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Sweet Caroline

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For the Prison Break episode, see Sweet Caroline (Prison Break episode). For the Status Quo song, see Caroline (Status Quo song).

"Sweet Caroline"
Song
B-side"Dig In"

"Sweet Caroline" is a song written and performed by American recording artist Neil Diamond and officially released on September 16, 1969,[1][2] as a single with the title "Sweet Caroline (Good Times Never Seemed So Good)". It was arranged by Charles Calello,[3] and recorded at American Sound Studio in Memphis, Tennessee.

The song reached #4 on the Billboard chart and eventually went platinum for sales of one million singles.[4]

In the autumn of 1969, Diamond performed "Sweet Caroline" on several television shows. It later reached #8 on the UK singles chart in 1971.

In a 2007 interview, Diamond stated the inspiration for his song was John F. Kennedy's daughter, Caroline, who was eleven years old at the time it was released.[5][6] Diamond sang the song to her at her 50th birthday celebration in 2007.[7] On December 21, 2011, in an interview on CBS's The Early Show, Diamond said that a magazine cover photo of Caroline Kennedy as a young child on a horse with her parents[8] in the background created an image in his mind, and the rest of the song came together about five years after seeing the picture.[9]

The song has proven to be enduringly popular, and as of November 2014 has sold over two million digital downloads in the United States.[10]

Versions

There are three distinct mixes of this song. The original mono 45 mix had a louder orchestra and glockenspiel compared to the stereo version on the Brother Love's Travelling Salvation Show LP. The third version was a remix found only on the initial CD release of Diamond's His 12 Greatest Hits.[11] This version has the orchestra mixed down and has the background vocals mixed up. It has a longer fade as well. A live version of the song is on his Hot August Night LP.

Use

The playing of "Sweet Caroline" has become a fixture at many sporting events in the United States. In this version, the horn figure after Diamond sings "Sweet Caroline" in the chorus is replaced by the crowd singing "Oh, oh, oh", and after he sings "Good times never seemed so good," the crowd sings "So good, so good, so good." This pattern is repeated whenever the chorus is played.

The song has been played at Fenway Park, home of Major League Baseball's Boston Red Sox, since at least 1997,[12] and in the middle of the eighth inning at every game since 2002.[13] On opening night of the 2010 season at Fenway Park, the song was performed by Diamond himself. "Sweet Caroline" was played at Penn State Nittany Lions football games at Beaver Stadium until August 2012, halting after the Penn State child sex abuse scandal.[14][15] Performances at Beaver Stadium resumed in September 2013, however.[16]

On April 16, 2013, the day after the Boston Marathon bombing, the New York Yankees—longtime Red Sox rivals—announced they would play the song during their home game, preceded by a moment of silence, as a tribute to the victims.[17] On Saturday, April 20, 2013, during the 8th inning of the Red Sox-Kansas City game in Fenway Park, Neil Diamond led the crowd in a rendition of the song. The song was sung at sporting events across the country after the Boston Marathon bombings, in efforts to show solidarity with those affected by the tragedy. It was also played right before the start of the Hamburg Marathon in Hamburg, Germany, on Sunday, April 21, 2013, subsequent to a minute of silence.[18] The song was also played before the start of the Stockholm Marathon in Stockholm, Sweden, on Saturday, June 1, 2013, as a tribute to those affected by the Boston Marathon bombings.

On April 25, 2013, "Sweet Caroline" was played following a tribute to the victims of the Boston Marathon bombing during the NFL Draft. Diamond has announced that he will donate all royalties from sales of the song since the marathon bombings to the One Fund Boston charity to help the people most affected by the bombings.[19] Diamond said that sales of the song surged nearly 600 percent in the week after the bombings, to 19,000 copies, up from 2,800 the week before.[20]

In the 2015 NFL season it became the theme song for the Carolina Panthers, and the Rugby league team Castleford Tigers plays the song after every home game when the team wins.

Cover versions

References

  1. ^ Chilton, Martin. "Neil Diamond: 'didn't like Sweet Caroline'". Retrieved September 19, 2015.
  2. ^ Caulfield, Keith. "Neil Diamond's Top Singles'". Retrieved June 12, 2016.
  3. ^ Calello, Charles. "Calello's Billboard Magazine Top 100". Retrieved June 13, 2015.
  4. ^ "Neil Diamond" (biography). Billboard. Retrieved November 20, 2007.
  5. ^ Glaister, Dan (November 21, 2007). "Neil Diamond reveals secret of Sweet Caroline". The Guardian. London. Retrieved June 13, 2015.
  6. ^ Beggy, Carol; Shanahan, Mark (November 21, 2007). "'Sweet Caroline' revealed". The Boston Globe. Retrieved March 15, 2008.
  7. ^ Cohen, Sandy (November 20, 2007). "Neil Diamond reveals inspiration for his smash hit 'Sweet Caroline': Caroline Kennedy". Associated Press.
  8. ^ "1962 covers", Life, 2 neat magazines, 7-Sep-1962, Caroline Kennedy on her pony
  9. ^ Respers, Lisa (October 20, 2014). "Neil Diamond reveals story behind 'Sweet Caroline'". CNN.com. Retrieved October 2, 2016.
  10. ^ Appel, Rich (November 26, 2014). "Revisionist History, Part 5: Bon Jovi's 'Prayer' Answered, 'Caroline' Is Sweeter Than 'Sugar'". Billboard. Prometheus Global Media. Retrieved November 26, 2014.
  11. ^ "Neil Diamond Album Overview Part 4: 1981-2003 The Compilation-Mania Years". Retrieved June 13, 2015.
  12. ^ Browne, Ian (April 17, 2013). "Fenway Park's anthem started innocuously". MLB.com. Retrieved April 20, 2016.
  13. ^ Vosk, Stephanie (May 29, 2005). "Another mystery of the Diamond, explained at last". The Boston Globe.
  14. ^ Clark, Lauren (August 27, 2012). "Penn State Kills 'Sweet Caroline'". Boston Magazine. Retrieved October 2, 2016.
  15. ^ "No 'Sweet Caroline' at Penn State games, no public allowed in most athletic facilities – This Just In - CNN.com Blogs". News.blogs.cnn.com. Retrieved October 2, 2016.
  16. ^ Horne, Kevin (September 23, 2013). "Sweet Caroline Returns to Beaver Stadium". Onward State. Retrieved October 24, 2016.
  17. ^ "Yankees Twitter". New York Yankees. April 16, 2013. Retrieved April 16, 2013.
  18. ^ "15,000 expected at Hamburg Marathon". TheLocal. April 20, 2013. Retrieved April 22, 2013.
  19. ^ "Neil Diamond to Donate 'Sweet Caroline' Royalties to Boston Bombing Charity". The New York Times. April 25, 2013. Retrieved April 25, 2013.
  20. ^ "Neil Diamond to Donate 'Sweet Caroline' Royalties to Boston Charity". The Hollywood Reporter. April 25, 2013. Retrieved April 25, 2013.
  21. ^ "Elvis Presley - Sweet Caroline (1970)". YouTube. Retrieved October 17, 2014.
  22. ^ Checkmates, Ltd., Life Retrieved January 29, 2016.
  23. ^ "Roy Orbison: "Sweet Caroline" from Live in Australia".
  24. ^ "Singer/songwriter Neil Diamond here, AMA!". Reddit. October 16, 2014. Retrieved October 17, 2014.
  25. ^ "DMB Live Trax Vol. 6: Fenway Park". Dave Matthews Band. Retrieved October 2, 2016.
  26. ^ "Tribute". Last.fm. Retrieved October 17, 2014.
  27. ^ Austriancharts.at: DJ ÖTZI - "Sweet Caroline"
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