Diamonds on the Soles of Her Shoes
| "Diamonds on the Soles of Her Shoes" | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
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| Single by Paul Simon | ||||
| from the album Graceland | ||||
| B-side | "I Know What I Know" | |||
| Released | April 1987 | |||
| Format | ||||
| Genre | ||||
| Length | 5:45 | |||
| Label | ||||
| Writer(s) | ||||
| Producer(s) | Paul Simon | |||
| Paul Simon singles chronology | ||||
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"Diamonds on the Soles of Her Shoes" is a song by the American singer-songwriter Paul Simon. It was the fourth single from his seventh studio album, Graceland (1986), released on Warner Bros. Records. The song features guest vocals from the South African male choral group Ladysmith Black Mambazo.
Contents
Background
"Diamonds on the Soles of Her Shoes" was written when Simon went to South Africa. While he was there, he gathered various music from locals, and risked imprisonment due to the apartheid. Upon returning to New York, Simon finished the album with the artists he brought back from South Africa, and performed live on Saturday Night Live on May 10, 1986.[1] During the performance, Simon sung live to the backing instrumental track featured on the album while Ladysmith Black Mombazo mimed their parts.[2] Ladysmith Black Mambazo sing in Zulu on this track. Their refrain roughly translates to: "It's not usual but in our days we see those things happen. They are women, they can take care of themselves."[1]
Personnel
- Paul Simon—lead vocals
- Ray Phiri—guitar
- Bakithi Kumalo—bass
- Isaac Mtshali—drums
- Youssou N'Dour, Babacar Faye, Assane Thaim, James Guyatt— percussion
- Lenny Pickett—tenor saxophone
- Earl Gardner—trumpet
- Alex Foster—alto saxophone
- Ladysmith Black Mambazo—vocals
Covers
The song has been covered by the Soweto String Quartet and features on their greatest hits collection.[3] English singer MIKA performed a live piano cover of the song on his BBC Radio 2 show The Art of Song in March 2016. [4]
Charts
| Chart (1987) | Peak position |
|---|---|
| Australia (Kent Music Report)[5] | 69 |
| Canada Adult Contemporary (RPM)[6] | 2 |
| Belgium (Ultratop 50 Flanders)[7] | 28 |
| Netherlands (Single Top 100)[8] | 85 |
| UK Singles (Official Charts Company)[9] | 77 |
Notes
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External links
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Paul Simon songs
|
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|---|---|
| The Paul Simon Songbook | |
| Paul Simon | |
| There Goes Rhymin' Simon | |
| Paul Simon in Concert: Live Rhymin' | |
| Still Crazy After All These Years | |
| Greatest Hits, Etc. | |
| One-Trick Pony |
|
| Hearts and Bones |
|
| Graceland |
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| The Rhythm of the Saints | |
| You're the One |
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| Surprise |
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| So Beautiful or So What |
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| Featured singles | |
| Other songs | |
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- ↑ http://vk.com/video-2009067_33437153
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- ↑ "Ultratop.be – Paul Simon – Diamonds on the Soles of Her Shoes" (in Dutch). Ultratop 50. Retrieved November 13, 2015.
- ↑ "Dutchcharts.nl – Paul Simon – Diamonds on the Soles of Her Shoes" (in Dutch). Single Top 100. Retrieved November 13, 2015.
- ↑ "Archive Chart: 1987-02-21" UK Singles Chart. Retrieved November 11, 2015.
