The Diary (song)

1958 single by Neil Sedaka

"The Diary"

Single by Neil Sedaka
from the album  Rock with Sedaka
B-side| "No Vacancy (I’m Walkin’ ‘Round)"
Released| November 1958
Recorded| October 30, 1958[1]
Studio| RCA Victor Studio A, New York City[2]
Genre| Pop
Length| 2:14
Label| RCA Victor
Songwriter(s)|

* Neil Sedaka
* Howard Greenfield

Producer(s)| Al Nevins[2]
Neil Sedaka singles chronology
|  | "The Diary"
(1958)  | "I Go Ape"
(1959)

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"The Diary" is a song written and composed by Neil Sedaka and Howard Greenfield. It was released in late 1958 as Sedaka’s first hit single.[3]

## Background

[edit]

This song's writers, Sedaka and Howard Greenfield, were inspired to write the song after asking for (and being refused) access to their client Connie Francis's diary in hopes of mining it for lyrical material.[4]

They originally wrote this song for Little Anthony & The Imperials. (It had a very similar sound to that group's first hit, "Tears on My Pillow".) The pair took the song to George Goldner, The Imperials' producer, over at End Records, who, although having the group record and release the song as an End Records single, felt that it wasn't quite done the way they felt it should have been done. As a result, the song did not chart.

At around the same time, Sedaka auditioned at RCA Victor with the song.[4] After he became aware of the situation surrounding the song’s failure to chart, Sedaka decided that he should record it himself.[5]

## Reception

[edit]

Sedaka's version became his very first hit. In early 1959, the single reached No. 14 on the US Billboard Hot 100 pop chart,[6][7] and No. 15 in Canada.[8] It sold about 600,000 copies.[4]

Looking back at the record’s success years later, in 2020, Sedaka marveled that it was "a thrill [and] a dream come true" and that he couldn’t imagine how excited he was when he scored his first hit.[4]

"The Diary" later appeared on Sedaka’s debut studio album Rock with Sedaka. It would also appear in Neil Sedaka Sings Little Devil and His Other Hits (1961) and Neil Sedaka Sings His Greatest Hits (1962), as well as many other compilation albums of his.

## References

[edit]

1. ^ (2001) The Very Best of Neil Sedaka by Neil Sedaka [CD booklet]. New York: BMG Entertainment 07863 69393–2.
2. ^ a b (1959) Rock with Sedaka by Neil Sedaka [record jacket]. New York: RCA Victor LSP–2035.
3. ^ "Profile of Neil Sedaka". Retrieved 2016-07-03.
4. ^ a b c d "Today's Mini-Concert - 7/16/2020". YouTube. Archived from the original on 2021-11-07. Retrieved June 14, 2021.
5. ^ "The Diary by Neil Sedaka Songfacts". www.songfacts.com. Retrieved 2016-07-04.
6. ^ "Neil Sedaka". www.history-of-rock.com. Retrieved 2016-07-03.
7. ^ CatsPjamas1 (2011-10-22), Neil Sedaka - The Diary (1958), archived from the original on 2021-12-21, retrieved 2016-07-04`{{citation}}`: CS1 maint: numeric names: authors list (link)
8. ^ "CHUM Hit Parade - January 19, 1959".

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Neil Sedaka

Studio albums|

* Rock with Sedaka
* Circulate
* Neil Sedaka Sings Little Devil and His Other Hits
* 3 Great Guys
* Workin' on a Groovy Thing/Sounds of Sedaka
* Emergence
* Solitaire
* The Tra-La Days Are Over
* Laughter in the Rain
* Overnight Success
* The Hungry Years
* Steppin' Out
* A Song
* All You Need Is the Music
* In the Pocket
* Now
* Come See About Me
* The Good Times

Compilation albums|

* Neil Sedaka Sings His Greatest Hits
* Italiano
* Italiano Vol. 2
* Sedaka's Back
* Let's Go Steady Again
* Neil Sedaka's Greatest Hits (1977)
* The '50s and '60s
* 14 Knockouts
* The Many Sides of Neil Sedaka
* Sunny
* Neil Sedaka's Greatest Hits (1980)
* My Friend
* Neil Sedaka: All Time Greatest Hits
* All Time Greatest Hits, Vol. 2
* Laughter in the Rain: The Best of Neil Sedaka, 1974–1980
* The Very Best of Neil Sedaka
* Oh Carol: The Complete Recordings, 1955–66
* Stairway to Heaven: The Best of Neil Sedaka
* Love Songs

Live albums|

* Live at the Royal Festival Hall
* On Stage

Singles|

* "The Diary"
* "I Go Ape"
* "Crying My Heart Out for You"
* "Oh! Carol"
* "One-Way Ticket (To The Blues)"
* "Stairway to Heaven"
* "You Mean Everything to Me"
* "Run Samson Run"
* "Calendar Girl"
* "Little Devil"
* "Happy Birthday Sweet Sixteen"
* "Breaking Up Is Hard to Do"
* "Next Door to an Angel"
* "La terza luna"
* "Lettera bruciata"
* "Our Last Song Together"
* "Laughter in the Rain"
* "The Immigrant"
* "That's When the Music Takes Me"
* "Bad Blood"
* "Love in the Shadows"
* "Amarillo"
* "Should've Never Let You Go"
* "Your Precious Love"
* "Rhythm of the Rain"

Other songs|

* "Stupid Cupid"
* "Fallin'"
* "Frankie"
* "Where the Boys Are"
* "Workin' On a Groovy Thing"
* "Rainy Jane"
* "Puppet Man"
* "Time Waits for No One"
* "One Day of Your Life"
* "Summer Symphony"
* "One More Mountain to Climb"
* "Ring Ring"
* "Solitaire"
* "Don't Hide Your Love"
* "The Other Side of Me"
* "The Way I Am"
* "Sad Eyes"
* "Love Will Keep Us Together"
* "Lonely Night (Angel Face)"
* "You Never Done It Like That"

Related articles|

* Discography
* Mobile Suit Zeta Gundam
* The Tokens
* Food Rocks

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