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.
God Rest Ye Merry Gentlemen
Neil Diamond Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Let nothing you dismay
Remember Christ our Savior
Was born on Christmas Day
To save us all from Satan's power
When we were gone astray
O tidings of comfort and joy
Comfort and joy
From God our heavenly Father
A blessed angel came
And unto certain shepherds
Brought tiding of the same
How that in Bethlehem was born
The Son of God by name
O tidings of comfort and joy
Comfort and joy
O tidings of comfort and joy...
And joy...
The first verse of "God Rest Ye Merry, Gentlemen" reminds listeners to not despair and feel comforted since Christ, their Savior, was born on Christmas Day to help them if they go astray. The lyrics imply that even in moments of darkness or feeling lost, one can find hope and peace by remembering the true meaning of Christmas: the arrival of a divine figure to guide and save them. The song emphasizes the religious significance of the holiday and emphasizes that Christ's birth was supposed to offer a light to those who are lost or struggling in their faith.
The second verse details how the news of Christ's birth was first delivered to a group of shepherds by an angel sent by God. The angel tells the shepherds that Christ was born in Bethlehem, as a son of God. The lyrics here suggest to the listener that the news of Christ's birth was first given to ordinary people, emphasizing how important the birth was to people of all backgrounds, and not just the wealthy or religious authorities. The Christmas story in the song is about everyone, from the highest to the lowest.
Line by Line Meaning
God rest you merry, gentlemen
May you be at peace and joyful, dear men
Let nothing you dismay
Do not be discouraged by anything
Remember Christ our Savior
Keep in mind that Jesus Christ is our rescuer
Was born on Christmas Day
He was born on the 25th of December
To save us all from Satan's power
He came to rescue us from the grasp of Satan
When we were gone astray
When we were lost and misguided
O tidings of comfort and joy
News that brings both peace and delight
Comfort and joy
Peace and delight
O tidings of comfort and joy
News that brings both peace and delight
From God our heavenly Father
The news came from our divine creator
A blessed angel came
An angel full of grace appeared
And unto certain shepherds
And to some particular shepherds
Brought tiding of the same
Delivered the same message
How that in Bethlehem was born
That a child was born in Bethlehem
The Son of God by name
The child was the divine Son of God
And joy...
And delight...
Lyrics © Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC, Warner Chappell Music, Inc.
Written by: BERGDAHL, COLE, TRADITIONAL
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
Alycia Henry
NEIL DIAMOND TODAY I JUST WANT TO TELL YOU THAT LAST NIGHT I GOT TO SEE MY DAD BECAUSE LAST NIGHT BEFORE MY DAD CAME MY DAD HAD ASKED ME WHERE I WANTED TO GO AND I TOLD HIM STARS AND SO MY DAD AND I WENT TO THIS RESTAURANT CALLED STARS FOR DINNER AND SO THAT IS WHAT MY DAD AND I DID AND WHAT I GOT SHRIMP SPAGHETTI AND SO THAT IS WHAT MY DAD AND I DID AND THEN I HAD TOLD MY DAD THAT I NEED TO GET A BOX OF BAND AIDS AND AT CVS THEY HAVE CRAYON BAND AIDS AND ALSO MY DAD HAD TO GET SOME ALSO BECAUSE HE DIDN'T HAVE ANY AND SO THAT IS WHAT WE DID AND THEN MY DAD HAD TO BRING ME BACK TO MY HOUSE AND THEN AFTER THAT HE WENT HOME TO HIS HOUSE AND SO THAT IS WHAT HE DID LAST NIGHT DIAMOND BECAUSE THIS SATURDAY DON'T FORGET WE CHANGE THE CLOCKS BACK NEIL DIAMOND BECAUSE IT IS THIS SATURDAY BECAUSE THIS YEAR IT IS THIS WEEKEND THAT WE DO THAT NEIL DIAMOND AND ALSO LAST NIGHT WHEN I HAD TO MY MOM SHE TOLD ME THAT MY LITTLE GIRL LILY 'S PERIOD AND SHE TOLD ME YES AND THEN I HAD TO ASK MY MOM IF I COULD HOLD HER AND SO THAT IS WHAT I HAD TO ASK MY MOM BECAUSE THIS FRIDAY I GET TO GO WITH MY MOM TO HER HOUSE BECAUSE NOW THAT MY MOM'S EYES ARE GETTING MUCH BETTER MY MOM TOLD ME SHE CAN NOW DRIVE OVER AND PICK ME UP AND SO THAT IS WHAT SHE TOLD ME WHEN I HAD TO CALL MY MOM LAST NIGHT ON MY PHONE AND ALSO WHEN I WAS ON MY PHONE WITH MY MOM I GOT TO TALK TO LILY MY LITTLE GIRL DOG AND WHEN I TALK TO HER SHE WAGES HER TAIL AND SO THAT WHAT SHE DOSE WHEN I AM ON MY PHONE BECAUSE WHEN I WAS ON MY PHONE WITH MY MOM SHE TOLD ME THAT SHE IS LEARNING HOW TO SIT STAY AND SO THAT IS WHAT MY MOM TOLD ME LAST NIGHT WHEN I HAD TO CALL MY MOM NEIL DIAMOND BECAUSE THIS YEAR I JUST WANT TO TELL YOU THAT YOU ARE MY FAVORITE SINGER AND THAT YOU ARE A WONDERFUL GUITAR PLAYER WHEN YOU PLAY YOUR GUITAR AND SO THAT IS WHY NEIL DIAMOND I LOVE YOU A LOT
Titan52berg
You have heard of a little grammatical element called 'punctuation,' haven't you?
Francine Verhecke
Toutes des chansons magnifiques et aussi une très belle voix que dire d’autres que tout ce que tu chantes Neil Diamond c’est magnifique Bravo et Merci ❤️❤️❤️❤️🇫🇷
Lynn T
I can listen to that one all night! Especially when they hit that 7th chord on the tag!!
Taczylo Taczylo
Thank you for sharing. I love him so much forever, forever and ever.
Mª Isabel García Ruíz
Estoy descubriendo un Neil Diamond que no conocia pero que fantástico estás , te felicito por todo, desde Ibiza España cuidense mucho mi chico guapo
Alycia Henry
NEIL DIAMOND I LOVE YOU
Alycia Henry
NEIL DIAMOND I THINK THAT I LOVE ALL OF YOUR MUSIC SONGS BECAUSE THIS YEAR I AM GOING TO BE WITH MY MOM THIS FRIDAY NIGHT BECAUSE I JUST WANT TO KNOW DID YOU WRITE ALL OF YOUR CHRISTMAS SONGS BECAUSE I JUST WANT TO ASK IF YOU WROTE SANTA CLAUS IS COMING TO TOWN AND ALL OF THE OTHER ONES ALSO BECAUSE WHEN YOU SING THAT SONG AND PLAY YOUR GUITAR TO DO THAT SONG I THINK THAT YOU SING WONDERFUL WHEN YOU SING AND I ALSO THINK THAT YOU PLAY THAT SONG WONDERFULLY WHEN YOU PLAY YOUR GUITAR BECAUSE NEIL DIAMOND I THINK THAT YOU HAVE WONDERFUL SINGING SKILLS AND ALSO WONDERFUL GUITAR PLAYING SKILLS WHEN YOU PLAY IT NEIL DIAMOND AND SO THAT IS WHY I LOVE ALL OF YOUR SONGS YOU SING
Diane and Bruce Odell
It's for "all you tree people too." Remember the tree people from the Greek theatre Hot August Nights concert years ago.
Alycia Henry
NEIL DIAMOND THIS YEAR WHEN I WAS WITH MY MOM SHE TOLD ME THAT LILY IS STARTING TO LEARNING HOW TO WALK NICELY BECAUSE WHEN I WAS WITH MY MOM YESTERDAY MY MOM AND I GOT TO TAKE THEM FOR A WALK AND I TOLD HER TO STAY WITH ME AND SHE DID AND THEN ON THE WAY BACK TO THE HOUSE MY MOM TOLD HER TO SIT SO THAT I COULD PICK HER UP AND CARRY HER BACK SHE SAT AND SO I GOT TO PICK HER UP AND CARRY HER BACK TO THE HOUSE AND AFTER THAT I GOT TO GIVE HER A HUG BEFORE I CAME HERE AND SHE LOVES IT WHEN I DO THAT TO HER