Forever In Blue Jeans by Neil Diamond

Album: You Don't Bring Me Flowers (1978)

Charted: 16 20

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Songfacts®:

Neil Diamond said the message of this song is, "The simple things are really the important things."

The song is certainly not literal, as Diamond is rarely seen wearing blue jeans. (quote from David Wild's He Is...I Say: How I Learned to Stop Worrying and Love Neil Diamond)
"Forever In Blue Jeans" found a new audience when Will Ferrell impersonated Neil Diamond singing it in a 2001 Gap commercial. "I wrote this song on the back of a Dixie cup," he says before singing it.
Neil Diamond has a talent for writing lyrics that are straightforward yet very profound. The opening line here is a great example:

Money talks, but it don't sing and dance and it don't walk

It's his own unique way of saying money can't buy love, and it really connected with listeners. Diamond is a superstar but never fell out of touch with his fans. This is reflected in his songs, which have an enduring quality that has spanned generations.
When he performed, Diamond wore very flashy, highly reflective outfits - quite the opposite of demin. So there was a touch of irony when Diamond sang "Forever In Blue Jeans" while wearing leather pants, but his intention aligned with the message of the song: Diamond dressed glitzy on stage so fans with seats far from the stage could see him better.
"Forever In Blue Jeans" wasn't a big hit, charting at #20 when it was released in 1978, but it had legs, remaining popular long after to become one of Diamond's best-known songs and a live favorite.
Diamond had a bit of a dry spell before putting out his 1978 album You Don't Bring Me Flowers. The title track, a duet with Barbra Streisand, put him right back on top - the song was a #1 hit. "Forever In Blue Jeans" was his next single; over the next few years he had another run of hits with songs like "September Morn" and "Love on the Rocks."
Neil Diamond fans will enjoy the 2008 documentary Song Sung Blue and its 2025 movie adaptation of the same name starring Hugh Jackman as Mike Sardina of the Diamond tribute duo Lightning & Thunder. A milestone for the duo came in 1995 when Pearl Jam brought them on stage at the Summerfest festival in Milwaukee, where they perform "Forever In Blue Jeans" along with Eddie Vedder. The song Vedder asked them to play was "Song Sung Blue," but Sardina, who didn't know who Vedder was before they met, talked him out of it. "This song ain't about 'Song Sung Blue.' I think they're more about 'Forever In Blue Jeans,'" he says in the 2008 film.

Comments: 15

Linda Croucher from Topeka KsMy favorite singer and entertainer of all time
AnonymousBlue Jeans is just plain AMERICAN PERIOD!!!
Jennifur Sunhave wondered who played on this song I know Neil used the Wrecking Crew for some of his songs
Barry from Sauquoit, NyOn this day in 1979 {February 11th} "Forever In Blue Jeans" by Neil Diamond peaked at #2 {for 2 weeks} on Billboard's Easy Listening chart, for the two weeks it was at #2, the #1 record for both those weeks was "I Just Fall In Love Again" by Anne Murray...
"Forever In Blue Jeans" reached #20 {for 1 week} on Billboard's Top 100 chart...
Between 1969 and 2016 the Brooklyn, NY native had fifty-nine records on the Easy Listening/Adult Contemporary chart, thirty-six made the Top 10 with eight reaching #1...
Three of his fifty-nine charted records were duets; "You Don't Bring Me Flowers" with Barbra Streisand {#3 in 1978}, "Hooked On The Memory of You" with Kim Carnes {#23 in 1992}, and "Delirious Love" with Brian Wilson {#27 in 2006}...
Neil Leslie Diamond celebrated his 80th birthday last month on January 24th, 2021...
And from the 'For What It's Worth' department, the remainder of the Easy Listening Top 10 on February 11th, 1979:
At #3. "Lotta of Love" by Nicolette Larson
#4. "The Gambler" by Kenny Rogers
#5. "Crazy Love" by Poco
#6. "Somewhere In The Night" by Barry Manilow
#7. "No Tell Lover" by Chicago
#8. "A Little More Love" by Olivia Newton-John
#9. "Don't Cry Out Loud" by Melissa Manchester
#10. "Dancin' Shoes" by Nigel Olson
Merril from BfeI always thought it was Reverend Blue Jeans.
Jenny from SydneyThe line "Forever in Blue Jeans" is an analogy of being more than satisfied with the simple things in life Listen closer to the entire lyric and this is actually VERY EASY to understand It's just so obvious that being happy with the life you have rather than having to have the biggest and the best of everything is the meaning behind this beautiful (and fun) song.
Jennifur Sun from RamonaForever in Blue Jeans works for this child. grew up in them. One of my top fav tunes from Neil.
Steve from OttawaA great tune but some of the lyrics are a bit lame, like the whole money bit. But the image of laying down beside your girl, wearing her tight, worn old jeans, is a great one.
Susan from Atlanta, GeorgiaNeil Diamond is a master of showmanship and he truly knows how to play to his audience and work the crowd. I have seen him in concert three times, and in the first two, this was the song he would use to get the most audience participation going. Not my favorite of his songs, but I do like it, and I associate this one with his concerts more than any other.
Barry from Sauquoit, NyHere's some obscure trivia:
On May 20th 1873, Levi Strauss began marketing denim work pants that featured copper rivets (later they became known as blue jeans)...
And a little under 106 years later on January 21st, 1979 Neil Diamond's "Forever in Blue Jeans" entered Billboard's Hot Top 100 chart at position #66; eight weeks later on March 18th, 1979 it would peak at #20 {for 1 week} and it stayed on the chart for 11 weeks...
On February 11th, 1979 it reached #2 {for 2 weeks} on Billboard's Adult Contemporary Tracks chart; the two weeks it was at #2, the #1 record for those two weeks was "I Just Fall in Love Again" by Anne Murray.
Esskayess from Dallas, Tx"I'd much rather be The Reverend Bluejeans."
Beth from San Francisco, CaI always thought this song was kind of weird, at least coming from a male singer. You hear about women sacrificing money for love, but usually men do not make that sacrifice.
Larry from Coral Springs, FlI thnk of this song whenever i take up half a week wearing just that.
Lisa from Eveleth, Mni LOVE this song!!! neil diamond rocks
Zabadak from London, EnglandMy mum used to think this was called Reverend In Blue Jeans!

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