Paul Simon - Graceland [Bonus Tracks]

With Graceland, Paul Simon hit on the idea of combining his always perceptive songwriting with the little-heard mbaqanga music of South Africa, creating a fascinating hybrid that re-enchanted his old audience and earned him a new one. It is true that the South African angle (including its controversial aspect during the apartheid days) was a powerful marketing tool and that the catchy music succeeded in presenting listeners with that magical combination: something they'd never heard before that nevertheless sounded familiar. As eclectic as any record Simon had made, it also delved into zydeco and conjunto-flavored rock & roll while marking a surprising new lyrical approach (presaged on some songs on Hearts and Bones); for the most part, Simon abandoned a linear, narrative approach to his words, instead drawing highly poetic ("Diamonds on the Soles of Her Shoes"), abstract ("The Boy in the Bubble"), and satiric ("I Know What I Know") portraits of modern life, often charged by striking images and turns of phrase torn from the headlines or overheard in contemporary speech. An enormously successful record, Graceland became the standard against which subsequent musical experiments by major artists were measured. [In 2004, Warner Strategic Marketing reissued Simon's studio albums as remastered editions with bonus tracks, packaged in cardboard digipacks. Like the other Simon reissues in this series, the remastering is excellent. Graceland has three bonus tracks, all previously unreleased. There's a demo of "Homeless" that consists largely of Simon singing the chorus over an acoustic guitar; there's a spare unreleased version of "Diamonds on the Soles of Her Shoes" that's close to being Simon's vocal and rhythm track from the released version; finally, there's an "Early Version" of "All Around the World or the Myth of Fingerprints" that sounds closer to a full-on Los Lobos track than the finished version.] ~ William Ruhlmann, All Music Guide

Name Credits Ademola Adepoju Pedal Steel Adrian Belew Synthesizer, Guitar (Synthesizer), Guitar Alan Rubin Trumpet Alex Foster Sax (Alto) Alonzo Johnson Bass Alton Rubin Accordion, Drums April Milek Project Assistant Assane Thaim Percussion Babacar Faye Percussion Bakithi Kumalo Bass, Guitar (Bass) Barney Rachabane Saxophone Bill Inglot Reissue Supervisor, Remastering Brian Kehew Project Assistant Cesar Rosas Guitar, Vocals Chikapa "Ray" Phiri Arranger, Co-Arranger, Guitar Conrad Lozano Bass Cory Frye Project Assistant Dan Hersch Remastering Daniel Xilakazi Guitar, Rhythm, Guitar (Rhythm) Dave Rubin Washboard David Hidalgo Vocals, Guitar, Accordion David McLees Reissue Supervisor David W. Bargeron Trombone Diane Garisto Vocals (Background) Earl Gardner Trumpet Eddie Simon Management Forere Motloheloa Accordion Gary Heery Photography Gasa Sisters Vocals Ginger Dettman Project Assistant Greg Allen Reissue Art Director, Reissue Design, Design Greg Calbi Mastering, Original Mastering Hugh Brown Project Assistant Isaac Mtshali Drums Jeffrey Kent Ayeroff Art Direction Jeri McManus Art Direction, Design Joey Helguera Project Assistant John Strother Project Assistant Johnny Hoyt Saxophone Jon Faddis Trumpet Jonhjon Mkhalali Accordion Joseph Shabalala Vocals Karen LeBlanc Project Assistant Kim Champagne Design Kim Cissel Trombone Ladysmith Black Mambazo Vocals, Guest Appearance Leonard Pickett Sax (Tenor) Lew Soloff Trumpet Linda Ronstadt Vocals Lloyd Lelose Bass Los Lobos Various Louie Pérez Drums Lulu Masilela Tambourine Makhaya Mahlangu Percussion Marc Cobrin Assistant Engineer Marc Salata Project Assistant Mark McKenna Project Assistant Mark Miller Assistant Engineer Mark Sexton Photography Michelle Cobbs Vocals (Background) Mike Engstrom Project Assistant Mike Makhalemele Saxophone Morris Goldberg Soloist, Sax (Soprano), Penny Whistle Paul Simon Guitar, Vocals, Audio Production, Co-Arranger, 6-String Electric Bass, Liner Notes, 6-String Bass, Synclavier, Producer, Vocals (Background), Guitar (Acoustic), Arranger Peter Thwaites Assistant Engineer Petrus Manile Drums Ralph MacDonald Percussion Randy Perry Project Assistant Ratau Mike Makhalemele Saxophone Ray Phiri Guitar Rob Mounsey Synthesizer Robin Hurley Reissue Supervisor Ronald E. Brecker Trumpet Ronnie Cuber Sax (Baritone), Sax (Bass) Roy Halee Engineer Russ Titelman Producer Sherman Robertson Guitar Steve Berlin Saxophone Steve Gadd Drums Steve Woolard Project Assistant Steven Chean Project Assistant Steven Strassman Assistant Engineer Teaspoon Ndlela Saxophone The Boyoyo Boys Various The Everly Brothers Vocals Tim Scanlin Project Assistant Vanessa Atkins Project Assistant Vusi Khumalo Drums Youssou N'Dour Percussion