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The Best of Olivia Newton-John

Olivia Newton-John - The Best of Olivia Newton-John Audio CD

A fair review of the Olivia Newton-John "The Best of Olivia Newton-John" Audio CD. Please note that the below review is the views of the authors, and authors only. You can get a complete list of all Olivia Newton-John reviews here, or go back to the Olivia Newton-John tabs.

Band: Olivia Newton-John
Title: The Best of Olivia Newton-John
Rating:

Release Date: 2005-02-15
Media: Audio CD

Tracks: 1: Banks of the Ohio 2: If Not for You 3: I Honestly Love You 4: What Is Life 5: Take Me Home, Country Roads 6: Long Live Love 7: Love Song 8: Air That I Breathe 9: Me and Bobby McGee 10: Help Me Make It Through the Night 11: If You Love Me (Let Me Know) 12: Have You Never Been Mellow 13: Please Mr. Please 14: If 15: Angel of the Morning 16: Let Me Be There 17: Little More Love 18: Everything I Own

Probably Of More Interest To European/Australian Fans
U. Since this 2005 release of an original 1998 album comes from the E. , I assume most of what's in here were among the "best" in that part of the world for the U. K. -born, Australian-raised chanteuse, as only tracks 1 to 4, 11 to 13, 16 and 17 are among the 45 hit singles she had in North America from 1971 to 1998, 15 of which crossed over to the Country charts and one (1982's Physical) to the R&B listings. There are no liner notes nor discography to at least tell us how those other 9 tracks were deemed to be among her "best. "

Indeed, what you get here, in terms of the U. S. charts, are her first seven Billboard Pop Hot 100 hits, one that made only the Adult Contemporary (AC) charts, and a late 1978 entry (after skipping over 12 others). Her first was the Bob Dylan-penned tune, If Not For You, which scored at # 1 AC and # 25 Hot 100 in June/July 1971 on the Uni label b/w The Biggest Clown. Later that fall she had Banks Of The Ohio climb to # 34 AC and just make the Hot 100 at # 94, also on Uni b/w It's So Hard To Say Goodbye, and early in 1972, What Is Life? could only make it to # 34 AC b/w I'm A Small And Lonely Light.

When her next hit came in late summer 1973 she was with MCA, and Let Me Be There made a big splash, hitting # 3 AC, # 6 Hot 100 and # 7 Country b/w Maybe Then I'll Think Of You, followed in the spring of 1974 by the even bigger If You Love Me, Let Me Know which topped out at # 2 AC and Country and # 5 Hot 100 b/w Brotherly Love. Then came seven straight # 1 AC hits, starting with I Honestly Love You which also hit # 1 Hot 100 and # 6 Country in late summer 1974 b/w Home Ain't Home Anymore, then Have You Never Been Mellow?, again a # 1 Hot 100 as well in addition to # 3 Country b/w Water Under The Bridge in March/April 1975, and Please Mr. Please, also a # 3 Hot 100 and # 5 Country in July 1975 b/w And In The Morning.

It then skips over 12 U. S. hits, as mentioned above, before throwing in A Little More Love which finished at # 3 Hot 100, # 4 AC and # 94 Country in late 1978/early 1970 b/w Borrowed Time. Not included here are those other # 1 AC hits, all of which also scored high on the Hot 100 and Country charts, such as Something Better To Do and Let It Shine in 1975, Come On Over and Don't Stop Believin' in 1976, and Sam from 1977.

The sound quality is excellent, and while it's a nice collection of her music (and, I'm sure, reflective of her "best" in the U. K. and other parts of Europe and probably Australia where it would rate at least 4 stars - losing one for lack of information), it simply comes up short in the North American market under that billing. .

There was a day when I just had to tell my point of view ...
This album, "The Best of Olivia Newton John," is an excellent showcase of her considerable charm. Like Marianne Faithfull and Linda Ronstadt before her, Olivia Newton John was never blessed with a great range as a singer, but she did have that instinctive feel for knowing how to use her vocal instrument in the most effective way for any given song.

Yes, I realize it isn't cool to like Olivia. I grew up listening to her in the 70s and even back then this is what was derisively called "housewife rock," the kind of stuff you would hear at a Helen Reddy concert or a feminist rally to pass the Equal Rights Amendment. However, no matter how cynical you might be about the pop music of that era, Olivia Newton John somehow transcended the limitations of her chosen art form and remains a guilty pleasure today. I still remember going to one of her concerts circa 1975 and being absolutely amazed at her talent as a performer.

"The Best of ONJ" highlights Olivia's wonderful skill as a cover girl, doing versions of Bob Dylan's "If Not For You," George Harrison's "What Is Life?" and The Hollies' "The Air That I Breathe" that are easily as good if not better than the originals. Regrettably, her rendition of John Denver's beautiful "Follow Me" has been left out of this collection, but then you can't have everything.

Equally impressive, this record has most of her finest hits as an artist in her own right as well. There is nothing hip about tunes like "Let Me Be There," and "If You Love Me (Let Me Know)," and "Have You Ever Been Mellow?" today, but back in the day this was pure ear candy for kids growing up in an unsure world. Even now, it's incredible to hear how Olivia's voice could go from the flute-like sound of an innocent young girl one moment to the level tone of a fully formed woman the next. I don't care how corny or dumb the critics found it, that's the difference between what's real and what's fake all in one simple nutshell.

Other notable tracks on this album are additional covers of Kris Kristofferson's "Help Me Make It Through The Night," Chip Taylor's classic "Angel Of The Morning," and David Gates' "Everything I Own. " What more need be said? With the able assistance of John Farrar on many (if not most) of these songs, Ms. Newton John proves that you don't have to be a doomstruck Janis Joplin to make timeless works of lasting value that speak to us all these years later.

Overall, in spite of a few lapses here and there, "The Best of ONJ" holds up remarkably well and is a very nice place to get a good start at understanding why this Australian thrush was so popular when she hit the scene in the post-Watergate/Vietnam America of 30 years ago. Other performers then were more outrageous, but Olivia has stood the test of time with a simple sense of style that was all her own. Give this CD a chance, skip over the most saccharine fluff, and you will be well rewarded with some fond memories of youth in any age of the past. Recommended.

quite a good collection
this CD is quite a good compilation of Olivia's early work - except for "A little more love" which happens to be one of Olivia's finest songs. .

Doesn't add much to her career - for collectors mainly. . . .

Great Collection!
I'm glad the "If Not For You" is included. Although I like this collection, I feel that this is NOT for the casual fan since they may not recognize most of the songs. I recommend "Magic: The Best Of. . . " to the casual fan.

Hits + cover versions = easy listening
The hits are easy to find, but the fine if inessential performances of the other material are rarely anthologized and comprise a welcome addition to ONJ collections in the absence of most of the original albums on CD. Olivia's hits 1971-1975 (and one incongruously later hit, "A Little More Love") and a slew of non-hit covers from the same period.

You can see a complete list of all Olivia Newton-John discography, or go back to the Olivia Newton-John tabs. There is also a good guide on how to read guitar tabs here.