Where it began, I can't begin to knowin'
But then I know it's growing strong
Was in the spring
And spring became the summer
Who'd have believed you'd come along

Hands, touchin' hands
Reachin' out, touchin' me, touchin' you
Sweet Caroline
Good times never seemed so good
I've been inclined
To believe they never would

But now I, look at the night
And it don't seem so lonely
We fill it up with only two
And when I hurt
Hurtin' runs off my shoulders
How can I hurt when holding you

One, touchin' one
Reachin' out, touchin' me, touchin' you
Sweet Caroline
Good times never seemed so good
I've been inclined,
To believe they never would
Oh, no, no...

sepanjang hari lagu ini bagai cd player rusak yg terus berulang di kepalaku. ini gara2 nonton game kedua new york yankees vs boston red sox sebelum ke gereja. game pertama kemarin red sox kalah secara memalukan, 7-8, sesudah memimpin 7-2 sepanjang pertandingan. pagi tadi (waktu jepang) mereka membalas tanpa ampun hingga score terakhir 10-1.

i was elated, of course. kapan saja yankees dihajar lawan, apalagi oleh musuh bebuyutannya, the red sox, aku pasti senang. apalagi karena timku sendiri, seattle mariners, hampir tak ada harapan lagi utk ke playoffs. free fall pada bulan september!

di pertengahan inning ke 8, seperti biasa loud speakers di fenway park mulai memainkan lagu kebangsaan red sox nation -- lagunya neil diamond, sweet caroline. dan benar2 menakjubkan menyaksikan fans di stadium -- rombongan pria setengah tua bertampang sangar, dengan bir teracung di tangan -- dengan penuh semangat menyanyikan sweet caroline, top of their lungs! "oh oh oh..." "so good, so good, so good!!"

so i just had to do this, menuangkan lirik lagunya ke blog, supaya neil diamond berhenti menyanyi di kepalaku. a mental exorcism, you may call it. apalagi sesudah kutahu bahwa ternyata sweet caroline dirilis sebagai single tepat pada hari ini, 38 tahun yg lalu. sweet indeed!