Happy 40th Anniversary to the Xanadu Soundtrack, originally released June 27, 1980.
Olivia Newton-John, better known as “our Livvy” here in Australia, has been in the hearts of every Australian for what seems like an eternity. As a child growing up in the ‘80s, there wasn’t a time I can think of when she wasn’t present in some way or another. I will even go so far as to divulge that at the young age of five, I had a crush on the blonde bombshell, but I vividly remember exclaiming to my Mum that I was going to “marry Kira from Xanadu!” Whilst she did go onto marry a much handsomer “Matt,” I ended up getting too carried away with lycra, disco balls, glitter and, well you know how this story ends—boy meets boy etc. But I digress.
As I have made mention in other retrospectives, the ‘80s were a decade that needed to be seen (experienced, if you were that lucky) to be believed and this retrospective is living proof of that sentiment. With Newton-John’s fame taking a massive global turn in 1978 with the smash hit film Grease and its accompanying soundtrack, it seemed like the inevitable follow-up film/soundtrack capitalizing on this momentum could and would do no wrong. I mean, what could possibly go wrong with a roller-skating musical extravaganza starring the likes of Newton-John and screen/dancing legend Gene Kelly, entrenched in all the kitsch and glitz of the burgeoning ‘80s? Everything, and at the same time, nothing.
The film was camp beyond belief and whilst people like myself had been calling it iconic well before its recent resurgence of popularity, that ever-present wrongdoing tag that ends up in things being labeled “iconic,” seems to have finally found its cultish way to Xanadu. The film was Gene Kelly’s last cinematic role and the soundtrack, the subject of this retrospective, includes performances by ELO (Electric Light Orchestra), Cliff Richard and of course the star of it all, Olivia Newton-John.
Whilst the film barely broke even at the box office and received mostly negative reviews, the soundtrack ended up being something of a smash success. The first single released from the soundtrack was the ethereal and breathy “Magic.” Written by the legendary Australian music all-rounder John Farrar, “Magic” became Newton-John’s biggest hit in all the major markets, including #1 in the US and Canada. To this day, the song still retains all of its beauty, something that even John Lennon echoed before his death in late 1980.
On the original vinyl format, side one of Xanadu utilizes Farrar’s talents to their core with all five of its tracks written by him. Cliff Richard joins Newton-John for a love theme on “Suddenly” that, again, truly stands the test of time, even if it didn’t reach the heights of its predecessor on the charts. The rest of side one consists of some lovely tracks, with Newton-John and Kelly uniting on the duet “Whenever You’re Away From Me,” paying homage to the big band era that Kelly dominated.
The flip side of the album (tracks six to ten on all digital formats) sees ELO co-founder and chief lyricist Jeff Lynne take the helms by writing all five tracks, giving the second act a very different feel. It’s delusional to start with any other track on this side, than that of Lynne’s supposed favorite track of all time and the coupling of Newton-John and ELO on the titular “Xanadu.” The song became ELO’s only #1 in the UK and yet another shot at the top spot for Newton-John. The disco/pop cult classic not only stormed the charts in the UK, but also globally, entering the #1 spot in no less than eleven charts and it has since become one of Newton-John’s most recognizable songs, as well as having been covered by countless other artists.
Three more singles from side two were released in “I’m Alive,” “Don’t Walk Away” and “All Over The World.” All three tracks brought a stronger rock/pop edge to the album, showcasing some of the album’s more proficient and articulate instrumentation. In my humble opinion, none of these tracks have received the recognition they so rightfully deserve. Although incredibly different from the album’s first five tracks which showcases the playfulness that disco can often bring, the final five tracks (yes, even “Xanadu") counteract this by neutralizing the sound with a maturity that rock can offer, allowing for a cohesive existence between the two very different sounds.
So much of Xanadu’s legacy revolves around the film, as opposed to the soundtrack. Yes, I too have given my argument surrounding said film, but it is unfair for such a gem of an album to be dismissed as nothing more than the “accompanying soundtrack,” because it’s not just that. There is fluff, fun and glitter to boot on this album, but there is also legendary artistry that takes place too. Even if it is not to your liking, one can’t deny the legacy that Newton-John and ELO created when recording this album, something that not only has survived four decades of countless discussions and justifications, but thrives better now than anyone probably could have ever imagined.
“A place where nobody dared to go / The love that we came to know / They call it Xanadu.”
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