Classic Albums: Paul Simon - Graceland (1997)

Great insight into one of Simon's best...

I always wondered why he decided to do this album, how it came about. This is a setting in which Paul Simon honestly speaks about the details of the album and it's a very good look into his creative process. You get to see his lyric writing method and how he worked with South African musicians. The dvd addresses the controversy caused by people who accused Paul of stealing music from Africa, and the African musicians dispell that by pointing out that they collaborated with Simon the get their music heard by a wider audience, which it did.
Paul ain't the most charismatic dude, but he's honest and it's a lot of fun to watch this album come together.
March 7, 2006

excellent documentary

not graceland music videos ... this is a documentary and a great one. January 6, 2003

excellent documentary

this isnt the dvd of graceland. its a documentary and a very good one. January 6, 2003

It is the "Making of the Album"

For God's sake people, the Classic Album series by Eagle Eye Media is a series of DVD documentaries about the *making* of classic albums. These are not DVDs of videos and music. This series will probably be of highest interest to musicians and recordist. And it's an excellent series with quality production. November 12, 2001

Graceland: A classic documentary on a classic album

I for one am really happy they decided to release this program to the public. Originally aired on public television stations, I was glued to the set from the moment I saw Paul Simon sitting behind the huge mixing console. I watched as he intimately and revealed the meaning of each verse of the song Graceland and disected the mix piece by piece to the delight of my wondering eyes and ears. I have never seen anything like it in a music documentary. And then after reconstructing it for us,listening carefully, as if it were the first time, Simon confesses, it is the most perfect song and album he has ever done. This coming from a man who has produced a huge catalog of loved and respected tunes resonated and gave tingles when I heard him say it. The 70 minutes of the documentary insightfully covers the history of Paul Simon's mental state at the time he began the Graceland project through the tours that followed its release. The interviews with the members of Ladysmith Black Mambazo are particularly interesting as they reflect on their struggle to mesh their dance and harmonies with Simon's musical ideas. They are all gentle men who speak with such a softness joy and lack of guile that you can scarcely believe people like this exist. Listening to their mutual respect for each other is quite moving Mambazo's hypnotic movements are fascinating to watch. Equally delightful is watching the African studio musicians breakdown the development of the now legendary rifs and harmonies that makeup the album. I found the whole documentary to be outstanding and time well spent for anyone who has spent hours listening to Graceland over the years. It is a testimony to the greatness of the songs that people don't want to hear them interupted. But to trade some of the great never before seen moments shared in this documentary with full length renditions of the songs and videos seems unrealistic. And ultimately a bad trade in light of the fact that you can buy Graceland: The African Concert on DVD as well. This documentary is a rare gift to fans that I have never seen the like of and my world would be a slightly sadder place if it was not made. August 21, 2001

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