Sweet Caroline

Did You Know?

• In 2019, Sweet Caroline was selected by the Library of Congress for preservation in the National Recording Registry.
• Austrian singer DJ Ötzi released a version in 2009 that reached number 19 on the German singles chart.
• A version by Dustin the Turkey reached No. 1 on the Irish Singles Chart in 2001.

Inspiration

Neil Diamond has given varying accounts of the song's inspiration. In 2007, he said it was inspired by Caroline Kennedy, then 12 years old, and sang it at her 50th birthday that year. In 2011, he stated a magazine cover photo of Caroline as a child with her parents sparked the idea, with the song coming together about five years later. However, in 2014, Diamond claimed the song was about his then-wife Marcia Murphey, but he needed a three-syllable name to fit the melody.

Performance

Neil Diamond's "Sweet Caroline" hit number four on the Billboard Hot 100 in August 1969, earning a gold certification from the RIAA for selling one million copies. It was also his first song to chart on the US Easy Listening list, where it peaked at number three. The track later reached number eight on the UK Singles Chart in March 1971. Over fifty years after its initial UK release, it re-entered that chart in July 2021, climbing from number 48 to number 20 the next week, after England fans adopted it during Euro 2020.

Alternative versions

Three distinct mixes of the song exist. The original mono 45 mix features more prominent orchestra and glockenspiel than the stereo version on the Brother Love's Travelling Salvation Show LP. A third remix, found only on the initial CD release of Diamond's 1974 compilation His 12 Greatest Hits, has the orchestra mixed down and background vocals mixed up, with a longer fade. A live version appears on his 1972 album Hot August Night. During the COVID-19 pandemic, Diamond altered lyrics to include references to hand washing and avoiding touch.

Use at sporting events

The song has been played at Fenway Park, home of the Boston Red Sox, since at least 1997 and in the middle of the eighth inning at every game since 2002. Diamond performed it live at Fenway Park on opening night of the 2010 season. After the Boston Marathon bombing in April 2013, Diamond led the crowd in a rendition, and the New York Yankees played the song at Yankee Stadium the next day in support. Sales surged nearly 600 percent to 19,000 copies that week, with Diamond donating royalties to the One Fund Boston charity.

In the United Kingdom, the song became a prominent pre-fight anthem at boxing events, particularly those promoted by Matchroom Boxing, Queensberry Promotions, and Boxxer. Its regular use is attributed to promoter Eddie Hearn, who incorporated it as a crowd-pleasing singalong before main events and fighter ring walks during the 2010s, evolving into an expected ritual for headline bouts.