"Making a Good Thing Better" | ||||
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Single by Olivia Newton-John | ||||
from the album Making a Good Thing Better | ||||
Released | June 1977 | |||
Recorded | 1977 | |||
Length | 3:42 | |||
Label | EMI | |||
Songwriter(s) | Pete Wingfield | |||
Producer(s) | John Farrar | |||
Olivia Newton-John singles chronology | ||||
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"Making a Good Thing Better" is a song performed by Australian singer Olivia Newton-John. It was written by Pete Wingfield. It was released in June 1977 as the lead single from the Newton-John's ninth studio album of the same name and peaked at number 20 on the Easy Listening chart and number 87 on the Hot 100 in the United States. [1]
Cash Box magazine said "Ms. Newton-John's funkiest performance to date, and with John Farrar's creative production, it all works. Her lead vocal varies in texture and as the verses range from tender to tough, strings and backing vocal tracks could be supporting Aretha Franklin." [2]
Chart (1977) | Peak position |
---|---|
U.S. Billboard Hot 100 | 87 |
U.S. Billboard Easy Listening | 20 |
US Cash Box Country Top 100 [3] | 76 |
Canadian Adult Contemporary ( RPM )| [4] | 32 |
"You're My Best Friend" is a song by the British rock band Queen, written by the band's bass player, John Deacon, who wrote it for and about his wife. It was first included on the 1975 album A Night at the Opera, and later released as a single. The ballad also appeared on the Live Killers (1979) live album, and on the compilation albums Greatest Hits (1981), Absolute Greatest (2009) and Queen Forever (2014).
"Livin' Thing" is a song written by Jeff Lynne and performed by Electric Light Orchestra (ELO). It appears on ELO's 1976 album A New World Record and was also released as a single. Patti Quatro sang uncredited vocals, particularly the "higher and higher" parts.
"I Honestly Love You" is a song recorded by Olivia Newton-John and released in 1974 on the album Long Live Love in the United Kingdom and If You Love Me, Let Me Know in the United States. The song became a worldwide pop hit, her first number-one single in the United States and Canada. The single was first released in Australia as "I Love You, I Honestly Love You", as per its chorus. The song was written by Jeff Barry and Australian singer and composer Peter Allen. The latter recorded it around the same time for his album Continental American.
"Physical" is a song recorded by British-Australian singer Olivia Newton-John for her 1981 eleventh studio album of the same name. It was released as the album's lead single on 28 September 1981. The song was produced by John Farrar and written by Steve Kipner and Terry Shaddick, who had originally intended to offer it to Rod Stewart. The song had also been offered to Tina Turner by her manager Roger Davies, but when Turner declined, Davies gave the song to Newton-John, another of his clients.
"Ain't Nothing Like the Real Thing" is a 1968 single released by American R&B/soul duo Marvin Gaye and Tammi Terrell, on the Tamla label in 1968. The B-side of the single is "Little Ole Boy, Little Ole Girl" from the duo's United LP. The first release off the duo's second album: You're All I Need, the song—written and produced by regular Gaye/Terrell collaborators Ashford & Simpson—became a hit within weeks of release eventually peaking at number eight on the US Billboard Hot 100 and number one on the Hot Soul Singles chart, the first of the duo's two number-one R&B hits. In the UK "Ain't Nothing Like the Real Thing" reached number 34.
"I Wish" is a song by American singer Stevie Wonder. It was released in late 1976 as the lead single from his eighteenth album, Songs in the Key of Life (1976). Written and produced by Wonder, the song focuses on his childhood from the 1950s into the early 1960s about how he wished he could go back and relive it. The single hit number one on the Billboard Hot 100 and soul singles chart. At the 19th Grammy Awards, Stevie Wonder won the Best R&B Vocal Performance, Male for this song.
"Money, Money, Money" is a song recorded by Swedish pop group ABBA, written by Benny Andersson and Björn Ulvaeus with Anni-Frid Lyngstad singing lead vocals. It was released on 1 November 1976, as the second single from their fourth album, Arrival (1976). The B-side, "Crazy World", was recorded in 1974 during the sessions for the album ABBA. The song is sung from the viewpoint of a woman who, despite hard work, can barely keep her finances in surplus, and therefore desires a well-off man.
"Magic Man" is a song by the American rock band Heart released as a single off their debut album, Dreamboat Annie. Written and composed by Ann and Nancy Wilson, the song is sung from the viewpoint of a young girl who is being seduced by an older man, much to the chagrin of her mother, who calls and begs the girl to come home. In an interview, Ann Wilson revealed that the "Magic Man" was her then boyfriend, band manager Michael Fisher, and that part of the song was an autobiographical tale of the beginnings of their relationship. Roger Fisher came up with the alternative tuning EADGDG for his guitar part. The album version of "Magic Man" features an over-two-minute instrumental break which consists of a guitar solo and the usage of a Minimoog synthesizer, while the single version of the song edits out most of this break, cutting it down from 5:28 to 3:29.
"'It's a Heartache'" is a song recorded by Welsh singer Bonnie Tyler. Written by Ronnie Scott and Steve Wolfe, and co-produced with David Mackay, the single was released in November 1977 through RCA Records. The song topped the charts in Australia, Canada, and numerous European countries, and reached No. 3 in the US and No. 4 in the UK. Worldwide, "It's a Heartache" sold around six million copies.
"It's Late" is a song by English rock band Queen, written by guitarist Brian May and released on their 1977 studio album, News of the World.
"Sorry Seems to Be the Hardest Word" is a song written by English musician Elton John and songwriter Bernie Taupin. It was recorded by Elton John and released in 1976, both as a single and as part of the Blue Moves album. It was John's second single released by The Rocket Record Company. The song is a mournful ballad about a romantic relationship which is falling apart.
Clearly Love is the sixth studio album by Olivia Newton-John, released in September 1975.
Come On Over is the seventh studio album by British-Australian singer Olivia Newton-John, released in March 1976. The album peaked at number two on the US Top Country Albums chart and number 13 on the US Billboard 200.
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.
Making a Good Thing Better is the ninth studio album by British-Australian singer Olivia Newton-John, released on June 1977.
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.
"Xanadu" is the title song from the soundtrack of the 1980 musical film of the same name. Written by Jeff Lynne of the English rock band Electric Light Orchestra (ELO), the song is performed by English-born Australian singer, songwriter and actress Olivia Newton-John, with Lynne adding parenthetic vocals in the style of his other songs on the Xanadu soundtrack, and ELO providing the instrumentation. It was Lynne's least favourite of his own songs. Released as a single in June 1980, it reached number one in several European countries and was the band's only UK number-one single when it peaked there for two weeks in July 1980. It was certified silver by the British Phonographic Industry. It also peaked at number eight on the US Billboard Hot 100.
"Don't Go Breaking My Heart" is a 1976 duet by English musician Elton John and English singer Kiki Dee, released by The Rocket Record Company on 25 June 1976. It was written by John with Bernie Taupin under the pseudonyms "Ann Orson" and "Carte Blanche", respectively, and intended as an affectionate pastiche of the Motown style, notably the various duets recorded by Marvin Gaye and singers such as Tammi Terrell and Kim Weston. John and Taupin originally intended to record the song with Dusty Springfield, but ultimately withdrew the offer; Springfield's partner Sue Cameron later said this was because she was too ill at the time.
"Sam" is a song performed by Australian singer Olivia Newton-John. It was written by Don Black, Hank Marvin and John Farrar.
"The Rumour" is a song recorded by Australian singer and actress Olivia Newton-John for her thirteenth studio album of the same name (1988). It was released as the album's lead single in April 1988 through Mercury Records. The song was written by Elton John and Bernie Taupin, and it features backing vocals and piano by John.