“Sweet Caroline” was inspired by a photograph of the then-9-year-old Caroline Kennedy. The lyrics were written a few years later about Diamond’s then-wife Marsha.

In 1969, the song peaked at #4 in the US and #3 in Canada. Two years later, it reached the top 40 in three European countries including a #8 peak in the UK.

Playing “Sweet Caroline” in the middle of the eighth inning at Boston Red Sox home games has become a tradition, especially the chorus to which many in attendance sing along. It began when the Fenway Park music director at the time Amy Toobey began playing the song over the loudspeakers in 1998. The tradition was continued by her replacement Megan Kaiser. From NPR:

I spoke to a woman named Amy Toobey, who had been the music director before Megan Kaiser. It was Amy who started playing “Sweet Caroline.” The reason: She just liked the song. That’s it.

“Sweet Caroline” was also used as the theme song for the short-lived daytime variety show The Caroline Rhea Show (which replaced the long-running The Rosie O'Donnell Show).

Neil Diamond always dreamed of performing the song for Caroline, which he did on her 50th birthday!