The song features guest vocals from the South African male choral group Ladysmith Black Mambazo.

When Simon, Ladysmith Black Mambazo, and several of the South African studio musicians arrived in New York to perform on the May 10th episode of Saturday Night Live, which Simon was set to host, his label, Warner Bros., decided to release the album in the fall instead of the originally planned release that July.

[1] During the performance, Simon sang live to the backing instrumental track featured on the album while Ladysmith mimed their parts.

"[1] "Diamonds on the Soles of Her Shoes" and "Homeless" were both rerecorded by Ladysmith Black Mambazo for the 2006 album Long Walk to Freedom.

Cash Box called "Diamonds on the Soles of Her Shoes" a "sweet, ethnic and graceful tune" and said that "Simon’s loaded lyrical political blast is laced, unsuspectingly, across the song by its placid melody.