Olivia Newton-John Album by Album Thread

Forgot to post the track listing:

SIDE ONE:
1) Introduction
2) Sam
3) Xanadu

SIDE TWO:
1) Hopelessly Devoted To You
2) A Little More Love
3) I Honestly Love You

 

That's the track listing to a picture disc that I have.

 

^ and those tracks are lifted from the Physical Live in Concert?
^a photo of that picture disc would be nice to see

 

Always hated Heart Attack and Tied up...still do. As was mentioned, John seemed more interested in changing her sound, and tinkering with production, than the painstaking process of writing quality songs. In her case, I don't see the need to change her sound. It wasn't like her previous hits were waning. He tried too soon to change her sound. In the process, he alienated her fans and her career really stalled. A shame. This is an odd collection of songs, but none the less I do spin it from time to time. Kind of prefer to listen to the albums the songs were culled from. By the way, nice reviews on both GH2 and Physical. I didn't post comments on Physical...there were already a ton.

 

Here you go.

 

I've always loved her haunting (and gender-switching girl-kills-guy) rendition of this fine 19th century American murder ballad("Banks of the Ohio").

 

Thanks Pizza....I never seen that one!! How does it sound? The Intro...is that the same intro from the Physical in Concert VHS tape? I love that intro with all her instrumental hits that play with the photos being shot on that big screen and how the audience goes wild at each song. Is that a 45 or a 12"?

 

I have never played it! I've always felt picture discs should be looked at and not played. I think I played a part of one once and thought it sounded awful (not this particular disc).
And it's a 45 that should be played at 331/3.

 

I don't think the album alienated her fans...it was just 2 songs after all, she put out many previous albums with tracks people didn't like and that never hurt her before. Her fans are lifelong and follow her no matter what she puts out. If anything, Sordid Lives took her in a direction some fans would say "what the heck"? Songs like, "You Look Like A **** To Me" How could you Olivia? Still that didn't hurt her career or alienate her fans either, in fact I went to a concert that she actually sang those songs from Sordid Lives and the audience went wild (much to my surprise)

For me...Heart Attack and Tied Up always made me feel they had much of the same sorta sound from the Physical album, the backing vocals from John etc...Strangers Touch for me has that same production and sound as Tied Up. I enjoy Tied Up much more than Heart Attack.

 

Ha...I'd have to play it...at least once to be sure what was actually on it. If nothing else for reference.

 

This song always scared me...can you image Olivia in a short video drama/comedy of this song playing with knife in hand...by the water....oh my....

 

"Physical" was the second ONJ album I ever had ("Xanadu" being the first), but not until many years after having "Xanadu." As a youngster I loved the movie "Xanadu" and all the music in it. And of course, I was in love with ONJ in that movie. I thought she was the most beautiful, magical female the world ever produced. I remember when I first saw the video for "Physical" I didn't realize it was ONJ until the credits at the end. I was shocked! I couldn't believe my lovely Olivia had turned into that! LOL. But truthfully, as a young boy I was so disgusted with Olivia's new image I decided to pretend there was no ONJ after "Xanadu." I still think it's one of the most harrowing transformations ever. She was a remarkable beauty 1978-1980, then all of a sudden she looked cheap and boyish. I find her, even to this day, completely unattractive during the "Physical" era. I did however, finally pick up the "Physical" cd and found to my surprise it was a great pop record. I love it (I just try not to imagine a short-haired, horny ONJ singing it.)




Although I love the "Physical" album, I am ambivalent about a few of the tracks however. A lot of it is the cheesy, modern production employed on certain songs. I like the song "Landslide" but hate those shrieking noises. They just about ruin a good song. The verses are wonderful, but the chorus is weak unfortunately. But that bridge is heavenly. I just don't like Olivia's screaming voice which rears its head on this album, and finds its way onto the first two tracks. "Stranger's Touch" again is a very nice song just about ruined by that horrible "He's overpowering me" verse. Yuck! It's so jarring and unappealing. "Make A Move On Me" thankfully has nothing wrong with it. It's the stand-out track on the album. A perfect pop tune. "Falling" also is just about perfect. Here, the production is outstanding. It sounds so good. "Love Make Me Strong" returns to the flawed formula of the first two tracks, a nice song with bad production sounds and that screaming Olivia voice. On to side 2: The title track of course is fun, but so ingrained in our heads it's hard to be objective about it. "Silvery Rain" is a wonderful little song with great production and lovely verses, but I hate that jarring, abrasive chorus. Really wrecks it for me at times. "Carried Away" is filled with sweet sounds and a treat to have on the album. I love the background vocals. Next is "Recovery" and it's terrific. Just about perfect, except I think John Farrar's solo version is actually a bit better. "The Promise" closes out the album nicely. A very pleasant tune, but nothing else. A great album, but I wish I could go in and edit some stuff out to please my ear.

 

That image change was a big one. It was needed I think as she was trying to kill off her 'Xanadu' look, and possibly the bad times associated with it! I think the look suited the 'Physical' material and gave her another couple of years of the big time. Like you, I never totally took to the short hair... It seemed to make her look a lot older. Interesting review of the 'Physical' album... I too wince sometimes at Olivia's shrieks. I don't they're too bad on this album, but they run rampant throughout the 'Soul Kiss' and even 'The Rumour' albums.

 

What bad times? That album was a humongous hit! She should have basked in that "Xanadu" glow forever.

 

I think he means the movie, which is considered a dud. The Xanadu look is my favorite but the Physical phase is my second. She looks amazing, even the picture you used as an example I find striking.

 

Yes, but the film was a flop and got horrible reviews! It's only now it's seen as a bit of camp fun. Back then it was a disaster that all but ended her movie career! The music did very well but I do believe the whole 'Physical' image change was her way of distancing herself from it.

 

So if the Xanadu movie had been a success, we could have gotten ONJ in that lovely guise for years to come? Oh, what a sad fate befell us all.

 

I'd still go for the 'Totally Hot' look as my favourite. Classy, adult and beautiful. The 'Xanadu' look was good but perhaps she felt she was getting a bit long in the tooth for that girlish look. Hence the number of soft-focus shots in the film! The 'Physical' image was different enough to make people see her a new way for a while. It worked and is a much more iconic Olivia image than the TH one I preferred.

 

I think the closest you'd get to the 'Xanadu' look was the 'A Mom For Christmas' TV movie. It was a similar sort of role to her one in 'Xanadu'... Now, THAT movie had some serious soft-focus issues... Every time the camera went within 10 ft of Olivia it hazed over! God, that was an awful film!

 

I guess I should be happy to say I have no idea what those songs are! And I do play that hits album and enjoy most of it, just not as much as the other one. I guess after Xanadu and Physical that was the end of the road for me, until you fast way forward to the hits album with Not Gonna Be the One, which I think is up there with the best of her other songs. Wish I could find that album on vinyl. I see them out there but very expensive!

 

Guess I need to see the film. I sure don't care for most of the album, except for Magic, but I like having it for nostalgic reasons. I love ELO...I don't know why the album doesn't resonate with me.

 

That is correct...picture discs generally sound terrible. Why the new No doubt album was only issued on vinyl as a picture disc astounds me. I have the Bee Bees Spirits pix disc and you definitely don't want to play it!

 

You know what I don't get, and I generally agree with all your statements (man, you must HATE the end of Please Don't Keep Me Waiting with all the high screaming) is why they felt a need to dramatically change her image at all. I can see freshening up her sound, but to go so overtly from one image to the opposite, I just don't understand. And about the only song I did really enjoy on the John Farrar album I just finally bought was Recovery. I don't know if I agree it's better than ONJ's, but it's quite good! I am surprised there wasn't more production value on John's album. You can sure hear the difference in the studio budget by a long shot! Actually, I didn't like side one at all but side two was decent to okay.

 

Ya, the shrieks aren't too rampant on the "Physical" album. What I do object to is all the shouting Olivia does on some of the songs from "Physical."

 

the top image is amazing! don't care for the other ones LOOK.