☝️ Key Points
- The song 'I Am I Said' by Neil Diamond addresses feelings of alienation and loneliness.
- The singer doesn't feel at home in either L.A. or his hometown of New York and is caught between two worlds.
- He can't overcome an inner emptiness he feels and feels unnoticed by everyone.
- The lines about the frog that wants to be king and becomes one reflect his own unfulfilled longing, despite his achievements.
- 'I Am I Said' is a very honest and profound song that addresses feelings of alienation and being lost in a personal way.
Interpretation
The song 'I Am I Said' by
Neil Diamond is an emotional ballad that addresses the feelings of alienation and loneliness that someone trapped between two worlds experiences. The singer describes how he was born and raised in New York City but now lives in Los Angeles. Although he appreciates the laid-back atmosphere and the beautiful weather in L.A. ('L.A.'s fine, the sun shines most the time'), he doesn't feel at home there ('L.A.'s fine, but it ain't home'). At the same time, he also doesn't feel at home in New York, his hometown ('New York's home, but it ain't mine no more').
The core of the song is the line 'I am,' I said, to no one there, And no one heard at all, Not even the chair', in which the singer expresses that his existence and his feelings are not perceived by anyone, not even by an inanimate object like a chair. He feels lost ('And I am lost') and can't explain why ('and I can't even say why'). He has a deep emptiness inside him ('But I got an emptiness deep inside') and, although he has tried to get rid of it, it holds onto him ('And I've tried, but it won't let me go'). He is not someone who enjoys being alone ('But I never cared for the sound of being alone').
The story of the frog who dreams of becoming a king and eventually does reflects his own situation. Aside from some changes, his story is the same. He has achieved his dreams, but still feels lonely and unfulfilled.
Overall, 'I Am I Said' is an honest and profound song that addresses the feeling of being lost and alienated in a very personal way.