Comments: 12

• Celarlln from ColoradoI was a young child and my brother had reached puberty and a young teenager and he loved Neil Diamond and he bought his LP's or vinyl's and this song always reminded me of him and his virtues...Charlie Kirk just murdered and this song came to mind as I loved him a brother is Christ and this song is the epitome of Charlie.
• Dale from Winnipeg MbCaptain Sunshine ushers me back to the mid 1970's in a very powerful way. If you could envision, for a moment, an early Sunday afternoon. Dad had Sundays off. The 1966 Pontiac Pariesienne was parked in the driveway. We were home from church. Mom and Dad were making supper in the kitchen and Dad would put the LPs on and this song would play at least once or twice every Sunday afternoon throughout the mid to late 1970's. I JUST listened to this number on 23 April 2025 and was brought back 50+years in an instant.
  Velox Versutus Vigilans
• Sally Kewley Miller from Cambridge, UkInteresting for me to hear about Jefferson Kewley. This is a Manx name from Isle of Man and is my maiden name. I'd love to know his connection to the Island
• Roc Remington from CaliforniaThis is a stretch but Captain Sunshine could be Jesus. "Makes me drink wine" (Blood of Jesus).
• David J Harvey from AustraliaI really like "Captain Sunshine".
• Rodney Pearson from Long Beach, CaliforniaThis song is definitely about Jefferson Kewley and Fred Smoot. Jefferson is one of my best friends since 1971 and I was lucky enough to be there as they worked their magic on tour in England in 1972 when Fred Smoot and Albert Brooks did impromptu comedy routines during Neil's show in Bristol. Tommy Smothers was also along for the tour!
• Michael G. from Buffalo, NyAccording to the book "Solitary Star: A Biography of Neil Diamond" by Rich Wiseman, the song "Captain Sunshine" was inspired by comedian Fred Smoot and percussionist Jefferson Kewley who were always cracking jokes and making Neil laugh. As stated on page 103:
  
  "Mood elevators that they were, Smoot and Kewley, who would later serve as inspiration to Neil's tune 'Captain Sunshine', found themselves welcome between tours at Neil's house."
  
  The song "Captain Sunshine" was written in 1972 which was 5 years before Vince Charles joined Neil's band so it couldn't have been written about him. The confusion comes in because Neil dedicated the song "Captain Sunshine" to the memory of Vince during Neil's 2001-2002 world tour.
• Bt from N.irelandWyatt from Vancouver states: "This song was written about Vince Charles who played percussion in Neil's band for 25 years. He was a close friend of Neil's and he had the ability to get him to relax." Eh? It's about the big hot ball in the sky that keeps us all alive!
• Laura from New ZealandI have followed ND's music since I was 18 (now 65). This particular track got me fuddled but I think I have to agree with you that Captain Sunshine wasn't about alcohol but it more about Genesis when God created Heaven and made it a firmament between the Earth and the Sea, and he called it Heaven.
  
  I wonder whether the Captain Sunshine song from that derivative.
  
• Barbara from Columbus, OhioLove this song even before I knew what it was about. Listen to it.
• Wyatt from Vancouver, BcThis song was written about Vince Charles who played percussion in Neil's band for 25 years. He was a close friend of Neil's and he had the ability to get him to relax.
  Mr. Charles passed away as a young man of 55 years in 1991.
• Coy from Palestine, TxWhat a great song by Neil Diamond! It always reminds me of my father.

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