Sweet Caroline

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For the Prison Break episode, see Sweet Caroline (Prison Break episode). For the Status Quo song, see Caroline (song).
"Sweet Caroline"
File:Sweet Caroline cover.jpg
Single by Neil Diamond
B-side "Dig In"
Released September 16, 1969
Genre Soft rock
Length 3:21
Label Uni/MCA
Writer(s) Neil Diamond
Producer(s) Tommy Cogbill
Neil Diamond
Chips Moman
Neil Diamond singles chronology
"Brother Love's Traveling Salvation Show"
(1969)		 "Sweet Caroline"
(1969)		 "Holly Holy"
(1969)

"Sweet Caroline" is a song written and performed by American recording artist Neil Diamond and officially released on September 16, 1969,[1] as a single with the title "Sweet Caroline (Good Times Never Seemed So Good)". It was arranged by Charles Calello,[2] and recorded at American Sound Studio in Memphis, Tennessee.

The song reached #4 on the Billboard chart and eventually went platinum for sales of one million singles.[3]

In the autumn of 1969, Diamond performed "Sweet Caroline" on several television shows. It later reached #8 on the UK singles chart in 1971.

In a 2007 interview, Diamond revealed the inspiration for his song was John F. Kennedy's daughter, Caroline, who was eleven years old at the time it was released.[4][5] Diamond sang the song to her at her 50th birthday celebration in 2007.[6] However, in a 2014 interview, he revealed that the song was not, in fact, named after Kennedy. Instead, Diamond was originally going to name the song after his wife Marsha, but later decided that he wanted a three-syllable name and chose Caroline. Thus the song was not named after any specific person named Caroline.[7]

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 with her parents[8] in the background created an image in his mind, and the rest of the song came together about five years after seeing the picture.

The song has proven to be enduringly popular, and as of November 2014 has sold over two million digital downloads in the United States.[9]

Versions

There are three distinct mixes of this song. The original mono 45 mix had a louder orchestra and glockenspiel compared to 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 His 12 Greatest Hits.[10] 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 "Hot August Night" LP.

Use

"Sweet Caroline" has been played at Fenway Park, home of Major League Baseball's Boston Red Sox, since at least 1997,[citation needed] and in the middle of the eighth inning at every game since 2002.[11] On opening night of the 2010 season at Fenway Park, the song was performed by Diamond himself.

On April 16, 2013, the day after the Boston Marathon bombings, the New York Yankees—longtime Red Sox rivals—announced they would play the song during their home game, preceded by a moment of silence, as a tribute to the victims.[12] On Saturday, April 20, 2013, during the 8th inning of the Red Sox-Kansas City game in Fenway Park, Neil Diamond led the crowd in a rendition of the song. The song was sung at sporting events across the country after the Boston Marathon bombings, in efforts to show solidarity with those affected by the tragedy. It was also played right before the start of the Hamburg Marathon in Hamburg, Germany, on Sunday, April 21, 2013, subsequent to a minute of silence.[13] The song was also played before the start of the Stockholm Marathon in Stockholm, Sweden, on Saturday, June 1, 2013, as a tribute to those affected by the Boston Marathon bombings.

On Thursday, April 25, 2013, "Sweet Caroline" was played following a tribute to the victims of the Boston Marathon bombings during the NFL Draft. Diamond has announced that he will donate all royalties from sales of the song since the marathon bombings to the One Fund Boston to help the people most affected by the bombings.[14] Diamond said that 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.[15]

On July 16, 2013, Neil Diamond performed the song at Citi Field in Flushing, NY at baseball's mid-summer classic.

The University of Pittsburgh also has a long-standing tradition of singing the song at their home football games.[16] Pitt students have made it "Pitt-centric" by replacing the repeating phrase "So good" of the original song with "Go Pitt" and the "Ba ba ba" of the original with, "Let's Go Pitt."

West Virginia Mountaineer fans have, in keeping with their rivalry with Pitt, adopted a similar singing to Pitt, but instead of "Let's go Pitt" chant "Eat Sh** Pitt" and instead of "Go Pitt" chant "Eat Sh**, making a "WVU-centric" version of the song.

Iowa State University Athletics also has a long-standing tradition of singing the song during home athletic events, especially football and basketball games. Even more recently, Iowa State has started using the song to close commencement as students throw confetti in celebration.

The Carolina Panthers of the NFL play it after every victory at home games.

Super League team Castleford Tigers use the song as their club anthem.

AFL team Sydney Swans play the song at quarter time over the PA at their home games.

Has been used for years by The Hamilton Tiger Cats. Played at every game and is the "Theme Song" of the Ticat Super Fans The Box J Boys.

Is also played by the Calgary Stampeders at every game.

"Sweet Caroline" has been played at the Madejski Stadium, the home of Reading FC, since midway through the 2014-2015 season. It is played before kick off, at half time or after full time. At Belgian team Oud-Heverlee Leuven, the song is played before every match and after every goal by the home team.

Cover versions

References

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External links

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  7. ↑ http://www.cnn.com/2014/10/20/showbiz/music/neil-diamond-sweet-caroline/
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