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.
If You Know What I Mean
Neil Diamond Lyrics
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When the evening comes to set me free
When the quiet house that wait beyond the day
Make peaceful sounds in me
Took a drag from my last cigarette
Took a drink from a glass of old wine
I closed my eyes, and I could make it real
And feel it one more time
Can you hear it, babe
Can you hear it, babe
From another time
From another place
Do you remember it, babe
And the radio played like a carnival tune
As we lay in our bed in the other room
When we gave it away for the sake of a dream
In a penny arcade, if you know what I mean
Here's to the songs we used to sing
And here's to the times we used to know
It's hard to hold them in our arms again
But hard to let them go
Do you hear it, babe
Do you hear it, babe
It was another time
It was another place
Do you remember it, babe
And the radio played like a carnival tune
As we lay in our bed in the other room
When we gave it away for the sake of a dream
In a penny arcade, if you know what I mean
"If You Know What I Mean" by Neil Diamond is a song that captures the essence of nostalgia and longing for simpler times. The opening lines, "When the night returns just like a friend, When the evening comes to set me free" evoke a sense of comfort and familiarity that one longs for after a tiresome day. The quietness of the house beyond the day releases peaceful sounds and makes him reminisce about the past. One can picture the singer sitting back relaxing and doing some reminiscing.
The singer indulges in smoking his last cigarette and sipping old wine. He closes his eyes and travels back in time where he can relive the memories and emotions of the past. These memories are so vivid, that he can "make it real and feel it one more time." The chorus emphasizes these thoughts and feelings, as he asks if his lover remembers those times. The radio played like a carnival tune as they lay in bed, and they gave it all away for the sake of a dream in a penny arcade.
The song ends with a tribute to the past, with a recognition that those times can never be relived fully. The fleeting memories we hold onto are hard to come by, but even harder to let go. The song captures the bittersweet aftertaste of memories that we hold onto as we move on to the next stage.
Line by Line Meaning
When the night returns just like a friend
The singer is comforted by the familiar arrival of night, which they perceive as a friendly presence.
When the evening comes to set me free
The singer feels a sense of liberation upon the arrival of evening.
When the quiet house that wait beyond the day
The singer appreciates the tranquility of their home, which they refer to as 'the quiet house.'
Make peaceful sounds in me
The peacefulness of the artist's home has a calming effect on their emotions.
Took a drag from my last cigarette
The artist is smoking the last cigarette in their pack.
Took a drink from a glass of old wine
The singer is drinking a glass of wine that has been aged for some time.
I closed my eyes, and I could make it real
The singer is able to vividly recall past experiences in their mind.
And feel it one more time
The artist longs to relive a certain experience from their past.
Can you hear it, babe
The artist is asking their partner if they, too, can remember the past experience they are thinking of.
From another time
The experience the artist is thinking of occurred in the past.
From another place
The experience the singer is thinking of occurred in a different physical location than where they currently are.
Do you remember it, babe
The artist is urging their partner to recall the experience with them.
And the radio played like a carnival tune
The singer is reminded of a particular song from the past, which they recall as being cheerful and lively.
As we lay in our bed in the other room
The singer and their partner experienced the past event while lying in bed in a separate room from where they currently are.
When we gave it away for the sake of a dream
The singer and their partner sacrificed something in order to pursue a dream or goal.
In a penny arcade, if you know what I mean
The sacrifice the artist is referring to occurred at a place popularized in the past for its entertainment value and games of chance.
Here's to the songs we used to sing
The artist is toasting the memories associated with past songs they used to enjoy.
And here's to the times we used to know
The singer is toasting the memories associated with past experiences they shared with their partner.
It's hard to hold them in our arms again
The singer acknowledges the difficulty of reliving past experiences or recapturing past emotions.
But hard to let them go
Despite the difficulty of reliving past experiences, the artist finds it equally challenging to simply let go of them.
Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group
Written by: NEIL DIAMOND
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind