Graceland

Cripes this was unavoidable back in the day. It was everywhere, my mother even had this album. There are some good songs here largely due to the collaboration with other artists. A lot of the controversy that went on around the album still lingers and leaves a not so great feeling for me. I have a jaundiced opinion of Simon to this day. I can see both sides of the anti-apartheid angle and in retrospect he did do a good thing for the South African musicians who played on the album, not sure in the grand scheme of things it made any difference either way though. He also screwed other musicians out of writing credits on songs here. That's the part that really taints the whole thing for me.

There's no doubt - it's a great album. Paul Simon and I have had kind of a weird relationship over the years. Everyone says I would *love* Simon. And for whatever reason it just doesn't fully click. I appreciate it - I see it - I recognize it. But it's just missing something for me. It's great though.

Paul Simon – Graceland (1986) On Day 292, this record delivered an absolute masterpiece of genre-bending cultural exchange, paying off a six-month wait after first encountering "Diamonds on the Soles of Her Shoes" through Bobby McFerrin earlier this year. Aside from "Gumboots" feeling slightly less vital, nearly every track here was peak sonic perfection marrying yacht-rock precision and intimate folk storytelling with vibrant Zulu vocal traditions and mbaqanga rhythms. The chemistry Simon built with Ladysmith Black Mambazo and the South African players was otherworldly. "Diamonds on the Soles of Her Shoes" left me stunned once again with its seamless transition from breathtaking a cappella into a joyously buoyant groove, while "Homeless" stripped everything down to pure, spine-tingling choral resonance that genuinely blesses your ears. The springy, infectious bounce of "I Know What I Know" proved just as magnetic. Rounded out by the iconic hooks of "You Can Call Me Al," the lilting warmth of "Under African Skies," and the atmospheric genius of the title track, this earns an immediate spot on my favorites wall of the entire challenge. A transcendent, undisputed 5/5.

Musically, it's pretty sound. But the lyrics feel kinda boomer tinged, boomer sensibilities, which is a turnoff

It's amazing that he can write such simple lyrics that contain so much emotion. "She came back to tell me she's gone" made my chest hurt and it's so easy and beautiful. I really liked that aspect

Ok

Innovative and beautiful. One of the best albums of all time. Nothing more to say here. Just a great listen.

How does someone's voice sound so buttery pleasant. Innovative and enjoyable mix of sounds. Many hits. Happy to tune in at any point in the album. 5 rats

Politics aside, this is why vanilla oreos aren't as satisfying as the original.

you ca call me al :smiling catface: i wanted to give 7/10

ok i know 1 song off here before listening. Like it so far. It's road trip music; it would be a fabulous listen on a long drive. Or it's from Matilda or Pee-wee's Big Adventure. look i dont know these are just my thoughts as they're coming. Also not surprising, but great harmonies. ok i kind of just don't like the damn high notes in I Know What I Know. It would be a perfect song without that shit lol. Oh, I see he's got a lot of collabs on this album. Well, that one wasn't good; I didn't even let the song finish. sry i have to say it. "You want me to walk down the aisle to 'You Can Call Me Al'?" I really like Under African Skies. Lovely harmony. Sorry, another quote. "But you love Ladysmith Black Mambazo!" I also love crazy love II. I like the polka vibes in the last 2 tracks. Yeah, solid album.

I don’t know what to do with this…

Yeah I mean one of the best things ever

+ afrikai zenészek - béna dalszövegek (i said, she said, he said...) - paul simon idegesítő hangja - na na na na na

hiáynzik garfunkel

Kedves kis ártalmatlan, de azért néha idétlen prüntyögés. Nirvana volt 3 csillag, így ez sajnos nem lehetett, pedig élveztem néha.

Nem a szövegírás az erőssége a fickónak. De zeneileg nem rossz. You can call me Al!

Problémás. Az első két szám amúgy nekem egész hallgatható, utána inkább lefele megy. 5/10 Fav: The Boy in the Bubble

Classic. Guy is a tool. Immoral how it was made. But album is brilliant

Album cover is awful. Looks like a rediscovered mayan temple artifact. The title track is decent, the best song is definetly "You can call me Al". "Diamonds on the Soles of her Shoes" is pretty good as well. This album is very forgettable, however it is not bad at all. While listening to it, I did not feel anything at all, its just mediocre, not terrible, not amazing. Thats why I am rating it a 3. Best Song: You can call me Al. Worst Song: Homeless.

Paul Simon is a legend; however, this album is mid. On the bright side, it includes hits like Graceland and You can call me Al.

I don't really know what this album is. Some songs are completely 60s, slow, smooth pop/folk, and then I'm hearing traditional African music the next track. It's a cool blend, and very peaceful with the classic singing style, with thoughtful songwriting and talented vocals. Parts of melodies of certain songs, such as "I Know What I Know," can miss, but generally it's good. "Homeless" to "Crazy Love, Vol. II" gave me whiplash. Additionally, I feel partially uninterested at times, losing focus as the record goes on and on; maybe it seems too lengthy, but then the next song usually gently tugs me back. In all fairness, I thought this album would be worse than it is; I am mildly pleased.

Der er selvfølgelig nogle fantastiske numre på dette album, og jeg kan godt lide Simons historiefortælling, men jeg er også lidt overrasket over, at jeg ikke nød albumet mere.

I love this album. Lots of good memories listening to it. 5/5

The Boy In The Bubble - 94 Graceland - 90 I Know What I Know - 81 Gumboots - 87 Diamonds On The Soles Of Her Shoes - 93 You Can Call Me Al - 100 Under African Skies - 90 Homeless - 64 Crazy Love 2 - 89 That Was Your Mother - 78 All Around The World Or The Myth Of Fingerprints - 85 Graceland - 88

6/10

Einfach schön produziert und experimentell. Ziemlich hifi. 4/5.

Like that one other commenter said..... I dont know what to do with this. Its definitely 80s? Has some weird brass sections? Idk

The Boy in the Bubble: The accordion? The lyrics? This is fucking great. Graceland: The bass-vocals in the chorus... wow.... paid special attention to the lyrics cause I love Carrie Fisher. I Know What I Know: interesting sounds, didn't care that much for this otherwise Gumboots: relatable. I think the fast tempo, lyrics and quick alternation between verse and chorus of this song really reflect the loopy nature of social anxiety. Diamonds on the Soles of her Shoes: The opening and closing vocals by Ladysmith Black Mambazo are lovely and set the mood for the song. Love the bass in this and also really like the concept. You Can Call Me Al: Bass again! I could cry from how good it is. I understand this is a very famous song, I'd never heard it before. Rhythm is lovely but think it's lacking something in terms of melodies for me. Under African Skies: Linda Rondstadt vocals are beautiful. Homeless: nothing to note - alright Crazy Love, Vol. II: This is nice, I like the chorus but I'm missing a bit of... groove. That Was Your Mother: nothing to highlight - alright Around the World or the Myth of Fingerprints: I like the pop-rock-y drums and the song's message. Nice album closer. Overall: Read about the controversies surrounding the album. Is there something that doesn't sit right with the album's overwhelming success and praise for Simon? Yeah, I guess so – as a formerly chronically-online Gen-Zer, the discourse on cultural appropriation is so ingrained in me. However, we should be free to roam and be moved and inspired by cultural exchange anywhere, and it does sound like, while not handling things perfectly, remuneration and credits for collaborating artists were sufficient. Not sure what I'd think on the break or the cultural boycott if it happened today. I'm going to leave these matters aside for my rating of the album. It's very different from what I'd usually listen to, but it has made me appreciate Paul Simon. Bass sounds were a highlight for me. I liked the first two tracks most and, based on them, I thought I would enjoy the rest of the album way more than I actually did. I'd like to revisit this album during my future mid-life crisis to see how I feel about it. It's 3.25 stars for me, rounded down to 3.

Super unique, experimental album. Enjoyed it for the most part!

It was good

Graceland — Paul Simon Pre-listening: always heard they shouldn’t have gone solo. I guess we’ll see. Best: Graceland Runner-up: Diamonds on the Bottom of My Shoes Third: You Can Call Me Al Post-listening: Not bad. I liked the songs that were slow better than the ones that were fast. The slow songs feel more important and the fast ones feel hokey (but the again, maybe that’s just the 80s). I respect a lot of the music and all that went into the production but it’s definitely not my kind of music. It feels like yacht rock for people who don’t own a yacht. Rating: 5/10 Stars: 2/5

This is a pleasant listen and regarded as one of the best albums of all time for a reason- it’s objectively very good and the musicianship is outstanding (the bass on Diamonds On The Soles Of Her Shoes is a highlight for me). This album came out the year before I was born, so I’ve grown up being dimly aware of the absolute chokehold Graceland has on people born in 50s, and I’m also still young-adjacent and hip enough to have it totally ruined for me by Kyle Gordon.

Have never went to listen to the solo stuff from Paul Simon and I'm well aware of the praise this album has received. So naturally quite excited to hear this, we'll see.

Its a musically interesting album, it doesn't appeal to me all that much though.

Although I appreciate the storytelling and Paul's impact on music I'm not a big fan of folk genre. Just not really my cup of tea and the lyrics of most songs don't resonate with me so it was a bit of a slog to get through.

7/10 Not my exact style but a couple of standout songs I really quite liked

This was my first time listening to Paul Simon and this album has a really unique african, country-ish sound. The vocals kind of reminds me of billy joel. It is quite joyful and peaceful. Would i listen to this album in my day to day life i am not sure but it is a quite unique album that everyone must give it a listen at least once.

More to Paul than folk this colab with African music and use of multiple instruments is stupendous

Some amazing bass playing on this.

Only 3 stars for my baggage reasons.

Reminded me of my southern blues I listen too but it didn't have the southern twang that I like but still really nice

I wish he had stayed with the more pop/ rock songs that populate some of the album. I found the more world music inspired ones to be bland. It was one of those situation where when trying to mix two things that are on their own interesting, the combination is gets washed out.

With this album, Paul Simon mixes folk, pop, and African music with an 80s vibe. I didn't know quite what to make of it. It was kind of catchy and had Simon's recognizable quirky lyrics in some songs ("You Can Call Me Al", "Crazy Love, Vol. II"), but stronger African influences in songs like "Homeless". It was an interesting combination of music that I've never heard before and would be worth revisiting.

Meh. Agradable al oído, pero meh total. 4/10

The 1989 5th grade trip from my Montessori school in Houston was a week long van excursion to Michael, Illinois where some kind of educational center on ancient civilizations resided. We slept in longhouses and wrote in ancient Sumarian on clay tablets, but more memorable probably was the van ride itself, led by my teacher Mrs. Shields, who was a pure Texas stereotype, all thick accent and hokey catchphrases. She also loved Graceland, and played it during the long drive, enough for me to notice how good it is. It was probably another 10 years before I heard it again and since then it’s been a mainstay. In 2008 I saw Simon play a retrospective of his music at the Brooklyn Academy of Music called ‘Under African Skies’, which was transcendent. Ladysmith Black Mambazo was there, and probably other special guests I don’t recall. Full band arrangements of the songs of Graceland. If I could go back I’m sure I’d appreciate it even more now than I did then. There are at least a half dozen special times in my life for which this music was the soundtrack.

Huge album and one of the best for many different list. I love that this album actually has Ladysmith Black Mambazo as backing vocals. Classic songs and love the African influences. We got to see Paul Simon headline Outside Lands! He did "The Boxer" with special guest Bob Weir of the Grateful Dead (RIP). His final encore was just him, 'man & a guitar' doing "Sounds of Silence." One of the best songs I've ever seen. Take into account I rented a car to Art Garfunkel & got the whole shebang... both Bookends haha

favs: i know what i know homeless crazy love, vol. ii rating 1.4/5

Was decent but nothing quite special but my favorite was “The boy in the bubble”

nah i'm not writing now what i think about some of the 1 star users here. that wouldn't fit the tone of the album anyway: you can't hide from the fact that "You can call me Al" is only complete if you watch the video to it.

Rules, so many weird songs that he makes work. One of the like 7 cassette tapes parents had in rotation so knew it by heart newbie I was 12. Still doesn't disappoint

NME: "... possibly the most arrogant record made this decade". OK.

One of the stone-cold best of all time. Maybe my fav album of all time? ten stars, eleven stars, eleventy million stars.

Ah fuck. I do not like this brand of 80s at all. It takes far too much "inspiration" from world music, dumbs it down and then takes all the credit. The bass tone sounds like technical farts and Paul sounds like he's whispering in a cave and can't be bothered. It's twee, noble savage nonsense. No thanks. 1*

Classic

Rated just on the music that I hear - there are moments of beauty and brilliance here. Actually the best bits are when Simon is plundering less from world music sources, but even the other stuff is intersting.

i have absolutely no idea how this pileup of like five different eras and cultural contexts is so cohesive and consistent this album does so much and puts it together so seamlessly that nothing ever feels gimmicky or trend-chasey, anything from rockabilly to south african street music to straight 80s pop hits are all casually just on the one tracklist without ever feeling out of place favourite songs: you can call me al, graceland, crazy love vol ii least favourite song: none

Reminds me too much of Casio keyboard loops, though 50 Ways to Leave Your Lover is great.

por momentos el album es medio goofy y tiene canciones poco appealing como Homeless o That Was Your Mother pero hay otras canciones que estan super bien, son lindas y movidas. Igual creo que esta medio overhyped 7.5/10

One of the best albums ever made, and my favourite of all time. 4.5

I’ve heard most of the songs on here before but I don’t think I’ve ever listened to the whole thing all at once. I’m starting off with a bad taste in my mouth because of the background of this album, where Simon broke the boycott of apartheid South Africa to record there, included other musicians who had broken the boycott earlier by performing to segregated audiences at Sun City, and stole ideas and songs from other musicians without crediting them. I’ll try to go into this with an open mind and see if I can enjoy the music since it’s been ages since I’ve heard any of this. I’ll let go any charges of cultural appropriation for this album since he was very clear about the intentions of the album and had South African musicians perform in all of the songs except the last one, which had Los Lobos backing. Also art is a series of cultural exchanges and influences and would stagnate and rot if everything is barricaded up. There are some good songs on here that are diminished by Paul Simon’s involvement. There are song great arrangements that Paul Simon absolutely did not compose but is given sole songwriting credits for, and you can tell the parts that he did write because they’re much weaker and incongruous to the polyrhythmic backing everywhere else. The only one that isn’t made worse by his involvement is Homeless, where he just does backing vocals. Somehow he’s given songwriting credits for this even though it’s based on a traditional Zulu song; maybe it’s for the words he’s mumbling in the background. I would give this a 1 if it weren’t for the quality of the backing musicians who did all the heavy lifting here.

I have to give this similar to the Kendrick album score. Not sure why I enjoy this record as much as I do.

Quite probably the most perfect album ever recorded.

I like the concept and the story telling in songs, but it is prpetty cringe overall sorry Paul

I’ve never been super interested in folk music, and after listening to this album, I’m still not. I found myself often forgetting I was even listening to music because I was so uninterested in what I was listening to. Giving this album two stars is quite generous of me. Favorite song: Diamonds On The Soles Of Her Shoes Least favorite: It's hard to choose

Het is een leuk album, waar je makkelijk doorheen gaat!

was excited to relisten to this but remembered i only like about 2 songs from this album. i like them a lot tho so all good.

2,1/5

4/5

There are thoughts and feelings. Especially in comparison to yesterdays album. I know there is stolen property here do I like some of the songs ? Yes. 3 stars. -1 for imperialism.

Great album. Rating: 6/10

All time favourite

The first album on here that I’d already listened to. Maybe I’m going through a phase but I think it’s great. So catchy

I am whelmed. I can't say this is bad, but I also can't say that it's good. Oh it has You can call me Al .i guess. 3/5.

I went through a heavy Graceland phase in the 2010’s, and I was so excited to revisit it. Sadly, it’s not as good as I remember. There are some all-time great songs- Graceland is especially classic. But there are plenty of dated, goofy songs that sound like filler. Yesterday, I had Stevie Wonder’s Innervisions which still sounds so fresh and relevant. Graceland doesn’t hold up in the same way.

Goated easy 5

This a great album. Possibly Paul Simon's best solo album. Pitchfork: Rolling Stone: Best Songs Graceland Diamonds Oon the Soles of Her Shoes You Can Call Me Al Under African Skies Homeless (with Ladysmith Black Mambazo) That Was Your Mother (with Good Rockin' Doopsies & The Twisters) All Around the World or the Myth of Fingerprints (with Los Lobos)

It's fine. Not worth white washing apartheid for, so -1 star extra. As expected, it was like when you hear native Hawaiians play the ukulele correctly for the first time. A lot of the fun and uniqueness is taken out of the Westernized version afterwards. You Can Call Me Al is a banger tho

Hey there Mr. Jambo! So, the racial connotations around Simon traveling to Africa to "find himself" and making an album about it comes off kind of rancid in 2026, so I was expecting this to be a lot worse than it was, I guess. I felt like he gave space to a lot of local talent and the music was varied enough that I hope it means he let his partners take the wheels. Faves were Homeless (love Ladysmith black mambazo), Fingerprints, and "you can call me al" is just a classic.

You Can Call me Al, Diamonds on the Soles of her Shoes (AKA the hits).

NO bro, otra vez este jugo no. Música de entrada para gente blanca que quiere ser "culta"

There are two memorable lines from this album that I carry with me from the year it was released: ‘Losing love is like a window in your heart; everybody sees you’re blown apart’ & ‘she calls herself a human trampoline’.

Fine and enjoyable.

Ugggg.....

Weird - I got this album on its 40th anniversary date, only 1 month later! THANK YOU to the top two reviews for putting the haters and the uninformed in their place about this album. I'm not a Paul Simon fanatic by any means, but he did something beautiful and meaningful here. Simon, dealing with problems with executives at Warner, decided to fly to Johannesburg at the height of apartheid to work with musicians he recently discovered via a bootleg from South Africa and Lesotho, incorporating influences from pop, rock, a cappella, zydeco, isicathamiya, and mbaqanga. So many amazing musicians participated in this project, from the USA (such as Louisiana and New York), South Africa, Lesotho, and beyond, and it's clear that Simon was trying to find a way to break through cultural barriers and political divisions through music. The results are sometimes mixed, but overall hopeful, melodic, and catchy as hell. I was definitely holding back tears on a few of the tracks, such as the African-inspired spiritual "Homeless" and the heavily mbaqanga-inspired "Graceland." As for the others, everything is so different, I find "You Can Call Me Al" and "Under African Skies" catchier than a damn thing. Given the context of this album, it's amazing that it was even made in the first place. Simon arrived with enthusiasm and generosity, recording in a relatively low-key environment and paying the musicians more than ten times what they would normally make for a session, while giving them full credit. This was at a time when mingling and associating with different ethnic groups could be very risky if discovered by the authorities. In fact, Black South Africans at the time couldn't use public transportation or even be on the streets of Johannesburg after dark. He would do everything he could to ensure their safety to and from the sessions. Far from the "cultural appropriation" that some people are decrying (yet bands like Led Zeppelin, that often never credited their influences, get a free pass on that!). Even more insanely, as tensions surrounding apartheid were high worldwide, a UN special committee tried to censure Simon over the release, as it would anyone internationally who performed in the country at the time, in an effort to avoid contributing to the government's propaganda efforts. It didn't work (Simon said he would only record yet never perform in the country), and although it was slow to catch on at first, the album eventually became a huge success. The only thing that's a bit iffy is that Los Lobos gained no royalties for the final track, even though it came to be through a jam in-studio. There were also accusations of not giving credit from some of the artists such as Rockin’ Dopsie and the Zydeco Twisters and guitarist Ray Phiri. This, along with criticism on how Simon handled the whole thing, would continue to haunt him for decades to come. I think it says a lot more about the ruthlessness of the record industry rather than Simon himself, but who knows. Regardless, it was a great effort to get Western audiences to connect not just with music and musicians from other parts of the world, but also with their stories, traditions, struggles, and dreams. Anyone who cannot feel and understand that through this challenge should probably reconsider why they're listening to this list in the first place. After years of avoiding this, I'm glad I finally listened. It's wonderful stuff—sometimes the Simon clichés are there, but the music is truly wondrous. 4.5 stars.

This was fun actually

Need more Paul Simon on this list

Wowza I just made a mess of my trousas

Some bangers on there. Not typically a folk fan but still a solid album I wouldn't turn off. Happy to listen to it again.

FAVOURITE: You Can Call Me Al / Graceland LEAST FAVOURITE: That Was Your Mother

Delightful, saved!

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.

nah

Nope

not my type of music

3,5

A nice reminder of a time where you could hear Ladysmith Black Mambazo on Pop Radio… a MUST for everyone

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 don’t think there was anyone alive in the 80’s that didn’t hear “You Can Call Me Al” over and over again whenever you turned the radio on. I never had the album, wasn’t really my ballpark at the time, although I didn’t mind the few tracks I heard. I have listened to it in later years, and have always enjoyed it. Still holds up and a very pleasant listen.

I remember this album pretty well and figured it was going to be a 3 - used to like it but that was a while ago plus the whole cultural appropriation thing sits a bit weirdly now. But 3 seems harsh. I'm not sure I love any of the songs (apart from Boy in the Bubble maybe) but there's something about PS's wordy songwriting that appeals even if I'm not crazy about any of the actual songs. I don't know.