'Diamonds on the Soles of her Shoes'- Graceland

Question 1

random fax

Answer 1

5th song on album.
Written after Simon’s visit to South Africa where he played w/ local musicians.
Roy Halee decided to put it on the album.
Isicathamiya secton by Joseph Shabahala.
Fusion of African sound/rhythms with Simon’s folk/pop.
World beat genre.

Question 2

Historical shite

Answer 2

On one level, song is about a relationship with a rich girl and poor boy (Simon dated the daughter of a miner
In the past, people would smuggle diamonds out of the country using the soles of their shoes.
Inequality of poor and rich.

Question 3

Important instruments

Answer 3

Djembe- prominent in African music, variety of tones depending on where you hit the skin, Higher tone- rim.
Alto + tenor saxophone

Question 4

Sonority

Answer 4

African musicians usually move about and dance when they play music/sing.
Band enters at 0:58- electric guitar, bass, drums accompany vocals.
Drum kit has steady, energetic rhythm with repeated hi-hat quavers like in ‘Graceland’.
Chorus- band vocals and dance continue, LBM high kicks and stamps.
Instrumental break- trumpets and saxophones playing syncopated harmonies.

Question 5

Structure

Answer 5

Verse/chorus w/ instrumental breaks.
Hook repeats all through song.
Instrumental lead into Verse 1-tempo +key modulated; band enters.
Instrumentals have repeated chord progression, accompanied by trumpets and saxes.
Outro- short vocal bit followed repetitive ‘ta-na-na’ by Simon and LBM. Djembe fade. Tops and tails song.

Question 6

Tonality

Answer 6

Starts in the same key, then there’s a modulation (E maj- F maj (only semitone so hard to notice. Unusual key change).
The reason it’s uncommon is because E and F major have no relation. E is the only common note.
Intro heavily based on the tonic chord.
Diatonic.

Question 7

Melody of intro

Answer 7

Simple and repetitive.
Added harmonies for interest.
Narrow range of minor 7th.
Repeats notes, especially E and G.
Conjunct with elements of disjunct + repetitive movement.
Opening phrases are similar- distinctive leap of perfect 4th between B and E.

Question 8

Melody of verses

Answer 8

Higher register, more syllabic.
Last line of Verse 1- melisma w/ ‘diamonds’.
Lyrics are complex, syllabic and rhythmically difficult to notate, irregular melodic shape.
Example of complex melody line: “She said you’ve taken me for granted because I please you”.

Question 9

Melody of chorus

Answer 9

Begins with high ‘oooooo’ melisma, sung with falsetto.

Outro- repetition of ‘ta-na-na’, sometimes with Simon improvising w/ falsetto + sequence

Question 10

Harmony

Answer 10

Repetition of primary chords- African + American music. Song just uses 3 chords.
‘Diamonds on the soles of her shoes’- 1st time sung is tonic, 2nd 3rd 5th 6th time is perfect, 4th 7th plagal.
After intro, harmonic rhythm gets quicker.
Harmony is generally consonant.
Isicathamiya in beginning.
Simon joins- melody w/ accompaniment.
‘empty as a pocket’ + ‘ta-na-na’- call and response (African music).
Verse/ chorus- homophonic.
Instrumental break- chordal.
Outro- elements of polyphonic vocal improvisation (African music).

Question 11

Tempo, metre, rhythm

Answer 11

Moderato, 4/4.
Rhythm follows natural inflection of speech- “she said you’ve taken me for granted because I please you” New rhythm introduced- punchy.
Indication of swung quavers.
Regular syncopation- typical Paul Simon.
Anacrusis, complex rhythm combination, new rhythm in instrumental.

Question 12

Dynamics and Articulation

Answer 12

mp intro, mf when instruments enter + in verse and chorus, f in instrumental break, outro back to mp.
Legato, narrative style in verse and chorus.