I had the same experience growing up, mama loved Neil. But recently I listened to a few of the old hits and I realized... it's because Neil Diamond was secretly awesome.

IT'S NO SECRET

He is the awesome.

It was "Yesterday" for me, too. I'm told I ran around singing it for months when I was like five or so, I don't 'member.

Neil contains measurable amounts of awesome. I don't know if he is THE awesome...

I meant to say: he is of the awesome persuasion. :)

Neil is absolutely awesome. I couldn't even begin to remember which song of his I heard first, but the first album I remember is TAP ROOT MANUSCRIPT, with Cracklin' Rosie, Free Life, Coldwater Morning, Done Too Soon and Soolaimon. Seriously awesome.

The first Beatles song I remember hearing is Uncle Albert and I only know that because my Mom bought me the 45 when I was about 9, and this was probably the same time she bought me Puff the Magic Dragon too.

I think mine was the one that goes..."I've got every reason on earth to be mad...I just lost the only girl I had..."

I thought that was Yaz, from Upstairs at Eric's.

hmmm. I think it was probably "Help," although I was much more of a Monkees fan as a youngin'. I do know my first Beatles album I owned was Hard Day's Night, which my aunt gave to me because one of my cousins had left it in her house after they'd moved out on their own. not sure if it has anything in the way of collector's value, but it would have been purchased at the time of the release of the movie.

Probably 'Lucy in the Sky' -- it all predated my existence, so it could have been anything.

close. You're thinking of