1977 Olivia Newton-John – Making A Good Thing Better
Making A Good Thing Better is an album by Olivia Newton-John, released 1977. The album peaked at No. 34 Pop and No. 13 Country. It was Newton-John’s first album not to reach the Country Top 10. The album also ended Olivia’s streak of six consecutive gold albums from 1974’s “Let Me Be There” through 1976’s “Don’t Stop Believin’.” It was a different story in the Netherlands, where it became her fourth chart-topping album.
Olivia Newton-John was in a dispute with MCA records at the time of the recording and was in negotiations to be released from MCA, thus the label did not promote the album. At the time, Newton-John sued for her release from MCA, claiming they had not promoted her music, resulting in diminished chart placement. She attempted to promote the album and single, appearing on the cover of Us Weekly on 23 August 1977 and making a promotional clip of the song that aired on NBC’s “The Midnight Special”.
Olivia Newton-John went on to sign on to do the movie Grease, and came to agreement to stay with MCA Records, though her recordings from the movie were on RSO Records.
Tracks
1 Making A Good Thing Better (Pete Wingfield) 3:45
2 Slow Dancing (Jack Tempchin) 3:59
3 Ring Of Fire (June Carter, Merle Kilgore) 3:19
4 Coolin’ Down (John Farrar) 3:58
5 Don’t Cry For Me Argentina (Andrew Lloyd Webber, Tim Rice) 6:02
6 Sad Songs (Billy Alessi, Bobby Alessi) 3:39
7 You Won’t See Me Cry (Joe Falsia, Stephen Sinclair) 3:03
8 So Easy To Begin (Jules Shear) 3:32
9 I Think I’ll Say Goodbye (Jim Rushing, Marshal Chapman) 2:41
10 Don’t Ask A Friend (Olivia Newton-John) 3:45
11 If Love Is Real (Randy Edelman) 4:33
Biography
Musicians
1 Making A Good Thing Better
| Bass | Leland Sklar |
| Drums | Jeffrey Porcaro |
| Guitar | John Farrar |
| Guitar | Jay Graydon |
| Piano | Greg Mathieson |
| Strings | James Newton Howard |
| Percussion | Joe Porcaro |
| Background Vocals | Myrna Matthews |
| Background Vocals | Laura Creamer |
| Background Vocals | Julia Rinker |
| Vocals | Olivia Newton-John |
2 Slow Dancing
| Bass | Leland Sklar |
| Drums | Jeffrey Porcaro |
| Acoustic Guitar | John Farrar |
| Acoustic Guitar | Jay Graydon |
| Steel Guitar | Pete Kleinow |
| Strings | James Newton Howard |
| Piano | Greg Mathieson |
| Vocals | Olivia Newton-John |
3 Ring Of Fire
| Bass | Leland Sklar |
| Drums | Jeffrey Porcaro |
| Clavinet | Greg Mathieson |
| Harmonica | Tommy Morgan |
| Fiddle | Byron Berline |
| Background Vocals | Myrna Matthews |
| Background Vocals | Laura Creamer |
| Background Vocals | Julia Rinker |
| Vocals | Olivia Newton-John |
4 Coolin’ Down
| Bass | Leland Sklar |
| Drums | Jeffrey Porcaro |
| Guitar | Jay Graydon |
| Piano | Greg Mathieson |
| Strings | James Newton Howard |
| Vocals | Olivia Newton-John |
6 Sad Songs
| Bass | Leland Sklar |
| Drums | Jeffrey Porcaro |
| Guitar | Jay Graydon |
| Piano | Greg Mathieson |
| Synthesizer | Greg Mathieson |
| Strings | James Newton Howard |
| Background Vocals | Myrna Matthews |
| Background Vocals | Marty McCall |
| Background Vocals | Patti Brooks |
| Vocals | Olivia Newton-John |
7 You Won’t See Me Cry
| Bass | Leland Sklar |
| Drums | Jeffrey Porcaro |
| Acoustic Guitar | John Farrar |
| Acoustic Guitar | Jay Graydon |
| Clavinet | Greg Mathieson |
| Oboe | George Marge |
| Percussion | Joe Porcaro |
| Vocals | Olivia Newton-John |
8 So Easy To Begin
| Bass | Leland Sklar |
| Drums | Jeffrey Porcaro |
| Acoustic Guitar | John Farrar |
| Acoustic Guitar | Jay Graydon |
| Steel Guitar | Pete Kleinow |
| Piano | Greg Mathieson |
| Strings | David Campbell |
| Vocals | Olivia Newton-John |
9 I Think I’ll Say Goodbye
| Bass | Leland Sklar |
| Drums | Jeffrey Porcaro |
| Guitar | John Farrar |
| Acoustic Guitar | John Farrar |
| Acoustic Guitar | Jay Graydon |
| Mandolin | Byron Berline |
| Steel Guitar | Doug Livingston |
| Background Vocals | John Farrar |
| Piano | Greg Mathieson |
| Vocals | Olivia Newton-John |
10 Don’t Ask A Friend
| Bass | Leland Sklar |
| Drums | Jeffrey Porcaro |
| Guitar | John Farrar |
| Guitar | Jay Graydon |
| Piano | James Newton Howard |
| Strings | James Newton Howard |
| Vocals | Olivia Newton-John |
11 If Love Is Real
| Bass | Leland Sklar |
| Drums | Jeffrey Porcaro |
| Guitar | John Farrar |
| Guitar | Jay Graydon |
| Organ | Randy Edelman |
| Piano | Greg Mathieson |
| Background Vocals | John Farrar |
| Vocals | Olivia Newton-John |
Liner Notes
Producer – John Farrar
Engineer (Recording, Remixing) – Bill Schnee
Engineer (Recording) – Armin Steiner, Linda Tyler, Tom Bush
Engineer (Remixing) – Elliot Scheiner
Arranged By (Strings) – James Newton Howard (Tracks 1, 2, 4, 10)
Arranged By (Orchestra) – Pete Myers (Track 5)
Arranged By (Strings) – David Campbell (Track 8)
Conductor (Strings) – James Newton Howard (Tracks 1, 2, 4, 10)
Conductor (Orchestra) – Pete Myers (Track 5)
Conductor (Strings) – David Campbell (Track 8)
Art Direction – George Osaki
Photography – Bob Stone
Recorded At Sound Labs, Hollywood
Recorded At Sunset Sound Recorders
Recorded At Hollywood Sound Recorders
Recorded At Western Recorders
Recorded At A&R Studios
Recorded At Little Mountain Sound Studios
Remastered At Hiltongrove Mastering
Phonographic Copyright MCA Records
Copyright MCA Records
Copyright UMG Recordings Inc