Maps of Music

Graceland (1986)

Where the lyrics of Graceland take you, and where it was really made.

The album's title came from a phrase Simon changed: he turned "driving through Wasteland" into "going to Graceland".

Key places

Editing and overdubs in New York (1986)

Recording site The Hit Factory — Simon and Roy Halee returned to the Hit Factory in New York City to edit the recordings. Each song was mixed there in about two days, and most vocal overdubs were recorded at the studio. Google Maps · Apple Maps

How to get there: See the map for directions.

Johannesburg sessions (1986)

Recording site Ovation Studios — Recording sessions with South African musicians took place at Ovation Studios in Johannesburg, the first stage of the album's making. The location is placed at the city centre, not the studio building. Google Maps · Apple Maps

How to get there: See the map for directions.

Los Lobos session in Los Angeles (1986)

Recording site Amigo Studios — Simon recorded All Around the World with Los Lobos in Los Angeles. Discogs lists Amigo Studios among the studios used for the album's later tracks. Google Maps · Apple Maps

How to get there: See the map for directions.

Finishing a song in London (1986)

Recording site Abbey Road Studios — Simon and Joseph Shabalala met at Abbey Road Studios in London, where the rest of a song was completed. Discogs lists the studio for one track on the album. Google Maps · Apple Maps

How to get there: Jubilee line to St John's Wood station, then about a 5-minute walk.

Zydeco session in Louisiana (1986)

Recording site Master-Trak Enterprises — "That Was Your Mother" was recorded with Rockin' Dopsie and the Twisters during a Louisiana trip. Discogs lists Master-Trak Enterprises in Crowley as the recording studio for this track. Google Maps · Apple Maps

How to get there: See the map for directions.

Album story

Overview

• Graceland is the seventh solo studio album by Paul Simon
• Produced by Simon, engineered by Roy Halee
• Released 25 August 1986 by Warner Bros. Records
• Mixes pop, rock, a cappella, zydeco and South African styles including isicathamiya and mbaqanga
• Became Simon's most successful album and his highest-charting album in over a decade

Background

• In the early 1980s, Simon's relationship with Art Garfunkel had deteriorated, his marriage to Carrie Fisher had collapsed, and Hearts and Bones (1983) had been a commercial failure
• In 1984, after a period of depression, Simon became fascinated by a bootleg cassette of mbaqanga, South African street music
• The tape was lent to Simon by Heidi Berg, who had wanted to fuse Western and African music
• Through producer Hilton Rosenthal, Warner confirmed the music was played by the Boyoyo Boys
• Simon first considered buying the rights to the song "Gumboots", then chose to record an album of South African music

Recording

• In February 1985, Simon and Roy Halee flew to Johannesburg, intending the visit to be secret
• They spent two weeks in Johannesburg recording with South African musicians
• Musicians were paid about $200 an hour, roughly triple the top New York rate
• Further sessions were held in the US with Linda Ronstadt, the Everly Brothers, Rockin' Dopsie and the Twisters, and Los Lobos
• Editing and most vocal overdubs were done at the Hit Factory in New York City

Cover

• Front cover photography by Mark Sexton; back cover photography by Gary Heery

Sources: en.wikipedia.org · pt.wikipedia.org

Tracklist

Sources: musicbrainz.org

Artist

Formation

• Paul Simon (born October 13, 1941, Newark, New Jersey) is an American singer-songwriter and guitarist.
• He met Art Garfunkel in elementary school in 1953 and they became known as Simon & Garfunkel in the 1960s.
• The duo's folk-rock hits such as "The Sound of Silence", "Mrs. Robinson", "America" and "The Boxer" defined the 1960s counterculture.
• Their final album, Bridge over Troubled Water (1970), is among the best-selling albums of all time.

Career

• As a solo artist, Simon explored gospel, reggae, soul and world music.
• Paul Simon (1972), There Goes Rhymin' Simon (1973) and Still Crazy After All These Years (1975) drew acclaim and hits such as "Mother and Child Reunion" and "50 Ways to Leave Your Lover".
• Graceland (1986), incorporating South African influences, became his most successful and acclaimed album.
• He wrote the Broadway musical The Capeman (1998), which was poorly received.
• His later albums include You're the One (2000), So Beautiful or So What (2011), Stranger to Stranger (2016) and Seven Psalms (2023).
• He has been inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame twice and won 16 Grammy Awards.

Honors

• He received the Kennedy Center Honors in 2001 and the first Library of Congress Gershwin Prize in 2007.
• He co-founded the Children's Health Fund, a nonprofit providing medical care to children.

Sources: en.wikipedia.org

Reception

At release

• Rolling Stone's Rob Tannenbaum characterized it as "lovely, daring and accomplished".
• In The Village Voice, Robert Christgau deemed it Simon's best record since his 1972 self-titled album, as well as "a tremendously engaging and inspired piece of work".
• The album topped The Village Voice's Pazz & Jop critics' poll for 1986.

Reappraisal

• According to AllMusic's William Ruhlmann, "Graceland became the standard against which subsequent musical experiments by major artists were measured."
• Pitchfork's Joe Tangari wrote that its songs transcend the context as listening experiences.
• BBC Music's Patrick Humphries called it a record that was truly, blindingly original.

Records

• Estimated sales of more than 16 million copies worldwide
• By July 1987, six million copies sold worldwide
• Won the 1987 Grammy Award for Album of the Year
• Simon won the Best International Solo Artist award at the 1987 Brit Awards
• Ranked No. 84 in Channel 4's 2005 survey of the 100 greatest albums of all time
• Ranked 81st on Rolling Stone's 2003 list of 500 Greatest Albums of All Time
• Added to the US National Recording Registry in 2006

Sources: en.wikipedia.org · es.wikipedia.org

Trivia

• Simon refused two offers to perform at Sun City; he drew a distinction between performing for segregated audiences and going to record.
• Before going to South Africa, Simon sought advice from Harry Belafonte, with whom he had recently collaborated on "We Are the World".
• The tour featured an ensemble of 24 black South Africans, including Miriam Makeba, Hugh Masekela, Ray Phiri and Ladysmith Black Mambazo.
• The tour ended with two concerts in Harare, Zimbabwe, filmed for release as Graceland: The African Concert.
• Graceland was reissued in 2004 with three previously unreleased demo tracks.

Sources: en.wikipedia.org

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