Solitary Man
Diamond Neil Lyrics
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'Til the time that I found her
Holding Jim
And loving him
Then Sue came along, loved me strong
That's what I thought
Me and Sue
But that died too
Don't know that I will
But until I can find me
A girl who'll stay
And won't play games behind me
I'll be what I am
A solitary man
Solitary man
I've had it to here
Bein' where love's a small word
Part-time thing
Paper ring
I know it's been done
Havin' one girl who loves you
Right or wrong
Weak or strong
Don't know that I will
But until I can find me
A girl who'll stay
And won't play games behind me
I'll be what I am
A solitary man
Solitary man
Don't know that I will
But until I can find me
A girl who'll stay
And won't play games behind me
I'll be what I am
A solitary man
Solitary man, mm-mm, mm-mm
Solitary man, mm-mm, mm-mm
Solitary man
The song "Solitary Man" by Neil Diamond is a melancholic reflection on failed relationships and the singer's aversion to love. The introductory verse depicts a past relationship with a woman named Melinda that ended when the singer caught her with another man named Jim. He then moves on to another relationship with Sue, thinking that it might be different this time, but that too comes to an end. The chorus serves as a declaration of the singer's decision to live alone until he finds someone who will love him unconditionally and not betray him. He repeats the phrase "solitary man" several times, creating a sense of isolation and loneliness.
The second verse talks about the singer's jaded view of love, suggesting that it's just a small word and a part-time thing. He describes it as a "paper ring" which doesn't have any real value. He then admits that he has had a single, faithful lover in the past but implies that it's just another option that might not necessarily yield a happy ending. The final chorus restates the singer's commitment to a solitary life until he finds true love.
Line by Line Meaning
Melinda was mine
I used to have Melinda as my girlfriend
'Til the time that I found her
But then, I discovered something about her
Holding Jim
She was holding another man, named Jim
And loving him
And she loved him
Then Sue came along, loved me strong
Later on, I met a woman named Sue who seemed to love me deeply
That's what I thought
I believed that we had something special
Me and Sue
Together with Sue
But that died too
But eventually, our love faded away as well
Don't know that I will
I'm not sure if I'll ever find lasting love
But until I can find me
But until that happens
A girl who'll stay
Someone who will stick with me
And won't play games behind me
And won't be deceitful and unfaithful
I'll be what I am
I'll continue to be who I am
A solitary man
Someone who is alone
I've had it to here
I've reached my limit
Bein' where love's a small word
Being in relationships where love is trivialized and not truly valued
Part-time thing
Love that is not fully committed or invested in
Paper ring
A temporary or insincere symbol of commitment
I know it's been done
I'm aware that having multiple lovers is a common practice
Havin' one girl who loves you
Having just one woman who truly loves you
Right or wrong
Despite any mistakes or imperfections
Weak or strong
Whether I'm feeling vulnerable or powerful
Solitary man, mm-mm, mm-mm
I am a lonely person, and will likely remain so for a while
Lyrics ยฉ Universal Music Publishing Group
Written by: Neil Diamond
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
Rita Roquetto
Neil, thank you so much for sharing this true musical gem with us. I'm just here enjoying your voice and your songs. God bless you. ๐๐โคโค
Psalm91pv
oh for the day.... a REAL singer/songwriter...thanks for sharing your gift with us, Neil!
Charlie Buchanan
Wow !!! This sounds so good. Great job on this -- thank you so much. This is so fun to play guitar along with.
Marcus Bradford
This song is a true classic
Lana Ling
I adore ND! He wrote/sang such awesome!
gwyllt
I love this song
Husky Brutor
This man will be remembered 500 years from now along with Lennon and McCartney.
Leslie Abrassart
Nobody has such a special voice in the world for me.
It makes me feel something strange when I hear it. It may seem stupid to say that but it's as if an angel was talking ...
Matteo Romenghi
Timeless song.
McGannahan Skyjellyfetti
My ALL time favorite Neil Diamond song... ๐บ๐๐