Four decades ago, Paul Simon broke out of a middle-age slump with a collaborative project few saw coming. Join Chris Molanphy as he explores the musical brilliance, polarizing legacy—and of course, the chart history—of 1986’s Graceland.Captivated by a borrowed mixtape of South African music, Simon defied a UN cultural boycott and traveled to apartheid-era South Africa to collaborate and record with Ladysmith Black Mambazo and other musicians. The result was polarizing, critically beloved and, eventually, a chart smash. Graceland also set a new precedent for aging pop stars.For an even deeper dive on the controversies behind the album, check out Ashley Kahn’s new book <a href="https://bookshop.org/a/2181/9781668206751" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Days of Miracle and Wonder: Paul Simon and the Trials and Triumphs of Graceland</a>. And for more on the anti-apartheid movement in pop, listen to Hit Parade’s episode on <a href="https://slate.com/culture/2017/07/hit-parade-the-charity-megasingle-edition.html" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">the rise and fall of the charity megasingle</a>.Get more Hit Parade with Slate Plus! Join for bonus episodes of "The Bridge" and ad-free listening across all your favorite Slate podcasts. Subscribe directly from the Hit Parade show page on <a href="https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/hit-parade-music-history-and-music-trivia/id1291058235" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Apple Podcasts</a> or <a href="https://open.spotify.com/show/4GqbdfOT9Je4nEp5BqnGit" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Spotify</a>. Or, visit <a href="https://slate.com/podcast-plus?utm_medium=link&utm_campaign=plus_pod&utm_content=Hit_Parade&utm_source=episode_summary" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">slate.com/hitparadeplus</a> to get access wherever you listen.Need to set up your Slate Plus feed? If you subscribed through Slate.com, check out our <a href="https://slate.com/podcastfaqs#plusbenefits" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">FAQ</a> at slate.com/podcastfaqs for easy instructions. Members subscribed via Apple Podcasts get automatic access—no setup required.<hr> Hosted on Acast. See <a style='color:grey;' target='_blank' rel='noopener noreferrer' href='https://acast.com/privacy'>acast.com/privacy</a> for more information.

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Going to Graceland Edition

Hit Parade | Music History and Music Trivia

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