US newsSweet Caroline was president's daughter, says Diamond
Sweet Caroline, the 1960s hit song that has become a karaoke favourite, was inspired by President Kennedy's daughter, its composer, Neil Diamond, has revealed.
"I've never discussed it with anybody before - intentionally," the 66-year-old singer-songwriter told the Associated Press during a break from recording yesterday. "I thought maybe I would tell it to Caroline when I met her someday."
Diamond finally got his chance when he performed the song, via satellite, at Caroline Kennedy Schlossberg's 50th birthday party last week. She is the daughter and the only surviving child of John Kennedy and Jacqueline Kennedy Onassis.
He said he was a "young, broke songwriter" when a news magazine photo of the then president's daughter, who was aged 10 at the time, caught his eye.
"It was a picture of a little girl dressed to the nines in her riding gear, next to her pony," Diamond said. "It was such an innocent, wonderful picture, I immediately felt there was a song in there."
Years later, in a Memphis hotel, he wrote the words and music in less an hour - and the song resurrected his faltering career.
"It was a No 1 record and probably is the biggest, most important song of my career, and I have to thank her for the inspiration," he added.
"I'm happy to have got it off my chest and to have expressed it to Caroline. I thought she might be embarrassed, but she seemed to be struck by it and really, really happy."
Officially released as a single on September 16 1969, Sweet Caroline reached No 4 on the Billboard chart. It reached platinum status when singles sales hit 1m, and got to No 8 in the UK singles chart in 1971.
The catchy song recently reappeared in the charts, thanks in part to the Boston Red Sox baseball team. It is played at every home game, and is also aired at the annual Hong Kong Rugby Sevens.
"I think they consider it good luck," Diamond said, adding that the Red Sox have become his favourite baseball team.
"That song was written 40 years ago, so I am just overwhelmed by the fact that it has returned and that, more importantly, people have taken it into their hearts for so many years."
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