It is hard to believe that a song that stayed at the top of the charts for two weeks started as a tiny jingle for a television show. Neil Diamond wrote a short tune that lasted only forty-five seconds for a show called All That Glitters.
The boss of the show decided the song did not fit and he threw the idea away. Neil did not let the song die. He later turned it into a full story about a couple losing their spark. This led to a night at the 1980 Grammy Awards that people still talk about today.
Neil Diamond and Barbra Streisand Live at the 1980 Grammys
Neil and Barbra were actually high school classmates many years ago. They did not just sing a song They acted out a story of two people who had been married for twenty years. You can see the pain in their eyes as they realize they do not talk anymore. They stood close and looked at each other with so much focus that the rest of the world seemed to disappear.
Fans who watched this live remember holding their breath during the final notes. One viewer said that the way they looked at each other made her heart ache. Another person mentioned that no two voices have ever blended so perfectly while telling such a sad story.
While that stage performance felt like a final goodbye. The story of how they actually got together in the recording studio is just as special.
In this interview, Neil often thinks back to those days when they had a bond back to their days in the school choir. Even though the song was born from a rejected TV project, it found a new life because of their history.
Neil Diamond Interview on Working With Barbra
Neil shares that it only took two or three tries to get the perfect recording. He explains that they did not even plan to do a duet at first. A radio man in Kentucky had mixed their two separate versions together because his wife was going through a divorce. The fans loved it so much that the record company had to bring them together.
Neil Diamond has a way of writing songs that feel like they are reading your own diary. He reminds us that even when things do not work out the first time, there is always a second chance for greatness. Follow Neil Diamond on Facebook, Instagram, and YouTube to keep the music playing.