Albums every right-minded person should own

Graceland by Paul Simon

1986, the year before my birth, and Paul Simon releases Graceland. Since then, it’s followed me everywhere; “are we nearly there yet” car journeys, family holidays, Christmas days. So, it’s a genuine and often disheartening surprise to find that many have a rather nonchalant attitude towards this masterpiece. Graceland too often seems to pass under the radar, which I find inexplicable.

You might know of Paul Simon as one half of the duo Simon and Garfunkel, but don’t judge him yet. For this solo album he shunned Garfunkel, and rightly so. Instead of continuing the folky twangs heard in songs such as Scarborough Fair (what were they thinking?) he chose to record this album in South Africa and immerse himself in the influences surrounding him. In fact, Ladysmith Black Mambazo shot to worldwide fame as a result of collaborating with Simon on many of the tracks on Graceland. So, not only was it groundbreaking in terms of its musical direction, but also in its pioneering of the talents of black South African musicians in the midst of apartheid rule.

But don’t feel that you should love this album on account of any political do-gooding. The elements that make it a work of art are the intensely moving yet uplifting melodies, and the steady contemplation of his own (at times) depressing life embedded in some of the best lyrics I’ve ever heard. Well you don’t feel you could love me, but I feel you could - it’s simple, it doesn’t rhyme and yet it’s able to reflect an everyday thought accurately without losing its train of thought amidst poetic crap. For those of you who think Garfunkel was the creative genius of the two, you’re wrong. It only takes a cursory look at Graceland to see who that title really belongs to. The title track, Graceland, which recounts a pilgrimage to Elvis’ home, is probably the best on the album; it’s truly captivating. He talks of his “travelling companion”, nine years old and the child of his first marriage, which launches him into a verse about his ex-wife (and she said losing love, is like a window in your heart, everybody sees you’re blown apart).

There’s so much more to be said about the brilliance of this album, further tracks to be delved into, yet more wonderful lyrics to be explored, but to write it all down would be a work approaching an epic. Anyway, it would spoil it for those of you haven’t yet discovered why Graceland is a must have.

Verity Simpson