In 1977, Glen Campbell was searching for a track to follow up the massive crossover success of his songs “Rhinestone Cowboy” and “Southern Nights.” He found his answer in an unexpected place: a forgotten demo written by Neil Diamond.
Diamond had composed “Sunflower” with his own recording sessions in mind, but ultimately shelved the track before it ever saw the light of day. When Campbell heard the tape, he knew he had to record it.
Taking the upbeat tune into the studio, Campbell transformed the shelved track into a country-pop hit, saving the song from obscurity and driving it straight to No. 4 on the Billboard Country chart. According to American Songwriter, Diamond’s version remained unreleased until its inclusion in a 50th anniversary retrospective collection of his music.
Diamond’s optimistic lyrics and upbeat tempo mirrored the feeling of a sunny morning and a new romance. Campbell would record “Sunflower” for his LP Southern Nights.
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“Sunflower” was released on June 20, 1977, as the album’s second single. Produced by Gary Klein and Campbell himself, the breezy track was a follow-up to Campbell’s crossover hit single “Southern Nights.”
Campbell and Diamond shared a connection going back to Campbell’s years as a session guitarist in Los Angeles, where Campbell played guitar on the Diamond-penned “I’m a Believer,” recorded by The Monkees. So when Campbell stumbled upon Diamond’s unreleased demo years later, he immediately recognized the composer’s signature sound.
Diamond’s original recording wouldn’t see the light of day for another four decades. But thanks to Campbell’s vision in 1977, “Sunflower” became a late-’70s country music classic.
Following its success, the musician experienced a quiet period on the charts before staging a mid-1980s country music comeback that returned him to the Top Ten. He bounced back with songs such as “Faithless Love,” “A Lady Like You,” and “The Hand That Rocks The Cradle,” all of which hit the Billboard charts.
At the end of the day, “Sunflower” was a win for both artists. Neil Diamond got a great song out into the world, and Glen Campbell walked away with another signature hit to cap off an incredible decade.
Related: 1975 Country Hit About Chasing the American Dream Was Named One of the Best Songs of the ’70s
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