10 million people living in the UK are encouraged to sing Neil Diamond’s classic Sweet Carol during Queen Elizabeth’s Platinum Jubilee celebrations. The song was selected from hundreds of entries by BBC Radio 2’s viewers for the “uplifting and uplifting” melody that everyone can sing together at various parties across the country on Sunday, June 5th.
“We hope that many bands, singers, school bands and marching bands will learn the song and perform it,” said radio presenter Zoë Paul, describing the 1969 success as an “integrated song”. Other popular songs competed were Paul McCartney’s We All Stand Together and Queen’s We Are the Champions.
Diamond, 81, wrote the hit for his second wife, Marcia Murphy. To make sure it matched the melody of the song, he chose a name with three letters. After seeing a photo of John F. Kennedy’s daughter Caroline in a magazine, he picked it up. Sweet Caroline became an international hit and became a common song at weddings over the years. It is also often played on the English football team and the American Baseball Club Boston Red Sox.
The UK Anniversary Weekend will take place from Thursday 2nd to Sunday 5th June. The last day of the festivities will include the Big Jubilee luncheon and the Golden Cart parade through the streets of London. The long weekend celebrations will be called the Platinum Jubilee Competition and will conclude with a performance by many, including Ed Sheeran.
