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.
Hell Yeah
Neil Diamond Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Is a hoot and a holler
From the start of the day
To the dark of the night
And that it's ringin' like a bell
That you only want to follow
Gotta trust me when I say
I'm just trying to get it right
Still I think about myself
As a lucky old dreamer
And if you're askin' me to tell
Is it worth what I paid
You gonna hear me say
Hell yeah, it is
And I say it loud
I loved it all
And I'm not too proud
I freed my soul just let it fly
Hell yeah, this crazy life around me
It confuses and confounds me
But it's all the life I've got until I die
Hell yeah, it is
If you're asking for my time
Isn't much left to give you
Been around a good long while
So I gotta say it fast
Time is all we'll ever need
But it's gotta have a meaning
You be careful how it's spent
'Cause it isn't going to last
I hear you wondering out loud
Are you ever gonna make it?
Will you ever work it out?
Will you ever take a chance
And just believe you can?
Hell yeah, you will
You're gonna be okay
And you might get lost
But then you'll find a way
Don't go alone
Can't be afraid
Hell yeah, this life is here and it's made for livin'
And love's a gift that's made for givin'
You give it all away and have it still
And hell yeah, you will
I've been living in a bowl
With a lot of people staring
With my feet on shaky ground
And my head up in the sky
But it's where I want to be
It's a life that's made for caring
Got a song to pass the day
And a girl to share the night
So if they ask you when I'm gone
Was it everything he wanted?
When he had to travel on
Did he know he'd be missed?
You can tell them this
Hell yeah, he did!
He saw it all
He walked the line
Never had to crawl
He cried a bit
But not for long
Hell yeah, he found the life that he was after
Filled it up with love and laughter
Finally got it right and made it fit
Hell yeah, he did!
Hell yeah, he did!
Hell yeah, he did!
Neil Diamond's song "Hell Yeah" is a reflective piece that captures the artist's thoughts on his life and the journey that he has taken. The lyrics paint a picture of a man who has lived a full and fulfilling life, with all its ups and downs, but who still acknowledges the importance of the life that he has led. From the first stanza, the artist makes it clear that he is fully aware of the twists and turns that life can take, but he is still focused on trying to steer his own course. He acknowledges that there are many people who might look at his life and see only the good, but he is quick to emphasize the hurdles that he has had to overcome to get to where he is.
In the second stanza, the artist goes on to mention that time is fleeting and that it is important to spend it wisely. He feels that time is the most precious commodity that we have and that we should be careful not to waste it. The artist encourages the listener to take risks and to believe in themselves, as they navigate the path that life lays out before them.
Overall, "Hell Yeah" is a powerful song that encourages listeners to live their lives to the fullest, to believe in themselves, and to always be mindful of time. It reminds us that, even in the face of adversity, a positive outlook and a strong sense of purpose can help us achieve our goals and lead meaningful lives.
Line by Line Meaning
If you're thinking that my life
If you believe that my life
Is a hoot and a holler
Is a non-stop party
From the start of the day
From the moment I wake up
To the dark of the night
To the time I go to bed
And that it's ringin' like a bell
And that it's incredibly successful
That you only want to follow
That you want to copy me
Gotta trust me when I say
Believe me when I tell you
I'm just trying to get it right
I'm just trying to do my best
Still I think about myself
I still see myself
As a lucky old dreamer
As fortunate old man who dreams big
And if you're askin' me to tell
And if you're asking me to say
Is it worth what I paid
Was it worth the sacrifices I made
You gonna hear me say
I'm going to tell you
Hell yeah, it is
Yes, it absolutely was worth it
And I say it loud
And I'm saying it with enthusiasm
I loved it all
I enjoyed every moment
And I'm not too proud
And I'm not ashamed
I freed my soul just let it fly
I let myself be free to enjoy life
Hell yeah, this crazy life around me
This wild life that surrounds me
It confuses and confounds me
It's bewildering and confusing sometimes
But it's all the life I've got until I die
But it's the only life I have until I pass away
If you're asking for my time
If you want me to dedicate my time
Isn't much left to give you
I don't have much time to spare anymore
Been around a good long while
I've been here for a while
So I gotta say it fast
So I need to say this quickly
Time is all we'll ever need
Time is the most important thing we have
But it's gotta have a meaning
But it must have a purpose
You be careful how it's spent
Be cautious about how you use it
'Cause it isn't going to last
Because it won't last forever
I hear you wondering out loud
I can hear you asking
Are you ever gonna make it?
Will I ever succeed?
Will you ever work it out?
Will I ever figure it out?
Will you ever take a chance
Will I ever take a risk?
And just believe you can?
And believe that I can do it?
Hell yeah, you will
Yes, you definitely will
You're gonna be okay
You're going to be fine
And you might get lost
And you may become confused
But then you'll find a way
But you'll figure it out
Don't go alone
Don't do it by yourself
Can't be afraid
Don't be scared
Hell yeah, this life is here and it's made for livin'
This life is meant to be lived to the fullest
And love's a gift that's made for givin'
And love is meant to be shared
You give it all away and have it still
You can give it all and still have more to give
And hell yeah, you will
And yes, you definitely will
I've been living in a bowl
I've been living in a fishbowl
With a lot of people staring
With many people watching
With my feet on shaky ground
My foundation is not solid
And my head up in the sky
And I have unrealistic expectations
But it's where I want to be
But this is where I want to be
It's a life that's made for caring
It's a life meant to be spent caring for others
Got a song to pass the day
I have a song to get me through the day
And a girl to share the night
And a woman to spend my nights with
So if they ask you when I'm gone
So if someone asks you when I've passed away
Was it everything he wanted?
Did he live the life he wanted?
When he had to travel on
As I had to move on
Did he know he'd be missed?
Did he realize he would be missed?
You can tell them this
You can say this
Hell yeah, he did!
Yes, he did!
He saw it all
He experienced everything
He walked the line
He found balance in life
Never had to crawl
He never had to submit himself
He cried a bit
He got emotional at times
But not for long
But he didn't stay sad for too long
Hell yeah, he found the life that he was after
Yes, he found the life he was seeking
Filled it up with love and laughter
He filled it with love and happiness
Finally got it right and made it fit
He finally found what he was looking for and made it work
Hell yeah, he did!
Yes, he certainly did!
Hell yeah, he did!
Yes, he absolutely did!
Hell yeah, he did!
Yes, he definitely did!
Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group
Written by: NEIL DIAMOND
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind