Serenade (Neil Diamond album)

Serenade is the ninth studio album by Neil Diamond, released in 1974.^[6][7] It was his second album for Columbia Records.^[3]

Serenade
Studio album by Neil Diamond
Released	September 27, 1974
Recorded	1974
Genre	Rock, soft rock
Length	32:45
Label	Columbia
Producer	Tom Catalano[1]
Neil Diamond chronology
His 12 Greatest Hits (1974) Serenade (1974) Beautiful Noise (1976)
Singles from Serenade
"Longfellow Serenade" Released: 1974 (US) "I've Been This Way Before" Released: 1975 "The Last Picasso" Released: 1975

Professional ratings

Review scores
Source	Rating
AllMusic	[2]
The Encyclopedia of Popular Music	[3]
MusicHound Rock: The Essential Album Guide	[4]
The Rolling Stone Album Guide	[5]

Three singles were lifted from the album: "Longfellow Serenade" (#5), "I've Been This Way Before" (#34) and "The Last Picasso". Serenade was Diamond's third consecutive platinum album.^[8] It was also issued as a quadraphonic LP with some songs as alternate takes.

Production

"I've Been This Way Before" was originally meant to be the closing number on Jonathan Livingston Seagull, but Diamond was unable to finish it in time.^[9] Serenade was the last album for which Diamond solely wrote all the songs until 2001's Three Chord Opera.^[10]

Critical reception

The Morning Call wrote that the songs "seemed overblown, self-important and banal - pale imitations . . . rewrites, if you will, of songs Diamond already had recorded," and praised Beautiful Noise as a righting of the ship.^[11]

Record World said of the single release of "The Last Picasso" that the "new mix brings to the album cut undeniably colorful AM hit strokes while none of its subtler appeal is brushed aside."^[12]

Track listing

All tracks written by Neil Diamond.

Side one

No.	Title	Length
1.	"I've Been This Way Before"	3:45
2.	"Rosemary's Wine"	2:41
3.	"Lady Magdelene"	6:58
4.	"The Last Picasso"	4:24

Side two

No.	Title	Length
5.	"Longfellow Serenade"	3:50
6.	"Yes I Will"	4:35
7.	"Reggae Strut"	3:35
8.	"The Gift of Song"	2:22

Personnel

• Neil Diamond - vocals, guitar^{[citation needed]}
• Richard Bennett - guitar
• Emory Gordy, Jr. - bass guitar
• Alan Lindgren, David Paich - keyboards
• Dennis St. John - drums
• Jimmie Haskell - arranger, conductor

Charts

Weekly charts Chart (1974-1975) Peak position Australian Albums (Kent Music Report)[13] 1 Austrian Albums (Ö3 Austria)[14] 7 Canada Top Albums/CDs (RPM)[15] 2 Dutch Albums (Album Top 100)[16] 3 German Albums (Offizielle Top 100)[17] 1 New Zealand Albums (RMNZ)[18] 3 UK Albums (OCC)[19] 11 US Billboard 200[20] 3

Year-end charts Chart (1974) Peak position Australian Albums (Kent Music Report)[21] 14 Chart (1975) Peak position Australian Albums (Kent Music Report)[22] 24 German Albums (Offizielle Top 100)[23] 3

Certifications

Region	Certification	Certified units/sales
Australia (ARIA)[24]	Gold	20,000^
Canada (Music Canada)[25]	Platinum	100,000^
Germany (BVMI)[26]	Gold	250,000^
United Kingdom (BPI)[27]	Gold	100,000^
United States (RIAA)[28]	Platinum	1,000,000^
^ Shipments figures based on certification alone.