Album: Velvet Gloves and Spit (1967)

Charted: 58

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• If I close my eyes
  I can almost hear my mother
  Callin', "Neil, go find your brother
  Daddy's home, and it's time for supper
  Hurry on"
  
  And I see two boys
  Racin' up two flights of staircase
  Squirmin' into Papa's embrace
  And his whiskers warm on their face
  Where's it gone
  Oh, where's it gone
  
  Two floors above the butcher
  First door on the right
  Life filled to the brim
  As I stood by my window
  And looked out on those
  Brooklyn Roads
  
  I can still recall
  The smell of cookin' in the hallways
  Rubber drying in the doorways
  And report cards I was always
  Afraid to show
  
  Mama'd come to school
  And as I'd sit there softly crying
  Teacher'd say, "He's just not trying
  He's got a good head if he'd apply it"
  But you know yourself
  It's always somewhere else
  
  I built me a castle
  With dragons and kings
  And I'd ride off with them
  As I stood by my window
  And looked out on those
  Brooklyn Roads
  
  Thought of going back
  But all I'd see are strangers' faces
  And all the scars that love erases
  But as my mind walks through those places
  I'm wonderin'
  What's come of them
  
  Does some other young boy
  Come home to my room
  Does he dream what I did
  As he stands by my window
  And looks out on those
  Brooklyn Roads Writer/s: NEIL DIAMOND
  Publisher: Universal Music Publishing Group
  Lyrics licensed and provided by LyricFind

Comments: 10

• Randy Ritchie from Lee’s Summit, MoThe best songwriters are vivid story tellers, and the very best can do it with only a few words - within the context of a pop song. They open up scenes in the mind that you might never contemplate on your own. Neil Diamond is one of those. I feel very fortunate to have grown up with his music, not to mention his wisdom.
• Steve Smith from WeymouthThe imagery, the melody, the lyrics, the vocal, the instrumentation - all are simply perfect. Beautiful beyond words. A truly wonderful composition. I've loved it from the first time I heard it. It means everything to me.
• Jerry In Glenville from Glenville, NyThe correct word in this title and lyrics is "Rows", not "Roads." There were no roads in Brooklyn in that area, there were city streets and avenues. There were, however, acres of Brooklyn Rows, or Row Houses, everywhere. Anyone growing up in Brooklyn there referred to those houses as "rows". He is clearly singing "And I looked out over those Brooklyn rows...."
  
  I believe it was overlooked and published by a careless producer as "Brooklyn Roads", because that's what his ears heard in the song, without giving it a second thought. By then it was too late, they were not going to admit such a mistake and change it.
  
  I have always heard "Brooklyn rows", and it makes perfect sense. Neil Diamond is a class act for not making a big deal of it, he clearly moved on, and that's fine, but in this digital age it's a pretty simple fix going forward, both in the song title, and in lyrics that are published online.
• Shem from OzThis one. Oh God, it's pure nostalgia and sentiment and a catch in his voice - and it pierces something inside till a deep sigh comes out. I just feel as though I was there too.....
• Jennifur SunDoes anyone know who played on this song? Thanks.
• Barry from Sauquoit, NyPer: http://www.oldiesmusic.com/news.htm {03-21-2018}...
  The Songwriters Hall of Fame announced Tuesday (March 20th, 2018) that their annual Johnny Mercer award (for a songwriter or songwriting team whose body of work is of such high quality and impact that it "upholds the gold standard set by the legendary Johnny Mercer”) will go to Neil Diamond. Neil will receive the award June 14th, 2018 in New York City...
  Personal Note: "Brooklyn Roads", my favorite of all his great records!!!
• Jennifur Sun from RamonaBarry, wasn't to good of a student either. can totally related to the Dreamer in the story.
• Barry from Sauquoit, NyOn May 5th 1968, "Brooklyn Roads" by Neil Diamond entered Billboard's Hot Top 100 chart at position #98; three weeks later on May 26th, 1968 it would peak at #58 {for 2 weeks} and spent 6 weeks on the Top 100...
  Was track five of side one from his first MCA's UNI album, 'Velvet Gloves and Spit'...
  Two other tracks from the album also made the Top 100 chart; "Two-Bit Manchild" {#66} and "Sunday Sun" {#68}.
• Susan from Atlanta, GeorgiaI absolutely love this song. Makes me homesick, and I'm not even from Brooklyn.
• Barry from Sauquoit, NyGreat, great song!!! {My favorite Diamond record}.
  What young boy can't related to the lyrics: "And report cards I was
  always afraid to show, Mama'd come to
  school; And as I'd sit there softly
  crying, Teacher'd say, "He's just not
  trying; He's got a good head if he'd apply
  it" But you know yourself, It's always
  somewhere else." (Boy did they hit home with me!!!}

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