From the 1960s to the 1980s, Diamond was one of the more successful pop music performers, scoring a number of hits. As critic William Ruhlmann writes, "as of 2001, he claimed worldwide record sales of 115 million copies, and as of 2002 he was ranked third, behind only Elton John and Barbra Streisand, on the list of the most successful adult contemporary artists in the history of the Billboard chart."[1] As of May 2005 he has sold 120 million records worldwide, including 48 million records in the U.S.[2]
Though his record sales declined somewhat after the 1980s, Diamond continues to tour successfully, and maintains a very loyal following. Diamond's songs have been recorded by a vast array of performers from many different musical genres.
Diamond was inducted into the Songwriters Hall of Fame in 1984, and then in 2000 was given its Sammy Cahn Lifetime Achievement Award. He was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in the early part of 2011.
In 2008 Neil Diamond scored his first ever Billboard number one album with "Home Before Dark", the album also became his first studio album to get to number one in the UK.
And The Grass Won't Pay No Mind
Neil Diamond Lyrics
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Walking barefoot by the stream
Come on to me, Your hair's softly falling
On my face as in a dream
And the time will be our time
And the grass won't pay no mind
Saying nothing, lying where the sun is
My lips touch you, with their soft wet kisses
Your hands gentle in reply
And the time will be our time
And the grass won't pay no mind
Child, touch my soul with your cries
And the music will know what we've found
I, hear a hundred good-byes
But today I hear only one sound
The moment we're living is now
Now now now now now now now
Young bird flying, and a soft wind blowing
Cools the sweat inside my palms
Close my eyes, hear the flowers growing
As you lay sleeping in my arms
And the time will be our time
And the grass won't pay no mind
No the grass won't pay no mind
In Neil Diamond's song "And the Grass Won't Pay No Mind," the lyrics are painting a scene of two lovers spending time together in nature. As the song progresses, it becomes clear that the singer in the song is reflecting on a moment of blissful escape with a loved one. They describe walking barefoot next to a stream and being called by God. The passage of time is inconsequential in the moment, and they indulge in physical affection without concern for the world around them.
The singer invites their lover to touch their soul with their cries because the music will know what they've found together. The moment they are living in is now, and they are alone in their own world where the grass won't pay them any mind. They continue to exist within it, surrounded by the natural world, completely free of the constraints of everyday life. They lay together, feeling the gentle breeze, and listen to the soft sound of flowers growing.
On a deeper level, the song seems to offer a commentary on the importance of love and the fragility of life. The lovers' time together is finite and fleeting, but their connection is powerful and true. In the end, their love will be the only thing that matters when they look back on their lives, much like the grass that won't be affected by their presence - a timeless beauty in a fleeting world.
Line by Line Meaning
Listen easy, you can hear God calling
Take a moment to appreciate the peacefulness of nature and you may hear what seems like the voice of a higher being
Walking barefoot by the stream
Strolling along the edge of the water without shoes on
Come on to me, Your hair's softly falling
Approach me, while your hair gently cascades downward
On my face as in a dream
As if you are a figment of my imagination
And the time will be our time
We will enjoy a moment deservedly for ourselves
And the grass won't pay no mind
The plants around us will not give us any unwanted attention or judgement
Saying nothing, lying where the sun is
Quietly relaxing in a place where the sunlight can freely shine upon us
Baking down upon our sides
Its warmth absorbed by the skin on our sides
My lips touch you, with their soft wet kisses
I give you gentle kisses that are still wet with the taste of lips
Your hands gentle in reply
Interacting with me through gentle touches
Child, touch my soul with your cries
In a symbolic way, express your emotions to touch me emotionally
And the music will know what we've found
Our intense emotional connection will be perfectly accompanied by the music surrounding us
I, hear a hundred good-byes
Despite many others leaving or changing, our connection remains intact
But today I hear only one sound
In the current moment, your existence is the only thing I am aware of
The moment we're living is now
What really matters is the current moment in time
Young bird flying, and a soft wind blowing
A newly born bird is taking flight, which is accompanied by a gentle breeze
Cools the sweat inside my palms
The same breeze is reducing the amount of sweat in my hands
Close my eyes, hear the flowers growing
While shutting out the outside world, I am alble to concentrate on hearing flowers grow
As you lay sleeping in my arms
As you rest peacefully in my embrace
No the grass won't pay no mind
Nature remains neutral and continues on while we live in and experience the moment.
Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group
Written by: NEIL DIAMOND
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind