Terry Gross

Be My Baby.

Be My Baby, yeah.

So how did they hear you?

In the first session that you did with them, you recorded Solitary Man.

Did you like the idea of horns on this?

Well, let's hear Solitary Man, which I have to say, I think it's really a terrific recording.

Thank you.

Yeah, so, okay, let's hear it.

This is your first hit, yes?

That you recorded yourself, yeah, okay.

Okay, so this is Neil Diamond, Solitary Man.

Now, did you write this song for yourself or for somebody else?

There's this like urgency in the song and in the way you sing it.

And I think of you in a way as kind of specializing in some of your work in that urgency.

Is that something you've been conscious of that you think really like works especially well for you as a songwriter and as a singer?

So how did Solitary Man change your idea of what you wanted from your musical life?

When you were working as a songwriter for publishers, writing for other people, were you writing for specific people?

Were you writing with specific singers in mind?

Now, the Monkees did a couple of your songs, I'm a Believer and A Little Bit Me, A Little Bit You.

Did you write those with them in mind or for yourself?