Grounds for Divorce
There are two types of people in this world.
Those who like Neil Diamond and those who don't.
My ex-wife loves him.
-Bill Murray in What About Bob? Explaining why he got a divorce.
Alright, let's get into the conundrum that is Neil Diamond. I know I am going to get a lot of push back on this, as I did with Blondie last week and rightly so because Neil Diamond is one of those guys who, on one hand, is a talented song-writer in the genre of mediocre music on which Sucky CD was built. On the other hand, he is insufferable when taken in large doses.
For every good Neil Diamond contribution, there is one that cancels it out. For example:
Forever in Blue Jeans (good) v. Hello Again(awful)
Cracklin' Rose (good) v. Kentucky Woman (sucks)
Song Sung Blue (ok) v. I am ... I said (agonizing)
Brother Love's Traveling Salvation Show (ok) v. Heart life (he was kidding, right?)
And then there are situations like this ...
Girl, You'll Be a Woman Soon(sucks but I like it) v. Sweet Caroline (really, it isn't that good but it has become a great drunken kareoke song)
You get the idea. Neil was very prolific and he wrote tons. Some of them like "Red Red Wine" and "I'm a Believer" I feel were saved by the fact that Neil Diamond did not record them so his career as a writer is better than his career as a performer. I also get the feeling that Neil tried to fill a gap left by the death of Elvis in the 70's.
It's a bit disturbing because it reminds me of the guy who is too old to be at a club but is still trying to work it with the ladies. Ewww.So, does Bill's maxim of two types of people hold true - those who like Neil Diamond and those who don't? I don't think it is as black and white as that. But there are people who have really jumped on the band wagon of all that is Neil. Hey, if you search on images of Neil Diamond, you get a nice little photo essay on male pattern baldness.
Neil Diamond is from Brooklyn, as is my dad (and myself, born there). My dad loves him. My mom is from the Bronx. She hates Neil Diamond.
Maybe it is a cross-borough thing, maybe it is Neil Diamond thing, but my mom and dad didn't work out. Maybe Bob was right. Maybe there are just two types of people.
posted by pog mo thoin @ 3:06 AM
9 Comments:
ever since seeing will ferrell as neil in the "storytellers" sketch, it's impossible to take diamond seriously, not that i ever could.
neil: this next song you all might like. few people know that i'm fueled creatively by my massive hatred of immigrants. gary and i have gone on for hours about how much we hate foreigners. right, gary?
gary: leave me out of this, man.
neil: no, i will leave you IN! well, my love of this great and beautiful nation, and my hatred of all people with dark skin, led me to write this:
on the boats and on the planes, they're comin' to america.
never lookin' back again, just do the best you can.
you hate your keyboard player because he's black, never had the courage to tell him so...
Pog, my god, I'm sorry to tell you this but if we played spot the celebrity - your Dad would be Neil Diamond! He looks and acts just like him.
~no wonder he's a fan!
Never understood the whole Neil Dimond thing... Ranks right up there with Buffet in term of being confused
Annoyed - yes! Sympatico with you man but there are legions to argue with us
Simone - you are so right! My dad IS Neil Diamond right down to the Brooklyn accent. Yikes!
My mom and stepdad see Neil in concert everytime he's in town and I just don't get it. I find his voice abrasive.
Now I have "Love on the rocks" in my head. AHHHH.
I dig Neil. But the ET song is brutally horrible. But give me "Forever in Blue Jeans" any day of the week.
Oh, and for the record, I hate Buffett.
I HATE HATE HATE Jimmy Buffet too, Dim!!!!
i've never been a neil guy, other than Sweet Caroline since they play it at Fenway Park...
Not many artists/groups can make me laugh, cry, and hurl all in the space of 10 minutes, but Neil is DEF one of 'em. I have to disagree about "Kentucky Woman." It rocks right alongside "Cherry Cherry." Getting drunk to "Song Sung Blue" is a great way to purge sadness, and "Love on the Rocks" is just a great way to purge. God love him. Or hate him. Your choice. That's why he's so cool.
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