was prohibited in Scandinavia), has inspired numerous films and television series that followed, from “Stand by Me” to “The Iron Giant” to “Super 8,” and certainly, “Stranger Things.” It significantly shaped the genre, but enthusiasts might not realize that pop-rock icon Neil Diamond was so touched by the film that he created an entire song based on it.
As reported by Rolling Stones Magazine, following a screening in New York in 1982 with fellow songwriter Carol Bayer Sager and her then-spouse Burt Bacharach, the trio immediately went to Diamond’s residence to compose the song, “Heartlight,” directly drawn from the narrative of the movie. Although Diamond’s lyrics do not reference any specific character by name and remain somewhat ambiguous regarding the storyline, it is unmistakably clear to anyone who has viewed the film that it focuses on the bond between Henry Thomas’ Elliott and E.T. Lines like, “I just made a friend, A friend is someone you need, But now that he had to go away, I still feel the words that he might say” and “Turn on your heartlight, In the middle of a young boy’s dream, Don’t wake me up too soon, Gonna take a ride across the moon” could not be more direct.
Nevertheless, credit where it’s warranted, it’s a rather catchy tune that even soared into the top 10 of Billboard’s Top 100 chart in 1982, peaking at the fifth position. However, Diamond and his songwriting colleagues faced a literal cost for the success.