The Best Years of Our Lives
Portrait of a dark-haired man playing a guitar
Studio album by
Neil Diamond
Released13 December 1988
Studio
GenreAdult contemporary
Length44:44
LabelColumbia
ProducerDavid Foster
Neil Diamond chronology
Hot August Night II
(1987) 		The Best Years of Our Lives
(1988) 		Lovescape
(1991)
Professional ratings
Review scores
SourceRating
Allmusic[1]

The Best Years of Our Lives is the eighteenth studio album by Neil Diamond. It was released by Columbia Records in 1988 and reached number 46 on the Billboard 200 chart, number 42 on the UK album chart, and number 92 on the Australian chart.[2] The album was certified gold by the RIAA on February 16, 1989.[3] In his review of The Best Years of Our Lives music critic Bryan Buss referred to it as "a strong entry in Diamond's oeuvre" and as "an album that is romantic and sentimental without being manipulative".[4]

Three singles from the album, the title track, "This Time", and "Baby Can I Hold You" reached numbers 7, 9, and 28, respectively on Billboard's Adult Contemporary chart.[4] "This Time" also reached #17 on the Irish Singles Chart.[5] Cash Box said of the title track that it was "not a terribly inspired tune, but served up with predictable skill by Mr. D."[6]

Track listing

No.TitleWriter(s)Length
1."The Best Years of Our Lives"Neil Diamond4:00
2."Hard Times for Lovers"Neil Diamond4:25
3."This Time"Neil Diamond, David Foster, Jeremy Lubbock3:57
4."Everything's Gonna Be Fine"Neil Diamond, Weldon Dean Parks3:59
5."Hooked on the Memory of You"Neil Diamond3:53
6."Take Care of Me"Neil Diamond, David Foster3:39
7."Baby Can I Hold You"Tracy Chapman3:55
8."Carmelita's Eyes"Neil Diamond, David Foster4:05
9."Courtin' Disaster"Neil Diamond, David Foster4:32
10."If I Couldn't See You Again"Neil Diamond4:02
11."Long Hard Climb"Neil Diamond, Tom Hensley, Alan Lindgren4:42

Personnel

Production

Charts

Chart (1988-1989) Peak
position
Australian Albums (Kent Music Report)[7] 92
Dutch Albums (Album Top 100)[8] 43
UK Albums (OCC)[9] 42
US Billboard 200[10] 46

Certifications

Region Certification Certified units/sales
United States (RIAA)[11] Gold 500,000^

^ Shipments figures based on certification alone.

References

  1. ^ Allmusic review
  2. ^ Sources:
    • Diamond, Neil. "Neil Diamond Billboard 200". Retrieved March 4, 2014.
    • "Neil Diamond | Artist". Official Charts. Retrieved March 4, 2014.
    • Steffen Hung. "Discography Neil Diamond". australian-charts.com. Retrieved March 4, 2014.
  3. ^ "The Best Years of Our Lives". Retrieved March 4, 2014.
  4. ^ a b Buss, Bryan. The Best Years of Our Lives at AllMusic. Retrieved March 4, 2014.
  5. ^ "The Irish Charts - All there is to know". www.irishcharts.ie. Retrieved 2023-08-12.
  6. ^ "Top of the Pops" (PDF). Cash Box. April 22, 1989. p. 18. Retrieved 2022-12-21.
  7. ^ Kent, David (1993). Australian Chart Book 1970–1992. St Ives, New South Wales: Australian Chart Book. ISBN 0-646-11917-6.
  8. ^ "Dutchcharts.nl – Neil Diamond – The Best Years of Our Lives" (in Dutch). Hung Medien. Retrieved June 4, 2023.
  9. ^ "Neil Diamond | Artist | Official Charts". UK Albums Chart. Retrieved June 4, 2023.
  10. ^ "Neil Diamond Chart History (Billboard 200)". Billboard. Retrieved June 4, 2023.
  11. ^ "American album certifications – Neil Diamond – The Best Years of Our Lives". Recording Industry Association of America.
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