Neil Diamond on the Art of Songwriting and Why He Compares Himself to Metallica

In a 2008 conversation with Q magazine, Neil Diamond offered a characteristically unguarded take on the nature of his work. What made headlines then, and still resonates, was his insistence that beneath the stylistic surface, he and Metallica were not so different. “It’s just music,” he said. “Different styles, different approaches. But when you get down to it, there’s no great difference between me and Metallica.” He added that he could sit down with the band like they’d known each other all their lives, sharing the same kind of life. Electric guitar versus acoustic, same passion.

Diamond had already been making records for over four decades at that point. He started as a teenager, never letting go once he had what he called “that tiger by the tail.” The result was over 130 million records sold worldwide, from his first hit “Cherry, Cherry” in 1966 onward. But the interview wasn’t about numbers. He spoke plainly about songwriting as instinct and openness. A melody that sweeps you along, something you’ve never heard before, could be the seed. The lyrics came from life, not as a conscious choice but because that’s all he knew. “You don’t hold anything back,” he said. “You just open up and let it come out and let the chips fall where they may.”

That approach led directly to one of his most peculiar hits. “Cracklin’ Rosie,” his first US No. 1 from 1970’s Tap Root Manuscript, was born from a story he heard while touring Canada. On a native reservation, single men found solace in a cheap wine called Cracklin’ Rose. The bottle became a companion. Diamond turned that image into a song that topped charts internationally, proving that even the most specific, strange real-world details could connect widely when delivered with complete sincerity.