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.
Cherry Cherry
Neil Diamond Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Oh, the girl's outta sight, yeah
Says she loves me yes, yes she does
Mmh, gonna show me tonight, yeah, hey
She got the way to move me, Cherry
She got the way to groove me
She got the way to move me (yeah, Cherry, baby)
Tell your momma, girl, I can't stay long
We got things we gotta catch up on
Mmh, you know, you know what I'm sayin'
Can't stand still while the music is playin', hey
Alright
Ain't got no right, no, no you don't
Oh, to be so exciting
Won't need bright lights, no, no we won't
Mmh, gonna make our own lighting, hey
She got the way to move me, Cherry
She got the way to groove me (Cherry, baby)
She got the way to move me (oh)
She got the way to groove me
No, we won't tell a soul where we gone to
Girl, we do whatever we want to
Ah, I love the way that you do me
Cherry, babe, you really get to me (hey)
Hey
She got the way to move me, Cherry
She got the way to groove me (Cherry, baby)
She got the way to move me (alright)
She got the way to groove me (Cherry)
She got the way to move me (I said)
She got the way to groove me (I said, Cherry, baby)
She got the way
In Neil Diamond's "Cherry Cherry,"
the singer is deeply enamored with his lover, whom he fondly calls Cherry. He assures his audience that Cherry loves him, and he loves her back. Her movements and grooves not only exhilarate him, but also captivate him. As he sings, "She got the way to move me, Cherry, she got the way to groove me," it is evident that perhaps their love is not just romantic, but also sexual.
The lyrics become increasingly suggestive as the singer hints at the couple's sexual intimacy. He tells Cherry to inform her mother that he can't stay long, for they have things to catch up on. The singer further declares, "Can't stand still while the music is playing." It is clear that the couple intends to engage in sexual activities throughout the night - to dance, to love, to explore. The singer even suggests that they won't tell anyone where they've gone to, and they intend to do whatever they want.
"Cherry Cherry" explores the elation and sense of freedom found within love and intimacy. The song portrays Neil Diamond’s raw, passionate vocals and infectious guitar riffs, making the song an iconic rock-and-roll classic. It spent 26 consecutive weeks on the Billboard Top 40 and became Neil Diamond's first top ten hit, marking the beginning of his illustrious career in music.
Line by Line Meaning
Baby loves me yes, yes she does
The woman he is with adores him and it is clear to him
Oh, the girl's outta sight, yeah
The woman he is with is amazing and incomparable
Says she loves me yes, yes she does
The woman he is with verbally expresses her love for him
Mmh, gonna show me tonight, yeah, hey
The woman he is with plans to show him how much she loves him later that night
She got the way to move me, Cherry
The woman he is with has a way of captivating and exciting him
She got the way to groove me
The woman he is with has a way of making him feel good
Tell your momma, girl, I can't stay long
He tells his companion that he can't stay long and hopes she'll tell her mother
We got things we gotta catch up on
He and his companion have things to do and things to talk about
Mmh, you know, you know what I'm sayin'
He is making sure his companion understands what he means
Can't stand still while the music is playin', hey
He enjoys the music and can't help but dance to it
Ain't got no right, no, no you don't
It is not appropriate to be so exciting
Oh, to be so exciting
He's impressed by how exciting his companion is
Won't need bright lights, no, no we won't
They don't need anything else to enhance their mood
Mmh, gonna make our own lighting, hey
They will create and maintain their own atmosphere without external assistance
No, we won't tell a soul where we gone to
They will keep their location a secret
Girl, we do whatever we want to
They are in control of the situation and can do what they please
Ah, I love the way that you do me
He enjoys the way his companion treats him
Cherry, babe, you really get to me (hey)
The woman he is with has a strong emotional impact on him
She got the way to move me, Cherry
The woman he is with has a way of captivating and exciting him
She got the way to groove me (Cherry, baby)
The woman he is with has a way of making him feel good
She got the way to move me (oh)
The woman he is with has a way of captivating and exciting him
She got the way to groove me
The woman he is with has a way of making him feel good
She got the way to move me (I said)
The woman he is with has a way of captivating and exciting him
She got the way to groove me (I said, Cherry, baby)
The woman he is with has a way of making him feel good
She got the way
The woman he is with has an impact on him in multiple ways
Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group
Written by: Neil Diamond
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
Nick McRyan
Neil Diamond is probably one of the greatest performers of all time if not the GOAT. The longevity he’s displayed is absolutely mind boggling. Most people like Paul Stanley from KISS for example push on way further than they should. In his case like 15 years or more.
Karen McDunn
Anybody who doesn't think that Neil belongs in the Rock & Roll HOF is just freakin crazy!!! NOBODY rocks like Neil & his Band!!! 👑🏆🥇🌟💖
Mark S
Keep in mind he’s like 71 years old here and he’s still showing how it should be done. I think without the Parkinson’s diagnosis he’d still be out there rocking.
Jeff Simone
Agreed people just jealous lol that's all.
Vanessa Timothy
He's AWESOME!!!!!!!!
Adrian Rickards
Neil is in the Rock and Roll HOF. He was inducted by Paul Simon.
MajasMusicMine
@Adrian Rickards Yes, 2011
shane Foster
I was born after his major heyday(1980. My generation still appreciated him. I loved this man's music. He was an amazing performer.
Lindsay Evans
His heyday was 1972 when he recorded Hot August Night. So sad he no longer writes good songs.
Gloria Williams
I love how Mr. Diamond selects some of the best mature musicians to perform with him...absolutely fabulous!!