from THE BEST YEARS OF OUR LIVES
Written by Neil Diamond
Between the end of the Eighties and the start of the Nineties, David Foster had a couple of years where he was absent from the top of the charts. During that time, Foster focused on movie soundtracks like Stealing Home and One Good Cop, released a couple of solo projects, produced Japanese artist Seiko Matsuda and produced new talent like Celine Dion’s debut cd for the English market.
The most important production of those years was Neil Diamond’s The Best Years Of Our Lives cd. This outstanding work saw the light of day in December 1988. The Best Years Of Our Lives was a well-balanced pop/rock collection split between ballads and more up-tempo numbers. Diamond and Foster co-wrote a good portion of the album including the Adult Contemporary hit ballad, “This Time.” Another single off The Best Years Of Our Lives was the title-track that reached #7 on the same chart.
Written by Diamond, “The Best Years Of Our Lives” is the song in the spotlight for this week.
This catchy rocker opened the album sporting a powerful beat and loud guitars to support the superstar’s convincing vocal. This song sounds a tad influenced by the classic rock of Bruce Springsteen with an instrumental performance that was right on target. Delivered by guitar gods Steve Lukather and Mike Landau, they fueled the right amount of energy into the track. There were also some rousing female vocal harmonies on the song performed by famous Australian singing sensation, Renée Geyer. It’s always interesting to listen to a Foster production that’s a bit out of his comfort zone. However, the end result here was still typically Foster with his refined and impeccable sounds. Its parent album, even though certified gold, went only to #46 on Billboard’s Top 200. Obviously, the album fell short of Foster’s expectations.
Yet, time has been kind to The Best Years Of Our Lives. This work was almost unanimously considered one of Diamond’s most solid releases of that era.
To round out this review, here are a few words that the Hitman kindly sent:
“Listening to this song is really a trip down memory lane. It sounds like Lukather on the guitar solo and I think it’s me on the B3 organ, but I can’t be 100% sure. I really thought we had nailed a great album, but it didn’t do very well although I really loved working with Neil. Here’s a funny story: I was in Neil’s band for 3 months around 1975 or 76, but I got fired before we even did one gig because the musical director didn’t like me. Then, about a decade later, I was asked to produce him and that was quite a nice satisfaction.”
Listen
- Lead Vocals: Neil Diamond
- Keyboards: David Foster
- Guitars: Dean Parks, Steve Lukather & Mike Landau
- Bass: Reinie Press & Mike Brignardello
- Drums: Tris Imboden & Carlos Vega
- Horns: Jerry Hey, Gary Grant, Larry Williams, Bill Reichenbach & Dan Higgins
- Synthesizer Programming: Rhett Lawrence, Rick Bowen & Kevin Maloney
- Backing Vocals: Renée Geyer
- Horns Arranged by Jerry Hey & David Foster
- Produced & Arranged by David Foster
Lyrics
Hey, listen to the working man
And can you hear the dream
That resides in his soul?
And when you hear that poor man singin’
Can you hear a story
That cries to be told?
Wanna hear you say “oh yeah”
I need to hear you say “oh yeah”
It’s time to stand up and be counted
These are the days of our beginnings
This ain’t the time for the faint of heart
No don’t wanna lose
The chance we are given
These are the best years of our lives
The very best years of our lives
Oh yeah, hear the song of womankind
Carried ’til she ached
Now she’s takin’ her stand
Says she’s got the right to be
Right beside and equal with ev’ry man
Wanna hear you say “oh yeah”
Need to hear you say “oh yeah”
It’s time to stand up and be counted
These are the days of our beginnings
This ain’t the time for the faint of heart
No don’t wanna lose
The chance we’re given
These are the best years of our lives
The very best years of our lives
Say “oh yeah”
(Organ solo)
(Guitar solo)
Say it now, and just say it right
If you truly believe it,
You’ll be saying it right.
So say “oh yeah”
Gotta say “oh yeah”
It’s time to stand up and be counted
Better days are just beginning.
There ain’t no place to run and hide to
Don’t throw away
The chance we’re given.
These are the best years of our lives
The very best years of our lives
Say “oh yeah”
“Oh yeah”
Say “oh yeah”
Say “oh yeah”
These are the best years of our lives