Neil Diamond reveals Sweet Caroline inpiration

I've never liked this song myself, but here you go ...

And for those that don't know, Caroline attended Elvis' funeral. She said she was there as a fan, so was able to go as a "celebrity", but she was actually working for a newspaper at the time.

DIAMOND REVEALS IDENTITY OF SWEET CAROLINE

LOS ANGELES, AP

Neil Diamond 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 said 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 such an innocent, wonderful picture, I immediately felt there was a song in there," Diamond said.

Thats a lovely story, i like the song but elvis version is the best one for me.
http://uk.youtube.com/watch?v=XyeFH8oieZM Heres a clip.:D
elvislady

Thank you for the article Getlo, now we know. Now I need to know more from you. Quite a few years ago I read that Caroline was not "sweet" at Elvis' funeral , that she behaved badly there or said some not so nice things. Do you have more information on this or was it more news trash?

Diane

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Originally Posted by Diane

Quite a few years ago I read that Caroline was not "sweet" at Elvis' funeral , that she behaved badly there or said some not so nice things. Do you have more information on this or was it more news trash?

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I think this is probably a rumour. I'd say she has more class than that.

Caroline was working for the New York Daily News in August 1977, and her article about the funeral appeared in the 1977 edition of Rolling Stone that was devoted to Elvis. (Issue 248, September 1977).

Here it is in full:

Close friends and relatives bid their private farewells to Elvis Presley at the 18-room mansion he called Graceland.

Police and private guards sealed off the estate, which had been visited by estimated 75,000 fans on August 17th, the day before the funeral. Out front, a steady stream of traffic moved along Elvis Presley Boulevard, as those closest to him moved through the mansion.

Later that afternoon I’d been talking with some other fans who were waiting to pay their respects and their manner had been quiet and retrained. Now, as they wandered around in the dark, they seemed looser, no longer afraid of losing their place in line.

Winslow "Buddy" Chapman, the director of police who looked like the advance man from NASHVILLE, invited me into the house, where a scarlet carpeted hall led into a large room with gold and white folding chairs. At the far end of the room was the gleaming copper coffin that contained the body of Elvis Presley. His face seemed swollen and his sideburns reached his chin.

"He doesn’t look anything like himself," the woman beside me said softly. "He just doesn’t look anything like himself."

A couple in their late 20s stood beside the casket. The woman was sobbing. The man had his arm around her. Behind the coffin, an arch led into another room where a clear glass statue of a nude woman stood high off the floor, twirling slowly, adorned by glass beads that looked like water. Potted plastic palms surrounded the coffin and on the wall was a painting of a skyline on black velveteen.

The plantation-style mansion was large and ornate. The entrance to the dining room was framed by floor-touching scarlet drapes tied with gold tassels. There was a massive mahogany dining table in the center of the room, surrounded by huge chairs upholstered in scarlet satin woven with gold thread and tiny rhinestones.

Priscilla Beaulieu Presley entered from a side hall. Her auburn hair was pulled away from her face and hung lose in the back. She wore little makeup and appeared calm. She and Elvis (who were divorced in 1973) had been married for six years. Their 9-year-old daughter, Lisa Marie, had been staying with her father when he died.

"Would you like a Coke or 7-Up?" Priscilla offered as she walked into the living room, which was paneled in mahogany and decorated with fur-covered African shields and spears.

The former Mrs. Presley seemed to be putting everyone at ease as she moved around the room greeting old friends. She had received the news of her ex-husband's death while lunching with her sister Michele in Los Angeles and had to wait almost five hours before she could contact the crew of Elvis’s private touring jet, the Lisa Marie. She came back to Memphis with her father, a retired Air force colonel, her mother and her sister. She was the only person in the room dressed in black.

"Would you like to meet Mr. Presley?" asked Priscilla as she lead the way to a small bedroom where Vernon Presley, the singer’s 61-year-old father was sitting on a couch with his second wife, Dee. He looked like an older, white haired version of his son. He introduced Elvis’s Uncle Vester, Aunt Delta, and Aunt Nash. Minnie Presley, Elvis’s 82-year-old grandmother, was resting in a corner chair. They were all staring at a local ten o’clock news show about the day’s events and the crowds that had been outside all day long. Nobody spoke.

At the front door, Charlie Hodge, Elvis’ rhythm guitarist, was standing near the guest book. He was a small man with dark, styled hair. He was wearing a blue leisure suit and gold pendant with the initials "TCB" above a lightning bolt. The pendant was a private joke between Elvis and the members of the "Memphis Mafia." It stood for "Taking Care of Business – with a flash."

"It’s really hard to believe," he said. "I went to the dentist with him on Monday night about 9:30. We were getting ready for the tour and we talked about the songs we’d use. But we never did rehearse. We just used to make up right on the stage." His eyes filled with tears and his voice choked. "I haven’t really had any sleep. I’ve been with Elvis all day. Just this afternoon I shaved his sideburns. It was the least I could do."

Outside the front door were hundreds of wreathes; some spelled "Elvis" in flowers, others were shaped like crowns, broken hearts, hound dogs and blue suede shoes.

Thank you Getlo, I'd like to think it was all rumor too, and thank you for the information in the article, I enjoyed reading it.

Diane

Thanks, for the article Getlo! It's great to hear how Neil Diamond was inspired to write that song! (y)

Thaks, elvislady for posting Elvis' version! :clap:

Is it true, that Elvis' co-stars weren't allowed to attend his funeral because Elvis' family didn't want to have too many people there? If so, how is it that Caroline was allowed to attend? I'm just asking because, I've read that Ann-Margret was the only co-star at his funeral..:hmm:

Sorry, to be off-topic here...:blush:

franny

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Originally Posted by franny

[B]Is it true, that Elvis' co-stars weren't allowed to attend his funeral because Elvis' family didn't want to have too many people there? If so, how is it that Caroline was allowed to attend?

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Elvis' associates were advised not to come; but they weren't prevented from attending. It was a matter of logistics. If everyone wanted to go actually turned up, there would've been thousands.

Caroline made it because she was a Kennedy, and no one said no to that family.

Only Ann-Margret and George Hamilton (of Elvis' friends, co-stars etc) turned up. But I really think more could have made the effort. People like John and Yoko sent large bouquets.

Yes, more could have made the effort, but maybe when advised not to come, they didn't want to go against the family's wishes at that time...

Thanks, Getlo! (y)

franny

Thank you for posting this! I love this song actually...If I got it right, Caroline didn't know she was the inspiration for this song???

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Originally Posted by Getlo

Elvis' associates were advised not to come; but they weren't prevented from attending. It was a matter of logistics. If everyone wanted to go actually turned up, there would've been thousands.

Caroline made it because she was a Kennedy, and no one said no to that family.

Only Ann-Margret and George Hamilton (of Elvis' friends, co-stars etc) turned up. But I really think more could have made the effort. People like John and Yoko sent large bouquets.

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I recall in one of the books I've read or something I heard in an interview somewhere that Vernon and others did not know Caroline was writing an article-they thought she was just paying her respects. Have you heard this or read this anywhere?

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Originally Posted by KPM

I recall in one of the books I've read or something I heard in an interview somewhere that Vernon and others did not know Caroline was writing an article-they thought she was just paying her respects. Have you heard this or read this anywhere?

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Yes, KPM I have always heard that. I think that has been told in more than one book, but I know it's in "Down at the End Of Lonely Street" and it may be in "Elvis" as well.

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Originally Posted by KPM

I recall in one of the books I've read or something I heard in an interview somewhere that Vernon and others did not know Caroline was writing an article-they thought she was just paying her respects. Have you heard this or read this anywhere?

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Yes, that's why she was able to get into Graceland. But the article she ended up writing was fine anyway.

Thanks for the info Getlo !
Love this song !