hands touching hands...reaching out...

I love me some Neil Diamond! I do. His music just makes me smile, and I can't help but sing along. And Neil in concert.....oh it's exciting folks....especially when he breaks out into "america" and the american flag comes down from the ceiling....love it. Every cheesy sway of his hips, every sparkly unbuttoned shirt, every scarf around his neck, every beat of the drums and strum of the guitar....I love it all.
So you can imagine how excited I am for "neil diamond week" on american idol tonight. The man is one of the greatest singer/songwriters of our time and his songs have been sung by the monkees, barbara streisand, johnny cash, and UB40, and I think his songs offer up a good chance for each of the idols to shine tonight....but so help me if one of them f's up a neil diamond song....I just won't stand for it.

One music critic has said, "Every Neil Diamond song is a jewel: beautifully crafted, honed, designed to deliver a knockout emotional punch while you sing along", and I totally agree. I love his music, but to me there are some personal favorites that I can't get enough of....and thus here are my...

TOP 5 MOST FAVORITE NEIL DIAMOND GEMS:

1. "You don't bring me flowers": Neil Diamond alone is amazing, but add in a duet with Barbara Streisand and you got yourself a hit. When Neil comes in with "...you hardly talk to me anymore..." my heart leaps.

2. "Sweet Caroline": Such a great song to sing in a room full of people. It's just so happy.

3. "Soolaimon": Try not getting jazzed when those drums start pounding and Neil sings "..god of my days days days, lord of my nights..."

4. "Love on the Rocks": Every time I hear this song I picture him at his piano with a glass of vodka, wearing a sparkly half unbuttoned shirt and scarf around his neck playing this song.....in the dark.

5. "I am, I said": Neil, with his guitar singing about his loneliness and the pains of being caught between two worlds.