Graceland

Graceland ultimately became one of the most successful albums of Paul Simon’s career.  It sold 14 million albums, and won the Album of the Year Grammy in 1987.  While it turned a new generation of fans on to the music of South Africa, Simon was often criticized that the songs didn’t do enough to point out the injustices of Apartheid.  But as he remembers how the songs came together, he was merely reflecting the joyous, apolitical South African pop songs that inspired the project.  On the Thursday Night Special, Paul talks about the musical breakthroughs and political hurdles that occurred along the way.


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