Paul Simon - Graceland vs. Peter Gabriel - So?

[Texas King]

Two acclaimed classics from 1986.

So what would you say?

[Entre_Perpetuo]

Gabriel all the way. Good matchup actually. Graceland's a great album, but Gabriel just means more to me, especially on So.

[goose]

Wow. Two monster albums.

 

Gabriel's So has more gravitas and has aged better sonically.

 

Neither song is a fav for me. That would be Diamonds On The Soles Of Her Shoes and either Don't Give Up or Mercy Street.

[Entre_Perpetuo]

Wow. Two monster albums.

 

Gabriel's So has more gravitas and has aged better sonically.

 

Neither song is a fav for me. That would be Diamonds On The Soles Of Her Shoes and either Don't Give Up or Mercy Street.

 

I have a lot of love for Sledgehammer (Gabriel finally letting loose for once, shows off he can in fact make it Big Time), but those two are incredible, moving pieces as well. I think my very sentimental favorite though is In Your Eyes.

[bluefox4000]

Neither is a fav of Mine in either's discographies but if forced i'd go So. not big on the world/african sound on Graceland.

 

oh and i can't STAND Call me Al. too fukkin' precious. Sledgehammer blows it away.

 

Mick

Edited November 17, 2021 by bluefox4000

[invisible airwave]

You can call him Peter.

[goose]

 

oh and i can't STAND Call me Al.

Mick

[goose]

Adding a bunch of Paul Simon's stuff to my Amazon Prime. It's been a while since I've paid any attention to his solo work. Still Crazy After All These Years and Here Comes Rhymin' Simon are favs. Never heard the full Rhythm of the Saints, so that will be something new. I like Brazilian music so that should be fun.

[Timbale]

Wow, this is a really good match up - it is essentially a coin toss for me! Both these records are pop masterpieces - both arguably the most mainstream records from both artists...and yet somehow both are high art. They also both include huge hit singles fuelled by very popular videos.

 

They are also both very produced sounding albums. I think So has aged a little bit better than Graceland... but even So, with Lanois at the helm, is a tiny bit of its time. Graceland's big thing that marries it to 1986 for me is the drum sound, particularly that big, gated snare. I think if Simon did a remix of the drumkit sounds and removed a bunch of reverb and the gates, it would sound way more timeless as a record. But it doesn't have to be timeless to be good. Neither do.

 

I am picking Graceland, despite how deeply I love So. They are so evenly matched as emotional experiences for me...but Simon's lyrics just cut a little deeper for me. When Peter is being "serious" on songs like Don't Give Up or Mercy Street, they are very moving...but with Simon even the up tempo songs have images and turns of phrase that kill me. And there's something about Simon as a singer where he just has some moments that make my heart swell - when he sings "She says the joke is on me/I say the joke is on her" in Crazy Love Vol II, it crushes me. I could go on and on with examples like that...but, come on - "The Mississippi Delta was shining like a National guitar" might be the best opening line of a song ever. I'm also picking Graceland because I think it's not gonna have as good a showing as So.

 

As for the singles....Call Me Al is my least fave on the record...but I don't hate it. There are some great lyrics in it. Sledgehammer is also not a big fave, but Big Time beats it for least fave. Sledgehammer is Gabriel having fun...and I dig that.

 

I'm gonna go listen to So now.

[goose]

Wow, this is a really good match up - it is essentially a coin toss for me! Both these records are pop masterpieces - both arguably the most mainstream records from both artists...and yet somehow both are high art. They also both include huge hit singles fuelled by very popular videos.

 

They are also both very produced sounding albums. I think So has aged a little bit better than Graceland... but even So, with Lanois at the helm, is a tiny bit of its time. Graceland's big thing that marries it to 1986 for me is the drum sound, particularly that big, gated snare. I think if Simon did a remix of the drumkit sounds and removed a bunch of reverb and the gates, it would sound way more timeless as a record. But it doesn't have to be timeless to be good. Neither do.

 

I am picking Graceland, despite how deeply I love So. They are so evenly matched as emotional experiences for me...but Simon's lyrics just cut a little deeper for me. When Peter is being "serious" on songs like Don't Give Up or Mercy Street, they are very moving...but with Simon even the up tempo songs have images and turns of phrase that kill me. And there's something about Simon as a singer where he just has some moments that make my heart swell - when he sings "She says the joke is on me/I say the joke is on her" in Crazy Love Vol II, it crushes me. I could go on and on with examples like that...but, come on - "The Mississippi Delta was shining like a National guitar" might be the best opening line of a song ever. I'm also picking Graceland because I think it's not gonna have as good a showing as So.

 

As for the singles....Call Me Al is my least fave on the record...but I don't hate it. There are some great lyrics in it. Sledgehammer is also not a big fave, but Big Time beats it for least fave. Sledgehammer is Gabriel having fun...and I dig that.

 

I'm gonna go listen to So now.

That Mississippi Delta line is a gem, and so vividly sets the scene. I still find myself singing it from time to time.

 

 

[zepphead]

Gabriel x 2 for me.

The duet with Kate Bush, Don't Give Up, is simply amazing.

[Fridge]

You can call me disinterested......

[EagleMoon]

Peter Gabriel wins the album for me but I like You Can Call Me Al. It may be cutesy but it’s fun and the bass rocks.

[goose]

Peter Gabriel wins the album for me but I like You Can Call Me Al. It may be cutesy but it’s fun and the bass rocks.

I listened to it today and has forgotten how great the bass is throughout the Graceland album, vocal harmonies as well. Diamonds on the Soles of Her Shoes, Homeless, Under African Skies, Myth of Fingerprints are songs I really love.