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.
Oh Holy Night
Neil Diamond Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
The stars are brightly shining
It is the night
Of the dear Saviour's birth
Long lay the world
In sin and error pining
Till He appeared
A thrill of hope
The weary soul rejoices
For yonder breaks
A new and glorious morn
Fall on your knees!
Oh, hear the angel voices!
O night divine
O night when Christ was born
O night, O holy night
O night divine!
O night divine
O night when Christ was born
O night
O holy night
O night divine!
O night when Christ was born
Neil Diamond's O Holy Night is an awe-inspiring Christmas carol that touches the very depths of the soul with its message of hope, faith, and redemption. The lyrics begin with a description of a dark and quiet night, where the stars are shining brightly. It is a night that is dear to the heart of every believer, for it is the night when Jesus Christ, the savior of the world, was born. The language is evocative, with words like "holy" and "divine" conveying the sacredness of the moment.
The second verse speaks of the long wait for the savior, with the world lying in sin and error, waiting for his arrival. When Christ was born, the soul felt its worth, and a thrill of hope filled the air. This hope can be felt by all who believe, and it is a source of great joy and comfort. The chorus encourages the listener to fall on their knees and listen to the angel voices that accompanied the birth of the king. The final lines of the song repeat the joyous refrain of the night when Christ was born, underscoring the significance of this moment in history.
Overall, Neil Diamond's O Holy Night is a beautiful and moving tribute to the birth of Christ, and the hope and joy that he brought into the world. It is a song that can be cherished by believers and non-believers alike, for its message of hope is universal and timeless.
Line by Line Meaning
O holy night!
This is a sacred night!
The stars are brightly shining
The stars are shining brilliantly.
It is the night
This night in particular
Of the dear Saviour's birth
Is the night when the savior was born.
Long lay the world
For a long time, the world was in this state.
In sin and error pining
It yearned, lost in sin and error.
Till He appeared
Until he revealed himself.
And the Soul felt its worth
It finally appreciated its value.
A thrill of hope
A ray of optimism filled it.
The weary soul rejoices
It brings delight to even the tired soul.
For yonder breaks
Over there something falls apart,
A new and glorious morn
An incredible new morning.
Fall on your knees!
Kneel before the divine greatness.
Oh, hear the angel voices!
Listen to the voice of the heavenly creature!
O night divine
This is a night of magnificence.
O night when Christ was born
This is when Christ was born.
O night, O holy night
Oh, what a holy night this is!
O night divine!
This is a divinely blessed night!
O night when Christ was born
This is when Christ was born.
O night
This night, in particular, is significant.
O holy night
It's a sacred night!
O night divine!
This is a divinely blessed night!
Lyrics © Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC, Peermusic Publishing, Kobalt Music Publishing Ltd., Warner Chappell Music, Inc.
Written by: EDITH BERGDAHL, TRADITIONAL, NAT COLE
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
Anthony Dickinson
O Holy Night!
The stars are brightly shining
It is the night of the dear Savior's birth!
Long lay the world in sin and error pining
Till he appear'd and the soul felt its worth.
A thrill of hope the weary soul rejoices
For yonder breaks a new and glorious morn!
Fall on your knees
Oh hear the angel voices
Oh night divine
Oh night when Christ was born
Oh night divine
Oh night divine
Led by the light of Faith serenely beaming
With glowing hearts by His cradle we stand
So led by light of a star sweetly gleaming
Here come the wise men from Orient land
The King of Kings lay thus in lowly manger
In all our trials born to be our friend
Truly He taught us to love one another
His law is love and His gospel is peace
Chains shall He break for the slave is our brother
And in His name all oppression shall cease
Sweet hymns of joy in grateful chorus raise we,
Let all within us praise His holy name
Ann Abraham
By the way.. one of my favorite songs..
.
..since it is the birth of Jesus song.. and according to the Law of Moses,
for childbirth
the mother is "unclean" 40 days after a boy
and
80 days after a girl chld.
.
So.. it's NOT "holy"...
.
But I sing,
"
Oh awe-some night, the stars are brightly shining
It is the morn of the dear Saviour's birth.
Long lay the world, in sin and utter darkness,
Till he appeared,
and the star gave the sign.
.
From here to there,
the angel voices singing,
and yonder sings a solemn, sweet refrain...
.
fall on your knees.. when you hear the angel voices
O ni----ight divine, .. O night when Christ was born...
O night. O awwww---e----some night,
O night divine..
"
..that's all I sing..
my lyrics..
same tune as "O Holy Night".. (adaptation..)..
Ann Abraham
2022-06-28-21-44-PM-IST
Gail Bergschneider
so moving, with Neil's voice the back up singers and the orchestra. what a song!!
Juan Carlos Valdes
Also my favorite Christmas song and Mr. Diamond, you sing it with class!
Sheree Robotto
still hands down the best version EVER, Just love Neil.
mcdownt
This is absolutely my favorite version of my favorite Christmas song. Can you imagine seeing this live? I would get chills, LOVE IT NEIL!!!!
Gary Stansbury
I agree, the best rendition.
Claire Jones
I saw him sing it live....amazing!
isfj1009
Grew up listening to his music - Mom would always play his records. His sound on Christmas titles always adds something special to them.
ChildOfThe1970s
Same here! My mother often listened to Neil Diamond records in the 70s when I was little. Sadly she died when I was 7...domestic violence. But Neil's songs always remind me of her.
bellaturner121
My favorite religious Christmas song. Neil you still give me chills when you hit the big note.
Marie-Claire Beckx
Neil's version of Holy Night is just wonderful to listen to 🎶. Thanks for sharing 🌞