iMedia: Sweet Caroline

***
Where it began, I can't begin to know when
But then I know it's growing strong
Oh, wasn't the spring, whooo
And spring became the summer
Who'd believe you'd come along

Hands, touching hands, reaching out
Touching me, touching you
Oh, sweet Caroline
Good times never seem so good
I've been inclined to believe it never would

And now I, I look at the night, whooo
And it don't seem so lonely
We fill it up with only two, oh
And when I hurt
Hurting runs off my shoulder
How can I hurt when holding you

Oh, one, touching one, reaching out
Touching me, touching you
Oh, sweet Caroline
Good times never seem so good
Oh I've been inclined to believe it never would

Ohhh, sweet Caroline, good times never seem so good
***

Is there anything that can unite a few strangers like a set of common lyrics, and just voices courageous enough to belt them out? I've always been awed by the power behind a good sing-a-long. And let me be the one to tell you, Neil Diamond's "Sweet Caroline" is the epitome of all sing-a-long songs. Fenway Park gets the entire stadium to sing the famous lyrics in the 8th inning of every home game. There fails to be a bar where there isn't one drunkard who wouldn't be willing to recite the lyrics when they hear the opening notes...not that I would know.

Sweet Caroline is an extremely addictive song for me personally, knowing full well that after I hear the chorus just once, it will be in my head for the rest of the week. It's not particularly the deepest or most profound song, and it is not one that would be a hit among today's rascals if it were to be released. It's slightly on the slower side with simplistic lyrics. I find that while that could bore many in most instances, it makes this song. It doesn't do anything flashy to try to sell. Keeping the lyrics basic allows the happy-go-lucky feeling of a crush to carry through, and it makes it near impossible to forget and thus impossible to not sing along to. My favorite part, is the build of anticipation to the chorus. "Hands, touching hands, reaching out, Touching me, touching you," it grows in emotion as the relationship and depth in the song also grows until, "SWEET CAROLINE, " it explodes.

I sing this song in my head on a bus ride. I dance to this song alone in my room. The true beauty of this song comes out though, when it is sung out loud, together, amongst friends or strangers. Everyone has experienced a first crush feeling the song describes, which allows everyone to connect to the lyrics. Its the emotion that everyone puts forth singing along that unites people if only for an instance. It puts you on cloud nine.

I dare you to not sing along as you try for yourself...