Search - Olivia Newton-John :: Definitive Collection

Definitive British hits collection

Peter Durward Harris | Leicester England | 10/18/2004

(5 out of 5 stars)

"Like most major artists, Olivia has had some truly international hits but has had other hits that have charted in just one or two countries. This British compilation contains all except two of her UK hits, both of them minor and neither of them essential. Note that fifteen of the twenty-one tracks that can be found on the American compilation (Magic - Very best of) from a few years back. So if you've got that, you probably don't need this.



Olivia established her position in the UK pop charts a few years before breaking through in America. This compilation contains all those early hits (If not for you, Banks of the Ohio, What is life. Take me home country roads, Long live love). None of those charted for Olivia in America and are therefore omitted from the American compilation. Olivia's next two UK hits (I honestly love you, Sam) both charted in America too and can be found on both compilations. However, during that time Olivia had a lot of American hits that didn't chart in Britain (Let me be there, If you love me let me know, Have you never been mellow, Please Mr Please, Come on over, Don't stop believing) so those are omitted from this compilation.



Olivia's most commercially successful period music began in 1978 with the release of Grease, featuring two major international hit duets with John Travolta (You're the one that I want, Summer nights), which both topped the UK charts, plus a solo ballad, Hopelessly devoted to you, which made number two. The follow-up album yielded two further hits (A little more love, Deeper than the night).



Next came Xanadu, Olivia's third and last UK number one hit, this time featuring ELO. It is odd that Olivia had three UK chart-toppers but none of them were solo recordings. She was far more successful in America where she had several solo number one hits. Following Xanadu came the outstanding ballad, Magic, which was only a minor UK hit but it was one of her biggest American hits. It was followed by Suddenly, a duet with Cliff Richard that made the UK top ten.



Then came Physical, a monster American hit although it didn't make the UK top ten. The follow-up, Landslide, did make the UK top ten and is included here although omitted from the American compilation. Make a move on me and Heart attack were both minor UK hits. Another minor UK hit, Twist of fate, is one of only UK hits omitted from this collection although it is included on that American compilation.



A revival of interest in Olivia's greatest triumph took The Grease megamix into the UK top three but the follow-up, The dream mix, was only a minor UK hit and is not included either here or on the American compilation, which also omits Olivia's final UK hit, I need love.



This is the strongest collection of Olivia's British hits yet released. It would require a double CD to provide a truly definitive Olivia compilation with all her British and American hits. Until and unless such a compilation is released, we now have a choice. If you want all of Olivia's important British hits, buy this. If you want her American hits, buy Magic - Very best of."