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.
As If
Neil Diamond Lyrics
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Or the words that were finally said
It was more than the comin' or goin'
Or the things that were made in your head
It was more than a matter of wantin'
And needin' the foolish things I gave
As if I ever cared to make you cry
Yet you knew I was sorry
I dared to make you cry
As if I would
As if I could
As if I tried
But the words that were finally spoken
Like the thoughts that remain in my soul
And hearts that were finally broken
And embrace that never be hold
And the words that I never told you
But I told you, the foolish things I said
As if I ever cared to make you cry
I could've been right to know that I wasn't
Yet you knew that I was sorry
I dared to make you cry
As if I would
As if I could
As if I tried
As if I ever cared to make you cry
I could've been right to know that I wasn't
Yet you knew that I was sorry
I dared to make you cry
Could have been strong but the words didn't rhyme
And the things that would come between us
The lyrics of Neil Diamond's song "As If" describe a complicated relationship where the singer acknowledges he has hurt his partner, but also feels that the relationship was more complex than just the simple actions of coming and going or saying things that were hurtful. The singer reflects on the fact that he cared for his partner but made mistakes that caused her to cry. He also acknowledges that despite the mistakes he made, he still would have preferred for things to work out between them.
Throughout the song, the singer seems plagued by conflicting emotions. He recognizes that he was foolish in some of his actions but also seems regretful that the relationship ended. The lyrics suggest that there are words that he wishes he had said to his partner, but he never found the right way to express his feelings. Ultimately, the singer realizes that he made mistakes and hurt his partner, but he also wishes that things could have turned out differently.
Overall, the song speaks to the complexity of romantic relationships and the often-complicated emotions that come with them. Despite the singer's mistakes, he still feels a great deal of attachment to his partner, and the lyrics express a sense of longing for what could have been.
Line by Line Meaning
It was more than a matter of knowin'
This situation held more depth and complexity than mere knowledge or understanding.
Or the words that were finally said
It was not just the spoken language that mattered in the situation.
It was more than the comin' or goin'
The events of arrival and departure were not the only factors in this situation.
Or the things that were made in your head
The mental constructs and imaginings that each person brought to this situation were also significant.
It was more than a matter of wantin'
Simply having desires or needs was not enough to explain the complexities of the situation.
And needin' the foolish things I gave
Even though I provided foolish things to fulfill your needs, there was still more going on in this situation.
As if I ever cared to make you cry
It's as if I didn't care about your emotions enough to avoid making you cry.
Could've been right to know that it wasn't
I could have been correct in my assumption that I didn't care about your emotions, but in reality, I did.
Yet you knew I was sorry
Although my actions may have hurt you, you understood that I felt genuine remorse.
I dared to make you cry
I had the audacity or boldness to cause you emotional pain.
As if I would
It's as if causing you to cry wasn't something I would normally do.
As if I could
It's as if I didn't have the capability or power to avoid making you cry.
As if I tried
It's as if I didn't put in the effort to avoid causing you emotional pain.
But the words that were finally spoken
In this situation, the words that finally were said were significant.
Like the thoughts that remain in my soul
The thoughts and emotions associated with this situation continue to affect me deeply.
And hearts that were finally broken
The hearts of those involved in this situation ultimately suffered damage or pain.
And embrace that never be hold
A moment of physical or emotional embrace was prevented from ever occurring.
And the words that I never told you
There were certain words that I failed to express or communicate to you.
But I told you, the foolish things I said
Even though I failed to express certain things, I did communicate foolish things to you.
Could have been strong but the words didn't rhyme
It was possible for me to be strong or bold, but the words I needed to express my true feelings didn't come together correctly.
And the things that would come between us
There were obstacles or issues that prevented us from fully connecting or moving forward together.
Lyrics © BMG Rights Management, Universal Music Publishing Group
Written by: NEIL DIAMOND
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind