Song Sung Blue

For the Johnny Mathis Album, see Song Sung Blue (album).

1972 single by Neil Diamond

"Song Sung Blue"

Single by Neil Diamond
from the album  Moods
B-side| "Gitchy Goomy"
Released| May 1972
Genre| Pop[1]
Length| 3:15
Label| Uni
Songwriter(s)| Neil Diamond
Producer(s)| Tom Catalano
Neil Diamond singles chronology
| "Crunchy Granola Suite"
(1971)  | "Song Sung Blue"
(1972)  | "Play Me"
(1972)

|
|

Background Singers: Sally Stevens, Susie Stevens, Alison Freebairn-Smith and Jennifer Hicklin

"Song Sung Blue" is a 1972 hit song written and recorded by Neil Diamond, inspired by the second movement of Mozart's Piano Concerto #21. It was released on Diamond's album Moods, and later appeared on many of Diamond's live and compilation albums. The song was a #1 hit on the Billboard Hot 100 chart in the United States for one week, the week of July 1, and it spent twelve weeks in the Top 40. It also reached #14 on the UK Singles Chart.[2]

"Song Sung Blue" was Diamond's second #1 hit in the U.S., after 1970's "Cracklin' Rosie", and to date his last solo #1 song (he had a #1 duet with Barbra Streisand in 1978, with "You Don't Bring Me Flowers").[3] In addition, "Song Sung Blue" spent seven weeks at #1 on the adult contemporary chart.[4] The song has become one of Diamond's standards, and he often performs it during concerts.

"Song Sung Blue" was nominated for two Grammy Awards in 1973, Record of the Year and Song of the Year.[4] Both awards that year were won by Roberta Flack's rendition of Ewan MacColl's song, "The First Time Ever I Saw Your Face".

Cash Box said of it that "the song gives the phrase 'Everybody, sing!' new meaning."[5] Record World said that it has "simply some of the best and most commercial soft sounds on the contemporary scene."[6]

Diamond described "Song Sung Blue" in the liner notes to his 1996 compilation album, In My Lifetime, as a "very basic message, unadorned. I didn't even write a bridge to it. I never expected anyone to react to "Song Sung Blue" the way they did. I just like it, the message and the way a few words said so many things."[4]

## Later uses

[edit]

The song inspired the title of a 2008 documentary about a Neil Diamond impersonator who was married to a Patsy Cline impersonator.[7]

## Chart history

[edit]

### Weekly charts

[edit]

| Chart (1972)  | Peak
position

|

Australia (Kent Music Report)[8] | 5
Belgium (Ultratop 50 Flanders)[9] | 5
Belgium (Ultratop 50 Wallonia)[10] | 7
Canada RPM Adult Contemporary[11] | 9
Canada RPM Top Singles[12] | 2
Germany (GfK)[13] | 6
Ireland (IRMA)[14] | 17
Netherlands (Single Top 100)[15] | 3
New Zealand (Listener)  | 1
Norway (VG-lista)[16] | 2
South Africa (Springbok)[17] | 5
Switzerland (Schweizer Hitparade)[18] | 1
UK[2] | 14
US Billboard Hot 100[19] | 1
US Adult Contemporary (Billboard)[20] | 1
U.S. Cash Box Top 100[21] | 1

### Year-end charts

[edit]

| Chart (1972)  | Rank

|

Canada (RPM)[22] | 19
Switzerland [23] | 7
U.S. Billboard Hot 100[24] | 26
U.S. Cash Box [25] | 24

## Certifications

[edit]

Region  | Certification | Certified units/sales

|
|

United States (RIAA)[26] | Gold  | 1,000,000^

^ Shipments figures based on certification alone.

## Cover versions

[edit]

This section does not cite any sources. Please help improve this section by adding citations to reliable sources. Unsourced material may be challenged and removed. (April 2023) (Learn how and when to remove this message)

|

Andy Williams released a version in 1972 on his album, Alone Again (Naturally).

Hot Butter released a version in 1972 on their album Hot Butter.

Johnny Paycheck released a version in 1972 on his album Somebody Loves Me.

Sacha Distel recorded the song in French as "Chanson Bleue".

British new wave group Altered Images released a version in 1982 on the album Pinky Blue.

Bobby Darin performed the song in 1972 during his summer television show, and his version was included on the 2004 album, Aces Back to Back.

Frank Sinatra also recorded a version on his Trilogy album (1980).

The Nolan Sisters recorded a version which is on their 1978 20 Giant Hits album.

## References

[edit]

1. ^ Breihan, Tom (March 1, 2019). "The Number Ones: Neil Diamond's "Song Sung Blue"". Stereogum. Retrieved June 17, 2023. "Diamond based the "Song Sung Blue" vocal melody on the second movement of a Mozart concerto, and the melody, it turns out, translates just fine to pop music."
2. ^ a b "song sung blue | full Official Chart History". Officialcharts.com. Retrieved 26 April 2023.
3. ^ Bronson, Fred (2003). The Billboard Book of #1 Hits, 5th Edition (Billboard Publications), page 314.
4. ^ a b c Hyatt, Wesley (1999). The Billboard Book of #1 Adult Contemporary Hits (Billboard Publications), page 108.
5. ^ "CashBox Record Reviews" (PDF). Cash Box. April 29, 1972. p. 18. Retrieved 2021-12-11.
6. ^ "Single Picks" (PDF). Record World. April 29, 1972. p. 8. Retrieved 2023-04-01.
7. ^ Song Sung Blue at IMDB
8. ^ Kent, David (1993). Australian Chart Book 1970-1992. St Ives, N.S.W.: Australian Chart Book. ISBN 0-646-11917-6.
9. ^ "Neil Diamond – Song Sung Blue" (in Dutch). Ultratop 50. Retrieved May 22, 2025.
10. ^ "Neil Diamond – Song Sung Blue" (in French). Ultratop 50. Retrieved May 22, 2025.
11. ^ "Item Display - RPM - Library and Archives Canada". Collectionscanada.gc.ca. 1972-07-08. Retrieved 2019-07-11.
12. ^ "Item Display - RPM - Library and Archives Canada". Collectionscanada.gc.ca. July 1972. Retrieved 2019-07-11.
13. ^ "Neil Diamond – Song Sung Blue" (in German). GfK Entertainment charts. Retrieved May 22, 2025.
14. ^ "The Irish Charts – Search Results – Song Sung Blue". Irish Singles Chart. Retrieved April 15, 2019.
15. ^ "Neil Diamond – Song Sung Blue" (in Dutch). Single Top 100. Retrieved May 22, 2025.
16. ^ "Neil Diamond – Song Sung Blue". VG-lista. Retrieved May 22, 2025.
17. ^ "SA Charts 1965–March 1989". Rock.co.za. Retrieved 5 September 2018.
18. ^ "Neil Diamond – Song Sung Blue". Swiss Singles Chart. Retrieved May 22, 2025.
19. ^ "Neil Diamond Chart History (Hot 100)". Billboard. Retrieved May 22, 2025.
20. ^ "Neil Diamond Chart History (Adult Contemporary)". Billboard. Retrieved May 22, 2025.
21. ^ "Cash Box Top 100 7/01/72". Tropicalglen.com. Retrieved 26 April 2023.
22. ^ "RPM's Top 100 Singles of '72". RPM. January 13, 1973. p. 20.
23. ^ "Schweizer Jahreshitparade 1972 - Singles". Swisscharts.com. Retrieved 26 April 2023.
24. ^ "Top 100 Hits of 1972/Top 100 Songs of 1972". Musicoutfitters.com. Retrieved 26 April 2023.
25. ^ "Cash Box YE Pop Singles - 1972". Tropicalglen.com. Retrieved 26 April 2023.
26. ^ "American single certifications – Neil Diamond – Song Sung Blue". Recording Industry Association of America. Retrieved August 15, 2024.

## External links

[edit]

* Neil Diamond - Song Sung Blue on YouTube

* v
* t
* e

Neil Diamond

* Discography

Studio albums|

* The Feel of Neil Diamond
* Just for You
* Velvet Gloves and Spit
* Brother Love's Travelling Salvation Show
* Touching You, Touching Me
* Tap Root Manuscript
* Stones
* Moods
* Serenade
* Beautiful Noise
* I'm Glad You're Here with Me Tonight
* You Don't Bring Me Flowers
* September Morn
* On the Way to the Sky
* Heartlight
* Primitive
* Headed for the Future
* The Best Years of Our Lives
* Lovescape
* The Christmas Album
* Up on the Roof: Songs from the Brill Building
* The Christmas Album, Volume II
* Tennessee Moon
* The Movie Album: As Time Goes By
* Three Chord Opera
* 12 Songs
* Home Before Dark
* A Cherry Cherry Christmas
* Dreams
* Melody Road

Soundtrack albums|

* Jonathan Livingston Seagull
* The Jazz Singer

Live albums|

* Gold: Recorded Live at the Troubadour
* Hot August Night
* Love at the Greek
* Hot August Night II
* Live in America
* Stages: Performances 1970–2002
* Hot August Night/NYC

Compilation albums|

* Neil Diamond's Greatest Hits
* Shilo
* Rainbow
* His 12 Greatest Hits
* And the Singer Sings His Song
* Classics: The Early Years
* The Greatest Hits: 1966–1992
* The Neil Diamond Collection
* Play Me: The Complete Uni Studio Recordings...Plus!
* The Essential Neil Diamond
* All-Time Greatest Hits
* Neil Diamond 50 – 50th Anniversary Collection
* A Neil Diamond Christmas

Singles|

* "Solitary Man"
* "Cherry, Cherry"
* "Girl, You'll Be a Woman Soon"
* "Thank the Lord for the Night Time"
* "Kentucky Woman"
* "New Orleans"
* "Red Red Wine"
* "Two-Bit Manchild"
* "Shilo"
* "Brother Love's Travelling Salvation Show"
* "Sweet Caroline"
* "Holly Holy"
* "Until It's Time for You to Go"
* "And the Grass Won't Pay No Mind"
* "Solitary Man" (re-release)
* "Cracklin' Rosie"
* "He Ain't Heavy, He's My Brother"
* "I Am... I Said"
* "Done Too Soon"
* "I'm a Believer"
* "Crunchy Granola Suite"
* "Song Sung Blue"
* "Play Me"
* "Cherry, Cherry"
* "The Last Thing on My Mind"
* "Longfellow Serenade"
* "I've Been This Way Before"
* "If You Know What I Mean"
* "Don't Think... Feel"
* "Desiree"
* "God Only Knows"
* "You Don't Bring Me Flowers"
* "Forever in Blue Jeans"
* "Dancing in the Street"
* "Love on the Rocks"
* "Hello Again"
* "America"
* "Yesterday's Songs"
* "On the Way to the Sky"
* "Heartlight"

Other songs|

* "Sunflower"

Concert tours|

* 50 Year Anniversary World Tour

Related articles|

* The Jazz Singer (film)
* A Beautiful Noise (musical)
* Song Sung Blue (film)

* Category

Authority control databases |

* MusicBrainz work

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