Banks of the Ohio reviews
Olivia Newton John takes an old traditional song, gets the Welch and Farrar team to arrange it, adds her appeal-ing and clear sounding voice, plus a few more, and comes up with an instant hit. Three more plays and I shall hate BANKS OF THE OHIO (Pye), but it’s the kind of single that sells across the board. Simple guitar backing, plenty of harmony and sweet sounds, a melody that builds and a song with a story-just one of the current commercial formulae.
Westminster and Pimlico News UK 15 October 1971
Olivia Newton John takes an old traditional song, gets the Welch and Farrar team to arrange it, adds her appealing and clear sounding sound, plus a few more and comes up with instant hit: BANKS OF THE OHIO (Pye).
Evening Post, UK 15 October 1971
Sounding rather like a de bubbled Lulu, Olivia Newton John goes Middle West with “Banks Of The Ohio.” She’s worth a much better vehicle than this (Pye 7N 25568).
Ed - Later on in her career Olivia’s voice was also compared to Lulu in a 1979 Smash Hits review of her Totally Hot single.</p>
Runcorn Weekly News, UK 7 October 1971
Olivia Newton-John’s new single is a traditional song arranged by Bruce Welch and John Farrar and its release coincides with her new album-which John and Bruce produced - and her three-week season at the London Palladium in the “Cliff Richard Show” which opens on October 11.
Olivia Newton-John will be singing “Banks of the Ohio” on BBC-1 “Top of the Pops” on Thursday, October 7th.
La Crosse Tribune, US 16 October 1971
Olivia Newton-John’s new single is a traditional song arranged by Bruce Welch and John Farrar and its release coincides with her new album-which John and Bruce produced and her three-week season at the London Palladium in the “Cliff Richard Show” which opens on October 11. Olivia Newton-John will be singing “Banks of the Ohio” on BBC-1 “Top of the Pops” on Thursday, October 7th.
The Albuquerque Tribune, US, 9 December 1971
Olivia Newton-John’s “If Not for You” (Uni 73117) has propelled her into the singers’ circle rapidly. She’s good on “Banks of the Ohio.”