Neil Diamond is an American singer-songwriter who can boast of having sold no less than 100 million records to date worldwide and having placed no less than 38 titles in the Top10 of the Billboard Adult Comtemporary, just that !
An artist who really began his artistic career at the age of 21 in a duo called 'Neil & Jack', which he started with his school friend Jack Packer. Duo which recorded in 1962 two Singles which will unfortunately go completely unnoticed ...
It was his signing with the Columbia Records label a year later in 1963 that finally made talking about him with the release of his first solo Single "At night." Critically acclaimed Single even though it won't be ranked. A failure that will still earn him to be thanked outright by the label ...
This did not prevent him from bouncing back 3 years later thanks to the Bang label, label which allowed him to release several high-caliber Singles during the year 1966 such as "Solitary man", "I got the feelin '( Oh no no)” but also, and above all, “Cherry Cherry”. Three Singles which project him in a shattering way on the front of the stage and which will be extracted from his first album "The feel of Neil Diamond", album which leaves the same year.
It will take him 3 more years to achieve in 1969 a start of global recognition thanks to the Single "Sweet Caroline" and to a lesser extent "Holly Holy", two tracks taken from the album "Touching you, touching me".
A level of success which increased even more the following year with the release in 1970 of the album "Tap roop manuscript", album which gave the singer his first global mega hit with the title "Cracklin’ Rosie". A first mega hit that called another the following year in 1971 with "I am ... I said", track taken from the album "Stones" which also came out in 1971.
New mega hit in 1972 with “Song sung blue”, a title freely inspired by the second movement of Mozart's piano concerto No. 21. Title taken from the album "Moods" which will also have a nice run in the Charts.
In 1973, the singer distinguished himself with the soundtrack of the film 'Jonathan Livingston Seagull', soundtrack he signed and which earned him a Grammy Award for best soundtrack of the year. On the other hand, all the Singles that he will release outside of the soundtrack that year will have only limited success.
Back in force in 1974 with the album "Serenade", album which will produce the flagship Single "Longfellow serenade" and to a lesser extent "I've been this way before".
New notorious success two years later in 1976 with the release of the album "Beautfilul noise", album whose main successes will be the title of the same no but also, and especially "If you know what I mean", title which offers to the singer a new global class success.
A notorious success that was not denied the following year when the album "I’m glad you’re here with me tonight" was released in 1977, an album which brought a new star to its prize list with the enormous "Desiree".
At the end of the 70's on the hats of wheel which sees him maintain himself with an obvious ease in the front pack notably thanks to the title "You don't bring me flowers", title taken from the album of the same name which leaves a later in 1978. Title he shares with Barbra Streisand and which will be a real hit that year.
The year 1979 brought 2 new stars to the singer's prize list with the titles "Forever in blue jeans" and "September morn", both taken from the album "September morn". A year 1979 which will not bring only good news since the singer collapses on stage in St-Francisco, discomfort which is in truth the consequence of a tumor in the spine and which will require 12 hours of surgical intervention to high risk in order to remove it.
This does not prevent him from coming back in 1980 in a shattering way on the front of the stage thanks to his soundtrack of the remake of the film 'The Jazz Singer', soundtrack which produced two flagship titles which are "Love on the rocks" in 1980 and " Hello again ”which will be released a year later in 1981.
A rather successful start to the 1980s with another notable success in 1982 thanks to the title "Heartlight", a single from the album of the same name which was also released in 1982.
Unfortunately things will take a serious turn for the worse in the years which will follow with the release of several albums which will seriously struggle to produce any global class hit. Whether it's "Primitive" in 1984, "headed for the future" in 1986 or "The best years of our lives" in 1988.
Paradoxically, it is a cover of one of his titles dating from 1967 which will make the buzz at the end of the 1980s and not least : indeed, the version revisited of his title "Red red wine" by the UB40 in 1987 was going to be a real hit that year and literally explode the group's reputation internationally.
It will continue to exist during the following decades but as much the released album will know a certain success all around the planet, as much the Singles which will be extracted from it will be unable to exist outside the North American borders.
To discover or rediscover...
Discography (among others ...) :
60s Decade :
Solitary man 1966
Chery Chery 1966
Girl, you’ll be a woman soon 1967
Red red wine 1968
Holly holly 1969
Sweet Caroline 1969
70s Decade :
Shilo 1970
Soolaimon 1970
Cracklin’ Rosie 1970
He ain't heavy, he's my brother 1970
Do it 1970
I am…I said 1971
I'm a believer 1971
Stones 1971
Song song blue 1972
Play me 1972
The long way home 1973
Be 1973
Longfellow serenade 1974
I've been this way before 1975
If you know what I mean 1976
Beautiful noise 1976
Desiree 1977
You don’t bring me flowers 1978
Forever in blue jeans 1979
September morn 1979
80s Decade :
Love on the rocks 1980
Hello again 1981
America 1981
Yesterday's songs 1981
On the way to the sky 1982
Heartlight 1982
I’am alive 1983
Front page story 1983
Turn around 1984
Sleep with me tonight 1984
Headed for the future 1986
The story of my life 1986
I dreamed a dream 1987
This time 1987
Baby can I hold you 1989
90s Decade :
If there were no dreams 1991
Don't turn around 1991
Hooked on the memory of you 1992
Will you love me tomorrow 1993
Marry me 1996
2000s Decade :
You are the bast part of me 2001
Delirious love 2006
Pretty amazing grace 2008
Tracks :
1966 ... after several unsuccessful attempts, the young singer finally obtains a first classified title. The official start of a career that will prove to be exceptional to say the least ...
1966 ... a year 1966 which literally saw him explode and become one of the big phenomena of the moment. Of course, success is limited to a few countries, but that's already it !
1967 ... he did not yet know at that time that this title would undoubtedly remain as one of his best known. And paradoxically, it will experience only a limited success ...
1968 ... ditto for this title. Few UB40 fans would suspect for a second that one of the band's biggest hits is actually a 1968 song. And yet ...
1983 ... you listened to the original, now here's what the UB40s made of it. And unbelievably, the copy will far exceed the original in terms of global fame. Incredible no !
1969 ... THE title of the big takeoff ! The level of success has gone up a hell of a notch to become global. No more playing with amateurs, welcome to the Greats !
1969 ... the end of the 60s which saw him almost walking on water. New notorious success with this title and above all the beginning of consecration !
1970 ... the 1960s saw him born and grew, the 1970s saw him explode. Not on this title but on one of the following ...
1970 ... it won't be this one either. But we are approaching it slowly but surely. It could be the next ...
1970 ... THE title that will literally explode its notoriety ! Here he signs the biggest success of his career and offers himself a direct ticket to posterity at the same time. MAS-TER-FUL !
1970 ... an exceptional year in all respects for the artist. Whether in the Folk register or in the Intimist register as on this track, everything works perfectly. When it wants, it wants !
1970 ... a year 1970 that never ends. The singer's inspiration is in full swing and produces big caliber title after big caliber title. What more !
1971 ... the years go by and look the same ! Here he obtains a new global mega hit which further strengthens his status as a real global phenomenon of the moment !
1971 ... 1970 was a plethora of titles, 1971 will come closer or closer. His inspiration is constantly renewed and allows him to produce track after track at an impressive speed ...
1971 ... a know-how in the Intimist more than obvious. His ballads are of high level and allow his talent to express itself in the best possible way !
1972 ... his second biggest success and probably his most emblematic ! Here he delivers one of the most striking titles of the decade and is definitely recognized as one of the best artists of his generation. HU-GE !
1972 ... another pretty ballad of which he has the secret. He really excels in this area and has nothing to envy the competition, that's clear ...
1973 ... the years go by but this time is not the same. After 2 euphoric years, the level of success will drop somewhat and bring the singer back to the level of ordinary people. Hard law of the trade ...
1973 ... he signs here an absolutely sumptuous soundtrack for the film 'Jonathan Livingston Seagull'. A title which literally floats in the air and which allows him to give the best of himself. MA-GIC !
1974 ... business resumes in this new year 1974 and above all proves that the singer still has some under the pedal. So no worries to have for now ...
1975 ... yet another very beautiful Intimist title but which, paradoxically, will only experience a limited level of success. Sometimes you don't have to try to understand ...
1976 ... this title will experience a very different fate from its predecessor with an unparalleled level of success. And yet they both play in the same category, that is to say 'With emotions' ...
1976 ... we go from one extreme to another. Here he is now in folko-country mode, a ferocious transition to say the least. But this very specific sound is also his trademark, so no wonder he returns to it at one point or another ...
1977 ... new mega hit which allows him to stay in contact with the best. The ups and downs follow one another but the overall quality remains high level and this is the main thing ...
1978 ... a shocking but above all charming duo which allows two of the most influential artists of the moment to give the best of themselves. Like an air of magic floating in the air ...
1979 ... while the Disco wave is sweeping the planet, he remains braced on his unchanging style. Rightly or wrongly, only the future will tell ...
1979 ... the advantage of the Intimist is that it is timeless. There is no real fashion phenomenon concerning him and any artist can always hope to win the cup in this field and this whatever his positioning at the career level. The proof with this title ...
1980 ... a transition to the 1980s which took place under the best possible conditions with a new mega hit in the pipeline. And once again in the Intimist area, an area that is particularly successful for him
1981 ... the soundtracks are also particularly successful for him since this title, just like its predecessor, actually comes from the soundtrack of the film "The Jazz singer", film which will be released the same year
1981 ... and 1, and 2, and 3 tracks just for the same soundtrack. This time, the singer delivers a much more rhythmic track and above all, a new fact, which finally begins to stick to the latest trends of the moment. It was time...
1981 ... reverse engine on this title and return in a style and a sound that one thought no longer to see concerning him during this decade. Attention danger as they say ...
1982 ... a title completely out of time and especially the standards of the moment. He continues to do as he pleases and ignores what will be said. And my faith, on this title there, he would be rather right ...
1982 ... good news side, this title will offer the singer a new major planetary success. On the bad news side, it will unfortunately be the last ...
1983 ... he tries to catch up with the leading pack by all means but the competition has already taken several steps ahead. A delay that he will never be able to fill again ...
1983 ... success will now be limited exclusively to the United States. A little more than 20 years after his debut, his career is taking a turn that every artist dreads at one time or another ...
1984 ... yet he is far from demerit, but faced with youngsters who are 20 years younger, it is difficult to fight on equal terms ...
1984 ... a decade of 80 which sees him confined almost exclusively to the Intimist register. The quality is there but a little musical diversity would not hurt, on the contrary ...
1986 ... the message seems to have passed since he is suddenly in Dance mode. It was imperative that he go through this stage to hope to stay afloat a little bit ...
1986 ... a Dance parenthesis immediately closed to return directly to Intimist mode. A relatively counterproductive endism given the lack of success achieved by this title ...
1987 ... when Neil sings Claude-Michel Schönberg ! A title present in the musical 'Les misérables' and which he brings up to date in English version. The copy will not be worth the original but it largely holds up !
Top Bonus : the original version of the title dating from 1980. A musical that went somewhat unnoticed in France when it had everything to be among the best. On the other hand, internationally, its destiny will be very different and above all much more favorable !
1987 ... yet another nice title that literally floats in the air, one more. Unfortunately, the gap with the competition has become so important that the singer is now more figurative than anything else ...
1989 ... this revisited version of Tracy Chapman's title from the previous year is far from ridiculous, that's clear. Nothing exceptional but a good job, quite simply ...
1991 ... he will attempt the transition to the 90s but the bet is very risky and above all lost in advance. Too much difference now with the competition ...
1991 ... this time he covers Tina Turner dating from 1986. But it is not this revisited version which will remain the most famous but that of Aswad released in 1988 ...
1992 ... new duo of shock and charm this time with Kim Carnes. Admittedly, the 2 artists are a little at the end of the race but their respective talents are enough to sublimate this title and that is the main thing !
1993 ... now he is reduced to cover the titles of others. And my faith, it is clear that these covers hold water. This time, it takes a song from the Shirelles dating back to 1960 and the least we can say is that its version damn dusty the original ...
1996 ... either he plays it as a luxury cover, or he plays it as a shock and charming duo. On this occasion, it will be the second possibility that he will have chosen. All accompanied by country singer Buffy Lawson. A nice duo but which will not prevent this title from going totally under the radar ...
2001 ... here he is entering his fifth decade with a will to believe again that commands respect. There is only him to believe in it, but that's something else ...
2006 ... an adventure that never ends and this despite an increasingly obvious desert crossing. The 2000s will have been one too many but he is the only one not to notice it ...
2008 ... an adventure which almost ends with this title. Anything that will come out later will be more anecdotal than anything else. But anyway, what a career !
Wiki :
Official Website :
https://www.neildiamond.com/ Greatest Hits :
Discography :