Hot August Night - Neil Diamond | Album Review & Ranking: Episode 258 (Connor's Pick)

Good times never seemed so good this week! We're taking it back to a Hot August Night in 1971, when Neil Diamond delivered an iconic performance at LA's Greek Theatre! The show produced a live double album packed with his early career's greatest hits, from the pining Red Red Wine to the powerful I Am... I Said (and of course, a prerequisite dose of Sweet Caroline). We'll learn how his pre-med career evolved from the Brill Building to the stage and find out what made him such a compelling arranger and performer. Can Connor's gamble rise above James' previous ranking of Stones?

We'll dwell on previous Diamond experience, explore the jukebox musical centered around his life, and lament an expensive divorce or two. The Mixtaper (a Solitary Man) keeps Connor en garde with facts on swordplay, birdsmithing, and bad actors during Fact Or Spin! Then we focus in on a handful of the 29 tracks on this massive record, from Crunchy Granola Suite to Holly Holy Holly (... Holy) and beyond. Find out if this Easy Listening artist can live up to his genre, and see if this clean collection of live hits can bolster his standing in our official rankings!

What do YOU think is going on with that cover photo? Is this album "live" enough for you? And can you even IMAGINE this guy winning fencing championships? Let us know your thoughts in the comments and on socials! Like and follow for more next week!

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Thanks for listening!

0:00 Intro

4:37 About Neil Diamond

8:56 About Hot August Night

20:54 Fact Or Spin

24:18 Neil Diamond Is An Award-Winning Actor

30:03 He Became A Birdsmith

36:23 An Interlude

38:15 He's An Award-Winning Fencer

42:33 He Made An Interesting Cameo

48:14 Album Art

49:54 Prologue

51:01 Crunchy Granola Suite

53:25 Done Too Soon

54:42 Dialogue

56:03 Solitary Man

57:51 Cherry Cherry

1:01:57 Sweet Caroline

1:06:21 Porcupine Pie, You're So Sweet

1:08:14 Red Red Wine

1:09:19 Soggy Pretzels, Gitchy Goomy

1:11:59 And The Grass Won't Pay No Mind

1:12:21 I Think It's Going To Rain Today

1:12:42 Shilo

1:13:54 Modern Day Version Of Love

1:14:20 Girl You'll Be A Woman Soon

1:15:08 Walk On Water, Kentucky Woman, Stones, Musician Intros

1:16:13 Play Me

1:17:50 Canta Libre, Morningside

1:18:07 Song Sung Blue

1:19:54 Cracklin' Rosie

1:20:40 Holly Holy

1:22:12 I Am... I Said

1:25:03 Soolaimon / Brother Love's Travelling Salvation Show

1:27:21 Final Spin

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