Let Me Be There (album)

Let Me Be There is the third studio album by British-Australian singer Olivia Newton-John. It was originally released in November 1973 as Music Makes My Day in the United Kingdom, by Pye International Records, and shortly after in Australia as Let Me Be There, which became its most recognisable name. In the United States and Canada, Let Me Be There was released with an alternative tracklist, combining songs from the original release with other tracks from Newton-John's previous albums If Not for You and Olivia.

Let Me Be There
Studio album by
Olivia Newton-John
ReleasedNovember 1973
Genre
Length42:09
LabelFestival / MCA (US)
Producer
Olivia Newton-John chronology
Olivia
(1972)		 Let Me Be There
(1973)		 Long Live Love
(1974)
Singles from Let Me Be There
  1. "Take Me Home, Country Roads"
    Released: January 1973
  2. "Let Me Be There"
    Released: September 1973

Let Me Be There marked a shift in Newton-John's career. She achieved considerable success during her early years in the United Kingdom with some folk-inspired singles, but Let Me Be There would make the United States her largest market at the time, being considered her breakthrough album in this country and influencing an inclination to a more country pop sound that would define most of her next records in the 1970s. The songs "Take Me Home, Country Roads" and "Let Me Be There" were released as singles from the album.

Release

The American publication of the album by MCA Records used the cover art from Olivia's 1972 LP record Olivia, which was not released by MCA. Some of its songs were taken for the US publication, such as song titles from the British publications of the albums If Not for You and Olivia.

Though the title song was a commercial failure in England, it was Olivia Newton-John's first American top ten hit, successfully boosting her singing career in North America. She had previously charted in the Billboard Top 40 with the song "If Not for You". The LP sold 89,130 copies in Japan.[1]

Critical reception
Professional ratings
Review scores
SourceRating
AllMusic[2]

AllMusic editor Joe Viglione wrote in his retrospective review: "It's early Newton-John, a bit naïve and far from the sophistication of her Warm and Tender release on Geffen, but it works, especially because it contains her first two hit records."[2]

Chart performance

The album was released to capitalise on the success of its title track that had earned Newton-John a Grammy for Best Country Female. The album was certified Gold by the RIAA in 1974,[3] and it peaked at No. 54 on the US Pop chart and at No. 1 (for two weeks) on the Country chart.

Track listing

All songs produced by John Farrar and Bruce Welch.[4]

Music Makes My Day
Side one
No.TitleWriter(s)Length
1."Take Me Home, Country Roads"
3:22
2."Amoureuse"
3:40
3."Brotherly Love"John Farrar3:21
4."Heartbreaker"Russ Ballard2:32
5."Rosewater"Newton-John5:05
6."You Ain't Got the Right"
3:31
Side two
No.TitleWriter(s)Length
7."Feeling Best"Glenn Shorrock3:22
8."Being on the Losing End"
3:43
9."Let Me Be There"John Rostill3:03
10."Music Makes My Day"Farrar3:14
11."Leaving"
3:52
12."If We Try"Don McLean3:24

Let Me Be There

In the United States, the album was released with artwork from her 1972 Olivia album and some different songs from this and some earlier Newton-John albums.

Side one
No.TitleWriter(s)Length
1."Let Me Be There"Rostill3:00
2."Me and Bobby McGee"
3:46
3."Banks of the Ohio"Traditional3:15
4."Love Song"Lesley Duncan3:44
5."If Not for You"Bob Dylan2:50
Side two
No.TitleWriter(s)Length
6."Take Me Home, Country Roads"
  • Danoff
  • Nivert
  • Denver
3:16
7."Angel of the Morning"Chip Taylor3:52
8."If You Could Read My Mind"Gordon Lightfoot3:41
9."Help Me Make It Through the Night"Kristofferson2:19
10."Just a Little Too Much"Johnny Burnette2:05

Personnel

Performers and musicians

  • Brian Bennett – drums
  • Terry Britten – guitar
  • Vicki Brown – background vocalist
  • Pat Carroll – background vocalist
  • John Farrar – arranger, background vocalist, instruments, producer
  • Mo Foster – bass
  • Cliff Hall – piano
  • Jean Hawker – background vocalist
  • Alan Hawkshaw – arranger, piano
  • Dave Macrae – piano
  • Margo Newman – background vocalist
  • Olivia Newton-John – vocalist
  • Kevin Peek – guitar
  • Mike Sammes – background vocalist
  • Trevor Spencer – drums
  • Alan Tarney – background vocalist, bass
  • Bruce Welch – guitar, producer
  • Mark Warner – guitar

Charts

Certifications and sales
Certifications and sales for Let Me Be There
Region CertificationCertified units/sales
Canada (Music Canada)[13] Platinum 100,000^
Japan (Oricon Charts) — 89,130[6]
United States (RIAA)[14] Gold 500,000^

^ Shipments figures based on certification alone.

References
  1. Okamoto, Satoshi (2006). Oricon Album Chart Book: Complete Edition 1970–2005. Roppongi, Tokyo: Oricon Entertainment. p. 349. ISBN 4-87131-077-9.
  2. AllMusic review
  3. "American album certifications – Olivia Newton-John – Let Me Be There". Recording Industry Association of America.
  4. Let Me Be There (CD liner). Olivia Newton-John. Festival records. 1973.{{cite AV media notes}}: CS1 maint: others in cite AV media (notes) (link)
  5. "Top RPM Albums: Issue 4120a". RPM. Library and Archives Canada. Retrieved 4 July 2017.
  6. Oricon Album Chart Book: Complete Edition 1970-2005. Roppongi, Tokyo: Oricon Entertainment. 2006. ISBN 4-87131-077-9.
  7. "Olivia Newton-John | Artist | Official Charts". UK Albums Chart. Retrieved 2 November 2014.
  8. "Olivia Newton-John Chart History (Billboard 200)". Billboard. Retrieved 2 November 2014.
  9. "Olivia Newton-John Chart History (Top Country Albums)". Billboard. Retrieved 2 November 2014.
  10. "Cash Box Top Albums" (PDF). Cashbox. Retrieved 15 August 2022.
  11. "Cash Box Country Albums" (PDF). Cashbox. Retrieved 15 August 2022.
  12. "Top Country Albums – Year-End 1974". Billboard. Retrieved 19 August 2021.
  13. "Canadian album certifications – Olivia Newton-John – Let Me Be There". Music Canada. Retrieved 19 August 2021.
  14. "American album certifications – Olivia Newton-John – Let Me Be There". Recording Industry Association of America.
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