Subcultural engagement for the 21st Century...
Barbelith is a new kind of community (find out more)...
You can login or register.

Why does everyone seem to hate Graceland?

Page: 1(2)

matthew.

13:07 / 07.07.05

Just recently, all of Paul Simon's solo catalogue was remastered, repackaged, and re-released, so I bought most of them. That brings my total amount of Gracelands to THREE. The first is scratched, the second is used, and the third is the remastered. I love Graceland, although I can definitely understand why people couldn't enjoy, considering the Simon and Garfunkel sound, or the early solo Simon sound. It's a little wacky in comparison.

not-so-deadly netshade

01:53 / 09.07.05

Graceland saved my life one dark Christmas. Me and a buddy were just in that very dark, heartbroken place that one can only truly understand when you're 21, home from college on holiday, heartbroken, and drunk. Caught a TV Special about the making of the album, and we were hooked...

"Boy In The Bubble" Perfection. One of the greatest opening songs in history...

nighthawk

23:29 / 16.09.05

Graceland was the first pop album I remember listening to. My Dad put it on the back of a tape of 'Joseph and his Technicolour Dreamcoat', probably desperate for us to let him hear something halfway decent on car journeys. I'm starting to discover that a lot of my friends grew up listening to him too. Graceland is fantastic as an album, but I think the first track from Rhythm of the Saints is one of his best.

And in remembering a road sign
I'm remembering a girl from when I was young
And we said
These songs are true
These days are ours
These tears are free
And hey, the cross is in the ball park
The cross is in the the ball park.

Jack Fear

23:51 / 16.09.05

Rhythm of the Saints has indeed got some fantastic tracks. Not as immediate a grabber as Graceland, but stronger lyrically, truer—it's no longer just Paul Simon intoxicated by this new and exciting music; he's assimilated these sounds and flavors fully into his toolset, and he's just burning.

"The Coast" is, for my money, one of the finest, most moving songs he's ever written—emotionally searing without an atom of sentimentality.

If I have weaknesses, don't let them blind me now.

■

08:21 / 20.09.05

While I don't think I've heard this since I was about 15, my abiding memory of listening to it was the only time it ever snowed enough to justify my dad paying me to clear snow off the drive. I had Graceland on a cheap personal stereo while I was doing it. Stomping in the dark and the whirling snow to Homeless: another memory recovered thanks to the Barb. My RL friends would probably lynch me for even owning it, though.

Sekhmet

17:07 / 20.09.05

Graceland was one of the albums I stole from my Dad when I left for college. Yay for Graceland!

I stole Saints too, but I lost it at some point - only ever had it on casette tape anyway. (Casette tapes, man. Remember those?)

Medicine is magical and magical is art...

The Return Of Rothkoid

04:20 / 22.09.05

I still say 50 Ways To Leave Your Lover is Paul Simon's finest hour. (Or couple of minutes.)

But Graceland is pretty good. I remember it from back-of-car, too. Along with Smokie and Bertie Higgins.

(Loomis, while we're on music from the past, remind me to give you back that MC Hammer CD I borrowed off you a couple of years back.)

Page: 1(2)

Add Your Reply