I Am... I Said

Neil Diamond

About I Am... I Said

"I Am... I Said" is a song written and recorded by Neil Diamond. Released as a single on March 15, 1971, it was quite successful, at first slowly climbing the charts, then more quickly rising to number 4 on the U. S. pop singles chart by May 1971. It fared similarly across the Atlantic, reaching number 4 on the UK pop singles chart as well.


Year:
2011
3:34
106 

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L.A.'s fine, the sun shines most the time
And the feeling is "lay back"
Palm trees grow and rents are low
But you know I keep thinkin' about
Making my way back

Well I'm New York City born and raised
But nowadays
I'm lost between two shores
L.A.'s fine, but it ain't home
New York's home
But it ain't mine no more

"I am"... I said
To no one there
And no one heard at all
Not even the chair

"I am"... I cried
"I am"... said I
And I am lost and I can't
Even say why
Leavin' me lonely still

Did you ever read about a frog
Who dreamed of bein' a king
And then became one
Well except for the names
And a few other changes
If you talk about me
The story is the same one

But I got an emptiness deep inside
And I've tried
But it won't let me go
And I'm not a man who likes to swear
But I never cared
For the sound of being alone

"I am"... I said
To no one there
And no one heard at all
Not even the chair
"I am"... I cried
"I am"... said I
And I am lost and I can't
Even say why
"I am"... I said
"I am"... I cried
"I am"

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Neil Diamond

Neil Leslie Diamond (born January 24, 1941) is an American singer-songwriter with a career spanning over five decades from the 1960s until the present. As of 2001, Diamond had sold over 115 million records worldwide including 48 million in the United States alone. He is considered to be the third most successful adult contemporary artist ever on the Billboard chart behind Barbra Streisand and Elton John. His songs have been covered internationally by many performers from various musical genres. more »

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Written by: NEIL DIAMOND

Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group

Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind


10 facts about this song

SONGWRITER
Neil Diamond is both the artist and songwriter of "I Am... I Said." This shows his artistic abilities not just in singing but also in songwriting.
OVERALL SUCCESS
Despite not reaching number one on any charts, the song was a significant hit. It reached number 4 on the Billboard Hot 100 in 1971.
INSPIRATION
"I Am... I Said" was inspired by a period of Diamond's therapy sessions and symbolizes his struggle of finding his self-identity between his two hometowns - Brooklyn, New York, and Los Angeles.
RECORDING TIME
Neil Diamond confessed that it took him four months to pen this song. It’s also his most auto-biographical work to date.
GRAMMY NOMINATION
This classic song was nominated for Grammy awards in two categories in 1972 — Song Of The Year and Best Male Pop Vocal Performance.
LIVE PERFORMANCES
Even decades after its release, "I Am... I Said" remains a mainstay of Diamond's live performances.
COVER VERSIONS
Artists like Bob Dylan, Benny Mardones, and Bobby Womack have covered this song.
CULTURAL REFERENCE
The song was featured in an episode of the show "The Office." The character Michael Scott sings this song during karaoke.
PROP
In a 1971 live version, Diamond explains his dialog with a chair refers to his visits to a psychiatrist. He later apologized for the metaphor in the live performance at the Greek Theater.
SHARED EXPERIENCE
Diamond once stated: "It was consciously an attempt on my part to express what my dreams were about, what my aspirations were about and what I was about. And without any question, it came out in the most raw form that a song of mine had ever been in."

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