‘Holly Holy’: Neil Diamond Goes Gospel And Follows ‘Sweet Caroline’ Into Top 10

How might you follow your first gold-selling single, after seven years of striving for that summit? Neil Diamond had the answer: with another gold-selling single. A generation on, each of them went platinum.

That first gold-plated smash, and his enduring theme tune, was “Sweet Caroline,” which went on to take center stage at every Diamond concert for almost half a century and become a singalong anthem at sporting events beyond number. The sequel was the gospel-flavored “Holly Holy,” one of the star’s personal favorites, cut like its predecessor at American Sound Studio in Memphis.

The esteemed singer-songwriter from New York had first recorded with high school friend Jack Packer, as Neil and Jack, as far back as 1962. Diamond first breached the U.S. Top 10 in his own name in 1966, with “Cherry, Cherry” and soon, as we know, his career was blossoming on all fronts, both as a performer and a composer.

“Sweet Caroline” was a national and international slam-dunk in 1969, certified gold in the U.S. by the RIAA by August. Never one simply to carbon-copy his own success, the versatile Diamond changed the mood completely for “Holly Holy,” a gently-building track with strings and church-y backing vocals.

It was written by frequent collaborator Tom Catalano and soul bassist-producer Tommy Cogbill, with an arrangement was by the ubiquitous and revered Charles Calello. He was known in early years for his work with the Four Seasons and later for greats from Barbra Streisand to Frank Sinatra and Bruce Springsteen to Barry Manilow.

“Holly Holy” entered the Billboard Hot 100 for the week of November 1, 1969 at No.71, below only Creedence Clearwater Revival’s “Fortunate Son” among that week’s 16 entries. Both were Single of the Week picks in the trade weekly Record World, alongside the Youngbloods’ “Sunlight” and the Grass Roots’ “Heaven Knows.” The magazine declared confidently of Diamond’s release: “Now it will be as famous as its author and constant hitmaker.”

With Christmas not far away, Uni Records saw the potential to capitalize on the song’s spiritual flavor. “Label’s big guns are trained on upcoming holiday traffic,” reported Record World, “based on the single’s inspirational lyric.” The label also produced a four-color newspaper, the Uni Review, based on Diamond’s career achievements to date and available free at record counters across the U.S.

“Holly Holy” took its place on Diamond’s new Touching You…Touching Me album, on which other new originals were joined by his versions of such contemporary numbers as Joni Mitchell’s “Both Sides Now,” Fred Neil’s “Everybody’s Talkin’,” Jerry Jeff Walker’s “Mr. Bojangles,” and Buffy Sainte-Marie’s “Until It’s Time For You To Go.”

The Diamond single went on to match the 14-week U.S. chart run of “Sweet Caroline,” peaking two places below it at No.6. “Holly Holy” missed the charts in the U.K., despite its rush-release there by MCA and an enthusiastic Record Mirror review which said: “From a subdued slow opening this builds into a chix-backed typical Diamond beater.” But like “Sweet Caroline,” it was a major hit in South Africa, reaching No.2, and made the Top 10 in Canada, Australia, and New Zealand.

“Holly Holy” was first covered by Jr. Walker and the All Stars, on their 1970 Motown album A Gasss, and was part of Nancy Sinatra’s Caesars Palace nightclub show in Las Vegas in the summer of that year. It was also popular among reggae artists, with versions by John Holt, the Fabulous Flames, Jackie Mittoo, and Byron Lee and the Dragonaires. UB40 later recorded it for 1998’s Labour of Love III.

Diamond’s profile was high as his original of “Holly Holy” emerged, as he followed what Billboard called a “triumph” at the Troubadour in Los Angeles with a 20-state tour of college campuses from October 13. Fully 25 years later, in November 1994, both songs were certified platinum, as was “Cracklin’ Rosie.”

Buy or stream “Holly Holy” on Neil Diamond’s 50th Anniversary Collector’s Edition.