Album: Brother Love's Traveling Salvation Show (1969)

Charted: 8 4

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• Where it began, I can't begin to knowing
  But then I know it's growing strong
  Was in the spring
  And spring became the summer
  Who'd have believed you'd come along
  
  Hands, touching hands
  Reaching out, touching me, touching you
  
  Sweet Caroline
  Good times never seemed so good
  I've been inclined
  To believe they never would
  But now I
  
  Look at the night and it don't seem so lonely
  We filled it up with only two
  And when I hurt
  Hurting runs off my shoulders
  How can I hurt when holding you
  
  One, touching one
  Reaching out, touching me, touching you
  
  Sweet Caroline
  Good times never seemed so good
  I've been inclined
  To believe they never would
  Oh no, no
  
  Sweet Caroline
  Good times never seemed so good
  Sweet Caroline
  I believe they never could
  Sweet Caroline
  Good times never seemed so good Writer/s: Neil Diamond
  Publisher: Universal Music Publishing Group
  Lyrics licensed and provided by LyricFind

Comments: 44

• Stephanie from ArizonaThis song actually became the anthem/remembrance song for a volleyball team that lost a player named Caroline
• Seventhmist from 7th HeavenOh, please. Just because a name or an innocent snapshot inspired the name, it doesn't mean he was drooling over her.
  
  Now, if he had named a certain other song, "Caroline, You'll Be a Woman Soon," that's another matter.
• George from Vancouver, Canadato GM(Edmonton): he didn't say it was ABOUT Caroline Kennedy; only that she "probably" inspired the name (the song's about Marcia, Neil's then-wife)
• George from Vancouver, CanadaMy fave use of this song in entertainment was in "Big Bang Theory" -- Howard & Amy find themselves awkwardly on a road triup together, until discovering they both love Neil Diamond, then thy belt this song out with much vigor & love. . .
• Coy from Palestine, TexasDiamond has always given numerous stories about his songs. He often changes the story behind the song. Brother Loves Traveling Salvation Show had been a comeback hit for Neil and he had just recorded the album in Memphis. The LP cover had Diamond on wagon imitating a traveling evangelist. The album folded open to reveal a neat psychedelic picture of Neil. On the way to finalize the LP session (in Memphis at American Studios) Diamond had quickly wrote Sweet Caroline in the car. He cut the single record too late to include it on the Brother Love's album. The song was released as a single in the summer of 1969 and it became a top five hit. Rather than release a new album, since Brother Love's was already out in the stores- UNI (Diamond's record company) just added Sweet Caroline to the Brother Love's Album, put a poor picture of Neil on the cover and called the altered LP- Sweet Caroline/Brother Loves Traveling Salvation Show. The Brother Loves original album, which folded open is very rare today and hard to find. Diamond originally said the song just came to him in the car. The story changed over the years. It's one of the greatest songs of the 60's and still a favorite to sing along with today.
• Barry from Sauquoit, NyOn November 4th 1972, Bobby Womack performed "Sweet Caroline" on the ABC-TV program 'American Bandstand'...
  Three months earlier on August 20th, 1972 it entered Billboard's Hot Top 100 chart at position #84; and on October 1st, 1972 it peaked at #51 {for 1 week} and spent 9 weeks on the Top 100...
  It reached #16 on Billboard's R&B Singles chart...
  On the same 'Bandstand' show he also performed the record's B-side, "Happy Hippie", and one month later on Dec. 3rd, 1973 it entered the Top 100 and reached #31 on February 4th, 1973...
  Between 1962 and 1989 he had thirty-eight records the R&B Singles chart; twelve made the Top 10 with two reaching #1, "Woman's Gotta Have It “for 1 week in 1972 and "Lookin'for A Love" for 3 weeks in 1974...
  Sadly, Mr. Womack passed away earlier this year on June 27th {2014}; he was 70 years old.
• Susan from Atlanta, GeorgiaI fell in love with this song when it came out in summer of 1969 and I still love it. I don't find it creepy that Caroline Kennedy inspired it when she was a little girl. He probably looked at the picture and thought, "Sweet Caroline!" and then the song took off in a different direction, the lyrics having nothing whatsoever to do with that little girl. As a writer, I have that happen to me quite frequently, although I always remember where I got my original inspiration.
• Peter from Winterthur, Zh - ChSince many years an upbeat version of the song by Austrian entertainer "DJ Ötzi" is played after each home victory of Swiss football team FC Aarau. With people singing along with the tune aloud with joy on their way out of the stadium. It's like an emotional hook bringing back memories of past victories and a reassurance that everything in this world is in its place. FC Aarau is nicknamed "The Unrelegatables" because between 1981 and 2010 they managed as a small team from a small town with small resources to stay for nearly 30 years in the first division. Nowadays, they are back in the top flight.
• Howard from St. Louis Park, MnNeil diamond has made one of the most popular sports anthems of all-time. As a public address announcer for many athletic events, I play the song in the top of the fourth inning at Holy Angels baseball games and during breaks in hockey tournaments. It's a song that gets the fans involved.
• Gm from Edmonton, Ab"Neil Diamond revealed that this song is about Caroline Kennedy" ??? Seems more than a little odd! Nice way to give the tune some additional pedigree and tie it in with her 50th birthday but the lyrics don't reflect anything about her or her life at an early age. Only Neil knows for sure but my B.S. detector is in alarm. Let's see, yaa I was inspired by Caroline Kennedy, that's it, that's the ticket. Could be the same type of inspiration that Randy Bachman had when he claimed a pizza delivery guy laid down the piano track on BTO's "Taking Care of Business" ....not!
• Kelly from San Luis Obispo, CaIf you read the top facts carefully you would see she was younger than 11 when he first saw the picture of Caroline. She was 11 when the song came out, a "few" years later. Even creepier?
• Brandon from Seattle, WaTo the person who mentioned the version Mamma Cass did, I sure you can find it on you-tube. If not, then you might be able to find out from your local library. To the person who mentioned the similarity between the intro of this song and the intro to Happy Together. There is a music similarity, vaguely, but listen to The River is Wide by the Grass Roots, there is definitely a similarity there.
• Susan from Airdrie, -I have to say, isn't that kind of creepy, listening to the lyrics & knowing it was created after looking at a picture of an 11 year old girl?!
• Megan from Stevenson, AlHA! We played this in an honor band here in Alabama! It was AMAZING! I was so happy:) Love this song! I just wanna sing it everytime I hear it! Where's my lighter?!
• Dusty from St. Louis, MoWhen I went to a Cardinals game, after the game, they had fireworks and music EVERYONE was singing along with this song. It was really cool and it gave me goosebumps.
• Amanda from Gretna, Vtthis song makes me feel sorta special...since my middle name is Caroline. still my name.
• Rich from Wall , NjGreat Song however it would
  sound better in Yankee Stadium
  then Fenway Park....Go Yankees...
• Mary Ann from Houston, TxYou can't help not liking this wonderful song.....makes you feel good!
• Evan from Jacksonville, FlDave Matthews Band did a cover of this when they played in fenway a few yrs back.
• Caroline from Charlotte, NcMy 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!
• Kellie from Vernon, NjThis is a wonderful song, it reminds me of summer
• Susan M. Choe from South Orange, NyHi! 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!
• Jake from Ancaster, OnSee 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 from Ancaster, OnThe 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.
• Diane from Orlando, FlThis song was also used in the movie, "Beautiful Girls".
• Lori from Alexandria, Va"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.
  
• Steve from Birmingham, AlThe 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.
• Evan from WrexhamI love it,That was my daughter`s name,shew was sweet.xxxx
• Pdizzle from Portland, Meneil 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!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
• Barry from Chicago, IlLOS 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."
  
• Mopy Dick from New York, NyThe song was actually about a chick Neil was dating in Brooklyn named Caroline.
• Bryan from Nashville, TnI 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.
• Rich from Joplin, MoI have been told that the song "sweet carolin" was written about Judith Caroline Slattery. Shelives in joplin mo
• John from Chapel Hill, NcThe University of North Carolina's marching band often plays this song during athletic events.
• Steve from Birmingham, AlThat's so cool. You know, Neil Diamond gets paid every time they play this song at a sporting event. What a great life.
• Charles from Charlotte, NcThis 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.
• Michael from Gloceseter, RiAs 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...
• John from Gaithersburg, MdNo one seems to know why or for whom Neil Diamond wrote this song for????? I can't even find it online anywhere.
• Carol from Coventry, RiI 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.
• Paul from Belfast, IrelandThis 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.
• Ryan from Mobile, Alhahaha it's a song i hate to like... darn you, neil diamond!
• Caitlin from Upper Township, Nji like this song. its fun and upbeat
• Mike from Germantown, MdI've been to a lot of Washington Nationals games and in I believe either the 6th or 8th inning they play this.
• Pete from Nowra, Australiamy 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

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