Neil Diamond - Free Man In Paris

[OpheliaRising]

I have never been a Neil Diamond fan, but it says something for him that he was hip enough to want to cover this tune.

[stacia99]

It is indulgent but it's also very good. Neil Diamond made a career out of singing songs that were all about him or a close few people around him, which works because others can relate to what he's feeling. Joni Mitchell's version is AMAZING but it's almost a completely different song. It hardly feels right to compare.

[kamdan2011]

4:46 That image has haunted me for life!

[princesspinkfloyd]

I love Neil but WTF is this horrible rendition ? Only Joni please, thank you.

[BBQFanNo1]

There are most songs done better live by Neil Diamond. Then there are some songs done better in the studio by Neil Diamond. This is one example of a song done better recorded in the studio by him.

[ReinaAntilles]

Wow, have never seen him in a beard outside of in the Jazz Singer. Thanks for posting!

[eddied111]

No one realises that he performed this in 1977, and he has his own style. You simply cannot fault his powerful voice though, it is v special, and unique, great to listen to. Along with his conviction in the lyrics makes you go that journey too!

[totallyhotonj]

He looks gorgeous. This album, which also includes the hit "Desiree," is from 1977.

[totallyhotonj]

He looks gorgeous.

[websyndicate1]

Too bad Neil can't carry the tune. Joni's melody is just too tough for him.

[gretschsounds]

hear elton johns version from the JM tribute..much better

[theseanze]

The indulgence of a singer is especially obvious when the style of singing totally disregards the words he's singing. Sounds cool when they're rocking but looks like he's spoofing himself when it slows down

[Forecaster18]

Wasn't a big fan of this one at first, but it has really grown on me. Diamond takes a nondescript lifeless 70s tune and makes it rock, gives it life.

[herfstgeur]

Een heel intieme vertolking, teer -breekbaar-mooi.

[madpol1]

Neil just ain't at his best when he's this overproduced. Put a 4 piece band behind him an an audience in front and he rox. This sux.

Diamond's strength lies in spontaneity and working the crowd. Without that, his talent is crippled.

[9lizi]

puissante

[gabotdf]

Shitty cover. Blame on him,

[gomudhen]

"I once killed a hitchhiker to get an erection."

[unclepoggy]

This is William Shatner 101. Meet professor Diamond. He is extremely high on himself.

[tessofthewest]

I absolutely love this, particularly Neil's interpretation of the song. Makes an old gal feel young again!

[TuneInTurnOnDropOutt]

He finally parted his hair down the middle - he looks much better this way. Then he started combing it to the side again!

[wgcbww]

This was done from the TV special "I'm glad your here with me Tonight". It is also on the album.

You can look at it as over done, or just with a different spin on the song. Instead of doing the song exactly like the great Joni Mitchel does the song, Neil does it in hi own way. But this is the wonderful thing about music, it does not have to be done one certain way, and not everyone will like how took an original, and made it your own.

[pappy154451956]

i could not disagree more

[RedClayDoll]

@Howard, very self indulgent. I agree. It's like he's speaking/reading the lyrics- because he certainly doesn't know them by heart ( it feels underrehearsed). I hate to think of this as a Joni cover at all.

[mpbranch]

fantastic everything this man does i love him a great voice and true artist on covers and his own material long live the gem that is neil diamond! love u man!

[jondalyengineer]

I like Neil Diamond.... like Girl You'll be a Woman soon and Taproot Manuscript.... but this cover is very William Shatner of Him

[TheCalilady]

I like both Neil's and Joni's versions. Very different (for one thing, their voices are very different!) but each good in its own way. Feel the same way about the other Joni songs Neil covered--"Both Sides Now" and "Chelsea Morning"; there may be others I don't know of. And while I love Neil, I don't uniformly like every song he does--some just don't suit him, or grab me. But he brings such passion to this! Anyway, to each his/her own.

[joesantamaria8lyv]

Good lord, how do you mess up such a brilliant song? He even takes Sinatra like liberties with the melody. Criminal. Check out Joni Mitchell's live version from '79 here on Youtube. Jaco and Don Alias smoke the original studio cats in a great arrangement. Magic.

[TheCalilady]

Sexy, sexy, sexy! And the fencing scene showcases his great athletic body. When he was on a fencing scholarship at NYU, he was doing pre-med--if he'd continued on that path, can you imagine the rush of women (and gay men) to Dr. Diamond's practice? But the medical world's loss was the musical world's gain.

[missourigal82]

I was a switchboard operator at a hospital. I can only imagine the fuss if Dr. Diamond had been in the building. Those fencing skills may have come in handy for self defence!

sigh . . .

[froggy2632]

The eyes, the beard, the shoulders, the man - wow!

[LostGentlemen]

the video's crap - but this version is great

[StevieWonder501]

Where's the emotion?

[missourigal82]

In fairness, it's not an easy song to sing. But good or bad, he's doggoned cute. Love those whiskers! And who could get past those eyes?

It's sure tough gettin' old. sigh...

[ChaseOnMars]

Oh dear this is horrible.

[serialskateboards]

Butchery.

[kenziexxpodders]

yep soooo  gorgeous , just luv him

[rjddurhamnc]

Simply....dreadful.......

[calerouan]

Neil's stacatto approach to this song nullifies it's joyous rambunctious nature,...Neil , I grew up on, still love him, but come on bro , put your best foot forward

[bethany1014]

omg he was soooo gorgeous........mmmmmmmmmmmmm

[jakes667]

I love this and how good does he look in this. What video is this from does anyone know?

[jadesroom]

A tv special from, iirc, November 1977.

[actormanic]

@jakes667 It was from a TV special. 

[Chibi1982]

@jakes667 This is from the special, " I'm glad You're Here With Me Tonight". I am not sure when it came out, 70s maybe, but it was a WHS of my mothers. I enjoy it. It shows some cool insiders look at what happens on a normal day. I like to pop it in when I just want to listen to some of his stuff. I have to agree I like this version the best. I've heard another one, but it was so bland and there was no punch.

Love his stuff. I saw him once. Great stuff!

[kenziexxpodders]

@jakes667  Hi, just read your post, this is from the "Glad your here with me tonight " video, dont know if its on dvd, should be though, and yeah he looks amazing in this I agree.

[tangfastico]

Thank You for posting this version usheleq. I love it and have it on the video this probably came from. But do you know, or does anyone else know if he ever recorded it on an album? I've looked and looked, but to no avail! Thanks again! ... Is he Mr. Cool, or what? Brilliant!

[wordsnmusic]

This song is on his "I'm Glad You're Here With Me Tonight" album from 1977.

[tangfastico]

Cheers wordsnmusic! You're a star1

I'll look out for it!

tangfastico.

[Halloranhill]

G'day! I noticed you asked if this song was ever recorded by Neil. It was, on either September Morn or I'm Glad You're Here With Me Tonight. I am pretty sure it was September Morn.  You notice he was growing the beard? That was for when he started filming the Jazz Singer. They filmed those scenes with the growing beard first. Best of luck.

[winds0ck]

Sorry, only "had a go at you" because I can't stand homophobics and you seemed to imply that if Neil had known, he wouldn't have sung it.

[PattiwhackPics]

I LOVE this -- but does Neil know that "very good friend of mine" is David Geffen's hoped for boyfriend?

[winds0ck]

So? - what are you - homophobic, or do you think Neil is????

[PattiwhackPics]

Actually neither (Im gay) -- My point is, if Neil knew what the lyric was about and still sang it then he's my hero!

[winds0ck]

I've been a Neil fan since 1972 but have never heard this. I would imagine it is a hard song to sing and he sings it so well. It shows how diverse his musical ability. To think he only wanted to be a songwriter, not singer. Kudos to Joni also for writing it.

[VolkersJohan]

I like the way he sings it. With much power.

Far better than a lot of other songs I am ashamed for (his 80's and 90's period)... Thank God, he is back again

(12 songs; home before dark)!!!

[3rdusername]

This is alright, but the first verse goes waaaaay too slow... it's like, "Get on with it already!!"

[51362879]

I really like Neil, but this version hurts my ears.

[nealae1234]

Wow he "Shatnered" this up

[TheFobster]

I LOL'D

[risingron]

Awesome, Joni Mitchell's version is also awesome, seems a shame some people look to minimize their pleasure and joyful experiences.

It's all good.

[7246a]

I love it!!!

[79strat]

lame. its like he's forcing it - romanticizing it. check out joni's version joni, pat, jaco, don, lyle, brecker,...the best. the best.

[VolkersJohan]

You can only admire Neil. He gives us a lot of love. One can only be grateful!

[fastzoe]

neil is a beautiful perfect man..i need to find someone like him

[jordan04n]

There is no one like him, he is beautifully and wonderfully made said the LORD....not many people know what to do with him, even when they think they love him...me... I definately would know what to do with him...so he can grow....devoted

[bloodorb]

have me, im like him lol

[Catholicindian]

I wept. This man's music kept my dreams alive during a very difficult time in my life. This one touches deep. I'm grateful to the poster.

[dodgycat]

oh boy what a fantastic tne and a fantastic singer and really fit as well

[SteffyDrums]

JONI! Please tell Neil to STOP?!

Oh, he just sang, "very good friend of Miiiiiiiiiiiinnnne" as I type and it has made me ill.....and I even like ND. Not this one tho....

[LoisJoy]

Overwhelming. Just overwhelming.

[Jessieurmine]

I've watched a lot of videos of Neil and I keep noticing that same pinkie ring. It looks like a cameo.Must have been from his wife.

[KatieRoss]

twat

[doyle66666666]

joni mitchell doesnt just suck, she smells of piss

[ojososo]

you're an instigator, Doyle, but you're not sucking ME in.

[PrincessJamieAyla]

you know this because you're a toilet in your day job?

[chengloki]

Normally, I don't care for song remakes. This is a rare exception. =Stefan=

[timo77777]

joni mitchell sucks

[KatieRoss]

twat

[PrincessJamieAyla]

where does that put you? paramecium excrement?

[UpstairsMaid]

anyone who could get pat metheny, jaco pastorius,lyle mays, don alias and michael brecker as a backup band ranks as one of the muscial greats. that you cannot perceive this simply hilights your immaturity and rather simplistic understanding of music.

[skyman90210]

Wow. A side of Diamond I never saw before. The original scruffy look, lol. Bet the ladies loved it.

[Sybilwrites]

It's from "I'm glad you're here with me tonight" 1977.

I have a vhs of this. My favorite part is his studio recording of "You don't bring me Flowers" Also theres a shot of him fencing.

[hullogrrr123]

This was from a TV special back in the 70's. It truly shows what vocal range he has, especially being in the recording studio, who knows how many takes this actually took and he still kicked ass!

[kathyddl]

They threw in a little fencing on a balcony. I don't know if anyone realizes that Neil went to NYU on a fencing scholarship, and quit just short of graduation to the dismay of his parents. I'm sure they understood better once he achieved greatness.

[IMUNANIMOUS]

Great performance. Even though written by Joni Mitchell it sounds like something Neil would write. Thanks Joni and Neil.

[jordan04n]

ok, out there what that pinkie ring...cameo devoted wanting to know more think not his wife tho...let's investigate...

[ptrkd85]

This is terrible, and extremely tacky.

[goldiecox34]

personally i thought this was appalling

[rogerbhatia]

Joni and Neil were friends always..at the 'last waltz' concert of 'The Band'they were hangin' together,even during the last song when all the artists came together,Neil and Joni stood right next to another singin' on the same mic. Its not about who wrote the song,its about singin' songs which ya like..especially if a friend originally wrote it! Infact before Neil's 'Rainbow' album,he never ever sang 'others' songs on an album...I think he loved himself too much to do that.

[Crynoutloud]

"The way I see it, you can't please them all. There's always somebody bringing you down." Joni you nailed it. Thanks for posting this. I like it.

[HowardIrwin]

True, each to his own, but it's plainly overload on the indulgence front. If you can't see that, then you must either be Mrs Diamond or his Mum. Or his biggest fan, which is fine by me.

[BradW59]

Loved his version of Joni's great written style.

[dun2soon]

This was on an album of his many moons ago. I always thought he wrote it. But now know it was written by Joni. He covered several of Joni's songs. Said he liked hearing the woman's point of view. I enjoyed this, but then there's not much Neil does that I don't enjoy.

[HowardIrwin]

The worst, most indulgent cover I have ever seen/heard. Neil man, how could you ?!??

[usheleq]

I couldn't disagree with you more.I think the cover totally rocks.Enjoy it much more then the original.But to each his own...

[njgodfrey]

Whatever, he just talk-sings over what is supposed to be a nice melody.

[mavis41558]

@HowardIrwin

I couldn't have said it better than you did. This is horrendous.

[eddied111]

@HowardIrwin

Interesting, indulgent - but Very Very powerful and unrestrained, only a true legend could pull that off. Could you sing like that or anyone else for that matter with such great conviction?

[GraceUnderPressure1]

@HowardIrwin I didn't know this was a cover until this year as I've never heard any other version of it, so since I first heard it as a child, I've always loved Neil's take on it. I think you need to look beyond the "cover version" thing, and just appreciate a great artist singing a great song. Neil always makes a song his own and does it well.

[actormanic]

@HowardIrwin Sorry, I disagree, as well...And I'm a HUGE Joni Mitchell fan! I love both versions.

[BBQFanNo1]

@HowardIrwin The studio album version recording of the song is much better by him.