Neil Diamond: The Works

'Sweet Caroline' - total classic. It makes my day when I'm at a wedding and the band play it. Other great Neil songs include 'Brother Love's Travelling Salvation Show', 'Crackin' Rosie', 'I am, I Said' and so on.

review of hot august night from rolling stone. written by lester bangs. *13* inches long.

and, yes, he sang "heartlight." but it was written by burt bacharach and carole bayer sager. did he write one good song with that woman? i would've divorced her too.

New album out on Tues. Europe tour soon. US tour later in summer.

I just realized that "Cracklin' Rosie" doesn't have a chorus. Or else it has three choruses. Where exactly do you draw the lines here? The muted "Oh I love my Rosie child" section renders the second verse immediately preceding it more chorus-like. Then the "Cracklin' rose, you're a store-bought woman" section builds up to what one would anticipate is the chorus. But the "Play it now, my baby" section in which it climaxes is too short to serve as a true chorus. Instead, it caps off the geyser and slams right back into the verses. Writing in sections - clear evidence that the man did many laps around the Brill Building. Brilliant! And such a clever twist on the "movin' on down the road, woman" mythos of rock.

New album NEEDS DRUMS.

Nice piano, tho. One track reminded me of, uh, that Stephin Merritt/Bob Mould track "He Didn't".

ok, this goes on the list of things to get. i love me some neil diamond.

so, yeah, his first US #1 album. anyone else heard this yet?

at work tonight i made an eyepatch for the cardboard display we have of him. everybody said it looked great.

pic please

http://www.spaceshipnofuture.org/pix/fhblog/neil_pirate.jpg

then i thought he looked lonely so i added the deeply stoned squirrel from the enchanted display:

http://www.spaceshipnofuture.org/pix/fhblog/neil_squirrel.jpg

awesome! thanks

A++! V.early 80s John Carpenter.

Picked up the reissue of Hot August Night out of the dollar bin the other day, and holy crap, it's amazing. Never thought I would say that about a Neil Diamond record, but there you go. Where do I go from here?

look for a copy of Play Me: The Complete Uni/MCA Studio Recordings; it is the complete studio work from the years around the recording of Hot August Nights. Though be warned - you started at the top of the heap.

I've heard the thing he did with Rick Rubin, and I wasn't a big fan. Having now heard the man at his prime, I get the feeling that Rubin liked the part of Diamond's career that wasn't nearly as fun.

The BBC are having a Diamond night, that started with a so shallow it was barely there hagiography narrated by Mark Radcliffe in his best 'when can I pick up the cheque?' manner, and Neil was very articulate but gave away nothing at all; but still, you couldn't but be impressed at a few things: one, how damn good he looks for someone born in 1941, and, two, how he seems to have lived a life pretty much untouched by scandal, by self- indulgence, or by much in the way of excess (except the shirts. So is that true? is he really clean as a whistle, dutiful father, tough but fair employer? or is there a more interesting story?

I once did follow spot for a run of shows he did: 10 nights, same set: I thought I'd hate it, but the band cooked - some American Studio dudes at the time (early '90s) - and his kind of gloop is a lot less offensive than sincere rock gloop.

How did I not know that today saw the release of Neil Diamond - The Bang Years 1966-1968. Finally, all 23 of the recordings cleaned up and in glorious mono.

Sweet

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=E5Wf1zKuVt4

maybe heresy on Neil's thread but the 1970 Elvis rocks Sweet Caroline. Dig the shirt & the moves.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Y00vd5HM_08

Ah, shit, Elvis was so on-the-button from 69-71 that even when he was phoning it in (as obviously in this clip) he buried everyone else.

By which I mean, Hot damn! Thanks.

yeah, he's pretty bored until he gets to the choruses when he starts moving and comes alive. Neil wrote a fantastic song but his versions now sound dull in comparison.

https://www.billboard.com/articles/news/concerts/8095472/neil-diamond-retirement-concert-touring-parkinsons

Not good news.

Truly crappy medley from Tory light entertainer, Vince Hill, from sometime in the 70s - the transition from Song Sung Blue to Cracklin' Rosie obviously ended up on the cutting room floor.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=O112j2TbK7o

What a catalog, and "Headed for the Future" didn't even chart.

America rules you monster

TAH-DAAYYY

Can't find too much to argue about with the rankings, though I've never heard (of) this song "We".

His "I'm a Believer" was not a single or didn't chart?

I think it was recorded after the Monkees version so not much hope of it being a hit - if it was a single at all.

always liked "the Last Picasso" more than "Longfellow Serenade", America disagreed

12-year-old me loved “Longfellow Serenade” (I notice you have it in both *Meh* and *Sound, Solid*, which makes sense, because together those rankings add up to *Good to Great*). As exuberant songs (about sex, though little did I know) go, I went straight from there to Johnny Bristol’s “Hang On In There Baby” and Gladys & The Pips’s “I Feel A Song”.

Also, “Beautiful Noise” was not a US hit?

Lots of Diamond dust-ups on the “Once popular, now ignored” thread. So many people haven’t heard of him! I can’t imagine this, he was so ubiquitous in my youth - and Sweet Caroline still so.

Neil Diamond: The Works

Whoops

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_best-selling_music_artists

I know the name Neil Diamond but I don't know what his music sounds like.

― wasdnuos (abanana), Tuesday, October 29, 2019 8:59 AM (ten hours ago) bookmarkflaglink

Where do you live? "Sweet Caroline" has definitely not been forgotten in the US. xp

― No language just sound (Sund4r), Tuesday, October 29, 2019 9:09 AM (ten hours ago) bookmarkflaglink

Not sure re his place in history books. He comes up a couple of times in Covach's What's That Sound?, although not in great depth.

FYC were mentioned upthread and are probably a good answer, though idk if bands that were big for a year should be expected to get much coverage in history books.

― No language just sound (Sund4r), Tuesday, October 29, 2019 9:10 AM (ten hours ago) bookmarkflaglink

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sweet_Caroline#Use_at_sporting_events

― No language just sound (Sund4r), Tuesday, October 29, 2019 9:15 AM (ten hours ago) bookmarkflaglink

These artists could be quantified up until the iPod era by tallying what is left behind in thrift shops. A lot of Alabama, a lot of Neil Diamond for sure.

― file of unknown origin (bendy), Tuesday, October 29, 2019 9:19 AM (ten hours ago) bookmarkflaglink

Neil Diamond is still huge as fuck

― Muswell Hillbilly Elegy (President Keyes), Tuesday, October 29, 2019 9:20 AM (ten hours ago) bookmarkflaglink

I know the name Neil Diamond but I don't know what his music sounds like.

Aside from the baseball-ubiquitous Sweet Caroline, Diamond wrote I'm a Believer (The Monkees), Red Red Wine (UB40), Girl You'll Be a Woman Soon (Urge Overkill)... even Elvis covered And the Grass Won't Pay No Mind

― the girl from spirea x (f. hazel), Tuesday, October 29, 2019 9:26 AM (ten hours ago) bookmarkflaglink

Neil Diamond Musical Headed to Broadway

Biographical show will be written by Bohemian Rhapsody scribe Anthony McCarten, directed by Tony-winner Michael Mayer

― Muswell Hillbilly Elegy (President Keyes), Tuesday, October 29, 2019 9:27 AM (ten hours ago) bookmarkflaglink

his career is something of an outlier but yeah he is hardly forgotten or ignored - as noted he's connected to too ubiquitous hits to just be ignored by history books.

― Οὖτις, Tuesday, October 29, 2019 9:27 AM (ten hours ago) bookmarkflaglink

too many ubiquitous

― Οὖτις, Tuesday, October 29, 2019 9:27 AM (ten hours ago) bookmarkflaglink

I'm in Canada. I just listened to Sweet Caroline. No, I don't remember hearing this.

― wasdnuos (abanana), Tuesday, October 29, 2019 9:28 AM (ten hours ago) bookmarkflaglink

His biggest hits in Canada were Cracklin' Rosie (a much better song than Sweet Caroline), Song Sung Blue, and... (ugh) Heartlight, the ET song.

― the girl from spirea x (f. hazel), Tuesday, October 29, 2019 9:30 AM (ten hours ago) bookmarkflaglink

I thought Canadians would know him--Robbie Robertson produced one of his albums after all

― Muswell Hillbilly Elegy (President Keyes), Tuesday, October 29, 2019 9:31 AM (ten hours ago) bookmarkflaglink

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UuTQwN8QhqY

― Οὖτις, Tuesday, October 29, 2019 9:31 AM (ten hours ago) bookmarkflaglink

Diamond is a truly strange dude

I mean, he starred in a 70s remake of the Jazz Singer for chrissakes

― Οὖτις, Tuesday, October 29, 2019 9:32 AM (ten hours ago) bookmarkflaglink

classic for the scene where some LA punk band does a thrashy cover of Love on the Rocks and Diamond is visibly appalled

― the girl from spirea x (f. hazel), Tuesday, October 29, 2019 9:33 AM (ten hours ago) bookmarkflaglink

haha yeah! one among many wtf moments

― Οὖτις, Tuesday, October 29, 2019 9:35 AM (ten hours ago) bookmarkflaglink

I'm in Canada. I just listened to Sweet Caroline. No, I don't remember hearing this.
Ha, there's a reason I said "in the US". I don't hear this song much in Canada but ime it inspired mass singalongs any time it came on in Buffalo.

― No language just sound (Sund4r), Tuesday, October 29, 2019

I'm in Canada. I just listened to Sweet Caroline. No, I don't remember hearing this.
Ha, there's a reason I said "in the US". I don't hear this song much in Canada but ime it inspired mass singalongs any time it came on in Buffalo.

― No language just sound (Sund4r), Tuesday, October 29, 2019 9:52 AM (twenty-four minutes ago) bookmarkflaglink

I've sang forever in blue jeans at karaoke in esquimalt bc from a karaoke book that had about 10 neil diamond songs in it so I'm not sure he's obscure in the great white north

― ت (jim in vancouver), Tuesday, October 29, 2019 11:18 AM (eight hours ago) bookmarkflaglink

Yeah, no, he's not obscure at all; it's just that "Sweet Caroline" is everywhere in the US.

― No language just sound (Sund4r), Tuesday, October 29, 2019 11:25 AM (eight hours ago) bookmarkflaglink

I'm from Finland and I couldn't name or hum any Neil Diamond songs either, though I do know he's apparently big in the States, and obviously I'm familiar with the songs written for other artists F. Hazel mentioned... Though I didn't know they were all written by the same guy until now.

― Tuomas, Tuesday, October 29, 2019 11:36 AM (eight hours ago) bookmarkflaglink

Just listened to ‘Sweet Caroline’, didn’t ring a bell.

― pomenitul, Tuesday, October 29, 2019 11:39 AM (eight hours ago) bookmarkflaglink

"Solitary Man" has been covered a bunch of times too.

― Muswell Hillbilly Elegy (President Keyes), Tuesday, October 29, 2019 11:44 AM (eight hours ago) bookmarkflaglink

Neil Diamond was my first concert, I was eight

― the girl from spirea x (f. hazel), Tuesday, October 29, 2019 11:45 AM (eight hours ago) bookmarkflaglink

xpost--in fact Johnny Cash used it for an album title American Recordings III: Solitary Man

― Muswell Hillbilly Elegy (President Keyes), Tuesday, October 29, 2019 11:46 AM (eight hours ago) bookmarkflaglink

Sweet Caroline is a massive cliche as far as covers/karaoke/bar songs, almost approaches Don't Stop Believin' levels.

That said I don't remember hearing him a ton growing up -- I knew America and I think maybe Cherry Cherry. Maybe because he wasn't really a classic rock radio format guy but also wasn't old enough yet for "oldies" at the time. I heard the UO cover of Girl You'll Be a Woman Soon (Pulp Fiction soundtrack) before I heard the original.

― longtime caller, first time listener (man alive), Tuesday, October 29, 2019 11:48 AM (seven hours ago) bookmarkflaglink

oh I also weirdly watched his jazz singer remake in a hebrew school class, I guess bc it addresses themes of assimilation and identity?

― longtime caller, first time listener (man alive), Tuesday, October 29, 2019 11:50 AM (seven hours ago) bookmarkflaglink

Tap Root Manuscript is the sixth studio album by Neil Diamond, released in 1970. It was one of the most experimental albums he ever recorded, featuring prominent African sounds and instruments. The album ended up being a commercial success, with a string of top 40 hits. This album predates many Western artists' interest in world music by more than a decade, from Peter Gabriel's 1980's solo albums, to My Life in the Bush of Ghosts (David Byrne with Brian Eno) in 1981, to the Graceland album recorded by Paul Simon in 1986. It was one of the most novel experimental recording projects of its time, and the Uni label initially was not sure whether it would be commercially viable.

― Muswell Hillbilly Elegy (President Keyes), Tuesday, October 29, 2019 11:52 AM (seven hours ago) bookmarkflaglink

oh how much i envy being totally ignorant of neil diamond.

― Totally different head. Totally. (Austin), Tuesday, October 29, 2019 11:53 AM (seven hours ago) bookmarkflaglink

Diamond's sad boner aura is corny, but not quite corny enough to transcend generations like a Tom Jones or Tony Bennett or Leonard Cohen. He's big, but he's a you-had-to-be-there artist. "You had to be there" is another way of thinking about the thread premise, I suppose. You certainly had to be there for Urge Overkill's ersatz-Diamond thing.

― file of unknown origin (bendy), Tuesday, October 29, 2019 12:01 PM (seven hours ago) bookmarkflaglink

https://images-na.ssl-images-amazon.com/images/I/41A43BVWYAL.jpg

― Totally different head. Totally. (Austin), Tuesday, October 29, 2019 12:02 PM (seven hours ago) bookmarkflaglink

And Diamond the Brill Building songwriter is a different thing from Diamond the chest-hair avatar.

― file of unknown origin (bendy), Tuesday, October 29, 2019 12:04 PM (seven hours ago) bookmarkflaglink

Neil Diamond still huge in the lowlands tbf. Buffet seems a much better "he's only big in USA" pick to me.

― Le Bateau Ivre, Tuesday, October 29, 2019 12:07 PM (seven hours ago) bookmarkflaglink

I think Neil Diamond was best known in the UK for the Jazz Singer soundtrack album, a charity shop staple to the present day.

― Cornelius Fondue (Matt #2), Tuesday, October 29, 2019 12:20 PM (seven hours ago) bookmarkflaglink

well, he's a weird guy

― TikTok to the (Alfred, Lord Sotosyn), Tuesday, October 29, 2019 12:34 PM (seven hours ago) bookmarkflaglink

sad boner aura

lmao this is so otm

― Οὖτις, Tuesday, October 29, 2019 12:54 PM (six hours ago) bookmarkflaglink

obviously I'm familiar with the songs written for other artists F. Hazel mentioned...

I’m A Believer was written for the Monkees, the others are covers of songs Diamond recorded himself

― now let's play big lunch take little lunch (sic), Tuesday, October 29, 2019 1:04 PM (six hours ago) bookmarkflaglink

Ah, okay. Well, "I'm a Believer" obviously is awesome, but I dunno if being responsible for a creepy grooming anthem like "Girl, You'll Be a Woman Soon" is a big merit...

― Tuomas, Tuesday, October 29, 2019 1:16 PM (six hours ago) bookmarkflaglink

Deep Purple also covered "Kentucky Woman".

― No language just sound (Sund4r), Tuesday, October 29, 2019 1:36 PM (six hours ago) bookmarkflaglink

I do feel like most people in the US bellowing along to "Sweet Caroline" probably couldn't name/don't care about the other hits?

Although, here in the Twin Cities, Martin Zellar of The Geardaddies used to do (maybe still does) a Neil Diamond tribute show that used to pack 'em in.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xoYfgFfh1c0

― A breezy pop-rock feel fairly typical of the mid-'80s (Dan Peterson), Tuesday, October 29, 2019 1:48 PM (five hours ago) bookmarkflaglink

Neil Diamond was all over "adult contemporary"/"soft rock" radio in the 70s/80s (along with aforementioned Dan Fogelburp, Juice Newton, Streisand, Mandrell, Barry Manilow etc.) My mom had that shit on all the time.

― Οὖτις, Tuesday, October 29, 2019 1:50 PM (five hours ago) bookmarkflaglink

and then he had his big soundtrack moments - "Coming to America", that ET song

― Οὖτις, Tuesday, October 29, 2019 1:51 PM (five hours ago) bookmarkflaglink

Sweet Caroline is by far his most popular song on Spotify (214 million) but Forever in Blue Jeans (26,193,639) and Cracklin' Rosie (26,554,366) are pretty big too.

― Muswell Hillbilly Elegy (President Keyes), Tuesday, October 29, 2019 1:51 PM (five hours ago) bookmarkflaglink

Diamonds "America" was Michael Dukakis' theme song lol

xps

― Οὖτις, Tuesday, October 29, 2019 1:52 PM (five hours ago) bookmarkflaglink

the saddest of boners
https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/6/6e/Hot_august_night.jpg

― Οὖτις, Tuesday, October 29, 2019 1:53 PM (five hours ago) bookmarkflaglink

one time i saw ween and a neil diamond show was going on in the adjacent arena. that's all i have to say other than that the post-show exodus was interesting

― global tetrahedron, Tuesday, October 29, 2019 2:04 PM (five hours ago) bookmarkflaglink

xpost--in fact Johnny Cash used it for an album title American Recordings III: Solitary Man
― Muswell Hillbilly Elegy (President Keyes), Tuesday, October 29, 2019 5:46 PM (two hours ago) bookmarkflaglink

Oh this has reminded me that Diamond did a couple of Rick Rubin-produced albums of his own in the 2000s and from what I can remember they were pretty heavily promoted as a big, serious comeback. Radio 2 played the single ('Pretty Amazing Grace') from the second one a lot, it wasn't a hit but the album made #1.

― Gavin, Leeds, Tuesday, October 29, 2019 2:05 PM (five hours ago) bookmarkflaglink

Jeez, such hate.

Y'all need to turn on your heart light.

― and she could see an earmuff factory (Ye Mad Puffin), Tuesday, October 29, 2019 2:10 PM (five hours ago) bookmarkflaglink

this Rolling Stone review of Tap Root Manuscript is uh worth reading:

Side Two is the Artistry, open to question. This is The African Trilogy (a folk ballet). It's a varied and ambitious work. Here is the written introduction:

"When rhythm and blues lost its sensuality for me I fell in love with a woman named gospel. We met secretly in the churches of Harlem and made love at revival meetings in Mississippi.

"And loving her as I did. I found a great yearning to know her roots. And I found them. And they were in Africa. And they left me breathless.

"The African triology is an attempt to convey my passion for the folk music of that black continent."

I know you're laughing. The strange thing is, it's not that bad a piece of music. It's certainly far less pretentious than its introduction. The worst of it has been identified as: "wimoweh" off-key, the "Missa Luba" by Doc Severinsen, or the sound track to Elephant Walk. In its better parts, though, it's quite charming children's chorus, interpretations of African music and the like. The only trouble is, I haven't any idea who would want to listen to it. Certainly not the audience he has. No one interested in African ballet. Freaks leave the room when it's on. But then again the Moody Blues got rich off stuff that's sillier than this. If somebody gives you a copy, listen to it, but I wouldn't recommend your blowing your dope money on it.

― Οὖτις, Tuesday, October 29, 2019 2:11 PM (five hours ago) bookmarkflaglink

(with extra Moody Blues reference!)

― Οὖτις, Tuesday, October 29, 2019 2:11 PM (five hours ago) bookmarkflaglink

Hate for?

Neil Diamond is well loved still, I don't see much hate here either.

xp

― Le Bateau Ivre, Tuesday, October 29, 2019 2:12 PM (five hours ago) bookmarkflaglink

I wish to made it known for the record that I hate Neil Diamond

― When I am afraid, I put my toast in you (Neanderthal), Tuesday, October 29, 2019 2:12 PM (five hours ago) bookmarkflaglink

I don't hate him, he has a great voice and a handful of great songs. I don't really love him either though, I mean he isn't really worth taking seriously. He is seriously weird/fascinating though.

― Οὖτις, Tuesday, October 29, 2019 2:13 PM (five hours ago) bookmarkflaglink

'Seriously weird/fascinating' is worth taking him seriously imo. He's got a lot of deep cuts, too. This might be a geographical diff as well, where Sweet Caroline still blasts in baseball stadium USA-wide, but you'd be surprised how many people o'er here own a copy of Jonathan Livingston Seagull, to name but one.

― Le Bateau Ivre, Tuesday, October 29, 2019 2:15 PM (five hours ago) bookmarkflaglink

I found more than enough oddities in his seventies catalog to assemble a playlist, and the 2005 Rubin-produced album, it pains me to say, is rather good.

― TikTok to the (Alfred, Lord Sotosyn), Tuesday, October 29, 2019 2:17 PM (five hours ago) bookmarkflaglink

guys, remember this album?

i was working at tower records at the time and had to hear it in the store at least twice daily.

― Totally different head. Totally. (Austin), Tuesday, October 29, 2019 2:18 PM (five hours ago) bookmarkflaglink

xpost to alfred!

i though it was horrible, but i'm biased because neil diamond is thoroughly terrible.

― Totally different head. Totally. (Austin), Tuesday, October 29, 2019 2:19 PM (five hours ago) bookmarkflaglink

I don't like Neil Diamond, but I recognize that he's good at what he does.

My nominee for this thread is Tom Jones. Big hits once upon a time, had a kitsch moment in the 90s, now forgotten, and/but the three albums he did in the 2010s are fucking great. Rubin-esque (one is all gospel songs) without Rubin.

― shared unit of analysis (unperson), Tuesday, October 29, 2019 2:24 PM (five hours ago) bookmarkflaglink

In the 60s/70s Neil Diamond had classic pop songs just falling out of his pockets as he walked down the street.

― the girl from spirea x (f. hazel), Tuesday, October 29, 2019 2:52 PM (four hours ago) bookmarkflaglink

Yeah, come on, Jewish Elvis does not belong in this thread.

― fetter, Tuesday, October 29, 2019 3:10 PM (four hours ago)

Neil Diamond Is Undeniably The Greatest Showman Of All Time. “Soolaimón” is one of Neil’s most unforgettable tracks. It has stood the test of time and still continues to be among his greatest hits. It was a staple in most of his concerts or any live performance. In fact, he would often sing it for the opening.

https://societyofrock.com/neil-diamond-soolaimon-live-2/

Well, thanks thread for getting me to listen to "Soolaimon" for the first time since probably junior high school.

― A breezy pop-rock feel fairly typical of the mid-'80s (Dan Peterson), Tuesday, October 29, 2019 3:23 PM (four hours ago) bookmarkflaglink

one time i saw ween and a neil diamond show was going on in the adjacent arena. that's all i have to say other than that the post-show exodus was interesting

Neil Diamond would be a good opener for Ween tbh

― now let's play big lunch take little lunch (sic), Tuesday, October 29, 2019 3:26 PM (four hours ago) bookmarkflaglink

and Freeman for Diamond!

― now let's play big lunch take little lunch (sic), Tuesday, October 29, 2019 3:27 PM (four hours ago) bookmarkflaglink

King Diamond > Neil Diamond

― When I am afraid, I put my toast in you (Neanderthal), Tuesday, October 29, 2019 4:06 PM (three hours ago) bookmarkflaglink

you'd be surprised how many people o'er here own a copy of Jonathan Livingston Seagull, to name but one.
― Le Bateau Ivre, dinsdag 29 oktober 2019 21:15
+1 for growing up in Dutch households with the Jonathan Livingston Seagull soundtrack. Also, Beautiful Noise.

I have professed my love of “Longfellow Serenade” on this board more than once, but it’s taken me until now to realize he should have named the song “Sad Boner Symphony”. Kudos, bendy!

― breastcrawl, Tuesday, October 29, 2019 4:27 PM (three hours ago) bookmarkflaglink

It's a boner sad symphony this life

i am aghast at the lack of enthusiam/appreciation for Neil. To me he is glorious. So many great songs! That voice! The hair! The CHEST hair

The Last Picasso is a strange and wonderful song.

I Am I Said makes me very teary. All that melancholy ruminating on being between uprooted & out of place. Very touching & beautiful

*between homes,

OTM Neil Diamond rules.

Does Neil Diamond RULE. Like Pink Floyd RULES?

i saw charlie calello -- arranger of sweet caroline -- give a talk at a local library. he's very proud of having added those three notes. you know, "sweet caroline....bam bam baaaaaam." he added those.

As he should be!

Arranged a lot - possibly most? - of the Four Seasons' hits, so I would like to shake that man's hand.

I bought most of Diamond’s records during the Great Dollar-Bin Era of vinyl. I’m still missing a handful, although I don’t really know which ones exactly. I always meant to listen to his catalogue in sequential order someday, although my failure to keep up with the weekly Lightfoot thread suggests that’s not going to work for me.

He never got a ton of cred from the rock guys (too touchy-feely) nor from the singer-songwriter crowd (too mersh). Despite the rehabilitation of yacht rock over the past 20 years or so, he never really benefited from that, either (not hedonistic enough?); the Adult-Contemporary slot he wound up in by the late 70s has never been cool.

Somehow, his most barf-inducing gestures (his post-911 “freedom song”, e.g.) haven’t put me off the rest of his catalogue the way they might have with another artist. It’s probably totally a function of nostalgia. Neil’s records were some of the first I ever fell in love with. Beautiful Noise was on constant rotation during my early childhood. Trying to appraise him critically is probably something I can never do. When I listen to Neil by choice, it’s his scrappy early stuff I choose to spin (altho BN and the two Rubin albums get a fair amount of play, that is, once every few years), but I respect the hell out of him following his muse into weird, ambitious, deeply sappy, irony-free territory. Neil RULES.

Why do I see an album called Not Sweet Caroline?

Sour Caroline

Heh

It has an old photo but seems to be a new release.

his first greatest hits album was released in 1968!