Studio Album · No. 13
The Rumour Songwriting Credits by Olivia Newton-John
Produced by Elton John, James Newton Howard, Davitt Sigerson, Hank Medress, Sandy Linzer, Randy Goodrum · Engineered by Jack Joseph Puig, John Beverly Jones, Brian Malouf
Holds writing credit on 4 of 10 tracks
Authorship Breakdown 4 / 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
The Rumour is one of the more author-driven records in Olivia Newton-John's catalog. The title track is the marquee outside song, written by Elton John and Bernie Taupin, with John himself on piano and backing vocals, but the rest of the album leans on Newton-John's own pen. She co-wrote four of the ten tracks: 'Let's Talk About Tomorrow' with John Capek and Amy Sky, and 'It's Not Heaven,' 'Get Out,' and 'Car Games' with Randy Goodrum. Producer Davitt Sigerson shaped most of the album and also co-wrote the closing 'Tutta La Vita' with Italian songwriter Lucio Dalla. The credits split cleanly between marquee guest writers up top and Newton-John's own co-writes through the middle of the record.
The Rumour is the fourteenth studio album by Olivia Newton-John, released on 2 August 1988 on MCA Records, with Mercury handling the European edition. It followed a two-year break after the birth of her daughter Chloe in 1986 and paired her with a rotating cast of producers and writers rather than a single studio team. The title track was written by Elton John and Bernie Taupin, and John played piano and sang backing vocals on it while co-producing it with James Newton Howard. Davitt Sigerson produced most of the remaining tracks, and Newton-John co-wrote four songs, three of them with Randy Goodrum and one with John Capek and Amy Sky. Despite the high-profile collaborators and a careful, polished production, the album was a commercial disappointment, reaching only number 67 on the US Billboard 200. It is one of the more songwriter-driven records of her later career, with her own name appearing in the credits more often than on her earlier hits.
Track Listing & Credits 10 tracks
| # | Title | Lyricist(s) | Composer(s) | Producer(s) | Performers |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 |
The Rumour
#62
|
Bernie Taupin | Elton John | Elton JohnJames Newton Howard | Olivia Newton-John (Lead Vocals)Elton John (Piano, Background Vocals) |
| 2 |
Love and Let Live
|
Alan O'Day | Alan O'Day | Davitt Sigerson | Olivia Newton-John (Lead Vocals) |
| 3 |
Can't We Talk It Over in Bed
|
Irwin LevineSandy Linzer | Irwin LevineSandy Linzer | Hank MedressSandy Linzer | Olivia Newton-John (Lead Vocals) |
| 4 |
Let's Talk About Tomorrow
|
John CapekAmy SkyOlivia Newton-John | John CapekAmy SkyOlivia Newton-John | Davitt Sigerson | Olivia Newton-John (Lead Vocals) |
| 5 |
It's Not Heaven
|
Randy GoodrumOlivia Newton-John | Randy GoodrumOlivia Newton-John | Davitt SigersonRandy Goodrum | Olivia Newton-John (Lead Vocals) |
| 6 |
Get Out
|
Randy GoodrumOlivia Newton-John | Randy GoodrumOlivia Newton-John | Davitt Sigerson | Olivia Newton-John (Lead Vocals) |
| 7 |
Big and Strong
|
Mark Heard | Mark Heard | Davitt Sigerson | Olivia Newton-John (Lead Vocals) |
| 8 |
Car Games
|
Randy GoodrumOlivia Newton-John | Randy GoodrumOlivia Newton-John | Davitt SigersonRandy Goodrum | Olivia Newton-John (Lead Vocals) |
| 9 |
Walk Through Fire
|
David BaerwaldDavid Ricketts | David BaerwaldDavid Ricketts | Davitt Sigerson | Olivia Newton-John (Lead Vocals) |
| 10 |
Tutta La Vita
|
Lucio DallaDavitt Sigerson | Lucio DallaDavitt Sigerson | Davitt Sigerson | Olivia Newton-John (Lead Vocals) |