| 20th November 2007 12:19 PM |
|
|
| steel driving hammer |
For those who care...
Diamond reveals `Caroline' inspiration
11/20/2007 11:46 AM, AP
Neil Diamond held onto the secret for decades, but he has finally revealed that President Kennedy's daughter was the inspiration for his smash hit "Sweet Caroline."
"I've never discussed it with anybody before — intentionally," the 66-year-old singer-songwriter told The Associated Press on Monday during a break from recording. "I thought maybe I would tell it to Caroline when I met her someday."
He got his chance last week when he performed the song via satellite at Caroline Kennedy's 50th birthday party.
Diamond was a "young, broke songwriter" when a photo of the president's daughter in a news magazine caught his eye.
"It was a picture of a little girl dressed to the nines in her riding gear, next to her pony," Diamond recalled. "It was such an innocent, wonderful picture, I immediately felt there was a song in there."
Years later, holed up in a hotel in Memphis, Tenn., he would write the words and music in less an hour.
"It was a No. 1 record and probably is the biggest, most important song of my career, and I have to thank her for the inspiration," he said. "I'm happy to have gotten it off my chest and to have expressed it to Caroline. I thought she might be embarrassed, but she seemed to be struck by it and really, really happy."
The enduring hit recently reappeared on the singles chart, thanks in part to the Boston Red Sox. "Sweet Caroline" is played at every home game.
"I think they consider it good luck," Diamond said, adding that the Red Sox have become his favorite baseball team.
The tune's return to the charts leaves Diamond "speechless," he said. "That song was written 40 years ago, so I am just overwhelmed by the fact that it has returned and that, more importantly, people have taken it into their hearts for so many years."
Diamond is now at work on a new album, his second collaboration with producer Rick Rubin.
"We're both very excited about it," Diamond said. "I think it's going to be one of my best ever."
|
| 20th November 2007 12:23 PM |
|
|
| guitarman53 |
Diamond was a young broke songwriter? he sure got a lot of money writing Monkees hits, I'm a Believer was a big hit, I'm sure he got money of that. |
| 20th November 2007 09:11 PM |
|
|
| fireontheplatter |
love this guy...great baratone voice.
hot august night is one the best records ever made. |
| 20th November 2007 10:38 PM |
|
|
| mojoman |
jonathan living seagull |
| 21st November 2007 02:27 AM |
|
|
| Child of the Moon |
"I wrote this song after killing a drifter to get an erection..." |
| 21st November 2007 05:54 AM |
|
|
| jostorm |
I remember hearing a few years ago on the radio that when he got divorced from his wife after an eternity together , they had this totally amicable divorce with the bare minimum of lawyer involvement, and that he simply "gave" her 50% of everything,without any resentment or airing of dirty laundry(I think he was worth 600 million $ at the time). Nice, decent man, the world could do with more like him.... |
| 21st November 2007 06:09 AM |
|
|
| corgi37 |
Ok, thats cool. Now who the fuck is Cracklin Rosie??? |
| 21st November 2007 12:02 PM |
|
|
| vox12string |
Isn't it cheap Canadian Crackling Rose grown in the pristine vineyards of the Niagara peninsula. I remember in uni (Waterloo) in 1969, it cost $1 per bottle & had similar results to the Aussie Chateau Chunder, guaranteed to open the sluices at both ends (to quote Monty Python) |
| 21st November 2007 12:23 PM |
|
|
| gypsy |
quote:
Child of the Moon wrote:
"I wrote this song after killing a drifter to get an erection..."
I love that - always makes me laugh! |
| 21st November 2007 12:49 PM |
|
|
| guitarman53 |
quote:
vox12string wrote:
Isn't it cheap Canadian Crackling Rose grown in the pristine vineyards of the Niagara peninsula. I remember in uni (Waterloo) in 1969, it cost $1 per bottle & had similar results to the Aussie Chateau Chunder, guaranteed to open the sluices at both ends (to quote Monty Python)
Could be the cheap sherry wine, the wino's drink on the skids. |
| 21st November 2007 02:40 PM |
|
|
| BILL PERKS |
MAKES ME WORRY WHO "WHOLE LOTTA ROSIE" COULD BE ABOUT |
| 21st November 2007 04:42 PM |
|
|
| fireontheplatter |
quote:
jostorm wrote:
I remember hearing a few years ago on the radio that when he got divorced from his wife after an eternity together , they had this totally amicable divorce with the bare minimum of lawyer involvement, and that he simply "gave" her 50% of everything,without any resentment or airing of dirty laundry(I think he was worth 600 million $ at the time). Nice, decent man, the world could do with more like him....
that was a 1 shot deal probably.
never ever in a million years will this ever happen again.
i'd be like that guy who won a good chunk of the lottery this week, 6 hundred grand i think it was, and split on his wife.
i might be kidding, but i'm sure on this one. |
| 21st November 2007 04:47 PM |
|
|
| robpop |
[quote]steel driving hammer wrote:
For those who care...
Diamond reveals `Caroline' inspiration
11/20/2007 11:46 AM, AP
"I've never discussed it with anybody before — intentionally," the 66-year-old singer-songwriter told The Associated Press on Monday during a break from recording.
It's been widely know for years who the song was about. He had better watch what he says to those "unintentional sources." |
