READ TODAY'S STORIES AND E-EDITION SUBSCRIBE |  CONTACT US |  SIGN IN

Print story only Print story with comments Email Twitter Facebook Pinterest
Are you sure we're talking about Neil Diamond?
Published: 4/16/2008 12:37 PM
Last Modified: 4/16/2008 12:37 PM

Many readers assume reporters also write the headlines that appear atop their stories.

It happens, but it's rare. So every so often, writers get a little surprise at how their work is titled.

That said -- I had absolutely no input whatsoever into the stories about Neil Diamond coming to the BOk Center this fall, in support of his forthcoming album.

Which is why I'm having trouble getting my head around the headline over the Associated Press story that ran below Brian Barber's announcement of Diamond's Tulsa show.

" 'Sultry Man' talks about his new album, tour."

SULTRY? Of all the words one might use to describe Mr. Diamond and his music -- some of which I like, some of which I can do without -- "sultry" is not one that comes immediately to mind. Even if you include his live album titled "Hot August Night" (which is close to the actual meaning of the word sultry, i.e., "hot and moist").

It's been a long while since even Paris Hilton would refer to Mr. Diamond as "hot," and as for the gentleman's relative humidity ...... I don't want to know, thank you VERY much.

Maybe someone wanted to use a Neil Diamond song title in the headline, discovered that "Solitary Man" was too long to fit the space allotted, and whittled away a few letters until arriving at "sultry."

Or maybe, as Mr. Diamond's work hasn't been on the radio in a while, the song was misremembered as being "Sultry Man."

And such a person would very likely be a "solitary man," as some people might be reluctant to spend a lot of time around a person who was in a perrpetual state of moist warmth.

Or maybe I'm just over-reacting to a simple slip of the fingers along the keyboard. Happens to me all the team.

I mean, all the time.







Reader Comments 2 Total
Donna (5 years ago)
Whether you're just over-reacting to a simple slip of the fingers along the keyboard or not, you have to admit that the thought of Neil Diamond as sultry really is funny! Thanks Jim, you made me smile.
WATTS (5 years ago)
A smile? Then my work here is done!

thanks.
2 comments displayed


To post comments on tulsaworld.com, you must be an active Tulsa World print or digital subscriber and signed into your account.

ARTS

James D. Watts Jr. has lived in Oklahoma for most his life, even though he still has people saying to him, "Don't sound like you're from around these parts." A University of Oklahoma Phi Beta Kappa graduate, Watts has received the Governor Arts Award, Harwelden Award and the National Conference of Christians and Jews Beth Macklin Award for his writing. Before coming to the Tulsa World, Watts worked for the Tulsa Tribune.

Contact him at (918) 581-8478.

Subscribe to this blog


Archive

 
James D. Watts Jr's Blog Archive:

2/2013  1/2013  12/2012  11/2012  10/2012  9/2012  
8/2012  7/2012  6/2012  5/2012  4/2012  3/2012  
2/2012  1/2012  12/2011  11/2011  10/2011  9/2011  
8/2011  7/2011  6/2011  5/2011  4/2011  3/2011  
2/2011  1/2011  12/2010  11/2010  10/2010  9/2010  
8/2010  7/2010  6/2010  5/2010  4/2010  3/2010  
2/2010  1/2010  12/2009  11/2009  10/2009  9/2009  
8/2009  7/2009  6/2009  5/2009  4/2009  3/2009  
2/2009  1/2009  12/2008  11/2008  10/2008  9/2008  
8/2008  7/2008  6/2008  5/2008  4/2008  








Home | Contact Us | Search | Subscribe | Customer Service | About | Advertise | Privacy
Copyright © 2013, World Publishing Co. All rights reserved.