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| A Celebration in Song | 
 enlarge | Artist: Olivia Newton-john And Friends
Label: Capitol
Category: Music
List Price: $18.98
Buy New: $7.86
You Save: $11.12 (59%)
New (43) Used (7) from $7.86
Avg. Customer Rating:  15 reviews
Sales Rank: 3481
Media: Audio CD
Discs: 1
Shipping Weight (lbs): 0.2
Dimensions (in): 5.6 x 5 x 0.5
EAN: 5099922727428
ASIN: B001BS3H1E
Release Date: September 2, 2008
Availability: Usually ships in 1-2 business days
Condition: New! ---- New York's largest selection of CD's & DVD's at the lowest prices since 1976
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| Tracks:
| • | Right Here With You (w/ Delta Goodrem) | | • | Find A Little Faith (w/ Cliff Richard) | | • | Courageous (w/ Melinda Schneider) | | • | The Heart Knows (w/ Barry Gibb) | | • | Everything Love Is (w/ Jimmy Barnes) | | • | Isn't It Amazing (w/ Sun) | | • | Never Far Away (w/ Richard Marx) | | • | Sunburned Country (w/ Keith Urban) | | • | Reckless (w/ John Farrar) | | • | Angel In The Wings (w/ Jann Arden) | | • | The Water Is Wide (w/ Amy Sky & Ryan Dan) | | • | Beautiful Thing (w/ Belinda Emmett) |
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Product Description
New 12-song recording includes duets with Keith Urban, Barry Gibb, Sir Cliff Richard and many more.
A royalty from the sale of this album will go towards The Olivia Newton-John Cancer and Wellness Centre which provides world-class research of all types of cancer, and the best patient care and treatment to help heal the whole person body, mind and spirit.
Album Description
US pressing of the 2008 album from Olivia featuring new and previously released duets with many of her 'friends' including Keith Urban, Cliff Richard, Delta Goodrem, Barry Gibb, Jimmy Barnes, Richard Marx and many others. Since recovering from breast cancer in 1993, Olivia Newton-John has been committed to finding new cancer cures; she has also been a strong vice for attention to the person, not just the cancer. Her 2008 three week walk along the great wall of China and this album are intended to raise awareness and help fund her Cancer & Wellness center in Melbourne, Australia.
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| Customer Reviews: Read 10 more reviews...
Newton-John's Worthwhile "Celebration" June 5, 2008
11 out of 15 found this review helpful
Prime Cuts: Right Here with You (with Delta Goodrem), Everything Love Is (with Jimmy Barnes), Never Far Away (with Richard Marx)
Duets have been second nature to Livvy. Prodigious collaborations have littered her extensive career. Nothing tops her duet with John Travolta, even to this day, "You're the One I Want" is still one of the most requested karaoke songs. However, it was not until 2002 when she released her first full- fledged duets CD creatively entitled "2." "Celebration in Song" is the follow-up. Reflecting her larger than life personality and influence, her singing partners come from all over the world. From the US (Barry Gibb, Richard Marx and John Farrar) to Asia (Sun Ho) to Canada (RyanDan, Jann Arden and Amy Sky) to her native Australia (Keith Urban, Delta Goodrem, Jimmy Barnes and Melinda Schneider) to Europe (Cliff Richard), this is an all-star international phenom. And just like her duet partners, these songs transcend all genres, although most of them could easily fall under the rubric of easy listening with a slight hint of country.
Standout among the bunch is the lead single "Right Here with You." "Right Here with You," a duet with Australian divalet Delta Goodrem, puts together music and message together to create an inspirational homily with encouraging lines that ought to give a boost those defeated by life. "Right Here with Here" seamlessly segues into another inspirational ballad "Find a Little Faith" with Cliff Richard. Don't expect another "Suddenly," "Find a Little Faith" borders on a non-descript melodic line and lacks the punch of the Xanadu hit. Further, Sir Cliff Richard sounds tired and weak. Much better is the piano-led "Everything Love Is" -this ballad's heartwarming message gives definition to love is made even more poignant by the contrasting voices of angelic performance of Livvy and the gravel voice of rocker Jimmy Barnes. Calling to mind Marx's own "Now and Forever," "Never Far Away" (which first appeared on Livvy's "2") is a tour de force duet of romantic proportions.
The most upbeat song in this ballad heavy CD is Keith Urban's duet "Sunburned Country" (also from "2"). Ferocious guitars by Urban himself and a pulsating beat undergirds this very Australian-themed swagger "Sunburned Country." The rest of the CD which are mostly ballads, but they suffer from a lack of edginess and piquancy. Partly responsible for such a dirge comes from Amy Sky's pretty bland production. Jann Arden, one of the most intriguing Canadian voices out there, is let down with the offer of the rather pedestrian "Angel in the Wings"-- a rather vanilla inspirational number that founders on some fluff-filled New Age lyrics. Similarly RyanDan who has an expressive tenor is tapered off with a rather understated rendition of the classic "The Water is Wide."
After associating with Amy Sky, the last few Newton-John albums have been very ballad heavy. Nothing wrong with that; However, Amy Sky's songwriting and production chores tend to lack the verve and the magic touch of say a David Foster. Nevertheless, there are duets here that are still a knock out of the park. Further, part of the album's proceeds goes to breast cancer research: such a worthy cause and such a star-studded event are reasons worthy enough to join Livvy in her "Celebration."
Some really fine album cuts here! June 7, 2008
2 out of 4 found this review helpful
I have loved Olivia's past few studio albums, "Grace and Gratitude" and "Stronger Than Before", but neither were commercial enough for mass-consumption. Each was targeted to a special niche. This CD, however, contains some very good Top 40 and Adult Contemporary tracks that would certainly hit the charts if there were released here in the US.
I particularly enjoyed "Find a Little Faith" with Sir Cliff Richard. While the lyrics of this song have a Christian slant, it doesn't get "preachy" and the production has a true pop flavor.
Another track that is single-worthy is "Isn't it Amazing" with Sun. The harmonies are really good and their voices are very much suited for each other.
"Sunburned Country," co-written and performed with Keith Urban, is very good and should have been released as a single back in 2002 when her "2" CD was originally released in Australia. It has a strong country-rock feel.
There's only one real disappointment on this CD: "Reckless" with John Farrar. Farrar was Olivia's long-time producer and he wrote many (or MOST) of her hits. I was really looking forward to this track before the CD was released. I expected something great - almost magical. I was disappointed when I heard it. It sounded like something recorded at least 20 years ago, maybe 30. I have since learned it originally appeared on Farrar's solo album released in 1980. Olivia's vocals appear to have been added to Farrar's original recording. He's still very much alive and working, so why this particular song was chosen for this CD is beyond me. Don't get me wrong, sometimes duets using old recordings work, like Olivia with Peter Allen on her "2" CD, but Allen is no longer with us and it was a sentimental tribute that worked. It would have been preferable to have an modern track from Farrar and Olivia. It could have been something really special.
 Not Recommended June 16, 2008
2 out of 13 found this review helpful
This flat album from mid-1970's icon Olivia Newton-John is certainly not terrible, but there's nothing here that asks to be played a second time. Newt's vocals are on the now-accepted level of recent albums, but the choice of duet partners is, for me, what kills the album. I am dismayed to imagine that there are no other performers eager to record with her. The mind reels, to consider who may have provided more spark to the project- certainly, a reunion with John Travolta is the most obvious thrill. My personal choice would be a duet with Cher (also a 70's icon who's enjoyed more success each decade.) Male vocalist Sam Harris would have been a brilliant choice. David Cassidy would have been superb.One could pick and choose for hours...The project seems even more unfortunate, because Newt has released several albums in recent years, it's obvious she intends to continue her career into it's golden years, yet her album projects have all been avoidable mistakes. One wonders, if only she'd consult some objective fans, could she again have hit albums? I am aware of her hardcore fanbase who refuse to see any fault, yet, I honestly find myself wishing for more exciting albums that I could enjoy listening to again and again. This just isn't one of them.
Going through the motions. July 20, 2008
2 out of 21 found this review helpful
For someone whose career has included many, varied fabulous duets, Olivia Newton-John has never got the hang of duets albums. While this is nowhere as bad as her appalling '(2)' CD from 2002, the whole thing sounds half-hearted, rushed and quite honestly, a bit amateurish.
There doesn't appear to have been much thought going into either the duet partners or the material as old 'faves' like Cliff Richard and Barry Gibb have been wheeled out again on lacklustre tunes. Olivia's songwriting chum Amy Sky is here far too much as well. While I appreciate her contibution to one of O's best albums of recent years, 'Grace And Gratitude', here her weak cliche-ridden tunes and bleaty background vocals really grate and, if I might be so bold, it's time to retire her, Olivia!
Another problem is O's vocals. Now I know she's knocking on a bit and can't hit her 'Totally Hot' best anymore but surely another take of her duet with Melinda Schneider, 'Courageous' could've been arranged? It's one of the worst vocals I've ever heard from Olivia. The song is quite nice but Olivia actually spoils it with her gruff, passionless delivery.
The traditional 'The Water Is Wide' is another downer. Olivia blandly goes through the motions along with RyanDan and the ever-present Sky. Halfway through, I gave up trying to work out who was who in the sea of quivery, weak vocals. It's awful!
Obviously struggling to come up enough poor new songs and more uninteresting duet partners, O has rehashed a couple of songs from the aforementioned career-low '(2)' album. To be fair, she's chosen two of the worst songs to fit in with the newer stuff. Fallen country idol Keith Urban accompanies Olivia on the dreadful 'Sunburned Country' while long-forgotten 80's irritant Richard Marx snuffles his way through 'Never Far Away' which is too hideous to talk about.
Delta Goodrem turns up on one of the more bearable cuts, 'Right Here With You'. It's quite pleasant until you concentrate on the rubbishy lyrics. Is Olivia drawn to cliches? I mean does she actually seek out songs that say nothing, and poorly at that?
'Reckless' with her 70's and 80's songwriter John Farrar has long been a fans dream. A song from Farrar's excellent 1980 solo album, it should have been perfect for Olivia, yet somehow it's not. Farrar is OK but Olivia sound overly bright to me.
I know this is a charity album but it's exactly the reason that Olivia is forgotten pretty much these days. All those people who when they see her on TV promoting this will think it's the first thing she's recorded since 'Physical', and then they'll forget this, too! I know Olivia probably doesn't want to hit the heights anymore but if this is the best she can do, then maybe it's best she retires as she keeps threatening too.
 Olivia at her best! August 30, 2008
2 out of 2 found this review helpful
This is an album that could be a huge commercial hit!
Every song is a winner, we have all been waiting for a CD of this quality.
I see some of these songs possibly getting radio air play ( which is rare for any artist over the age of 21 these days)
For the pop loving Olivia fans , your wait is over, this album is FANTASTIC!
Olivia Newton-John sizzles on this CD!
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