Where the songs are: A tribute to Neil Sedaka’s lasting legacy

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If you grew up around the time I did, your initial impression of Neil Sedaka probably didn’t capture his full talent. Back in 1975, he hadn’t had a Top 40 hit in over a decade.

The song that made him popular again, “Laughter in the Rain,” wasn’t exactly the kind of music a 12-year-old who was getting into hard rock bands like Black Sabbath and Led Zeppelin would enjoy.

I didn’t really think about Neil Sedaka’s career for many years, even decades. When I finally came back to it, I realized how important he’d been to the early days of rock and roll.

Neil Sedaka was one of music’s underrated stars until his death

Neil Sedaka passed away on Friday at the age of 86. While he hadn’t had a top hit in over four decades and hadn’t released new music aimed at mainstream pop audiences for nearly as long, he was still highly respected by fans of early American pop rock and admired by songwriters everywhere.

His talent for creating memorable melodies was as strong as that of legendary songwriters like Paul McCartney, Paul Simon, and Elton John. He significantly shaped the work of many successful pop songwriters who came after him in the late 20th century.

A child prodigy, he entered Juilliard as a teenager and quickly gained recognition as a talented classical pianist. However, he became more interested in pop music. While still young, he met his neighbor, Howard Greenfield, and together they formed a hugely successful songwriting partnership that defined the pre-rock and roll era.

Like Bernie Taupin to Elton John, Greenfield wrote the lyrics while Sedaka composed the music. This partnership led to songwriting opportunities, and eventually, Sedaka began a successful solo career performing songs they’d created together.

Man, I remember hearing about Neil Sedaka way back when! Connie Francis had a hit with “Stupid Cupid” when he was barely out of his teens. But August 11, 1962, that’s when he really blew up as a solo artist. “Breaking Up Is Hard to Do” is seriously one of the best Doo Wop songs ever – it’s just so catchy! And it’s weirdly upbeat, like the happiest song about getting dumped you’ll ever hear. It just feels good to listen to, you can tell he was having fun performing it.

Neil Sedaka, barely out of his teens himself, wrote the perfect teen anthem for a pre-‘60s ethos.

The British Invasion soon followed. Sedaka had one last top 40 hit in 1961 with “Bad Girl.” However, unlike Brian Wilson and the Beach Boys, who successfully responded to the popularity of the Beatles, Sedaka faded from the spotlight, a fate shared by many other established artists.

His career could have continued on that successful path, and Tom Sedaka would likely still be a prominent figure in American pop. He and Howard Greenfield created numerous hits, including songs Sedaka himself performed like “Happy Birthday Sweet Sixteen” and “Calendar Girl,” and others that became famous through different artists – such as Connie Francis’ “Where the Boys Are” and “Frankie,” and the Fifth Dimension’s late ‘60s song “Working on a Groovy Thing” (with lyrics by Roger Atkins).

Sedaka experienced a career resurgence thanks to Elton John, a fellow piano player and songwriter who had been influenced by Sedaka himself. In early 1975, Elton John signed Sedaka to his new record label, and the song “Laughter in the Rain” (with lyrics by Phil Cody) unexpectedly became a number one hit.

The song simply wasn’t very strong. Sedaka wasn’t known for his vocal talent, which didn’t help. Later in 1975, Captain & Tennille had a massive hit with another song written by Sedaka and Greenfield, “Love Will Keep Us Together,” which topped the Billboard charts for the year. While successful, “Laughter in the Rain” only reached number nine.

As Toni Tennille sang in the fadeout of “Love Will Keep Us Together,” “Sedaka is back.”

“Love Will Keep Us Together” is a slightly stronger song than “Laughter in the Rain,” mainly because it has a more interesting and rhythmic feel.

In late 1975, Neil Sedaka had one last top hit – many considered it his best work since “Breaking Up is Hard to Do.” The song, “Bad Blood,” features a duet with Elton John and lyrics by Phil Cody, creating a truly captivating track.

Neil Sedaka’s song has a delicate balance. The simple, catchy rhythm keeps it from sounding overly sentimental, and Elton John’s contribution surprisingly gives it a more powerful, rock-oriented sound than anything Sedaka had created before.

It’s not a difficult song, just a bit more challenging than most. Considering the popular music of 1975, though, it’s actually quite enjoyable.

Although Neil Sedaka didn’t achieve many more major hits, he stayed active in the music industry. He continued to perform, and many songwriters looked up to him, having been influenced by his innovative early pop songs that captured the energy of teenage life.

He was recognized as a groundbreaking songwriter in 1983 when he was inducted into the Songwriters Hall of Fame. He was among the first pop musicians from the rock and roll generation to receive this honor, joining Stevie Wonder in that year’s class. The year prior saw the induction of Bob Dylan and Paul Simon, and a few years later, artists like Neil Diamond, John Lennon, Paul McCartney, and his longtime friend, Carole King, would also be recognized.

I wasn’t a fan of “Laughter in the Rain” when I first heard it, and I still don’t particularly like it. However, I’m glad I matured past that overly confident attitude I had as a kid. I still enjoy many other songs by Neil Sedaka after all these years.

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2026-03-01 16:00