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5 Reasons Why...Neil Diamond Will Always Rock...Softly

Posted Wed Jun 25, 2008 10:59pm PDT by Gil Kaufman in GetBack

1) He's Seen 100 Million Faces...And Rocked Them All

Diamond's sold more than 100 million albums over the past 40+ years, but the bespangled man they call The Basher notched his first #1 in May of 2008 with his second Rick Rubin-produced return to form, Home Before Dark.

 

 

2) All the Cool Kids Are Obsessed With Him

He might seem square to you, but some of the coolest people you know have total man crushes on him. Cases in point: Quentin Tarantino used a cover of “Girl, You’ll Be A Woman Soon” in Pulp Fiction, Johnny Cash covered “Solitary Man,” and hip French DJ duo Justice walk onstage to the strains of “Sweet Caroline.” Oh, and he performed at The Band’s Last Waltz

 

 

3) Caroline-a on Our Minds, All the Time

Speaking of good ole “Sweet Caroline,” everyone you know has warbled that one at the karaoke bar at some point in their lives. Including you. Don’t bother trying to deny it. Plus, it’s the theme song to the Red Sox Nation, which totally rocks.

 

 

 

4) He Nearly Became The Original Eice, Eice Baby

Diamond was thisclose to picking the big pimpin’ stage name Eice Cherry at the start of his career. It was between that and Noah Kaminsky. But the man they call the Diamond Cutter and the Jewish Elvis was actually born Neil (ahem, Leslie) Diamond, which is the greatest stage name. . .ever. Well, except for the Leslie part.



 

5) Even If You Hate Him, You Still Kind Of Like Him

He’s the subject of one of the greatest comedic put-downs/compliments in film history, courtesy of the 1991 Bill Murray phobia laugher, What About Bob? In that film, Murray’s character states why he’s divorced explaining: “There are two types of people in the world: those who like Neil Diamond and those who don’t.

 

 

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118 Comments

41. JoeS -
I DO NOT KNOW WHY CLAY AIKEN'S LATEST ALBUM ( ON MY WAY HERE) IS NOT LISTED HERE, IT IS THE BEST YET!!!!!!!
WHAT A VOICE!

42. larry -
ET's `heartlight', i cry - everytime

43. Idol viewer -
How can anyone not like ND? Not only has he sung many classics, but is a prolific writer and one of the best in history. I have seen him in concert and feel he is amazing.... everyone his age should be so alive and in love with life and music

44. __A_YAHOO_USER__ -
I LOVE NEIL~~ LOVE LOVE LOVE HIM!! He is the greatest!! I'D LEAVE MY HUSBAND IN A HEARTBEAT FOR HIM!! HA!

45. SUSAN B -
He is the greatest. I was never a Elvis fan, but I have always been a Neil Diamond fan.

46. susan m -
I brought my son to see him and was in the front row. When he sang "Girl you'll be a woman soon" He brought me up to the stage and laid down on the stage and sang it to me an inch away from my face. Then he gave me a HUGE kiss right on the lips! I was in awe. Love Neil.

47. DeboraK -
Neil is the ultimate singer/songwriter -- such a rare thing these days. "I AM, I SAID" is the most heartbreaking song I've ever heard.

48. caring girl -
Since "Sweet Caroline" came out when I was very small, my entire family has sung it to me (my name is Caroline of course) and I have loved Neil ever since. My second adult boyfriend's first name was Neil and I used to just love that. A (Neil) Diamond is a girl's best friend!! (haha)

49. john -
Hey Jamie, is that your photo?
No wonder He would not want your ugly mush looking at him!!!!!!

50. J -
I love Neil Diamond, and Barry too. One of our favorites is the music from the Jazz Singer. My 14 yr old LOVES it.

51. LindaK -
You are sooooo right, Melissa. I like Neil Diamond- but LOVE Barry Manilow!

52. John M -
I have always felt that Neil was a great singer/songwriter.He is and always be one of my favorites. I was fortunate enough to see him live at the Forrest Hills Open Tennis Stadium in the seventies and it was a performance I'll never forget. Bravo Neil, keep on with the music.

53. FlapDaddy -
Meh...he's okay, unfortunately, he nearly priced himself out of the public eye back in the 70s. His concert tickets back then were going for hundreds of dollars. Me? I wouldn't pay 50 bucks to see the second coming, NO entertainer is worth more than 50.

54. Allie -
Just one question, Why is he not in the Rock and Roll hall of fame??? That's just not right!

55. METALRAM -
zzzzzzzzzzzz youv'e got to be joking

56. Yahoo! Music User -
I had the privilege of working security at one of ND's concerts....I was one of the fortunate ones who got to go home early.
Don't get me wrong. I love ND and his music. I have listened to him since I was a teen (I am now 46), but his live concerts are not all that great.
He does what I hate...drags out lyrics and melodies. Stretching a song does not make it better - it just makes it longer.
And he's not the only performer that does it, and I dislike that. Sing the song the way you originally recorded it...that's wehat people love to hear.
Otherwise..NEIL DIAMOND ROX!!!!

57. DAWNO -
NEIL DIAMOND HAS ALWAYS BEEN MY FAVORITE MALE SINGER UNTIL RECENTLY. HE VERY MUCH FORGOT WHERE HE CAME FROM AND WHO PUT IT HIM WHERE HE IS. THIS IS NOT DOWN UNDER THIS IS AMERICA. THERE ARE TWO AWESOME PEOPLE WHO CONTINUE TO BEAT THE ODDS OF MEDICINE, WE HAVE BEEN TRYING FOR OVER TWO YEARS TO MAKE A SIMPLE DREAM COME TRUE FOR THEM AND MR. DIAMOND THINKS HE IS ANOTHER GOD. SORRY THERE IS ONLY ONE GOD AND IT IS NOT HIM. AN AUTOGRAPHED PICTURE IS JUST TO TOUGH TO PRODUCE, RIGHT MR, DIAMOND! wE DON'T NEED DREAMS, OR DO WE!

58. Allen -
Don't forget "Jonathan Livingston Seagull". A seminal (sp?) work.

59. Adam -
HE HAS A FEW GOOD SONGS BUT I WOULDN'T SAY THAT HE ROCKS.....FAR FROM IT.

60. JCVD49 -
im a 29 year old who grew up listening to Hip Hop and R&B, the NWA era, the R kellys, most of the cds I own are of rap or r&b, and have subwoofers in my car. But im not afraid to go jammin down the road to some Neil, he rocks in concert!!
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