| features in: Album Chart of 1966 ● Album Chart of the Decade: 1960s |
In early 1966 Jeff Barry and Ellie Greenwich discovered a talented young singer-songwriter named Neil Diamond and brought him to the attention of Bert Berns, one of the principals of Bang Records. By the time of this debut LP in October, “Cherry Cherry” was in the Billboard Top 10. There are seven originals on Neil’s debut – all the best ones are his. His first three big American hits are here - “Solitary Man” (#55), “Cherry, Cherry” (#6) and “Oh No No” (#16). The covers, almost certainly included for marketing viability, include “Red Rubber Ball” (The Seekers, 1966), “La Bamba” (Ritchie Valens, 1958), “Hanky Panky” (The Summits, 1963), “Monday, Monday” (The Mama’s and The Papa’s, 1966) and “New Orleans” (Gary U.S. Bonds, 1960). This is very much Neil Diamond as pop artist – complete with handclaps and boy-girl backing vocals from the recently divorced couple Barry and Greenwich, who remained strong as the pop production dream team of choice for a few years to come…
The Jukebox Rebel
09–Nov–2008
| Tracklist |
| A1 | [02:33]  Neil Diamond - Solitary Man (Neil Diamond) Cerebral Pop |
| A2 | [02:17]  Neil Diamond - Red Rubber Ball (Bruce Woodley, Paul Simon) Pop |
| A3 | [02:07]  Neil Diamond - La Bamba (Traditional, Richard Valenzuela) Pop |
| A4 | [01:49]  Neil Diamond - Do It (Neil Diamond) Pop |
| A5 | [02:45]  Neil Diamond - Hanky Panky (Jeff Barry, Ellie Greenwich) Pop |
| A6 | [02:58]  Neil Diamond - Monday, Monday (John Phillips) Cerebral Pop |
| B1 | [02:22]  Neil Diamond - New Orleans (Frank Guida, Joseph Royster) Pop |
| B2 | [02:15]  Neil Diamond - Someday Baby (Neil Diamond) Blues Rock / Soul Rock |
| B3 | [02:09]  Neil Diamond - I Got The Feelin’, Oh No, No (Neil Diamond) Cerebral Pop |
| B4 | [02:58]  Neil Diamond - I’ll Come Running (Neil Diamond) Pop |
| B5 | [02:16] Neil Diamond - Love To Love (Neil Diamond) Pop |
| B6 | [02:38] Neil Diamond - Cherry, Cherry (Neil Diamond) Pop |
