It’s all too beautiful: The musicians who “intimidated” Paul Simon
When duos break up, it’s often the case that artists are left scrambling with what to do as they question whether they will be able to find a creative voice without the writing partner they have grown to rely on. Paul Simon wasn’t one of these people, as his relationship with Art Garfunkel had become toxic towards the end of their partnership, and he was excited to write on his own.
Paul Simon has always had a song in his heart, and he has never allowed himself to be restricted as far as creative directions are concerned. Every album he has released has contained Simon at his unwavering best when it comes to theme, sound, and movement. In that sense, every record is a very specific moment in time that reflects his taste, interests, and inspirations.
Graceland is one of the best examples of that. While Paul Simon’s folk songwriting isn’t something that most people would associate with African music, he merged the two styles on this album when he heard a song that he found particularly moving.
Paul Simon was given an album by his friend Heidi Berg. She gifted him a copy of a South African album by a band called The Boyoyo Boys. The record was called Accordion Jive Hits No. 2, and it sparked something in Paul Simon, particularly the song ‘Gumboota’, which he loved so much that he decided he wanted to travel to Africa and record his own album inspired by it.
When The Beatles travelled to India, they brought back a unique sound that people might not have otherwise been accustomed to. Paul Simon wanted to do something similar by branching into a style of music he had never listened to. Transcending culture and borders is one of music’s true pieces of magic, and Simon was excited to add his stamp.
He re-recorded the song ‘Gumboota’ but renamed it ‘Gumboots’, which he thought was necessary given it was the song that led him to Graceland. He now describes it as one of his least favourites on the record. “If it wasn’t that ‘Gumboots’ led me into the whole project,” said Simon, “I would have dropped ‘Gumboots’ from the album. Because I think it’s the weakest of the South African cuts.”
Regardless of his opinion on this song, the rest of the album was full of tracks he was proud of and excited to make. He worked with a number of different African musicians when putting the record together and found himself completely enamoured with some, so much so that he admitted to being intimidated by them.
When discussing the track ‘Homeless’, he spoke about working with Ladysmith Black Mambazo. “I was bewitched,” he said, “The music was enchanting – it was all a cappella, and it was so beautiful that I was intimidated. They were so good at what they did and it was so contained that I didn’t know at the time how I could possibly fit into their world, and if they wanted me to fit into their world.”
