[Date Prev][Date Next][Thread Prev][Thread Next][Date Index][Thread Index]

A Neil Diamond Question Found on the Web

I found this one at:

http://bshannon.ourway.com/ (follow the link from this frames-oriented
site to ROCKEOLOGY: ASK THE PROFESSOR)

A query from a reader  named Zalmi: 
Q: Neil Diamond mentions Julie/Juliet in 
1) "A Modern Day Version of Love" - Julie, how I've cursed the sweet taste 
2) "And the Grass Won't Pay No Mind" - As Julie's sleeping in my arms 
3) "Juliet" 

He also has a song "If I Never Knew Your Name" referring to a woman with
a famous name (Juliet?) Is this a coincidence or was there a Juliet in
Neil Diamond's life? Also, where can I get the studio version of "I
Dreamed a Dream" by N.D.? 

So, any Neil Diamond experts out there who can clear this one up? If so,
please e-mail bobshan101@pipeline.com, and I'll [bob shannon] pass along
the answers.

---

I wrote back to him with the following information:

I've been called "the queen of Neil Diamond trivia", so I will take an
attempt at this.

All three of these songs came out in late 1968/early 1969, when Neil was
in a relationship with but not yet married to his eventual wife, Marcia. 
(They stayed married about 25 years - late 1969 through 1994 or 1995, I
think.)

To my ears, it sounds like he is singing "Truly, how I've cursed the
sweet taste" in "A Modern Day Version of Love" and "As you lay sleeping
in my arms" in "And the Grass Won't Pay No Mind".  I've lately gotten
into collecting cover versions of Neil's songs.  Both of these songs
have been covered by at least one female artist each.  I'm almost certain
the female singers (Barbra Streisand's half sister Roslyn Kind on "A
Modern Day Version of Love" and Gloria Loring on "And the Grass Won't Pay
No Mind") are singing the lyrics I quote in this paragraph, but it also
sounds to me like this is what Neil's singing, too.

As for the studio version of "I Dreamed a Dream", I'd like to know that
answer, too!

For a great Neil Diamond fan exchange of messages, come to:

http://www.music.sony.com/Music/ArtistInfo/NeilDiamond/mess.html