Paul Simon - Diamonds On The Soles Of Her Shoes (Live at the Library of Congress) | REACTION

[@rolandosarabia810]

Paul Simon went out of his way to bring Ladysmith Black Manbazo to the World's attention. It's not cultural appropriation, it is cultural admiration. They're phenomenal!!

[@blairkimberlin3447]

Paul brought them to American attention, they had already been enjoying world wide fame for decades for their Gospel music

[@johnr8095]

@@blairkimberlin3447 and American attention brought their fame to a whole different level.

[@JerisEve]

The chorus is Ladysmith Black Mombazo, and Paul Simon went out on his own after years of being half of Simon and Garfunkle, a great duo of the 60's and 70's. He wrote classics like Sound of Silence and Bridge Over Troubled Water as well as The Boxer and many more I'm sure you would recognize. There is a great recording of Diamonds on the Soles of Her Shoes from a concert they did in South Africa before a racially mixed and peaceful audience of thousands. It's a great video.

[@JOHNNYSUNDAY7]

The genuine affection between Simon and the lead singer is truly great to see. Feel good song.

[@leisastalnaker3790]

A beautiful song. Perfection, just perfection. Graceland, the most perfect album.❤❤❤love

[@loriculver7282]

Love seeing this! This whole album, Graceland, is one of my top favs of all time. The story of his creative journey to South Africa to create this music and the close friendships he made with these South African musicians is inspiring. Every song on the album is a masterpiece and the story behind the creation of this album is absolutely inspiring! So happy you chose to react to this!

[@Genthar]

This is from the album Graceland. Not a bad song on the entire album. Paul Simon (of Simon and Garfunkel) did this along with Ladysmith Black Mombazo. Well worth listening to the entire album. Definitely one of my favorite albums of all time.

[@dagmar.6954]

Paul Simon is a great singer songwriter. After his success with Simon & Garfunkel in the 60's, Paul Simon went solo in 1970. He has a huge library of songs such as "Mother & Child Reunion", "Me & Julio Down By The Schoolyard", "50 Ways To Leave Your Lover", "Still Crazy After All These Years", "Gone At Last", "My Little Town", "Kodachrome", "Loves Me Like A Rock", "You Can Call Me Al", "The Boy In The Bubble" etc.

[@desimonium]

"The Obvious Child", "Can't Run But", "Pigs Sheep and Wolves", "Darling Lorraine", etc. I can go on and on....

[@RoadDoug]

Paul Simon was one of the greatest song writers ever. I don’t believe there was one song I didn’t like. This was from the album Grace Land. Truly a legend.

[@gloriawilde9461]

Lucky you...listening to greatness here!!

[@hjcdormouse7337]

I remmber buying my husband cassette of Graceland which this track was on when he was doing training in England so left Scotland every Sunday for 3 months and came home on a Friday. These were days before mobile phones and Lockerbie Air Crash happened 15 minutes after he drove thro what a long night until I heard from him. This is still one of our all time favourites but brings back mixed memories

[@genevievehiguera6162]

"Graceland" by Paul Simon, is considered a masterpiece, featuring top muscians of South Africa, and one of my all time favorite albums. Grammy winner 1987 Album of the Year. You should do a "Graceland" listening 🥳 . The bassist is Bakithi Kumalo a session guitarist who played with many world famous artists on tour. The album is ICONIC and should no be missed. Paul Simon is an American folk singer and winner of 16 Grammys.

[@susantownsend8397]

Wonderful song with a wonderful history. Paul Simon was always learning about different musical traditions and incorporating them into his songs.

[@awezman]

Paul Simon wrote every song for Simon and Garfunkel, he is amazing!

[@aliciasaracino1233]

This was beautiful, the dancing, the music and the friendship. Wonderful reaction.

[@pfalzgraf7527]

great one! this version is better than the one I knew! Ladysmith Black Mombasa were just great!

[@timbeatty8411]

My favorite album ever!

[@randolphmoffat6604]

You owe it to yourself to watch the live performances when Graceland album first came out. I believe they had to be performed in Nearby Tanzania because the Apartheid addled South African Government was against black and white performers being seen together - among other reasons. I have heard that many performers in Ladysmith Black Mombazo are from one of the pocket republics created by the South African Government (Lesotho or Swaziland) When Paul Simon made the Graceland Album and wrote most of its songs he Joyfully included several excellent African performers into the stage performances. They stand historically as an almost unique collaboration.

[@ishort0967]

Graceland was such an acclaimed album..done in South Africa..fun performance ☺️❤️‼️

[@LtFrankDrebin100]

That little man is a musical god and I’ve loved him since I was around 7-8ish Y’all don’t even understand what the Grammys were like in the 80s. Like Alabama would slay every time and I’m not even a big country fan. Nobody missed.

[@charlottevan_8]

I had to laugh when you pronounced Paul's name "Simmon" instead of "Simon". As Jeris said, this man was half of Simon and Garfunkel, and has written some of the most iconic songs since the late 60's. This show was a tribute to his decades of work, where he was given the prestigious Gershwin Prize (another recipient of which was Paul McCartney). You did react a few months ago to a request I made for "Cecilia", another famous Simon & Garfunkel song, so this wasn't your first "Paul Simon rodeo", as the expression goes. Glad you enjoyed it.

[@littlebear6119]

Watch and listen to entire "Graceland" album written by Paul Simon, done entirely in South Africa with African singers and dancers.

[@bellesque861]

You can find videos on YT of the tour in Zimbabwe. They are great! There's a beautiful one with Paul Simon and Miriam Makeba "Under African Skies". His whole album is wonderful, and the videos from that tour are special.

[@adamlaceky8127]

Dude. You got an instant like/follow. When you said it sounds like Soweto youth choir, I knew you know what you're talking about. Graceland is in my top three albums of all time, and it still brings me to tears of laughter and sorrow. It's so joyful watching you discover it.

[@TheDivayenta]

Ladysmith Black Mbazo of South Africa

[@margaretervin8895]

I adore this song and the african group, the joy. I think for me the meaning would be its how you look at life, riches and happiness are in you heart not in your wallet. Music gives me so much joy, and comforts me when I am sad, companionship when I feel alone. After all God created music for a reason.

[@dramaqueen6G]

Paul Simon was at a really low point in his life both personally and professionally in 1985 when a friend invited him to come to South Africa. The country was still under apartheid and Simon came under massive criticism for breaking the musical boycott. But his experience meeting and playing with the musicians there led to a rebirth of his career, and probably of his creative spirit too. The album Graceland, created and produced with these musicians, won 4 Grammy awards, among others and prompted world tours. Simon formed a deep and lasting friendship with Joseph Shabalala, the leader of the vocal group Ladysmith Black Mambazo, who perform on Graceland, and help many South African musicians receive the acclaim they deserved.

[@blairkimberlin3447]

Ladysmith Black Mambazo has been my go to music for driving for decades. They not produced anything that I have not loved immediately. They are a Gospel group that has enjoyed world wide fame and respect for decades. Paul Simon had them as backup singers for his Graceland album focusing on the rhythms of African music. He then went on to release Rhythms of the Saints focusing on Brazilian music and Songs from the Capeman that focuses on American doo-wop and rock. Fun fact, Ladysmith Black Mambazo did a commercial for Lifesavers in '95😋

[@winchy162]

Ladysmith Black Mombazo is the name of the choir as you call them

[@aharon59]

It`s a shame you didn`t watch the version live in South Africa in the 80`s it`s with a full band of African musicians and , as lively as this is, it`s a much more jumping version and, of course, they were all so much younger then.

[@Doinita.]

Great reaction 🤩

[@UrsulaSenghas-Poles]

You simply must react to the Graceland album this is on. It is one of my favourite albums, listened to loads throughout my childhood. Was a pretty revolutionary album in the US, as it was a lot of people's introduction to more African sounds. Beautiful.

[@michaelpond6386]

Same group performed call me Al

[@larrystartzman2209]

Check out the live version brother over in South Africa it's for apartheid it's got the black Mumbai dancers I believe I mispronounced them

[@johnrussell-bk7lv]

Damn, Ladysmith Black Mambazo is pretty spry for a bunch of old guys.

[@carlradon2654]

You'd love the original from his African tour of 1987. He also did this one with Miriam Makeba at that show: kzbin.info/www/bejne/bmbVo2iJptd2kKs

[@adamlaceky8127]

Ladysmith Black Mambazo.

[@SEOTeamBerlin]

it's pronounced "SAImon" - and Paul Simon has done MORE for #Southafrica reputation and for Southafrica Music and Musicians than ANYbody else in the 20th century ! And the ANC-people were SO stupid with their blabla about "breaking boykot" and all that NONsense 👿☠

[@GeorgeMartinez-zh2sf]

WHY DO YOU KEEP PAUSING THE DAME VIDEO? YOU CAN MAKE YOUR COMMENTS WHILE THE VIDEO IS PLAYING, BUT YOU DON'T HAVE TO KEEP PAUSING IT! THAT'S MESSED UP, AND I WON'T LISTEN TO ANY OF YOUR VIDEOS!!!!