Paul Simon Says “Graceland” Has a Country Feel
02/21/2009 05:54 ПП | Articles
I’m still going through my CD collection, and the other night I was listening to Paul Simon’s Graceland, from 1986. In the liner notes, Simon says that due to its fretless bass and guitar parts, the title track “almost has the feel of American country music.” Funny, I never thought of “Graceland” as a country song, especially because it’s embedded within some really crazy-cool, South African-influenced tracks. But now it makes sense - road trip, Elvis Presley, first marriages, tumbling in turmoil. The later addition of steel guitar, Simon writes, “also contributes a musical texture that is common to both American country music and West African music.” Interesting. I never would have made that connection myself (because I know nothing about West African music).
On a side note, this CD is so old that there are two paragraphs in the booklet dedicated to explaining how to care for this “small, convenient disc.” You mean besides just sticking it back in the case? “If you follow these suggestions,” it concludes, “the Compact Disc will provide a lifetime of listening enjoyment.” Well, I’m definitely holding onto this particular disc, so we’ll see…
Photo: Lisa Haun/Michael Ochs Archives