Karaoke Staple Released in 1969 has the Most Bizarre Origin Story
Singer-songwriter Neil Diamond has offered multiple versions of the story behind his classic, karaoke hit "Sweet Caroline" over the years, making for a truly bizarre backstory to the song.
In a 2007 sit down with The Guardian, Diamond declared that his inspo for the iconic tune was late President John F. Kennedy's daughter, Caroline Kennedy. Caroline would have been just 11-years-old at the time that "Sweet Caroline" was released in 1969. That same year, Diamond sang the song for Caroline at her 50th birthday party. Three years later in 2011, Diamond told The Early Show that a magazine photo of Caroline as a young girl riding a horse with her parents (JFK and Jacqueline Kennedy) had sparked an image in his mind, but the rest of the song came well after seeing this alleged picture.
Despite all of this and all of the involvement of America's most famous family, in 2014 Diamond claimed that the original inspiration behind the song had always been his then-wife, Marcia Murphey. However, he claimed he needed a three syllable name for the chorus, and stated to have chosen "Caroline" in order to make the rhythm work with his written melody.
"Sweet Caroline" has a long legacy, but one of the places it's most often heard is at karaoke. It's so often requested and sung that it has even been ranked among the 100 most popular karaoke songs in the United States. It's so popular in part because of its notoriety, but also because of its "irresistible, built-in call-and-response" which encourages audience engagement.
While "Sweet Caroline" may have peaked at No. 4 on the US Billboard Hot 100 upon its release in 1969, its legacy has lived on thanks to not only karaoke, but also different sporting events. The song is a staple at Fenway Park in Boston, having been played there since at least 1997. The track has also become a very prominent pre‑fight anthem at boxing events in the United Kingdom, and is even played in said rings as somewhat of a sing-along.
In 2019, "Sweet Caroline" was selected by the Library of Congress for preservation in the National Recording Registry for being "culturally, historically, or aesthetically significant" as a piece of music. In 2020 the accolades and preservation continued and the song was inducted into the Grammy Hall of Fame.
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This story was originally published June 2, 2026 at 8:55 PM.