"Homeless" is a 1986 song by

Paul Simon Paul Frederic Simon (born October 13, 1941) is an American singer-songwriter known for his solo work and his collaborations with Art Garfunkel. He and Garfunkel, whom he met in elementary school in 1953, came to prominence in the 1960s as Sim ...

and

Ladysmith Black Mambazo Ladysmith Black Mambazo are a South African male choral group singing in the local vocal styles of ''isicathamiya'' and ''mbube (genre), mbube''. They became known internationally after singing with American Paul Simon on his 1986 album ''Grace ...

lead singer

Joseph Shabalala Bhekizizwe Joseph Shabalala (28 August 1940 – 11 February 2020) was a South African singer and musician who was the founder and musical director of the choral group Ladysmith Black Mambazo. Early life and career Bhekizizwe Joseph Shaba ...

. The song was the first recorded by Simon and Ladysmith Black Mambazo for Simon's album ''

Graceland Graceland is a mansion on a estate in Memphis, Tennessee, United States, once owned by American singer Elvis Presley. Presley is buried there, as are his parents Vernon and Gladys, paternal grandmother Minnie Mae, grandson Benjamin, and daugh ...

''. The song launched the international career of the South African group and introduced Zulu isicathimiya music to new western audiences. Shabalala provided the music, from the melody of a traditional Zulu wedding tune, and new Zulu words. Simon provided the English lyrics. The text has been taken as protest music, though Shabalala has said that the phrase "we are homeless" is similar to the words a Zulu person uses when proposing to his bride.Linda Flower ''The Construction of Negotiated Meaning'' 1994 "In the Public Eye One inescapable feature of "Homeless" is that its meaning(s) seems literally constructed out of multiple voices ... However, even that trademark style of Shabalala and the Ladysmith Black Mambazo is itself a hybrid — a Zulu ..." "Diamonds on the Soles of Her Shoes" and "Homeless" were both rerecorded by Ladysmith Black Mambazo for the 2006 album ''

Long Walk to Freedom ''Long Walk to Freedom'' is an autobiography by South Africa's first democratically elected President Nelson Mandela, and it was first published in 1994 by Little Brown & Co. The book profiles his early life, coming of age, education and 27 yea ...

''.

Personnel

—lead vocals *

—vocals *

—vocals

References

1986 songs Paul Simon songs Ladysmith Black Mambazo songs Songs written by Paul Simon {{1980s-song-stub