Hello Again (Neil Diamond song)
{{Infobox song
| name = Hello Again
| cover = Neil Diamond Hello Again.jpg
| alt =
| type = single
| artist = Neil Diamond
| album = The Jazz Singer soundtrack
| B-side = Amazed and Confused
| released = January 1981
| recorded = 1980
| studio =
| venue =
| genre = Pop
| length = 3:35 (single version), 4:04 (album version)
| label = Capitol
| writer = {{hlist|Neil Diamond|Alan Lindgren}}
| producer = Bob Gaudio
| prev_title = Love on the Rocks
| prev_year = 1980
| next_title = America
| next_year = 1981
}}
"Hello Again" is a song written by Neil Diamond and Alan Lindgren that appeared in the 1980 movie The Jazz Singer, and was performed by Diamond on the soundtrack album to the film. It was also released as a single and reached No. 6 on the Billboard Hot 100 and No. 3 on Billboard{{'}}s Adult Contemporary chart.{{cite web|title=The Jazz Singer Awards|url=http://www.allmusic.com/album/the-jazz-singer-mw0000189785/awards|website=AllMusic|access-date=August 15, 2012}} Billboard also ranked as the 70th top pop single for 1981.{{cite news |title=Pop Singles |newspaper=Billboard |page=YE-9 |date=December 26, 1980 |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=BCQEAAAAMBAJ&q=%22love+on+the+rocks%22+diamond&pg=PT60 |access-date=August 16, 2012}} In the UK, the song peaked at No. 51.{{cite web |title=Neil Diamond |url=http://www.officialcharts.com/artist/_/neil%20diamond/ |publisher=Official Charts Company |access-date=August 15, 2012}} The song also peaked at No. 18 in Ireland.{{Cite web |title=The Irish Charts - All there is to know |url=http://www.irishcharts.ie/search/placement |access-date=August 12, 2023 |website=Irishcharts.ie}}
Background
"Hello Again" was described by Neil Diamond biographer Laura Jackson as a "slow tender ballad."{{cite book|title=Neil Diamond: His Life, His Music, His Passion|author=Jackson, L.|pages=164, 171|year=2005|publisher=ECW Press|isbn=9781550227079}} AllMusic critic Johnny Loftus considers it Diamond's "signature late-career ballad."{{cite web|title=The Jazz Singer|author=Loftus, J.|url=http://www.allmusic.com/album/the-jazz-singer-mw0000189785|website=AllMusic|access-date=August 15, 2012}} Author T. Mike Childs rated it as a "terrific" ballad.{{cite book|title=The Rocklopedia Fakebandica|author=Childs, T.M.|page=[https://archive.org/details/rocklopediafakeb00chil/page/121 121]|year=2004|publisher=Macmillan|isbn=9780312329440|url-access=registration|url=https://archive.org/details/rocklopediafakeb00chil/page/121}} Film reviewer Joe Peacock described "Hello Again" as being "keenly affecting to the emotions."{{cite news|title='The Jazz Singer Is Bad; 'Seasons' Simply Stupid|author=Peacock, J.|page=29|newspaper=The Argus-Press|date=December 24, 1980|url=https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=FVEiAAAAIBAJ&pg=3990,5050537&dq=hello-again+diamond&hl=en|access-date=August 15, 2012}}
Billboard critic Vicki Pipkin wrote that Diamond's performance of the song in The Jazz Singer is "poignant."{{cite news|title=No Jazz Heard in 'Jazz Singer' Film|author=Pipkin, V.|page=20|date=December 20, 1980|newspaper=Billboard|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=GyUEAAAAMBAJ&q=%22hello+again%22+diamond&pg=PT19|access-date=August 15, 2012}} Record World said that "Diamond's deep tenor resonates to maximum dramatic intensity, with a monumental string/piano arrangement backdrop."{{cite magazine|magazine=Record World|date=January 31, 1981|page=1|accessdate=February 23, 2023|title=Hits of the Week|url=https://worldradiohistory.com/Archive-All-Music/Record-World/80s/81/RW-1981-01-31.pdf}} Pittsburgh Press music editor Carl Apone said that Diamond was at his best in The Jazz Singer in the songs "Hello Again" and "Love on the Rocks."{{cite news|title=Neil Diamond's Music Is Highlight of Updated 'Jazz Singer'|author=Apone, C.|page=18|date=December 19, 1980|newspaper=Pittsburgh Press|url=https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=m4UqAAAAIBAJ&pg=7118,1491446&dq=hello-again+diamond&hl=en|access-date=August 15, 2012}}
Other uses
The song was used in the film Saving Silverman. It has been covered by several artists and orchestras, including Celtic Thunder, Donny Osmond, Regine Velasquez and Steve Cherelle.[http://www.allmusic.com/-/search/songs/hello%2Bagain] {{Dead link|date=April 2022 |bot=InternetArchiveBot |fix-attempted=yes }}
Charts
Certifications
{{Certification Table Top}}
{{Certification Table Entry|region=United Kingdom|type=single|artist=Neil Diamond|title=Hello Again|award=Silver|relyear=2006|certyear=2023|id=18888-887-1|access-date=April 14, 2023}}
{{Certification Table Bottom|nosales=true|noshipments=true|streaming=true}}
References
{{Reflist}}
{{Neil Diamond singles}}
{{The Jazz Singer}}
{{Authority control}}
Category:Songs written by Neil Diamond
Category:Song recordings produced by Bob Gaudio