LogFAQs > #956487764

89. Paul Simon Graceland (1986)
from the album Graceland

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WH5WVmaZFNE

Key lyrics:
And she said losing love
Is like a window in your heart

The rhythm on Graceland is bouncy in a way I have rarely encountered. Nearly every song creates a sense of motion, of course, but most work in a predictable manner. Graceland is not a particularly complex song, but the irregular clap every other bar creates a back and forth energy. It matches the subject matter perfectly, like riding a bus over a bumpy road. On an album experimenting with world music, Graceland might just be the most ordinary song yet it acts like a thesis statement, treating Elvis Presleys estate like the heart of American music before contemplating other hearts. This is the song where Simon perfects his own craft to justify stepping beyond.

Though the central arrangement is standard, the choice of instruments sets it apart. Little details are added throughout the bit that always hits me is how part of the percussion sounds like cannon fire after the second verse. There is an incomparable fullness to this sound as everything comes together.

Though featuring beautiful lyrics, Paul Simon manages to say a lot through absence. Outside of a few mentions of Memphis, Tennessee, there are no explicit details of the location. Simon therefore forces a double meaning, making Graceland a literal and spiritual place. He has no need to clarify that his holy land is the estate of a rock star; should it not be obvious his religion is music? Though weaving a tale about pilgrims, this is truly a celebration of music itself. Even as a lover leaves, Simon knows music will be his saving grace.

---

My top 100 games (with write-ups): https://foolfantastic.com/top-100-video-games-project/