Song 509: This week on the playlist you’ll find Sweet Caroline by Neil Diamond, who also wrote the song, and you can find a YouTube video of it by clicking on the title. This hit came along around the time I put on a cap and gown to accept my HS diploma, and not long after the initial release, my best friend's younger brother sold his 45 to me, as he often did, and it spun on the turntable a lot that summer. I found the B-side Dig In engaging as well, and I might possibly feature that cut on this list one of these weeks. I had perviously noticed Neil's name attached to a couple of Monkees songs I really liked, and this track added another layer to my appreciation for his talent. In the early months of 1974, I had an extended gig as a piano player for a pizza joint, and I regularly tossed this tune into the mix, particularly since it usually got a very good reception. I had decided to add this recording to the list a few weeks ago when I came across the Rolling Stone article about Diamond's virus-related version (which can be found here). Ironically, with the pandemic, it might feel like bad times never seemed so bad, but then, listening to the record, it can remind the listener of when good times never seemed so good, and perhaps that alone can bring some comfort to the present day.
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