SONG & HIT DETAILS
Artist Name: OLIVIA NEWTON JOHN AND THE ELECTRIC LIGHT ORCHESTRA
Top Position (Australia): 2
Song Author: Jeff Lynne
Year Recorded: 1980
Record Label: Jet
Label Number: JS 017
SONG PROFILE
Xanadu (Olivia Newton-John and Electric Light Orchestra song)
Single by Olivia Newton-John and Electric Light Orchestra from the album Xanadu
B-side “Whenever You’re Away From Me”
[Olivia Newton-John, Gene Kelly]
[U.S. version],”Fool Country”
[Olivia Newton-John alone]
[UK version]
Released June 20, 1980
Format 7″
Recorded 1980 Musicland Studios Munich
Genre Disco, Pop
Length 3:28
Label Jet
Writer(s) Jeff Lynne
Producer Jeff Lynne
Certification Silver (UK)
“Xanadu”
Single by Olivia Newton-John and Electric Light Orchestra
from the album Xanadu
B-side “Whenever You’re Away From Me”
[Olivia Newton-John, Gene Kelly]
[U.S. version],
“Fool Country”
[Olivia Newton-John alone]
[UK version]
Released June 20, 1980
Format 7″
Recorded 1980 Musicland Studios Munich
Genre Disco, Pop
Length 3:28
Label Jet
Writer(s) Jeff Lynne
Producer Jeff Lynne
Certification Silver (UK)
Electric Light Orchestra singles chronology
“I’m Alive”
(1980) “Xanadu”
(1980) “All Over The World
(1980)
Olivia Newton-John chronology
“Magic”
(1980) “Xanadu”
(1980) “Suddenly”
“Xanadu” is the title song from the album Xanadu, the soundtrack to the 1980 film of the same name.
The song is performed by the Electric Light Orchestra and Olivia Newton-John. Newton-John sings the primary vocals, with ELO adding “parenthetic” vocals in the style of their other songs on the “Xanadu” soundtrack, along with providing the instrumentation.
A rare collaboration for ELO, the single reached no.1 in several countries and was the band’s only UK #1 single when it peaked there for two weeks in July 1980. The song peaked at #8 on the Billboard Hot 100 in the US.
Personnel
Olivia Newton-John – Vocals
Jeff Lynne – Guitar, Keyboards, backing vocals
Bev Bevan – Drums, percussion
Richard Tandy – Keyboards
Kelly Groucutt – Bass, backing vocals
Louis Clark – Strings