Making a Good Thing Better | ||||
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Studio album by | ||||
Released | June 1977 | |||
Recorded | 1977 | |||
Studio | Sunset Sound, Sound Labs, Hollywood Sound Recorders and United Western Recorders (Hollywood, CA); A&R Recording (New York, NY); Little Mountain Sound Studios (Vancouver) | |||
Genre | ||||
Length | 42:22 | |||
Label | MCA | |||
Producer | John Farrar | |||
Olivia Newton-John chronology | ||||
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Singles from Making a Good Thing Better | ||||
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Making a Good Thing Better is the ninth studio album by British-Australian singer Olivia Newton-John, released in June 1977.
The album peaked at No. 34 on the US Pop chart and No. 13 on the Country chart. [1] It was Newton-John's first album not to reach the country top 10. The album also ended Olivia's streak of six consecutive gold albums from 1973's Let Me Be There through 1976's Don't Stop Believin' .
Newton-John was in a dispute with MCA Records at the time of the recording and was in negotiations to be released from MCA, thus the label did not promote the album. At the time, Newton-John sued for her release from MCA, claiming they had not promoted her music, resulting in diminished chart placement. She attempted to promote the album and single, appearing on the cover of Us Weekly on 23 August 1977 and making a promotional clip of the song that aired on NBC's The Midnight Special .
Olivia Newton-John went on to sign on to do the movie Grease , and came to an agreement to stay with MCA Records, though her recordings from the movie were on RSO Records.
The title track was the album lead single, peaking at number 87 on the US Pop chart and No. 20 on the Adult Contemporary chart. It was Newton-John's first single not to reach the AC Top 10 since 1972's "What Is Life".
"Don't Cry for Me Argentina" was released as the album's second single in selected territories, peaking in Australia at number 32 in 1980.
Review scores | |
---|---|
Source | Rating |
AllMusic | [2] |
In their review, Billboard called the album "another stellar rendering from the pretty maiden of mellow pop. Familiar John themes about sad or lost love - amid tranquil ballads, mid-tempo numbers and perky, up beat, country-flavored offerings. Particularly exhilarating is a stirring interpretation of "Don't Cry For Me Argentina" from Webber /Rice's "Evita" rock opera. The evocative vocal and stirring orchestration indicates a bolder rock direction and range for this artist. As usual John Farrar's production is outstanding and there are potential pop and country singles." [3]
Cashbox stated "once again, in Olivia's seventh album offering, the lovely and engaging songstress demonstrates her musical versatility in a variety of styles - a talent that has made her a queen of crossover. Besides a tasty pop sampling of tunes, tempered with some gentle country selections, her interpretation of "Don't Cry For Me, Argentina" is particularly impressive and majestic. Should be an instant add to a variety of playlists." [4]
Allmusic were more critical in their assessment of the album, noting "Newton-John has actually made a good thing blander on her 1977 release, in which she milks her tender innocence and soft vocals until all that is left is a drought-driven yearning for substance....Newton-John, whose voice is overtly feminine, works best with songs that are raw and untamed. It does not mean she should keep away from ballads, but on this selection of monotonously low-key ballads, she would at least benefit from less whimpering." [5]
No. | Title | Writer(s) | Length |
---|---|---|---|
1. | "Making a Good Thing Better" | Pete Wingfield | 3:47 |
2. | "Slow Dancing" | Jack Tempchin | 4:00 |
3. | "Ring of Fire" | 3:18 | |
4. | "Coolin' Down" | John Farrar | 3:58 |
5. | "Don't Cry for Me Argentina" | 6:03 |
No. | Title | Writer(s) | Length |
---|---|---|---|
6. | "Sad Songs" |
| 3:39 |
7. | "You Won't See Me Cry" |
| 3:03 |
8. | "So Easy to Begin" | Jules Shear | 3:33 |
9. | "I Think I'll Say Goodbye" |
| 2:41 |
10. | "Don't Ask a Friend" | Olivia Newton-John | 3:46 |
11. | "If Love Is Real" | Randy Edelman | 4:34 |
Total length: | 42:22 |
No. | Title | Length |
---|---|---|
12. | "Nevertheless / As Time Goes By" (Live in Osaka, Japan, December 1976) | 4:28 |
13. | "Rest Your Love on Me" (duet with Andy Gibb from his 1980 album After Dark ) | 4:57 |
Total length: | 51:47 |
Chart (1977) | Peak position |
---|---|
Australian Albums (Kent Music Report) [6] | 71 |
UK Albums (OCC) [7] | 60 |
US Billboard 200 [8] | 34 |
US Top Country Albums (Billboard) [9] | 13 |
US Cash Box Top Albums [10] | 33 |
US Cash Box Country Albums [11] | 6 |
Canada Top Albums/CDs ( RPM ) [12] | 33 |
Japanese Oricon LP Chart [13] | 3 |
Region | Certification | Certified units/sales |
---|---|---|
Canada (Music Canada) [14] | Gold | 50,000^ |
^ Shipments figures based on certification alone. |
John Clifford Farrar is an Australian music producer, songwriter, arranger, singer, and guitarist. As a musician, Farrar is a former member of several rock and roll groups including The Mustangs (1963–64), The Strangers (1964–70), Marvin, Welch & Farrar (1970–73), and The Shadows (1973–76). In 1980, he released a solo eponymous album. As a songwriter and producer, he worked with Olivia Newton-John from 1971 to 1989. He wrote her U.S. number-one hit singles: "Have You Never Been Mellow" (1975), "You're the One That I Want", "Hopelessly Devoted to You" (1978), and "Magic" (1980). He also produced the majority of her recorded material during that time, including her number-one albums, If You Love Me, Let Me Know (1974), Have You Never Been Mellow (1975), and Olivia's Greatest Hits Vol. 2 (1982). He was a co-producer of the soundtrack for the film Grease (1978).
Have You Never Been Mellow is the fifth studio album by British-Australian singer Olivia Newton-John, released on 12 February 1975 by MCA Records.
If You Love Me, Let Me Know is the third North American album by singer Olivia Newton-John, released on 28 May 1974. Other than the title track, all the material was from her previous three international albums, Olivia (1972), Music Makes My Day (1973) and Long Live Love (1974). It was her first album to top the Billboard 200.
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Don't Stop Believin' is the eighth studio album by British-Australian singer Olivia Newton-John, released on 30 October 1976. The album received a Gold certification by the Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA) and reached number 33 on the US Billboard 200 and number seven on the US Top Country Albums chart.
Olivia Newton-John's Greatest Hits is a greatest hits album released by Olivia Newton-John in 1977. In Australasia, it was released as Greatest Hits Vol. 2 as an extension of the 1974 compilation First Impressions, while in other regions, it fully spanned Newton-John's career up to the point of release.
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Soul Kiss is the twelfth studio album by English-Australian singer Olivia Newton-John, released on 25 October 1985 by Mercury Records in Europe, by Festival Records in Australia, and by MCA Records in the United States. It reached No. 11 on the Australian Kent Music Report Albums Chart and No. 29 on the United States Billboard 200. The album was produced by long-time associate John Farrar, who also co-wrote four tracks; the cover art features photography of Newton-John by Helmut Newton and Herb Ritts.
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