Xanadu

Xanadu
Soundtrack by Olivia Newton-John and the Electric Light Orchestra
Released	August 1980
Recorded	1979-1980
Genre	Pop, Disco, Pop rock
Length	41:34
Label	Jet Records (UK) MCA Records (U.S.)
Producer	Jeff Lynne, John Farrar
Professional reviews
Allmusic link
Olivia Newton-John chronology
Totally Hot (1979) Xanadu (1980) Physical (1981)
Electric Light Orchestra chronology
Discovery (1979) Xanadu (1980) Time (1981)

The soundtrack to the 1980 movie Xanadu featured songs on side one of the album written by John Farrar and performed by Olivia Newton-John, and songs on side two performed by the Electric Light Orchestra which were composed by lead singer Jeff Lynne. The album was a Top 5 success in the UK and the US (where it was certified double platinum), and peaked at no.1 in Newton-John's native Australia.

Original Track Listing

Side 1

Olivia Newton-John

1. "Magic" – 4:31
2. "Suddenly" (duet with Cliff Richard) – 4:02
3. "Dancin'" (duet with The Tubes) – 5:17
4. "Suspended in Time" – 3:55
5. "Whenever You're Away From Me" (duet with Gene Kelly) – 4:22

Side 2

Electric Light Orchestra

1. "I'm Alive" – 3:46
2. "The Fall" – 3:34
3. "Don't Walk Away" – 4:48
4. "All Over the World" – 4:04
5. "Xanadu" (sung by Olivia Newton-John) – 3:28

Singles

Newton-John side

• "Magic" - #1 Billboard Hot 100, #1 Hot Adult Contemporary Tracks, #32 UK Singles Chart
• "Suddenly" - #20 Billboard Hot 100, #4 Hot Adult Contemporary Tracks, #15 UK Singles Chart

ELO Side

• "I'm Alive" - #16 Billboard Hot 100, #48 Hot Adult Contemporary Tracks, RIAA: Gold , #20 UK Singles Chart
• "All Over the World" - #13 Billboard Hot 100, #46 Hot Adult Contemporary Tracks , #11 UK Singles Chart
• "Don't Walk Away" - #21 UK Singles Chart, US: not released
• "Xanadu" (with Olivia Newton-John on lead vocal) - #8 Billboard Hot 100, #2 Hot Adult Contemporary Tracks, #1 UK Singles Chart

"Magic" became Newton-John's biggest Adult Contemporary hit to date. It also became Newton-John's biggest pop hit until "Physical" ruled the Hot 100 for ten weeks beginning in November 1981.

"Xanadu" is ELO's only #1 single in the UK.

Tracks excluded from soundtrack

1. "Fool Country" (Olivia Newton-John) B-side to "Magic" single
2. "Drum Dreams" (Electric Light Orchestra) B-side to "I'm Alive" single
3. "You Made Me Love You" (Olivia Newton-John) B-side to "Suddenly" single

ELO personnel

• Jeff Lynne - Lead vocals (except on "Xanadu"), backing vocals, electric guitars, acoustic guitars, synthesizers
• Bev Bevan - Drums, percussion, Tympani
• Richard Tandy - Pianos, synthesizers, all other keyboards
• Kelly Groucutt - Bass guitar, backing vocals
• Mack - engineer
• Strings conducted by Louis Clark

Chart positions

Weeks on chart

• Australia (ARIA Albums Chart): 29 weeks
• Canada (RPM Albums Chart): 20 weeks
• United Kingdom (UK Albums Chart): 17 weeks
• United States (Billboard 200): 36 weeks

References

• http://www.jefflynnesongs.com/
• http://home-1.tiscali.nl/~elo/Basis-frames/frames-other/feloclopedia-elo.htm
• http://members.iinet.com.au/~althomp/austelo/elo/chartelo.htm
• http://www.rockaria.com/charts.html
• http://www.webfitz.com/lyrics/Chartlst.html
• http://www.rock.co.za/files/sarock_charts.html#world
• http://lista.vg.no/artist_info.php?ArtistOp=show&artistId=2557
• http://swedishcharts.com/showinterpret.asp?interpret=Electric+Light+Orchestra
• http://austriancharts.at/showinterpret.asp?interpret=Electric+Light+Orchestra
• http://swisscharts.com/showinterpret.asp?interpret=Electric+Light+Orchestra
• http://tsort.info/music/3evwrf.htm
• http://www.hitparadeitalia.it/