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.
Holly Holy
Neil Diamond Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Dream of only me
Where I am, what I am
What I believe in
Holly holy
Holly holy dream
Wanting only you
And she comes
Holly holy
(Sing) Sing a song
(Sing) Sing a song of songs
(Sing) Sing it out
Sing it strong (Sing, sing, sing, sing)
Yeah
Yeah
Call the sun in the dead of the night
And the sun's gonna rise in the sky
Touch a man who can't walk upright
And that lame man, he's gonna fly
And I fly
And I fly
Holly holy love
Take the lonely child
And the seed
Let it be filled with tomorrow
Holly holy
(Sing) Sing a song (Sing)
(Sing) Sing a song of songs (Sing)
(Sing) Sing it out (Sing)
Sing it strong (Sing, sing, sing, sing)
Yeah
Yeah
Call the sun in the dead of the night
And the sun's gonna rise in the sky
Touch a man who can't walk upright
And that lame man, he's gonna fly
And I fly, yeah
And I fly
Holly holy dream
Dream of only you
Holly holy sun
Holly holy rain
Holly holy love
The lyrics of Neil Diamond's "Holly Holy" seem to be a reflection of the artist's personal journey, particularly his spiritual journey. The repeated use of the phrase "holly holy" is a reference to the Holiness movement, which was a powerful spiritual movement in Diamond's youth. The lyrics express the artist's desire for connection with something deep and meaningful, something that is greater than himself. "Holly holy eyes dream of only me" can be interpreted as the search for a reflection of the spiritual self, which can only be found within.
Diamond's song then transitions into an expression of joy that can only be released through singing. The lines "Sing a song of songs. Sing it out, sing it strong" seem to encapsulate the idea that singing can be a powerful expression of one's spirituality. The phrase "yeah, yeah" that follows indicates that this is to be an experience of joy and celebration rather than a solemn reflection upon the spiritual journey.
The lyrics then move back into the idea of connectivity and the realization that what Diamond desires is already present. The lines "Call the sun in the dead of night, and the sun's gonna rise in the sky. Touch a man who can't walk upright and that lame man, he's gonna fly" suggest that through connection with the divine, anything is possible. The final lines "Holly holy dream, dream of only you. Holly holy sun, Holly holy rain, Holly holy love" sum up the entire message of the song. It is a desire for connection with something that is greater than oneself and the acknowledgement that this connection already exists.
Line by Line Meaning
Holly holy eyes
My lover's eyes are pure and holy, and they only desire to look at me
Dream of only me
The eyes mentioned previously hold a dream that includes only me
Where I am, what I am
The dream of my lover's holy eyes includes not just my physical presence but also my true self
What I believe in
My lover's holy eyes acknowledge and accept what I believe in, including my values and principles
Holly holy
My lover's holiness is all-encompassing and transcendent, embodying purity and divinity
Holly holy dream
The dream held by my holy lover is itself a transcendent experience, infused with divinity and purity
Wanting only you
My holy lover's dream is singular in its desire for me, excluding all others
And she comes
When my holy lover arrives, she brings with her a sense of sacredness and divinity
And I run just like the wind will
In response to my holy lover's arrival, I feel an unbridled sense of freedom and excitement, much like the wind
Holly holy
The transcendent experience of holiness is reiterated, emphasizing its pervasiveness and influence
Sing a song
The singer encourages his audience to engage in a joyous, uplifting song
Sing a song of songs
The song called for is one that speaks to the soul, conveying the essence of the divine
Sing it out
The song should be sung with intensity and enthusiasm, letting the message ring out
Sing it strong
Strength is required to sing the song of songs, as its message is profound and powerful
Call the sun in the dead of the night
The singer issues a bold call for the impossible, asking for the sun to rise in the dark of night
And the sun's gonna rise in the sky
Despite the seeming impossibility, the sun answers the call, rising in the sky as if to prove that anything is possible
Touch a man who can't walk upright
The artist calls for the healing of someone who is physically disabled
And that lame man, he's gonna fly
The healing is so complete that the formerly disabled man is able to fly, symbolizing newfound freedom and joy
And I fly
The singer identifies with the soaring man, feeling free and unencumbered by the constraints of the world
Holly holy love
The love that the artist and his holy lover share is itself pure and divine
Take the lonely child
The love shared between the artist and his holy lover lifts up those who are lonely and in need of connection
And the seed
The love shared between the artist and his holy lover is a fertile ground from which new life can grow
Let it be filled with tomorrow
That new life is full of hope and promise, symbolized by the concept of tomorrow
Holly holy
The pervasive holiness reappears as a closing statement, emphasizing the divinity present in all things
Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group
Written by: Neil Diamond
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
@DamienMcGuinness
Holly holy eyes, dream of only me
Where I am, what I am
What I believe in
Holly holy
Holly holy dream
Wanting only you
And she come
And I run just like the wind will
Holly holy
Sing a song
Sing a song of songs
Sing it out, Sing it strong
Yeah! Yeah!
Call the sun in the dead of the night
And the sun gonna rise in the sky
Touch a man who can't walk upright
And that lame man, he gonna fly
And I fly, yeah, And I fly
Holly holy love
Take the lonely child
And the seed
Let it be full with tomorrow
Holly holy
Sing a song
Sing a song of songs
Sing it out, sing it strong
Yeah! Yeah!
Call the sun in the dead of the night
And the sun gonna rise in the sky
Touch a man who can't walk upright
And that lame man, he gonna fly
And I fly, yeah
God (And) I fly
Holly holy dream
Dream 'bout only you
Holly holy sun
Holly holy rain
Holly holy love
@GlobalFLATTSman
Holly Holy
It’s some time after midnight on the nineteenth of January 1970 in the Greyhound bus droning its way across the northern New South Wales plains near Gilgandra.
The lads have settled down … it’s been a long day since we all took the oath in the morning to serve Queen and Country for the next nine years of our lives, in exchange for gaining a trade at the Army Apprentices School way down south past Melbourne in Victoria.
The excitement through the day has been palpable … a whole bunch of fifteen and sixteen year old young lads all setting out on the adventure of their lives … we are soldiers now! Meeting new people, learning of different backgrounds, hypothesising about what was facing us, bullshitting as only young men in buses full of emerging testosterone tend to.
For me it was a double dose of excitement. I had flown down from New Guinea where I had grown up, to do this, and hadn’t really had much to do with ‘the big smoke’ for a few years since spending time in Brisbane at Nudgee Junior College as a boarder with my two younger brothers. And here I was in a coach heading to regions only ever imagined, not having been south of the Queensland border. I can tell you the impression of the vastness of Australia was somewhat overwhelming …and we were only a small part of our way to our destination which to me as like being sent to a foreign country.
So here we are deep into the night, everyone asleep or deep within their own thoughts, wondering with fears and trepidations, probably starting to appreciate the enormity of what we had committed to … and across the coach radio we hear Neil Diamond singing that beautiful song ‘Holly Holy’ … the first time I had heard of him or his music, and to this day over half a century later every time I hear that song and melody it puts me right back there in that seat next to new mate Nick ‘Fod’ Koefoed. Nick jumped on his starbus many years ago now … sadly missed by all of us.
That day and the following days eventually were to shape our lives … lives within a unique brotherhood that has endured for all of us lucky enough to have been selected to be a part of something grand. To this day we ‘brothers from other mothers’ remain bonded by our shared experiences over the ensuing three years at Balcombe and subsequent military postings around our nation … we started out others and became life long brothers.
And ‘Holly Holy’ always takes me right back to the very start of it all, to re-live a life changing journey.
@billmurray7473
Happy Birthday 🎂 Neil Diamond.
Your music will live forever.
@kimgallagher6254
Neil Diamond knew exactly what he was doing when he crafted this masterpiece. It is a mixture of rock, country, gospel, smooth elegance and uplifting lyrics. You could sing this at the beach or at church. Such is the musical appeal to the masses. Neil Diamond is one to keep. If we find an anti aging drug, give it to this man first.
@MissezPremiseHello
Omg I forgot how much I loved Neil Diamond growing up.
I'm Verklempt.
@Staylecrate
Hush now. You're to good for him.Your going to marry a nice dancing singing doctor. There, done. Foot down.
@jens2763
This is an old person thing but I run to this man's perfect voice. Endorphins kick in early.. 🏃♀😆 Happy 83rd Birthday Neil Diamond!
@fabiovranes3168
Midnight Mass anybody ?
@Queenivy7
Proverbs…episode 3
@vicentemiroriestra6723
Fuiste más importante que mi.vida ,el tiempo pasó hablaba muy en serio busca tu felicidad te lo deseo de corazón
@zaynhso289
Yessssss
@SS_Josef
Yep