NEIL DIAMOND : HOT AUGUST NIGHT

 

Disc One (74:08)

  1. Prologue
  2. Crunchy Granola Suite
  3. Done Too Soon
  4. Dialogue
  5. Solitary Man
  6. Cherry Cherry
  7. Sweet Caroline
  8. Porcupine Pie
  9. You're So Sweet
  10. Red, Red Wine
  11. Soggy Pretzels
  12. Gitchy Goomy
  13. And the Grass Won't Pay No Mind
  14. Shilo
  15. modern day version Of love
  16. Girl, You'll Be a Woman Soon
  17. walk on water
  18. kentucky woman
  19. stones
  20. musician intros

Disc Two (45:28)

  1. Play Me
  2. Canta Libre
  3. Morningside
  4. Song Sung Blue
  5. Cracklin' Rosie
  6. Holly Holy
  7. I Am...I Said
  8. Soolaimon/Brother Love's Travelling Salvation Show

Label : Geffen Records

Release Year : 1972 / 2012 (40th Anniversary Edition)

Venue : The Greek Theatre, Los Angeles, California, USA

Recording Date : August 24, 1972

Review (AllMusic) : This is the ultimate Neil Diamond record. Not necessarily the best - he's at his most appealing crafting in the studio - but certainly the ultimate, capturing all the kitsch and glitz of Neil Diamond, the showman. And that also means that it's not just loaded with flair, but with filler, songs like "Porcupine Pie," "Soggy Pretzels," and "And the Grass Won't Pay No Mind" - attempts to write grand, sweeping epics that collapse under their own weight. Still, that's part of the charm of Diamond and while it can sound unbearable on studio albums, it makes some sense here, surrounded by his pomp and circumstance. That spectacle is the great thing about the record, since it inflates not just his great songs, it gives the weaker moments character. And while this does wind up being a little much - 21 songs, 24 on the 2000 reissue -- it nevertheless is the one record for casual Neil fans, after the hits collections, since this shows Diamond the icon in full glory.

Review (Wikipedia) : Hot August Night is a 1972 live double album by Neil Diamond. It is a recording of a Diamond concert on Thursday August 24, 1972, one of ten sold out concerts that Diamond performed that month at The Greek Theatre in Los Angeles. The album has become a great success for Diamond, and in Australia, it spent 29 weeks at number 1 on the album charts during 1973 & 1974. It was the number one charting album in Australia for the 1970s, entering the Australian album charts in late 1972 and was still charting in the top 20 in 1976. It re-entered the Australian top 10 in 1982.