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.
Silver Bells
Neil Diamond Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Dressed in holiday style
And in the air
There's a feeling of Christmas
Children laughing
People passing
Meeting smile after smile
And on ev'ry street corner you'll hear
It's Christmas time in the city
Ring-a-ling, hear them ring
Soon it will be Christmas day
Yes, I remember
The silver bells of my youth
From the streets of Brooklyn
They rang up through my window
And made me smile
Strings of street lights
Even stop lights
Blink a bright red and green
As the mallers rush home
With their treasures
Hear the snow crunch
See the kids bunch
This is Santa's big scene
And above all this bustle
You'll hear, sing it now
Silver bells, silver bells
It's Christmas time in the city
Ring-a-ling, hear them ring
Soon it will be Christmas day
One more now
Soon it will be Christmas day
Neil Diamond's "Silver Bells" is a holiday classic that vividly paints a picture of Christmas time in the city. The lyrics are filled with vivid imagery of holiday festivities, both visual and audible. The song begins by describing the busy sidewalks, adorned with holiday decorations, and the palpable festive atmosphere in the air. The chorus declares that "It's Christmas time in the city," and the jingling of silver bells can be heard all around, adding to the merriment of the season. The second verse reminisces about the silver bells of the singer's youth, which brought a smile to his face as they rang through his window in Brooklyn. The final verse describes the hustle and bustle of shoppers and the excitement of children playing in the snow while Santa Claus makes an appearance. The chorus repeats, reminding us that soon it will be Christmas day.
One interesting historical fact about "Silver Bells" is that it was originally called "Tinkle Bells" and was inspired by the actual sound of bells on a Salvation Army kettle. The song was written in 1951 by Jay Livingston and Ray Evans, who went on to win an Academy Award for Best Original Song twice. "Silver Bells" was first performed by Bob Hope and Marilyn Maxwell in the film "The Lemon Drop Kid" in 1951. Over the years, the song has been covered by numerous artists, including Elvis Presley, Andy Williams, and Michael Buble. Another fascinating fact is that the song was the first project for renowned producer Phil Spector, who worked on a version by Darlene Love in 1963.
The chords for "Silver Bells" are:
Verse: G, D7, Em, A7, D7
Chorus: G, D7, C, G, C, G, D7, G
Line by Line Meaning
City sidewalks, busy sidewalks
The busy streets and crowded sidewalks of the city during Christmas time.
Dressed in holiday style
Everywhere is decorated with holiday themed colors, lights and decorations.
And in the air
The atmosphere is filled with the joy and cheer of Christmas.
There's a feeling of Christmas
A sense of Christmas spirit and excitement is in the air.
Children laughing
The sound of children laughing and enjoying the holiday season.
People passing
Crowds of people walking by, many carrying Christmas shopping bags.
Meeting smile after smile
People are in good spirits and greeting each other with smiles and cheerfulness.
And on ev'ry street corner you'll hear
The sound of silver bells ringing can be heard from every street corner.
Silver bells, silver bells
The sound of silver bells ringing throughout the city.
It's Christmas time in the city
The city is in the midst of the holiday season.
Ring-a-ling, hear them ring
The sound of the silver bells ringing and echoing throughout the city.
Soon it will be Christmas day
The anticipation and excitement of Christmas Day approaching.
Yes, I remember
The singer reflects on his memories of Christmas in the city.
The silver bells of my youth
The ringing of silver bells that the singer recalls from his childhood.
From the streets of Brooklyn
The location of the singer's childhood memories.
They rang up through my window
The sound of the silver bells was loud enough to be heard inside the singer's home.
And made me smile
The sound of the silver bells brought a sense of joy and happiness to the singer.
Strings of street lights
The many holiday themed lights decorating the city streets.
Even stop lights
Even the stop lights are decorated with holiday colors and lights.
Blink a bright red and green
The lights on the streets blink in colors of red and green.
As the mallers rush home
People are hurrying to finish their shopping so they can go home and celebrate.
With their treasures
People carry their holiday treasures and gifts as they rush home.
Hear the snow crunch
The sound of snow crunching as people walk through it.
See the kids bunch
Children gather together and play in the snow.
This is Santa's big scene
The busy holiday season is like Santa's grand stage.
And above all this bustle
Despite all the activity and noise of the city, something else can be heard.
You'll hear, sing it now
The sound of the silver bells ringing can still be heard, even above all the city noise.
One more now
The final reminder that Christmas Day is quickly approaching.
Soon it will be Christmas day
The anticipation and excitement of Christmas Day approaching.
Lyrics © Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC
Written by: Ray Evans, Jay Livingston
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
Michael Walker
A lovely Christmas song. 'Yes I remember the silver bells of my youth/ From the streets of Brooklyn/
They rang up and made me smile.' These spoken lines are a very good interlude in the melody.
Sheree Robotto
the way he sings this and the style the music proposes gives it such a leisurely strolling thru the snow vibe. Unbelievablely well done.
Joana Sousa
Lovely song made twice as beautiful in Neil's voice!
ROBOCOP603
I love this one! Thanks for posting!
Joannie Cossette
Thank you so much for this playlist.
Sathya Prabhakar
I have this album. He has a nice deep voice.
joleen wilson
My mothers favorite christmas song.merry christmas in heaven mama.i miss you.
Catarino Leon
Love this song
Flam Elam
Yes, I remember the silver bells of my youth.
Kathleen Morrison
Brings back memories of growing up in Brooklyn