Posted on 08/24/2021 11:24:00 AM PDT by nickcarraway
There are several segments to Paul Simon's "You Can Call Me Al," the lead single from his lauded 1986 album, Graceland, and every one of them is a marvel. But the song's intricate bass break stands out as perhaps its most fascinating moment.
For some time it was unknown just how exactly bass player Bakithi Kumalo, a Johannesburg native who had met Simon in South Africa in 1985 as he began the Graceland sessions, managed such an elaborate, top-speed riff — one that turned out to be almost physically unrepeatable.
"It was May 10 [1986], my birthday," Kumalo recently recalled, noting that they recorded the song at New York's the Hit Factory, where Simon had brought Kumalo and several other South African musicians to finish the sessions. "I didn't know what was going to happen, but when we got to the breakdown then we stopped. And then I had to ask Paul ... I said, 'Paul, can I just play something? It's my birthday today.'"
Simon agreed. "Paul certainly wasn't going to tell those guys what to play," engineer Roy Halee said. "The sessions had to take place within certain hours before the bus came to take them all away. Paul is a master organizer, he's extremely smart and he was great at determining which section would be nice as a bridge or a chorus or an intro while striking up friendships with the group members with whom he could communicate."
Using a fretless Washburn bass, Kumalo laid down the first half of the riff; the second half was created on the control board by running the first half backward. The reversible technique worked well for the studio version of the song, but Kumalo was then tasked with actually playing that riff. "I got so nervous, I got so scared," Kumalo said. "So I called all the pedal people in the world, and I said, 'Please, do you have anything that can make my bass backwards like that?' And back then, it was not possible."
You can watch Kumalo talk about his bass break on Facebook.
Kumalo attempted to use a variety of pedals, none of which resulted in the desire sound. "I tried it and I tried it, and I learn, I learn — I learn to come close to what I did on the record. And it worked."
"He [Kumalo] was unbelievable," Halee said. "For me, those sessions were all about the bass. It always seemed so powerful, and whenever Paul and I came back to New York and listened and listened and listened to the material, it was the bass that really turned me on."
"You Can Call Me Al" wasn't an immediate hit. But after Graceland began winning awards and fans all over the world, it managed to creep into the U.S. Top 25. It hit the Top 10 in other countries and has since become one of Simon's most popular songs.
"It was a challenge, but I'm glad that they gave me this 'Happy Birthday' present," said Kumalo, who went on to tour regularly with Simon. He's also performed with Joan Baez, Tedeschi Trucks Band and Mickey Hart. "It's there forever for the next generation to learn and then also go create. Don't be scared to take chances."
Is that the part that sounds like the sound effect in Seinfeld?
Bonedigger, Bonedigger
Dogs in the moonlight
Far away in my well-lit door
Mr. Beerbelly, Beerbelly
Get these mutts away from me
You know, I don't find this stuff amusing anymore
*That* percussion (from the second halves of the verses) would make great accompaniament from the PA for a soccer game, with the brassy opening of "... Al" being great for celebrating a goal by the home side.
And speaking of footy, didn't the Rhymin' One own a piece of a North American Soccer League team?
ff
Simon stood up to those boycotting S.Africa, went there, and the result was the album ‘Graceland’. The album drew more attention to S.Africa and apartheid than all the liberal yammering had done for years. Plus it’s an excellent album.
LOL...talk about coming back to bite you on the ass!
Did he hear “Paul is dead” when the bass riff was played backward?
I loved Paul Simon's African rhythms of that time. “Diamonds on the Soles of her Shoes” was a great groove.
LOL.
I had to learn that when it came out and couldn’t figure out how to make the second part sound right. I guessed this was the case and a few years later that was confirmed.
Not a huge Paul Simon fan - But Graceland is a brilliant album and the only one of his I have.
There’s a couple of youtubers that play it in real time and it sounds close to the studios reversed part, despite just playing the bass line like a palindrome.
An excellent album. I had it on vinyl and wore it out.
You can call me Ray, You can call me Jay,....
Post the links.
As a bassist who’s played at the pro level for many years, I must confess I never lost any sleep wondering anything about the bass break “secret” in that song... Just sayin’.
Why does want to call his bodyguard “Betty?”
Call Me Al bass solo and verse section
There are others as well. These were just the first 2 I viewed.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PS-sE9xCb-g
The concert in Hyde Park.
Bass riff at 3:41.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BPgez9fD5sk
This video takes a metronome and gets progressively slower throughout. His version is not exact but it would get you through a gig as it is very playable.
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