I can't help it - Andy Gibb & Olivia Newton-John

In 1979, Andy Gibb performed along with the Bee Gees, ABBA, and Olivia Newton-John at the Music for UNICEF Concert at the United Nations General Assembly, which was broadcast worldwide. After this, he returned to the studio to begin recording sessions for his final full studio album, 'After Dark'.

In March 1980, the last of Gibb's top 10 singles charted just ahead of the album's release: 'Desire'. A second single, 'I can't help it', a duet with family friend Olivia Newton-John, reached the top 20.

My collection: 7" single no. 5144
Found: Chelsea Records, Antwerpen, June 9, 2011
Cost: 1 euro
Tracks: 'I can't help it' / 'Someone I ain't'

Totally hot - Olivia Newton-John

The 1979 album by Olivia Newton-John was called 'Totally hot', and the title track was released as a single. Featuring a more aggressive sound, the single failed to impress the audience who had come to know her as the sweet Sandy from the 'Grease' movie.

Both the A-side and the B-side were taken from the album, which was more successful: it was certified platinum in the USA and gold in the UK.

My collection: 7" single no. 4700
Found: Velvet Vinyl Outlet, Leiden, March 13, 2010
Cost: 1 euro
Tracks: 'Totally hot' / 'Talk to me'

Heart attack - Olivia Newton-John

'Heart attack' was one of two new tracks on the 1982 compilation album 'Olivia's Greatest Hits Vol. 2'. It was released as the first single of the two to promote the album.

The single reached number 46 in the UK singles chart, but fared much better on the other side of the Atlantic: it reached number 3 in the US Billboard Hot 100 chart and number 2 in Canada.

My collection: 7" single no. 4698
Found: Velvet Vinyl Outlet, Leiden, March 13, 2010
Cost: 1 euro
Tracks: 'Heart attack' / 'Recovery'

Tied up - Olivia Newton-John

'Tied up' was one of two new songs recorded for the 1982 compilation album called 'Olivia's Greatest Hits Volume 2'. The song was the second single released from the album, following 'Heart attack', the other new track recorded for the package.

The song features Tom Scott on horns. He was also the opening act for Olivia's 1982 'Physical' world tour.The single reached number 38 in the US Billboard Hot 100 chart.

My collection: 7" single no. 4697
Found: Velvet Vinyl Outlet, Leiden, March 13, 2010
Cost: 1 euro
Tracks: 'Tied up' / 'Physical (live)'

Landslide - Olivia Newton-John

Not to be confused with the 1975 track by Fleetwood Mac, 'Landslide' was written by Olivia Newton-John's producer John Farrar for her 1981 album 'Physical'. It was released as the third single from the album in early 1982.

Although the single did not chart in the Netherlands, it was a success in the UK, where it peaked at number 18. In the US Billboard Hot 100 chart, 'Landslide' peaked at number 52.

My collection: 7" single no. 4639
Found: All that music, Leiden, March 13, 2010
Cost: 1 euro
Tracks: 'Landslide' / 'Falling'

You're the one that I want - John Travolta and Olivia Newton-John

I was never a fan of 'Grease' in 1978, when everyone in my class was. The girls were in love with John Travolta and the boys were in awe of him. Meanwhile, I preferred the singing qualities of Olivia Newton-John but thought the whole madness about one movie was a bit silly. I was always a bit sceptical of manias anyway.

'You're the one that I want' did stand the test of time, however. The single was a number 1 hit in most countries and it is still the sixth best-selling single ever in the UK, where it has sold over 1,975,000 copies.

My collection: 7" single no. 4504
Found: Any old time, Amsterdam, January 30, 2010
Cost: 0,1 euro
Tracks: 'You're the one that I want' / 'Alone at a drive-in movie (instrumental)'

Summer nights - John Travolta, Olivia Newton-John and cast

So I go to this second hand shop I've seen on a website. The website says that there are bargain singles for 1 euro each. That's a reasonable price - if the singles are good. When I get there, the man says 'I am just getting rid of some stuff, so shall we say 10 cents each?'. It's like I'm suddenly a kids in a candy store with loads of cash to spend. So I buy literally everything that is vaguely interesting.

This was my first find: the 'Grease' single 'Summer nights' as performed by John Travolta, Olivia Newton-John and the cast of this 1978 movie that took the world by storm. The single reached number 5 in the US Billboard Hot 100 chart, number 2 in the Dutch Top 40 and number 1 in the UK singles chart, where it stayed for seven weeks.

My collection: 7" single no. 4503
Found: Any old time, Amsterdam, January 30, 2010
Cost: 0,1 euro
Tracks: 'Summer nights' / 'Rock 'n' Roll party queen' (Louis St. Louis)

Long live love - Olivia Newton-John

'Long live love' was written by Valerie Avon and Harold Spiro and performed by Olivia Newton-John, who represented the United Kingdom during the 1974 edition of the Eurovision Song Contest. In a field of 17 contestants, she finished in fourth place. (The Contest was of course won by Abba with 'Waterloo' that year.)

The single subsequently reached number 11 in the UK singles chart. 'Long live love' also became the title track of Olivia's 1974 album.

My collection: 7" single no. 4341
Found: Chelsea Records, Antwerpen, December 1, 2009
Cost: 1 euro
Tracks: 'Long live love' / 'Angel eyes'

Soul kiss - Olivia Newton-John

Although Olivia Newton-John's 1985 album 'Soul kiss' was only a moderate success in Europe, it did achieve gold status in America and Australia. When the album was released, Olivia was pregnant and thus unable to promote the album as much as would have been expected.

Some critics argued that the sexual overtones of the album were the real problem. The title track was released as a single and featured some uncharacteristic heavy breathing. The single did not chart in the UK and only reached number 36 in the Dutch Top 40.

My collection: 7" single no. 2208
Found: Record fair, October 22, 1994
Cost: 2 guilders
Tracks: 'Soul kiss' / 'Electric'

Hopelessly devoted to you - Olivia Newton-John

Unlike almost everyone in my class, I was not a fan of the movie 'Grease' when it was released back in 1978. I hated John Travolta and the rather overly dramatic number 1 hits 'Greased lightning', 'You're the one that I want' and 'Summer nights'. However, when Olivia Newton-John's single 'Hopelessly devoted to you' was released, I had to relent a little. I liked the melody a lot, and even if I couldn't understand the lyric (I was eight years old, mind you) I knew this was a pretty powerful lovesong.

The single reached number 1 in the Dutch Top 40, number 2 in the UK singles chart and number 3 in the US Billboard Hot 100.

My collection: 7" single no. 710
Found: All that music, Leiden, December 30, 1988
Cost: 3 guilders
Tracks: 'Hopelessly devoted to you' / 'Love is a many splendored thing (instrumental)'

Sam - Olivia Newton-John

'Sam' was written by Don Blac kand Hank Marvin and appears on Olivia Newton-John's 1977 album 'Don't stop believin''. It was released as a single in the summer of 1977 and reached number 6 in the UK singles chart.

I found this American promotional 7" single during a holiday in London in a slightly worndown shop in Berwick street. Having searched this single for years, I decided to buy it despite the fact that it didn't have a picture sleeve.

My collection: 7" single no. 3237
Found: London, October 19, 2000
Cost: 1 pound
Tracks: 'Sam' / 'I bet you a kangaroo'

Toughen up - Olivia Newton-John

In 1985, Olivia Newton-John released the album 'Soul kiss'. The first single was the title track, and the second single was 'Toughen up'. While the first single was a hit in several countries, 'Toughen up' did not chart anywhere - the only exception being Australia, where the single stalled at number 93.

Olivia's pregnancy limited her ability to promote the album and singles properly. Her daughter Chloe Rose Lattanzi was born in January 1986 - by then, the album 'Soul kiss' was already forgotten by most people.

My collection: 7" single no. 4093
Found: Marktplaats.nl, received September 25, 2009
Cost: 1 euro
Tracks: 'Toughen up' / 'Driving music'

A little more love - Olivia Newton-John

After Olivia Newton-John achieved world fame with the movie Grease, she picked up her own music career with the 1978 album 'Totally hot'. The single 'A little more love' shot to number 4 in the UK and number 3 in the Netherlands.

While I wasn't so impressed as a child with her Grease tracks, this track really impressed me. The song sounded modern and melodic and has remained a favourite of mine all these years.

My collection: 7" single no. 1120

Found: Disco Market, Den Haag, December 1, 1989

Cost: 1 guilder

Tracks: 'A little more love' / 'Borrowed time'

Twist of fate - Olvia Newton-John

Olivia Newton-John will forever be associated with the movie 'Grease', in which she starred together with John Travolta in 1978. But does everyone know she played with him in another movie five years later? I guess not, because 'Two of a kind' was a commercial failure. Musically it was interesting mostly for Olivia's 1983 single 'Twist of fate', a rock-oriented track that also went past the record-buying audiences.

I bought a Brazilian copy of this single, which is interesting for its 33rpm speed. The B-side is a live version of 'Jolene', the song originally made famous by Dolly Parton.

My collection: 7" single no. 2232

Found: January 21, 1995

Cost: 3 guilders

Tracks: 'Twist of fate' / 'Jolene'

Xanadu - Olivia Newton-John and Electric Light Orchestra

'Xanadu' was the theme song from the movie of the same name. The movie starred Olivia Newton-John and Gene Kelly and was an unofficial remake of the 1947 film 'Down to earth' with Rita Hayworth.

A rare collaboration for Jeff Lynne's Electric Light Orchestra, the single was the band's only UK number 1 single when it peaked there for two weeks in July 1980. The song peaked at number 1 in the Netherlands as well, and at number 8 on the US Billboard Hot 100.

I recently bought a UK copy of this single with a limited edition gatefold sleeve at the record fair in Utrecht (on November 22, 2008), but the original single came into my collection soon after it was released.

My collection: 7" single no. 59

Found: Wouters, Den Haag, 1980

Cost: 3 guilders

Tracks: 'Xanadu' / 'Fool country'

Download: Album 'Xanadu', including both tracks

Soul kiss - Olivia Newton-John

In 1985, Olivia Newton-John released her comeback album 'Soul kiss' and the title track was also the lead single. She'd been out of the limelight since 1982 when she had a worldwide hit with 'Physical'. 'Soul kiss' was a steamy popsong performed by Olivia while pregnant. It limited her ability to do promotion for the album, which stalled at no. 66 in the UK albums chart. The single didn't even chart. In the Netherlands, it was only a small hit.

The extended remix version of 'Soul kiss' is a beautifully arranged version, which actually improves on the original shorter version. A great find.

My collection: 12" single no. 478

Found: La La Land, Den Haag, January 3, 2009

Cost: 2 euro

Tracks: 'Soul kiss (extended remix version)' / 'Soul kiss (dub mix)', 'Electric'

Download: 12" single 'Soul kiss', including these tracks

Magic - Olivia Newton-John

Taken from the original motion picture soundtrack of 'Xanadu' featuring Electric Light Orchestra and Olivia Newton-John, 'Magic' is Olivia's second single from that soundtrack. The title track was a number one hit in the UK, and the third single 'Suddenly' made number 15. By comparison, 'Magic' did less well by only reaching no. 32.

It wasn't a bad track, though. Olivia's vocals are shimmering and the music is varied and melodic. I couldn't explain why it didn't do better. Personally I always liked the song and it was a nice surprise when I found the single in 1993.

My collection: 7" single no. 2053

Found: Record fair, Netherlands, November 20, 1993

Cost: 2 guilders

Tracks: 'Magic' / 'Whenever you're away from me'

Download: Album 'Xanadu', including both tracks

Make a move on me - Oliva Newton-John

Certainly not the most well known songs by Olivia Newton-John. It was taken from her album 'Physical', after the title track and the second single off the album, 'Landslide', were pretty successful in the UK.

When I bought this single, I'd forgotten about this track as well, but I still recalled it vaguely. The sleeve did the rest, I have to confess. I bought my copy, along with a few dozen other singles, in Walthamstow, London, one of my favourite second hand record haunts on Wood Street. I wonder if that shop still exists...

My collection: 7" single no. 2707

Found: House of Rhythm, London, July 3, 1996

Cost: 30p

Tracks: 'Make a move on me' / 'Strangers touch'

Download: Album 'Physical', including both tracks