Back to Basics: The Essential Collection 1971-1992

Olivia Newton-John | Format: Audio CD

Product Details

• Audio CD (June 9, 1992)
• Original Release Date: June 9, 1992
• Number of Discs: 1
• Label: Geffen Records
• ASIN: B000000OSU
• Also Available in: Audio CD  |  Audio Cassette  |  MP3 Download
• Average Customer Review: 4.6 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (36 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #7,855 in Music (See Top 100 in Music)

Editorial Reviews

Amazon.com

She started her career as an inoffensive pop singer who sang of the benefits of getting "mellow" ("Have You Never Been Mellow"). Her transformation into a brazen aerobics sex-throb with "Physical" is as radical as what happens to her character, Sandra Dee, in the movie Grease. Three cuts from which ("Hopelessly Devoted to You," "You're the One That I Want," and "Summer Nights") are featured here. Add a few other hits, "A Little More Love" and "Magic" and you've got a full spectrum view of what she can do. From syrupy ballad queen to workout addict, she got it on the radio. --Rob O'Connor

Product Description

OLIVIA NEWTON JOHN Back To Basics - The Essential Collection 1971- 1992 (1992 US 17-track picture CD album with sepia-tinted silk-screened disc image. Unlike the European 20-track edition this issue has just 17 songs with a different running order and including the following tracks that were omitted from the Euro edition: Twist Of Fate Deeper Than The Night Please Mr. Please and If You Love Me complete with 4-panel fold-out picture insert picture sleeve GEFD-24470)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

14 of 14 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars An exellent introduction, but not an essentials collection., September 30, 1999

By A Customer

This review is from: Back to Basics: The Essential Collection 1971-1992 (Audio CD)

The biggest problem with Olivia Newton-John's catalog is out of the albums are out of print. Only two of the nine albums, not including soundtrack, from the pre-Physical period are still available on American catalogs. BACK TO BASICS gives us the golden nuggets from Olivia's career. Most of the biggest hits of Olivia's catalog are included "Physical", "You're The One That I Want", "Magic", "Have You Never Been Mellow", and "I Honestly Love You" are included. Unfortunately, BACK TO BASICS is not an essentials collection due to the fact that many major hits "Let Me Be There" and "Make A Move On Me" and important songs "If Not For You" are not included. In order to make the album a true retrospective collection you would need songs that demonstrated where Olivia was at the time "Come On Over" is every bit as important a song in her catalog as "Sam". Impressive performances like "Don't Cry For Me Argentina" and "Suddenly" (a duet with Cliff Richard from XANADU) are overlooked. In order to make it a complete package there should have been at least one song from each album present. The four new songs belong on this package. "Deeper Than A River" is beautifully produced and arranged and Olivia's voice is magnificent. "Not Gonna Be The One" has classic vocal styles and is sung by a musical master. "I Want To Be Wanted" is a vocal performance equal to many f her best love songs, you can hear the emotion in her voice. "I Need Love" is a revival of her days of PHYSICAL, TOTALLY HOT, and SOUL KISS. "Twist Of Fate", "Deeper Than The Night", and "Summer Nights" make their first apperances on American Hits albums. BACK TO BASICS is the perfect collection for Olivia introduction because it shows how varied her career is. For longtime fans, its a good collection, but the original Austrailan versions are ore comprehensive and complete.-MATT COKER

9 of 10 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Olivia and life, February 7, 2008

By 

Roberta Hotard "Mrs. H" (Somewhere here, Florida) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Back to Basics: The Essential Collection 1971-1992 (Audio CD)

I have always loved Olivia Newton John as a singer and actress. A little more love touched my heart and I honestly love you , I still listen to the song everyday. When I first heard I honestly love you , I contacted the radio station to dedicate it the person I loved and always will. Love does not go away. Thanks Olivia!

6 of 6 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A great slow-dance album!, November 3, 2000

By 

Kurt A. Johnson (North-Central Illinois, USA) - See all my reviews
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This review is from: Back to Basics: The Essential Collection 1971-1992 (Audio CD)

[One CD, with a running time of 60:42.] This is a collection of seventeen songs by the talented Olivia Newton-John. Thirteen are old favorites, and four are brand-new songs (Deeper Than A River, Not Gonna Be The One, I Want To Be Wanted, and I Need Love). This album was released to relaunch Olivia's career, but a bout with breast cancer cut the tour short (thankfully Olivia has overcome the cancer).

When my wife gave me this CD, I was disappointed that some of my favorites were not included. However, listening to this wonderful album showed me that it is different than I expected. This is a wonderful collection of songs to slow-dance to - A Little More Love being always great for this, and I Honestly Love You being the best! Summer Nights is a little too fast for slow-dancing, but it is a fun tune to dance to anyway.

My little kids actually enjoy watching us dance to this CD. So, turn the lights down low, pop in this CD, and dance.