Classics: The Early Years

Classics: The Early Years is a compilation album by Neil Diamond released in 1983 featuring the early recordings he made for Bang Records in 1966 and 1967. After Columbia Records acquired the Bang Records catalogue, the twelve best recordings were reissued on this album. Columbia gave Diamond, a longtime Columbia recording artist, control of the Bang masters of his recordings. The original copyright notice of this album read "(C) and (P)1983 Neil Diamond and CBS Inc." CBS owned Columbia at that time. This compilation has a different track lineup compared to the 1968 Bang compilation album titled Neil Diamond's Greatest Hits which contains two cover songs. All the songs in this album are original Diamond compositions and substitutes "I'm A Believer" (which The Monkees covered) and "Shilo" in place of the Gary U.S. Bonds hit "New Orleans" and the Tommy James and the Shondells hit "Hanky Panky."

Only a few tracks are in true stereo. Later Neil Diamond compilations contained the mono versions, which makes this album the only source for the stereo versions of his Bang Records releases. The only true stereo version of "Kentucky Woman" was released in 1978 by Frog King records on the album Early Classics.

Track listing

All songs composed by Neil Diamond

Side one
No.	Title	Length
1.	"Kentucky Woman"	2:24
2.	"Cherry, Cherry" (single version)	2:41
3.	"Solitary Man" (with overdubs)	2:34
4.	"You Got to Me" (original stereo mix)	2:45
5.	"I Got the Feelin' (Oh No, No)"	2:09
6.	"Thank the Lord for the Night Time" (original stereo mix)	3:02

Side two
No.	Title	Length
1.	"I'm a Believer" (with orchestral overdubs of brass and strings)	2:38
2.	"Girl, You'll Be a Woman Soon"	3:20
3.	"Shilo"	3:49
4.	"Do It"	2:22
5.	"Red, Red Wine"	2:39
6.	"The Boat That I Row"	2:41

References

↑ Erlewine, Stephen Thomas. Classics: The Early Years at AllMusic

Neil Diamond

Studio albums	The Feel of Neil Diamond Just for You Velvet Gloves and Spit Brother Love's Travelling Salvation Show Touching You, Touching Me Tap Root Manuscript Stones Moods Serenade Beautiful Noise I'm Glad You're Here with Me Tonight You Don't Bring Me Flowers September Morn On the Way to the Sky Heartlight Primitive Headed for the Future The Best Years of Our Lives Lovescape The Christmas Album Up on the Roof: Songs from the Brill Building The Christmas Album, Volume II Tennessee Moon The Movie Album: As Time Goes By Three Chord Opera 12 Songs Home Before Dark A Cherry Cherry Christmas Dreams Melody Road

Soundtrack albums	Jonathan Livingston Seagull The Jazz Singer

Live albums	Gold: Recorded Live at the Troubadour Hot August Night Love at the Greek Hot August Night II Live in America Stages: Performances 1970–2002 Hot August Night/NYC

Compilation albums	Neil Diamond's Greatest Hits Shilo Do It! Double Gold Rainbow His 12 Greatest Hits And the Singer Sings His Song Early Classics 12 Greatest Hits, Vol. II Classics: The Early Years The Greatest Hits: 1966–1992 Glory Road: 1968 to 1972 In My Lifetime The Neil Diamond Collection Play Me: The Complete Uni Studio Recordings...Plus! The Essential Neil Diamond The Essential Neil Diamond 3.0

Concert tours	Melody Road Tour (2015)

Related articles	Discography Jonathan Livingston Seagull The Jazz Singer Saving Silverman

Book Category

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