# Why not? Let's hear your favorite Neil Diamond songs. **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [October 26, 2005, 9:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-not-lets-hear-your-favorite-neil-diamond-songs/328068 "2005-10-26T21:41:26Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Mr.Blue\_Sky](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/d26b3c/32.png) [@Mr.Blue\_Sky](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mr.Blue_Sky)\ **Post date:** [October 26, 2005, 9:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-not-lets-hear-your-favorite-neil-diamond-songs/328068/1 "2005-10-26T21:41:26Z")
In honor of ddgryphon. His original version of “I’m a Believer” is just as good as the Monkees’. I also like: “Solitary Man” “Longfellow Serenade” “Forever in Blue Jeans” “Love on the Rocks” “Sweet Caroline” “Cracklin’ Rosie” ---
**Author:** ![norinew](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/eb9ed0/32.png) [@norinew](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/norinew)\ **Post date:** [October 26, 2005, 9:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-not-lets-hear-your-favorite-neil-diamond-songs/328068/2 "2005-10-26T21:45:25Z")
Solitary Man is one of my favorites, and isn’t on either of his greatest hits albums. I also love Shiloh, but it’s hard to find it without the middle verse cut. My favorite might be Brooklyn Roads, just because it’s like a little slice of his childhood and is so evocative. ---
**Author:** ![Gala\_Matrix\_Fire](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/4da419/32.png) [@Gala\_Matrix\_Fire](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gala_Matrix_Fire)\ **Post date:** [October 26, 2005, 10:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-not-lets-hear-your-favorite-neil-diamond-songs/328068/3 "2005-10-26T22:06:25Z")
I think “Cherry” is his only song that I really like. ---
**Author:** ![Push\_You\_Down](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/push_you_down/32/9095_2.png) [@Push\_You\_Down](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Push_You_Down)\ **Post date:** [October 26, 2005, 10:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-not-lets-hear-your-favorite-neil-diamond-songs/328068/4 "2005-10-26T22:06:39Z")
Everywhere…around the world…they’re coming to America… TODAY! Seriously. I love Neil. After his classics like “Solitary Man” and “Sweet Caroline”… I love “America” And his duet with Streisand “You Don’t Bring Me Flowers” And that song that goes somethng like “if you leave you take away the best part of me.” ---
**Author:** ![bordelond](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bordelond/32/150_2.png) [@bordelond](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/bordelond)\ **Post date:** [October 26, 2005, 10:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-not-lets-hear-your-favorite-neil-diamond-songs/328068/5 "2005-10-26T22:13:55Z")
“Girl … You’ll Be a Woman Soon” ---
**Author:** ![Good\_Egg](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/96bed5/32.png) [@Good\_Egg](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Good_Egg)\ **Post date:** [October 26, 2005, 10:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-not-lets-hear-your-favorite-neil-diamond-songs/328068/6 "2005-10-26T22:17:58Z")
Sweet Caroline ---
**Author:** ![LiveOnAPlane](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/3d9bf3/32.png) [@LiveOnAPlane](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/LiveOnAPlane)\ **Post date:** [October 26, 2005, 10:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-not-lets-hear-your-favorite-neil-diamond-songs/328068/7 "2005-10-26T22:30:24Z")
“Longfellow Serenade” is my favorite. ---
**Author:** ![astorian](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/ad7895/32.png) [@astorian](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/astorian)\ **Post date:** [October 26, 2005, 10:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-not-lets-hear-your-favorite-neil-diamond-songs/328068/8 "2005-10-26T22:33:21Z")
I like his older stuff best: “Chery, Cherry,” “Solitary Man,” and “Shiloh.” But I also like “Longfellow Serenade,” and even cheesier tunes like “Play Me” and “Brother Love’s Travelling Salvation Show.” ---
**Author:** ![Khadaji](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/9e8a1a/32.png) [@Khadaji](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Khadaji)\ **Post date:** [October 26, 2005, 10:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-not-lets-hear-your-favorite-neil-diamond-songs/328068/9 "2005-10-26T22:40:12Z")
I like, in no particular order: Brother Love’s Traveling Salvation Show Longfellow Serenade Forever In Blue Jeans If You Know What I Mean ---
**Author:** ![kaylasdad99](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kaylasdad99/32/3398_2.png) [@kaylasdad99](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kaylasdad99)\ **Post date:** [October 26, 2005, 10:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-not-lets-hear-your-favorite-neil-diamond-songs/328068/10 "2005-10-26T22:54:38Z")
We do karaoke a lot in our family, and I lo-o-o-ove me some good Neil Diamond tracks. I’m fond of the ones that appeared on his “Beautiful Noise” album, particularly “Beautiful Noise” and “If You Know What I Mean.” I also like doing “Moriningside.” **kaylasmom** ’s favorite ND song for me to do is “September Morn.” ---
**Author:** ![RealityChuck](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/realitychuck/32/195_2.png) [@RealityChuck](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RealityChuck)\ **Post date:** [October 26, 2005, 10:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-not-lets-hear-your-favorite-neil-diamond-songs/328068/11 "2005-10-26T22:56:34Z")
I don’t hate Neil Diamond as much as I used to, but he’s still no better than mediocre at best. If forced to choose, I’d say “Sweet Caroline” is his least objectionable song. ---
**Author:** ![norinew](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/eb9ed0/32.png) [@norinew](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/norinew)\ **Post date:** [October 26, 2005, 11:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-not-lets-hear-your-favorite-neil-diamond-songs/328068/12 "2005-10-26T23:44:24Z")
I used to like Cracklin’ Rosie, but way back when, when I had just gotten my first CD player, and hubby and I were dating, he came over the house and got drunk. He then proceeded to play Cracklin’ Rosie no fewer than 20 times. I’ll tell ya, it ain’t as charming by the 15th time! ---
**Author:** ![PapSett](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/ecc23a/32.png) [@PapSett](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/PapSett)\ **Post date:** [October 26, 2005, 11:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-not-lets-hear-your-favorite-neil-diamond-songs/328068/13 "2005-10-26T23:59:24Z")
Forever in Blue Jeans, hands down. ---
**Author:** ![Odinoneeye](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/97f17d/32.png) [@Odinoneeye](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Odinoneeye)\ **Post date:** [October 27, 2005, 12:10am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-not-lets-hear-your-favorite-neil-diamond-songs/328068/14 "2005-10-27T00:10:48Z")
What? No love for Porcupine Pie. What I want to know is why you can’t let it get on your shoes. ---
**Author:** ![marque\_elf](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/71c47a/32.png) [@marque\_elf](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/marque_elf)\ **Post date:** [October 27, 2005, 12:35am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-not-lets-hear-your-favorite-neil-diamond-songs/328068/15 "2005-10-27T00:35:37Z")
Despite the fact that someone listed it as one of the worst songs of all time, my vote goes to (ComingTo) America. It was used very effectively in Cheech Marin’s movie _Born In East L.A._ I’ve always kind of liked Neil Diamond and I guess I can out of the closet about this here. He does pure pop schmaltz and he does it better than just about anybody else. I don’t own any of his cds but I wouldn’t start gagging if one were put on when I was in the room. ---
**Author:** ![katie1341](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/91b2a8/32.png) [@katie1341](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/katie1341)\ **Post date:** [October 27, 2005, 12:37am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-not-lets-hear-your-favorite-neil-diamond-songs/328068/16 "2005-10-27T00:37:40Z")
> [@Odinoneeye](#): > > What? No love for Porcupine Pie. > > What I want to know is why you can’t let it get on your shoes. You also can’t let it get on your jeans. Save enough room for dessert, chicken ripple ice cream. ---
**Author:** ![Green\_Bean](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/green_bean/32/1760_2.png) [@Green\_Bean](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Green_Bean)\ **Post date:** [October 27, 2005, 12:57am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-not-lets-hear-your-favorite-neil-diamond-songs/328068/17 "2005-10-27T00:57:41Z")
Oooh. I lurves me some Neil! Faves in order: 1. Forever in Blue Jeans 2. Cherry Cherry 3. Cracklin’ Rosie 4. In My Lifetime **Mr. Blue Sky** : If you like Love on the Rocks, you should check out the 3-CD set called _In My Lifetime_. It has the song as it was originally written–as Scotch on the Rocks. Completely different. It also has the “other version” of Cherry Cherry. Two versions were recorded and made ready for release. It’s a good thing they chose the one that they did, because the other version sounds like something out of Austin Powers. > [@norinew](#): > > I used to like Cracklin’ Rosie, but way back when, when I had just gotten my first CD player, and hubby and I were dating, he came over the house and got drunk. He then proceeded to play Cracklin’ Rosie no fewer than 20 times. I’ll tell ya, it ain’t as charming by the 15th time! Hee! I did that to my brother once. Except I wasn’t drunk. I was just being a snot-nose little sister. 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![Biffy\_the\_Elephant\_Shrew](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/e47c2d/32.png) [@Biffy\_the\_Elephant\_Shrew](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Biffy_the_Elephant_Shrew)\ **Post date:** [October 27, 2005, 1:02am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-not-lets-hear-your-favorite-neil-diamond-songs/328068/18 "2005-10-27T01:02:57Z")
**Holly Holy**. The hit that the oldies stations _don’t want you to remember_. It was almost as big a hit at the time as “Sweet Caroline,” to which it was the follow-up, but when was the last time you heard it? I also like “Brother Love’s…,” “Solitary Man,” and “Kentucky Woman.” “I’m a Believer” is a great song, but I prefer Robert Wyatt’s version. ---
**Author:** ![Emily\_Litella](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/emily_litella/32/3370_2.png) [@Emily\_Litella](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Emily_Litella)\ **Post date:** [October 27, 2005, 1:15am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-not-lets-hear-your-favorite-neil-diamond-songs/328068/19 "2005-10-27T01:15:37Z")
Song Sung Blue I am…I said I like these and no one else mentioned them. Back in the day when my Mom got her first cassette player, she got “Hot August Night” and I listened to it more than she did. ---
**Author:** ![Mr.Blue\_Sky](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/d26b3c/32.png) [@Mr.Blue\_Sky](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mr.Blue_Sky)\ **Post date:** [October 27, 2005, 1:19am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-not-lets-hear-your-favorite-neil-diamond-songs/328068/20 "2005-10-27T01:19:50Z")
> [@Green Bean](#): > > **Mr. Blue Sky** : If you like Love on the Rocks, you should check out the 3-CD set called _In My Lifetime_. It has the song as it was originally written–as Scotch on the Rocks. Completely different. Got it. I was slightly disappointed that it didn’t have the radio version of “Solitary Man” (with the more pronounced horn section). [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-not-lets-hear-your-favorite-neil-diamond-songs/328068.md?page=2)