If Not for You (album)
| If Not for You | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
 |
||||
| Studio album by Olivia Newton-John | ||||
| Released | November 1971 | |||
| Recorded | 1971 at Abbey Road Studios, London | |||
| Genre | Country pop, folk | |||
| Length | 35:54 | |||
| Label | Festival | |||
| Producer | John Farrar, Bruce Welch | |||
| Olivia Newton-John chronology | ||||
|
||||
| Singles from If Not for You | ||||
|
||||
| Professional ratings | |
|---|---|
| Review scores | |
| Source | Rating |
| AllMusic |   |
If Not for You is the debut studio album by British-Australian singer-songwriter Olivia Newton-John, released in November 1971 by Festival Records. The album was released on the Pye International label in the UK as Olivia Newton-John, with a slightly different cover. As a covers album, If Not for You features mostly songs previously recorded from contemporary artists of the 1960s and early 1970s. She made several performances to promote If Not for You and her follow-up album, Olivia, including an international tour with British singer Cliff Richard. It was her first album released by Festival Records, which would release all her albums in Australia until its dissolution in 2005. It also has Newton-John's first works with her long-time musical partner, John Farrar.
In 1966, Newton-John released her debut single, "Till You Say You'll Be Mine" (with "For Ever" as B-side), by Decca Records. Later, she integrated the band Toomorrow, which released a film and its soundtrack in 1970. After these failed attempts to launch her career, she signed with Festival Records to release an album. If Not for You was titled after its successful lead single of the same name and was recorded in London, where Newton-John resided at the time. She later stated that she didn't like the song, but praised its production. The majority of musicians who played on If Not for You were linked with the music group Marvin, Welch & Farrar. The group members John Farrar and Bruce Welch produced the album. Welch was her boyfriend at the time and Farrar is the husband of Australian singer Pat Carroll, a personal friend of Olivia's, and toured with her in England at clubs and bars as "Pat and Olivia" in 1966. Farrar would establish a partnership with Newton-John, producing all her studio albums from If Not for You until Soul Kiss, released in 1985. He also composed, played and did background vocals on several Newton-John songs. Three additional songs were recorded by Newton-John, but were discarded during the album creation process: "The Biggest Clown", "It's So Hard to Say Goodbye" and "Would You Follow Me". The first was released on "If Not for You" single, the second was released on the "Love Song" promo single and later on the 48 Original Tracks compilation album and the third was released on some pressings of "Banks of the Ohio" single and also on 48 Original Tracks.
...
Wikipedia