![]() Graceland (1986) [ larger cover art ] |
(a-wa) O kodwa u zo-nge li-sa namhlange
(a-wa a-wa) Si-bona kwenze ka kanjani
(a-wa a-wa) Amanto mbazane ayeza
She's a rich girl
She don't try to hide it
Diamonds on the soles of her shoes
He's a poor boy
Empty as a pocket
Empty as a pocket with nothing to lose
Sing ta na na
(Ta na na)
Ta na na na
She got diamonds on the soles of her shoes
Ta na na
(Ta na na)
Ta na na na
She got diamonds on the soles of her shoes
Diamonds on the soles of her shoes (Rich girl)
Diamonds on the soles of her shoes
Diamonds on the soles of her shoes
Diamonds on the soles of her shoes
People say she's crazy
She got diamonds on the soles of her shoes
Well, that's one way to lose these walking blues
Diamonds on the soles of her shoes
She was physically forgotten
But then she slipped into my pocket with my car keys
She said, "You've taken me for granted because I please you
Wearing these diamonds"
And I could say Oo-oo-oo, oo-oo-oo-oo, oo-oo-oo
As if everybody knows what I'm talking about
As if everybody here would know exactly what I was talking about
Talking about diamonds on the soles of her shoes
Ooh-ooh
Ooh-ooh, ooh-ooh
She makes the sign of a teaspoon, he makes the sign of a wave
The poor boy changes clothes, and he puts on aftershave
To compensate for his ordinary shoes
And she said, "Honey, take me dancing"
But they ended up by sleeping in a doorway
By the bodegas and the lights on upper Broadway
Wearing diamonds on the soles of their shoes
And I could say Oo-oo-oo, oo-oo-oo-oo, oo-oo-oo
And everybody here would know what I was talking about
I mean, everybody here would know exactly what I was talking about
I'm talking about diamonds
Ooh-ooh
Ooh-ooh-ooh-ooh
People say I'm crazy, I got diamonds on the soles of my shoes, yeah
Well, that's one way to lose these walking blues
Diamonds on the soles of our shoes
Ta na na na na, ta na na na na
Ta na na na na, ta na na na na
Ta na na na na, ta na na na na
Ta na na na na, ta na na na na
Ta na na na na, ta na na na na
Ta na na na na, ta na na na na
Ta na na na na, ta na na na na
Ta na na na na, ta na na na na
Ta na na na na, ta na na na na
Ta na na na na, ta na na na na
Ta na na na na, ta na na na na
Ta na na na na, ta na na na na
| Lazarus (Bethany) | Posted: Apr 11, 2013 - 11:24 Everybody in my church loves this song, and this whole album... |
| owchita (On the banks) | Posted: Jan 15, 2013 - 09:22 DVD of outdoor concert in Harare is great - this song used as the outro to all of the guest singers and musicians |
| ThirdRail_33 (Beautiful Bonita Springs in Sunny Florida) | Posted: Oct 05, 2012 - 04:10 Love this song. Love this album. |
| BCarn (Victoria, B.C.) | Posted: Sep 03, 2012 - 15:10 linden wrote: I've never understood why it's only Paul Simon that gets crap for "stealing" from another culture's music. Why not Peter Gabriel? Should Led Zeppelin been allowed to play the blues? Should Jimi Hendrix not have played rock guitar? Should no white people play jazz? Should Yo-Yo Ma not play classical? What? Well linden, seems you're quite alone on your opinion. And quite wrong. It's okay, you've time to rethink. Agree with the rest..one of the best in the last 25 years. |
| GwentRabbit (South Wales) | Posted: Aug 03, 2012 - 04:22 SoundsGoodToMe wrote: Good song, but a -100 for "borrowing" another cultures music without so much as giving them a co-writing credit, and stealing from Los Lobos to boot, and telling them to go sue him (see comments below.) Art Garfunkel always was the talent, this guy is a fraud. What a troll. He DID credit the other musicians, and los Lobos actually played on the album, you lying libelous moron. |
| oldsaxon (Wales via Vancouver, BC.) | Posted: Aug 03, 2012 - 04:18 SoundsGoodToMe wrote: Good song, but a -100 for "borrowing" another cultures music without so much as giving them a co-writing credit, and stealing from Los Lobos to boot, and telling them to go sue him (see comments below.) Art Garfunkel always was the talent, this guy is a fraud. Read the liner notes |
| Ahnyer_Keester (Chicago Il) | Posted: May 31, 2012 - 19:53 One of the best albums of the past 30 years. Great stuff. |
| whtahtefcuk (Flagstaff, AZ, USA) | Posted: Mar 29, 2012 - 08:53 good stuff! |
| MiracleDrug (Earth) | Posted: Mar 29, 2012 - 08:52 I LOVE this album! |
| Kaisersosay (Mighty Mighty Bostown) | Posted: Mar 29, 2012 - 08:51 oh yea,,I love this song about as much now as i did when it came out. Bleeeeesh |
| (former member) (hotel in Las Vegas) | Posted: Mar 29, 2012 - 08:48 This song puts a spring in my step this spring day... |
| chinacat | Posted: Feb 26, 2012 - 16:10 Must sign off now. Spending too much money on itunes while listening to Bill's playlist. |
| Tippster (Washington, DC) | Posted: Feb 26, 2012 - 16:09 misterbearbaby wrote: I'm incapable of envisioning the "best album" of the last 25 years, but this makes the list of contenders. Agreed. "Joshua Tree" is up there as well. |
| (former member) (hotel in Las Vegas) | Posted: Feb 26, 2012 - 16:08 bluecshells wrote: AGREED!!!!!!! Everybody in my hotel room loves this song, and this whole album... |
| bluecshells (EARTH) | Posted: Nov 23, 2011 - 11:44 romeotuma wrote: This song is soooo good for the feet... from one of the best albums in infinity... AGREED!!!!!!! |
| misterbearbaby (Marina del Rey, California) | Posted: Nov 23, 2011 - 11:43 I'm incapable of envisioning the "best album" of the last 25 years, but this makes the list of contenders. |
| (former member) (hotel in Las Vegas) | Posted: Aug 20, 2011 - 21:10 This song is soooo good for the feet... from one of the best albums in infinity... |
| Toke (Bournemouth UK) | Posted: Jul 20, 2011 - 12:45 SoundsGoodToMe wrote: Good song, but a -100 for "borrowing" another cultures music without so much as giving them a co-writing credit, and stealing from Los Lobos to boot, and telling them to go sue him (see comments below.) Art Garfunkel always was the talent, this guy is a fraud. LMAO !!! I suugest that you look out for the TV documentary on the making of this Album that took 2 years plus to make. Paul Simon rented an old studio in south africa and asked anyone who could play any instrument or voice to come along and just jam. I wont go into further details but take it from me he did NOT steal/borrow in fact he introduced the world outside of the townships to many many African musicians and singers that I had never heard of before and most likely Millions of other music lovers. Keep an eye out for the documentary it is very enlightening. PS it has a reference to the title of this track .... Interested ????? |
| DanFHiggins (Mid Maryland) | Posted: Jul 20, 2011 - 12:30 My kids got saturated with simon, beatles,led zepp, gabriel,csny,roxy music,......... as adults they still love this alblum. as I do. Great music stands up and gets noticed whenever it gets played. Thanks RP! |
| Sportscam (salt lake city) | Posted: Jul 07, 2011 - 16:11 Excellent album just like his performance was which coincided the day the Iraq war started. Jan.16th, 1991 under the first Bush Pres. The show was great, the war's another story. |
| mandolin (...drifting...) | Posted: Jul 07, 2011 - 16:08 linden wrote: I've never understood why it's only Paul Simon that gets crap for "stealing" from another culture's music. Why not Peter Gabriel? Should Led Zeppelin been allowed to play the blues? Should Jimi Hendrix not have played rock guitar? Should no white people play jazz? Should Yo-Yo Ma not play classical? What? ...i've never heard anyone give paul simon a hard time over his musical appropriations, nor david byrne for that matter, in fact to my knowledge they're both widely praised for their sonic explorations in similar vein... |
| TerryS (Another SW) | Posted: Jun 18, 2011 - 20:14 Ooohooowoohoo, not so much, but love that fretless bass. |
| SillyForever (now Melbourne, Australia) | Posted: Jun 18, 2011 - 20:11 I wish life was always like this song |
| scrubbrush (Sea of Calm) | Posted: May 05, 2011 - 10:43 ch83575 wrote: Probably one of the best albums ever. Certainly one of the best albums ever |
| ch83575 | Posted: May 05, 2011 - 10:42 Probably one of the best albums ever. |
| (former member) (hotel in Las Vegas) | Posted: Apr 03, 2011 - 19:00 Businessgypsy wrote: Yes comrade, death to the running dog capitalists - but is it good for your ears? This song is still soooo good for the ears... |
| AliGator (The Bluegrass) | Posted: Feb 12, 2011 - 20:19 This album came out just after my mom visited four African countries as part of a journalists' exchange. She heard this song and loved the way Paul Simon integrated the South African music into a pop song. My mom passed away in 1993, but this song will always remind me of her. |
| mem_313 (lerkin) | Posted: Jan 12, 2011 - 13:48 this is by far my fav Paul Simon Album. Part of the joy of listening to his music is the CLARITY of the recording. |
| helenofjoy (Lincoln, Nebraska) | Posted: Dec 30, 2010 - 16:56 linden wrote: I've never understood why it's only Paul Simon that gets crap for "stealing" from another culture's music. Why not Peter Gabriel? Should Led Zeppelin been allowed to play the blues? Should Jimi Hendrix not have played rock guitar? Should no white people play jazz? Should Yo-Yo Ma not play classical? What? All musicians "steal" from one another in every way and why is that called stealing anyway? We should share culture if we wish to preserve it. Musicians all know that they owe their love of music to people that came before them. All artists know that they owe their love of art to people that came before them. I think so anyway. If not, they should. |
| helenofjoy (Lincoln, Nebraska) | Posted: Dec 30, 2010 - 16:54 I always have to crank this one up to dance. |
| linden (Santa Cruz, CA) | Posted: Dec 30, 2010 - 16:52 I've never understood why it's only Paul Simon that gets crap for "stealing" from another culture's music. Why not Peter Gabriel? Should Led Zeppelin been allowed to play the blues? Should Jimi Hendrix not have played rock guitar? Should no white people play jazz? Should Yo-Yo Ma not play classical? What? |
| SuzG (at my desk) | Posted: Dec 30, 2010 - 16:51 mrdak wrote: +10000 x infinity |
| mrdak (Middle GA) | Posted: Dec 30, 2010 - 16:49 vandal wrote: meh +10000 |
| vandal (arriving somewhere, but not here. . .) | Posted: Oct 28, 2010 - 08:20 meh |
| januismer (SW Michigan) | Posted: Aug 25, 2010 - 15:59 Layered rhythms are cool... |
| SoundsGoodToMe | Posted: Aug 06, 2010 - 19:04 Good song, but a -100 for "borrowing" another cultures music without so much as giving them a co-writing credit, and stealing from Los Lobos to boot, and telling them to go sue him (see comments below.) Art Garfunkel always was the talent, this guy is a fraud. |
| C019740 | Posted: Jun 22, 2010 - 19:03 I always liked this song. Good beat, great quality sound on a nice high end sound system. |
| jersey_birdman | Posted: Apr 01, 2010 - 17:34 Rated this one high since it was a great peiod for Paul and those who saw him tour with this album.... |
| Businessgypsy (Deepest, Darkest Florida) | Posted: Mar 19, 2010 - 15:27 romeotuma wrote: ... you are talking about the proletariat sneaking diamonds out of the diamond mines in the soles of their shoes... Yes comrade, death to the running dog capitalists - but is it good for your ears? |
| aaronm (Eugene, Oregon) | Posted: Mar 19, 2010 - 15:17 I didn't care much for this, but as always, am happy to be able to listen to an eclectic mix that challenges my musical boundaries. |
| flyboy (Sarah Palin's Hometown) | Posted: Jan 28, 2010 - 15:12 Unfortunately, I've already given this a 1, and can't have the satisfaction of doing it again. I seem to have this problem every time there's a Paul Simon, Peter Gabriel, or Michael Franti song on. |
| SonomaRising | Posted: Jan 28, 2010 - 15:10 The last time I liked Paul Simon was in the Graduate soundtrack. This song has been played... |
| jbunniii (San Jose, CA) | Posted: Jan 28, 2010 - 15:09 Wow, I was just thinking of this song this morning as I came into work, in particular the line "empty as a pocket." I hadn't heard it a year or more. And voila, here it is on RP! And thank you so much for not playing the incredibly annoying "I Know What I Know" instead. |
| dogpound (the island on which I belong) | Posted: Jan 28, 2010 - 15:08 better than scraping the shit right off your shoes! |
| heatsand68 | Posted: Jan 15, 2010 - 15:05 I just never get tired of hearing the great music from this album. |
| nate917 (2,815 miles from home) | Posted: Jan 15, 2010 - 14:57 Oh, by the way, which one's Ladysmith? |
| Shaker (Canada) | Posted: Nov 26, 2009 - 18:57 Saw Ladysmith Black Mambazo live many years ago in Vancouver in a fairly small venue, it was great. I really enjoy this album. |
| Mangoman (Portland Metro Oregon) | Posted: Nov 26, 2009 - 18:53 Just never could get the appeal of Paul Simon. A bit too delicate a touch for me. |
| bkrontz (Times Square) | Posted: Nov 13, 2009 - 19:27 Thanks Dad... I should've been listening to him a long time ago. |
| (former member) (hotel in Las Vegas) | Posted: Oct 13, 2009 - 07:55 We know what you are talking about, Paul... you are talking about the proletariat sneaking diamonds out of the diamond mines in the soles of their shoes... we just turned the volume wayyyy up... |
