Olivia Newton-John Recorded Rainy Days & Mondays on New

[Rick-An Ordinary Fool]

I truly can't wait to hear this. It is known that Olivia & Karen were best friends. It's been posted by one of the owners of the Only Olivia F/C that Olivia's new Cd has been produced by Phil Ramone (also Karen's producer of her solo album) Here are the details from Only Olivia website:


"Olivia has recorded an album of covers with Phil Ramone as her producer. This is due out around October time in Australia

Olivia's new album is called 'Indigo - Women of Song' and has 11 tracks - all cover of songs sung or written by women. All the songs have special meaning to Olivia and she will mention this in the linear notes.

Some of the songs on the album include 'Loving You' (originally sung by Minnie Ripperton), 'Rainy Days and Mondays' (Karen Carpenter), 'Alfie' (Cilla Black/ Dionne Warwick"

The album has been produced by Phil Ramone who recently produced the Rod Stewart - American Songbook records and over the years has produced albums for Barbara Streisand, Billy Joel, Sinatra and many others. The album sounds truly wonderful and Olivia is singing I think better than ever on this record - very special!

Album is scheduled to be released in Australia on Monday Oct 11


me-Not sure I have heard Alfie, was this a Burt Bacharach song?

 

[Karenannefan]

Chris,

I can't wait to hear this whole album actually, am so looking forward to it's release.

Alfie is a Bacharach song, Barbra Streisand also does a nice version of this song.

Roll on Oct 11 !


Laura

 

[Dave]

Olivia Newton-John Sings RAINY DAYS & MONDAYS on New CD! <<-- Title Fits Better!

Olivia Newton-John Recorded RAINY DAYS & MONDAYS on New CD! <<-- Doesn't Fit!


I think "Rainy Days & Mondays" would be Olivia's kind of song. I think that's something she's definitely long-overdue for covering!

Olivia singing "Loving You" by Minnie Riperton??!! Now THAT I've got to hear!!

I think that song would suit her well, after all, I had her first album where she sang Tom Rush's "No Regrets", George Harrison's "If Not For You" and even "Me & Bobby McGee", penned by Kris Kristofferson. Oh, and the record sported a rather anxious, "Love Song" by Leslie Duncan, covered by Lani Hall, The Lettermen, Punch (an obscure A&M vocal group :twitchy and even Elton John (who normally doesn't do remakes of other peoples' songs), which Olivia sings along with some acoustic guitar and an organ playing.

"To Be Released on Oct. 11th in Austrailia?!" How, bout in the UNITED STATES?! :goofygrin:

Dave

...who hasn't bought a new "Olivia Product" in years...

 

[Rick-An Ordinary Fool]

Well, this is the latest on Olivia's new CD coming in Oct 2004 produced by Phil Ramone. This just released from Only Olivia's site owner. Tracklisting:

Love me or Leave me
How Insensitive
How Glad I am
Anyone who had a heart
Flowers
Cry me a River
Summertime
Send in the Clowns
Rainy Days and Mondays
Loving You
Alfie



Are these titles familar to you? Some of these I've not heard of but I'm sure I may have once I hear them.

 

[davidgra]

Only one of these songs isn't immediately familiar to me. I don't know of a song called just called "Flowers."

Most of the other songs have been recorded by a number of different artists.

"Love Me Or Leave Me" -- title song from the movie starring Doris Day, also recorded by Ruth Ettig, Sarah Vaughan, Billie Holiday

"How Insensitive" -- Ella Fitzgerald, Astrud Gilberto, Vicki Carr

"How Glad I Am" -- Nancy Wilson

"Anyone Who Had a Heart" -- Dionne Warwick, Cilia Black, Dusty Springfield

"Flowers" -- don't know this one

"Cry Me a River" -- probably recorded hundreds of times. Notable females include Dinah Washington, Ella Fitzgerald, Julie London, Barbra Streisand

"Summertime" -- Ella Fitzgerald, Sarah Vaughan and many, many others

"Send In the Clowns" -- from Sondheim's A LITTLE NIGHT MUSIC, also recorded by Judy Collins, Sarah Vaughan, Barbra Streisand

"Rainy Days and Mondays" -- we all know this one

"Loving You" -- Minnie Riperton

"Alfie" -- Dionne Warwick, Cilia Black

I can't wait to hear this album. Should be a true classic, unless they really screw up the arrangements and try to do something "different" with it.

David

 

[Dave]

Well, this sounds like it should be a neat Olivia Newton-John album. I'm sure even in this day and age, the arrangements will hopefully justify Olivia's song selection! I am a big fan of hers, though I only like stuff from Totally Hot, Grease and Xanadu, as well as her duet with Andy Gibb, "I Can't Help It", which I have on '45's.

Dave

...excited about this upcoming release, online...

 

[Rick-An Ordinary Fool]

Thanks David for posting that run down. Now I can search the net for these artists & capture a glimpse of what these tracks sounds like even if it is a 30 sec clip. Cool.

 

[SakuraSYayoi]

According to SoundWorld.com, "Flowers" is "Where have all the Flowers gone" -- Joan Baez.

Reference 1912230
Company WARN
Artist NEWTON-JOHN, OLIVIA
Title INDIGO - WOMEN OF SONG
Released sometime October 2004. Pre order your copy now!

Sakura

 

[Rick-An Ordinary Fool]

I have listened to just about every one of these tracks at Tower Records. They seem to be mostly jazz/bluesy feel to them unless that is just the artists that is playing it like that.

Some of these I have heard before.

I took Sakura's advice & plugged in a search for "Where have all the Flowers Gone" I came up with this, take a listen & tell me it this is the song, it's a instrumental piece but you can get an idea of the song. It's kinda nice although I never heard of this artist.

Click on the song title. #12 (I'm trying to image Olivia singing this, it has a nice melody to it)

http://www.towerrecords.com/product.aspx?pfid=2862935

 

[Steven J. Gross]

Could be a comeback hit album here.

 

[Rick-An Ordinary Fool]

Thank you Sakura for the website. I finally found it doing a search. Here is the link

Wow, finally the name Karen Carpenter with Olivia on a CD. I'm in heaven. But still suprised it doesn't say Carpenters instead. But I guess the album is about songs recorded by women.

http://store2.soundworld.com.au/~sw/detail.htm

 

[Jeff]

This is gonna be a nice coffee table album. Really nice. Phil Ramone at the helm and all that. I imagine Rainy Days will be heartfelt and beautifully executed. However in 2005 Olivia's dance album will be released. The two cuts already accessible at Only Olivia.com show promise. Particularly, Broken Wings. I'd like to see her burn up the charts again. Sophisticated, classic and legions beyond Mariah whoever, Madonna something or another, Cher somebody and Beyonce' what??? Olivia is on par with Karen Carpenter...almost. Wouldn't it be refreshing to hear talent once again? Cleavage, pointed bras, plastic surgery and some booty shakin' have all but annihilated SINGERS of yore.

Holdin' out for quality,

Jeff

 

[Mark-T]

I LOVE Oilivia's stuff- but she is no where near the caliber of Karen.
Just one man's opinion. (But if Olivia had Karen's voice, WOW!)

 

[Mark-T]

I'm going to see Olivia tonight- hope she'll do Rainy Days.
I'll let you all know...

 

[Rick-An Ordinary Fool]

From what I hear she has sang these from the new CD

Anyone Who Had A Heart
Alfie
Cry Me A River

 

[Mark-T]

Yes, she did sing those three and no "Rainy Days". Of the three "Cry Me A River" was the standout. Bluesy with a wonderful vocal (some great low notes in this!). The other two are good, but pretty much stick to what everyone else has done with these songs in the past.

The concert was 1 hr 45 minutes. This was a far stronger concert than the last time I saw her - the "Physical" tour, almost 23 years ago. She was more relaxed with less to prove and a more confident performer. She played down the sex object thing- and in the process came off even better and more beautiful. For this man's dollar, I would even say she looked much more beautiful now- even as she is in her mid to late 50s. Just amazing. My wife, who is not a huge fan but likes her music, thought the concert was very good, well paced, with alot of variety. And she thought Olivia came across as a very nice, kind, and upbeat woman.

Song List- in order I can remember:

Have You Never Been Mellow
Xanadu
Magic
Suddenly
Country Medley (Let Me Be There, Please Mr. Please, If You Love Me)
Anyone Who had a Heart
The Rumour
70s/80s Medley (Heart Attack, Twist of Fate, Make a Move on Me) notes: HA and TOF didnt hold up well at all, MAMOM sounded terrific, she did one other which I can't remember.
Physical (new Samba version)- quite good live, actually
Not Gonna Give in to It
Dont Cut Me Down (great vocal but needs to drop the quasi Hinduish dancing here!)
Cry Me a River (got a great crowd response)
Sam
Youre' the One That I want
Hopelessly Devoted
Summer Nights (with group partisipation)

Encore: Alfie
I Honestly Love You (old version)
Reprise of new version from band only during applause time

No material from Come On Over, Making a Good Thing Better, Warm and Tender (How bout The Way You Look Tonight?); Soul Kiss, Back with a Heart. or (2).

Her incredible looks (!!!) and good warm humor aside, she was in fine vocal shape. She hit every low note with ease and sounded wonderful! (more of those please!) Her highs were good but not great, midrange was very strong. There was no side of the raspier edge to her voice (like she displays on Back with A Heart- which I was disappointed she did not sing).

For those of you interested in what she wore- black pinstriped suit with pink satin type blouse- no changes except for leather jacket and then sparkly scarf at encore.

 

[SakuraSYayoi]

Thank you, Mark, for sharing your concert with us.

There are some articles about "Indigo" which has name of "Karen Carpenter". The latest one that I have seen is:

....Indigo: Women of Song is "a tribute to women from when I was on my way up as a young girl, people who made impressions on me . . . all people who have affected me and my style.

"It's inspired by women who influenced me growing up - Dionne Warwick, Doris Day, Karen Carpenter, who was my friend, just a bunch of great girls. I couldn't fit them all on, but fit the ones where the songs worked. It was a wonderful experience and something from my heart."

http://www.rockymountainnews.com/drmn/music/article/0,1299,DRMN_54_3154512,00.html
(Cover girl
Newton-John sings homage to women who inspired her

By Mark Brown, Rocky Mountain News
September 2, 2004)

Sakura

 

[Rick-An Ordinary Fool]

thanks Mark for that review. I would kill to hear that 80s Medley, she recently added that since the last time I saw her, I heard she got such a great response that she decided to use it. Would also love to hear that new stuff live.

...waiting for Jeff's review next, online..

 

[PJ]

Mark-Concert sounds interesting , sounds like Olivia is becoming better, more secure than in the glory days of her career ...now she has matured ...there is less pressure on her and she can enjoy interaction with her audiences

Olivia performed a concert in Costa Mesa -several years ago -Carpenters fans who attended -loved her performance and songs ...look forward to some UK / European concerts in 2005 ...unless I can link USA visit to Olivia concerts

Still not sure about Olivia covering Rainy Days ....such a powerful Karen song / performance ....identified as Carpenters all time classic ....perhaps because this was one of Karen's absolute favourites ...this is Olivia's tribute to her great friend

Peter

 

[Mark-T]

Thank you, Sakura, for the link.
I do not get the newspaper Tuesday through Thursday, so I missed the interview.
No review in today's paper, hopefully tomorrow or Sunday.
A quick story I forgot to share:

During the audience participation of Summer Nights, she had the men in the audience sing the lines with her male backup singers, and the women sang along with her and her one female back up.
At the end of the song, before the last "Those su-um-er ni- ights", there is the short "oh" on disc by Olivia, no Travolta.
The audience sang along great- but when it came to the "oh" part, the women AND men all sang it together. Olivia was startled by this and started to laugh- it was very cute and kind of sweet. Then she finished the song.

She was very playful all night with the audience. Very, very charming.

Sidenote: the audience was mostly 45-60 year olds, but there was a pretty healthy smattering of those in their 20s and early 30s. Encouraging to see the 20s appreciating someone before their time.

 

[jfiedler17]

For this man's dollar, I would even say she looked much more beautiful now - even as she is in her mid to late 50s. Just amazing.

No one tell my mom. She might not allow my dad to go.

Incidentally, how did she do "You're the One That I Want" and "Suddenly"? All on her own, or did one of the backup singers fill in for the male-singer parts?
"Suddenly"'s probably my top favorite of hers, but I'm trying to imagine hearing it without Cliff Richard ...

Jeff F.

 

[Mark-T]

Jeff,
with those songs, she sang with one of her two backup singers. One for one song each. "Suddenly" came off wonderfully, "YTOTIW" was good but not great.

 

[Rick-An Ordinary Fool]

Yes, here you can see her back up singers....on the 2nd row last pic & 3rd row last pic she is singing YTOTIW, on 4th row is Steve her back up singer too that is singing Suddenly with her, he has a great voice.

Everytime I see Olivia now she is more beautiful that ever, I wish Karen was still with us.

http://www.onlyolivia.com/news/04/04fall/28vegas/thom/index.html


...with power back on after 25 hrs due to Francis, online...

 

[Dave]

I saw Olivia in concert back in 2001. When SHE sang it was good. The band performed The Beatles' "I Wanna Hold Your Hand", while she was off the stage and sang "You've Got A Friend" with her, when she returned. She had a long song-set. And it was her 53rd Birthday, too! I could'a done without a SAXOPHONE, though--songs like "Magic", "Hopelessly Devoted To You", "Make A Move On Me", "Suddenly" and "Physical" DON'T need one--unless they're MUZAK versions!

Dave

 

[Jeff]

I saw ONJ in Tahoe Saturday night. Front and center I was in awe with the beauty of this woman. Quite unlike movies or videos. She's radiant and expresses a sincere smile complete with boundless energy. Those high notes were loud and clear and it appears that the girl is poised for resurgence. The three songs she performed from her upcoming album INDIGO made for great listening.

Aloto fun.

Jeff