Paul Simon - Graceland

I think I'll be listening to a lot more Paul Simon in the next years. I just checked out Graceland a few months after a friend recommended it to me and I am thoroughly impressed.

The song "Graceland" is one I've always had somewhere in my head - it would occasionally surface and I would sing it to myself. But I never bothered checking out the whole album. I didn't even really know who performed it. Maybe my mom sang it at home - it seems like the kind of music she would like.

What I enjoy most about the album are the african choir parts. When I first heard "Homeless" it reminded me of "A picture of Jesus" by Ben Harper (which I also love). Well, the choir on both tracks turns out to be Ladysmith Black Mambazo. I had heard of them, but didn't know much about their story. They were around a long time before this album, but supposedly this album made them famous world wide.

Just like Paul Simon's Surprise album, there are also deliciously witty lyrics on this one. One favourite verse is:

I was walking down the street
When I thought I heard this voice say
Say, ain't we walking down the same street together
On the very same day
I said hey Senorita that's astute
I said why don't we get together
And call ourselves an institute

It seems like he's got my sense of humor...

Here's a video of a live performance of "Diamonds on the soles of her shoes". Listen to the bass line... crazy!