Kate Hudson and Hugh Jackman Belt in Lyric Video for ‘Sweet Caroline’ From ‘Song Sung Blue’: Watch
Neil Diamond’s 1969 tune “Sweet Caroline” has become far more than just a hit: Over the decades, it’s evolved into a rousing sing-along across the world. With it’s “so good, so good, so good” echoed refrain, it has long been the Boston Red Sox’s anthem at Fenway Park and been adopted by other teams, including the NFL’s Carolina Panthers.
Inspired by a young Caroline Kennedy, the song is sure to lead to audience participation in Song Sung Blue, the forthcoming Focus Features film starring Kate Hudson and Hugh Jackman as a husband and wife who form a Diamond tribute act. The movie is based on the true story of Milwaukee couple Mike Sardina and Claire Stengl, who performed as Thunder & Lightning. Director Craig Brewer based his film on the same-named 2008 documentary about the couple.
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Billboard exclusively debuts the lyric video for “Sweet Caroline” below. Feel free to sing along and get a sneak peek at the film.
The version of the song in the movie was recorded in Memphis, the city where Diamond recorded the original more than 50 years ago, and features Richard Bennett, who was Diamond’s guitarist for 18 years. “When director Craig Brewer approached me about putting the music together for Song Sung Blue, he wanted the songs to be arranged for Hugh and Kate to sing together, and ‘Sweet Caroline’ was the first song that I worked on with that idea in mind,” said Scott Bomar, who produced the song and also served as the film’s composer and executive music producer of the album. “Our version of the song stays true to the original and adds a new take to the song being a duet.”
The Hollywood Reporter gave the movie a big thumbs up, writing in its review: “Craig Brewer’s captivating retelling of the triumphs and tribulations of a Neil Diamond tribute act is grounded in real feeling and irresistibly rousing music. Most of all, it’s held aloft by winning performances from an ideally paired Hugh Jackman and Kate Hudson, the latter doing her best work since Almost Famous.”
The movie opens in theaters on Christmas Day. The soundtrack will come out Dec. 19.
