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| Paul Simon's Graceland | |
|---|---|
| Name | Graceland |
| Type | studio album |
| Artist | Paul Simon |
| Released | 1986 |
| Recorded | 1985–1986 |
| Studio | Various (Johannesburg, Los Angeles, New York, London) |
| Genre | Pop, worldbeat, folk rock |
| Length | 43:00 |
| Label | Warner Bros., Warner Music Group |
| Producer | Paul Simon |
Paul Simon's Graceland is a 1986 studio album by Paul Simon that fused American pop with South African township jive, zydeco, mbaqanga, and worldbeat influences. The album revitalized Simon & Garfunkel alumnus Simon's solo career, won the Grammy Award for Album of the Year, and became a touchstone in debates over cultural exchange, apartheid-era politics, and global music collaboration.
Simon began conceiving the project after exposure to mbaqanga and mbaqanga musicians while investigating the recordings assembled on compilations such as those by Shantel-era curators and collectors. After dissolving collaboration tensions post-Rhythm of the Saints era, Simon traveled to Johannesburg during a period when apartheid policies governed South Africa, seeking rhythm tracks and vocalists. Influences cited included recordings by artists associated with Paul Simon's earlier interests like Johnny Clegg, Miriam Makeba, Hugh Masekela, Ladysmith Black Mambazo, and other performers on labels such as Gallo Record Company and EMI South Africa.
Recording sessions took place in Johannesburg, Los Angeles, New York City, and London. Key collaborators included the isicathamiya group Ladysmith Black Mambazo, guitarist Ray Phiri, bassist Bakithi Kumalo, and accordionist Mick Hucknall-adjacent zydeco players; backup and session musicians involved figures from the Nile Rodgers and Steve Gadd circles, as well as producers and engineers linked to Arif Mardin and Phil Ramone. Simon worked with South African producers and studio musicians who had ties to Gallo Record Company sessions and the broader township scene. Additional contributors included singers and instrumentalists with histories in ensembles connected to Caiphus Semenya, Brenda Fassie, Stimela, and session veterans who had recorded for Island Records and Columbia Records.
Songs blend tuneful storytelling with references to American places such as Graceland and themes resonant with listeners familiar with New Jersey, New Orleans, and Los Angeles. Lyrically, Simon draws on narratives akin to those in his work alongside Art Garfunkel and on solo albums like Still Crazy After All These Years, addressing exile, identity, and personal memory while incorporating allusions to musicians associated with Elvis Presley and travelogue motifs reminiscent of Bruce Springsteen and Bob Dylan. Musical composition integrates South African harmonies, American folk progressions, and rhythmic structures paralleling those from artists like Ry Cooder, Paul Butterfield, and Ry Cooder-affiliated ensembles.
Released on Warner Bros. Records in 1986, the album reached high chart positions on the Billboard 200 and in United Kingdom charts administered by the Official Charts Company. Critics from outlets with ties to reviewers who covered releases by Rolling Stone-favored artists and international publications compared its innovation to work by Peter Gabriel and David Byrne. The album won multiple Grammy Awards, including Album of the Year, and singles achieved substantial airplay on MTV and BBC Radio 1, boosting global sales and earning certifications from organizations like the Recording Industry Association of America and the British Phonographic Industry.
The project ignited debate about engagement with South Africa under apartheid and drew criticism from proponents of the boycott, divestment and sanctions movement and the African National Congress cultural campaign, who argued that participation violated cultural boycotts endorsed by entities such as the United Nations and Anti-Apartheid Movement. Supporters countered that the collaboration provided economic opportunities to South African artists and brought international attention to township music, prompting discussions in forums including The New York Times, The Guardian, and programs hosted by NPR and BBC World Service.
Graceland influenced a generation of musicians and producers, contributing to the rise of world music as a marketed category through labels like World Circuit and inspiring fusion projects by artists such as Peter Gabriel, David Byrne, Ry Cooder, Paul Butterfield, Sting, and Pino Palladino. Its commercial success encouraged record companies like Island Records and Warner Music Group to invest in cross-cultural collaborations. Academics and critics from institutions like Harvard University, University of Oxford, and Smithsonian Institution have studied the album's role in debates over cultural appropriation, globalization, and postcolonialism.
Tracks feature lead vocals by Paul Simon with backing by Ladysmith Black Mambazo, guitar by Ray Phiri, bass by Bakithi Kumalo, drums and percussion by session musicians linked to Steve Gadd's circle, and additional instrumentation from artists associated with Miriam Makeba and Hugh Masekela. The album includes songs recorded in collaboration with South African studio personnel from outfits connected to Gallo Record Company and engineers with credits on releases by Paul Simon contemporaries.
Production credits list Paul Simon as producer with engineers and mixers who have worked alongside Phil Ramone, Arif Mardin, and producers affiliated with Warner Bros. Records studio rosters. A subsequent world tour featured many of the album's musicians and led to concert appearances at venues and festivals associated with promoters like Live Nation-equivalent organizations and broadcast features on stages linked to Royal Albert Hall, Madison Square Garden, and international festivals where artists such as Peter Gabriel and David Byrne have performed.
Category:1986 albums Category:Paul Simon albums Category:Grammy Award for Album of the Year winners