Another day another rock and roll casualty. Olivia Newton John may have been too saccharine for some but, to boys of a certain age growing up in the early 70s, Neutron Bomb was as much a pinup as say Suzi Quatro, Susan Dey or even that model in the Flake commercial; poster girls all. And the fact that she scored her first hit with a George Harrison arrangement of a Bob Dylan tune meant that she could no wrong. I love this song. And you can tell from this clip* she loved singing it. Rest easy, Olivia.
* P.S. 11.8.22 - Apologies, since posting this, Youtube have taken down all the 1971 live footage of ONJ (incl. the one I originally put up) and the audio only versions. Bastards. So I've swapped it for a later versh. Soz.
Olivia Newton John - If Not For You
Very sad news indeed. Great choice of song and performance, John.
ReplyDeleteIt always is, Khayem. She was as big a part of the early 70s as some of the more 'serious' artists around at the time. I heard she shifted north of 12M records. Wow!
DeleteAnd, yes, a great song; in anyones's hands, you'd like to think.
I am in serious mourning today.
ReplyDeleteI feel for you, Rol. I'm a little older than you and it's things like her regular Saturday TV appearances on Cliff Richard's early evening show on the BBC that I remember fondly.
DeleteVery sad. We all loved ONJ
ReplyDeleteIt is. And we did. Thanks, Adam. (Hope you had a good holiday btw.)
DeleteI second your entire post John and of course your choice of song.
ReplyDeleteThanks, TS. I try not to dwell on the obits column but they're coming in thick and fast now.
DeleteThis happened when I was away this week so haven't really let it sink in yet. I was meeting up with old friends from student days so we all had fond memories of growing up listening to her and watching her on both the small and large screens. A lovely lady who will be sadly missed.
ReplyDeleteNever a week goes by without someone falling off the other end. Inevitable but still sad.
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