Happy 40th Anniversary to Olivia Newton-John’s eleventh studio album Physical, originally released October 13, 1981.
[Editor’s Note: The original Physical studio album has recently been removed from most major streaming platforms, to make way for the forthcoming remastered 40th Anniversary Deluxe Edition due in stores October 22nd. Learn more and pre-order here.]
Sitting in the back of our old, beige Kingswood, my brother and I giggled profusely at our Mum singing along to Olivia Newton-John, a common occurrence during my summers as a kid in Adelaide, Australia. The window wound right down as the wind blew my curls into a gentle mess atop my head and my Mum, tilting the rear vision mirror in our direction, making us laugh with her over exaggerated version of “Physical” was in part—not that I knew at the time—the beginnings of my musical education. An education in music that would go on to become a love affair with Olivia Newton-John and her music, and one that hasn’t waned one little bit over the past forty years.
Following on from the phenomenal success that Newton-John had in 1978’s Grease, and continuing with another album (Totally Hot) in the same year that saw the singer back at the top of the charts, it seemed that Australia’s “golden girl” could do no wrong.
Then there was Xanadu (1980). The beginning of one of the most infamous decades (the ‘80s) and Newton-John and Electric Light Orchestra (ELO) released the soundtrack to the now cult classic film of the same name, which interestingly was able to weather the storm of the film’s critical and commercial disappointment. It not only did well, but it went to number one in six countries and hit the top five in both the UK and USA. Everything the singer touched turned to gold, no matter what the critics said. Newton-John, it would appear, had the Midas touch.
Just over a year later and little did Newton-John know, but her forth coming album Physical was going to become her most successful album to date. Along with garnering an immense amount of scrutiny over its then-controversial nature, the album would also go on to provide a soundtrack that would forever be associated with the singer. Although Newton-John’s eleventh studio album was eclipsed by the album’s lead single and title song, the other nine tracks on the album, although often referred to as “fillers,” hold out in their own right and aided the singer in becoming one of the most successful artists of the ‘80s.
Having been regarded as a predominantly country/adult contemporary artist, Physical set about to frame the singer in a new light. The album’s cover image, shot by famed photographer Herb Ritts, embodied a sense of combined sexuality and sensuality without showing anything from her shoulder down. Ritts would go on to create a similar iconic image with Madonna on the True Blue (1986) album cover.
Although the focus was on Newton-John’s supposed newfound sexuality, the album explored many themes like love, relationships and environmental protection. The latter, being the premise for “Silvery Rain,” a song first recorded by Sir Cliff Richard. The song explores environmental pollution well before others had taken up the cause and the accompanying video sees Newton-John assuming the role of various characters including a drunk and a power-hungry politician.
One of Physical’s hidden gems is the album’s closer and the only track written by Newton-John for this album, “The Promise (The Dolphin Song).” Again, the song exemplifies her passion for the environment and its inhabitants, a theme that would continue throughout her career (The Rumour and Gaia: One Woman’s Journey). Newton-John has said that this song for the dolphins is one of her favorites.
With three songs released as singles from the album, and “Physical” not only being a commercial and critical success topping charts around the globe but also a pop-culture phenomenon, it is easy to understand how everything else on the album was left in its wake. Enter the album listener. The album’s second single, a catchy dance track, “Make A Move On Me,” is pop heaven and is just as captivating as the album’s lead single. Co-written by long time record producer John Farrar, the song explores the unspoken longing for someone to make the first move.
The album’s third and final single, “Landslide” failed to make a chart impact, but continued the dance-rock vibe of the majority of the album and again, is equally as good as its predecessors. In fact, there really isn’t one track on this album that doesn’t do its job perfectly. A blend of beautiful ballads like “Strangers Touch” and the exquisite “Carried Away” co-written by Sir Barry Gibb and Albhy Galuten add an emotional depth along with a space for Newton-John to flex her vocals a little more than the predominant dance feel of the rest of the album. Another standout, “Falling,” captures all of the above, albeit with less of the lyrical strength. It’s quintessentially Newton-John and reflects that ethereal vocal beauty that she manages so effortlessly.
Newton-John has been the unspoken blueprint for much of pop’s modern incarnation. Understated and often remembered for her roles in a handful of movies, so much of Physical exemplifies why she deserves so much more recognition than has been afforded over the years. On the song “Recovery,” Newton-John uses her chameleon-like vocality to turn a run-of-the-mill pop tune into something spectacular. The beauty of Newton-John’s voice is that it can take on so many forms and this album has highlighted that to its full extent.
It has been easy to write off Physical as a “one-hit wonder,” as lazy journalism will look to discredit anything it doesn’t understand. The truth is, Physical was and is anything but a one-hit wonder. Forty years later and the proof is in the listening. Yes, there is an acutely ‘80s feel to the production and sound, things that make this album even more of a sonic delicacy. This is one of Newton-John’s finest albums, something that surprised many, maybe none more so than the singer herself.
Over ten million copies sold globally, along with a full-length video album (Olivia Physical in 1982) that won the Recording Academy’s second-ever GRAMMY Award for “Video of the Year” and spawned an Emmy-nominated TV special, Let’s Get Physical (1982), it’s well overdue that Physical and Olivia Newton-John receive the iconic status that they so rightly deserve.
LISTEN: