You don’t bring me flowers,
You don’t sing me love songs.
You hardly talk to me anymore
When I come through the door
At the end of the day.

I remember when
You couldn’t wait to love me,
Used to hate to leave me.

Now after lovin’ me late at night,
When it’s good for you,
You’re feelin’ alright,
Well you just roll over
And turn out the light,
And you don’t bring me flowers anymore.

It used to be so natural
To talk about forever,
But “used to be’s” don’t count anymore,
They just lay on the floor
‘Til we sweep them away.

And baby, I remember
All the things you taught me.
I learned how to laugh
And I learned how to cry.
Well I learned how to love,
I’ve even learned how to lie.

So you’d think I could learn
How to tell you goodbye.
You don’t bring me flowers anymore.

Well you’d think I could learn
How to tell you goodbye.
You don’t say you need me.
You don’t sing me love songs.
You don’t bring me flowers anymore.

Written by Neil Diamond, Alan Bergman, Marilyn Bergman, Van Caelenberg

Lyrics © Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC

Copyright Stonebridge Music, Threesome Music

My take:

They say there are only two kinds of people in this world: Those who love Neil Diamond and those who hate Neil Diamond. I played Neil Diamond music so much when I was a considerably younger man that, to this day, my kids still jokingly call me “Neil.”

Even so, I understand why some people don’t like Diamond’s music. He has written some of the best, as well as some of the worst — and most trite — lyrics ever. (When I think worst, “Crunchy Granola Sweet” comes quickly to mind.)

But his great songs are American classics. And right up there near the top is “You Don’t Bring Me Flowers,” a love song duet that ranks right up there with The Phantom of the Opera’s “All I Ask of You.”

Like all great songs, most people can easily relate to the message the lyrics convey. It’s an age-old story of love grown stale — no more love songs, no more talk, no more laughter, and, of course, no more flowers.

The story is an old one, but the tender lyrics of “You Don’t Bring Me Flowers” bring it magically to life. You can’t get more vivid that “used to be’s” don’t count anymore.” Ouch! The truth can be painful, can’t it?

And, of course, the classic version is performed by the man himself, Neil Diamond, along with a pretty fair female singer he first met, briefly, at the Brooklyn high school they both attended, Erasmus Hall High. What a reunion this duet is for two superstars who sang in the same chorus, but barely knew each other in high school.