Album review: Graceland.
Graceland is a studio album by Paul Simon, one half of the American music duo, Simon and Garfunkel. It was released in 1986. It also happens to be in my top ten list of favourite albums so it is up there with Michael Jackson's Thriller. The first time I came across it was when I visited my uncle in London. He was listening to it a few days before his eldest daughter was born. I remember my eight-year-old self dancing around the room as soon as the music from the album played. I didn't know the name of the album then but I knew I liked it and wanted to get it for myself. Graceland is heavily influenced by South African musicians such as Johnny Clegg and Sipho Mchunu. Moreover the album featured South African group Ladysmith Black Mambazo as well as other South African artists and groups. No surprise there as most of the tracks from the album were recorded in South Africa. The album received critical acclaim and was a commercial success. It was a hit worldwide. In 1987 the al