About The Song
“Beautiful Noise” by Neil Diamond is a vibrant, celebratory song that captures the bustling energy of city life. Released in 1976 as the title track of his album Beautiful Noise, the song was produced by Robbie Robertson of The Band, adding a unique depth to its sound. Diamond wrote this song inspired by the sounds he encountered in New York City, including the clamor of people, traffic, and everyday life. Through rhythmic beats and catchy melodies, “Beautiful Noise” expresses the lively, chaotic harmony of urban life, celebrating the beauty found within the sounds and rhythms of a busy city.
Neil Diamond told Q magazine July 2008 that he wrote this song to convince Robbie Robertson, the guitarist with The Band, to produce his album. He explained: “We knew each other peripherally: we both lived in Malibu. But I wanted to write a song to convince him to work with me. I was at a hotel in New York with my two little girls. We were on the fourth floor, the windows were wide open, and right beneath us on Fifth Avenue there was a Puerto Rican parade going by. The music was amazing, full of rhythm and joy. My daughter Marjorie said, ‘What a beautiful noise, Daddy.’ Boom! I had the title, I wrote the song and when I played it to Robbie he liked it.” Robbie Robertson went on to produce the album for which this song became the title track.
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Lyrics
What a beautiful noise
Comin’ up from the street
Got a beautiful sound
It’s got a beautiful beat
It’s a beautiful noise
Goin’ on ev’rywhere
Like the clickety-clack
Of a train on a track
It’s got rhythm to spare
It’s a beautiful noise
And it’s a sound that I love
And it fits me as well
As a hand in a glove
Yes it does, yes it does
What a beautiful noise
Comin’ up from the park
It’s the song of the kids
And it plays until dark
It’s the song of the cars
On their furious flights
But there’s even romance
In the way that they dance
To the beat of the lights
It’s a beautiful noise
And it’s a sound that I love
And it makes me feel good
Like a hand in a glove
Yes it does, yes it does
What a beautiful noise
It’s a beautiful noise
Made of joy and of strife
Like a symphony played
By the passing parade
It’s the music of life
It’s a beautiful noise
And it’s a sound that I love
And it makes me feel good
Just like a hand in a glove
Yes it does, yes it does
What a beautiful noise
Comin’ into my room
And it’s beggin’ for me
Just to give it a tune
I have that album, love it.