Studio Album · No. 9
12 Songs Songwriting Credits by Neil Diamond
Produced by Rick Rubin · Engineered by Greg Fidelman, Jason Lader, Andrew Scheps, Mark Linett, Vlado Meller
Holds writing credit on 14 of 14 tracks
Authorship Breakdown 14 / 14 documented
Scored across the 14 tracks with documented writers, by whether Neil Diamond carries a lyricist or composer credit.
Share of the 14 tracks where a band member is credited, by role.
By the Numbers
The authorship story here is simple and total: Neil Diamond wrote every song on 12 Songs by himself, credited under his common name as lyricist and his legal name Neil Leslie Diamond as composer. What changed is the production. Rick Rubin pulled Diamond away from the big orchestral pop of his commercial peak and built the album around his voice, his own guitar, and a small live band, a stripped-down approach that let the songwriting stand on its own. The record is a pure singer-songwriter statement, with no covers and no outside writers anywhere in the credits. Billy Preston's organ on 'Evermore,' 'Man of God,' and 'Face Me' is a documented highlight, cut shortly before his death. The bonus track pairs 'Delirious Love' with Brian Wilson on a second vocal version.
12 Songs is the twenty-sixth studio album by Neil Diamond, released on November 8, 2005 and widely regarded as one of the great late-career comebacks in American popular music. Produced by Rick Rubin, it strips Diamond's sound back to voice, acoustic guitar, and a small band of players, a deliberate move away from the lush orchestration of his earlier work. Diamond wrote every song himself, and the spare arrangements put his writing and weathered baritone at the center of the record. Rubin surrounded him with a hand-picked group including Heartbreakers Mike Campbell and Benmont Tench, guitarist Smokey Hormel, and organist Billy Preston, whose work here was among his last before his death in 2006. The album debuted at number four on the Billboard 200, drew strong reviews, and was certified Gold, reintroducing Diamond as a serious singer-songwriter to a new audience. It also included a bonus duet version of 'Delirious Love' with Brian Wilson.
Track Listing & Credits 14 tracks
| # | Title | Lyricist(s) | Composer(s) | Producer(s) | Performers |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 |
Oh Mary
|
Neil Diamond | Neil Leslie Diamond | Rick Rubin | Neil Diamond (Lead Vocals, Guitar) |
| 2 |
Hell Yeah
|
Neil Diamond | Neil Leslie Diamond | Rick Rubin | Neil Diamond (Lead Vocals, Guitar) |
| 3 |
Captain of a Shipwreck
|
Neil Diamond | Neil Leslie Diamond | Rick Rubin | Neil Diamond (Lead Vocals, Guitar) |
| 4 |
Evermore
|
Neil Diamond | Neil Leslie Diamond | Rick Rubin | Neil Diamond (Lead Vocals, Guitar)Billy Preston (Organ) |
| 5 |
Save Me a Saturday Night
|
Neil Diamond | Neil Leslie Diamond | Rick Rubin | Neil Diamond (Lead Vocals, Guitar) |
| 6 |
Delirious Love
|
Neil Diamond | Neil Leslie Diamond | Rick Rubin | Neil Diamond (Lead Vocals, Guitar) |
| 7 |
I'm on to You
|
Neil Diamond | Neil Leslie Diamond | Rick Rubin | Neil Diamond (Lead Vocals, Guitar) |
| 8 |
What's It Gonna Be
|
Neil Diamond | Neil Leslie Diamond | Rick Rubin | Neil Diamond (Lead Vocals, Guitar) |
| 9 |
Man of God
|
Neil Diamond | Neil Leslie Diamond | Rick Rubin | Neil Diamond (Lead Vocals, Guitar)Billy Preston (Organ) |
| 10 |
Create Me
|
Neil Diamond | Neil Leslie Diamond | Rick Rubin | Neil Diamond (Lead Vocals, Guitar) |
| 11 |
Face Me
|
Neil Diamond | Neil Leslie Diamond | Rick Rubin | Neil Diamond (Lead Vocals, Guitar)Billy Preston (Hammond Organ) |
| 12 |
We
|
Neil Diamond | Neil Leslie Diamond | Rick Rubin | Neil Diamond (Lead Vocals, Guitar) |
| 13 |
Men Are So Easy
|
Neil Diamond | Neil Leslie Diamond | Rick Rubin | Neil Diamond (Lead Vocals, Guitar) |
| 14 |
Delirious Love (feat. Brian Wilson)
|
Neil Diamond | Neil Leslie Diamond | Rick Rubin | Neil Diamond (Lead Vocals, Guitar)Brian Wilson (Vocals) |