Olivia Newton-John: sweetheart, sex idol, rock chick, radio star

* Newton-John tours UK for first time in 35 years

* Admits being "terrified" at earlier career choices

* Took big risks despite "soft-pop" image

By Mike Collett-White

LONDON, March 11 (Reuters) - With a range spanning the cardigan-clad sweetheart in the hit musical "Grease" and the leotarded gym instructor in the raunchy single "Physical", no one could accuse Olivia Newton-John of playing it safe in 40 years of singing country, pop and rock.

The Australian, who was born in England and is touring there for the first time in 35 years, admits to being terrified at some of the choices she made in a career boasting four Grammy awards and a lead role in the biggest musical movie hit in U.S. history.

"I like a challenge," Newton-John, 64, told Reuters in an interview before starting a six-concert tour that ends on March 17 in Manchester.

"I was always afraid of these changes but I did them anyway, kind of 'face your fears' ... because I felt you also had to challenge yourself a little bit. But I was terrified."

The 1981 release of "Physical", a song from the album of the same name, was banned by some radio stations in the United States banned for raunchy lyrics such as "There's nothing left to talk about/Unless it's horizontally."

"I remember calling (manager) Roger Davies right after I'd finished it ... and going 'Oh, I'm not sure we should put this out, it's a little too risque'. He said: 'It's too late, love, it's gone to radio'."

Adding to the controversy was the video, in which Newton-John played a gym instructor in a tight leotard surrounded by oiled body-builders portrayed as gay in a twist ending.

FROM NICE TO NAUGHTY

"I look back now and it's hilarious, because that was so naughty in its time," she recalled. "That was another challenge that worked, thank goodness. It was either going to be a big success or nothing. There was no in-between with that song.

"It was banned in Utah and I did my television special for the Physical Tour in Utah. I remember I was probably so terrified I got sick right before the shoot."

In fact, "Physical" proved to be the pinnacle of Newton-John's solo career, topping the U.S. pop charts and becoming one of the best-selling singles of the decade.

By then, Newton-John had already left her comfort zone more than once. She recalled pursuing a career as a performer despite resistance from her parents, who wanted her to finish school.

She comes from an academic background - her grandfather was Max Born, a German-British Nobel Prize-winning quantum physicist.

"My grandfather apparently used to play music with Einstein, they used to play chamber music together, so it (the musical gene) goes back," Newton-John said.

She left Australia for Britain in the 60s to make it as a pop star. By the early 70s, she had featured in the charts and on television before representing the United Kingdom at the 1974 Eurovision Song Contest, finishing fourth behind winners ABBA.

Then came a move to the United States, where Newton-John broke into the country music scene despite being considered an outsider. Her hit "Let Me Be There" won her a country vocal Grammy.

SANDY IN SPANDEX

The next gamble came with "Grease", the hit 1978 film adaptation of the Broadway musical that would turn her into a household name.

"Grease itself was a bold enough move - playing the second character in Grease, and for that to be so successful, I mean, who knew?"

Her character's transformation from clean-cut "Sandy 1" to spandex-clad "Sandy 2", out to snare John Travolta's Danny, was one that she took into real life, ditching the safety of soft pop and country for an edgier image and sound.

The name of her next album? "Totally Hot".

"The raunchy kind of image that Sandy 2 had, it gave an opportunity to change my direction a little bit and do something a little more fun," she said.

"I did country, and then it was pop, and then 'Grease' kind of went into rock and so I got to change a little bit. Everyone does it now, but then it probably wasn't so common."

Newton-John, now based on the west coast of the United States along with her family including daughter Chloe, said she would continue to record new music but may cut back on touring.

"I have so many ... other things I'm passionate about and involved in and I love singing and I love recording, but touring takes a toll and you're away from home a lot," she explained.

Newton-John, who survived breast cancer in 1992, has set up a cancer centre in Australia and has campaigned on issues including deforestation, dolphin culling and fracking.

Why does she take on so many issues outside music?

"I think it's really for my mum," she said. "My mum was always writing letters to the council about problems, and so I think I owe that to her." (Reporting by Mike Collett-White; Editing by Kevin Liffey)

someone post the Totally Hot advertisment

Another interesting Factor about "Grease" is it spawned some Mega Talent...Who would've THUNK Stockard Channing would go on to become a Powerhouse Dramatic Actress...

About 99% of the original Cast is still alive, someone should put together a good script and do Grease: The Next Generation...

aardvark15 said:

I she her as the female version to Hall & Oates. A hugely sucessful artist that was big in the late 70's to the early 80's and didn't do disco and made many well crafted pop songs

I thought that Xanadu was generally viewed as a disco related movie

...wow, xanadu

[Edited 3/20/13 0:29am]

SoulAlive said:

I like a few of her early,pre-Grease singles,such as this one...

"Have You Never Been Mellow" (1975)

I'm a oooold whore. I remember her even before that when she was doing country....

Then I remember her doing the more mellow stuff like "Have You Ever Been Mellow" and "Please Mister Please". Then the "Grease" era which seemed to transform her and during that period she was making stuff like "A Little More Love". After that, the "Xanadu" and "Magic" era. Then the stuff like "Physical", "Make A Move On Me", and "Heart Attack".

She seemed to completely transform herself and grow over the years. Whenever I think of Sheena Easton who kinda did the same thing, I always think of Olivia Newton John that came before her.

.

.

.

[Edited 3/20/13 2:38am]

She was my first celebrity crush, age 9. I came home from seeing the movie Grease and lay awake for hours. I'm talking, awakenings of new feelings and shit.

I would never ever say anything bad about her.

If I saw someone being mean to her I would punch them in the nose.

It's music I would normally think was of kind of minor interest but she did it better than most.

And even though it's been 35 years I still WANT her.

rdhull said:

someone post the Totally Hot advertisment

are you referring to this?

vainandy said:

I remember her doing the more mellow stuff like "Have You Ever Been Mellow" and "Please Mister Please". Then the "Grease" era which seemed to transform her and during that period she was making stuff like "A Little More Love". After that, the "Xanadu" and "Magic" era. Then the stuff like "Physical", "Make A Move On Me", and "Heart Attack".

She seemed to completely transform herself and grow over the years. Whenever I think of Sheena Easton who kinda did the same thing, I always think of Olivia Newton John that came before her.

Yeah,I always think of Sheena Easton when I think of Olivia's transformation.The difference is,Olivia would have never done a song like "Sugar Walls" She thought "Physical" was too sexual and even tried to get her mananger to cancel its release,but it had already been sent to radio stations,lol.

"Where does she belong?" Easy, in Xanaduuuuuuuuu!

Shango said:

aardvark15 said:

I she her as the female version to Hall & Oates. A hugely sucessful artist that was big in the late 70's to the early 80's and didn't do disco and made many well crafted pop songs

I thought that Xanadu was generally viewed as a disco related movie

...wow, xanadu

the movie centers around a nightclub,but the songs in the film aren't disco at all.

Interestingly,before she signed on do Xanada,Olivia was actually offered a part in the disco film Can't Stop The Music which she turned down Smart move on her part.That is one of the worst movies I ever saw.

SoulAlive said:

rdhull said:

someone post the Totally Hot advertisment

are you referring to this?

yeah!! I remember that like it was yesterday!

thanks!

imago said:

Where does Olivia Newton John belong in the Pop Hierarchy?

Many people may see her as a 70s phenomenon, but let's look at the numbers:

* 100, 000, 000 albums world wide sold

* 4 platinum albums

* 11 certified Gold albums

* 10 top 10 hits

She's also enjoyed cinematic successes with Grease, a mainstream success, and Xanadu, a pop culture cult classic.

What is your take on her rightful place in the hilatory of pop music?

I don't know where she belongs in the pop hierarchy, but I do know that a young Olivia's tuchus belongs at the top of my penis' hierarchy.

SoulAlive said:

^^I also remember seeing that commercial on TV back in 1978

same here

Chancellor said:

About 99% of the original Cast is still alive, someone should put together a good script and do Grease: The Next Generation...

It's an intriguing idea,but after seeing this recent music video of John and Olivia,I just don't know if it will work this time She still looks and sounds great,but there's something 'odd' about John's performance....

[Edited 3/24/13 6:28am]

Ace said:

imago said:

Where does Olivia Newton John belong in the Pop Hierarchy?

Many people may see her as a 70s phenomenon, but let's look at the numbers:

* 100, 000, 000 albums world wide sold

* 4 platinum albums

* 11 certified Gold albums

* 10 top 10 hits

She's also enjoyed cinematic successes with Grease, a mainstream success, and Xanadu, a pop culture cult classic.

What is your take on her rightful place in the hilatory of pop music?

I don't know where she belongs in the pop hierarchy, but I do know that a young Olivia's tuchus belongs at the top of my penis' hierarchy.

You did had to go there didn't Ace?

Its been a while since I've listened to my ONJ collection thanks for the jolt.

Rank? I don't know? Olivia Newton John had a nice run and made some good music along the way. The two released singles - Magic & Suddenly - she recorded for Xanadu saved the soundtrack and the movie, neither were all that good.

Listening to some of her albums now, Newton-John has a little bit of Country pop vibe going there too. If you can get beyond the release single from her 1981 album Physical was attached to the video workout craze, its a damn good album from the 1 track to the last track (10). One of her most underrated albums, 1985 Soul Kiss.

TD3 said:

Ace said:

I don't know where she belongs in the pop hierarchy, but I do know that a young Olivia's tuchus belongs at the top of my penis' hierarchy.

You did had to go there didn't Ace?

Always loved her. Her voice is so sweet and I was downright smitten when she played Sandy 1 in Grease. I was scarred of Sandy 2 (I was 8 when that movie came out).

Loved Xanadu when only us gay boys did. Shitty movie but Livy still sounded and looked fabulous.

As for her music...its harmless county/pop...with a little naughtyness seeping through in early 80s. She lost me with Soul Kiss...trying to vamp it up a little too much with that one. I did like The Rumor. I thought it should have been a bigger hit. There are solid tunes on that album and she really sounded great.

That recent tune with Travolta is cringeworthy (esp that video). She still looks and sounds good. But he looks awful. It's like WHAT HAPPENED?

Elvis did a nice versions of her songs in concert of If You Love Me, Let Me Know and Let Me Be There. Always liked her + she was hot even before Grease fame. Bought her greatest hits back in the 90's. Has most of her hits.