Olivia Newton-John Single by Single Thread

I agree. It's a great photo shoot.

 

I love "Come On Over." I love the album. It's definitely my favorite of the pre-Totally Hot MCA albums, and the title track plays a part in that. The production on this song is stunning, too.

"Come On Over" was the track I would use to demonstrate the CD format to my friends when I got my first CD player. I got the CD player in 1984, and one of the first CDs I bought was ONJ's Greatest Hits. When the bass kicks in during the song's introduction, then drops to those really low notes, it would just shake the floor.

I agree that it's not a particularly strong song from Barry Gibb, but Olivia really sells it. Odd that MCA opted to skip a picture sleeve for the U.S. single release here, especially since this song was promoting a new album. Not like her looks were going to turn off potential buyers...

 

Come On Over was a single here, but came out after the album's release sparing me the bother of picking it up. Another lazy, album B-side. There's no wonder people weren't tempted to buy it!

The thing about COO is that's it's totally Olivia's vocal and the arrangement that sells it. It's not an outstanding song, and certainly isn't single material. If it had been, the Bee Gees would have released it from Main Course the year before. All of Olivia's albums are well recorded but COO comes out on top of them all. Don't get me wrong, it's not a favourite album of mine. A slight disappointment at the time, in fact. However, COO SOUNDS fantastic. It's similar to the Carpenters' Horizon album in that Olivia's voice approaches the warmth and depth that Karen's did on the latter. Although the Carpenters made lots of great records after Horizon, for me, they never really captured that exceptional production sound again. Horizon is a lot better album than COO, of course. One imagines Olivia in the studio; 'Hey everybody, I've just cracked America and am selling millions of records. Let's do a cover of Greensleeves!'

Although I'm making this thread about the album rather than the single, it has to be said it must have been a head-scratcher when it came to trying to pick a hit from the 12 tracks. Jolene might have worked, but Dolly's original was often seen as superior and that country sound really wasn't working for Olivia anymore. Gary Benson had a minor UK hit with his Don't Throw It All Away single in 1975. It's a really nice version too. This may have struck gold for Olivia, but it doesn't come close to her first run of US hits.

Anyway, back to the single. Certainly a decent one, but lacking that special something, despite Olivia's amazing vocal. For me, her next US single would be her best since Have You Never Been Mellow.

 

I agree with those who thought Olivia may not have been given the best from the Gibb catalog as it was one of their formula LP-cut ballads. But Olivia's vocals and nice arrangement took this song as far as anyone could possibly take it. And it was the most commercial recording from the LP, so it was the correct single release.

I think a bit of Olivia ballad fatigue would finally catch up to me with the "Come On Over" LP. Perhaps with the country as well as uptempo songs were gaining steam with the disco explosion and the ballad era of the early 70's was coming to an end. The Carpenters were also impacted by this transition. There are some gorgeous songs and performances on the LP, but I cannot listen to LP complete in one sitting because I demand a variety when I listen to music. Missing are the fresh mid-tempo songs, such as "Let It Shine", "He's My Rock", and "Crying Laughing Loving Lying" from the prior LP. The choice of remakes were also unfortunate because the arrangements did not offer anything unique. Suddenly I was actually yearning for a song like "Something Better To Do" just to change the tempo!

As for the LP photo, her best ever!

 

For me, this was the point where they should be thinking of updating her sound. I suppose they were scared of alienating her remaining fan base. I'd say Come On Over is my least played Olivia 70s album. You really have to be in the mood for it. It doesn't help that the rotten Pony Ride is given pride of place. Olivia sang this song in her TV specials and live shows do she obviously thought it was something special.

The Long & Winding Road is a beautiful song and her vocal is technically far superior to Paul McCartney's on the original, yet her version is empty to me. It feels like she's just going through the motions.

 

The US version of Come On Over didn't have a gatefold sleeve, did it? Bloody hell, if it did I'll have to get it.

 

Rotten Pony Ride???? It's one of her most amazing vocal tunes and the ones I show off my stereo with! Sold quite a few folks on ONJ thanks to this one.

 

I've always thought it was a terrible, dreary song. I'd imagine it would put more folk off her than turn them into fans...

 

You mean the lyrics? Cause the melody, the arrangement, her vocal delivery are just gorgeous.

 

I don't really like any of it. This is one Pony that should have been put down.

 

Totally agree!
The production on this whole set was really good. I don't recall where it was recorded, but the sound, as others have noted, is exceptional.

 

The expert is correct, and I am corrected. My memory recalled a gatefold........???
It "does not" have a gatefold, but it had an cardboard insert with the great water pictures that was the sleeve for the record. Sorry I got your hopes up! :-(

 

Maybe it's an acquired taste??? lol

 

Why, it was recorded in England, of course. Where else?

 

Same as ours then. It would have made a nice gatefold sleeve, though. It'd have been good if they'd included the lyrics too. I used to hate it when I'd buy LPs and there was no lyric sheet!

 

Like Marmite?

 

I adore "Pony Ride." The song is stunning in its beauty. Not single material, but I like it better than many of Olivia's singles from the '70s.

Yum! I'm actually more a Vegemite man -- and there is a difference -- but maybe that explains why I like everything on the Come On Over album so much...

 

I always love lyrics to be included too. The next album would supply those.

 

I agree. Pony Ride was one of her worst. I cringe at it.

 

Absolutely. One of her gems. Her voice on it ("A free spirit, you hear it") never fails to give me goosebumps.

 

Looks like we are unanimous in regards to 'Come On Over' - an ordinary (for the Gibbs, at least) song with an extraordinary performance. It was nice to hear a harder edge coming into Olivia's sound. The interview posted on the previous page where Olivia comments about wanting to tackle more interesting songs and show off her voice is a telling one when you listen to 'Come On Over'. The album is certainly one of her most impressive recordings from start to finish when it comes to her voice and the production. It's a shame that a number of the songs fall flat, especially when the cover art is so compelling as well!

'Jolene' was the obvious single choice in terms of instant likeability, but Dolly's version was probably too ubiquitous in the US for it to be a viable option. It's a shame as Olivia once again gives a stellar performance that turns the song into her own. John's production is also brilliant, with the beat starting to borrow some cues from the emerging disco scene whilst still maintaining its country flavour.

Whatever shortcomings the 'Come On Over' LP had, Olivia and John made up for it with 'Don't Stop Believin''. If the handful of weaker songs on that album were replaced by the strongest from 'Come On Over', it would be near perfect.


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I've always liked it too. I love the drama of it all!


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Here's the video for Pony Ride from her TV special.

 

And here's Olivia doing Jolene live in Japan.