There are performances — and then there are moments.
The last time Neil Diamond sang “I Am… I Said” live was not just a performance; it was a quiet farewell wrapped in melody, memory, and raw emotion.
The song, first released in 1971, has always been deeply personal. With lines like “I am, I said / To no one there”, Diamond poured his soul into a piece that spoke to identity, loneliness, and the aching distance between two worlds — New York and Los Angeles, fame and isolation, success and emptiness.
But during his final live performance of the song in 2017, after announcing his retirement due to Parkinson’s disease, something shifted in the air. It wasn’t about showmanship anymore. His voice, though slightly weathered, carried a tremor of truth. The crowd — thousands strong — fell silent, hanging on every word as if they were watching a man say goodbye to the most intimate part of himself.
He didn’t speak much after the song. Just a nod. A small wave. But those who were there knew: this was the last time. And it hit like a wave — a legend acknowledging his limits, facing time head-on, and still singing with heart wide open.
Today, videos of that performance resurface again and again online, and fans comment with messages like:
💬 “I cry every time I watch this.”
💬 “It’s like he was telling us goodbye without saying the words.”
💬 “Thank you, Neil. You gave us everything.”
