You Can Call Him Al - #9 Paul Simon - Graceland

Hello everyone, my name is Dan, and I have never listened to Paul Simon.

And now time to justify myself... Actually I can't. The guy's a legend, and there is a reason for that, unfortunately, until now, it had passed me by.

Glasto' has a long tradition of getting some of the very finest acts from years gone by to perform on the Sunday. Last year it was Ray Davies, and the year before that? Tom Jones. I'm ashamed to say that I saw neither, but won't be missing Mr Simon.

I think I never really gave him a chance because of Watership Down. Everyone, ever since I was young, raves about this film, where I (and heartless/soul-less/whatever else) it may make me, don't like it at all. Bright Eyes obviously still gets played a lot because of that, and I think that was why I never really got into him. I know that was back when Art Gartfunkel was still playing alongside him, but still, that's what happened.

Then of course came the other 'big one', You Can Call Me Al, which brings me to another confession. Until approximately one week ago, I couldn't stand that song either. Whether it was to do with having to see Chevy Chase on the video, or the association that my brain creates between that track and tacky disco music, I have always just despised it. But as I said, that was then, and this is now.

Actually, that song, brilliant though it is, bears very little resemblence to the rest of the songs on here. Whereas that is pop music at its very, very best, the remainder of the album has a huge African influence. For reasons that I've already gone into, I couldn't tell you if that is just what he is like, or whether it's specific to Graceland, but it's really cool, in it's own unique way. A little jaunt around Wikipedia is interesting on the subject actually, but I'll let you check that out for yourself, if you so wish. But, if you are a lover of this album, don't bother, just enjoy it for what it is, avoid the scandal!

Graceland is another obvious highlight, and it's not hard to see why it picked up a trolley load of awards on it's release, it's not as catchy as the big hit, but it's certainly as good.

All in all, I'm a bit disgusted with myself for never having heard any of this before, with the obvious exception, but that's all going to change in the near future (or at least in the day or two between this challenge finishing and the actual festival starting - all the bits where I'm not on a plane anyway).

I've no pun this time, no funny pay off. All I will say is, if you are like me and haven't heard this album before, go and get it. If you have, stick it on, right now.

And PLEASE check out Rachel's effort today. She is a big, big fan of this, and has what sounds like a great story to tell you all. She's over here.

And that's me done again. Nine down, 51 to go.