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
Greensleeves
Olivia Newton-John Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
To cast me off discourteously
And I have loved you oh so long
Delighting in your company
Greensleeves was all my joy
Greensleeves was my delight
Greensleeves was my heart of gold
If you intend to be this way
It does the more enrapture me
And even so I still remain
A lover in captivity
Greensleeves was all my joy
Greensleeves was my delight
Greensleeves was my heart of gold
And who but my lady greensleeves
Greensleeves, now farewell, adieu
God, I pray he will prosper thee
For I am still thy lover true
Come once again and love me
Greensleeves was all my joy
Greensleeves was my delight
Greensleeves was my heart of gold
And who but my lady greensleeves
The song Greensleeves by Olivia Newton-John (Holiday) is a nostalgic and melancholic love song that expresses the pain of being rejected and yet still remaining a captive to love. The lyrics start by addressing the subject of the song, who is described as a lover who has been discarded discourteously. The singer declares her love for this person and her delight in their company, expressing the depth of her feelings.
The chorus, which is repeated several times throughout the song, is a tribute to her love that has been lost. Greensleeves was all her joy, her delight, and her heart of gold. The reference to Greensleeves is meant to evoke a sense of the past, when things were simpler and love was pure.
The singer seems resigned to her fate, acknowledging that the rejection only makes her more enamored with her lover. She remains a lover in captivity, trapped by her feelings and unable to escape their hold. The song ends with a goodbye and a prayer for her lover's prosperity, but a declaration that she will remain true to her feelings and hopes that they will return to her once again.
Overall, Greensleeves is a beautiful and poignant song that captures the essence of unrequited love and the pain of being caught in its grip.
Line by Line Meaning
Alas, my love, you do me wrong
I am sad because you are treating me unfairly
To cast me off discourteously
You are rejecting me rudely
And I have loved you oh so long
I have loved you for a very long time
Delighting in your company
I appreciated being with you
Greensleeves was all my joy
The person singing found great happiness in a specific thing or person that they call 'Greensleeves'
Greensleeves was my delight
The person singing found great joy from 'Greensleeves'
Greensleeves was my heart of gold
The person singing valued 'Greensleeves' immensely
And who but my lady greensleeves
The person singing sees their love interest as 'Greensleeves'
If you intend to be this way
If you continue to treat me unfairly
It does the more enrapture me
I find myself even more captivated by you
And even so I still remain
Despite your treatment, I still love you
A lover in captivity
I feel trapped in my love for you, even though I cannot have you
Greensleeves, now farewell, adieu
The person singing is saying goodbye to 'Greensleeves'
God, I pray he will prosper thee
I hope you will find success in your life
For I am still thy lover true
I still love you deeply
Come once again and love me
I hope you will come back to me and love me
Greensleeves was all my joy
Being with 'Greensleeves' was the source of the person's happiness
Greensleeves was my delight
Being with 'Greensleeves' brought the person joy
Greensleeves was my heart of gold
The person valued 'Greensleeves' above all else
And who but my lady greensleeves
The person singing sees their love interest as 'Greensleeves'.
Lyrics © Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC, Peermusic Publishing, Warner Chappell Music, Inc.
Written by: Traditional
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
비정한세상
<<Greensleeves-Olivia Newton John>>
Alas, my love you do me wrong
오 내 사랑 그대는 그렇게도 야속하게
To cast me off discourteously
나를 버리고 가버리는구려
For I have courted you so long
그렇게 오랫동안 그대를 사랑하고
Delighting in your company
그대와 함께함을 기쁘게 여겼던 나를.
*Greensleeves was all my joy
그린 슬리브스는 내 기쁨이었고
Greensleeves was my delight
그린 슬리브스는 내 모든 기쁨이었고
Greensleeves, my heart of gold
그린 슬리브스는 내 마음의 보석이었소
And who but my lady Greensleeves
그건 다른 누구도 아닌 내 사랑 그린 슬리브스
If you intend thus to disdain
그대가 나를 수치스러워해도
It does the more enrapture me
그것이 더욱 더 나를 기쁘게 한다오
And even so, I still remain
나는 그렇다 하더라도
A lover in captivity
사랑의 포로가 되겠소
Greensleeves, now farewell, adieu
God, I pray he will prosper thee
For I am still thy lover true
Come once again and love me
Peyton Lapato
Greensleaves lyrics
Alas, my love, you do me wrong
To cast me off discourteously
And I have loved you oh so long
Delighting in your company
Greensleeves was all my joy
Greensleeves was my delight
Greensleeves was my heart of gold
And who but my lady Greensleeves
If you intend to be this way
It does the more enrapture me
And even so I still remain
A lover in captivity
Greensleeves was all my joy
Greensleeves was my delight
Greensleeves was my heart of gold
And who but my lady Greensleeves
Greensleeves, now farewell, adieu
God, I pray he will prosper thee
For I am still thy lover true
Come once again and love me
Greensleeves was all my joy
Greensleeves was my delight
Greensleeves was my heart of gold
And who but my lady Greensleeves
Ken N
I have heard Greensleeves many times by many artists but think this version by Olivia Newton-John is one of the finest ever.
N. Reese
I totally agree!!! Olivia really took this song and made it her own!
Wai Music
A tribute to a great Australian singer, Olivia Newton John who passed away at age 73 years old. In remembrance of her enchanting voice and singing to the Pop-music world. We will remember...
Malcxvm
RIP Olivia. You or your beautiful voice will never be forgotten 💗
Luiz Soares
Soube hoje, 8/8/22 que Olivia Newton- John faleceu aos 73 anos. Que pena. Meu coração chora. Nós, os seus fãs, estamos de luto. É uma perda irreparável. Agora me contento em ouvir-lhe a voz linda pelo Youtube. Descansa em paz.
48Accountant
An absolute talent! RIP, we will never forget you! Thanks for all you gave us!
Rolando Mota
Hace casi 50 años conocí esta melodía gracias a la versión de Olivia y me enamoré de ella (de la melodía).
Descanse en paz Olivia Newton John, gracias por tan hermosa voz.
Kent Lewis
My sister had this album and I fell in love with this beautiful performance. When I noticed What Child is This had the same melody it became my favorite Christmas song. I owe it all to Olivia.
Kazuaki Gabychan
My late brother used to listen to Olivia Newton John although he didn't understand much English at all. He died a few years after this song was released. Almost all Japanese liked Olivia back then. This is the best rendition of "Greensleeves" I've ever heard. Thank you, Olivia. Now I live in her hometown, Melbourne Australia.
Maddie
RIP Olivia Newton John. I've always loved your voice. Your music lives on.