Photo by David Doobinin
Singer-songwriter Juliana Hatfield, the onetime member of the Blake Babies who saw breakout alt-rock success in the early ’90s, will pay tribute to one of her own favorites with a collection of covers of songs by Olivia Newton-John, the chart-topper who starred in the film version of “Grease.”
Titled Juliana Hatfield Sings Olivia Newton-John, the 14-song album is due out April 13 and is available for pre-order now in a wide variety of formats via American Laundromat Records.
The album finds Hatfield covering hit songs and lesser-known tracks from Newton-John’s catalog, including the smash single “Physical” (famously also covered by Revolting Cocks), “Hopelessly Devoted To You” from the “Grease” soundtrack, and a couple cuts from the cult favorite film “Xanadu,” among other songs.
Hatfield is quoted on the label’s site as saying:
“I have never not loved Olivia Newton-John. Her music has brought me so much pure joy throughout my life. I loved her when I was a child and I love her still. Her voice and her positive energy and her melodies have stood the test of time and they give me as much pleasure now as they ever did. Listening to her is an escape into a beautiful place. She has inspired me so much personally and I just wanted to give something back; to share some of these tremendous songs, reinterpreted, with love, by me.”
There’s also a bonus 7-inch single for sale that includes two more covers — “Deeper Than the Night” and “Heart Attack” — with sleeve art by Hatfield’s I Don’t Cares bandmate Paul Westerberg.
According to the label, $1 from the sale of every album will be donated to the Olivia Newton-John Cancer Wellness & Research Centre, a nonprofit organization dedicated to helping patients with cancer.
See the full tracklist below.
Tracklist: Juliana Hatfield, Juliana Hatfield Sings Olivia Newton-John
1. “I Honestly Love You
2. “Suspended In Time
3. “Have You Never Been Mellow
4. “A Little More Love
5. “Magic
6. “Physical
7. “Totally Hot
8. “Don’t Stop Believin’
9. “Please Mr. Please
10. “Hopelessly Devoted To You
11. “Xanadu
12. “Dancin’ ‘Round And ‘Round
13. “Make A Move On Me
14. “I Honestly Love You (Reprise) (CD, cassette and digital only)
Bonus 7-Inch:
1. “Deeper Than The Night”
2. “Heart Attack”
Olivia’s album, `Totally Hot” got me through my first divorce in 1982, especially the song, “Dancing Round and Round.” I am glad you brought back so many great songs. Hopefully you will so a second volume with covers of Boats Against the Water and Carried Away (written by the Bee Gees)
Yay! I love ONJ and had a poster in my room. I think she is underrated and tossed off as a lightweight, feathery blip on the music scene despite many chart toppers. I can’t wait to see what Ms Hatfield has to offer. I’m gonna listen to Olivia right now!
I went ahead and preordered this CD, not sure why. I guess Juliana’s on a bit of hot streak lately. And should I admit this — the first record I ever bought with my own money was an ONJ single. I think I was 6 or 7. I won’t admit which song though…
Olivia Newton-John has remained relevant for 6 decades due to her talent, her gracious personality, her loveliness, and her pop masterpieces. People forget that she was already a pop superstar before Grease, Xanadu, Physical, and Totally Hot. Like Linda Ronstadt and David Bowie, Olivia was a true 1960s music chameleon years before Madonna. I’m glad she’s getting the attention and respect that her millions of fans have known all along that she deserved .