The Rumour | ||||
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Studio album by | ||||
Released | 2 August 1988 | |||
Genre | Pop | |||
Length | 40:42 | |||
Label | Mercury | |||
Producer | ||||
Olivia Newton-John chronology | ||||
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Singles from The Rumour | ||||
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Review scores | |
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Source | Rating |
AllMusic | ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() |
Rolling Stone | ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() |
The Rumour is the thirteenth studio album by Olivia Newton-John on 2 August 1988. The title track was written by Elton John and Bernie Taupin and features backing vocals and piano by John. The album featured the singles "The Rumour", "Can't We Talk It Over in Bed" (originally recorded by Grayson Hugh, whose version was released after Newton-John's) and the Australian-only promo-single "It's Always Australia for Me", which was released for the Australian Bicentenary in 1988. This was also her first album not produced by long-time producer John Farrar.
The Rumour features the return of Olivia Newton-John after a two-year break due to the birth of her daughter Chloe Lattanzi in 1986. It has a careful production with the collaboration of some well-known songwriters, but it was a commercial failure. It marks a notable decline in Newton-John's popularity, being her lowest charting since If Not for You in 1971. It was her last studio album via Mercury.
This album was praised by critics as more mature, with Newton-John addressing topics such as AIDS ("Love and Let Live"), the environment and single-parent households. [3]
Rolling Stone , noted that "it's a bit of a jolt to hear Olivia Newton-John sing about AIDS, single parenthood and a better environment. It's as if, now that she's forty and a first-time mother herself, she suddenly cares about the world. Just as surprisingly, she connects with rock producer Davitt Sigerson's unsweetened settings and delivers believable, unstrained conviction, whether she's championing a cause, romping through the title cut or exposing a vein or two...For fifteen years, Olivia Newton-John has been one of pop music's prettiest faces; now she just wants a little respect, and with The Rumour she earns it." [2]
In their review of the album, Billboard commented that "the woman who once revived her career with a double-entendre invitation to "get physical" now asks "Can't We Talk It Over In Bed." Project doesn't rely solely on flirtation, however. Ever-changing Newton-John has a sound perfectly packaged for the late '80s; leadoff title single, featuring Elton John, is off to a nice start. [4]
Cashbox called it "her best album in years," commenting that "one of the world's favorite songbirds returns from an extended hiatus with an album that explores the many sides of love in a refreshingly adult manner. The first single is "The Rumour," an Elton John/Bernie Taupin composition that recalls Elton's bouncy, piano hits of the '70s (and which will probably lead to a lot of guessing about what "the rumour" really is). Another noteworthy cut is "Love and Let Live," a safe-sex anthem." [5]
No. | Title | Writer(s) | Producer(s) | Length |
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1. | "The Rumour" |
| 3:55 | |
2. | "Love and Let Live" | Alan O'Day | Davitt Sigerson | 3:25 |
3. | "Can't We Talk It Over in Bed" |
| 3:53 | |
4. | "Let's Talk About Tomorrow" | Sigerson | 3:18 | |
5. | "It's Not Heaven" |
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| 3:58 |
6. | "Get Out" |
| Sigerson | 3:55 |
7. | "Big and Strong" | Mark Heard | Sigerson | 4:32 |
8. | "Car Games" |
|
| 4:45 |
9. | "Walk Through Fire" | Sigerson | 5:30 | |
10. | "Tutta La Vita" |
| Sigerson | 3:31 |
No. | Title | Writer(s) | Producer(s) | Length |
---|---|---|---|---|
6. | "It's Always Australia for Me" |
| Sigerson | 3:19 |
7. | "Get Out" |
| Sigerson | 3:55 |
8. | "Big and Strong" | Heard | Sigerson | 4:32 |
9. | "Car Games" |
|
| 4:45 |
10. | "Walk Through Fire" |
| Sigerson | 5:30 |
11. | "Tutta La Vita" |
| Sigerson | 3:31 |
No. | Title | Writer(s) | Producer(s) | Length |
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11. | "Winter Angel" |
| Sigerson | 3:40 |
12. | "It's Always Australia for Me" |
| Sigerson | 3:19 |
Notes
Performers and musicians
Technical
Chart (1988) | Peak position |
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Australian Albums (ARIA) [6] | 30 |
Canada Top Albums/CDs ( RPM ) [7] | 94 |
Dutch Albums (Album Top 100) [8] | 96 |
Japanese Albums (Oricon) [9] | 31 |
US Billboard 200 [10] | 67 |
US Cash Box Top Albums [11] | 120 |
Olivia Down Under | ||||
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Video by | ||||
Released | 1989 | |||
Recorded | 1988 | |||
Genre | Music video | |||
Length | 60 minutes | |||
Label | PolyGram | |||
Director | Brian Grant | |||
Producer | Paul Raphael | |||
Olivia Newton-John chronology | ||||
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Olivia Down Under is a compilation of music and clips from the album The Rumour released in 1989, featuring Newton-John performing songs from The Rumour against a backdrop of Australian scenery. For the special, Newton-John was nominated for a CableACE Award for Performance in a Music Special in 1989. [12]
21 at 33 is the fourteenth studio album by English musician Elton John, released May 23, 1980 in the U.K. It was his 21st album in total, made when John was 33 years old, hence the title. Three singles were released from the album, including "Little Jeannie", his highest-charting U.S. single in 5 years. The album sold over 900,000 copies in the United States, missing a Platinum certification.
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"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.