Olivia (Olivia Newton-John album) explained

Olivia
Type:studio
Artist:Olivia Newton-John
Cover:Olivia (Olivia Newton-John album - cover art).jpg
Released:11 August 1972
Recorded:1972
Studio:Abbey Road, Studio 2, London
Length:40:38
Label:Festival
Producer:Bruce Welch, John Farrar
Prev Title:If Not for You
Prev Year:1971
Next Title:Let Me Be There
Next Year:1973

Olivia (released in Continental Europe as Olivia Newton-John) is the second studio album by the British-Australian singer-songwriter Olivia Newton-John, released in 1972. Two of its songs were released as singles ("What Is Life" and "Just a Little Too Much"). In its initial release, it was not issued in the United States, where its songs would instead be released on Let Me Be There and If You Love Me, Let Me Know, though it was sold there as an import. A digitally remastered version was released in 1995.

She covers two songs from George Harrison on this album, "Behind That Locked Door" and "What Is Life", both originated from Harrison's first solo album All Things Must Pass published in 1970.

The cover art, done in blue tint, was later used (in a blueish-green tint) as the cover of the US release of Let Me Be There on MCA Records in 1973, following the success of the hit single penned by John Rostill.

Reception

The first single "What Is Life" reached number 18 in Ireland[1] and number 16 in the UK,[2] but the album itself was a commercial failure when released in the UK on Pye International in 1972.

In their review of "My Old Man's Got a Gun", Cashbox stated that "it's only a matter of time before the masses discover one of the most talented female songstresses around today. Well, that time has come as Olivia Newton-John delivers what is destined to become a solid chart item. This outing will please both pop and MOR formats." [3]

Track listing

  1. "Angel of the Morning" (Chip Taylor) – 3:54
  2. "Just a Little Too Much" (Johnny Burnette) – 2:07
  3. "If We Only Have Love" (Eric Blau, Jacques Brel, Mort Shuman) – 3:22
  4. "Winterwood" (Don McLean) – 2:48
  5. "My Old Man's Got a Gun" (John Farrar) – 2:48
  6. "Changes" (Olivia Newton-John) – 2:30
  7. "I'm a Small and Lonely Light" (John Farrar, Peter Best) – 2:43
  8. "Why Don't You Write Me" (Paul Simon) – 2:38
  9. "Mary Skeffington" (Gerry Rafferty) – 2:29
  10. "Behind That Locked Door" (George Harrison) – 3:06
  11. "What Is Life" (George Harrison) – 3:21
  12. "Everything I Own" (David Gates) – 3:00
  13. "Living in Harmony" (Alan Tarney, Trevor Spencer) – 2:47
  14. "I Will Touch You" (Steve Cagan) – 3:05

Notes and References

  1. http://www.irishcharts.ie/search/placement "Search by Artist > Olivia Newton-John"
  2. http://www.officialcharts.com/artist/_/olivia%20newton-john/ "Artist: Olivia Newton-John"
  3. Singles Reviews. Cash Box. 7 October 1972 . 21 . August 12, 2024.