Neil Diamond Records "Dreams"

September 2010 - Five decades into his career, Neil Diamond has finally made the album of his “Dreams”. On Nov. 1st, Sony Music will release “Dreams,” his 14-song collection comprising the legendary singer/songwriter’s favorite songs of other composers from the rock era.

“You never know how long you’ve got and a lot of these songs have been waiting for me to record them for 40 years”, says the soon to be 70 year old legend.

Known mostly as a song writer and stage performer, “Dreams” showcases Diamond’s distinctive skills as a singer.

The album includes music that deeply influenced Diamond as a young man growing up in Brooklyn, starting with “Let It Be Me,” popularized by the Everly Bros. in 1960.  The listener gets to time travel with Diamond as he so beautifully renders The Beatles’ stunning and spare “Blackbird” and the mournful “Yesterday,” Leon Russell’s  underrated classic “A Song for You,” Gilbert O’Sullivan’s heart-stopping “Alone Again (Naturally),”  Bill Withers soulful “Ain’t No Sunshine,” and includes a host of other well-known classics from the ‘60s and ‘70s.

Diamond also tackles hidden gems from his musical contemporaries such as “Don’t Forget Me,” from the late Harry Nilsson, and the Randy Newman compositions, “Feels Like Home,” and the poignant “Losing You.”

Diamond gets down to the basics on this album, accompanied by a single guitar for Glenn Frey and Don Henley’s cautionary “Desperado” and a breathtaking performance of Leonard Cohen’s celebrated “Hallelujah.”

Diamond even includes a never-before-heard reinterpretation of his own evergreen, "I'm a Believer," the biggest selling record of 1966, and a massive hit for the Monkees in a year when The Beatles dominated the airwaves.

"Neil is performing others’ songs he's always loved and in doing so it shows us why his instantly recognizable voice has made him one of rock and pop music's most consistently vital and beloved artists," says Steve Barnett, Chairman, Columbia Records.  "His song choices reflect the songwriting qualities he admires most, while his sublime vocals reveal his deeply-felt connections to this music.  ‘Dreams’ is an important addition to Neil's amazing catalog."

Across a musical career stretching nearly 50 years, Neil Diamond has sold more than 128 million albums worldwide. He has charted a staggering 37 Top 10 singles and 16 Top 10 albums. His last studio album, “Home Before Dark” (2008), debuted at #1 in the U.S. and internationally.  His 2009 DVD, “Hot August Night/ NYC,” has been certified double platinum. A Grammy Award-winning artist, Diamond is a member of the Songwriters Hall of Fame and is a recipient of the Sammy Cahn Lifetime Achievement Award, one of the highest honors bestowed upon songwriters.  Diamond’s many other achievements include a Golden Globe Award and 12 Grammy nominations. He was NARAS’s 2009 MusiCares Person of the Year.

Track Listing:

print