| Review scores | |
|---|---|
| Source | Rating |
| AllMusic |   [1] |
Back to Basics: The Essential Collection 1971–1992 is the third greatest hits album by English-Australian singer Olivia Newton-John, released on 9 June 1992 by Geffen Records. It is the first compilation to contain both her country and pop hits. The album contained four new tracks: lead single "I Need Love" (produced by Giorgio Moroder), US Adult Contemporary top-20 single "Deeper Than a River", "Not Gonna Be the One" and a cover version of Brenda Lee's 1960 US number one "I Want to Be Wanted". A tour was planned to promote the album, but had to be cancelled when Newton-John was diagnosed with breast cancer.
Release
The album was released with different track listings in different territories in order to feature her biggest hits in each region. Although the album did not chart highly in the US, it was a long-term big seller and eventually certified Gold.[2] The album was a bigger success in the UK and Australia.
Reception
AllMusic rated the album four and a half stars, stating that "an artist well-defined by her hit singles, Olivia Newton-John has had a stylistically varied career, as is illustrated on Back to Basics: The Essential Collection 1971-1992, a set that ranges from her teary ballad "I Honestly Love You" to that bouncy paean to getting horizontal, "Physical." Fans may quibble that such hits as "Let Me Be There" and "Make a Move on Me" are not included, but Newton-John's two greatest-hits albums are out of print, and this is the only collection to combine both her good-girl and bad-girl personae."[3]
In their review of the album, Billboard commented that "it's hard to believe that Livvy has been cranking out guilty pop pleasures for more than 20 years now. Though she has frequently taken a hefty critical slagging, there's no denying that tunes like "If You Love Me (Let Me Know)," "A Little More Love," and "I Honestly Love You" have worn well over time. On this set, which has numerous cuts previously unavailable on CD, ONJ keeps from drowning in nostalgia by offering four strong new songs. "I Need Love," an AIDS-conscious pop/dance cut, is the best radio bet, while "Not Gonna Be The One" proves exactly how much Wilson Phillips really does owe her." [4]
Cashbox stated "the amazing career of Olivia lives on. Her 18th album (second on Geffen) is primarily a greatest hits LP with four new songs...the rest of the album consists of 13 other select should make this record a collector's item."[5]
Spin commented that Newton-John's music was "the soundtrack to a million adolescent infatuations, consummations and separations," noting that "the four new-for-'92 tracks included on this collection harken back to the Olivia of old. Call this a comeback."[6]
Track listing
| No. | Title | Writer(s) | Producer(s) | Length |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1. | "Deeper Than a River" | Diane Warren |
| 4:19 |
| 2. | "Not Gonna Be the One" | Seth Swirsky | John Farrar | 3:12 |
| 3. | "I Want to Be Wanted" |
| Peter Asher | 3:26 |
| 4. | "I Need Love" |
| Giorgio Moroder | 4:12 |
| 5. | "Twist of Fate" |
| David Foster | 3:43 |
| 6. | "Physical" |
| Farrar | 3:43 |
| 7. | "Magic" | Farrar | Farrar | 4:25 |
| 8. | "Deeper Than the Night" |
| Farrar | 3:35 |
| 9. | "A Little More Love" | Farrar | Farrar | 3:27 |
| 10. | "You're the One That I Want" (with John Travolta) | Farrar | Farrar | 2:47 |
| 11. | "Summer Nights" (with John Travolta) | Louis St. Louis | 3:36 | |
| 12. | "Hopelessly Devoted to You" | Farrar | Farrar | 3:00 |
| 13. | "Please Mr. Please" | Farrar | 3:24 | |
| 14. | "Sam" |
| Farrar | 3:37 |
| 15. | "Have You Never Been Mellow" | Farrar | Farrar | 3:28 |
| 16. | "If You Love Me (Let Me Know)" | Rostill | Farrar | 3:12 |
| 17. | "I Honestly Love You" | Farrar | 3:36 | |
| Total length: | 54:19 | |||
| No. | Title | Writer(s) | Producer(s) | Length |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1. | "If Not for You" | Bob Dylan |
| 2:53 |
| 2. | "Banks of the Ohio" | Traditional |
| 3:16 |
| 3. | "What Is Life" | George Harrison |
| 3:26 |
| 4. | "Take Me Home, Country Roads" | Farrar | 3:17 | |
| 5. | "I Honestly Love You" | 3:37 | ||
| 6. | "Have You Never Been Mellow" | 3:30 | ||
| 7. | "Sam" | 3:42 | ||
| 8. | "You're the One That I Want" (with John Travolta) | 2:48 | ||
| 9. | "Hopelessly Devoted to You" | 3:06 | ||
| 10. | "Summer Nights" (with John Travolta) | 3:35 | ||
| 11. | "A Little More Love" | 3:29 | ||
| 12. | "Xanadu" (with Electric Light Orchestra) | Jeff Lynne | Lynne | 3:28 |
| 13. | "Magic" | 4:31 | ||
| 14. | "Suddenly" (with Cliff Richard) | Farrar | Farrar | 4:00 |
| 15. | "Physical" | 3:43 | ||
| 16. | "The Rumour" |
| 3:56 | |
| 17. | "Not Gonna Be the One" | 3:04 | ||
| 18. | "I Need Love" | 4:13 | ||
| 19. | "I Want to Be Wanted" | 3:26 | ||
| 20. | "Deeper Than a River" | 4:19 | ||
| 21. | "Warm and Tender" (Japanese bonus track) |
| Farrar | 3:22 |
| Total length: | 71:21 | |||
| No. | Title | Writer(s) | Producer(s) | Length |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1. | "I Need Love" | 4:14 | ||
| 2. | "Deeper Than a River" | 4:20 | ||
| 3. | "Not Gonna Be the One" | 3:06 | ||
| 4. | "I Want to Be Wanted" | 3:31 | ||
| 5. | "If Not for You" | 2:56 | ||
| 6. | "Banks of the Ohio" | 3:19 | ||
| 7. | "Let Me Be There" | Rostill |
| 3:01 |
| 8. | "I Honestly Love You" | 3:38 | ||
| 9. | "If You Love Me (Let Me Know)" | 3:16 | ||
| 10. | "Have You Never Been Mellow" | 3:33 | ||
| 11. | "Don't Stop Believin'" | Farrar | Farrar | 3:40 |
| 12. | "Sam" | 3:45 | ||
| 13. | "A Little More Love" | 3:30 | ||
| 14. | "Physical" | 3:44 | ||
| 15. | "Make a Move on Me" |
| Farrar | 3:19 |
| 16. | "Hopelessly Devoted to You" | 3:07 | ||
| 17. | "Xanadu" (with Electric Light Orchestra) | 3:29 | ||
| 18. | "Magic" | 4:31 | ||
| 19. | "Twist of Fate" | 3:42 | ||
| 20. | "Soul Kiss" | Mark Goldenberg | Farrar | 4:33 |
| 21. | "The Grease Megamix" (with John Travolta) |
|
| 4:51 |
| Total length: | 73:05 | |||
| No. | Title | Writer(s) | Producer(s) | Length |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1. | "No Matter What You Do" | Newton-John |
| 4:22 |
| 2. | "Don't Cut Me Down" | Newton-John |
| 4:15 |
| 3. | "It's Always Australia for Me" |
| Davitt Sigerson | 3:19 |
| 4. | "Can't We Talk It Over in Bed" |
| 3:55 | |
| 5. | "The Rumour" | 3:59 | ||
| 6. | "Please Mr. Please" | 3:24 | ||
| 7. | "Jolene" | Dolly Parton | Farrar | 3:07 |
| 8. | "Don't Cry for Me Argentina" | Farrar | 6:02 | |
| 9. | "Heart Attack" |
| Farrar | 3:08 |
| 10. | "Toughen Up" | Farrar | 3:49 | |
| Total length: | 38:00 | |||
Charts
| Chart (1992-1995) | Peak position |
|---|---|
| Australian Albums (ARIA)[7] | 15 |
| New Zealand Albums (RMNZ)[8] | 7 |
| UK Albums (OCC)[9] | 12 |
| US Billboard 200[10] | 121 |
| European Albums (Eurotipsheet)[11] | 80 |
| Denmark Album Chart[12] | 2 |
Certifications
| Region | Certification | Certified units/sales |
|---|---|---|
| Australia (ARIA)[13] | Gold | 35,000^ |
| United States (RIAA)[14] | Gold | 500,000^ |
|
^ Shipments figures based on certification alone. | ||
References
- ^ AllMusic review
- ^ "American album certifications – Olivia Newton-John – Back to Basics: The Essential Collection 1971–1992". Recording Industry Association of America.
- ^ "Back to Basics - Olivia Newton-John | Album | AllMusic". AllMusic.
- ^ "Album Reviews" (PDF). Billboard Music Week. No. 27 June 1992. p. 46. Retrieved 5 August 2024.
- ^ "Album Reviews" (PDF). Cash Box. No. 20 June 1992. p. 5. Retrieved 12 August 2024.
- ^ "Album Releases". Spin. No. August 1992. April 1989. p. 77. Retrieved 5 August 2024.
- ^ "Australiancharts.com – Olivia Newton-John – Back to Basics - The Essential Collection 1971-1992". Hung Medien.
- ^ "Charts.nz – Olivia Newton-John – Back to Basics - The Essential Collection 1971-1992". Hung Medien.
- ^ "Official Albums Chart Top 100". Official Charts Company. Retrieved 22 July 2022.
- ^ "Olivia Newton-John Chart History (Billboard 200)". Billboard.
- ^ "European Hot 100 Albums" (PDF). Eurotipsheet. Vol. 9, no. 32. 8 August 1988. p. 15. OCLC 29800226 – via World Radio History.
- ^ "European Hot 100 Albums" (PDF). Music & Media. Vol. 12, no. 35. 2 September 1995. p. 15. OCLC 29800226 – via World Radio History.
- ^ "ARIA Charts – Accreditations – 1992 Albums" (PDF). Australian Recording Industry Association. Retrieved 27 November 2021.
- ^ "American album certifications – Olivia Newton-John – Back to Basics: The Essential Collection 1971-1992". Recording Industry Association of America. 23 July 1998.
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