Neil Sedaka – The Diary/No Vacancy

Read Time:2 Minute, 44 Second

Behind file number 5 is an RCA Victor 45 rpm release by Neil Sedaka. The songs are The Diary/No Vacancy. This one’s from 1958, and has good ol’ Nipper pictured on the top.

Neil Sedaka was just 19 when he put out this single.

The Diary clocks in at a short 2 minutes 21 seconds. It’s kind of cute, but gets a bit self-centered at some point. At least that’s how I started feeling!

I got these lyrics off google.

How I’d like to look into that little book/The one that has the lock and key/And know the boy that you care for/The boy who’s in your diary/When it’s late at night, what is the name you write/Oh, what I’d give if I could see/Am I the boy that you care for/The boy who’s in your diary/Do you recall and make note of all/The little things I say and do/The name you underline/I’m hoping that it’s mine/Darling, I’m so in love with you/Please don’t leave me blue/Make all my dreams come true/You know how much you mean to me/Say I’m the boy that you care for/The boy who’s in your diary.

This next one, No Vacancy, is kind of a weird one. It’s about a guy who’s having trouble finding a place to live, because his apartment building is getting torn down. He can’t afford a place, because he doesn’t want to give up his extra-curricular activities.

I’m livin’ in a house on the other side of town/They’re makin’ a highway so they’re rippin’ my buildin’ down/I gotta find a place, within a week/Or else I’ll be sleepin’ out on the street/Woe is me, I’m lookin’ for a vacancy/All day long I’m walkin’ ’round (no vacancy)/Walkin’ up and walkin’ down (no vacancy)/I’ve been searchin’ ’round the town (no vacancy)/No apartment to be found (no vacancy)/On my dishwasher’s pay (can’t find a place to stay)/I found myself a place but the rent sure is a crime/It’s a cold water flat that was built in Lincoln’s time/The paint is peelin’ right off of the wall/Good golly, the bathroom is in the hall/Woe is me, I’m lookin’ for a vacancy/I could budget myself, scrimp and save to get along/But it ain’t no fun givin’ up wine, women and song/So I’ll have a roof up above my head/But under those conditions I would rather be dead/Woe is me, I’m lookin’ for a vacancy/All day long I’m walkin’ ’round (no vacancy)/Walkin’ up and walkin’ down (no vacancy)/I’ve been searchin’ ’round the town (no vacancy)/No apartment to be found (no vacancy)/On my dishwasher’s pay (can’t find a place to stay)/All day long I’m walkin’ ’round (no vacancy)/Oh, All day long I’m walkin’ ’round (no vacancy)/All day long I’m walkin’ ’round (no vacancy)/All day long I’m walkin’ ’round (no vacancy)/All day long I’m walkin’ ’round (no vacancy)

Side B is my favorite of the two. What do you think?