Classic Albums: Paul Simon - Graceland (1997)

Singer-songwriter Paul Simon had been on the cutting-edge of pop music throughout most of the 1960s and the '70s, first as half of the seminal folk-rock duo Simon & Garfunkel, and then as a well-received solo artist. But the rise of 1980s rock and new wave saw a decline in Simon's commercial success, and the singer responded by experimenting with different musical styles--most notably, world beat--that culminated in his adventurous 1986 masterpiece GRACELAND. The album's fusion of American folk-rock songwriting and buoyant South African rhythms not only broke new ground in pop music, but became Simon's biggest-selling solo record. This episode of the CLASSIC ALBUMS series examines the making of Simon's groundbreaking work through interviews, behind-the-scenes footage, music videos, and live performances of album tracks such as "Boy in the Bubble," "Diamonds on the Soles of Her Shoes," "You Can Call Me Al," and "Under African Skies."

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Paul Simon
as Self

Ray Phiri
as Self

Roy Halee
as Self

Philip Glass
as Self

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Crew arrow_drop_down

Paul Simon
Co-Producer

Terry Shand
Executive Producer

Bous De Jong
Co-Executive Producer

Geoff Kempin
Executive Producer

Jeremy Marre
Director

Jeremy Marre
Producer

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