Let's Sing, Boston!

Fenway Park - Brewers v Boston 7/29/2022

 If you know one thing about the Boston Red Sox and Fenway Park, I'll bet you know they sing Neil Diamond's "Sweet Caroline" in the middle of the eighth inning.

 Like the Brewer's Sausage Race in the middle of the sixth, the 1969 song is what many of the fans are waiting to experience for their game experience is complete.

 My primary goal for the two games we attended was seeing the Brewers win.  The second, singing "Sweet Caroline."

Last line of 1st verse

If you don't know the song, in a group sing-a-long situation, it's all about the chorus.

While I was anticipating the song it crept up on me until I recognized the voice of Neil Diamond near the end of verse one.

The first time it was played intentionally in Fenway was in 1997 because the woman in charge of music knew someone who just had a daughter named Caroline.

 

It was played on occasion in the years that followed.  According to an MLB account, a new executive changed it up after noticing the crowd's reaction when it played.

He wanted it to become a ballpark staple but the people in the booth said they only played it when the team was ahead and the crowd was festive.

The crescendo of voices builds in the stadium.

Dr. Charles Steinberg wanted it played every night, eventually placing it after 7-and-a-half-innings.  It's been played at that time at every home game since 2002.

Diamond sang in person at the first home game after the Boston Marathon bombing in 2013 and was on hand in June this year to sing with the actor portraying him in a Broadway show featuring Diamond's music.

Bah - Bah - Bah

34,192 other fans and I raised our voices to join as Diamond lowered his voice; "touching hands, touching hands" then slows to sing, "reaching out" (pause) "touching me" (pause then louder) "touching you" then at full throat sing "SWEET CAROLINE!"

It was cool, unifying, and transformative as we added the words you won't find in the lyrics, "BAH - BAH - BAH!"

So good!   So good!   So good!

We picked up the next line and again added a phrase that echoed for blocks around the park, "So good! So good! So good!"

After the next line "I've been inclined," it's time for another "BAH - BAH - BAH" before singing the second verse and one more round of the chorus.

 

It was at that point I think the public address announcer said something before bowing out as the music got loud again so we could do another round of the chorus with its "BAH - BAH - BAH and So good!"

I enjoyed "Sweet Caroline" at our Friday game but was busy taking pictures of the screen so I wasn't able to fully participate.  Saturday I set the camera down to join the 35,866 other fans (including at least 3,000 cheering for the Brew Crew) singing and experienced the best moment of our three days in Boston.

This Boston tradition has moved around becoming the way crowds sing the 50-year old tune which remains a fan favorite in stadiums and arenas around the country.