Studio Album · No. 3
Let Me Be There Songwriting Credits by Olivia Newton-John
Produced by John Farrar, Bruce Welch
Holds writing credit on 0 of 10 tracks
Authorship Breakdown 0 / 10 documented
Scored across the 10 tracks with documented writers, by whether Olivia Newton-John carries a lyricist or composer credit.
Share of the 10 tracks where a band member is credited, by role.
By the Numbers
On the US and Canada tracklist Olivia Newton-John writes nothing at all; this is entirely an interpreter's album. The title track came from John Rostill, the former Shadows bassist, and the rest is a songbook of early-1970s writers she covers straight: Kris Kristofferson twice, Bob Dylan, John Denver, Gordon Lightfoot, Chip Taylor, and Lesley Duncan, plus the traditional 'Banks of the Ohio.' Her own composition 'Rosewater' appears only on the UK version of this record, which was retitled 'Music Makes My Day,' so the American configuration keeps her firmly in the singer's chair rather than the writer's. The through-line is John Farrar and Bruce Welch, who produced every track and set the country-pop template that carried her early US career.
Let Me Be There is the US and Canada configuration of Olivia Newton-John's 1973 album, released on MCA and built around her reading of the John Rostill title song. The record was her American breakthrough, positioning her as a country-pop voice at a time when she was still based in Britain. Every song on this version is an interpretation of someone else's material, from Kris Kristofferson and Bob Dylan to John Denver and Gordon Lightfoot. Production came from John Farrar and Bruce Welch, both former members of the Shadows' orbit, who shaped the clean, string-softened country-pop sound that defined her early US run. The single 'Let Me Be There' reached the top ten of the Billboard Hot 100 and won her a Grammy for Best Country Vocal Performance, Female, and the album was certified Gold by the RIAA in 1974.
Track Listing & Credits 10 tracks
| # | Title | Lyricist(s) | Composer(s) | Producer(s) | Performers |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 |
Let Me Be There
#6
|
John Rostill | John Rostill | John FarrarBruce Welch | Olivia Newton-John (Lead Vocals) |
| 2 |
Me and Bobby McGee
|
Kris KristoffersonFred Foster | Kris KristoffersonFred Foster | John FarrarBruce Welch | Olivia Newton-John (Lead Vocals) |
| 3 |
Banks of the Ohio
|
Traditional | Traditional | John FarrarBruce Welch | Olivia Newton-John (Lead Vocals) |
| 4 |
Love Song
|
Lesley Duncan | Lesley Duncan | John FarrarBruce Welch | Olivia Newton-John (Lead Vocals) |
| 5 |
If Not for You
|
Bob Dylan | Bob Dylan | John FarrarBruce Welch | Olivia Newton-John (Lead Vocals) |
| 6 |
Take Me Home, Country Roads
|
Bill DanoffTaffy NivertJohn Denver | Bill DanoffTaffy NivertJohn Denver | John FarrarBruce Welch | Olivia Newton-John (Lead Vocals) |
| 7 |
Angel of the Morning
|
Chip Taylor | Chip Taylor | John FarrarBruce Welch | Olivia Newton-John (Lead Vocals) |
| 8 |
If You Could Read My Mind
|
Gordon Lightfoot | Gordon Lightfoot | John FarrarBruce Welch | Olivia Newton-John (Lead Vocals) |
| 9 |
Help Me Make It Through the Night
|
Kris Kristofferson | Kris Kristofferson | John FarrarBruce Welch | Olivia Newton-John (Lead Vocals) |
| 10 |
Just a Little Too Much
|
Johnny Burnette | Johnny Burnette | John FarrarBruce Welch | Olivia Newton-John (Lead Vocals) |