Whew … I just finished a key-pounding rant and need some mellow music to bring my heart rate back into a normal range before I try to get some sleep.  I wish I knew the key to not letting things get to me, but … I suppose it’s just part of who I am.  Anyway, I left my mind open for a moment, hoping for something mellow, yet nice, and … guess who popped into that empty space in my head?  Neil Diamond!

Neil Diamond both wrote and recorded Song Sung Blue, and what surprised me was that his inspiration for the song was Mozart’s Piano Concerto #21.  I went and listened to Mozart’s piece and … yes, I could clearly hear the similarities.  I will play a short version of the Piano Concerto after Diamond’s song, just in case any of you are interested.

According to Diamond …

“This is one to which I never paid too much attention. A very basic message, unadorned. I didn’t even write a bridge to it… I had no idea that it would be a huge hit or that people would want to sing along with it.”

Contrary to his expectations, this hit #1 in the U.S., #2 in Canada, and #14 in the UK.  While Diamond didn’t think this song had hit potential, Russ Regan, who ran his record label Uni, was a believer, telling Diamond it would be his “biggest copyright ever.” Said Diamond …

“Although the lyric says everything I wanted it to say, there’s not much meat to it, but it turned out to be a major, major copyright.”

Song Sung Blue
Neil Diamond

Song sung blue
Everybody knows one
Song sung blue
Every garden grows one

Me and you are subject to the blues now and then
But when you take the blues and make a song
You sing them out again
Sing them out again

Song sung blue
Weeping like a willow
Song sung blue
Sleeping on my pillow

Funny thing, but you can sing it with a cry in your voice
And before you know, it get to feeling good
You simply got no choice

Me and you are subject to the blues now and then
But when you take the blues and make a song
You sing them out again

Song sung blue
Weeping like a willow
Song sung blue
Sleeping on my pillow

Funny thing, but you can sing it with a cry in your voice
And before you know, it started feeling good
You simply got no choice

Song sung blue
Song sung blue
Funny thing, but you can sing it with a cry in your voice

Source: LyricFind
Songwriters: Neil Diamond
Song Sung Blue lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group