Making a Good Thing Better

Making a Good Thing Better
Studio album by Olivia Newton-John
Released June 1977
Recorded 1977
Genre Country, musical theatre
Label MCA
Producer John Farrar
Olivia Newton-John chronology
Don't Stop Believin'
(1976)Don't Stop Believin'1976		 Making a Good Thing Better
(1977)		 Olivia Newton-John's Greatest Hits
(1977)Olivia Newton-John's Greatest Hits1977

Making a Good Thing Better is an album by Olivia Newton-John, released in 1977.

Reception

The album peaked at No. 34 on the US Pop chart and No. 13 on the Country chart.[1] 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'. In the Netherlands, it became her fourth chart-topping album.

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 an agreement to stay with MCA Records, though her recordings from the movie were on RSO Records.

Singles

The soul-sounding title track was the album single (with "Don't Cry for Me, Argentina" and "Sad Songs") only reached No. 87 on the Pop chart and No. 20 on the Adult Contemporary chart. It was Newton-John's first single not to reach the AC Top 10 since 1972's "What Is Life". The cover art is the same as what was re-issued for 2005's Gold CD. The original album featured a gatefold cover similar to her greatest hits packages, though only one vinyl LP album was contained inside.

Track listing

Side one
No.TitleWriter(s)Length
1."Making a Good Thing Better"Pete Wingfield3:47
2."Slow Dancing"Jack Tempchin4:00
3."Ring of Fire"
3:18
4."Coolin' Down"John Farrar3:58
5."Don't Cry for Me, Argentina"
6:03
Side two
No.TitleWriter(s)Length
6."Sad Songs"
  • Billy Alessi
  • Bobby Alessi
3:39
7."You Won't See Me Cry"
3:03
8."So Easy to Begin"
3:33
9."I Think I'll Say Goodbye"
2:41
10."Don't Ask a Friend"
  • Newton-John
3:46
11."If Love Is Real"
4:34

Personnel

  • Olivia Newton-John – lead vocals, backing vocals (2, 6, 7)
  • Greg Mathieson – acoustic piano (1, 2, 6, 9, 11), clavinet (3, 7), electric piano (4, 8), synthesizer (6), harpsichord (11)
  • Randy Edelman – harmonium (11)
  • John Farrar – electric guitar (1, 9, 10, 11), slide acoustic guitar (2, 7, 8, 9), slide electric guitar (3), backing vocals (9, 11)
  • Jay Graydon – electric guitar (1, 4, 6, 10), acoustic guitar (2, 7, 8, 9), slide electric guitar (11)
  • Sneaky Pete Kleinow – steel guitar (2, 8)
  • Doug Livingston – steel guitar (9)
  • Leland Sklar – bass (1-4, 6-11)
  • Jeff Porcaro – drums (1-4, 6-11), percussion (1, 3, 4, 7, 11)
  • Joe Porcaro – percussion (1, 7)
  • Tommy Morgan – harmonica (3)
  • Byron Berline – fiddle (3), mandolin (9)
  • George Marge – oboe (7), ocarina (7)
  • James Newton-Howard – string arrangements and conductor (1, 2, 4, 10), acoustic piano (10), harpsichord (10)
  • Peter Meyers – orchestra arrangements and conductor (5)
  • David Campbell – string arrangements and conductor (8)
  • Laura Creamer – backing vocals (1, 3)
  • Myrna Matthews – backing vocals (1, 3, 6)
  • Julie Rinker – backing vocals (1, 3)
  • Pattie Brooks – backing vocals (6)
  • Marti McCall – backing vocals (6)

Production

  • Producer – John Farrar
  • Engineers – Tom Bush, Bill Schnee, Armin Steiner and Linda Tyler.
  • Remixing – Bill Schnee and Elliot Scheiner
  • Recorded at Sunset Sound, Sound Labs, Hollywood Sound Recorders and Western Recorders (Hollywood, CA); A&R Studios (New York, NY); Little Mountain Sound Studios (Vancouver, B.C. ).
  • Art Direction – George Osaki
  • Photography – Bob Stone

Weekly charts

Chart (1977) Peak
position
Australia Albums (Kent Music Report)[2] 71
UK Albums (OCC)[3] 60
US Billboard 200[4] 34
US Top Country Albums (Billboard)[5] 13

References

  1. ↑ "Allmusic Olivia Newton-John > Charts & Awards". AllMusic. Archived from the original on 24 February 2015. Retrieved 8 October 2016.
  2. ↑ Kent, David (1993). Australian Chart Book 1970–1992. St Ives, NSW: Australian Chart Book. ISBN 0-646-11917-6.
  3. ↑ "Olivia Newton-John | Artist | Official Charts". UK Albums Chart. Retrieved May 21, 2016.
  4. ↑ "Olivia Newton-John Chart History (Billboard 200)". Billboard. Retrieved 8 October 2016.
  5. ↑ "Olivia Newton-John Chart History (Top Country Albums)". Billboard. Retrieved 8 October 2016.
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