Tag: Olivia Newton-John

Easy Listening #1s in 1975, part 1

NASA

Like the other charts, the Billboard Easy Listening #1s in 1975, the nomenclature at the time for what became Adult Contemporary, were also overcrowded. `

Something Better To Do – Olivia Newton-John, three weeks at #1

Please Mr. Please – Olivia Newton-John, three weeks at #1, also #1 pop

Midnight Blue – Melissa Manchester, two weeks at #1 – I loved that song at a point when I had no real romantic relationships 

At Seventeen – Janis Ian, two weeks at #1. She sang it when she was 23.

I’m Sorry – John Denver, two weeks at #1, also #1 pop

The Way I Want To Touch You – Captain and Tennille, two weeks at #1

My Little Town – Simon and Garfunkel, two weeks at #1; this song was included on the solo albums of each artist

I Write The Songs – Barry Manilow, two weeks at #1. Not incidentally, Barry Manilow did not write it, though many people assume so. The Beach Boys’ Bruce Johnston penned it.

The rest of the songs, #1 for a single week

Only You (And You Alone) – Ringo Starr. This was originally recorded by The Platters in 1955. On Ringo’s version, John Lennon plays acoustic guitar, and  Harry Nilsson sings harmony vocals 

Please Mr. Postman – Carpenters, also #1 pop . Yes, it’s Carpenters, not the Carpenters. The 1961 debut single by the Marvelettes for the Tamla (Motown) label was the first Motown song to reach the number-one position on the Billboard Hot 100 singles chart. 

Morningside Of The Mountain – Donny and Marie Osmond. I had never heard this song before! Pure treacle

Best Of My Love – The Eagles, also #1 pop

Sweet Surrender – John Denver

Lonely People – America. I wrote a post about this song, as well as NASA, DC, and Charlotte, NC. 

Nightingale – Carole King

Poetry Man – Phoebe Snow

Have You Never Been Mellow – Olivia Newton-John, also #1 pop

I’ve Been This Way Before – Neil Diamond

(Hey, Won’t You Play) Another Somebody Done Somebody Wrong Song – B.J.  Thomas, also #1 pop

Emotion – Helen Reddy

Olivia Newton-John turns 70 (September 26)

Olivia Newton-John shares a birthday with my late father

There was an August 2018 article with Olivia Newton-John and John Travolta dancing together, celebrating the 40th anniversary of the movie Grease. The stars have been great friends in the intervening four decades.

It’s weird that, for some reason, I never saw Grease in the movie theater, and it was a massive success. In fact, I’m not sure to this day that I’ve ever seen it in its entirety, though my daughter has watched the film on video

And it wasn’t just the movie that might have drawn me in, it was the music, with three Top 5 singles by Travolta and Newton-John in 1978. I have seen a high school production of the musical i the past couple years.

I’d forgotten that she was born in Cambridge, England. I did recall she was raised in Melbourne, Australia. She was a country artist early on, had some massive “middle of the road” hits before Grease.

But in 1980/1981, she transformed her career. Just as Sandy in Grease changed from goody-goody to being clad in spandex, Newton-John was inspired to do the same metaphorically. As a result, she had her largest hits in the US, Magic, and Physical.

I believe that, for the time, it was constitutionally illegal not to play Physical on the hour, unless you were on one of the two Utah radio stations that banned the single from their playlists. It was ranked by Billboard as the biggest song of the decade.

Her breast cancer had been in remission from 1992 until its metastasis was discovered in 2017. She’s become an advocate for better eating, animal rights, and the environment.

Yes, I have my one Olivia Newton-John greatest hits album, which I play every September. She shares a birthday with my late father.

Listen to:

If Not for You, #25 pop in 1971

Honestly Love You, #1 pop for two weeks, #6 country in 1974

Have You Never Been Mellow, #1 pop, #3 country in 1975

You’re The One That I Want, with John Travolta, #1 pop in 1978
Summer Nights, with Travolta and cast of Grease, #5 pop in 1978

Magic, #1 pop for four weeks in 1980

Physical, #1 pop for ten weeks, #28 R&B in 1981

Ramblin' with Roger
Social media & sharing icons powered by UltimatelySocial