If Not For You by Olivia Newton-John

If Not For You

1971

Olivia Newton John

I adore Taylor Swift...she's lovely, massively talented, down to earth, awesome to her fans, and is one of the few singers today that even threatens to approach the outskirts of the awesomeness that was Seventies music. Many also say she's the first true female Country-Pop cross-over artist. And to that last little item I say... Say What??

Sorry , Tay...I love ya and your music, but you got beat to the punch in a BIG way on that one about 42 years ago. There was another beautiful and talented blond singer who was all of the above, and she was part of the awesomeness that was Seventies Music!

She was born in England, grew up as an Aussie, and hit it big in the States...And she's still a very lovely lady, and can still carry a tune.

Of course I'm talking about Olivia Newton John, who was already a platinum selling, much adored young lady well on her way to being a Seventies icon when she and John Travolta starred in that, er, obscure little musical about a bad boy and a good girl from the Fifties that I blogged about a month or two back.

Her first US hit was actually a cover of a Bob Dylan song that was also covered by former Beatle George Harrison. And 'Liv didn't want to cover it. I'm talking she absolutely hated the song, and had to be cajoled into covering it by both her managers and her fiancee'. And when she did finally record it, she didn't think she sang it well.

Olivia covered the George Harrison version of the song when she recorded it, and it's a good thing she finally did record it, because when that sweet voice started oozing from radio speakers back just before Christmas, 1971, crooning 'If Not For youuuuu' with that little touch of Aussie accent here and there,...well we fell in love with it. And her. Oh not to the extent we would a few years down the road, but enough to let her just crack the top 25 on the Billboard Hot 100 and top the Adult Contemporary charts. Liv's version kicked both Dylan's and George Harrison's versions butts very handily, by the way.

Neither of the other versions were released as singles in the U.S., and they were overshadowed by Liv's cover version then, and are to this day.

Liv (Or 'Livvie', as she was called by friends, family, and fans in Australia) didn't know it yet but she was well on her way to being the '70s icon that she very definitely is.

Sadly, 'If Not For You' seems to have fallen off the radar as far as Oldies stations are concerned, but I think most of us 'Seventies Refugees' remember it coming out. And the guys thought how lovely her voice was and loved her for her mind because, after all, she was the granddaughter of Physicist Max Born. Those lovely eyes, that beautiful smile, and the fact that she was perky, adorable, vivacious and...well...cute as a button had nothing to do with what us guys thought of her! (Sure...) Nothing I say! (Right, Rob...keep on tellin' em!...)

Anyway...To bad you don't hear it much at all anymore. Livvie nailed it when she recorded it, even if she didn't think so! And We, The Kids Of The Seventies, began to fall in love with her for it.

So enjoy! If Not For You, by Olivia Newton John

And as a bonus...a live performance from an Australian variety show when Livvie returned home back in 1971/ Watch her in this and you understand why all us guys fell head over heels for her.

A couple of interesting little factoids about 'If Not For You'

Supposedy, Liv had her dog in the booth with her when 'If Not For You' was recorded...and of course he knocked over a music stand. They kept it in because it wasn't that noticeable...but you can hear it, if know to listen for it, right after the instrumental bridge.

This song was requested so much by military wives as a dedication to their husbands, who were serving in Vietnam, that some radio stations had to put a limit of ten or so requests a day on it.