(Neil Diamond/Marilyn Bergman/Alan Bergman)
This song written by Neil Diamond, Marilyn Bergman and Alan Bergman that tells about how a couple have drifted apart and reminisce about how it used to be and what it’s like now. It was first recorded by Neil Diamond on his 1977 album I’m Glad You’re Here With Me Tonight and Barbra Streisand recorded a cover of it on her Songbird.
It was down to the Program Director at Louisville’s WAKY Radio, Gary Guthrie, the song that became a chart topper in the US and No. 5 in the UK came to be, as he decided to make a virtual duet of the two versions. The virtual version had become so popular that it was decided to make a real-life recording and it led to the duo eventually performing it live at the 1980 Grammy Award ceremony. Incidentally they had previously performed “together” when they were both part of the school choir at Erasmus Hall in New York. It was released in 1978 and twice hit the Billboard Hot 100 No. 1 spot on 2nd and 16th December of that year with a week’s gap in between where it was pipped to the post for a short period by “Le Freak” by Chic.
It has since been covered by Jim Ed Brown & Helen Cornelius as a single release and as the title of their 1979 album and in 1996 it was sung on Saturday Night Live by Tupac Shakur and Ice T.
Jim Ed Brown & Helen Cornelius recordings
RCA JH-11435 (PB-11435) PB-11435-A (US promo 45)
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