What makes Three Chord Opera particularly unique is that Neil wrote all 12 tracks himself, something rare even for a prolific songwriter like him. Taking full creative control meant carrying the emotional, lyrical, and commercial weight of the album entirely on his shoulders.
Neil admitted that the process was anything but easy. He confessed to sleepless nights, self-doubt, and even moments where he wanted to give up. “At one point, I asked myself, why am I doing this to myself?” he said. “But then I remembered—music is how I talk to the world.”
More than just a collection of melodies, the album is a raw emotional journal. Tracks like “I Haven’t Played This Song in Years” and “You Are the Best Part of Me” have since become beloved love ballads, echoing the album’s intimate tone.
Ultimately, Three Chord Opera is not just an album—it’s a creative battle, a spiritual affirmation of Neil Diamond’s identity as an artist in his 60s. Looking back, he says it was “a necessary challenge to not lose myself.”