23. Xanadu by ELO and Olivia Newton-John
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sDmjEN-6ekE&list=OLAK5uy_mkHO_6VKXNhs5G5MnxG0cEprdLLB6uT_U&index=1
The summer of 1980 was a summer of "Magic." Literally. I heard that song played on the radio pretty much every day of that summer. It was released as a single at the end of May, about a week after school let out. And it spent four weeks at the Number #1 spot on the charts in August until it got knocked of by Christopher Cross (the artist) singing about how sailing takes him away. If, perchance, I didn't hear "Magic" on the truck or tractor radio while out helping Dad with all the farm work, there was a good chance that I'd hear it on the stereo when I got home, because Ruth added this album to her record collection right after it was released at the end of June.
Now, normally, in the summer of 1980 I would have wielded the awesome power of the older brother song veto to keep any album off the turntable that would have taken up valuable listening time that could have been otherwise devoted rocking out to Billy Joel's "Glass Houses." However, this album also had ELO songs on it, and that changed everything. So as long as the album got played on both sides so that ELO got is fair share of listening time, I was okay with letting it play without objection.
Truth be told, I didn't mind hearing Olivia sing "Magic" and "Suddenly" at all. The other three songs on the front side were not my favorites. But listening to them was a reasonable price to pay for getting to listen to all five of the ELO songs on the flip side, including the hits "I'm Alive,""All Over the World," and "Xanadu." I thought "Don't Walk Away" and "The Fall" were also very good songs. Ruth didn't like the ELO songs as much as the Olivia songs, but she was willing to listen to the flip side all the way through because at the very end of Side 2 she got a little more Olivia and I got my beloved ELO with "Xanadu." And during a summer of "Magic" could there have been anything more magical than a song that had the power to bring about sibling harmony between brother and sister?
Nardo
#23: Xanadu. Although I’ve listened to the soundtrack many, many times, I have never seen the movie “Xanadu.” I have, however, seen the Salem Hills High School’s production of the musical. A couple of months ago my wife asked me if I would be interested in seeing her high schoolers in a performance of “Xanadu.” She saw the name “Jeff Lynne” on the poster, and said, “Hey, I actually know who that is!”
ReplyDeleteSo, we went and saw the show. And it was then I realized that, while the songs are great, they aren’t the easiest to sing. Olivia Newton-John and Jeff Lynne are professional singers, and not many high schoolers can hit those notes in the same way. The show was entertaining, and the kids did a great job of roller skating. (Not one noticeable fall!) All of the songs from the soundtrack were in the play, with the exception of “The Fall.” But, I was pleasantly surprised to hear a couple of other ELO songs thrown into the show, “Evil Woman,” and “Strange Magic.” Anyway, I’ve threatened my wife that we now, at some point, need to see the actual movie.
I almost forgot about this album when I was compiling my Top 60 album list, because it kind of gets lost in the ELO chronology between “Discovery” and “Time.” Plus, it’s got five ELO songs that are all really good, but none of them would be in my Top 20 favorite ELO songs list, if I were to make such a list. (Which I haven’t, and don’t plan on doing any time soon.) But, I did remember the album, and gave it serious consideration before it missed the cut. (It’d probably fall in somewhere around #70 if I were to extend my list.)
The main reason, of course, is I’m just not as fond of the Olivia Newton-John songs as I am of the ELO songs. I don’t dislike the songs from Side 1, with the exception of “Whenever You’re Away From Me.” (I’m sure it’s ageist of me, but I don’t really need to hear Gene Kelley sing.) My favorite song from Side 1 is “Dancin’” with the Tubes. I really like that song, and it’s the reason I actually listened to Side 1 as often as I did.
But, of course, the high point of the entire album is changing the lyrics of “Xanadu” to “Arimo,” and singing the line, “Arimo, your neon light [singular, not plural] will shine, for you Arimo!” And then trying (in vain) to hit that high note at the end. Olivia had a gift. (None of the high school musical crowd even gave it an attempt.)