Today’s song is “Song Sung Blue,” from Neil Diamond’s 1972 “Moods” album. Lyrics may be found here.
This is a very simple song, which talks about the fact that everyone feels blue now and again, and that there’s a song to fit that feeling. But it says it in interesting ways, like when it says, “every garden grows one.” One interesting thing about this song is that it has no bridge in the middle of it. According to a book I read about Neil Diamond, he said that he simply didn’t feel the song needed one, and indeed it doesn’t – it’s good just the way it is. Another fun thing about the song is that it is one of only two #1 songs that Neil’s ever had. It was a song you couldn’t escape from when it was released.
I can remember when I performed this song in a coffee house during my freshman year of college. As soon as I sang the first three words (the song’s title,) it was greeted with ahhhs of recognition and a smattering of applause because it was one of those “comfort” songs that everyone knew. It had “been there” throughout there lives and got them feeling good. For, to paraphrase the song, they simply got no choice.
The song was also covered in 1980 by another favorite of mine, Frank Sinatra, on his “Trilogy” album, in a big-band-y, swing style. This version, incidentally, was the first version I ever heard.
Well, that’s it for today. It’s my birthday today and I’ve got to run…but I welcome your comments and thoughts on “Song Sung Blue!”
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