Neil Diamond nostalgia

[Robin843]

I've just spent the latter half of this evening watching a rerun of the BBC Neil Diamond Electric Proms concert from 10 years ago. I've been in tears just remembering my life in the 80s and how Neil Diamond and Paul Simon where the soundtrack to those years. I've just ordered The Jazz Singer on CD, I played it non-stop In 1980 as I drove around in my first ancient Mini. So many beautiful songs, such an incredible voice. How did I get so old?! God I miss the 80s.

DH and I have a music and puzza night once a month - couple of bottles of wine, Neil Diamond, Bee Gees, Christopher Cross, Stephen Bishop, Paul Simon, Carole King, Carly Simon, Neil Sedaka etc etc.

We always finish up with Sweet Caroline at about 2am

Pizza ffs

Neil Diamond songs?
Has to be.
Forever in blue jeans.
Or maybe. Beautiful noise.

Neil Diamond and Barbara Streisand singing 'You don't bring me flowers' ... 😭😭😭

@Riapia

Neil Diamond songs? Has to be. Forever in blue jeans. Or maybe. Beautiful noise.

Beautiful Noise is one of the ear worm songs at the moment. DH and me dancing around the kitchen shouting "Yes it Does, Yes It Does!" at each other 😄

@JoanThursday

Neil Diamond and Barbara Streisand singing 'You don't bring me flowers' ... 😭😭😭

Two outstanding artists, and crazy that they were at school together! The only semi-famous person to go to my school was Sting's wife 😄

Barbra too is extraordinary. Would love to see her in concert.

I absolutely LOVE Neil Diamond, I grew up with my mum playing his music constantly.
For that reason I also love Barbara Streisand, Charlie Rich, Glen Campbell (Wichita Line Man is my all time favourite song) and Doctor Hook.
I just love that genre of music.

@Clawdy

There's a lovely clip on YouTube of him as a young guy singing "Play Me" with Shirley Bassey - the chemistry between them is amazing!

I've seen that too. My God anyone watching that would think they were about to eat each other alive. Loved it!

The Reverend Blue Jeans. Did anyone else think those were the lyrics?

I cannot listen to Neil with anyone else. The nostalgia is overwhelming and I just cry. Mum and Dad and my auntie and uncle were really into Neil. They saw him perform a number of times. His music is the soundtrack to my family, all gone now. When dad died I insisted on cracklin Rosie to bring his coffin out of the church. The minister led the way singing along. When mum died a few years later, I used the same minister and the same song. It's all unbearably hard to think about even though mum died 4 years ago now.

God I love Neil Diamond.

There is only him and Tom Petty I regret not seeing live.

Another Neil Diamond fan here, not listened to his music in ages though, such a great artist.

@shiningcuckoo

I cannot listen to Neil with anyone else. The nostalgia is overwhelming and I just cry. Mum and Dad and my auntie and uncle were really into Neil. They saw him perform a number of times. His music is the soundtrack to my family, all gone now. When dad died I insisted on cracklin Rosie to bring his coffin out of the church. The minister led the way singing along. When mum died a few years later, I used the same minister and the same song. It's all unbearably hard to think about even though mum died 4 years ago now.

I understand. I have songs associated with loved ones that I can't listen to without crying - one that gets played in shops at Christmas and I always have to leave the store. Nostalgia translates as the pain of yearning for the past, and it really can be a physical pain. The pain of losing a loved one is the price we pay for knowing their love.

Play Me is one of my favourites. I’m off to search for the duet with Shirley Bassey now!