I will echo the sentiments of many others here: give the entire Graceland album a listen. It only gets better from here. It does not disappoint and IMO is a must listen for any music fan
The Joseph he mentions is Joseph Shabalala, former lead singer of Ladysmith Black Mambazo. If you want to hear the African sound, try "Diamonds on the Souls of Her Shoes" or "Homeless" from the same album.
Wonderful reaction to a wonderful tune. I couldn't agree more. A delight from start to finish. I'm pretty sure the "Joseph" is intended by Simon to be both--the biblical figure(s) (from both Old and New Testaments) as well as an homage to Joseph Shabalala, leader of Ladysmith Black Mambazo, who co-wrote & performed some of the tunes on the album.
Paul Simon is among only a handful of songwriters who could be mentioned in the same breath with Bob Dylan. He once again broke new ground with his 1986 masterpiece, "Graceland", which introduced the world to stunningly beautiful African rhythms and harmonies. This is one of the album's best tracks, along with the title song, "Boy In The Bubble", "I Know What I Know", Diamonds On The Soles Of Her Shoes".
That Lp is the Paul Simon's masterpiece !!! And he done much masterpiece. Beautiful Linda Rondstadt voice !! And the musicians you're right !! Perfection ....❤❤❤❤❤❤❤
You should also check out the live video where he sings this with Miriam Makeba at the Graceland concert in Zimbabwe. The video of the whole concert is absolutely fantastic, just beyond words.
Brilliant track, album, and the original live concert was incredible. Linda Ronstadt is an amazing singer; it is sad however, the original backing vocals by Miriam Makeba weren't used.
Thanks Harri. Paul Simon never disappoints! I love his reference to the child from Tuscon, Arizona (where Linda was born and raised) and the wings of her harmony. It makes me wonder if he had Linda in mind when he wrote the song. Just another masterpiece from the prolific mind of the musical genius of Paul Simon. 🌺✌️
Paul is such a poet and composer he is not afraid to work with different rhythms instruments or other musical influences.. U really need to listen to WRISTBAND ..great percussion with a little horns and a social comment too...Harri I promise u will love it!!!❤ and he is 80!!!!!
Oh, that stunning harmony between Linda and Paul. His charming, vulnerable voice is criminally underrated because of his years with Garfunkel, whose vocals were so traditionally pretty.
Great album ! More African beats please Harri, check out Johnny Clegg & Savuka "Too Early for the Sky" and Zulu legend Busi Mholongo "Yapheli'mali Yami (My Money is Gone) "
Debbie - i am just now getting current with this week's submissions. I went right to this Paul Simon and his "Under African Skies" as my first selection. This is a sterling submission from his Graceland album and concert. Harri, thanks for pointing out that Linda Ronstadt performed on this track. I never picked up on that until now. Bravo Debbie and Harri.
This song is a work of art. Each time I listen to it I hear something I hadn’t before… Paul Simon is, imo, one of the greatest songwriters of my lifetime- and this is as good of an example as you can find. The harmonies are so beautiful it’s scary. The band is top tier. I think it’s Simon at his best. Thanks for requesting this fabulous song, and for the insightful reaction !
We got to see Paul Simon on his Rhythm of the Saints tour. We were in the 4th row centre. It was one of the highlights of my life. The song Born at the Right Time brought tears to my eyes. ❤️🇨🇦
If you're interested about the making of this song there's a fantastic documentary about the making of Graceland called..... Under African Skies. Paul Simon goes back to South Africa to do a reunion gig with the original band, and they interview all the musicians, about the music, the controversy, the lot. It's great. Highly recommend.
What a masterpiece that album is, I remember the week it was released within 48 hours I think I had the lyrics memorized. Gosh it was all about South Africa at that time, protests at university and Graceland are forever entwined in my heart.❤🇨🇦
The musicians Paul had on this album would be jamming for a while and then Paul would build his song and lyrics on top of that South African sound; Paul would find something interesting to listen to and he'd have them lay down a track and took that track back to New York to mix and master, adding lyrics in. There is a movie documentary about the making of Graceland, including all the controversy that surrounded using South African musicians during Apartheid and the South African boycott for talented artists; all the famous bands choose not to go to South Africa when there's an Apartheid going on.
But if thats the case,why dont they get co writing credits? That sound is definitely not his,i think it should have been a co credit. Just reading your comment over again and noticed you said there was a documentary about the making of Graceland. So if this was really how the songs were written,those musicians have been cheated of millions of royalties collectively.They wrote those songs together and should have gotten co- writing credits
According to Wikipedia: Though musicians in Johannesburg were typically paid $15 an hour, Simon arranged to pay them $200 an hour, around triple the rate for top players in New York City.[4] Simon said he "wanted to be as above board as I could possibly be", as many of the musicians did not know who he was and would not be lured by the promise of royalties alone. He also offered royalties to those he felt had contributed to composing songs.[7]
@@thomassharmer7127 If thats the case,hebhas done very well.This is why i was surprised that he wouldnt have credited the deserving musicians,cos Simon seems like a fair guy. Very happy to have had my faith restored
4:14: Is funny you should say this, but when I travelled all through Vietnam for a couple of months all I had was a walkman and a couple of Paul Simon cassettes, The Best of double album and Graceland. And I got to go on the Reunification Express train journey that took 8 hours from North to South. So listening to "Under African Skies" was definitely a part of that journey.
I believe the Joseph in the song is based on the late great Joseph Shabalala, the leader of Ladysmith Black Mambazo whom Paul Simon collaborated with on this album.
The song is a masterpiece. The entire album is a masterpiece. Every song. The African is unforgettable. I might be wrong, but I think Ladysmith Black Mambazo was involved in the album.
Paul Simon went to South Africa to record Graceland after hearing Juluka's [Johnny Clegg] Scatterlings of Africa. Johnny Clegg formed a second group called Savuka His life and songs are worth checking out, especially African Sky Blue, Asimbonanga and The Crossing
Joseph is a reference to Joseph Shabalala, the founder of Ladysmith Black Mombazo. That is the vocal group you hear on several songs on Graceland, especially Diamonds on the Soles of Her Shoes.
Harri - your comment at end, there is a documentary or two about the making of "Graceland", and live concert film from that tour. When the album had its, 20th anniversary, the CD was remastered, and it was paired with a documentary, in a card-book set. Likely can find documentary and "live" online, somewhere. 🤔
This album was my introduction to Township Jive. At the time South Africa was under sanctions so there wasn't a lot of it available in the US but I listened to as much as I could. After the sanctions were lifted I went to town and picked up more when I visited SA in 2016
The whole album "Graceland" is a masterpiece. Once in a few years there's a release that's nearly perfect. This is one of them. All the songs are beautiful and special and the album floats (as you also mentioned, Harry) with nature. I can also recommend the documentary : "Paul Simon's Graceland Journey: under African Skies", about the creation of the album. I'd also like to recommend "Home" of "The Umoza Music Project" with Paul McCartney on bass. ru-vid.com/video/%D0%B2%D0%B8%D0%B4%D0%B5%D0%BE-sv4DZYoHrf0.html
If you want to know more about the bassist from this album, you can watch this short documentary about him from the channel Scotts Bass Lessons. ru-vid.com/video/%D0%B2%D0%B8%D0%B4%D0%B5%D0%BE-fuFrd2Ui0vE.html&ab_channel=Scott%27sBassLessons
