Forty years ago, Paul Simon released an album that really shouldn’t have worked.
Graceland arrived on Aug. 25, 1986. Simon was 44 years old, his previous album had been a commercial disappointment, and pop music was increasingly being defined by younger artists, MTV, synthesizers and massive production.
Simon responded by making an album filled with South African rhythms, accordion, fretless bass, a cappella singing and even Louisiana zydeco.
Naturally, it became one of the biggest albums of his career.
In this week’s episode of Stuck in the ’80s, we celebrate the 40th anniversary of Graceland and look back at the unlikely story of how it came together — beginning with a cassette of South African township music that completely changed Simon’s approach to songwriting.
That inspiration eventually took Simon to Johannesburg in 1985, where he recorded with some of South Africa’s finest musicians during the height of apartheid. His decision immediately became controversial because of the international cultural boycott of South Africa, beginning a debate over Graceland that continues four decades later.
But the music that emerged from those sessions was extraordinary.
We’re going track by track through all 11 songs, including “The Boy in the Bubble,” “Diamonds on the Soles of Her Shoes,” “You Can Call Me Al” and the magnificent title track. We’ll talk about what the songs mean, the musicians who helped create them and some of the stories hidden behind the music.
We’ll also revisit Graceland’s remarkable commercial comeback story, its Grammy victories and the album’s lasting influence.
And perhaps the biggest question of all: Why does Graceland still sound so different from the other classic albums of the ’80s?
Is it the South African influence? The unusual way Simon allowed rhythms and melodies to lead him toward the lyrics? Or is there simply something timeless about these songs?
Forty years later, Graceland still gives us plenty to talk about — and even more to listen to.
Hear our complete Graceland at 40 celebration on this week’s Stuck in the ’80s.