There will always be a great deal of interest in the genesis of one of the greatest love songs of the 1960s. To fans across the world, it is one of the most recognisable songs of the 60s, a lively, catchy song to a girl known simply as Sweet Caroline. Now, 40 years after its release, the singer and songwriter Neil Diamond has revealed the inspiration behind the song: the Caroline in the song was Caroline Kennedy, now the only surviving child of President John F Kennedy.
Diamond, 66, revealed how he had never revealed the origins of the song with anyone, preferring to keep it to himself until the day he actually met Caroline face to face.
Diamond opened up, telling both the press and the song's subject about its origin, when he finally met the now Caroline Bouvier Kennedy Schlossberg, and performed the song for her 50th birthday. He stated that the song was quite important to him and one of his first really big hits, going onto to be a massive seller. “I have to thank her for the inspiration," he said. The song really made his mark and left the public in no two minds that Neil was a great songwriter and performer.
He told Associated Press that he was happy to have gotten it off his chest and to have expressed it to Caroline. “I thought she might be embarrassed, but she seemed to be struck by it and really, really happy."
The motivation for the song came from a photograph of the then nine-year-old Kennedy the singer saw in a magazine while staying at a hotel in Memphis.
"It was a picture of a little girl dressed to the nines in her riding gear, next to her pony," Diamond said. "It was such an innocent, wonderful picture; I immediately felt there was a song in there."
A few years later, Diamond penned the song inspired by the photograph. It became a hit, reviving his flagging career and eventually selling more than 2 million copies and providing countless karaoke singers with a chance to shine.
Ever popular the song recently reappeared in the singles chart in the US, thanks in part to the fact that it is belted out during home games at Fenway Park, home to the Boston Red Sox baseball team. "I think they consider it good luck," Diamond told the Associated Press, adding that the Red Sox have become his favourite baseball team.
Just for memories, here are the words to the great song – you can hum along to the melody…
Where it began
I cant begin to knowin
But then I know its growin strong
Was in the spring
And spring became the summer
Whod have believed youd come along
Hands, touchin hands
Reachin out
Touchin me
Touchin you
Sweet caroline
Good times never seemed so good
Ive been inclined
To believe they never would
But now i
Look at the night
And it dont seem so lonely
We fill it up with only two
And when I hurt
Hurtin runs off my shoulders
How can I hurt when Im with you
Warm, touchin warm
Reachin out
Touchin me
Touchin me
Sweet caroline
Good times never seemed so good
Ive been inclined
To believe they never would
Oh, no, no
Sweet caroline
Good times never seemed so good
Ive been inclined
I believed they never could
Sweet caroline
