The youngest child of Professor Brin Newton-John and Irene, daughter of Nobel Prize winning physicist, Max Born, Newton-John moved to Melbourne, Australia, with her family when she was five. By the age of fifteen, she had formed an all-girl group called Sol Four. Later that year she won a talent contest on the popular TV show, “Sing, Sing, Sing,” which earned her a trip to London. By 1963, Newton-John was appearing on local daytime TV shows and weekly pop music programs in Australia. She cut her first single for Decca Records in 1966, a version of Jackie DeShannon’s "Till You Say You’ll Be Mine." In 1971, she recorded a cover of Bob Dylan’s "If Not For You," co-produced by John Farrar, with whom she continued to collaborate.
Her 1973 U.S. album debut, "Let Me Be There," produced her first top ten single of the same name, with Newton-John being honored by the Academy Of Country Music as Most Promising Female Vocalist and a Grammy Award as Best Country Vocalist. This proved to be only the beginning of a very exciting career. Her countless successes include three more Grammys, numerous Country Music Awards, American Music Awards and Peoples Choice Awards, five 1 hits including “Physical,” which topped the charts for ten consecutive weeks, and 15 top 10 singles.
In 1978, her co-starring role with John Travolta in “Grease” catapulted Newton-John into super-stardom. This film led to the production of the most successful movie musical soundtrack in history, featuring the duets "You’re The One That I Want" and "Summer Nights," with Travolta, as well as her mega-hit, "Hopelessly Devoted To You." The film was re-released worldwide in 1998 in celebration of its 20th anniversary to even more acclaim, a true testament to the film’s timeless quality. Her other film credits include “Xanadu,” “Two Of A Kind,” “It’s My Party,” and “Sordid Lives.” She followed that success, by co-starring with her daughter, Chloe, in the Showtime movie, “The Wilde Girls.” Clearly following in her mother’s footsteps, Chloe has recently signed her first record label contract.
Newton-John appeal was boundless. With a career spanning more than three decades she was adored by fans across the world. Throughout her career, the much-loved star, who danced with Gene Kelly in “Xanadu,” hosted the popular internationally syndicated “Wild Life” television show, was bestowed an O.B.E. (Order Of The British Empire) by Queen Elizabeth in 1979, has held many humanitarian causes close to her heart, particularly since the birth of her daughter Chloe in 1986. She served as Goodwill Ambassador to the United Nations Environment Programme and in 1991, the Colette Chuda Environmental Fund/CHEC (Children’s Health Environ-mental Coalition) was founded after the tragic death of Chloe’s best friend from a rare childhood cancer, with Olivia serving as National Spokesperson for ten years. Newton-John’s devotion and shared commitment to CHEC’s mission and goals enabled the organization to receive worldwide attention and support. (For more information visit www.CHECnet.org.)
Her charmed life has not been without its share of upset. In the 90s, Newton-John successfully overcame her own battle with breast cancer, which inspired her self-penned and produced album, “GAIA,” her most personal album reflecting upon her experiences with cancer. She used these experiences to gain greater self-awareness and became a positive inspiration to millions of people battling cancer. As a breast cancer survivor, Newton-John became increasingly well known and respected for talking openly about her battle with breast cancer and for promoting public awareness of the importance of early detection. Her personal victory against cancer led her to announce her partnership with the Austin & Repatriation Medical Centre and the creation of the “Olivia Newton-John Cancer Centre” (ONJCC) on the Austin Campus in her hometown, Melbourne, Australia. The ONJCC will provide a comprehensive range of services and facilities for cancer treatment, education, training and research. (For more information visit www.armc.org.au.)
Newton-John was acknowledged many times by charitable and environmental organizations for her ongoing efforts, among them: the American Red Cross, the Environmental Media Association, the Women’s Guild of Cedar’s Sinai Medical Center, the Rainforest Alliance and Concept Cure. Olivia promotes breast health awareness and has introduced the “Olivia Breast Self-Exam Kit,” an aid to help women perform self-exams with more ease and confidence (www.liv.com).
In the 2000's, her interational recognition continued to grow. She was invited by the Vatican on behalf of Pope John Paul II to perform at the Jubilee Celebration for the Sick and Healthcare Workers. Olivia was thrilled to perform at the Opening Ceremony of the Sydney 2000 Olympics to an estimated global viewing audience of four billion people. Adding to this Olympic experience is what Olivia feels is one of her most memorable moments – the honor of carrying the Olympic Torch during the Olympic Torch Relay. Her passion for Australia was ignited again when Olivia reunited with friend and business partner, Pat Farrar, to promote the Koala Blue brand with distinctly Australian wines to proudly bring “the taste of Australia” to the rest of the world. Her healing spirit also led to the opening of the GAIA Retreat & Spa in her homeland of Australia (www.GaiaRetreat.com.au).
In 1999, her album, "Back With A Heart," garnered her an Emmy Award for her songwriting. In 2000/2001, Olivia released her only live album, "One Woman’s Live Journey," followed by “Magic - The Very Best of Olivia Newton-John,” which celebrated thirty years of recording. And if that wasn’t enough, she also released her first holiday album, “The Christmas Collection.” In 2002, a CD of duets simply titled, “2,” was recorded in Australia and features a host of talented Ozzies along with a couple of her American friends, followed by “Indigo: Women of Song,” a tribute to some of her favorite female performers.
The CD “Stronger Than Before,” release in 2005, features songs of inspiration, courage and hope that relate to the complex emotions cancer patients and their loved ones experience. A portion of the CD’s proceeds benefit cancer research.
Her recording, “Grace and Gratitude,” a CD for relaxation to promote spiritual balance and physical and emotional healing, was released in September 2006 and coincided with the launch of Newton-John's wellness products for women.
In 2002, Newton-John was inducted into the prestigious Australian Music Hall Of Fame at the 16th Annual Aria Awards. Her latest honors include receiving the Lifetime Achievement Award by friend John Travolta at the G’Day L.A. Ball in 2006.
Newton-John was also appointed as an Officer of the Order of Australia by the Queen for her “service to the entertainment industry as a singer and actor, and to the community through organizations supporting breast cancer treatment, education and training research, and the environment.”
Wesite www.OliviaNewton-John.com
Don't Cry For Me Argentina
Olivia Newton-John Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
When I try to explain how I feel
That I still need your love after all that I've done
You won't believe me, all you will see is a girl you once knew
Although she's dressed up to the nines
At sixes and sevens with you
I had to let it happen, I had to change
Couldn't stay all my life down at heel
Looking out of the window, staying out of the sun
So I chose freedom, running around trying everything new
But nothing impressed me at all
I never expected it to
Don't cry for me, Argentina
The truth is, I never left you
All through my wild days, my mad existence
I kept my promise
Don't keep your distance
And as for fortune, and as for fame
I never invited them in
Though it seemed to the world they were all I desired
They are illusions, they're not the solutions they promised to be
The answer was here all the time
I love you, and hope you love me
Don't cry for me, Argentina
Don't cry for me, Argentina
The truth is, I never left you
All through my wild days, my mad existence
I kept my promise
Don't keep your distance
Have I said too much?
There's nothing more I can think of to say to you
But all you have to do is look at me to know
That every word is true
The lyrics to Olivia Newton-John's song "Don't Cry For Me Argentina" are rich with emotion and self-reflection. The song seems to be from the perspective of a woman who has left someone she was close to and is now trying to explain her behavior to them. She acknowledges that her actions may seem strange to the person she left, but she tries to explain that she still needs their love even after all that has happened. She recognizes that the person she left may only see her as the girl they once knew, but she has changed and grown into a new person.
As the verses continue, the woman reflects on her past and how she had to change and "let it happen." She realized that she couldn't stay in the same place forever and needed to experience new things to find herself. However, nothing impressed her and she never expected it to. The last verse is the most emotional part of the song, as the woman pleads with the person she left not to cry for her. She assures them that the truth is, she never left them and has loved them all along. She kept her promise and asks them not to keep their distance.
Overall, "Don't Cry For Me Argentina" is a powerful song about regret, growth, and the power of love. It's a song that can resonate with anyone who has experienced a difficult or tumultuous relationship.
Line by Line Meaning
It won't be easy, you'll think it strange
I know it will be hard to understand
When I try to explain how I feel
As I try to tell you how I feel
That I still need your love after all that I've done
Even after all my mistakes, I still love you
You won't believe me, all you will see is a girl you once knew
You won't trust me because you have an old version of me in your mind
Although she's dressed up to the nines
Even though I may look my best
At sixes and sevens with you
I feel confused and uncertain around you
I had to let it happen, I had to change
I had to go through changes and let go of the past to grow
Couldn't stay all my life down at heel
I couldn't stay depressed and stagnant forever
Looking out of the window, staying out of the sun
I used to isolate myself and avoid the world
So I chose freedom, running around trying everything new
I decided to explore and experience new things
But nothing impressed me at all
But I didn't find anything that truly fulfilled me
I never expected it to
I didn't have high expectations of finding fulfillment in those experiences
Don't cry for me, Argentina
Please don't feel sorry for me
The truth is, I never left you
I never stopped loving you
All through my wild days, my mad existence
Even when I was lost and reckless
I kept my promise
I always kept my love for you
Don't keep your distance
Please don't stay away from me
And as for fortune, and as for fame
Although I may have pursued wealth and fame
I never invited them in
I never let them consume me
Though it seemed to the world they were all I desired
Even though it may have appeared that way to others
They are illusions, they're not the solutions they promised to be
In reality, they are just illusions and not true solutions to happiness
The answer was here all the time
The answer to my happiness was always with you
I love you, and hope you love me
I still love you and hope you feel the same way
Have I said too much?
Did I share too much?
There's nothing more I can think of to say to you
I've said everything that I can think of
But all you have to do is look at me to know
But just by looking at me, you'll know the truth
That every word is true
That everything I've said is the truth
Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group
Written by: Andrew Lloyd Webber, Tim Rice
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
@Gringojrf
I first heard this song when I bought her album. I had no idea where it came from but it was so powerful that it instantly became one of my favorites. Years later I saw the movie starring Madonna. While her version was good it cannot hold a candle to this one. Whenever I get the urge to hear this song this is the version I seek out. Best ever. RIP Olivia Newton-John.
@manjsingh5073
Julie Covington one was the best and original
@rebeccacurtis6680
RIP Olivia Newton John. Everything you did was beautiful just like you. You will be sorely missed.
@richardsianipar4103
As Always In This Heart, Grandma O.N.Jakarta : )
@asierasier7259
I am 41 years old and, my dear Olivia, you have been my inspiration and accompanied me in the good and the bad moments, in happy and sad ones, since I was 14 years old. I can't imagine a world where there is no you, but you will forever live in my heart and in my thoughts. I know that someday we will share the same time and space once again. In the meantime, rest in peace, wherever you are. The world is a better place because of hearts like yours - because of people like you! And the echo of your unique and phenomenal voice will always LIVe on... You are love and light! I will always love you, Olivia. 💙💜💚❤🤍💗
@Bob-sg9ke
You're comment brought tears to my eyes. Beautifully written. 🥰😪
@Bob-sg9ke
This is the first time I heard this version. It is absolutely moving and beautiful.
@vastolive8
She was a remarkable woman, an inspiration to many. We honestly love her . Fly high Angel 🙏💞❤️
@heatherrandell5134
You will be dearly missed. Your a beautiful sole inside and out. You have a smile that brightens up a room and that brightnes we will see from the heavens. RIP Olivia
@Falconlibrary
I had no idea this version of the song existed. It's the best one. Good night, sweet princess, and may bands of angels sing thee to thy rest.