Come On Over - OLIVIA NEWTON JOHN***

Jolene/Pony Ride/Come On Over/It'll Be Me/Greensleeves/Blue Eyes Crying In The Rain/Don't Throw It All Away/Who Are You Now/Smile For Me/Small Talk & Pride/Wrap Me In Your Arms/Long & Winding Road

After a country phase, Come On Over is an album of mostly ballads and covers, before Olivia Newton John would make another musical change which would be towards disco. (US:13 UK:49)

“The really disappointing thing is that Come On Over is a great track, its perfectly suited to her style, but best heard on a hits collection. Aside from Don't Throw It All Away the rest is best heard as backing music to an afternoon nap.”

“Come On Over is the middle of Olivia Newton-John's MOR phase, which means the record is filled with mediocre ballads and contains little of interest. It is just not as consistently entertaining as her early country or pop successes. Her versions of Jolene and Blue Eyes Crying In The Rain are handled well, even if they don't hold a candle to the classics. The best song is the title track, which exemplifies all that is great about pop. The most interesting moment is her adaptation of Greensleeves, which is hauntingly intriguing. Most of the second half is ballads, which become indistinguishable from one another. Olivia Newton-John made several entertaining records, unfortunately, despite some highlights, this isn't one of them.”

“Dull is the word. Outside of the title track and Jolene there's not much electricity to be found here. Despite a long list of yawners, there's still Don't Throw It All Away, a catchy, mellow tune that would have made a good single.”

“Olivia tackles it all on this effort, everything from traditional country to folk to pop to disco. She seems a little bolder here with some of the material and her voice is breathier in some cases but stronger in others. Her cover of Dolly Parton's Jolene is terrific and has become a standard during her rare concert performances. There's also a beautiful rendition of The Long & Winding Road.”

“This is one of Olivia's worst albums; it feels like a filler of well known cover versions - almost like she had to produce an album. The performances are good, but often do not compare well with the originals, which probably means a bad choice of material. Jolene is a good recording as are Come On Over and Don't Throw It All Away, but Greensleeves should be left for medieval banquets.”