Search - Olivia Newton-John :: The Best of Olivia Newton-John

There was a day when I just had to tell my point of view ...

Paul Hickey | Fairfax, VA USA | 03/27/2005

(4 out of 5 stars)

"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. This album, "The Best of Olivia Newton John," is an excellent showcase of her considerable charm.



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."

Great Collection!

Paul Hickey | 01/02/2004

(4 out of 5 stars)

"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'm glad the "If Not For You" is included. I recommend "Magic: The Best Of..." to the casual fan."

Hits + cover versions = easy listening

R. Riis | NY | 11/12/2001

(4 out of 5 stars)

"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. 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."