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Chicago Daily News
July 27, 1970
Neil Diamond: ‘he’s beautiful’
By Wayne Crawford
Neil Diamond is among the very few who consistently write good songs, record them and have a top40 hit–if not a gold record. Within an even more elite group which includes John Sebastian, the Rascals and the cumulative feel of Crosby, Stills, Nash and Young, Neil Diamond radiates a warmth that touches his audience when he first enters the stage and remains long after his exit.
Like Diamond’s previous dates here, Saturday night’s concert in the Opera House was a special event. Diamond is a unique blend of sensitivity and professionalism that has a universal appeal.
He is a pied piper who would probably refuse that honor. There is no pretense and no ego, no psychedelics, no preaching, no tuning up for a half-hour and no catering to the image of what a pop star is and nothing that is less than beautiful.
He says he measures himself as a person according to how people accept his songs, and in that basis he must be more enriched than most of us. His songs are colored with innocence, love and goodness, of child being father to man and of life being truly alive. All of his songs are really love songs in which life is worth living and, therefore, worth loving.
In “Sweet Caroline,” something good is happening, and regardless of where it began, it’s coming on stronger. He wants you to reach out and discover it in people. “Brother’s Travelin’ Salvation Show” is a Southern gospel show-stopper, the kind of masterpiece that lets you believe there is no reason to be on guard. At a Diamond concert, you’re in the company of friends.
“Manchild” has him searching for his brothers and “Holly Holy” has him reaching for “the song of songs.”
In Diamond’s presence alone is all the power a progressive rock group strives for when playing at high volume. Diamond’s beauty is his ability to unleash all that power with total simplicity.
Neil Diamond’s music tells all I want to know about Neil Diamond. He’s beautiful.