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.
Sleigh Ride
Neil Diamond Lyrics
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Ring ting tingle-ing too
Come on, it's lovely weather
For a sleigh ride together with you
Outside, the snow is falling
And friends are calling: "You hoo"
Come on, it's lovely weather
Giddy-yap, giddy-yap, giddy-yap, let's go
Just look at the snow
We're riding in a wonderland of snow
Giddy-yap, giddy-yap, giddy-yap, it's grand
Just holding your hand
We're gliding along with the song
Of a wintry, wonderland
Our cheeks are nice and rosy
And comfy cozy are we
We're snuggled up together like
Birds of a feather would be
Let's take that road before us
And sing a chorus or two
Come on, it's lovely weather
For a sleigh ride together with you
There's a birthday party
At the home of Farmer Gray
It'll be the perfect ending of a perfect day
We'll be singing the songs
We love to sing without a single stop
At the fireplace
While we watch the chestnuts pop
There's a happy feeling
Nothing in the world can buy
When they pass around the coffee
And the pumpkin pie
It'll nearly be like a picture print
By Currier and Ives
These wonderful things are the things
We remember all through our lives
Just hear those sleigh bells jingle-ing
Ring ting tingle-ing too
Come on, it's lovely weather
For a sleigh ride together with you
Come on, it's lovely weather
For a sleigh ride together with you
Oh yeah, lovely weather
For a sleigh ride with you, with you
Me and you
Snuggle up closer, babe
Neil Diamond's "Sleigh Ride" is a joyful tune that captures the magic of a wintry wonderland. The song opens with the melody of sleigh bells ringing, a sound that evokes memories of childhood and holiday cheer. The singer invites someone to join him on a sleigh ride, urging them to embrace the lovely weather and the stunning snow. As the two ride together, they become more and more cozy, snuggled up closely as they glide along to a song of winter.
The second half of the song sees the singer looking forward to a birthday party at Farmer Gray's home. After a day spent enjoying the snowy landscape, the thought of gathering around a fireplace with friends and family to sing and eat comforting treats feels like the perfect way to cap it all off. The song ends with the singer inviting their companion to snuggle even closer, a sweet moment that emphasizes the warmth and comfort of sharing a special moment with someone you care about.
Overall, "Sleigh Ride" is a celebration of winter and all the special moments that come with it. It's a reminder that even in the coldest of seasons, we can find warmth and joy in the people we love.
Line by Line Meaning
Just hear those sleigh bells jingle-ing
Listen to the sound of the sleigh bells ringing
Ring ting tingle-ing too
The bells are making a sweet sound, like a ringing or tinkling noise
Come on, it's lovely weather
The weather is beautiful and perfect for a sleigh ride
For a sleigh ride together with you
Let's go on a sleigh ride together
Outside, the snow is falling
The snow is coming down from the sky
And friends are calling: "You hoo"
Our friends are calling out to us
Giddy-yap, giddy-yap, giddy-yap, let's go
We're urging the horses to move forward
Just look at the snow
Take a moment to admire the snowy scenery
We're riding in a wonderland of snow
We feel like we're in a magical world of snow
Giddy-yap, giddy-yap, giddy-yap, it's grand
We're having a wonderful time on the ride
Just holding your hand
I'm holding your hand and enjoying the moment
We're gliding along with the song
We're moving smoothly with the rhythm of the song
Of a wintry, wonderland
We're experiencing the magic of a winter wonderland
Our cheeks are nice and rosy
Our cheeks are red from the chilly air
And comfy cozy are we
We're feeling warm and comfortable in each other's company
We're snuggled up together like
We're close to each other, like birds of the same kind
Birds of a feather would be
We're very similar and match well together
Let's take that road before us
Let's continue our journey down this road
And sing a chorus or two
Let's sing a few songs together
There's a birthday party
There's a celebration happening
At the home of Farmer Gray
It's being held at Farmer Gray's house
It'll be the perfect ending of a perfect day
It's the perfect way to end a perfect day
We'll be singing the songs
We'll sing our favorite songs
We love to sing without a single stop
We enjoy singing without interruption
At the fireplace
We're sitting by the fireplace
While we watch the chestnuts pop
We're observing the chestnuts popping
There's a happy feeling
We're feeling joyful
Nothing in the world can buy
Money can't buy this feeling
When they pass around the coffee
When they serve coffee to everyone
And the pumpkin pie
And the pumpkin pie is being shared
It'll nearly be like a picture print
The scene will be picture-perfect
By Currier and Ives
Like the artwork by Currier and Ives
These wonderful things are the things
These are the things that we'll always remember
We remember all through our lives
We'll cherish these memories forever
Oh yeah, lovely weather
The weather really is lovely
For a sleigh ride with you, with you
I'm enjoying this sleigh ride with you
Me and you
Just you and me together
Snuggle up closer, babe
Let's get even closer and snuggle up
Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group, Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC, Songtrust Ave, Kobalt Music Publishing Ltd.
Written by: Leroy Anderson, Mitchell Parish
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind