Buzzstuff: Beautiful Noise

October 09, 2003

Beautiful Noise

Part of the beauty of getting older is the freedom that you have to express opinions, regardless of how uncool they may be. If I say something uncool and someone calls me on it, I can just sit back and laugh. I am unphased by cool/uncool. I’m old enough now that I can just be me, “warts and all”.

That said, I can finally admit something to the world that I couldn’t when I was younger. Here goes:

I love Neil Diamond music.

Whew. There! I said it. I love Neil Diamond music. I could listen to it every day. Put Hot August Night on the stereo and I am in hog heaven. When I was much younger, I actually had several ND albums which I traded with my mom for another uncool group (at the time anyway), Herb Alpert and the Tijuana Brass. I gave her all of my ND albums. She gave me all her HATB albums.

I still love Herb and the boys but I wish I had those old Neil Diamond albums, too. Maybe it’s time to start thinking about picking them up on CD.

My all-time favorite Neil Diamond songs (in no particular order) are:

Brother Love's Traveling Salvation Show
I Am...I Said
Holly Holy
Crunchy Granola Suite
Cracklin' Rosie
Solitary Man
Sweet Caroline

Posted by Buzz at October 9, 2003 09:02 AM

Comments

I actually found myself looking through the John Denver albums at Borders the other day. Scared the hell out of myself.

Recommended reading: The Day I Turned Uncool: Confessions of a Reluctant Grownup by Dan Zevin.

Posted by: Chris at October 9, 2003 09:08 AM

Seeing how I'm "old" now and in my 30's...
I too admit that I lurve me some Neil Diamond.
HE ROCKS!!

Posted by: buddha at October 9, 2003 09:16 AM

sweeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeet caroline BUM BUM BUM.........

I'm 28 and I love Neil Diamond. He freakin' rocks my socks!!!

Posted by: statia at October 9, 2003 09:18 AM

i know what you mean. i'm a huge fan of another 70's artist, Todd Rundgren, and whenever i mention his music to my friends, the usual reaction i get from them is the sound of crickets chirping in the distance.

Posted by: espresso at October 9, 2003 09:24 AM

I grew up with my parents listening to Niel, but I will admit that I enjoy his music and loved the concerts that my parents took me too. In fact I have gone to a couple without them. One of the few performers that actually makes you want to buy his album. All the songs are good, not like most of the bands today that have only one good song on their album.

So don't be ashamed, he is great!

Posted by: Tom at October 9, 2003 09:45 AM

ok, sorry, but i can't stand Neil Diamond...i do loves me some Herb Alpert and yes, even Todd Rundgren...but no, please...spare me the Diamond...(david loves him though, and he's only 33, so don't feel bad, ok? lol)

Posted by: azure at October 9, 2003 09:52 AM

Hell yeah, Neil Diamond rocks! Have you ever seen the movie Saving Silverman? If you love Neil then you would enjoy this movie. It's really funny. :)

Posted by: Allison at October 9, 2003 09:55 AM

I'm 26 and I absolutely love his music..
Neil Diamond rocks!!!

Posted by: Sonia at October 9, 2003 11:30 AM

oh lord, you're one of THOSE people...
:)

but Todd Rundgren -- those albums i still have. along with Hall & Oats...

maybe it would be best if i stopped now.

Posted by: P at October 9, 2003 11:30 AM

Forever in Blue Jeans, over here.

P.S. You have warts?

Posted by: kat at October 9, 2003 12:17 PM

Laughing my ass off over here at YOU esspresso because of the crickets chirping in the distance. That was TOO funny. I also love the Neil man. Except I'm sorry but they played Sweet Caroline far too often in my youth and I was burned out on that one song. But all the rest were all good. Me, I'm a Tom Petty girl myself. He's still rockin' my socks off. But I go for lots of those 70's and even 80's groups. Even the ones nobody likes to talk about anymore (shh - Bread, Kansas, REO...)

Posted by: crazy girl at October 9, 2003 12:51 PM

OMG Bread! sorry the last post took my train of thought away.

oh yeah. Neil was okay. If I had to admit to a guilty pleasure it would be a Barry Manilow song. Now I really didn't like him but the song "Looks Like We Made It" somehow always tugged at my heart strings. I used to roll up the windows when it would come on in case, god forbid, someone I knew should roll up next to me.

Posted by: Charlene at October 9, 2003 12:57 PM

I'm with Kat on "Forever in Blue Jeans". My other favorite is "You Don't Bring Me Flowers". I'm glad I'm not the only one.

Posted by: K at October 9, 2003 01:28 PM

Oh, Neil is indeed the man. I'm 24, can you imagine how much crap I got in high school? oh the flashbacks....

Posted by: Faye at October 9, 2003 02:01 PM

being the Mom, I too love Neil Diamond. We have lots of his music on CD. Don added his collection to mine, and albeit it not complete, we have quite a few.

Posted by: Cassie-B at October 9, 2003 04:25 PM

Maybe you don't remember, but when Don and I married, our first dance at the reception was "Marry Me" by Neil. It was brand new. When it started to play, there was a giant "OOH" from the guests.

Posted by: Cassie-B at October 9, 2003 04:29 PM

Closets are for shirts and pants.

Welcome out of the closet =)

Doesn't it feel so good to get that out there?

Posted by: todd at October 9, 2003 07:56 PM

Ohhhhh I like Neil baby too... and Sweet Caroline & September Morn are 2 of my faves... but then I like Cracklin' Rosie & Girl You'll Be A Woman Soon, too. But then there's Kentucky Woman (since I'm from Kentucky to begin with) and then You Don't Bring Me Flowers Anymore. *sigh* (digs out old 45's I got for 25 cents a piece at a garage sale) LOL

Posted by: CJ` at October 9, 2003 08:17 PM

Long live The Neil!

Posted by: srah at October 10, 2003 07:07 AM