Graceland In South Africa

In the first essay in Calendar's new Popping Off series, William K. Knoedelseder Jr. defended Paul Simon's decision to record "Graceland" in South Africa, and to use South African musicians. Knoedelseder's commentary, prompted by protests against Simon by students at Howard University, drew spirited response from readers. Here is a sampling of opinion, the overwhelming majority of which supported Simon's actions. Popping Off is an occasional forum commenting on timely issues in pop music.

The Elvis Presley question brought home to Paul Simon just how absurd he felt things had become. The writer of such contemporary pop classics as "Bridge Over Troubled Water" has for months been trying to explain with great care the reasons he recorded part of his "Graceland" album in South Africa. Simon, 45, outlined his new-found enthusiasm for that region's lively, unpredictable rhythms in numerous interviews when the LP was released last year.