Introduction:
Neil Diamond, born on January 24, 1941, has been a defining voice in music for decades. He’s given the world unforgettable hits like “Sweet Caroline” and “Cracklin’ Rosie,” and tested out his acting chops in The Jazz Singer. However, in 2018, he announced his retirement from touring after being diagnosed with Parkinson’s disease.
Despite this, he continues to create music and inspire fans worldwide. While many people know his songs by heart, especially if you’ve ever been to a sports game, there are plenty of fascinating facts about Diamond that remain lesser known. Here are five things you never knew about the legendary singer-songwriter:
1. He once considered a career in medicine
Before he became a musical icon, Diamond had a very different career path in mind. He attended New York University on a fencing scholarship, which in itself is quite unusual. However, his original plan was to go into medicine. He was pre-med when music took over his life, and he decided to pursue songwriting instead of medicine, noting that he would get so bored in class that he would write songs and poems.
2. He wrote one of his biggest hits in less than an hour
Some of the best songs ever written take months to perfect, but that wasn’t the case for “Sweet Caroline.” Diamond has said that he wrote the song in just 45 minutes to an hour. The inspiration? A magazine photo of Caroline Kennedy, the daughter of the late President John F. Kennedy, sparked the idea for the lyrics. However, he later revealed that the song wasn’t actually about her — the name just fit perfectly with the melody. Regardless of its origins, “Sweet Caroline” has become a beloved anthem, played at everything from weddings to sporting events around the world.
3. Barbra Streisand was a classmate
Fame came quickly for both Diamond and fellow singer Barbra Streisand, but before they became music legends, they were just classmates. Both attended Erasmus Hall High School in Brooklyn, New York, and sang in the school choir. Years later, their paths crossed again when they recorded the duet “You Don’t Bring Me Flowers,” which became a massive hit.
4. Most expensive divorce ever
Diamond’s divorce from his second wife, Marcia Murphey, became a high-profile and expensive affair. In their settlement, he was forced to pay $150,000,000, setting a record as the most expensive divorce in history at the time.
5. He wrote several of the Monkees’ biggest hits
“I’m a Believer,” written by Diamond and recorded by the Monkees in 1966, was an instant hit. In fact, it was both the last number-one hit of 1966 and the biggest-selling single of 1967. And it wasn’t Diamond’s only contribution to the Monkees catalog, either: They also recorded his songs “Look Out, Here Comes Tomorrow,” “A Little Bit Me, A Little Bit You” and “Love to Love.” Diamond, of course, recorded his own versions of these songs as well.