"Love on the Rocks" by Neil Diamond

Top 10 Alert!

Song#:  0388
Date:  11/01/1980
Debut:  32
Peak:  2
Weeks:  20
Genre:  Pop, Adult Contemporary, Soundtrack



Pop Bits:  After his successful duet with Barbra Streisand, the #1 "You Don't Bring Me Flowers" in 1978, there were plans to make a film based on the song for the stars. But it fell through as Diamond starred in the remake of "The Jazz Singer" with Lucy Arnaz and Laurence Olivier. The film ended up being a bit of a notorious bomb, but the soundtrack was a major success for Diamond. It became his biggest selling album in the US. This first single had a high debut, almost in the Top 30, and spent three weeks at #2.

ReduxReview:  I loved this song the first time I heard it and immediately bought the single. I think it ranks among the best of Diamond's songs and his performance of it is terrific. Yeah, the movie was a stink-a-roo, but at least it gave us this song.

ReduxRating:  9/10

Trivia:  Double Shot!  1) In the very first year of the Razzie Awards, Diamond won the Worst Actor award for "The Jazz Singer." He was in good company though. Laurence Olivier won Worst Supporting Actor for the film.  2) Diamond co-wrote this song with French pop legend Gilbert Bécaud. Originally, the song was called "Scotch on the Rocks" and was done in a reggae style. Diamond did an incomplete demo of that version and it can be heard on his "In My Lifetime" compilation box set. Thankfully, he and Bécaud rethought the song and they ended up with a big hit.

_________________________________________________________________________________