Despite her successful musical career, being one of the singers with the most records sold worldwide since the middle of the last century, Olivia Newton-John, who died last Monday at the age of 73 on her Californian ranch in Santa Barbara, achieved popularity thanks to a film job, that of the teenager Sandy Olson in the musical comedy ‘Grease’ (1978). At first it was a new vehicle with dances and songs for John Travolta after ‘Saturday Night Fever’ (1977), but Newton-John’s choice turned individual success into that of the couple. In addition, the actress managed to be credible playing a teenager when, at the time of the filming of ‘Grease’, I was 30 years old.
That film made by Randal Kleiser and based on a 1972 Broadway musical, with songs by Jim Jacobs and Warren Casey, revived, without the melancholy of ‘American graffiti’, American adolescence at the end of the 50s, summer memories and high school days. It was not the United States of feverish and rebellious rock and roll, although one of the songs in the film is called precisely ‘Rock’n’roll is here to stay’. Everything was more ‘light’, but very well seasoned.
A few hours after the death of the actress and singer, the networks were filled with positive comments: Newton-John liked me very much. And the emotional springs were also activated again with some songs from ‘Grease’ for which time has not passed: ‘You’re the one that I want’ -one of the best-selling songs in the United Kingdom in its album format single-, ‘Grease’, ‘Hopelessly devoted to you’, ‘Summer night’ or ‘Grease lightning’. How many teenage girls in the late 1970s didn’t want to be Sandy, that is, Newton-John, after seeing the movie?
impossible music
‘Grease’ forged an excellent relationship between its two protagonists, which has remained until today: Travolta was present at all of Newton-John’s comebacks, especially after announcing two decades ago that she had breast cancer, and after her death he said goodbye to her via Instagram considering that the singer’s impact had been incredible and that they would see each other again along the way. She signed the message with his real name, John, and that of the character she played in the film, Danny.
Born in Cambridge (England), her family settled in Australia when she was five years old, where she forged her musical career, later settling in the United States. Cinematographically, what she came after ‘Grease’ was not up to the same level, not so much her fault as because of the type of movies she makes. This is the case of ‘Xanadu’ (1980), an impossible musical, with romantic and fantastic elementswhich was partially saved by the songs performed by her, in the case of ‘Magic’, and the main theme, recorded with the Electric Light Orchestra.
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He returned to form a couple with Travolta in ‘Tal para cual’ (1983), a heavenly comedy with new vocal duets between the celebrated couple, in the case of ‘Take a chance’. His filmography is brief and includes several television movies and his reunion with director Randal Kleiser in ‘It’s my party’ (1996), about an architect who suffers from AIDS -the character is inspired by Kleiser’s own partner- and decides to take off his life, although first he organizes a party with his friends and family.
Four Grammy Awards
Newton-John also did country and folk, although he reigned in pop and ballads. His albums climbed to the top of the sales charts: he almost never dropped out of the Top 10 and his most coveted piece was ‘Physical’, belonging to the self-titled 1981 album, which was at number one in the North American charts for 10 weeks. in a row. It won four Grammy Awards, as well as several platinum records. He sold close to 100 million albums. His musical career was meteoric since in 1974 he will participate in the Eurovision Song Contest representing the United Kingdom with the song ‘Long live love’, with which it reached the fourth position. She even recorded a version of ‘If not for you’ using George Harrison’s arrangements for her ‘cover’ of this Bob Dylan song. Newton-John was one of the queens of the 80s, and it’s no wonder her song ‘Twist of fate’ appears on ‘Stranger things’.