Under African Skies Lyrics
Joseph's face was black as night
The pale yellow moon shone in his eyes
His path was marked
By the stars in the southern hemisphere
And he walked his days
Under African skies
[Chorus]
This is the story of how we begin to remember
This is the powerful pulsing of love in the vein
After the dream of falling and calling your name out
These are the roots of rhythm and the roots of rhythm remain
In early memory
Mission music
Was ringing 'round my nursery door
I said take this child, Lord
From Tucson, Arizona
Give her the wings to fly through harmony
And she won't bother you no more
[Chorus]
Joseph's face was as black as the night
And the pale yellow moon shone in his eyes
His path was marked
By the stars in the southern hemisphere
And he walked the length of his days
Under African skies
The pale yellow moon shone in his eyes
His path was marked
By the stars in the southern hemisphere
And he walked his days
Under African skies
[Chorus]
This is the story of how we begin to remember
This is the powerful pulsing of love in the vein
After the dream of falling and calling your name out
These are the roots of rhythm and the roots of rhythm remain
In early memory
Mission music
Was ringing 'round my nursery door
I said take this child, Lord
From Tucson, Arizona
Give her the wings to fly through harmony
And she won't bother you no more
[Chorus]
Joseph's face was as black as the night
And the pale yellow moon shone in his eyes
His path was marked
By the stars in the southern hemisphere
And he walked the length of his days
Under African skies
About
Genius Annotation
In track 7 of Graceland, Paul Simon uses a galloping 4/4 time signature to tell the tale of two musicians and how their earliest memories shaped themselves into the music they create.
When Paul Simon asked Linda Ronstadt to sing with him on this song he also asked her to tell him what her earliest memory was. This story, as well as the story of Ladysmith Black Mambazo’s creator and group leader Joseph Shabalala, became the basis of this song.
Q&A
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Credits
Featuring
Producer
Writers
Bass
Label
Percussion
Engineer [Assistant At The Hit Factory]
Engineer [Assistant At Amigo Studios]
Drums
Guitar
Arrangement (Guitar)
Recorded At
The Hit Factory, Manhattan, New York City, New York
Release Date
August 25, 1986
Songs That Interpolate Under African Skies
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