"HOMELESS" PAUL SIMON (1986)

For October, the Mental Jukebox is dialing it way back to the eighties and going deep. Deep cuts have always been an important element of music listening to me because they’re often the songs that resonate with me most. Deep cuts are usually the ones that the true fans appreciate most. I like my singles and hits, but I love my deep cuts.

A cappella is the greatest test of how good a song is. It’s all about the voices, the lyrics and the melody. There’s nowhere else to hide. It can expose some songs as thin or forgettable – and it can also help us to recognize and appreciate the beauty and power of a song. On an album as iconic as Graceland, we’re treated to an a cappella track by Simon in collaboration with Ladysmith Black Mambazo called “Homeless”.

It is a delightful track and it always was since the day I bought my Graceland cassette. “Homeless” is a track that demonstrates an extra measure of thoughtfulness and creativity – going beyond the conventions of the day to deliver something that feels right at home with the rest of the album yet still has its own individual identity. The choice to go a cappella is highly appropriate as the lyrics talk about the simplicity of a moonlit night mirrors the stripped down approach to the music.

“Moonlight sleeping on a midnight lake. Homeless, homeless.”

"KODACHROME" PAUL SIMON (1972)

This month, I’m jumping into the #APlaceInTheSong challenge from @JukeboxJohnny2. Great songs have that special ability to describe places in a way that makes us feel like we’re right there. Each day, I’ll pick a track that I think accomplishes that feat.

Thanks to countless yearbook write-ups, one of the most quoted songs of all time belongs to Paul Simon. “Kodachrome” took a friendly, lighthearted approach to rebellion. And musically, Simon was also his same rebellious self on this track. Daring to cross genres. Daring to even defy them. With every percussive beat. With every uplifting note. Sounds a lot like the Simon & Garfunkel canon – like a continuation of those musical and lyrical themes, standing in stark contrast to his world music-influenced solo work that would manifest in the eighties with Graceland.

“When I think back on all the crap I learned in high school, It's a wonder I can think at all. And though my lack of education hasn't hurt me none, I can read the writing on the wall.”

"KODACHROME" PAUL SIMON (1972)

This month on Twitter, @sotachetan hosts #BrandedInSongs – which is a head-on collision of my personal world of music and my professional world of branding and advertising. The challenge is to simply pick a song with a brand name in its lyrics or title. I added one more criteria to my picks, which is this: the songs themselves must be as iconic as the brands they mention. No filler here.

Thanks to countless yearbook write-ups, one of the most quoted songs of all time belongs to Paul Simon. “Kodachrome” took a friendly, lighthearted approach to rebellion. And musically, Simon was also his same rebellious self on this track. Daring to cross genres. Daring to even defy them. With every percussive beat. With every uplifting note. Sounds a lot like the Simon & Garfunkel canon – like a continuation of those musical and lyrical themes, standing in stark contrast to his world music-influenced solo work that would manifest in the eighties with Graceland.

“When I think back on all the crap I learned in high school, It's a wonder I can think at all. And though my lack of education hasn't hurt me none, I can read the writing on the wall.”

"DIAMONDS ON THE SOLES OF HER SHOES" PAUL SIMON (1986)

Inspired by Albumism, I’m doing my own version of Flying Solo with individual tracks. Band breakups and hiatuses are never fun, but these solo jams were defining moments in my life’s soundtrack.

Dating back to the Simon & Garfunkel years, Paul Simon was often viewed as the driving force and persona in that duo. But if Graceland taught us anything, it’s that Simon was born to collaborate and not steal the spotlight. It’s one of those rare albums that become instant classics the minute they’re released.

Every song is gold on Graceland, but the last track on Side 1 was one of my favorites in all its unrock & roll glory. After Simon’s trip to South Africa, he brought back a local choral group with him to New York City to record “Diamonds on the Soles of Her Shoes”. It starts off a cappella, slips into a world beat groove exactly at the 1:00 mark and oozes with joy for its duration.

“People say she's crazy. She got diamonds on the soles of her shoes. Well that's one way to lose these. Walking blues.”

"KODACHROME" PAUL SIMON (1972)

Thanks to countless yearbook write-ups, one of the most quoted songs of all time belongs to Paul Simon. “Kodachrome” took a friendly, lighthearted approach to rebellion. And musically, Simon was also his same rebellious self on this track. Daring to cross genres. Daring to even defy them. With every percussive beat. With every uplifting note.

“When I think back on all the crap I learned in high school, It's a wonder I can think at all. And though my lack of education hasn't hurt me none, I can read the writing on the wall.”