The next inductee into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame Class of 2011 is singer-songwriter Neil Diamond.
Diamond was first eligible for the Hall in 1989 but went unnominated until the year he got in. At least he made it on his first ballot, though I’d argue it was a couple of decades late. Say what you will about Diamond — bemoan his corniness and the schlocky quality of some of his material — but the man is a beloved hitmaker whose songs have been performed by artists of all genres.
(I interrupt the normally scheduled Random Weekend for some thoughts on Quentin Tarantino’s Once Upon a Time in Hollywood. Warning: Spoilers follow!)
It’s been a decade since I saw a Quentin Tarantino film I really loved. That was 2009’s Inglourious Basterds, a masterful blend of tension, action and melodrama that burst at the seams with daring creativity. It’s up there with Pulp Fiction as the most Tarantino movie Tarantino has ever made.
In contrast, Once Upon a Time in Hollywood — for most of its running time — is the least Tarantino film he’s ever made. It’s also one of the best.
For my last song of Neil Diamond week, I’ll spare all of us and not share ‘You Don’t Bring Me Flowers,’ Diamond’s #1 duet with Barbra Streisand. Instead, here’s ‘Forever in Blue Jeans,’ a track from the same album.
An ode to simplicity, this 1979 track closed out a strong decade for Diamond and ushered in the 80s, where his music descended into schmaltz (‘Heartlight,’ anyone?).
Two years after landing his first #1 song with ‘Cracklin’ Rosie,’ Neil Diamond did it again with ‘Song Sung Blue.’ This would be his last ever solo #1, though he did reach the top spot again with ‘You Don’t Bring Me Flowers,’ a duet with Barbra Streisand.
I know this song best through Frank Sinatra’s cover version, recorded for his 1980 album Trilogy. Sinatra was a staple in my childhood home; Neil Diamond not so much.
Neil Diamond saw The Monkees take his song ‘I’m a Believer’ to #1 in 1966, but four years later he’d land his first #1 as a recording artist with ‘Cracklin’ Rosie.’
The rollicking song about a band of men who find solace in Cracklin’ Rosé wine was inspired by the tale of a Canadian First Nation tribe in which the men significantly outnumbered the women.
Meet Me In Montauk 