Dear Olivia - I honestly love you
By Wayne Harada, Advertiser Entertainment Editor
Dear Olivia Newton-John: I have a crush on you. Your concert Thanksgiving night at the Neal Blaisdell Center Arena was a real charmer.
And I think you’re a real jewel. too. Pretty, perky, positively divine - as a person, and as a singer.
I honestly love you the way you bounce on stage, your blond hair a-swhirl, your Ipana smile glistening in the spotlight.
And I love your performance. You have concocted a very satisfying show, simply mounted, which speaks a language of true love.
And you communicate. Oh, how you communicate - breaking that barrier that too often segregates a performer from an audience.
I suppose it works for you because of your genuine sincerity. It shows, honey; it means something when an entertainer gets up before a crowd, and lets her hair down. No pretenses. No phoniness. No facades. Just a natural, honest, real relationship.
When you burst into that first song. “Is There Anybody Who Can Shine,” I got the goosebumps. You quickly touched my heart - and obviously the souls of the near-capacity audience of 8,000.
Gee, you’re cute. I think I sensed a shyness was it a blush- when the roar of the crowd greeted your recent hit, “Don’t Stop Believin..” Ditto, when you scooted all over the stage, doing a bit of a flapper’s dance, on that delightful bit of honky-tonk, “I’m Feeling Too Good”.
Goodness gracious, they say you’re a country singer. Not so. You may have that country spirit - oh, it’s a contagious feeling - but you’re definitely pop. And now. And wow.
I had forgotten how sensuous your version of “The Air That I Breathe” is, wasn’t that the old Hollies hit? You make it yours with a deliriously throaty reading.
And oh, how you move. Such energy. Such charisma. Such infectious poetry-in-motion. When you pranced about on “My Love Is Alive,” I could’ve glanced all night.
Ah, but there’s an actress within you, too. Your “Newborn Babe” was such a poignant, emotive ballad - I betcha you’ll someday be a fine momma.
And your medley of “Nevertheless I’m In Love With You” and “As Time Goes By” proves that you can touch all bases, bridging the gaps. It’s the stamp of a class act, as far as I’m concerned.
You certainly have a string of hits. “Please Mr. Please,” “Every Face Has a Story,” “Let Me Be There,” “If You Love Me. Let Me Know.”
And you surely perform them with such vigor, such warmth, such believeability - like you were doing them for the first time.
I’m so happy you brought along that marvelous back-up trio of gals, who really wailed when you needed them. And the bass voice, who made the lower registers count, when you needed them, too. Just like on the records.
And gee, I had the bumps again when you offered “Have You Never Been Mellow,” positively one of the nicest tunes ever written. I daresay no one can sing it like you do, with such succulence and sensitivity.
Yes, I honestly love you.
And I honestly loved your finale. “I Honestly Love You,” with the simple, plaintive, piano backing. Just your voice, and those marvelous lines:
“You don’t have to answer”
“I see it in your eyes…”
Ah, yes, an unstated but obviously prevalent feeling of love. And when you continued:
“It’s coming from my heart
And not my head…
You cinched it. The audience honestly loved you, too.
I must say, however, the audience was somewhat haughty at the start of the evening, being awfully rude to your opening act, Tony Tam Sing and Chris Rego.
The pair’s acoustic set was over-long, frequently monotonous, but musically superb - I believe they played the wrong songs, and over-stayed their welcome. They were booed you must’ve heard that and I hope they get another shot, another time; they de serve better.
Please return for another concert soon. You’ll always have a fan in me.
I honestly love you. Truly.
This cutting was used in the intro for Olivia’s Physical tour videogram