I'm just an ordinary girl
THE NORMALLY sparkling complexion looked rather withdrawn and tired as Olivia Newton-John stood by the canteen counter deciding which lunch time course to opt for.
Fanny Craddock would probably turn her nose up at the stuff they dish out at EMI’S dining room at their Abbey Road studio, but Olivia is hungry and somewhat under-nourished following the morning recording session.
Turkey and gravy and all kinds of slop are available costs around 15 new pence per head for a two course dinner and it’s really a strange contrast from the life style of Miss NJ - Britain’s latest and probably most attractive transatlantic flier.
Jet lag
You see by the time this story is published Olivia will be living it up in Vegas (where else?) where she’s due to do two-week cabaret stint with Charlie Rich.
“Yea, the food’s good here,” she remarks smiling at the various people she knows who are popping in and out of the room.
Her eyes are unusually pink and there’s signs of a pimple sprouting underneath the chin. Yea, jet lag can bring out the worst in people and Olivia has certainly been jetting plenty lately.
However, beneath the tired face is a rather happy girl and so she should, judging by recent events. Her album. If You Love Me (Let Me Know) is riding high in the American charts as is her single of the same title.
Currently she’s producing the goods for her first EMI album since making the transition from Festival Records part of the Pye organisation.
chick
Why the move? “Don’t know,” she snaps setting the mood for the conversation, “I leave that to my manager and it’s his decision.”
Jeeze, she really must be tired ‘cause I can’t think of any other chick singer who doesn’t really know why she suddenly changes record companies.
“Oh, I suppose they made me an offer I couldn’t refuse,” she butts in noting my sarcastic look following her last comment.
“I was on Festival records which is a small company independent of Pye and I reckon the recording facilities are better here mean..” with EMI I mean.
Didn’t realise Olly’s been liggin’ it up to college audiences in the States but that’s exactly where she has been hiding.
dicey
“Went down a storm you know and I didn’t think I’d do so well because the college crowds can be a bit dicey.”
Really?
“Yes, they only know me for one record but I did around seventeen colleges in three weeks and they’re great audiences to get to. It was fantastic.”
“I did come back here for a few days and then it was back to the States to do things like the Johnny Carson show oh, I did Disneyland as well. The students have graduation nights there and I was doing three shows each evening. Very tiring, of course.”
Didn’t she do well thought I and there was also the Grammy award she won for her last hit record stateside, Let Me Be There which was voted the top country song.
Now that’s an interesting aspect. Olivia Newton-John, where do your loyalties lie. Are you becoming a little ole country girl or is it the pop field.
“Well, in America I’m in a fortunate position because I’m considered a country cross-over act which means that I’m accepted by both country and pop. It’s fantastic.”
opposite
“Once country people accept you, they keep buying and playing your records. I’ve got to keep going along as I am - not completely country and not all pop either. People here only really know me for the singles but it’s the opposite way in the States.”
Livvy, sounds better than Olly. got into the country sound when Bruce Welch, her ex-fiance and John Farrar were helping out on the recording side of things.
Strange how a break-up can lead to such success but Olivia’s work-rate has certainly doubled since her engagement to Mr. Welch crumbled. Mind you, she has still got the ring.
Trying to pry into the private life of Olivia is harder than getting blood out of stone. She suggests she has enough career problems without getting into the personal bit.
trouble
“Bruce has had a bit of trouble,” she answers after I’d put it to her that I’d heard he was in hospital or an establishment of some kind.
I’m working well.
“I put my heart into my work and it occupies the mind and causes no problems. I suppose I was going to get married but it was two years ago and I’ve done a lot since - besides the last time I talked about my private life it caused so many problems.”
What prob ?
“No. 99 per cent of the people don’t know anything about me except what they hear and see and that’s the way I like it.”
This anti-Press feeling stems from the barracking Miss John received after the Eurovision Song Contest. For the record, she was slated for saying the British entry was not a song she would have chosen and then she was supposed to have ran out of a reception held after the concert.
“I had this image of being the girl next door who never says anything and before the contest, I didn’t have reason to talk. Obviously, before the contest I couldn’t say which song was my favourite. I had no choice in the matter.”
“After the concert I just said oh. I was probably misquoted anyway. I wasn’t broken hearted, I wasn’t crying. I didn’t rush out of the reception. I’d never do the contest again.”
What?
stubborn
“I mean I wouldn’t do it again as it stands unless I had more say in the song. In other countries, the singers sometimes pick their own songs and I think a panel should be picked to decide on the song.”
Olivia emphasises that she’s very much a career girl, as well as the cabaret dates in Vegas she’s scheduled to return to America in August to appear at a number of State fairs.
She knows her capabilities so she says: “My voice is suited to the more gentle kind of thing and I was never a rock singer. I never really intended to be a pop singer as such.”
Until a few months ago, Olivia was very much a home girl whether it was here in her adopted England or back home in Australia.
“I like going back to Australia each year but it’s the long plane journey. I feel like a gipsy nowadays and sometimes I wish I could just sit down and put my feet up more often there again I’m fortunate to be in the position I am in I reckon.”
What about the high life and meeting all those stars? After all, Olivia has met Elvis Presley’s current girl friend and it’s no secret that she’ll be pushing for an introduction to the King himself while in Vegas.
“I’ve met a few already, what do you mean by that. They’re just ordinary people like I met Dean Martin and he’s just an ordinary guy with everyday problems.”
Drink perhaps?
“I’ve seen a lot of unhappy people in this business who’ve been successful and then have crashed and it is not very nice.”
“I’m sure I’d be upset if everything crashed around me but I wouldn’t turn to drinks or drugs. It won’t last for ever but I’ll enjoy it while I can.”
So what about your private life then? I even tried, “you’ve got lovely eyes Olivia etc.”
“I think you’re trying to make me say something nasty.” she replies, “can’t you see I’m just an ordinary girl?”
Yea, typical Libra chick, eh?
“Right, suppose you’re Scorpio?” “Yea.”
“Thought so.”
By John Beattie