Studio Album · No. 16
Back with a Heart Songwriting Credits by Olivia Newton-John
Produced by Tony Brown, Gary Burr, Don Cook, John Farrar, Chris Farren, David Foster
Holds writing credit on 7 of 11 tracks
Authorship Breakdown 7 / 11 documented
Scored across the 11 tracks with documented writers, by whether Olivia Newton-John carries a lyricist or composer credit.
Share of the 11 tracks where a band member is credited, by role.
By the Numbers
Awards & Recognition 1
Back with a Heart is a more self-written record than Newton-John's early hit years. She co-wrote six of the eleven tracks, always with a Nashville partner: Anne Roboff on 'Precious Love' and 'Attention,' Victoria Shaw on 'Fight for Our Love' and 'Love Is a Gift,' Gary Burr on 'Spinning His Wheels' and the title track, plus Earl Rose, Chris Farren, and Steve Seskin on individual songs. Her longtime collaborator John Farrar, who wrote 'Hopelessly Devoted to You' and 'You're the One That I Want,' contributes two songs he both wrote and produced alone, 'Closer to Me' and 'Under My Skin.' Only two tracks come from writers outside her circle: 'I Don't Wanna Say Goodnight' by Al Anderson and Robert Ellis Orrall, and the closing re-recording of 'I Honestly Love You,' written by Peter Allen and Jeff Barry for her 1974 original. That closer is the album's one true reinterpretation, a David Foster production with Babyface singing behind her.
Back with a Heart is the studio album by Olivia Newton-John released on 12 May 1998 on MCA Nashville, with Festival Records handling the Australian release. Recorded in Nashville, Malibu, and Los Angeles between October 1997 and February 1998, it leans into a contemporary country-pop sound and split production across Tony Brown, Gary Burr, Don Cook, John Farrar, Chris Farren, and David Foster. Newton-John took a hand in the writing herself, co-writing six of the eleven songs with Nashville partners including Anne Roboff, Victoria Shaw, Gary Burr, and Steve Seskin. The album closes with a 1998 re-recording of her signature 1974 hit 'I Honestly Love You,' produced by David Foster with Babyface on background vocals, which returned her to the Billboard Hot 100 for the first time in six years. It reached number 9 on the US Top Country Albums chart and number 59 on the Billboard 200, and the track 'Love Is a Gift' later won a 1999 Daytime Emmy Award.
Track Listing & Credits 11 tracks
| # | Title | Lyricist(s) | Composer(s) | Producer(s) | Performers |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 |
Precious Love
|
Olivia Newton-JohnAnne Roboff | Olivia Newton-JohnAnne Roboff | Don Cook | Olivia Newton-John (Lead Vocals) |
| 2 |
Closer to Me
|
John Farrar | John Farrar | John Farrar | Olivia Newton-John (Lead Vocals) |
| 3 |
Fight for Our Love
|
Olivia Newton-JohnVictoria Shaw | Olivia Newton-JohnVictoria Shaw | Don Cook | Olivia Newton-John (Lead Vocals) |
| 4 |
Spinning His Wheels
|
Olivia Newton-JohnGary Burr | Olivia Newton-JohnGary Burr | Gary Burr | Olivia Newton-John (Lead Vocals) |
| 5 |
Under My Skin
|
John Farrar | John Farrar | John Farrar | Olivia Newton-John (Lead Vocals) |
| 6 |
Love Is a Gift
|
Olivia Newton-JohnVictoria ShawEarl Rose | Olivia Newton-JohnVictoria ShawEarl Rose | Tony Brown | Olivia Newton-John (Lead Vocals) |
| 7 |
I Don't Wanna Say Goodnight
|
Al AndersonRobert Ellis Orrall | Al AndersonRobert Ellis Orrall | Don Cook | Olivia Newton-John (Lead Vocals) |
| 8 |
Don't Say That
|
Olivia Newton-JohnChris Farren | Olivia Newton-JohnChris Farren | Chris Farren | Olivia Newton-John (Lead Vocals) |
| 9 |
Attention
|
Olivia Newton-JohnAnne RoboffSteve Seskin | Olivia Newton-JohnAnne RoboffSteve Seskin | Tony Brown | Olivia Newton-John (Lead Vocals) |
| 10 |
Back with a Heart
|
Olivia Newton-JohnGary Burr | Olivia Newton-JohnGary Burr | Gary Burr | Olivia Newton-John (Lead Vocals) |
| 11 |
I Honestly Love You
#67
|
Peter AllenJeff Barry | Peter AllenJeff Barry | David Foster | Olivia Newton-John (Lead Vocals)Babyface (Background Vocals) |