a good 4

Good album, really soft and smooth. I liked the intertwining of the African music. I didn’t get it when it came out with him or Peter Gabriel. But I get it now.

Legend

Reminds me of Simon Garfunkel

Out of the norm for pop music with the clear African influence. Lyrically creative and thought provoking, but I'm not likely to return. Highlight is obviously You Can Call Me Al - great track.

Beautiful album, loved it

Very good

a strange album — paul seems to be hovering around a political point (and truly the whole album is political) but he can’t write it genuinely so he uses layers and layers of metaphors, which leaves the lyrics a bit tortured (eg graceland is odd any way you slice it). the instrumentation is where it shines though — the mix of african and western music is fabulous (those horns!!), and there wasn’t a moment i was bored. if he had dylan write the lyrics, this would be nearly perfect. instead i have to give it a 4, but a very strong 4. i’m going to absolutely revisit it.

Блин, ну да, я начинаю понимать Тёму... конечно же, это тот же самый Пол Саймон, что и на нескольких предыдущих альбомах. Да, он записал альбом в ЮАР, да, он записал его с локальными музыкантами и ушёл немного в другую музыкальную стилистику. Но... не знаю, структурно песни-то всё равно те же. Условно, Under African Skies - ну прям начало звучит, как классическая песня Саймона и Гарфанкеля! Но только начало... Конечно, вот эти африканские вайбы добавляют эффекта при прослушивании, добавляют интереса. Но это пока не мурашки. Но точно лучше, чем его прошлый альбом, а там я влепил 4... дурачок))

Fantastic album with a theme/style throughout connecting the songs. Rating: 4.5

This is a really unique album. The question I was asking myself throughout was: has it aged well? I’m mixed on the answer. On the one hand, I really appreciate the African sounds. But on the other, if I wanted to listen to that, why not listen to an album by those artists?

An undeniable classic record by Paul Simon. Innovative and clever pop music.

Highlights: You Can Call Me Al, I Know What I Know, The Boy In the Bubble, Graceland Leave Em's: Under African Skies, That Was Your Mother Overall Thoughts: This is my second time around reviewing this album and it did not disappoint. I love the fusion of sounds that Paul, as a singer songwriter pulls together. There are some clear African influences throughout the album, but he manages to blend them with an infectious and memorable pop sound on several songs. I would maintain the claim that this is one of the best complete albums that I have heard so far in this project. Score Breakdown: 3.82 & 4 -> 3.910

Two Paul Simon albums in a row. This one was better. Still not my thing. Great production here. Worldly instruments, musicians and styles. No skip album for sure.

I pressed play without any expectations and, as songs passed, could understand the fame of this album. The vibe and harmonies present in this work are unique. Even though world music was nothing new by then, the angle Simon uses here is different. I am positively surprised!

Some wonderful tracks, mixed with some that were OK. But a 4* overall.

Fantastic!

Nice

Absolutely Simon's best solo project: very nice and interesting.

Highlights: You Can Call Me Al, The Boy in the Bubble, I Know What I Know Leave Em's: That Was Your Mother Overall Thoughts: First time listening to Paul Simon and I thought this project was masterful. His blend of singer/songwriter with clear African influence is done in good taste. Several songs make me want to dance and move along. Pleasantly surprised in the first album I received.

Really enjoyed this album and will always love, You can Call me Al. 4/5

Favorites: Diamonds on the soles of her shoes You can call me Al Crazy love, vol. ll

Great album to take you back to a simpler 1980s world, with the warm and soothing rhythms of a groovy Paul Simon. Good for a listen start to finish on good HiFi. 4.3/5

I've heard this album so much throughout growing up, it's just one of those albums that everyone seems to like a lot and is always on. I had a coworker that used to come into our restaurant for his midday shift and switch this album on every day for like a year. That kind of wore me out on it but it's a pretty undeniably catchy record. Very upbeat vibes, with great instrumentation and songwriting. Even though I've been down on this album at times, it's difficult to knock it. Standout Tracks: Graceland, I Know What I Know, Diamonds on the Soles of Her Shoes, You Can Call Me Al, Under African Skies

Music pleasant to listen to, easily blends into the background. The biggest flaw - as soon as I finish I forget the content. 3.5/5

It's so much more interesting than Simon and Garfunkel, I did not expect that

Great voice great listen. Got some different vibes throughout the album but it really sucked me the whole time

Paul Simon writes poetry and then contorts it in such a way to fit the tune. Quite a talent. You can call me Al. Such a highlight of my childhood.

decent.

Familiar with this album because of the video for You Can Call Me Al and tgd wife grew up on this album. I’ve heard it a few times and I really like it. Just a solid record. He tried something a bit different by making a record in Africa and it totally works. Great album.

Still great

Yeah that was pretty good!

I was surprised by this one. Probably the best Paul Simon record I've ever heard. Though Simon's songwriting formula of "I was doing this, she said something, I said something back, then we did this and it made me feel a certain way" gets pretty old after a whole album. "You Can Call Me Al" is a jam though. In fact, most of the tracks were pretty groovy and fun. Overall, despite the formulaic songwriting, it was a pretty good album.

The Xitsonga on 'I Know What I Know' was really interesting. It led me to do some reading about how Simon became interested in mbaqanga, South African street music. That the album is a protest piece against Apartheid makes me like it one star more.

I have two copies of this on vinyl. Not sure how that happened. Of course the amazing songwriting abilities of Paul Simon would not be dragged down by the plastic production of the 80's. In fact, it is his warm and grounded in the various traditional folk music stylings from around the world (particularly South Africa). There is a lot of discussion surrounding Simon's use of this style of music and if it's appropriate or not but I'm simply not interested in going over that here. Of course it's exceptionally good. Simon clearly had an ear for the kind of songwriting that would gel with the cultural influences he was pulling from. While I don't love the album, it's still excellent.

Classic, original compositions, great band!

Reassuring, just fun to listen to

LP

I’m not a fan of all the African chorus and backup, but I do love the guitar and rhythms. Simon has such a relaxed voice and strong songwriting and the recording is impeccable. I don’t, however, need to hear You Can Call Me Al ever again.

I listened to this on so many family road trips that it's basically a time machine to my childhood. Good songs and good memories here.

Another really good album from Paul Simon. Different than other's hes'd done, the South African vibe is something a little off the wall. But it works, really well.

You Can Call Me Al brings back vivid memories of the video with Chevy Chase. That song was a mega hit at the time, and little kid me loved every bit of it. 80s Paul Simon was pretty fantastic...great song writer & composer, but I've always felt a little uncomfortable with a wealthy white dude making Afro-Carribbean music. Is it homage or is it appropriation? Especially since some of the singers & musicians were from apartheid South Africa. Definitely something to think about. Musically, I thoroughly enjoyed this & will absolutely listen again. Paul Simon is just that good.

He's got such a soothing voice, but really nothing about this spoke to me outside of Call Me Al.

A bit of a favourite. Wonderful collection of great and interesting songs. High 4.

I liked how it segued in and out the South African music at the start of the end.

Interesting that five songs are co-credited on the streaming version I listened to. Can't remember if I ever did read the sleeve notes on my CD version (I usually do) but pretty certain I'd never heard of the Gaza Sisters before now. More certain that they aren't mentioned in "Under African Skies", the documentary about the making of this album. Might be a factor in the occasional claim of self-centred cultural appropriation pushed in Mr Simon's direction every now and again. Anyway. Sound album, one for the ages.

The Boy in the Bubble seems weirdly prophetic. I could never hear Call Me Al again and be okay with it. A lot of gems on this album, though.

Boss album this I think. The classics are in there - great the way he nailed the African influences throughout the album. You Can Call Me Al warms my red bastard heart whenever I hear it. So there

Always liked this album. Proper strong start. I know what i know is so catchy.

I Know What I Know is a tune. All great songs to throw on at a Christening do, a wake, a birthday, after a great sporting event, at a disco and in youtube animal compilations. Great album

This album was my first exposure to African music and was a touchstone to a life long love of international music.

Honestly, pretty nice vibes. I especially liked 'You can call me Al'

Was looking forward to listening to this album again, although there's only 4 tracks I ever really liked on it. There was a lot of experimenting with sounds on this album, which you can pick up on throughout the album.

Highlights: "Diamonds...," "Homeless," "Myth of Fingerprints" Definitely see this as a culmination of a lot of big influences more than groundbreaking, but you can hear it bridging Mitchell and '80s New Age into alternative like Bela Fleck and Dave Matthews. Also wasn't expecting to feel this correspondence from this "world music" touchstone to the Pan-American phantasmagoria of Van Dyke Parks, but it makes sense! Just well-made and an exciting transformation for a big artist, and more people should use their clout to give exposure to amazing acts outside the industry. LBM rules; the real star of this album.

I went in figuring I would like this album, and I did. I'm realising that I like Paul Simon's voice. I enjoyed myself throughout the album. It wasn't amazing or anything, but it had an energy that I liked. Still very solid. There was also a few interesting themes throughout the album. I wonder If I'll like other albums of his. My favourite songs were You Can Call Me Al and Gumboots.

Сначала очень понравился, необычный для сонграйтера альбом, довольно разнообразный и всякие фишки я слышу задействованными и по сей день, я сонграйтеров слушал чуть-чуть, мне очень нравятся пару альбомов Боб Дилана, так вот, этот альбом отличается, своей какой-то более поп-развлекательной составляющей в плане музыки, при довольно стереотипных сонграйтерских лириксах. к последним двум трекам мне альбом уже чуть поднадоел, однако я ставлю ему 4. единственно о чем я жалею из всех своих оценок, что Sigur Ros я поставил 3, у меня в голове это уже крепкая 4. Лучшие треки: Graceland, I Know What I Know, Diamonds On The Soles Of Her Shoes, You Can Call Me AI

I actually really liked what I heard, such a soothing sound

Strane influenze africane, mix interessante

Folk, pop. Interesante.

Zadziwiająco spoko

fasza dél-afrikai influence/inclusion érdekes time-piece az akkori helyzetet nézve gitár, szaxofon és amblok hangszerelés pretty good as well, van ahol low-key country hatása van lmao szövegek/overall üzenet felemelőek feel good music You Can Call Me Al

All of side 1 and side 2 opener "You can call me Al" are superb. Bubbling along at a good tempo, catchy and fun. After "Al" things slow down and it's good, but not as immediate. Overall a very good listen and worthy of the critical standing. Breaking the cultural boycott of apartheid South Africa now seems unimportant and distant, but I remember in the 1980s it really was massively controversial - even whilst working with non-white musicians. I have no belief that Gracelands or the gigs/tours made the slightest political difference, but it would have been annoying to set up a boycott only for a superstar of Paul Simon's stature to largely ignore it, even having consulted various worthy people.

Dit was een van de eerste cassettebandjes die mijn moeder had. Hij lag meestal in de auto, maar ik haalde 'm eruit om 'm binnen te draaien op mijn rode cassette deck met losse speakers aan draadjes. Niet helemaal mijn muziek meer, maar eigenlijk toch ook niet slecht en wegens jeugdsentiment toch een hoge waardering.

Schitterend album. Het heeft bijna iets magisch zo open en mooi als dit geproduceerd is. Muziekaal een enorm hoog niveau en zit zo goed in elkaar. Ik geniet hier bij elke draaibeurt weer opnieuw van.

Heerlijk album. Gaat richting vijf sterren!

Love this record. The production is all super polished and Paul Simon's voice, as well as the other backup vocalists and Ladysmith Black Mambazo, just shine through the whole album.

I can’t imagine that anyone who would consider Paul Simon boring have actually listened to this or his work with Art. Or maybe I can, some of the tracks here do work better than others. The African-inspired tracks are mostly the highlight vs the safer Simon tracks, but I still think it’s a hit. B+

Good

love dad music

I mean - a classic. What more can be said?

A smattering a excellent songs amid an album of decent, world music inspired tracks that I can appreciate if not love.

Liked most of the songs but some of them were kinda weird. Enjoyed the music.

This is what you get when world music meets with slick 80s production values. Recorded in South Africa with local musicians at the height of Apartheid (and breaking a cultural boycott), this album mixes African music with Paul Simon's songwrighting abilities. The result is a mix of different styles, but all influenced by the music of the continent it was recorded on. The greatest tracks are The Boy in the Bubble, Graceland and the severely overplayed You Can Call Me Al. The other tracks can't always reach the level of these songs, but the album is very worth a listen nonetheless. 3.5/5

This album makes it clear that Paul Simon was still able to create original and interesting music that was also enjoyable to listen to. 4/5

Notes - This album has a special place for me, something about it makes me happy every time even though the lyrical content is so sad - Came after a period of personal and professional failures for Paul simon - He travelled with a producer to South Africa and learned about music from that area - This happened during the peak of apartheid - was playing at the grocery store when i went lol Fav - Diamonds on the soles of her shoes - Love the acapella opening - The drums and bass are so bouncy its impossible not to move to the beat Least fav - That was your mother - Song is fun, Zydeco style, but the song gets a bit annoying 4.5/5

Rock mezclado con músicas del mundo. Está bien. Un 4.

You Can Call Me Al

Like this more than I recalled, but still not as much as most like it. When I saw him perform Diamonds on the Souls of Their Shoes as a young teenager on SNL(?) it felt icky for some reason that I couldn’t put my finger on. It just felt like he was using these other performers who were likely not paid that well to help resuscitate his career. May not have been the case but that experience has always clouded my ability to rank this album as highly as I probably should.

Damn, Paul Simon was on one with this album! I'm almost certain I knew "You Can Call Me Al" already, but the rest of this was new to me and often quite unexpected. So many unique instrumentals, pulling sounds from all over the world. I don't know enough about his catalog, if this is considered one of his best or not, but it's a wild ride. I really dug a lot of it, great work Paul. Even in this departure from the typical singer-songwriter style, his songwriting manages to shine through. And huge shoutout to Ladysmith Black Mambazo! Favorite tracks: Graceland, I Know What I Know, You Can Call Me Al, Homeless. Album art: Very unassuming, though a decent lil painting I guess. Maybe a tad too crusade-y for an album featuring world music sounds and artists, but hey, what do I know? 4/5

Leuk, Graceland. Kenden we al natuurlijk

This is a pretty nice album. Very "quiet" and enjoyable, with a nice mix of genres and African styles. It has some great songs and it's definitely worth the listen at least once.

Really great rock/ pop album mixing with African music, this really works. Obviously a bit of controversy about this album can see both sides of the argument so I won’t judge.

I've always loved Graceland and often come back to it. There's a slight uneasiness with the cultural appropriation. Breaking the South African cultural boycott of the time is also not cool. But the album opened up western ears to other possibilities. It's a really happy album that often leaves me dancing.

Hard to say where homage and admiration bleed into appropriation but one's always had a soft spot for this record, despite being Simon-bearish generally (for reasons of being overrated and difficult to work with). "Diamonds" is one of the best tracks of the decade, transcending the shiny-tinkling '80s production vibes. Quite a few other very solid tracks make for a thoughtful and mature record overall.

This just has such a nice vibe that it gets away with sounding like the soundtrack to The Jungle Book/The Lion King.

Obviously a classic, however one of those great albums with a (in my humble opinion) lower quality opening track. The Boy In the Bubble has never clicked with me, and it didn't this time either. Tracks 2-6 is a pretty supreme run of songs that the album doesn't live up to again. Some of the best lyrics ever written in a hit song: "He sees angels in the architecture, Spinning in infinity, He says, "Amen and Hallelujah!" Paul Simon does a good job mixing 80's instrumentation, elements of folklore, and Average White Guy sentiments.

YESSSSSSSSSS

Many lovely songs, but some, on the second half of the album, don’t touch me that much. Maybe it’s because I don’t fall enthusiastically for such blend of styles and cultures.

Starts off slow, but then later stuff is good and familiar.

Great album, I’d forgotten all about it!

Great album by Paul Simon. Not only does this album have some great hits that are still great today but it also has some of the most unique instrumentals. The great thing about this album is that Simon makes these instrumentals work so well within the songs. This is a really well made album and I always enjoy listening to it. 8.5/10

8/10, definitely a product of the time and yet seemingly ahead. African influence and apparently plenty of African musicians for composition and production.

Listened to on 8/22/22 4/5 Favorite song: you can call me Al, all around the world This album was kinda folky and very upbeat. You can call me Al was an absolute bop

I can see why this album is so well revered. I wish the second half of the album kept up steam like the first half did. Amazing production by Paul Simon. Pretty damn great

"Who am I to blow against the wind"

I love this - really not far off getting a 5. I knew a few of the songs, but never listened to the album from start to finish. What elevates it from other S&G stuff is the quality of the album as a whole - all the albums we've had from them have had a least 1 or 2 really good songs, but amongst a sea of mostly forgettable folksy stuff. Graceland and You Can Call Me Al are the two standouts on this album, but the rest is much much stronger. Have listened to this 3-4 times over today and yesterday already in the background whilst working, and will happily listen to it again. There's so much variety in the album (with a clear African flavour to it).

Will listen again.

Rock mezclado con músicas del mundo. Está bien. Un 4.

Paul Simon is cool. This album has a few of my favorites by him, but - while I appreciate his “discovery” of African music - it feels more like watered-down appropriation at times than it should. It’s one thing to be influenced by other music and another to try to replicate it for commercial gain. I’m not sure which category this falls into. Still, musically, I like it.

You Can Call Me Al is a bop.

Very chill Bring chilling

Rating: 7/10

I remember when this was released to wide acclaim. Every track is a classic, like a “ best of” album. Has to be 4* ( so maybe Yes yesterday should have been a 5 after all !)

Probably slightly overrated. I think its quite of its time. But 'You Can Call Me Al' is a classic so...

The upbeat vibe puts a smell upon a cardigan that you can enjoy with each wear. Call me Al always a favorite, second half better than first

An amazing listen front to back. It's full of amazing African influences mixed with pop flare. Reading about was interesting too, giving greater context for why this release exists at all. I can definitely how this influenced modern indie rock down the road.

Sublime

It's fun and mood elevating. Great folk, as I expected from Paul Simon. Yeah, I'm aware of that it's basically an appropriation of African music (done in Apartheid era South Africa!). I can definitely hear it in the tracks. They sound like pop-infused, at some point even country-ish. Furthermore, I don't understand the hype about "You can Call Me Al", this '80s pop infused African fiesta thingy annoys the hell out of me. What's funny about this experience is that I don't actually enjoy African music. I mean, yeah I respect it, but after a couple of world music rolls in this generator, I figured that I'll have a hard time trying to get into music like that. However, I liked the less pop-ish tracks in the album, most notably the acapella "Homeless". In conclusion, "Graceland" is basically African music for the mainstream. Another Elvis Presley-ish appropriation. This issue isn't unimportant of course, but if one sets it aside for a while, they can see that it's definitely an impressive feat.

You could ask questions about Paul Simon appropriating African music to revitalize his career. You could ask questions about Simon's choice to feature South African artists during apartheid against the recommendations of peers such as Harry Belafonte. You could ask questions about Simon and Garfunkel's on again, off again relationship. But none of that seems to matter when you are tapping your foot to "Graceland."

2e écoute pour moi de cet album dans le cadre de ce projet. J'aime de plus en plus Paul Simon. L'appréciation de la World Beat n'est pas chose naturelle pour moi. Par contre ici, avec le style d'écriture un peu plus pop/folk de Paul Simon, ça donne des mélodies accrocheuses avec des sonorités auxquelles je suis moins habituées. C'est rafraîchissant et ça fonctionne bien. L'époque vient par contre affecter négativement certains éléments comme par exemple les deux fills de drum au début de I Know What I Know. Ce son de drum électronique sur ce fill rentre un peu à la crowbar juste avant le premier couplet. Très étrange à chaque écoute. La pièce You Can Call Me Al aussi est très marquée dans cette époque des années 80, mais elle fonctionne tellement. J'adore cette pièce et encore plus le vidéoclip avec Chevy Chase. Cette pièce à elle seule ajoute une étoile à mon appréciation de cet album. Ça m'a demandé quelques écoutes pour apprivoiser et mieux apprécier l'album, mais dans son ensemble je crois que c'est un album important et je dois le trouver pour ma collection. Pièces préférées: You Can Call Me Al, Diamonds on the Soles of Her Shoes, I Know What I Know

I wasn't a fan when this first came out, but acknowledged that it was something special. Paul Simon's World Music sound never really landed with me, but I discovered Ladysmith Black Mambazo which I did like. Today I still feel the same about Paul Simon's solo work, I know it's really good and after a fresh listen to Graceland for the first time in over 20 years, I get it. 3.5/5

Good album. Not the genre I’d listen to frequently, but definitely top of its class.

Fire

Good

Guilty pleasure. It's nice to know that world music was part of a mainstream album. I love it, but I cant really explain more than that. Just a cool vibe.

This was absolutely unexpected for me. Totally different from Simon's previous works, with a lot of influence from other song styles, and very nice songs. The kind of album that shines in the crowd of mediocre albums around. However, for me, it's still far from a perfect record. It lacks a little bit of Simon's personality. It's easy to note the importance of the album and how it resounds even these days in pop music.

I love this album dearly, but need time in between listens to refresh the magic, hence the 4. A lyrical genius, that Paul bloke. Clever wee bugger!

I enjoyed very much.

A great Pail Simon album. Love the world music he incorporates.

Tykkään tosi paljon Paulin kasuaalista lauluäänestä. Ja vaikka yleensä vähän karsastan kasarityylistä positiivisuutta, niin tässä toimii. Muutama erinomainen kipale.

Frábær plata. Er ad geyma fimmuna. Annars fengi hun 4,5.

Mjög hár fjarki. Algjört fimmunart.

Ack så mysigt!

Add a start for Homeless

Has a very 80's feel. although can't quite say what that means, is different from every other album on this list so far and I enjoyed listening so it gets a 4

Brought South African Rhythms to my ears. Classic album.

Surprenant comme écoute. L'appréciation de la World Beat n'est pas chose naturelle pour moi. Par contre ici, avec le style d'écriture un peu plus pop/folk de Paul Simon, ça donne des mélodies accrocheuses avec des sonorités auxquelles je suis moins habituées. C'est rafraîchissant et ça fonctionne bien. L'époque vient par contre affecter négativement certains éléments comme par exemple les deux fills de drum au début de I Know What I Know. Ce son de drum électronique sur ce fill rentre un peu à la crowbar juste avant le premier couplet. Très étrange à chaque écoute. La pièce You Can Call Me Al aussi est très marquée dans cette époque des années 80, mais elle fonctionne tellement. J'adore cette pièce et encore plus le vidéoclip avec Chevy Chase. Cette pièce à elle seule ajoute une étoile à mon appréciation de cet album. Ça m'a demandé quelques écoutes pour apprivoiser et mieux apprécier l'album, mais dans son ensemble je crois que c'est un album important et je vais sûrement y revenir à l'occasion. Pièces préférées: You Can Call Me Al, Diamonds on the Soles of Her Shoes, I Know What I Know

I enjoy the complexity of the lyrics. Pauls vocal skills are the dominant strength I take from this album

I didn't really know the background of this album. But as I was listening, I kept thinking this sounds a little bit like what would happen if Paul Simon sang the Lion King soundtrack. Read up on the history of the album and it's South African roots and it made a lot more sense.

❤️

Lots of nods to Africa in the creation of this album, liked it more than I thought I would

23rd February 2022 Listened at home while working before driving home to glos in preparation for Ali’s wedding. Combination of folk, pop and African influences as Paul Simon’s wonderful songwriting hits it’s heights. Anchored by you can call me Al and diamonds on the soles of her shoes. 4.5 if I could.

I KNOW this album is iconic, but I had never heard it. In fact, my total knowledge of Simon's solo work is pretty well limited to just a handful of songs, most of which are on this album. I was eager to give it a full listen. The ways Simon and his team found to blend African and zydeco music with his more typical folk sound was not only revolutionary for its time, but nothing short of artful and masterful. In listening to this, I knew I was hearing something that was unique, and is probably still fairly unique in its execution, even today. The music and album craftsmanship at work here is undeniably top notch. On one hand, Simon did westerners a great favor by making them aware of the beauty of African music, but on the other hand, this could just as easily be interpreted as a white musician with a slumping career using an "unknown, exotic" sound to revive said career, building it on the backs of South Africans who more than likely did not get their fair share in pay and recognition in exchange for what Simon took from them. This really is an album that people should hear before they die, as there is nothing else quite like it. I really did enjoy it from an idealistic "one world" perspective, but that's not the world we live in, as much as I wish it was. Realistically, Simon knowingly did something great AND horrible in making this album.

1986. Graceland, You Can Call me Al

Very good

I forgot how much I like this album. You Can Call Me Al still fills me with glee. How can it be that I still remember all the words?

Such a delightful stretch from the normal folkie stuff. Paul Simon is definitely multi talented

Liked it a lot more than I thought I would. Honestly it's pretty good, It's fun and His voice is kind of Nostalgic to me for some reason.

Fun to listen to. Kinda have "You Can Call Me Al" stuck in my head now haha. Really interesting to read the Wikipedia article and about him going to Africa and all the hubbub that followed; how it tied it with political and social things happening at the time.

This a good one

Приятный мелодичный альбом. Из-за небольшой продолжительности не сильно приедается. Поставил бы около 3.5

Really pretty fun to listen to. Wavered between a four and a five on this but it's just not quite got enough pull to it to make me want to listen to it again and again.

the singles are life changing, the rest of the album is pretty damn good. 8/10

Fun to listen to. 8/10

216 albums in, it's clear this book isn't going to introduce anyone to African music. So, instead of reviewing this very good album, here are some great African albums for those who like what Simon's collaborators bring to the party. Omona Wapi, Franco & Rochereau (1976); The Music In My Head, Various (1998); The Guitar Paradise of East Africa, Various (1991); The Indetructible Beat of Soweto, Various (1985); Egpyt, Youssou N'Dour (2004); Rough Guide to the Music of the Sahara, Various (2005); Specialist In All Styles, Orchesta Baobab (2002).

Something about this sound just makes me feel happy. I think it reminds me of some old Disney movies or childhood shows I grew up with(album came out the year before I was born). I think Paul Simon is such a great artist and for him to be down and out, divorced, band broke up, last solo album flopped, so he decided to come out of left field with this album focused on African rhythms and things. Very risky but it paid off and created a one of a kind album. Also, You can call me Al...Probably one of the happiest songs and music videos of all time, watch it and try to stay in a bad mood, you can't.

I had great expectations for this based on memory. This LP could be summarized as 1) a bunch of mediocre songs made good by a few South African musicians or 2) an excellent album featuring excellent ZAR musicians. I choose #2 but acknowledge that #1 is also true. The songs (e,g. Homeless) featuring Ladysmith Black Mambazo  are excellent and this is a good amount of a cappella for an album. You Can Call Me Al was the big hit but for me it's not the strong point of the album. Graceland, the other hit, is quite good and made so by Ray Phiri's guitar playing in the Soweto style. Diamonds on the Soles ... is a great tune that would be average were it not for the excellent intro by LBM. Likewise I Know What I Know would be a fairly lame song without the ZAR  guitars and bass. It's true,  the lyrics about the cinematographers party would not, by themselves, have carried this song.  Crazy Love Vol II continues with the ZAR sounding guitar riffs. There was lots of politics around this LP. It's said that Paul should not have broken the boycott by  going to ZAR to record. This argument makes sense. He probably should also have taken a pass on having Linda Ronstadt sing on the album. There are also accusations that Paul took advantage of the musicians. That sounds like a nonsensical  argument made by the wingnut section of any Socialist party and was probably led by the likes of Billy Bragg. I bought a lot of records by South African musicians like  Ladysmith Black Mambazo, Joe Mafela, Miriam Makeba, Mahlathini and the Mahotella Queens, etc.   Paul Simon wasn't directly responsible for my liking their music but I would not likely have found material from LBM  in the record stores were it not for Paul. Paul created tremendous interest in and benefits for South African musicians.  --

Still a fresh sounding album

Possibly his best album. Nostalgic

Hits all the right spots, including nostalgia.

Nothing says stealing black music and making it white like Graceland. A beautiful album, with coherent lyrics, made by a proper musician. Well done, Mr Simon.

I had only heard one song from this before. I liked it, and it was interesting to learn about. Although the African influence was cool, I did get a little tired of the constant pep.

It was good!

v good, 4/5

Ready for a 5. Big fan. Didn't quite get there though. Grrat music, love the album cover, but I think some of the songs need some time to come around.

Absolutely brilliant. An uplifting classic that I'd guaranteed to put you in a good mood despite some of its darker undertones and subject matter.

Good album obviously and the source of some of the most recognizable Paul Simon songs in existence, but I think it gets dragged just a little bit by its use of tymphonic 80s drums. Can't really BLAME it for that, but it is an element I don't love. Need to revisit.

Fun album

Great album. Starts very strong and goes strong for most of its runtime but I feel like the last 2 tracks are considerably worse than the rest.

Homelessness was a terrible song. Boy in a Bubble reminded me of Come With Me Now; accordions are underrated. I did like the more popular songs on this album. You can call me Al is a classic.

Listened to this a TON when it first arrived. Still holds up well.

Do I think about the great sounding sounds, or think about cultural appropriation? I think he does a good job of paying homage to the culture.

“In yoking this intricate dance music to his sophisticated New Yorker sensibility, Simon created a bridge that neither pandered to nor patronised either culture.”

An top artist in top form demonstrates what innovation and exploration means. Yet, at the same time, I find I’m unable to connect with the music as much as I can with other Paul Simon stuff.

Un disco que hoy nacería cancelado por apropiación. A mí me gustó, una versatilidad armoniosa, como que es un recorrido guiado de cómo puede sonar la música desde muchos lados con orientación sobre todo pop. A veces incluso se oye lúdico. En fin, disfrutable. Canciones fav: "I Know What I Know", "Diamonds on the Soles of Her Shoes", "You Can Call Me Al" y "All Around the World or the Myth of Fingerprints" 8.5/10

Första 8 låtar var en go variation från allt annat, sen blev det väldigt mycket Paul Simon

Was good in its day.

I go back and forth between “Paul Simon is so good” and “okay, Paul Simon..I get it”

Més enllà de les crítiques sobre apropiacions o abusos, ningú pot negar que es tracta d'un disc de pop soberbi, innovador i molt inspirat. No només va donar a conèixer nous sons i revitalitzar la carrera de Simon, també és el lloc on trobar cançons tan increïbles com 'You Can Call Me Al'. 'Diamonds on the Soles of Her Shoes' o la mateixa 'Graceland'

4/5

This is the first album in which I knew most of the songs! Maybe it’s because of that nostalgic familiarity, but overall I really enjoyed this album. I am a huge fan of the South African beats that Paul Simon employed and his witty lyrics about his personal life (specifically his divorce from Carrie Fisher) as well as global injustices.

Favourite songs: The Boy in the Bubble, You Can Call Me Al, All Around the World or the Myth of Fingerprints.

4.5

Classic! Fantastiska texter, underbara sydafrikanska influenser, superfina sockersöta Simon. Bästa låt: Graceland. "The Mississippi Delta/Was shining like a National guitar". HUR inte älska???

Been meaning to listen for a while. Overall very enjoyable

Good one

I don't think I've heard this full album, but I know I'll like it at least moderately well since it's Paul Simon. I know the tune for song 6! Giving it a 4, cuz it's Paul Simon and because of the last track is a story of it.

A solid album with some interesting influences. 8.2/10

Im Bus habe ich es nicht gefühlt, aber in Ruhe zuhause schon, muss noch mehr auf die Texte achten

Veldig koselig album! Har alltid likt stemmen til Paul Simon, han setter et veldig karakteristisk preg på musikken. Veldig gjenkjennelig. Likte den litt folkelige og \"world music\" stilen han har gående. Beste sanger: I Know What I know, Homeless, You Can Call Me Al (så klart)

Digger viben på noen av sangene, Graceland, Diamonds on the soles of her shoes og Crazy love. Resten var okay. Chill album å høre på med venner.

A nice album that blended tones of genres into a nice little pop package

Solid album. 4/5

This was a good album with an interesting story.

With Graceland, Paul Simon hit on the idea of combining his always perceptive songwriting with the little-heard mbaqanga music of South Africa, creating a fascinating hybrid that re-enchanted his old audience and earned him a new one. An enormously successful record, Graceland became the standard against which subsequent musical experiments by major artists were measured.

I'd forgotten how radical this was

Background with book...didnt really notice it on

Sounds like Vampire Weekend

'You can call me Al' gives me ptsd to shitty undergrad club nights. Other than that, enjoyable. I appreciate the influence of south african music

Extremely pleasant. Tenho quase certeza que ja ouvi Diamonds on the Soles of Her Shoes enquanto estava on hold numa ligacao num call center.

Not massively familiar other than the big ones. Nice.

Good balance between chill and energetic.

A classic

Always very listenable

it's a classic, but there are a few week tracks.

Graceland is a nice track. A couple other songs had nice instrumentals and also a big variety of vocals.

A classic. Some great tunes and some interesting African sounds Favorite Track(s): “Diamonds in the Souls of Her Shoes” and “You Can Call Me Al”

This is an excellently put together album, expertly combining Simon's folk rock stylings with South African street music. It is an exceptionally high-quality recording and well deserving of a five star rating. ...but I'm not going to give it a five star rating because no matter how much he tries to disguise it, it is still a folk album and folk is bad. Get folked, Paul Simon.

Super varied and interesting choice of instrumentation

Great album!

7/10 on my first listen...

Solid. All good songs

Very Good

P7io.

8

7/10 Best songs: diamonds on the soles of my shoes, you can call me Al. Interesting mix of African influences and electric pop. I like the percussion. Not sure I'm a Paul Simon fan now but very chill album - maybe good for a summer roadtrip.

I love his writing and storytelling but not a huge fan of some of the music - That Was Your Mother was particularly not good; I think the accordion is going in the shit instrument pile along with the banjo and fiddle. I did like the way he folded in some of the Africa influences though, especially at the start of Diamonds on Soles of Her Shoes. Obviously You Can Call Me Al is one of the all time great Ric's tunes, the bass breakdown deserves five stars alone. Four stars all things considered.

solid album. Some bummer tracks but great overall

3,5/5

Enjoyed very much. In all honesty, I feel I would need to listen more to give a 5, but I shall be revisiting this album.

Enjoyed very much. In all honesty, I feel I would need to listen more to give a 5, but I shall be revisiting this album.

Kuuntelin autoa ajellessa, aurinkoisena sunnuntaipäivänä ja oli todella osuva levy hetkeen. Uudelleen kuunteluun tämäkin.

Very good, closer to 4.3ish.

Pretty close to a 5 here... love this album. An all time classic most will agree!

Fantastiskt! FN hade infört reseförbud till Sydafrika pga Apartheid. Det sket Paul i. Han åkte dit och gjorde albumet tillsammans med lokala artister ändå. Nästan en 5:a.

Legesyg plade på den gode måde. Trut og afro-beats. De sidste to numre stikker ud som mere country-agtige og ret kedelige. Ellers lytværdig.

3,5

Ups and downs. Mostly nonsensical, feels like it was written by Paul Simon whilst high on something or other. On about 4 tracks it comes together and he's made some good songs the rest is sort of naff and disjointed.

I knew this was eventually going to arrive as the daily album, and I was sort of dreading it. I was a bit relieved that it wasn't quite as painful or superficial as I feared, but I think my dread was still well-founded, and not just on such obviously derivative tracks like "Gumboots" or "Homeless", or the sadly stolen jam sessions from Good Rockin' Dopsie and the Twisters ("That was your mother") or Los Lobos ("All around the world or the myth of the fingerprints"). In some ways, the best of this album are where he tones down his infatuation (and appropriation) on the opening track "Boy in the bubble" and "You can call me Al" (with a fun video featuring Chevy Chase). "Graceland" is certainly better than the likes of Joni Mitchell's "The Hissing Of Summer Lawns", but even on the world-music-appropriation scale it's so much less interesting than Talking Heads' "Remain in Light" or Peter Gabriel's "So". I was also semi-aware of the controversies surrounding this album (especially the violation of anti-apartheid cultural bans), but reading the (largely positive) Wikipedia entry made me far more aware of how stubborn and seemingly uncaring Simon was (and likely is) about fellow artists and issues of cultural sensitivity and appropriation. This was clearly a high-water mark for him, and also re-energized him to the pleasures of music, but none of those things helped me enjoy his style of music particularly, and I still shudder at how much this album reminds of the most painful aspects of Western artists' perspectives towards everywhere else, and Africa in particular, in the 80s and 90s. It's not as bad as Toto's "Africa", Band Aid's "Do they know it's Christmas?" or USA for Africa's "We are the world", but to me it feels uncomfortably close.

Great Paul Silon

I love Call Me Al. Definitely a great song. The rest of the album was just ok for me. I recognized a sample from Diamonds on the Soles of her Shoes from a Pretty Lights sunset set at Bonnaroo and that was exciting for me.

Urgh. Some points were less bad than others but overall wasn't my thing. Don't quite understand the tribal music.

Den här typen av blandning med västerländsk och afrikansk musik påminner mig om lejonkungen soundtracket. Ska lyssna på det nu.

Some nice moments in the album i like and i can appreciate why it's been so widely received. Feels very of it's time. It's not probably an album I'd actively listen to again (apart from one or two songs) but it would make nice quiet background music for an evening. Favorite track: Diamonds on the soles of her shoes.

solid. the 80s bass tuning sounds like a damn rubber band. other than that i really enjoyed a lot of this