Olivia Newton-John Once Remade Her Biggest Hit for a Popular TV Show Decades Later
The late Olivia Newton-John will likely be best remembered for her role in Grease. However, the Australian singer and actor accomplished a lot more than that musical hit over her career. Now following her death in 2022 at the age of 73, fans are digging through her music and film work. But many Newton-John fans might forget she remade her biggest hit song for a hit TV show in 2010.
‘Grease’ provided a boost to Olivia Newton-John’s music career
Playing Sandy Olsson in Grease certainly boosted Newton-John’s profile. But she wasn’t exactly a nobody when she starred opposite John Travolta in that movie. She had only a pair of little-seen movie credits to her name. But Newton-John already released several albums – and hits like “I Honestly Love You” – prior to belting out “Hopelessly Devoted to You” in Grease.
Nevertheless, that 1978 musical came to define her career for generations of fans. Subsequent movie roles – such as 1980’s Xanadu and 1983’s Two of a Kind, which reunited Newton-John and Travolta – paled in comparison. Grease remains a gold standard for movie musicals among fans. And without it, Newton-John’s 1981 hit single “Physical” might not have topped the charts.
A 2010 guest appearance on ‘Glee’ led to an unexpected cover
The lead single on her album of the same name, “Physical” chronicles a woman’s desire to take a new relationship to the next level. The song hit No. 1 on the Billboard charts, easily becoming Newton-John’s biggest hit. But it’s also well known for its music video, set in a workout setting, as Newton-John suggestively encourages various mostly-exposed men to put all their effort into their time at the gym. The video is memorably dated by its 1980s aesthetics.
That campy tone is exactly what Newton-John tapped back into when she appeared on Glee. In season 1 of that musical comedy-drama, Newton-John plays herself in two episodes. In her first appearance, Newton-John recreates her “Physical” music video as a duet with Glee star Jane Lynch. While the show often covered hit songs, this is one of the only times in which the original artist appears on the show and participates in the Glee version of their own song.
Olivia Newton-John continued releasing new music through 2021
“Physical” might have proven to be Newton-John’s apex as a musical artist. But she never turned her back on music. In fact, the singer continues to release albums consistently up until 2016. Newton-John even released a collaborative holiday album with Travolta, titled This Christmas, in 2012.
Her role in Grease will likely always be the most popular part of Newton-John’s legacy. However, fans looking to catch up with the late star’s body of work really shouldn’t ignore her extensive catalog of music. “Physical” and “I Honestly Love You” only hint at a career that extended for several decades.
