Olivia Newton-John’s legendary hits show she could sing it all

Olivia Newton-John, possessing a pure, natural tone and dexterous range, could sing it all. Here are her 10 best songs.

Decades before the music industry marketing machine decided pop artists had to stay in their lane, versatility was the name of the singer’s game.

And Olivia Newton-John, possessing a pure, natural tone and dexterous range, could sing it all.

While she kicked off her career as a teenager singing folk songs in Melbourne coffee houses, her debut record If Not For You straddled all the genres from country to pop, setting a template which would be replicated more than 30 years later with great success by another blonde girl-next-door called Taylor Swift.

Newton-John mastered doo-wop pop on Grease, sparkling orchestral synth pop on Xanadu, and then rewrote the record books with her producer partner in crime John Farrar and their wholly unexpected smash Physical.

Olivia Newton-John surprised with her smash hit Physical.

For tens of thousands of Australian families for the past five years, she has been part of their Christmas celebrations as she and her brother-in-music John Farnham remade the classics on their Friends for Christmas album.

Our Livvy really could sing it all.

Olivia Newton-John’s legendary songs

Banks of the Ohio

The Queen of the murder ballads before Nick Cave enlisted Kylie Minogue for Where The Wild Roses Grow. Recorded in 1971 for her debut record, Olivia’s take on the 19th century folk song became her first No.1 in Australia.

If Not For You

The countrified slide-guitar arrangement of this Bob Dylan song was inspired by George Harrison’s version on his first post-Beatles record All Things Must Pass. It was her first international single.

Let Me Be There

The title track of her 1973 album became ONJ’s first Top 10 single in the US, peaking at No.6, and won her a Grammy Award for Best Female Country Vocalist.

I Honestly Love You

One of the most heartbreakingly melancholic love songs ever recorded – co-written by the late great Peter Allen – it topped the charts worldwide in 1974. The cut also picked up the Grammy Awards for Record of the Year and Best Pop Vocal Performance, Female in 1975.

You’re The One That I Want (with John Travolta)

Written by John Farrar, the duet was the lead single from the Grease film, released in 1978 ahead of the movie hitting cinemas. Before the streaming era, You’re The One That I Want was one of the biggest selling singles in pop history, with more than 15 million (physical) copies sold worldwide.

Hopelessly Devoted To You

Sandy’s signature solo song in the Grease musical rom-com, also written by Farrar, remains the go-to anthem for every lovelorn teen pining after the object of their affection. It was nominated for Best Original Song at the Oscars in 1979.

A Little More Love

Even though Grease fever still reigned, Newton-John returned to her solo pop career and released this Farrar composition which may be one of her most sexy and agile vocal performances.

Magic

This track would introduce Newton-John’s next big film moment as the lead track from Xanadu. It topped the US charts and was even named by John Lennon as one of her favourite current pop singles shortly before his death.

Xanadu

Written by ELO’s Jeff Lynne and recorded with the band (it was their only No.1 in the UK), the film’s title track surprisingly became the most popular download on the iTunes chart in Australia in the hours after Olivia’s death was made public.

Physical

Even after Sandy’s sizzling transformation in the final act of Grease, Physical’s sexually-charged lyrics and video scandalised certain sections of America, with radio stations censoring the lyrics. And this was a song which had been knocked back by Rod Stewart and Tina Turner. All the kerfuffle only served to make it even more iconic.