"Graceland" is the title song of the album Graceland, released in 1986 by Paul Simon. The song features vocals by The Everly Brothers. The lyrics follow the singer's thoughts during a road trip to Graceland after the failure of his marriage. Actress and author Carrie Fisher, Simon's ex-wife, said that the song referred in part to their relationship.[2]
"Graceland" | ||||
---|---|---|---|---|
Single by Paul Simon | ||||
from the album Graceland | ||||
B-side | "Hearts and Bones" | |||
Released | November 1986[1] | |||
Recorded | November 1985 | |||
Genre | ||||
Length | 4:48 | |||
Label | Warner Bros. | |||
Songwriter(s) | Paul Simon | |||
Producer(s) | Paul Simon | |||
Paul Simon singles chronology | ||||
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Billboard said that "Remarkable supporting players from his South Africa sessions make Simon's multiple-meaning musings into something subtly exotic."[3]
The song won the 1988 Grammy Award for Record of the Year. It was the lowest-charting song on any of the world music charts to win Record of the Year until the Robert Plant and Alison Krauss US non-charting song "Please Read the Letter" won the same award in 2009.
It was listed at #485 on Rolling Stone's 500 Greatest Songs in 2004.[4]
A cover by Willie Nelson peaked at number 70 on the Billboard Hot Country Singles & Tracks chart in 1993.[5]
An acoustic version of the song was included as a track on The Unplugged Collection, Volume One.[6]
Chart (1986–87) | Peak position |
---|---|
Australia (Kent Music Report)[8] | 62 |
Belgium (Ultratop 50 Flanders)[9] | 35 |
Canada (RPM)[10] | 70 |
Canada Adult Contemporary (RPM)[11] | 14 |
Ireland (IRMA)[12] | 27 |
Netherlands (Single Top 100)[13] | 79 |
New Zealand (Recorded Music NZ)[14] | 37 |
UK Singles (OCC)[15] | 98 |
US Album Rock Tracks (Billboard)[16] | 38 |
US Billboard Hot 100[17] | 81 |
Region | Certification | Certified units/sales |
---|---|---|
United Kingdom (BPI)[18] | Silver | 200,000‡ |
‡ Sales+streaming figures based on certification alone. |