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.
Straw In The Wind
Neil Diamond Lyrics
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Don't know where I stand
Can't say where I'm goin'
Or where I've been,
Or even if I'm your man
Ah, girl, I never know
Whether I'm out or in
Oh, oh, I'm cold
Hey, hey, hey
Sometimes I feel like a ship on the sea
Tossin' and turnin' all night
I know if you hold your hand out to me
Yeah, everything could be alright
Ah, girl, I never know
Whether I'm out or in
Oh, oh,
I'm cold and I'm a straw in the wind
Ah, girl, I never know
Whether I'm out or in
Oh, oh,
I'm cold and I'm a straw in the wind
Yeah, I'm a straw in the wind
The song Straw In The Wind by Neil Diamond is about the singer's feelings of uncertainty and insecurity in his romantic relationship. He feels like a straw in the wind, with no clear direction or purpose, unable to know where he stands with his partner or where he is headed. He is unsure if he is even considered her man, and is constantly questioning if he is in or out of her life. This leaves him feeling cold, lost and vulnerable.
The singer then compares himself to a ship on the sea, being tossed and turned all night, but knows that if his partner reaches out to him, everything could be made right. However, he still has doubts as he never knows where he stands- if he is out or in. The phrase "straw in the wind" is an idiom that refers to something or someone without direction, purpose or stability.
Line by Line Meaning
Babe, I feel like a straw in the wind
I feel lost and directionless, like I am being tossed around by external forces
Don't know where I stand
I am unsure of my position or status in relation to you
Can't say where I'm goin'
I don't know where I am headed in life or in our relationship
Or where I've been,
I am uncertain of my past or the experiences that have brought me to this point
Or even if I'm your man
I have doubts about my role in our relationship and whether I am still a desirable partner to you
Ah, girl, I never know
I am constantly unsure and questioning my place in your life
Whether I'm out or in
I am unsure if I am fully included or excluded from your life and your love
Oh, oh, I'm cold
I feel emotionally distant and disconnected from you
And I'm a straw in the wind
I am blown around by forces outside of my control, unable to chart my own course
Hey, hey, hey
An exclamation expressing a moment of heightened emotion
Sometimes I feel like a ship on the sea
At times I feel adrift and at the mercy of the winds and waves
Tossin' and turnin' all night
I am restless and unable to find peace or comfort
I know if you hold your hand out to me
I believe that if you offer me your support and love, it could make all the difference in my life
Yeah, everything could be alright
I am hopeful that if we work together, we can find a way to make things better
Yeah, I'm a straw in the wind
I feel powerless and vulnerable to the whims of fate and circumstance
Lyrics © BMG Rights Management
Written by: NEIL DIAMOND
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind