Totally Hot

by Olivia Newton-John

Overview

Totally Hot is one of the most fun albums from Olivia Newton John. Total abandon is its trademark, the atmosphere lightened up a bit, and from top to bottom it is one of her most satisfying projects. "Please Don't Keep Me Waiting" is a girl group all grown up. Is it Newton-John's voice or Michael Botticker's synthesizer at the end of the first track? A little jarring for her country audience, but she takes care of them on "Dancin' 'Round and 'Round," a wonderful country-pop tune and quick about face. As with the Let Me Be There release, her name is prominently splashed on the cover and the tan background suits her well, with the mysterious look with the kerchief on the inside cover as playful as the music. David Foster, Steve Lukather, and Tom Snow add their talents to the project, but it is Newton-John, with the guidance of John Farrar, who really shines here. Her own "Talk to Me" is bouncy adult contemporary, but it is the two hit singles which, naturally, stand out. Tom Snow's "Deeper Than the Night" was a nice musical departure for the singer, with its strong piano reflecting the melody. Along with the John Farrar smash "A Little More Love," those involved showed that Olivia Newton-John could move beyond the three huge hits from the film Grease which saturated the airwaves in 1978. "A Little More Love" went Top Three in December of 1978, with "Deeper Than the Night" hovering around the Top Ten in May of 1979. The album contains a nice balance, something missing from 1985's Soul Kiss. "Borrowed Time" is more country-pop and is one of the more serious tracks on the album. The cover of Spencer Davis Group's "Gimme Some Lovin'," on the other hand, is as close to a drunken party as one will get on a Newton-John album. Jimmy Miller, producer of the original 1967 hit, would probably approve of the spirit -- it is definitely more fun than the Blues Brothers' version which charted three years after this. John Farrar actually pens three songs in a row on Totally Hot, including the title track, and with Newton-John's two contributions, the songstress and her producer compose half of this album. That the prolific John Farrar didn't contribute more to these albums shows how careful they were about material, but "Never Enough" is stunning, and maybe Newton-John will take on the Marvin, Welch, & Farrar songbook sometime in the future. The precision on the verse and chorus make for a beautiful album track, lyrics that flow perfectly on the singer's voice. The title track is funky and the big mistake on this disc is that Dr. John isn't performing a duet with Newton-John on this New Orleans adventure. The cover of Eric Carmen's "Boats Against the Current" is a nice feather in his cap. It's a dramatic reading that shows the other side of this recording. The Olivia Newton-John catalog runs deep, and Totally Hot is one of the more consistently entertaining albums in the collection. ~ Joe Viglione

Product Details

Release Date:	11/17/2023
Label:	Geffen
UPC:	0602455885524

Album Credits

Performance Credits

Olivia Newton-John   Primary Artist,Vocals,Vocal Group
Pattie Brooks   Vocals,Vocal Group
Steve Madaio   Trumpet
Steve Lukather   Guitar,Guitar (Synthesizer)
Chuck Findley   Trombone
Jai Winding   Organ,Piano
David Kemper   Drums
David Hungate   Bass
John Farrar   Bass,Guitar,Vocals,Vocal Group
Lenny Castro   Percussion
Marty Grebb   Alto,Sax (Alto),Horn (Alto)
Roy Galloway   Vocal Group
Tom Snow   Piano
Phyllis Saint James   Vocals,Vocal Group
Ed Greene   Drums
John Lehman   Vocal Group
Jim Gilstrap   Vocal Group
David Foster   Piano
Mike Botts   Drums
Victor Feldman   Percussion
Michael Botticker   Synthesizer
Carolyn Dennis   Vocal Group
Patricia Henderson   Vocal Group
David McDaniels   Bass
Sandy Ighner   Vocal Group
Zedric Turnbough   Vocal Group
Petsye Powell   Vocal Group
Ed Green   Drums
James Gilstrap   Vocal Group
Gerald Peterson   Sax (Tenor),Horn (Tenor)

Technical Credits

Spencer Davis   Composer
Patsy Montana   Composer
Terry Becker   Engineer
Steve Winwood   Composer
Jai Winding   Horn Arrangements
Elliot Scheiner   Engineer
Joe Falsia   Composer
Joe Seneca   Composer
David J. Holman   Engineer
Eric Carmen   Composer
John Farrar   Arranger,Composer,Producer
Johnny Vastano   Composer
Olivia Newton-John   Composer
Tom Snow   Composer
Ace Frehley   Composer
Adam Mitchell   Composer,Musical Adaptation
Muff Winwood   Composer
George Tutko   Engineer
James Newton Howard   String Arrangements
Trevor Spencer   Composer
Alan Tarney   Composer
Victor Feldman   Vibe Master
Pat Farrar   Composer
Ria Lewerke   Design,Art Direction
Sid Sharp   Leader
Ron Garrett   Engineer
Stephen Sinclair   Composer
Allen Zentz   Mastering
Bob Mockler   Engineer
Claude Mougin   Photography
Pat Farrari   Composer