Neil Sedaka – Oh! Carol

About The Song

“Oh! Carol” was co-written with Howard Greenfield, a longtime collaborator of Sedaka. In the aforementioned book, the story is that Sedaka and Greenfield were neighbors as kids; Sedaka would play piano in his apartment, and Greenfield’s mother urged him to go meet him. Thus, they first worked together when Sedaka was 13 and Greenfield was 16.

Written by Neil Sedaka, “Oh! Carol” is an international hit co-written with Howard Greenfield in 1958. The song reached no. 9 in the American charts in 1959. Additionally, it earned Sedaka his first no. 1 ranking when it went to no. 1 on the Italian charts for four weeks in January 1960.

After the release of single, it was included in the album Neil Sedaka Sings Little Devil and His Other Hits. The song is noted for Sedaka’s spoken recitation of the verse, the second time around.

Neil Sedaka named this song for the songwriter Carole King. Sedaka had dated Carole King when he was still in high school. At that time, King was still called Carol Klein, so Sedaka used her real name.

They went to Abraham Lincoln High in Brooklyn, New York, along with Neil Diamond. Carol first came into Neil Sedaka’s life as a member of the Linc-Tones, the first group that Sedaka hustled together out of high school.

On the other hand, Gerry Goffin – King’s husband – took the tune, and wrote the playful response “Oh! Neil“, which King recorded and released as an unsuccessful single the same year (1958).

Neil Sedaka’s career was on the rocks before this song. At Aldon music, producer and longtime friend Don Kirshner gave Sedaka the following advice,

“Write a song with the girl’s name in the title. Talk in the middle like The Diamonds did in ‘Little Darlin’.’”

“Oh! Carol” was co-written with Howard Greenfield, a longtime collaborator of Sedaka. In the aforementioned book, the story is that Sedaka and Greenfield were neighbors as kids. Sedaka would play piano in his apartment, and Greenfield’s mother urged him to go meet him. Thus, they first worked together when Sedaka was 13 and Greenfield was 16.

Video

Lyric

Oh! Carol
I am but a fool
Darling, I love you
Though you treat me cruel
You hurt me
And you make me cry
But if you leave me
I will surely dieDarling, there will never be another
Cause I love you so
Don’t ever leave me
Say you’ll never goI will always want you for my sweet heart
No matter what you do
Oh! Carol
I’m so in love with youOh! Carol
I am but a fool
Darling, I love you
Though you treat me cruel
You hurt me
And you make me cry
But if you leave me
I will surely dieDarling, there will never be another
Cause I love you so
Don’t ever leave me
Say you’ll never goI will always want you for my sweet heart
No matter what you do
Oh! Carol
I’m so in love with you