Cherry, Cherry
"Cherry, Cherry" is a song written, composed, and recorded in February - March 1966 by American musician Neil Diamond. The song (originally intended as a demo) was arranged by Artie Butler and produced by Jeff Barry and Ellie Greenwich. It was issued as a 45 single in 1966 and became Diamond's first big hit,[1][4] reaching #6 on both the Billboard Hot 100 chart,[4] in October 1966,[1] and the Cash Box chart. Greenwich came up with the chorus and can be heard as the prominent background voice, accompanied by Jeff Barry. Diamond has stated that the song was inspired by an early relationship with a significantly older woman.[5]
| "Cherry, Cherry" | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
 | ||||
| Single by Neil Diamond | ||||
| from the album The Feel of Neil Diamond | ||||
| B-side | "I'll Come Running" | |||
| Released | July 1966[1] | |||
| Recorded | February - March 1966 | |||
| Genre | Pop rock | |||
| Length | 2:39 (studio single)[2] 3:56 (live single)[3] | |||
| Label | Bang | |||
| Songwriter(s) | Neil Diamond | |||
| Producer(s) | Jeff Barry, Ellie Greenwich | |||
| Neil Diamond singles chronology | ||||
| ||||
In 1973 a live recording of "Cherry, Cherry" was issued as a 45 single from Diamond's live album Hot August Night (1972). The live version hit #24 on the Cash Box chart and #31 on the Billboard Hot 100 chart.[4] Billboard said that "the live sound and the bouncing arrangement makes it almost a different song" from the original studio version.[6]
Rolling Stone would later label "Cherry, Cherry" as "one of the greatest three-chord songs of all time."[7]
Session guitarist Al Gorgoni (who later played on "The Sound of Silence" by Simon & Garfunkel and "Brown Eyed Girl" by Van Morrison) contributed to the song.
Two versions of "Cherry, Cherry" have been released. The version familiar to most listeners was recorded in late January 1966 and released by Bang Records in mid-1966, and was recorded as a demo, with Butler on keyboards, and Barry and Greenwich on backing vocals and hand-claps.[8] The other version, with different lyrics and originally intended to be released as the single, was finally released by Diamond and Sony Music Entertainment in 1996 on the compilation album In My Lifetime.
Cover versions
- Dizzy Gillespie recorded a cover of this song for his 1966 LP, The Melody Lingers On (on Limelight Records).
- The Music Machine recorded a cover of this song on their 1966 LP, (Turn On) The Music Machine (on Original Sound).
- Joe Dassin recorded a cover of this song in French on their 1970 LP, Joe Dassin (La Fleur aux dents) (on CBS Disques).
- Jonathan King recorded a cover of this song in 1970 and it became a hit all over Europe, especially in the Netherlands, Belgium and France.
- Kramer recorded a cover of this song for his 2012 solo LP, The Brill Building (on Tzadik Records).[9] Sung entirely in Spanish/Cubano, it is the first known version of the song to have not been sung in English.
References
- William Ruhlmann. "Neil Diamond: Biography". Allmusic. Retrieved 2008-04-30.
- "Neil Diamond – Cherry, Cherry". Discogs. Retrieved 2015-06-18.
- "Neil Diamond – "Cherry Cherry" from Hot August Night". Discogs. Retrieved 2015-06-18.
- Whitburn, Joel (1983). The Billboard Book of Top 40 Hits: 1955 to present. Billboard Publications. ISBN 0-8230-7511-7. p. 88.
- Jackson, Laura (2005). Neil Diamond: His Life, His Music, His Passion (ECW Press), page 112.
- "Radio Action & Pick Singles" (PDF). Billboard. March 10, 1973. p. 53. Retrieved 2020-07-29.
- Dan Epstein (2005-11-03). "Neil Diamonds' Jewels". Rolling Stone. Archived from the original on July 25, 2008. Retrieved 2008-05-08.
- "Cherry, Cherry by Neil Diamond". Songfacts. Retrieved 2015-06-18.
- "Kramer: The Brill Building > Review". Allmusic. Retrieved July 17, 2015.
