Totally Hot cover art

  Studio Album · No. 10

Totally Hot Songwriting Credits by Olivia Newton-John

1978 MCA Records 10 tracks 39 min

Produced by John Farrar

MCA Records Pop RockCountry Pop
20%
Authorship
Singer / Performer

Holds writing credit on 2 of 10 tracks

Authorship Breakdown 2 / 10 documented

Who wrote the songs?

Scored across the 10 tracks with documented writers, by whether Olivia Newton-John carries a lyricist or composer credit.

20%
2 trackswritten by Olivia Newton-John 8 tracksoutside writers
Olivia Newton-John's roles on this album

Share of the 10 tracks where a band member is credited, by role.

Lyricist20%
Composer20%
Producer0%
Performer100%

By the Numbers

10
Tracks
14
Lyricists
1
Producers
1 million
US Copies Sold
1978
Released
Data Insight

Totally Hot is mostly an outside-written album shaped by one producer. John Farrar produced every track and wrote three of them himself, including the lead single 'A Little More Love' and the title cut, with 'Never Enough' co-written alongside Pat Farrar, Trevor Spencer, and Alan Tarney. Newton-John's own pen is the exception rather than the rule: she wrote 'Talk to Me' and 'Borrowed Time' on her own, her most substantial writing contribution to a studio album to that point. The remaining songs come from writers like Tom Snow, Adam Mitchell, and Eric Carmen, and the album closes with a cover of the Spencer Davis Group's 'Gimme Some Lovin'.'

Totally Hot is the ninth studio album by Olivia Newton-John, released on 21 November 1978 on MCA in the United States and EMI in the United Kingdom. Coming months after her role in Grease, it is her deliberate move away from the soft country-pop of her earlier records toward a harder, more mature pop-rock sound, complete with a leather-clad cover image that echoed the film's makeover. As on most of her work, John Farrar produced the whole album and wrote several of its key songs, including the hit 'A Little More Love' and the title track. Newton-John took a rare turn as a writer here, co-writing 'Talk to Me' and 'Borrowed Time,' while the rest of the material came from outside writers such as Tom Snow, Adam Mitchell, and Eric Carmen, plus a cover of the Spencer Davis Group's 'Gimme Some Lovin'.' It reached number seven on the Billboard 200, becoming her first platinum album in the United States and her first solo top-ten record there since 1975.

Track Listing & Credits 10 tracks

Written by the artist Written by outside writers
#TitleLyricist(s)Composer(s)Producer(s)Performers
1
Please Don't Keep Me Waiting
Joe FalsiaStephen Sinclair Joe FalsiaStephen Sinclair John Farrar Olivia Newton-John (Lead Vocals)
2
Dancin' 'Round and 'Round
Adam Mitchell Adam Mitchell John Farrar Olivia Newton-John (Lead Vocals)
3
Talk to Me
Olivia Newton-John Olivia Newton-John John Farrar Olivia Newton-John (Lead Vocals)
4
Deeper Than the Night #11
Tom SnowJohnny Vastano Tom SnowJohnny Vastano John Farrar Olivia Newton-John (Lead Vocals)
5
Borrowed Time
Olivia Newton-John Olivia Newton-John John Farrar Olivia Newton-John (Lead Vocals)
6
A Little More Love #3
John Farrar John Farrar John Farrar Olivia Newton-John (Lead Vocals)
7
Never Enough
John FarrarPat FarrarTrevor SpencerAlan Tarney John FarrarPat FarrarTrevor SpencerAlan Tarney John Farrar Olivia Newton-John (Lead Vocals)
8
Totally Hot #52
John Farrar John Farrar John Farrar Olivia Newton-John (Lead Vocals)
9
Boats Against the Current
Eric Carmen Eric Carmen John Farrar Olivia Newton-John (Lead Vocals)
10
Gimme Some Lovin'
Spencer DavisMuff WinwoodSteve Winwood Spencer DavisMuff WinwoodSteve Winwood John Farrar Olivia Newton-John (Lead Vocals)

Songwriter & Credit Spotlight 14 contributors

More from Olivia Newton-John

Frequently Asked Questions Totally Hot

Who produced Totally Hot?
John Farrar produced the entire album, as he did on most of Olivia Newton-John's records. He also wrote three of its songs, including the hit 'A Little More Love' and the title track.
Did Olivia Newton-John write any songs on Totally Hot?
Yes. She wrote 'Talk to Me' and 'Borrowed Time' on her own, her most substantial writing contribution to a studio album up to that point. The rest of the material came from outside writers and one cover.
Why is Totally Hot considered a change of direction?
Released just after Grease, it pushed Newton-John from soft country-pop toward a harder pop-rock sound, matched by a leather-jacket cover image that leaned into her tougher new persona.
What were the singles from Totally Hot?
'A Little More Love' reached number three on the Billboard Hot 100, 'Deeper Than the Night' reached number eleven, and the title track 'Totally Hot' reached number fifty-two.
Is there a cover version on the album?
Yes. The album closes with 'Gimme Some Lovin',' the Spencer Davis Group song written by Spencer Davis, Muff Winwood, and Steve Winwood.
How well did Totally Hot sell?
It reached number seven on the Billboard 200 and became her first platinum album in the United States, also going platinum in Canada and gold in the UK and Netherlands.
Who wrote 'A Little More Love'?
John Farrar wrote and produced 'A Little More Love,' the album's biggest hit and its lead single.

Sources