Graceland - Paul Simon

Music videos can be pesky things. Michael Stipe once commented that a good music video should compliment the song it is accompanying and not overwhelm it - it shouldn't be the first thing you think about when the song is mentioned in polite company. Or impolite company for that matter. I'm not sure he was true to his word when it came to R.E.M.'s singular output.... but that is not up for discussion here. It's not.

There are some obvious culprits in pop music, particularly those made around the birth of MTV; 'Money For Nothing' (Dire Straits), 'Take On Me' (a-Ha), 'Sledgehammer' (Peter Gabriel) and almost anything by Michael Jackson. His video launches became national events and were so hyped that disappointment was the only likely outcome. But they did contain some handy tips. For example, from the video for 'Bad', if you are ever faced with a street gang in a dark and dingy underground car park the correct way to ensure your safety is to perform an elongated dance routine, preferably whilst holding your crotch. That'll scare them off!

I would also put 'You Can Call Me Al' into that catergory. A great song with an even stronger music video. But this one caused me more trouble than all of the others put together. You see, after watching the video several times, I was left with the impression that Chevy Chase was Paul Simon. I know what you're thinking; how could I have not recognised Paul Simon, especially as he was one half of one of the most successful duos in popular music. Looking back at it now I'm with you. I was an idiot. But idiot or not, because in the music video Chevy Chase does the 'singing' I believed that he was Paul Simon and that his funny little sidekick was there to provide comical accompaniment. This case of mistaken identity lasted a good few months until one of my friends, whilst watching the offending video, made a comment like "I bet there are some fools who think Chevy Chase is Paul Simon". Pause. "Tscchh - I bet there are", I replied, covering my error as quickly as a blizzard covers tell-tale footprints. Like I said, music videos can be pesky things.

Anyway 'Graceland' was one of the first CDs that my dad bought and I was immediately captivated by its rhythmic and melodic nature. 'The Boy In The Bubble', and 'Diamonds On The Soles Of Her Shoes' being two of the most rhythmic pop songs ever commited to record. I've played this album many times since first hearing it in 1986 and it's never far from my MP3 player - you never know when you might need a blast of perfect rhythmic pop.

You'll be pleased to hear, I'm sure, that all ended well. Following the success of 'Graceland' Paul Simon went on to have a successful movie career starring in films such as 'Fletch' and the 'National Lampoon' series of films. As for his comedic sidekick - not sure he seems to have disappeared without a trace!