# The Rhythm of the Saints

The Rhythm of the Saints is the eighth solo studio album by American singer-songwriter Paul Simon, released on October 16, 1990, by Warner Bros. In much the same way that Simon's previous album, Graceland, released in 1986, drew upon South African music, this album was inspired by Brazilian musical traditions. Like its predecessor, the album was commercially successful and received mostly favorable reviews from critics.
In 1992, The Rhythm of the Saints earned two nominations for the 34th Grammy Awards – Album of the Year and Producer of the Year.

## Background

Simon had traveled to Brazil on five different occasions between 1988 and 1989, taking particular interest in the sounds coming from various street musicians that he encountered. He was encouraged to visit Brazil after Eddie Palmieri told him that "the journey of the drum goes with the slave trade, from West Africa to Brazil, then up the Caribbean." During his time in the city of Salvador, Bahia, he encountered the music ensemble Grupo Cultural Olodum after hearing that they were rehearsing there. Simon was impressed with their playing and recorded the ensemble two days later for "The Obvious Child", which became the opening track to Rhythm of the Saints.
On Rhythm of the Saints, Simon decided to build many of the tracks around polyrhythmic percussion patterns. He said that the rhythms influenced some of the melodies and lyrics that later accompanied the compositions. Simon constructed chord changes around these rhythms and described the chord progressions on Rhythm of the Saints as "more adventurous" than the work on his previous album, Graceland.

## Reception

Professional ratings :
| Review scores ||
| Source | Rating |
| AllMusic | |
| Blender | |
| Chicago Sun-Times | |
| Chicago Tribune | |
| Entertainment Weekly | A+ |
| The Guardian | |
| Los Angeles Times | |
| NME | 6/10 |
| Q | |
| Rolling Stone | |
The Rhythm of the Saints peaked at No. 4 on the US album chart, while Graceland had peaked at No. 3, ranking them both among Simon's most commercially successful albums. The album was also successful across the Atlantic, reaching No. 1 on the UK album chart. However, with the exception of "The Obvious Child", none of its three singles—including "Proof" and "Born at the Right Time"—charted or received substantial radio play. "The Obvious Child" also failed to reach the US top 40, although it reached No. 15 in the UK, becoming Simon's last major hit there. The album was certified Multi-Platinum.

## Central Park concert

Alongside various musicians, Simon performed live versions of many of the songs from the album at a free concert in Central Park, New York City on August 15, 1991, in front of an audience of around 500,000 people. The performance was recorded and later released as the album Paul Simon's Concert in the Park.

## Track listing

All tracks composed by Paul Simon, except "The Coast" (music by Simon and Vincent Nguini) and "Spirit Voices" (Portuguese lyrics by Milton Nascimento).
* "The Obvious Child" – 4:10
* "Can't Run But" – 3:36
* "The Coast" – 5:04
* "Proof" – 4:39
* "Further to Fly" – 5:36
* "She Moves On" – 5:03
* "Born at the Right Time" – 3:48
* "The Cool, Cool River" – 4:33
* "Spirit Voices" – 3:56
* "The Rhythm of the Saints" – 4:12
Bonus tracks (2004 reissue)
* "Born at the Right Time" (acoustic demo) – 3:50
* "Thelma" (outtake) – 4:14
* "The Coast" (work-in-progress version) – 5:13
* "Spirit Voices" (work-in-progress version) – 3:49
Notes:
* "Thelma" previously appeared on Paul Simon 1964/1993.
* According to Robert J. Reina of Stereophile magazine, Simon's original track sequence was changed when "the boys in Warners' front office insisted the album's lead single, 'The Obvious Child' be given pride of place." To hear Simon's preferred track order, the current release would have to be re-sequenced as 3-6-4-7-8-1-2-9-5-10. At least two sleeves reflecting this track listing are known to exist.

## Personnel

* Paul Simon – vocals, guitars (1, 3, 7, 8, 9), horn arrangements (1, 2, 3, 5–10), guitar arrangements (1, 5–8), backing vocals (4)

### with

Keyboards
* Greg Phillinganes – synthesizers (3, 4, 5, 8)
* Justin Tchounou – synthesizers (4)
* Jimmy McDonald – accordion (4)
* C. J. Chenier – accordion (7)
* Joao Severo Da Silva – accordion (10)
Guitars and bass
* J. J. Cale – guitars (2, 7)
* Vincent Nguini – guitars (3, 5–10, 12), guitar arrangements (3, 5, 6, 8, 9), horn arrangements (4), bass (5, 8), claves (9)
* Martin Atangana and Georges Seba – electric guitar and guitar arrangements (4)
* Rigo Star – guitars (5) [Liner notes erroneously credit him as "Ringo Star"]
* Raphael Rabello – classical guitar (5)
* Ray Phiri – guitars and guitar arrangements (6)
* Adrian Belew – guitar synthesizer (9), guitars (12)
* Kofi Electrik – guitars and guitar arrangements (10)
* Tommy Bilson-Ogoe – guitars (10)
* Armando Macedo – baiana (10)
* Jerry Douglas – dobro (12)
* Bakithi Kumalo – bass (3, 4, 7, 9)
* André Manga – bass (4)
* Armand Sabal-Lecco – bass (6, 7, 9, 10, 12)
Drums and percussion
* Grupo Cultural Olodum – drums (1)
* Steve Gadd – drums (2, 4, 12)
* Felix Sabal-Lecco – drums (7)
* Naná Vasconcelos – percussion (2, 10, 12), gourd (3, 5, 8, 9), voice (3), berimbau (8), congas and triangle (9)
* Mingo Araujo – castanets (2), talking drum (2, 4), triangle (2, 8), shaker and African bells (3), bass drum (4, 9), cymbals (4), percussion (5), congas (6, 7, 8, 12), agogo bells (7), surdo (12)
* Uakti – percussion (2, 10), percussion effects (8)
** Marco Antōnio Guimarães – basic track arrangements (2)
* Paulo Sérgio Santos and Mazzola – chicote (2)
* Remi Kabaka – talking drum (2)
* Dom Chacal – bongos (4, 6, 12), congas (5, 7), batá drum (5, 12), gourd (9)
* Madeleine Yayodele Nelson – shekere (4, 7)
* Sidinho Moreira – water bowl (4), congas (5, 6, 7, 9), bongos (5), bass drum and bottles (7), tambourine (9), surdo (12)
* Wilson das Neves – percussion (5), cowbell (6)
* Beloba, Wilson Canegal, Jorginho do Pandeiro, Marçalzinho and Roberto Bastros "Luna" Pinheiro – additional percussion effects (5)
* Pedro Sorongo – additional percussion effects (5), scraper (6)
* Antenor Marques "Gordinho" Filho – surdo (6)
* Isaac Okyerema Asante – cajón (8)
* Anthony Carrillo – bongos (9)
* Giovanni Hidalgo and Francisco Aguabella – congas (9)
Reed and brass instruments
* Kim Wilson – harmonica (1)
* Michael Brecker – Akai EWI controller (1, 3, 5, 8, 12), saxophone (6)
* Charles Doherty – alto saxophone (3, 8), tenor saxophone (8)
* Jude Bethel – tenor saxophone (3)
* Errol Ince and Clyde Mitchell – trumpet (3, 8)
* Clifton Anderson – trombone (3, 8)
* Alain Hatot – saxophones (4)
* Phillipe Slominski – trumpet (4)
* Jacques Bolognesi – trombone (4)
* Randy Brecker – trumpet (5), piccolo trumpet (6)
* Dave Bargeron – euphonium (5)
Vocals
* Briz – backing vocals (1)
* Ladysmith Black Mambazo, Karen Bernod, Kia Jeffries, Myrna Lynn Gomila – backing vocals (3)
* Charlotte Mbango, Djana'd, Elolongue Mbango Catherine, Florence Gnimagnon – backing vocals (6, 7)
* Milton Nascimento – vocals (9)

## Production

* Paul Simon – producer
* Marco Mazzola – basic rhythm track production (2–10)
* Phil Ramone – original Olodum recording supervisor (1), Transamerica sessions supervisor (2, 3, 5, 8, 10)
* Roy Halee – engineer
* Rich Travali – assistant engineer
* Luiz "Mequinho" Felipe – assistant engineer (1)
* Vanderley Loureiro – assistant engineer (2–10)
* Geraldo Tazares – assistant engineer (2–10)
* Bruce Keen – assistant engineer (4, 7)
* Greg Calbi – mastering at Sterling Sound (New York City, New York)
* Danny Harrison – album coordinator
* Marc Silag – album coordinator
* Dolores Lusitana – associate coordinator
* Yolanda Cuomo – art direction, design
* Miguel Rio Branco – front cover photography
* Bruno Barbey – back cover photography
* Sylvia Plachy – photograph of Paul Simon

## Charts

Weekly charts
Weekly chart performance for The Rhythm of the Saints by Paul Simon
Chart (1990–91)
Peak position
Australian ARIA Albums Chart
3
Austrian Albums Chart
4
Belgian Albums Chart
6
Canadian Albums Chart
1
Dutch Mega Albums Chart
2
European Top 100 Albums
1
Finnish Albums Chart
7
French SNEP Albums Chart
22
German Media Control Albums Chart
11
Hungarian Albums Chart
13
Japanese Oricon Albums Chart
87
Norwegian VG-lista Albums Chart
6
New Zealand Albums Chart
6
Spanish Albums Chart
17
Swedish Albums Chart
8
Swiss Albums Chart
3
UK Albums Chart
1
US Billboard 200
4
Year-end charts
Chart (1990)
Position
Australian Albums Chart
36
Canadian Albums Chart
26
Dutch Albums Chart
29
European Albums Charts
94
UK Albums Chart
13
Chart (1991)
Position
Canadian Albums Chart
22
U.S. Billboard 200
22
Certifications and sales
Region
CertificationCertified units/sales
Australia (ARIA)
Platinum
70,000$^^$
Austria (IFPI Austria)
Gold
25,000$^*$
Belgium
25,000
Canada (Music Canada)
2× Platinum
200,000$^^$
Germany (BVMI)
Gold
250,000$^^$
Netherlands (NVPI)
Platinum
100,000$^^$
New Zealand (RMNZ)
Platinum
15,000$^^$
South Africa (RISA)
Gold
25,000
Spain (PROMUSICAE)
Gold
50,000$^^$
Switzerland (IFPI Switzerland)
Gold
25,000$^^$
United Kingdom (BPI)
2× Platinum
600,000$^^$
United States (RIAA)
2× Platinum
2,000,000$^^$
$^*$ Sales figures based on certification alone. $^^$ Shipments figures based on certification alone. :