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
Not Gonna Be The One
Olivia Newton-John Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Lovers once, but in the end, we never really had a chance
You wanted to be free, now that you're lonely, you want me back again
But I'm not gonna be the one that you call
Not gonna take the fall, for all your indecision
Not gonna put my back to the wall
Not gonna take the fall, for all the pain you've given
Me and you, we were a dream that never could come true
In time you'll see, that our love was never really meant to be
And if you discover, you need a lover, someone to break your fall
But I'm not gonna be the one that you call
Not gonna take the fall, for all your indecision
Not gonna put my back to the wall
Not gonna take the fall, for all the pain you've given
You wanted to be free, now that you're lonely, you want me at your arm
But I'm not gonna be the one that you call
Not gonna take the fall, for all your indecision
Not gonna put my back to the wall
Not gonna take the fall, for all the pain you've given
In "Not Gonna Be The One," Olivia Newton-John sings about a former lover who wants to come back into her life after leaving her to be free. They had once been lovers, but their relationship never had a chance to thrive. Olivia doesn't want to be the person her former lover calls when they are lonely, nor does she want to take the fall for all the indecisions that led to their separation. The song is about standing ground and refusing to be a victim of someone else's actions.
Olivia's strong voice and the driving beat of the drums are the driving force behind this powerful message. The lyrics are straightforward, but the emotion behind them is evident in every word. It's an anthem for anyone who has been hurt by someone they once loved and refused to be a victim of their past.
Line by Line Meaning
Here we are in a room full of broken hearts
We're in a place with people who have had their hearts broken, including ours.
Lovers once, but in the end, we never really had a chance
We used to be in a romantic relationship, but ultimately it was doomed to fail.
You wanted to be free, now that you're lonely, you want me back again
You chose to leave the relationship to be free, but now that you're lonely, you want me back.
But I'm not gonna be the one that you call
I'm not going to be your first choice or the person you rely on.
Not gonna take the fall, for all your indecision
I won't be held responsible for any negative consequences of your uncertainty or hesitation.
Not gonna put my back to the wall
I am not going to let myself be in a vulnerable or defenseless position.
Not gonna take the fall, for all the pain you've given
I refuse to suffer the consequences for any hurt or harm you may have caused me.
Me and you, we were a dream that never could come true
We had a vision of a wonderful future together, but it's always been unrealistic.
In time you'll see, that our love was never really meant to be
Eventually you'll realize that our love was never inevitable or fated.
And if you discover, you need a lover, someone to break your fall
If you ever find yourself in need of a partner who can help you, catch you, or support you.
But I'm not gonna be the one that you call
I won't be your first choice or the person you rely on.
You wanted to be free, now that you're lonely, you want me at your arm
You chose to leave the relationship to be free, but now that you're lonely, you want me back at your side.
But I'm not gonna be the one that you call
I'm not going to be your first choice or the person you rely on.
Not gonna take the fall, for all your indecision
I won't be held responsible for any negative consequences of your uncertainty or hesitation.
Not gonna put my back to the wall
I am not going to let myself be in a vulnerable or defenseless position.
Not gonna take the fall, for all the pain you've given
I refuse to suffer the consequences for any hurt or harm you may have caused me.
Lyrics © Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC
Written by: SETH SWIRSKY, SETH A SWIRSKY
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
Jarma
It's funny. It's definitely 90s, but the John Farrarness of it is UNMISTAKEABLE.
I can hear heart attack, tied up, and physical. Even I paralyze. I can hear the John Farrar in this.
The way she executes the chorus. The way the verses are a little... Unconventional, then a melodic prechorus.
So Farrar.
I know he didn't write it but you can hear his influence all over it.
I thought this one was way better than the other two.
I want to be wanted is given such a hopelessly devoted tint....it's really the strongest one, even if it's a little bit of a simp anthem.
But deeper than a river is just ...eeghad
For a Diane Warren song it's just dreadful.
Olivia's voice is beautiful but that electric piano is just so ...bleh.
I like ALittleMoreLove. Olivia needs an edge sometimes.
With Disco, MakeAMoveOnMe is my favorite.
But I always felt the new tracks on this album were unimpressive.
Really didn't like deeperthansriver.
IWantToBeWanted is great but it conjures images of Meg Ryan in New York lol
I need love is just ...
Eh
If you have a spoken word part where it's all about attitude, you can't really be saying something so wholesome. It's not a great song. It's okay.
I could drop 1&4 and put MakeaMoveOnMe and Xanadu on this.
This and IWantToBeWanted could be the singles.
HenryMurphy Chronicles
One of the best best songs Olivia has ever recorded! This is soooo underrated!
James Warner
Totally agree! One of her best!!
joeljack1
Should have been released as a single. One of her best. I remember a review telling Wilson Phillips to take notes. This was how harmonies were done.
Ty
I remember first hearing this song and fell in love with it. It struck me as classic Olivia going back to her roots that made her a star.
Rich O Hanna
The reprise at the end of the song with the strings is a total goose bump moment. Olivia's BV's are sublime. The Bee Gees had become unfashionable at this point (always a result of Uber Fame) so that didn't help the success of the song. Also Olivia had more important things to think about than promote her music . Still all these years later it sounds like a hit song.
Steven Anda
my thoughts exactly
Grant Walters
The Bee Gees had absolutely nothing to do with this song, so
I’m not sure why their fashionability had any bearing on its success…
James Warner
Yes total goosebumps! I have always wished the ending would go on longer. Fantastic song!
James Warner
I think he just means that it sounds like The Bee Gees. By this time their sound was considered not current. Not that it isn’t great though.
Steven Anda
Massively underrated song.