Brooke White performs I Am, I Said

Brooke White
“I am, I said”

By far the most introspective of Neil Diamond’s songs, “I am, I said” is a song he wrote once settled in Los Angeles missing his home in New York.

While it’s lyrics are somewhat out-of-date to 2008 listeners (please: palm trees grow and the rents are low – whose California is that?!), “I am, I said” captured the attention of a nation in 1971 - going all the way to number four on the Hot 100.

In Diamond’s version, of course, he substitutes New York for Arizona as Brooke White did, perfectly capturing a man torn “between two shores.” The lyrics for this song are some of Diamond’s best.

“LA’s fine, but it ain’t home, New York’s home, but it ain’t mine no more.” For any expatriate of the east, that line captures it right there.

Watch Brooke White’s Top 5 performance of I Am, I Said on American Idol 7.

Here’s Neil Diamond performing this hit live for his Greatest Hits concert.

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