Before “Cracklin’ Rosie,” from 1970, became Neil Diamond’s first No. 1 hit, we were belting out his songs in the car, in the bar, and at backyard barbecues. How many times have you really sang the phrase from “Sweet Caroline” that goes, “Hands, touching hands”? Reaching out and touching both you and me.” And it was in 1969, which is over 50 years ago. Because of its “cultural and esthetic significance,” “Sweet Caroline” was really added to the Library of Congress’s National Recording Registry in 2019, according to the Mercury News. Yes. It’s a really catchy tune. Fun fact: According to Biography, Diamond created songs for other artists even before he started recording music of his own. Some of these songs include the Monkees’ “I’m a Believer” (1966) and “A Little Bit Me, A Little Bit You” (1967).
According to Billboard, this Brooklyn-born musician scored 13 top 10 hits, three of which peaked at number one.His accolades include inductions into the Songwriters Hall of Fame in 1984 and the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame in 2011, as well as a 2018 Grammy Lifetime Achievement Award and Kennedy Center Honors 2011 honoree. The guy is legendary. This hitmaker’s greatest weakness is the 1980 version of “The Jazz Singer.” Unfortunately, both the general audience and critics were unimpressed by Diamond’s big screen debut. According to Rotten Tomatoes, his “foray into acting is a total miss in this gaudy and unconvincing remake,” with a 19% rating. Most contentiously, though, he also wore blackface. Visit GritNEXT to learn more about the movie that hindered Neil Diamond’s career.
In the supposedly humorous scene (above), Neil Diamond’s character is pushed to wear blackface by his Black backing band before hitting the stage. Director Sidney J. Furie’s choice was discussed by remake screenwriter Stephen Foreman in an interview with Rich Wiseman for his 1987 book “Neil Diamond: Solitary Star.” Foreman stated, “I think he thought it was good entertainment.” However, I declared that I would never write that scene. It’s racist in the first place and b******* in the second.” Even yet, Diamond’s career didn’t suffer too severely, and for the part, he was awarded a Golden Raspberry for Worst Actor. Visit GritNEXT to learn more about the movie that hindered Neil Diamond’s career.
Furie’s decision was a nod to the original, which stars blackface comedian Al Jolson as a Jewish singer jazz singer who performs in blackface. But even though it was released in 1927, when blackface was more accepted than today, it has received criticism for its use of the practice just like the reboot. “‘The Jazz Singer’ does no favor to blacks,'” Michael Rogin wrote in a 1992 piece for Critical Inquiry. “The blackface jazz singer is neither a jazz singer nor black.” Indeed, Jolson’s career and its impact on culture has also faced scrutiny. “That Jolson rose to fame through minstrelsy is both grotesque and telling, a painful context that now (rightfully) overshadows, but hardly erases, his influence,” filmmaker and writer Caroline Golum wrote for Hyperallergic.
