You Don't Bring Me Flowers (Remastered) Neil Diamond

• 1 The American Popular Song 05:16
• 2 Forever In Blue Jeans 03:39
• 3 Remember Me 05:03
• 4 You've Got Your Troubles 03:54
• 5 You Don't Bring Me Flowers 03:18
• 6 The Dancing Bumble Bee / Bumble Boogie 04:57
• 7 Mothers And Daughters, Fathers And Sons 04:09
• 8 Memphis Flyer 03:12
• 9 Say Maybe 04:07
• 10 Diamond Girls 03:38
• Total Runtime 41:13

Info for You Don't Bring Me Flowers (Remastered)

Containing one hit single in the nostalgic "Forever in Blue Jeans," one characteristic opus in the panoramic "American Popular Song," and one bona fide classic in its title track, a duet with Barbra Streisand, „You Don't Bring Me Flowers“ is a classic collection of solid mid-1970s Neil Diamond songwriting, notwithstanding that on many of the cuts Diamond appears to have been hit with the disco stick. There's even a real oddity in the "Dancing Bumble Bee/Bumble Boogie," a bizarre disco take on Rimsky-Korsakov's "Flight of the Bumble Bee," and a similar version of the Fortunes' '60s hit "You've Got Your Troubles, I've Got Mine." But it's the singer's duet with Streisand that steals the show here, a timeless piece of '70s pop balladry that's still capable of jerking a tear decades later.

„Neil Diamond -- the voice, the artist, the entertainer -- is best described through this record as a rhapsody of American pop culture during this period in the late '70s. Directly and appropriately, Diamond sings with sincerity that "the American popular song goes on." Perhaps this record best demonstrates a mission statement of creating an endearing work of music that all Americans can feel happy and satisfied with. Much of the material is uplifting, both in tempo and lyrical expression. Other songs are emotionally gripping and romantically involved. The work as a whole seems to be vintage Diamond, and does not stand out from any of his other records as unique. However, there is one duet that breaks the mold: his passionate showing with Barbra Streisand on the cover song, "You Don't Bring Me Flowers," a slow, powerful, and troubling ballad for those drifting out of relationships. "Forever in Blue Jeans" is the anthem that caught on with easy pop listeners in the late '70s, and continues to be a staple song for Diamond. "Remember Me" is a gentle song of longing and memories concerning past friendships, past loves, and places traveled. The typical Diamond sound is expressed here to perfection, with the vocals of Diamond backed by a stirring and articulate orchestra. The record doesn't dive into any deep ocean of creativity, nor does it strive to meet jazzier expectations. The arrangements and the songwriting are written just well enough to appeal to the easy listening audience, and the marching percussions of Diamond's songs fit the grade. Such a well-performed song of percussion and charging tempo is the cover, "You've Got Your Troubles." Sung with passion and grace, this is Neil Diamond during his peak, and merits a listen for all late-'70s enthusiasts.“ (Shawn M. Haney, AMG)

Neil Diamond, vocals
Linda Press, vocals
Barbra Streisand, vocals
Richard Bennett, guitar
Doug Rhone, guitar
Tom Hensley, piano, keyboards
Alan Lindgren, piano, synthesizer
Reinie Press, bass
Dennis St. John, drums
Vince Charles, percussion
King Errisson, percussion
Maxine Willard Waters, background vocals
Julia Tillman Waters, background vocals

Engineered by Rick Ruggieri, Ron Hitchcock
Produced by Bob Gaudio

Digitally remastered

Neil Diamond
For Neil Diamond, it’s always started with a song. Over the course of his astonishing career, Neil has sold more than 128 million albums worldwide. He’s charted 56 songs on the Billboard Hot 100, including 12 top 10 hits, and has released 16 Top 10 albums. He’s a member of the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame and the Songwriters Hall of Fame, and in 2011, he was honored by the Kennedy Center for his lifetime of contributions to American culture. Neil has been nominated for three Golden Globes, 13 Grammys, and was named NARAS’ MusiCares Person of the Year in 2009. His 2008 album, Home Before Dark, debuted in the US and UK at #1, and his songs have been covered by artists ranging from Elvis Presley to Andrea Boccelli. But he never would have reached the world, from sold-out concerts to seventh-inning stretches, without his love for songwriting.

In June, after more than forty years as a Columbia recording artist, Neil signed with Capitol Records and moved his back catalogue to Universal, Capitol’s parent company. He has history with both: his earliest hits were on Bang, a Universal imprint, and Capitol released the multi-platinum soundtrack for The Jazz Singerin 1980, which earned Neil three Top 10 singles. Melody Road, his first new original studio album since Home Before Dark, is Neil’s debut as a Capitol artist, and while it represents a new chapter for him, it also reconnects him with his past.

Neil describes Melody Road as a homecoming. It brings him back to the start of his musical journey and the early influence of artists like the Weavers and Woody Guthrie. The songs on the album reflect his lifelong love of folk music. The vocals were recorded live, in much the same way they would have been if the album had been created decades ago, and while the instrumentation is lush, the arrangements are traditional. Like the best folk songs, each of the album’s tracks tells a story, most pointedly on “Seongah and Jimmy,” a song about Neil’s American brother-in-law and Korean sister-in-law, who met and fell in love before they had learned to speak each other’s languages. Despite the specificity of the song, it addresses a universal theme. Melody Road is largely autobiographical, but the stories Neil tells are not his alone.

Neil began working on Melody Road with several new songs, as well as a few that he’d struggled to complete for more than ten years. He couldn’t find the motivation, or the willingness to address the subject matter that initially inspired them, or – in Neil’s words – they weren’t yet ready to be born. With an emotional assist from his wife Katie, he completed those tracks. By the time he was ready to record he had an album’s worth of songs ready to go. The record unfolds story by story, and song by song – the final sequence is exactly the same as the order of Neil’s original demos for the album.

Co-Produced by Don Was (who’s worked with Bob Dylan and The Rolling Stones) and Jacknife Lee (R.E.M., U2), Melody Road was made with a masterful group of musicians, including pedal steel player Greg Liesz, keyboardist Benmont Tench, guitarist Smoky Hormel, and vocalists the Waters Family. Built on guitars, it’s true to the origin of folk, but it’s not defined by it; it was recorded with keyboards, flutes, horns, and, on “Seongah and Jimmy,” “The Art of Love,” and “Nothing But A Heartache,” a full string section. Yet, for all of its expansiveness and rich production, Melody Road is ultimately all about the songs. Neil’s come full circle. He’s brought five decades of extraordinary craftsmanship with him, but he’s returned to where he started, propelled by the simple joy of translating life into song.

This album contains no booklet.