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In 2007, Neil Diamond revealed that this song is about Caroline Kennedy, who is the daughter of the American president John F. Kennedy. After performing the song via satellite at Caroline's 50th birthday party, he told the Associated Press: "I've never discussed it with anybody before - intentionally. I thought maybe I would tell it to Caroline when I met her someday. I'm happy to have gotten it off my chest and to have expressed it to Caroline. I thought she might be embarrassed, but she seemed to be struck by it and really, really happy."

Diamond added that he was a young, broke songwriter in the '60s when he saw a cute photo of Caroline Kennedy in a magazine. Said Diamond: "It was a picture of a little girl dressed to the nines in her riding gear, next to her pony. It was such an innocent, wonderful picture, I immediately felt there was a song in there." A few years later, Diamond wrote the song in a Memphis hotel in less than an hour. Caroline was 11 years old when the song was released.

David Wild wrote in his book He Is...I Say: How I Learned to Stop Worrying and Love Neil Diamond, "Diamond says that 'Sweet Caroline' just seemed to come out of 'the excitement of the moment.' More specifically, Diamond's excitement seemed to focus on a chord in the song's 'touching hands' section, a relatively unusual A6 chord that he had never played before."

Even though the song has nothing to do with Boston, the Red Sox, baseball or New England, it is played at Red Sox home games in Fenway Park between the 8th and 9th innings. The song was first played in honor of a Red Sox employee who named her newborn daughter "Caroline" in 1998, and it caught on with the fans, getting regular play since 2003. It's an audience participation number in that the crowd sings "dum-dum-dum" after the words "Sweet Caroline" in the chorus and "so good, so good, so good" after "good times never seemed so good." This Fenway ritual is portrayed in the Drew Barrymore/Jimmy Fallon movie Fever Pitch. (thanks, Bob - The Colony, TX)

Neil Diamond told AOL Music Canada that Frank Sinatra's version of this with a big band is his favorite of all the covers of his material. He explained: "He did it his way. He didn't cop my record at all. I've heard that song by a lot of people and there are a lot of good versions. But Sinatra's swinging, big band version tops them all by far." Other artists to record the song include Waylon Jennings, The Drifters, Julio Iglesias and Elvis Presley.

Comments:

Great Song however it would sound better in Yankee Stadium then Fenway Park....Go Yankees...
- Rich, Wall , NJ

You can't help not liking this wonderful song.....makes you feel good!
- Mary Ann, Houston, TX

Dave Matthews Band did a cover of this when they played in fenway a few yrs back.
- Evan, Jacksonville, FL

My Dad has always loved this song and sang it has always been our song. He has spoken about a cover that Mamma Cass did of Sweet Caroline. I can't find it anywhere or any record of it. I would love to find it and give it to him. If anyone knows anything, please let me know!
- Caroline, Charlotte, NC

This is a wonderful song, it reminds me of summer
- Kellie, Vernon, NJ

Hi! I like listening to Neil Diamond some of the time. My friend has his Cd's. music videos and such such more. He is a great singer, best in his movies like Jazz singer and whatever he is in. I would love to go to one of his concerts. But Sweet Caroline is one of my favorite songs that he sings. Others are just OK!
- Susan M. Choe, South Orange, NY

The Davidson University Marching Band played this song a couple of times each game during their run to Elite 8 in Men's Basketball. I remember being in Ford Field with 50,000+ Davidson fans playing this song so joyfully for that weekend. Stephan Curry was unbelievable, and they almost beat Kansas losing at the buzzer, but I will always remember the Davidson section and really the whole stadium rocking to Sweet Caroline that weekend.
- Jake, Ancaster, ON

See comment below first, The cool thing was the North Carolina Marching Band played Sweet Caroline, after Davidson had upset Georgetown in Raleigh, North Carolina as a tribute to the team, as they came back out for the UNC game! Pretty classy band there.
- Jake, Ancaster, ON

This song was also used in the movie, "Beautiful Girls".
- Diane, Orlando, FL

"I've been to a lot of Washington Nationals games and in I believe either the 6th or 8th inning they play this." Hi Mike, it's the middle of the 6th inning, but only when the Nationals are winning (which, unfortunately, can be a rare occurance). They call the inning break the "Sweet Sixth" and play this song.
- Lori, Alexandria, VA

The reason this song became a feature at sporting events is because it's an audience participation song. A stadium full of people love to hear themselves sing a long to the dum dum dum, so good so good so good, and other parts. Same thing with We Will Rock You, where they get to stamp and clap. And Crazy Train where they get to go Aie, Aie, Aie! at the beginning. And Rock And Roll Part Two by Gary Glitter, I forget what they get to sing in that one.
- Steve, Birmingham, AL

I love it,That was my daughter`s name,shew was sweet.xxxx
- Evan, wrexham

neil diamond has finally revealed who this song was about, caroline kennedy. the song was played at fenway because the music girl needed to find a song to play and when she played this, the crowd loved it and the sox came back and won, so the orginization requested this for every game to pump the team and the crowd up. it has been played everygame for i believe almost 20 years. GO RED SOX!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
- pdizzle, portland, ME

LOS ANGELES - Neil Diamond held onto the secret for decades, but he has finally revealed that President Kennedy's daughter was the inspiration for his smash hit "Sweet Caroline." "I've never discussed it with anybody before — intentionally," the 66-year-old singer-songwriter told The Associated Press on Monday during a break from recording. "I thought maybe I would tell it to Caroline when I met her someday." He got his chance last week when he performed the song via satellite at Caroline Kennedy Schlossberg's 50th birthday party. Diamond was a "young, broke songwriter" when a photo of the president's daughter in a news magazine caught his eye. "It was a picture of a little girl dressed to the nines in her riding gear, next to her pony," Diamond recalled. "It was such an innocent, wonderful picture, I immediately felt there was a song in there." Years later, holed up in a hotel in Memphis, he would write the words and music in less an hour. "It was a No. 1 record and probably is the biggest, most important song of my career, and I have to thank her for the inspiration," he said. "I'm happy to have gotten it off my chest and to have expressed it to Caroline. I thought she might be embarrassed, but she seemed to be struck by it and really, really happy."
- Barry, Chicago, IL

The song was actually about a chick Neil was dating in Brooklyn named Caroline.
- mopy dick, New York, NY

I think that Fenway Park uses this song because of the opening stanza; it symbolizes the love that Red Sox fans have for their team and baseball season. "Where it began, I can't begin to know when/But then I know it's growing strong/Oh, wasn't the spring, whooo/And spring became the summer/Who'd have believed you'd come along." To me, it seems since baseball begins in Spring, fans' love for baseball grows. For anyone who'd like to see this in action, visit Fenway and get the experience. Red Sox fans love this song.
- Bryan, Nashville, TN

I have been told that the song "sweet carolin" was written about Judith Caroline Slattery. Shelives in joplin mo
- rich, joplin, MO

The University of North Carolina's marching band often plays this song during athletic events.
- John, Chapel Hill, NC

That's so cool. You know, Neil Diamond gets paid every time they play this song at a sporting event. What a great life.
- Steve, Birmingham, AL

This song was originally not included on the 1969 LP that contained "Brother Loves's Traveling Salvation Show" but after SC became a big hit was included on album pressings.
- Charles, Charlotte, NC

As legend has it....Amy Tobey worked for the Red Sox and her job was to decide what songs to play during Bosox home games in the late 90's/early 2000's. Amy had heard Sweet Caroline at other sporting events and tried it out at Fenway...it caught on to a nearly a superstitious point where she would play it between the 7th and 9th inning....Once John Henry purchased the team, he instituted the permanant placement prior to the bottom of the eighth....to this day you cannot leave Fenway without pilgrimage to Neil Diamond...and the Red Sox. Makes traffic a nightmare, but its worth it...its so good...
- Michael, Gloceseter, RI

No one seems to know why or for whom Neil Diamond wrote this song for????? I can't even find it online anywhere.
- John, Gaithersburg, MD

I was wondering if anyone knows when they started singing this song at Fenway Park and why? I was just at a Red Sox game and the fans really get into singing this song.
- Carol, Coventry, RI

This song is used often, at sports events in Ireland. Diamond is a big favourite here. He has played and filled our biggest sports ground,Croke Park many times.
- Paul, Belfast, Ireland

hahaha it's a song i hate to like... darn you, neil diamond!
- Ryan, Mobile, AL

i like this song. its fun and upbeat
- Caitlin, Upper Township, NJ

I've been to a lot of Washington Nationals games and in I believe either the 6th or 8th inning they play this.
- Mike, Germantown, MD

my mum loved this song . i bought her the live in concert dvd for her birthday, rang her up one day to see if she got it , when dad picked up the phone i could hear mum singing this song in the background....... sadly she passed away a couple of years ago... its amazing how certain songs bring those memories flashing back
- pete, nowra, Australia