This, That, and the Other

So much to choose from this week, with Jim Adams giving us “banana,” “cherry,” “strawberry,” “orange,” and “olive” as the Song Lyric Sunday themes. I first thought of the Beatles’ “Strawberry Fields Forever.” Then it was the old “Yes! We Have No Bananas” song. I even thought about Little Richard’s Tutti Fruity, but the lyrics to that song don’t mention bananas, cherries, strawberries, or olives. So I finally decided to go with Neil Diamond’s “Cherry, Cherry.”

“Cherry, Cherry” was a 1966 song written, composed, and recorded by American musician Neil Diamond. Diamond got some help writing this song from Jeff Barry and Ellie Greenwich, who worked with him after he signed with Bang Records and produced the song. It started out with a guitar lick Diamond came up with that caught Barry’s ear. He and Greenwich loved it and encouraged Neil to finish the song. It was Diamond’s first big hit, reaching number 6 on the Billboard Hot 100 chart. After the song became a hit, Diamond’s songs were in demand. This led to The Monkees recording of Diamond’s “I’m A Believer,” which was the biggest hit of 1967.

And, by the way, contrary to what the above video says, Neil Diamond was finally inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in March 2011.

Jeff Barry said that the song was originally titled “Money, Money,” but he and Bang records owner Bert Berns persuaded Diamond to make it lighter and more teen-friendly. There are no drums in this song. The version you hear was intended as a demo, with hand claps providing the drum beat. Diamond recorded the demo with Barry and Greenwich on backing vocals and with Artie Butler on piano and Hammond organ. When they recorded the song in an official session complete with horns and drums, they couldn’t capture the exuberance of the demo.

Diamond made his TV debut performing this song on American Bandstand in 1966. He said that, “American Bandstand was the holy grail of television shows for any Rock and Roll artist at that time.”

Here are the lyrics to “Cherry, Cherry.”

Baby loves me
Yes, yes she does
Ah, the girl’s outta sight, yeah
Says she loves me

Yes, yes she does
Gonna show me tonight, yeah

She got the way to move me, Cherry
She got the way to groove me
She got the way to move me
She got the way to groove me

Tell your mamma, girl, I can’t stay long
We got things we gotta catch up on
Mmmm, you know
You know what I’m sayin’

Can’t stand still while the music is playin’
why ‘ain’t got no right
No, no you don’t
Ah, to be so exciting

Won’t need bright lights
No, no we won’t
Gonna make our own lighting

She got the way to move me, Cherry
She got the way to groove me
She got the way to move me
She got the way to groove me

No, we won’t tell a soul where we gone to
Girl, we do whatever we want to
Ah, I love the way that you do me
Cherry, babe, you really get to me

She got the way to move me, Cherry
She got the way to groove me
She got the way to move me
She got the way to groove me