Everyone must listen to “Sweet Caroline,” a song. It would be difficult to find someone who doesn’t at least recognize the chorus of the well-known Neil Diamond song and won’t sing the words “SO GOOD! SO GOOD! SO GOOD!” as if they were the lyrics.
As a good luck charm, the song is always played before the bottom of the eighth inning at every game for Boston Red Sox supporters because it has become anthemic.
But the song’s origins have always been a bit of a mystery. Which Caroline? When the song was released, Diamond was already wed to his wife Marcia, thus it most definitely wasn’t about her. People attributed it as being a song meant to appeal to the public that was emotionless but curiously erotic.
But when it came time to divulge the inspiration for “Sweet Caroline,” Diamond did so, and if we’re being completely honest, it’s sort of disturbing.
Diamond said in 2007 that the song “Sweet Caroline” was actually based on a young Caroline Kennedy. Kennedy was shown riding a horse on the cover of a magazine when he was no older than 12 years old. Diamond connected with the image.
He said, “It was a photo of a small girl all decked up in her riding attire, next to her pony. It was such a sweet, lovely picture that I knew right away that there was a song in it.
Until you start to read the lyrics, it sounds innocent enough.
And now I, I look at the night, whooo
And it don’t seem so lonely
We fill it up with only two, oh
And when I hurt
Hurting runs off my shoulder,
How can I hurt when holding you?
Yikes.
In reference to Kennedy, Diamond remarked, “I have to thank her for the idea. It was a No. 1 single and arguably is the largest, most important song of my career.” “I’m relieved to have spoken to Caroline about it and to have gotten it off my chest. Although she appeared to be impressed by it and really delighted, I had worried that she may be embarrassed.”
The source of the inspiration might seem strange, and when Diamond discussed the song years later, some started to wonder if it was really true. Diamond claimed in 2014 that his ex-wife served as his inspiration.
“In Memphis, Tennessee, I was composing a song for a session. I needed a moniker with three syllables, “Diamond stated at a performance. The song was about my then-wife Marcia, but I was unable to come up with a rhyme for the name.
