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Hands, washing hands: Neil Diamond turns Sweet Caroline into a hygiene PSA

No more “Reaching out, touching me, touching you.”

Neil Diamond

Image: Bobby Bank / Getty

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As countries around the world begin to lock down and enforce stricter social distancing measures, Neil Diamond has used the time indoors to put a contemporary spin on his song Sweet Caroline. Take a look below:

“I know we’re going through a rough time right now, but I love ya, and I think maybe if we sing together, we’ll feel just a little bit better,” he told the camera before beginning the song.

Despite the fact Sweet Caroline’s lyrics are enshrined as classics, the lines “Hands, touching hands / Reaching out, touching me, touching you” are medically inadvisable during a pandemic. And so for this version, Diamond changed them to “Hands, washing hands / Reaching out, don’t touch me, I won’t touch you.”

Recently, Foals also shared a new video for the track Wash Off, featuring someone demonstrating proper hand washing technique. As well as this, fans were sharing a Rage Against the Machine-inspired hand washing poster, made using the Wash Your Lyrics site.

Diamond also isn’t the only musician bringing fans performances from their home, with Neil Young, Ben Gibbard and many others doing the same.

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