See more
Did Paul Simon go to South Africa?
Despite a United Nations boycott, the musician went to Johannesburg and recorded with local musicians, laying the foundation for one of his greatest albums.
What did Paul Simon do in Africa?
Simon wrote songs inspired by the recordings made in Johannesburg, collaborating with African and American artists. He received criticism for breaking the cultural boycott of South Africa because of its policy of apartheid.
When was the Paul Simon concert in Central Park?
August 15, 1991The concert took place in Central Park, New York City on August 15, 1991 and was broadcast live on the HBO television network as well as being recorded for audio and video release....Paul Simon's Concert in the ParkRecordedAugust 15, 1991GenrePop rock, folk rock, worldbeatLength117:28LabelWarner Bros.6 more rows
When was the Paul Simon concert in Hyde Park?
July 15, 2012(Rochester, NY)- On July 15, 2012, Paul Simon and his musicians headlined the closing night of the Hard Rock Calling Festival in London's Hyde Park. Simon's epic career-spanning set list included Simon & Garfunkel classics, solo favorites and much more.
What was the cultural boycott of South Africa?
The academic boycott of South Africa comprised a series of boycotts of South African academic institutions and scholars initiated in the 1960s, at the request of the African National Congress, with the goal of using such international pressure to force the end to South Africa's system of apartheid.
How much are Simon and Garfunkel worth?
Simon has been successful both as a solo artist and in collaboration with Art Garfunkel, with whom he formed the duo, Simon & Garfunkel. What is this? As of October 2022, Paul Simon's net worth is estimated to be roughly $200 Million.
How many people were at the concert in Central Park?
500,000The Parks Department originally expected about 300,000 attendees. Although rain fell throughout the day and continued until the start of the concert, an estimated 500,000 audience members made this the seventh-largest concert attendance in United States history.
When was Simon and Garfunkel's last concert?
Simon & Garfunkel last shared a stage at the New Orleans jazz festival in 2010.
What happened at the Simon and Garfunkel concert in Central Park?
' There was one scary incident in the concert during Simon's introduction of a new song entitled 'The Late Great Johnny Ace. ' A man ran into the stage during the lyrics concerning the death of former Beatle John Lennon. He was hustled off by park security personnel.”
How many people were at the Paul Simon concert in Hyde Park?
60,000 fansDown the other path, however, came three beloved veteran American musicians: Paul Simon, James Taylor and Bonnie Raitt, who gathered Sunday in Hyde Park before an estimated 60,000 fans, harmoniously united in their admiration for artistry that transcends political and geographical boundaries.
How many people attended Simon & Garfunkel's concert in Central Park?
500,000 peopleWith more than 500,000 people in attendance, the concert in Central Park was Simon & Garfunkel's biggest gift to their hometown.
Who played Paul Simon in Hyde Park?
The concert features a reunion with the original Graceland musicians on the Grammy-winning album's 25th anniversary, including Hugh Masekela and Ladysmith Black Mambazo, as well as a surprise appearance from reggae legend Jimmy Cliff, performing his original songs "The Harder They Come" and "Many Rivers to Cross", and ...
Why is Graceland controversial?
A controversy over Paul Simon's “Graceland” album turned into a full protest recently when black students at Howard University in Washington angrily attacked the singer for violating a U . N . -backed boycott against performing in South Africa.
What was Ladysmith Black Mambazo biggest hit?
Black Mambazo was founded in the 1960s and grew to become world-renowned for their signature sound, sung without any instruments. Some of their biggest hits included Homeless and Nomathemba.
Who sang under African skies with Paul Simon?
singer Linda Ronstadt"Under African Skies" is a song by the American singer-songwriter Paul Simon. It was the fifth and final single from his seventh studio album, Graceland (1986), released on Warner Bros. Records. The song features guest vocals from singer Linda Ronstadt.
What is Paul Simon doing?
Paul Simon New Album 2022: Musician Ending Retirement, Cabaret Singer Says After Recent Encounter. Paul Simon made headlines last month after appearing at the Newport Folk Festival and it appears that he has something bigger in store for fans as he's reportedly coming out of retirement to release new music.
When did Paul Simon visit South Africa?
ON January 11 1992, Paul Simon kicked off his South Africa tour. He’d visited the country before, back in 1985 in defiance of the UN-sponsored cultural boycott against apartheid. On 2 December 1968, The UN General Assembly requested all States and organisations “to suspend cultural, educational, sporting and other exchanges with the racist regime and with organisations or institutions in South Africa which practice apartheid”. Sportsmen and music acts were encouraged not to play in South Africa.
What songs did Simon perform in South Africa?
While Simon opened his two-week South Africa tour with such gentle songs as ”The Obvious Child,” ”Bridge Over Troubled Water,” and ”The Sounds of Silence,” armored police vehicles, bomb-sniffing canines, and even a surveillance helicopter patrolled the stadium. Outside, clusters of angry black protesters, representing leftist fringe groups that ferociously oppose the lifting of international sanctions against South Africa, were handing out leaflets, waving anti-Simon signs, and threatening to disrupt his concert with violence.
Why did Simon say only whites were attending the concert?
He said that only whites were attending the concert because blacks were opposed to Mr. Simon’s presence in South Africa. “The stadium is filled with white people,” he proclaimed.
What did Simon think of art?
Simon found it absurd that artists should be viewed in the light and shadows cast by politicians. Art, said Simon, would endure.
Why did Paul Simon come as a threat?
And we saw Paul Simon coming as a threat because it was not sanctioned by the liberation movement. ”. Simon found it absurd that artists should be viewed in the light and shadows cast by politicians. Art, said Simon, would endure. In 1987, Simon performed his Under African Skies Concert in Harare:
When did Simon return to the ANC?
When Simon returned in 1992, that boycott has been lifted. This time the ANC backed him.
Who was Paul Simon's host at Jane Fonda's home?
Rev. Allan Boesak of South Africa, left, meets with entertainer Paul Simon at the home of Jane Fonda and Tom Hayden in Santa Monica, Calif., March 10, 1987. (AP Photo/Mark Avery)
The music led him to Johannesburg
The only thing he knew at the time was that it was South African music, so he started to track down its exact roots.
Simon violated the cultural boycott in South Africa
It turned out that may have been the easy part. This was all happening during the Academic and Cultural Boycott, when the United Nations prohibited artists, academics, philosophers and other cultural influencers from participating in any activities or collaborations of any kind in the country because of the segregation policies of apartheid.
Simon worked with notable South African artists during his trip
By the end of his trip, he had recorded parts of “The Boy in the Bubble” with Lesotho’s Tao Ea Matsekha, “I Know What I Know” with Shangaan group General M.D.
Turning the South African recordings into an album was a challenge
When he returned home, he started using all the elements of the tracks that were recorded and building them into songs. “It was very difficult, because patterns that seemed as though they should fit together often didn’t,” Simon told The New York Times.
Who Is Paul Simon?
Paul Simon began his legendary music career as half of the duo Simon & Garfunkel, then soared to new musical heights with the release of his groundbreaking Graceland album. He has worked with musicians all over the world, had dozens of hits and continues to release new music to critical acclaim. He was selected as one of the "100 People Who Shaped the World" by Time magazine in 2006.
Where was Paul Simon born?
Paul Simon was born on October 13, 1941, to Jewish American parents living in New Jersey. As a singer-songwriter known for his cerebral compositions, it seems only fitting that Simon's mother, Belle, was an English teacher and his father, Louis, was both a teacher and a bandleader; the Simon family used to stay up late to catch his appearances on The Jackie Gleason Show and Arthur Godfrey and His Friends .
What was Simon and Garfunkel's first album?
A chance encounter a few years later brought Simon and Garfunkel back together as a musical duo, and they used their real names when they released their first album, Wednesday Morning, 3 A.M ., as Simon & Garfunkel. It only had five original Simon songs on it, and it wasn’t a hit, but it did feature an early, acoustic version of “The Sound of Silence,” that would eventually be the catalyst for their leap into stardom.
What was Paul Simon's first muse?
He busked in France, Spain and England, slept under bridges, and fell in love with his first real muse, Kathy. He released a solo album, The Paul Simon Songbook, in 1965. The album didn’t sell much, but it included tracks like "I Am a Rock" and "Kathy's Song," both of which would one day become fan favorites.
How many Grammys has Simon won?
To date, Simon has won 13 regular Grammys, plus a Lifetime Achievement Award and a Grammy Hall of Fame Award. He was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 2001 and in 2007, became the first-ever recipient of the Library of Congress's Gershwin Prize for Popular Song.
How many times has Paul Simon been on Saturday Night Live?
Simon also has a longtime association with the TV show Saturday Night Live and its creator-producer Lorne Michaels, having appeared on the show as either a host or musical guest (or both) 15 times, once appearing alongside Illinois Senator Paul Simon.
Why did Simon receive the Service to America Leadership Award?
Simon was awarded the 2014 Service to America Leadership Award for his long-term commitment to providing healthcare to underserved children across the country.
How old is Paul Simon?
Paul Frederic Simon (born October 13, 1941) is an American musician, singer, songwriter, actor and producer. Simon's musical career has spanned over six de cades. He is widely regarded as one of the most acclaimed songwriters in popular music history.
What was Simon's childhood like?
The musician Donald Fagen described Simon's childhood as that of "a certain kind of New York Jew, almost a stereotype , really, to whom music and baseball are very important. I think it has to do with the parents. The parents are either immigrants or first-generation Americans who felt like outsiders, and assimilation was the key thought—they gravitated to black music and baseball looking for an alternative culture." Simon, upon hearing Fagen's description, said it "isn't far from the truth." Simon said about his childhood, "I was a ballplayer. I'd go on my bike, and I'd hustle kids in stickball ." He added that his father was a New York Yankees fan:
How many times has Paul Simon been on SNL?
Simon has appeared on Saturday Night Live ( SNL ), either as host or musical guest, 14 times. On one appearance in the late 1980s, he worked with the politician who shared his name, Illinois Senator Paul Simon. Simon's most recent SNL appearance on a Saturday night was on the October 13, 2018, episode hosted by Seth Meyers. Prior to that, he appeared in the March 9, 2013, episode hosted by Justin Timberlake as a member of the Five-Timers Club. In one SNL skit from 1986 (when he was promoting Graceland ), Simon plays himself, waiting in line with a friend to get into a movie. He amazes his friend by remembering intricate details about prior meetings with passers-by, but draws a complete blank when approached by Art Garfunkel, despite the latter's numerous memory prompts. Simon appeared alongside George Harrison as musical guest on the Thanksgiving Day episode of SNL (November 20, 1976). The two performed " Here Comes the Sun " and " Homeward Bound " together, while Simon performed " 50 Ways to Leave Your Lover " solo earlier in the show. On that episode, Simon opened the show performing "Still Crazy After All These Years" in a turkey outfit, since Thanksgiving was the following week. About halfway through the song, Simon tells the band to stop playing because of his embarrassment. After giving a frustrated speech to the audience, he leaves the stage, backed by applause. Lorne Michaels greets him positively backstage, but Simon is still upset, yelling at him because of the humiliating turkey outfit. This is one of SNL ' s most played sketches. Simon closed the 40th anniversary SNL show on February 15, 2015, with a performance of "Still Crazy After All These Years", sans turkey outfit. Simon also played a snippet of " I've Just Seen a Face " with Sir Paul McCartney during the special's introductory sequence. Simon was the musical guest on the October 13, 2018 episode, with host Seth Meyers (in addition they showed much of the Thanksgiving episode from 1976 described above as the Prime Time special from 10-11pm). It was also his 77th birthday.
What was the first song by Paul Simon and Art Garfunkel?
In 1957, in their mid-teens, they recorded the song "Hey, Schoolgirl" under the name "Tom & Jerry", a name that was given to them by their label Big Records.
What was Paul Simon's first album?
His album Paul Simon was released in January 1972, preceded by his first experiment with world music, the Jamaican-inspired " Mother and Child Reunion ". The single was a hit, reaching both the American and British Top 5. The album received universal acclaim, with critics praising the variety of styles and the confessional lyrics, reaching No. 4 in the U.S. and No. 1 in the UK and Japan. It later spawned another Top 30 hit with " Me and Julio Down by the Schoolyard ".
When did Simon and Garfunkel return to the UK?
Simon and Garfunkel returned to the UK in the fall of 1968 and did a church concert appearance at Kraft Hall, which was broadcast on the BBC, and also featured Paul's brother Ed on a performance of the instrumental "Anji".
When did Simon and Garfunkel first release their first album?
Simon and Garfunkel's first LP, Wednesday Morning, 3 A.M., was released on October 19, 1964, with 12 songs, five of which were written by Simon. The album initially flopped.
Why did Paul Simon go to South Africa?
It was during that time when Paul Simon decided to go to South Africa. He didn’t just stop at that. He wanted to collaborate with South African musicians and produce an album. He went there nonetheless, despite advices otherwise, and that landed him in the soup, which later became infamous as the Paul Simon Graceland controversy.
Where did Paul Simon get his inspiration for Graceland?
Paul Simon has been on the record to state that the inspiration for Graceland, his bestselling album, was indeed South Africa in the 1980s. One could say that had he not defied the cultural boycott and gone to South Africa, he would not have been able to come up with Graceland. Some argue otherwise that it was needless to meddle into a situation that was already tense and his move didn’t help the sentiments of the millions of people who stood against Apartheid.
What was the Paul Simon Graceland controversy?
Also, he brought a unique sound of the country out for the world to listen to. He also made public his standpoint on Apartheid and no one can say that he supported it from even a distance of one billion light-years. The Paul Simon Graceland controversy and the album itself also helped the cause of the Anti-Apartheid Movement by making more people aware of the racist government in South Africa.
How did Paul Simon Graceland help the Anti-Apartheid Movement?
The Paul Simon Graceland controversy and the album itself also helped the cause of the Anti-Apartheid Movement by making more people aware of the racist government in South Africa. Paul did not take a political standpoint and did not make any overt attempts to appease those who opposed his move.
Why did the Cultural Boycott of South Africa happen?
The movement called for a cultural boycott of South Africa in light of the legislation passed by the ruling party to promote Apartheid. Political leaders across the world had endorsed the cultural boycott, so had prominent heads of states and famous personalities as well as celebrities. Artists Against Apartheid had urged every artist in the world to shun South Africa and not play in the country or collaborate with the country to make or promote music.
How long was South Africa governed by the National Party?
South Africa had been governed by the National Party for almost five decades, from 1948 to 1994. The government had initiated and executed a series of policies that enforced racial discrimination and racial segregation.
Who led the Anti-Apartheid Movement?
Circa that time, there was an Anti-Apartheid Movement, being led by the African National Congress. The movement had attained global attention. People from all walks of life with the right social standing came forward to join hands with all and sundry to make the Anti-Apartheid Movement more effective. Politicians, entrepreneurs, social activities, some religious leaders, artists and professionals from different strata of the society came together to form the Anti-Apartheid Movement.
What country did Simon go to?
Outside, the furor over Simon’s controversial journey to South Africa — a trip many antiapartheid activists claim was in violation of the United Nations cultural boycott against that country — continued to accelerate.
How many members did Paul Simon have?
Paul Simon was sweating bullets. Woefully under rehearsed, playing together onstage for the very first time, he and his twenty-four-member Graceland ensemble of black South African singers and musicians were about to make their concert debut, not under a sparkling, starlit African sky but amid the dreary concrete and steel ...
What did Gbeho and Mothobi do?
Both Gbeho and Mothobi are ardent supporters of the UN cultural boycott of South Africa. In 1962, the UN General Assembly initiated a trade boycott against South Africa. That was supplemented in 1980 by a call for member nations to sever all ties with Pretoria — including diplomatic, cultural, military, nuclear, academic and athletic relations — in an attempt to persuade the government to dismantle apartheid.
Where did Joseph Shabalala live?
Joseph Shabalala knows that feeling very well. As a teenager, he migrated from his home in the township of Ladysmith to the coastal city of Durban, where he sang with a local group called the Highlanders while working in a factory weaving cotton. In the mid-Sixties, after returning to Ladysmith, he formed Ladysmith Black Mambazo with several relatives and members of other families in the township.
What song did Simon sing on Graceland?
We were in shock. It was amazing.”. Indeed, the past few months have been, as Simon sings on Graceland, “days of miracle and wonder ” for him and his South African collaborators. Graceland, the unlikely product of Simon’s encounter with a mysterious cassette of South African mbaqanga during the summer of ’84, is in 6 million homes around the world.
When did Paul Simon perform Graceland?
Paul Simon with fellow musicians from the Graceland tour at Ahoy in Rotterdam, Netherlands on February 1st 1987. Paul Simon was sweating bullets.
Where was Graceland in Zimbabwe?
Nowhere was the dance-floor enchantment and implicit spiritual harmony in township jive à la Simon more evident than in the February 14th and 15th Graceland performances in the capital city of Harare, Zimbabwe, nearly a day’s drive from South Africa’s northernmost border.
What is Paul Simon's most controversial album?
Paul Simon ‘s joyous, vibrant Graceland, released 30 years ago today, remains one of the most beloved albums in pop history. And also one the most controversial. Simon had ventured to South Africa to record the album with local musicians, ignoring an international boycott set in place by the United Nations Anti-Apartheid Committee. “What gives [governments] the right to wear the cloak of morality?” he railed at the time. “Their morality comes out of the barrel of a gun.”
What did Simon call Peggy?
Simon found the faux pas extremely funny. “Ever since then, Peggy would call me Al, and I would call her Betty ,” he said years later during a seminar at Rollins College. “It became a running joke.” When penning lyrics for Phiri’s riff back in Montauk, he remembered the moment.
Who is the founder of Artists Against Apartheid?
But Graceland opened my eyes and set a tone of hope in my life.”. Yet this uplifting revelation is countered by Dali Tambo, founder of Artists Against Apartheid, who felt that Simon put the showbiz ambitions of a handful of local musicians above the struggles of a nation.
Who produced the song "Gumboots"?
He called Warner Bros. label chief Lenny Waronker, who got in touch with South African producer Hilton Rosenthal. Despite the limited information, Rosenthal was able to peg Simon’s favorite track as an instrumental called “Gumboots” by the Boyoyo Boys.
Did Paul Simon get paid?
Not that this was his intention. Simon insisted that all of his fellow musicians were there on their own free will and paid fairly. They split food, lodging, transport and songwriting credits. “I wasn’t going there to take money out of the country,” he explained to The Washington Post. “I wasn’t being paid for playing to a white audience. I was recording with black groups and paying them and sharing my royalties with them.” Guitarist Ray Pieri agreed in the documentary Classic Albums: Graceland. “We used Paul as much as Paul used us. There was no abuse. He came at the right time and he was what we needed to bring our music into the mainstream.”
Who took Lorne Michaels advice?
When Heidi Berg took Lorne Michaels’ advice and ventured down the hallway to Paul Simon’s office, she couldn’t have realized that they had more in common than music. Both were at a professional crossroads. While Berg was newly unemployed, Simon had been at a low ebb for years.
Did Paul Simon film a music video?
Simon also used the time on SNL ‘s Rockefeller Center stage to film a music video for the album’s first single, “You Can Call Me Al,” but he was ultimately displeased with the result. Michaels alluded to this when hanging out with old friend (and former leading man) Chevy Chase. “Paul had a test pressing of the album and Lorne Michaels had a copy at his summer house,” said Chase in Laura Jackson’s book Paul Simon: The Definitive Biography. “We all live out in Long Island in the East Hampton area and Lorne said, ‘Have you heard it?’ I said, ‘I hadn’t yet.’ He said, ‘It’s great.’ And Lorne played a couple of songs for me and then told me, ‘Paul’s unhappy with this [first] video. Why don’t you do something?'”
Storyline
Track listing: 1. Paul Simon and Ladysmith Black Mambazo - Intro and Township Jive 2. Paul Simon - Boy In The Bubble 3. Paul Simon - Gumboots 4. Paul Simon - Whispering Bells 5. Hugh Masekela - Bring Him Back Home (Nelson Mandela) 6. Paul Simon - Crazy Love, Vol. II 7. Paul Simon - I Know What I Know 8. Miriam Makeba - Jinkel E Maweni 9.
Did you know
Bakithi Kumalo switches between two bass guitars (one fretless, one not) during the concert, which is fine. However, he switches back and forth between the two during the song "I Know What I Know".
