Play Me Explained

Play Me
Cover:Play Me cover.jpg
Type:single
Artist:Neil Diamond
Album:Moods
B-Side:Porcupine Pie
Released:August 1972
Genre:Pop
Label:Uni 55346[1]
Producer:Tom Catalano
Prev Title:Song Sung Blue
Prev Year:1972
Next Title:Walk On Water
Next Year:1972

"Play Me" is a 1972 song by Neil Diamond from his album Moods. The song, the first single from Moods,[2] was recorded in February 1972 in Los Angeles.[3] It was released as a single in May 1972 and peaked at #11 in the United States[4] in September of that year.[5] It was listed by Billboard as #27 of his best 30 songs.[6]

The "catchy pop-rock"[7] song is a medium-tempo waltz performed in 3/4 time at a standard tempo of 102 bpm.[8] Play Me features broken chords played on the acoustic guitar, courtesy of Diamond's long-time collaborator Richard Bennett.[8] While Bennett had played on a few songs on Diamond's 1971 album Stones, Moods was his first full collaboration with him, establishing Bennett as one of Diamond's essential players, playing on every Diamond album until 1987 and touring with him for 17 years.[9]

Reception

Female praise

"Play Me" is an audience favorite, especially among women, who carry signs that read "Neil, Play Me" to his performances[10] and scream "me, me, me" when he plays the tune, described as "an entreaty to romance".[11] Along with "Love on the Rocks" and "You Don't Bring Me Flowers", it is one of the "baritone ballads" that have "60-year-old women erupting in girlish screams";[12] it makes female audience members shriek[13] and swoon.[14] According to Melissa Ruggieri, writing for Media General about a 2008 concert, "Diamond [at age 67] also still possesses the ability to charm, even though he didn't need to do much except wiggle his prominent eyebrows at women in the crowd to elicit schoolgirl-like squeals—'Play Me,' in particular, had a bizarre aphrodisiac effect."[15]

Singer/songwriter Mary Lee Kortes, while performing it in 2000 in New York, suggested that she had lost her virginity to the song.[16] Nancy Sinatra said, "'Play Me' is my favorite [Neil Diamond] song, because it is sexy."[17]

Critical acclaim

It is widely praised by critics and musicians as well; it is among the top-ten favorite songs of American writer and critic David Wild. Wild was especially fond of the lines "You are the sun, I am the moon, / You are the words, I am the tune, / Play me,"[8] and other writers have cited the lines as well.[18] Diamond himself has referred to those lines, for instance in an apology to a 2008 Columbus, Ohio, audience, for performing with a raspy voice while suffering from acute laryngitis.[19] Billboard described it as a "potent cut."[20] Cash Box described it as "a ballad about he, she and the music" and considered it to be "delicious".[21] Record World called it a "sweet and smooth ballad, seemingly born to be covered".[22]

Lyrical criticism

The song also has its detractors, and "Play Me" is not the only Diamond song criticized by some for its lyrics. Janice Kennedy said the song was "an exercise in fingernail-on-blackboard painfulness: 'Song she sang to me, song she brang to me.'"[23] American humorist Dave Barry also cited those lines, claiming that they made him like the song.[24] Martin Pearson also criticised that line, commenting "Ugh! It's "brought", you horrible little American!"

Academic criticism

This song has also created significant debates in academic circles regarding the development of language and meaning within language, especially within the context of popular American songwriting. "If "moose" pluralizes to "moose", but "goose" pluralizes to "geese", then why can't the word "brang" be used as the past participle of "bring" instead of "brought"?. Who says that "brought" is sacrosanct in that case?" argued singer-songwriter David Persons at a symposium on songwriting and creative writing held at Stephen F. Austin University.[25] "There really are no rules in the practical sense in creative uses of English, and I am always thankful that I am a native English speaker, as it has so many irregularities and non-rules that it must be near impossible to learn as a second language. New words develop from new meanings and linguistic demands, and Neil Diamond's writing has made several significant contributions to that development throughout his career as he has added his own personal mark of genius to The Great American Songbook. In this case the rule has to be "Neil Diamond wrote it, I heard it and that settles it, Brang is in fact a word."[25]

Chart history

Weekly charts

Chart (1972)Peak
position
Australia (Kent Music Report)25
Germany [26] 28
Canada RPM Adult Contemporary[27] 3
Canada RPM Top Singles6
U.S. Billboard Hot 100[28] 11
U.S. Billboard Adult Contemporary3
U.S. Cash Box Top 100[29] 16

Year-end charts

Notable covers

Notes and References

  1. Top 40 Easy Listening. August 26, 1972. Billboard. 36. May 1, 2010.
  2. Book: Jackson, Laura. Neil Diamond: His Life, His Music, His Passion. ECW Press. 2005. 92. 978-1-55022-707-9. May 1, 2010.
  3. Talent in Action. February 19, 1972. Billboard. 16. May 1, 2010.
  4. Neil Diamond's Top Singles. Caulfield. Keith. December 9, 2006. Billboard. 57. May 1, 2010.
  5. Book: Lonergan, David F.. Hit records, 1950–1975. Scarecrow Press. 2005. 174. 978-0-8108-5129-0. May 1, 2010.
  6. Book: Bronson, Fred. Billboard's hottest hot 100 hits. Watson-Guptill. 2003. 3. 82. 978-0-8230-7738-0. May 1, 2010.
  7. Book: Bogdanov, Vladimir. Chris Woodstra . Stephen Thomas Erlewine . All music guide to rock: the definitive guide to rock, pop, and soul. Hal Leonard. 2002. 3. 308. 978-0-87930-653-3. May 1, 2010.
  8. Book: Wild, David. He Is . . . I Say: How I Learned to Stop Worrying and Love Neil Diamond. Seal Press. 2009. 18–19. 978-0-306-81835-6. May 1, 2010.
  9. Web site: Features— Artists: Richard Bennett. Childs. Zac. May 3, 2007. Vintage Guitar. May 2, 2010. dead. https://web.archive.org/web/20090308022737/http://vguitar.com/features/artists/details.asp?AID=2263. March 8, 2009.
  10. Web site: Neil Diamond – Today Show Concert. Wiskirchen. Julie. July 27, 2001. Ape Culture. May 3, 2010.
  11. News: Neil Diamond may not be hip, but he makes great music. July 13, 1996. Star Tribune. May 2, 2010.
  12. News: Neil Diamond shines bright at ACC show. Rayner. Ben. December 3, 2008. Toronto Star. May 3, 2010.
  13. News: There's No Doubt That Diamond Is Forever. Padman. Padmaja. July 27, 1992. New Straits Times. May 3, 2010.
  14. News: Diamond in the Round. November 18, 1996. Wichita Eagle. 9A.
  15. News: Older, toned-down Diamond let his songs sparkle. Ruggieri. Melissa. December 9, 2008. Media General. May 3, 2010. dead. https://archive.today/20130124101637/http://www2.godanriver.com/gdr/entertainment/night_life/article/older_toned-down_diamond_let_his_songs_sparkle/7897/. January 24, 2013.
  16. News: Pop Review: A Tribute by So Many to Interpret a Solitary Man. Powers. Ann. December 13, 2000. The New York Times. May 3, 2010.
  17. Playing Favorites. Block. Debbie Galante. December 9, 2006. Billboard. 38ff. May 1, 2010.
  18. News: After 40 Years, Neil Diamond Is Still Shining. https://web.archive.org/web/20080506095000/http://today.msnbc.msn.com/id/24371189/#ixzz0mjRKjqfT. live. May 6, 2008. Johnson. Caitlin. April 29, 2008. MSNBC. May 2, 2010.
  19. News: Neil Diamond offers concert audience a refund. August 28, 2008. Reuters. May 2, 2010.
  20. News: Billboard. August 2, 2020. Radio Action and Pick Singles. August 19, 1972. 50.
  21. News: CashBox Record Reviews. July 29, 1972. 22. December 11, 2021. Cash Box.
  22. Record World. August 12, 1972. March 30, 2023. Hits of the Week. 1.
  23. News: The iPhone's assault on the English language. Kennedy. Janice. April 13, 2010. The Vancouver Sun. May 1, 2010.
  24. Book: Barry, Dave. Dave Barry's Book of Bad Songs. Andrews McMeel Publishing. 2000. 3. 978-0-7407-0600-4. May 1, 2010.
  25. Dr. Lee Shultz Creative Writing Series. March 1989. David Persons: Writing Songs From Creative Writing Models.
  26. Web site: Steffen Hung . Neil Diamond - Play Me . norwegiancharts.com . August 9, 2022.
  27. Web site: Item Display - RPM - Library and Archives Canada . Collectionscanada.gc.ca . October 7, 1972 . February 24, 2019.
  28. Joel Whitburn's Top Pop Singles 1955–1990 -
  29. Web site: Cash Box Top 100 Singles, October 7, 1972 . February 24, 2019 . https://web.archive.org/web/20160322124824/http://tropicalglen.com/Archives/70s_files/19721007.html . March 22, 2016 . dead .
  30. Book: Whitburn, Joel . 1999 . Pop Annual . Menomonee Falls, Wisconsin . Record Research Inc. . 0-89820-142-X.
  31. News: . Programmer's Potpourri . Billboard . March 31, 1973.
  32. Mining Diamond's Catalog. Bessman. Jim. December 9, 2006. Billboard. 58–65. May 1, 2010.
  33. Stars Salute Neil Diamond At MusiCares Event. Donahue. Ann. February 7, 2009. Billboard. May 3, 2010.
  34. News: Inside the All-Star MusiCares Tribute to Neil Diamond. Boehm. Kristin. Marisa Laudadio. February 7, 2009. People. May 3, 2010. October 12, 2012. https://web.archive.org/web/20121012000059/http://www.people.com/people/article/0,,20257664,00.html. dead.