Sweet Caroline

Neil Diamond has provided different explanations for the song's origins. In a 2007 interview, he stated the inspiration for the song was John F. Kennedy's daughter Caroline Kennedy, who was 11 years old at the time it was released.^[3][4] Diamond sang the song for her at her 50th birthday celebration in 2007.^[5] 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^[6] with her parents John F. Kennedy and Jacqueline Kennedy created an image in his mind, and the rest of the song came together about five years after seeing the picture.^[7] However, in 2014, Diamond said the song was about his then-wife Marcia Murphey, but he needed a three-syllable name to fit the melody.^[7]

The song reached No. 4 on the Billboard Hot 100 chart in the week ending August 16, 1969,^[8] and was certified gold by the RIAA on August 18, 1969, for sales of one million singles.^[9] "Sweet Caroline" was also the first of Diamond's 58 entries on the US Easy Listening chart, peaking at No. 3.^[10]

In the autumn of 1969, Diamond performed "Sweet Caroline" on several television shows. It later reached No. 8 on the UK Singles Chart in March 1971.

In July 2021, "Sweet Caroline" re-entered the UK Singles Chart again 50 years after its first UK release, following its use by England supporters during Euro 2020. It re-entered the chart at No. 48 on the week ending July 15 and a week later it rose to No. 20.^[11]

Cash Box called the song "sensational", highlighting the fact that Diamond's "material and production sound take on a completely different dimension in this love ballad which maintains a warm glow throughout with occasional surges of strength".^[12] Record World said that "Neil Diamond stirs rich excitement with this voluptuous new 'Sweet Caroline'."^[13] Billboard called it a "hard hitting love ballad" with "exceptional production and vocal workout".^[14] The song has proven to be enduringly popular and, as of November 2014, has sold over two million digital downloads in the United States.^[15]

There are three distinct mixes of this song. In the original mono 45 mix, the orchestra and glockenspiel are more prominent than in 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 1974 compilation His 12 Greatest Hits.^[37] 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 1972 Hot August Night LP.

During the COVID-19 pandemic, Diamond changed some of the lyrics to "Hands ... washing hands ... don't touch me ... I won't touch you."^[38]

United States

The song has been played at Fenway Park, home of Major League Baseball's Boston Red Sox, since at least 1997^[39] and in the middle of the eighth inning at every game since 2002.^[40] On opening night of the 2010 season at Fenway Park, the song was performed live by Diamond himself.^[41] Several days after the Boston Marathon bombing in April 2013, Neil Diamond led the crowd at Fenway Park in a rendition of the song.^[42] The New York Yankees, the longtime rivals, showed their support for the city by playing the song over Yankee Stadium's loudspeakers the day after the incident.^[43] 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.^[44] Diamond said that he would donate his royalties from those sales to the One Fund Boston charity to help the people affected by the bombings.^[45]

• Neil Diamond – vocals, acoustic guitar
• Charles Calello – string, horn and vocal arrangements
• The Memphis Boys – other instrumentation
  • Gene Chrisman – drums
  • Tommy Cogbill – bass guitar
  • Bobby Emmons – keyboards
  • Reggie Young – electric guitar

In 2019, "Sweet Caroline" was selected by the Library of Congress for preservation in the National Recording Registry for being "culturally, historically, or aesthetically significant".^[46] In 2020 the song was inducted into the Grammy Hall of Fame.^[47]

Austrian singer DJ Ötzi released a version of the song in 2009 through UMG. His version reached number 19 on the German singles chart, staying for 18 weeks in the German charts. It also peaked at number 18 on the Austrian charts.^[48] The song was also included on his album Hotel Engel (Gold Edition).

Track listings

CD single

1. "Sweet Caroline" (single version) - 3:37
2. "Sweet Caroline" (DJ mix) - 3:46

2009 Limited Edition CD single

1. "Sweet Caroline" (single version) - 3:37
2. Exclusive Bonus Video (Gerry Friedle: Mein Leben mit DJ Ötzi) - 19:04

2010 CD single

1. "Sweet Caroline" (single version) - 3:37
2. "Sweet Caroline" (Euro 2010 Magic Moments version) - 3:46

Charts

More information Chart (2009–2010), Peak position ...

Chart (2009–2010)	Peak position
Austria (Ö3 Austria Top 40)[49]	18
Germany (Official German Charts)	19

Close

In 2001, a version by Dustin the Turkey for the compilation Dustin's Greatest Hits reached No. 1 on the Irish Singles Chart, the character's sixth Irish number one.^[50]