Music is magic, music is emotion #23 : Neil Diamond

Last week I wrote a post about Elvis Presley, that kind of remembered me at an funny anecdote. About two months ago I was refurbishing the attic. One day my son Sam and I were painting the walls. I had my bluetooth speaker with me and my 'old time favorite' play list on spotify was playing. I have created the list a long time ago, when I just got Spotify for the first time and I kept entering songs in the list , when I heard a song of which I thought "wow, that's a great one" or "yeah, that's a long time ago" I put it in the list. Always on shuffle play, otherwise the songs in order got predictable :)

We'll we were painting and a song of Neil Diamond popped up, "sweet Caroline" , and Sam started to sing along (he is eleven years old). He knew a big part of the lyrics, so I started to laugh because I couldn't believe what I was hearing. I didn't unerstand how it was possible he was knowing the lyrics to the song because I didn't play Neil Diamond very often. So I asked how he knew, then he told me that his grandmother often played Neil Diamond when he was at his grandparents. And that's how he learned the lyrics. And the most funny part is that he also really likes the music.. So he looks a lot like me, I also like a lot of musicgenres , from metal to evergreens.

Sweet Caroline, from now on the song of Sam and myself ;)

It's a bit just like with Elvis, the man has a certain charisma and a warm typical voice that moves you. although, moves me. The way he sings, the ease of it... it's natural, without any provocation or voice transforming. My wife's uncle is already fan for years, and when I was about 19 or 20, I couldn't understand why. I thought it was a kind of English version of german slager music. But I was quite wrong. Some years later when my wife was playing some Neil Diamond songs I was listening closer to his sound, the music and the atmosphere, and I had to admit that it was pretty good. In fact it was very good.

From that time on I was hooked by the music and voice. I have never seen the man live, and that disappoints me. It will never happen again, that's for sure. He has cancled his tour at the beginning of 2018 because he is diagnosed with Parkinson. I was a bit in shock when I heard that because he was still performing at the age of 77, and than have to stop because he got taken by this horrible desease...

This clip is from last year (someone in the audience has filmed it), hardly can image the good man is already 76.... My grandfather was in much worse shape at that age, and he sings like years ago.... what a voice..

For me personal I like his ballads the most because for those songs he has the perfect voice. You feel that he has experienced every word he sings, or at least he makes you believe he does. One of his most beautiful songs for me is " If you go away" , it's a cover from the French singer "Jacques Brel". unfortunately I could not find a live version, but with this studio version you also exactly know what I mean :

Of course he also had some big hits of which I call them 'sing a long's' , looking at his live shows I can really enjoy seeing his audience, for a big part, growed older with him and enjoying themselves very much and really sing a long....Isn't that what music is all about, no matter which music or artist you like.. But living and enjoying it to the fullest.....

I want to end this post with a song of which I think is really one of his best songs, me driving in my car, singing along (although my voice is terrible) volume at 100.....again...goosebumbs...

Have a great night, and keep on listening music, it can comfort you in any way...

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I believ it...every word he sings.......