Negotiations and Love Songs

Negotiations and Love Songs is a compilation album of songs by the American singer-songwriter Paul Simon, released in 1988 by Warner Bros. Records. It consists of songs released from 1971 to 1986. The title of the compilation is taken from a line in the song "Train in the Distance".

Track listing

^ "Graceland" appears only on the LP edition of the album.

Personnel

• Paul Simon – vocals, guitar (2–6, 11, 15), acoustic guitar (8, 12), background vocals (10, 16–17), electric guitar (14), six-string electric bass (16)

Additional musicians

• Huk Brown – lead guitar (1)
• Wallace Wilson – rhythm guitar (1)
• Neville Hinds – organ (1)
• Jackie Jackson – bass guitar (1)
• Winston Grennan – drums (1)
• Denzil Laing – percussion (1)
• Larry Knechtel – piano (1)
• Cissy Houston – singer (1)
• Renelle Stafford – singer (1)
• Deirdre Tuck – singer (1)
• Von Eva Sims – singer (1)
• David Spinoza – guitar (2–3)
• Airto Moreira – percussion (2, 12–13)
• Russel George – bass guitar (2)
• Alexander Gafa – guitar (3)
• Bob Cranshaw – electric bass (3)
• Richard Davis – acoustic bass (3)
• Grady Tate – drums (3)
• Bobby James – keyboard (3), electric piano (7)
• Bobby Scott – piano (3)
• Don Elliot – vibes (3)
• Pete Carr – electric guitar (4, 6)
• David Hood – bass guitar (4–6, 9)
• Roger Hawkins – percussion (4–6, 9)
• Barry Beckett – keyboard, vibes (4, 6), electric piano (9)
• The Dixie Hummingbirds – vocal group (5)
• Jimmy Johnson – electric guitar (6)
• Hugh McCracken – electric guitar (7–8, 10)
• Joe Beck – electric guitar (7)
• Tony Levin – bass guitar (7–8, 10)
• Steve Gadd – drums (7–8, 10–12)
• Ralph McDonald – percussion (7–8, 10–11, 16)
• Phil Woods – saxophone solo (7)
• Valerie Simpson – background vocals (7–8)
• Ken Asher – organ (8)
• John Tropea – electric guitar (8)
• Phoebe Snow – vocal background (8)
• Patti Austin – vocal background (8)
• Mike Brecker – saxophone solo (9)
• Eric Gale – electric guitar (10)
• Anthony Jackson – percussion (11), contrabass guitar (12–14)
• Richard Tee – piano (11), Fender Rhodes (12–14)
• The Oak Ridge Boys – vocal group (11)
• Dean Parks – hi-string guitar (12–13)
• Michael Mainieri – vibes (tracks 12–13), marimba (12)
• Marcus Miller – bass guitar (13)
• Jeff Porcaro – drums (13)
• Jess Levy – cello (13)
• Peter Gordon – French horn (13)
• Mark Rivera – alto sax (13)
• Rob Sabino – piano (14)
• Wells Christie – Synclavier (14)
• The Harptones – background vocals (14)
• Chikapa "Ray" Phiri – guitar (15–17)
• Bakithi Kumalo – bass guitar (15–17)
• Isaac Misthali – drums (15–16)
• Youssou N'Dour – percussion (15)
• Babacar Faye – percussion (15)
• Assane Thiam – percussion (15)
• Earl Gardner – trumpet (15)
• Leonard Pickett – tenor sax (15)
• Alex Foster – alto sax (15)
• Ladysmith Black Mambazo – vocals (15)
• Rob Mounsey – synthesizer (16)
• Adrian Belew – guitar synthesizer (16)
• Ronald E. Cuber – bass sax (track 16), baritone sax (16)
• John Faddis – trumpet (16)
• Ronald E. Brecker – trumpet (16)
• Lewis Michael Soloff – trumpet 16)
• Alan Rubin – trumpet (16)
• David W. Bargeron – trombone (16)
• Kim Allan Cissel – trombone (16)
• Morris Goldberg – pennywhistle solo (16)
• Vusi Khumalo – drums (17)
• Makhaya Mahlangu – percussion (17)
• Demola Adepoju – pedal steel guitar (17)
• The Everly Brothers – vocals (17)

Technical

• Paul Simon – producer (1–17), co-arranger (track 16)
• Russ Titelman – producer (12–14)
• Roy Halee – producer (1–2, 12–14), compilation assembler
• Phil Ramone – producer (3, 5, 7–11)
• Muscle Shoals Rhythm Section – producer (4–6)
• Quincy Jones – string arranger (3)
• Dave Mathews – horn arranger (7)
• Bob James – woodwind and string arranger (9)
• Dave Grusin – horn arranger (10)
• The Harptones – background vocal arranger (14)
• George Delerue – orchestration (14)
• Chikapa "Ray" Phiri – co-arranger (16)
• Greg Calbi – mastering
• Robert Mapplethorpe – front cover photo

Charts

Weekly charts

Year-end charts

Certifications

Notes