For as long as I’ve been on the radio, and definitely for as long as I’ve been writing a blog, I will occasionally make a reference to a song being “One of the Greatest Songs Ever Recorded!” (GSER)
I would usually follow that by saying that I would eventually start a category for it, but then never get around to it.
Well, now I’m getting around to it!
My radio show, “Theme Attic,” is on Wednesdays 12PM-4PM ET.
The show can be heard on WHFR 89.3 FM in the Dearborn-Detroit area of Michigan, or it can be streamed with this link: https://www.whfr.fm/streamer/!
The Greatest Songs will pretty much follow the pattern of The Most Awesomest Song of the Day.
I’ll select a song to celebrate and then give my thoughts about it. Nothing really brand new here that hasn’t been done before. But since I have a website, I can collect them and lay out what my own greatest songs are.
Here’s a link to have a look at “The Greatest Songs Ever Recorded”: https://philmaq.com/the-greatest-songs-ever-recorded/! Occasionally, an “awesome song” crosses over to become a “Greatest Song!”
Even though I always emphasize new music and artists, it’s always fun to take a short drive through the legendary artists, since they influenced those other artists!
But a song doesn’t have to be old or done by a legendary Theme Attic Hall of Fame member to be thus honored.
I can think of several songs that are only a few years old or less that I could identify as One of the Greatest Songs Ever Recorded.
This will be fun, and hopefully you will join me on my journey!
If you like what you see, don’t forget to spread the word by hitting the “like” button on my Facebook page, Phil Maq!
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To be honest–especially since honesty is part of the title of today’s selection, it took a while for me to warm up to Olivia Newton-John.
Depending upon how many of these Greatest Song posts you read, it’s possible that you might detect a pattern regarding some of my favorite artists, which usually include some of the world’s greatest artists.
Usually, the pattern goes something like this: an artist has a sizable following and for some unknown reason, I can’t hear why the artist is so big. It’s basically a “meh” response.
Such is the case of my initial reactions to Olivia Newton-John.
I’m guessing that the first thing I heard was “If Not for You,” the George Harrison cover song.
Although there isn’t anything that stands out as a reason not to like it, it was a fairly wimpy version of a song that I was wildly addicted to–Harrison’s version of the Bob Dylan song, and I still had another decent version of it by Bob himself.
Now, at the time, 1971 was a year after The Beatles breakup, and radio was splintering into other formats such as “Middle of the Road,” known as MOR to programmers.
As a young student who was still years away from high school but was familiar with many styles of music having been a listener to free form stations like WABX and WKNR for a couple of years, MOR was not a path I was interested in.
When Olivia‘s next single, “Let Me Be There,” came around in 1973, the separation in musical styles for radio listeners was even more acute.
To me, “Let Me Be There” was an even more annoying release because it sounded like an over produced Nashville song, the kind I abhorred at the time.
I remember reading a review of her early efforts, most likely from Rolling Stone magazine, that said something to the effect that Olivia Newton-John was the kind of artist that Nashville and its fans would not care for because she didn’t even have the right kind of hyphenated name.
That would all change by the next year.
Of course, it would also only be a few short years before I would look back at those early Newton-John songs with a fondness for their sweetness and simplicity!
I can’t swear when I first heard, “I Honestly Love You.” I’m sure it was probably in a car going somewhere.
I’m almost sure that I probably changed the station when it first came on.
And surely the second time, too.
And maybe even the third and fourth times.
But eventually, I encountered it enough to start to like it.
And it was quite an interesting song, with quite a pedigree!
“I Honestly Love You” was co written by Peter Allen, an over the top Australian Broadway type of performer who was once married to Liza Minelli, and American songwriter Jeff Barry.
Jeff Barry, who was known for songs that he co-wrote with Ellie Greenwich like “Then He Kissed Me,” “Da Doo Ron Ron,” and “Do Wah Diddy Diddy!”
Yes! That Jeff Barry!
I never knew that until I looked it up for this post.
Even before Olivia started singing, the tinkling notes of the piano intro along, with plucked harp notes and acoustic guitar together with a swirling string arrangement, was an attention getter as an opening!
The lyrics were of the traditional love song variety, but Olivia delivered it like she was only singing it for the first time and to each individual listener!
And, honestly, she was really only singing it to me! (Ha, ha!)
As the song became popular, Olivia began singing the song on TV shows.
Be still my heart!
Those beautiful eyes!
Her beautiful hair!
And sweet smile!
Above all of her “girl next door” if the girl next door was one of the most beautiful women you will ever encounter in your life!, was her warm wonderful voice!
And she sang the song with such…well, honesty and vulnerability!
Sigh!
If only I had seen her sing the song instead of just listening to it, I would have been onboard from the first note!
At the time, I really had a crush on Karen Carpenter of The Carpenters!
I immediately found out that someone could have a crush on more than one person, as I had to ask for Karen to move over and make room for Olivia!
And just like with Karen Carpenter, it was a crush I would hold from then on!
Also, I would have many more musical crushes throughout my life!
Anyway, since Olivia’s TV appearance was what hooked me, I’ve included two videos of her from that time. I’m sure one of them was the first one I saw, but I’m not sure which.
I’ve also included an audio version in case you just want to close your eyes and remember her.
One of the Greatest Songs Ever Recorded is “I Honestly Love You” by Olivia
Newton-John!!!
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I have plenty of other musical areas to explore:
Here’s a link for my weekly list of Fave Songs:
https://philmaq.com/phils-lists/phils-faves-songs!
Here’s a link for my weekly Fave Album lists:
philmaq.com/phils-lists/phils-faves-albums
My somewhat unusual Hall of Fame can be explored here: https://philmaq.com/hall-of-fame/!
Lastly, but most importantly, is my Philby Awards link! A Philby is my annual award for outstanding musical achievement! https://philmaq.com/philbys/!
If you like what you see, don’t forget to spread the word by hitting the “like” button on my Facebook page, Phil Maq!
#IHonestlyLoveYou #OliviaNewtonJohn #JeffBarry #PeterAllen #Karen Carpenter #PhilMaq #OneoftheGreatestSongsEverRecorded #GSER
