Xanadu (Olivia Newton-John and Electric Light Orchestra song)

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"Xanadu"
File:Xanadusingle.jpg
One of UK releases with pink vinyl
Single by Olivia Newton-John and Electric Light Orchestra
from the album Xanadu
B-side "Fool Country" [Olivia Newton-John] (UK)
"Whenever You're Away from Me" [Olivia Newton-John, Gene Kelly] (US),
Released June 6, 1980 (UK)
July 1980 (US)
Format 7" single
Recorded 1980 Musicland Studios Munich
Genre Disco, pop
Length 3:28
Label Jet (UK)
MCA (US)
Writer(s) Jeff Lynne
Producer(s) Jeff Lynne
Certification Silver (UK)[1]
Electric Light Orchestra singles chronology
"I'm Alive"
(1980)		 "Xanadu"
(1980)		 "All Over the World
(1980)
Olivia Newton-John chronology
"Magic"
(1980)		 "Xanadu"
(1980)		 "Suddenly"
(1980)

"Xanadu" is the title song from the soundtrack album Xanadu, and is the title song from the 1980 film of the same name. A rare collaboration for ELO, the song is performed by the Electric Light Orchestra (ELO) and Olivia Newton-John. Newton-John sings the primary vocals, with ELO (Jeff Lynne) adding "parenthetic" vocals in the style of their other songs on the Xanadu soundtrack, along with providing the instrumentation.

The single reached number 1 in several countries, and was the band's only UK number 1 single,[2] when it peaked there for two weeks in July 1980. The song peaked at number 8 on the Billboard Hot 100 in the US.[3] This was the first song beginning with the letter 'X' to ever chart on the Billboard Hot 100 and it remained the only one until 2000's "X" by Xzibit.[citation needed]

Chart performance

Personnel

Preceded by UK Singles Chart number-one single
July 12, 1980 – July 26, 1980		 Succeeded by
"Use It Up and Wear It Out" by Odyssey
Preceded by West German Singles Chart number-one single
August 7, 1980 – August 21, 1980		 Succeeded by
"Santa María" by Oliver Onions
Preceded by
"Funkytown" by Lipps Inc
 Eurochart Hot 100 number-one single
September 5, 1980 – September 12, 1980		 Succeeded by
"The Winner Takes It All" by ABBA
Preceded by
"Funkytown" by Lipps Inc
 Norwegian VG-Lista number-one single
36/1980 (1 week)		 Succeeded by
"Upside Down" by Diana Ross
Preceded by
"Crying" by Don McLean
 Irish Singles Chart number-one single
July 19, 1980 – August 16, 1980		 Succeeded by
"The Winner Takes It All" by ABBA

Kirsty K. version

"Xanadu"
Single by Kirsty K.
Released August 1996
Format CD
Recorded 1995
Genre Dance
Length 3:30
Label Central Station Records
Writer(s) Jeff Lynne

In early 1996, two Australian dance performers released versions of the song. Sydney singer Olivia Featuring Paula (on the MDS label) released a dance version first, followed by Kirsty K. (on Central Station Records). Both versions charted on the ARIA Singles and Dance Charts in the first half of 1996.[citation needed]

Chart performance (Kirsty K. version)

Chart (1996) Peak
position
Australia ARIA Dance Chart[citation needed] 71

New Electric Light Orchestra version

In 2000, ELO's Jeff Lynne re-recorded the song, with his own vocals, for the box set Flashback and the All Over the World compilation. Though it was billed as an ELO selection, the song was recorded entirely by Lynne himself, with no input from his former bandmates.

Sharleen Spiteri version

"Xanadu"
Single by Sharleen Spiteri
from the album The Movie Songbook
Released February 2010
Format CD Single, digital download
Recorded 2009
Genre Pop
Length 3:34
Label Mercury, Universal
Writer(s) Jeff Lynne
Producer(s) Sharleen Spiteri
Sharleen Spiteri singles chronology
"It Was You"
(2008)		 "Xanadu"
(2010)

In 2009, Scottish singer-songwriter Sharleen Spiteri recorded the song for a second studio album titled The Movie Songbook which was released on March 1, 2010 worldwide. Xanadu was released as the lead single from the album in February 2010 and has so far made the BBC Radio 2 C-List.[27]

Music video

A Music video for the song was added to Spiteri's official YouTube channel in February 2010. The video shows the Capitol Records Building and Spiteri performing the song with an acoustic guitar and one male and two female back up singers.

Chart performance

Chart (2010) Peak
position
UK (Official Charts Company)[28] 71

Other cover versions

Karin Glenmark recorded the song in Swedish, with lyrics by Ingela "Pling" Forsman, and released it as a single in 1980.[29] Her version chartered at Svensktoppen for 10 weeks between October 26-December 21, 1980.[30] 1980 also saw the release of Swedish language-recordings by Ingmar Nordströms.,[31] Flamingokvintetten [32] and Wizex.[33]

British indie artist Dev Hynes, under his alias, Lightspeed Champion, did his own rendition of "Xanadu" as a b-side to his single "Tell Me What It's Worth".

The song appeared on the first episode of the fourth season of the American adult animated sitcom American Dad! "The Vacation Goo" wherein the alien character Roger performed "Xanadu on a cruise ship as he is impersonating Olivia Newton-John.

Dannii Minogue also covered "Xanadu" for her 2007 album Club Disco.

References

  1. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found. Enter Xanadu in the field Keywords. Select Title in the field Search by. Select single in the field By Format. Click Search
  2. ↑ 2.0 2.1 Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  3. ↑ 3.0 3.1 3.2 Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  4. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  5. ↑ "Austriancharts.at – Olivia Newton-John & Electric Light Orchestra – Xanadu" (in German). Ö3 Austria Top 40.
  6. ↑ "Ultratop.be – Olivia Newton-John & Electric Light Orchestra – Xanadu" (in Dutch). Ultratop 50.
  7. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  8. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  9. ↑ 9.0 9.1 9.2 9.3 Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  10. ↑ "Officialcharts.de – Olivia Newton-John & Electric Light Orchestra – Xanadu". GfK Entertainment.
  11. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found. 1st result when searching "Xanadu"
  12. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  13. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  14. ↑ "Nederlandse Top 40 – Olivia Newton-John & Electric Light Orchestra search results" (in Dutch) Dutch Top 40.
  15. ↑ "Dutchcharts.nl – Olivia Newton-John & Electric Light Orchestra – Xanadu" (in Dutch). Single Top 100.
  16. ↑ "Charts.org.nz – Olivia Newton-John & Electric Light Orchestra – Xanadu". Top 40 Singles.
  17. ↑ "Norwegiancharts.com – Olivia Newton-John & Electric Light Orchestra – Xanadu". VG-lista.
  18. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  19. ↑ "Swedishcharts.com – Olivia Newton-John & Electric Light Orchestra – Xanadu". Singles Top 60.
  20. ↑ "Swisscharts.com – Olivia Newton-John & Electric Light Orchestra – Xanadu". Swiss Singles Chart.
  21. ↑ ELO
  22. ↑ Charts!
  23. ↑ http://australian-charts.com/forum.asp?todo=viewthread&id=40275
  24. ↑ http://www.collectionscanada.gc.ca/rpm/028020-119.01-e.php?&file_num=nlc008388.0272&type=1&interval=50&PHPSESSID=5r23skjoe05mdfgjkjaojei7j1
  25. ↑ American Top 40 - "100 Top Hits of 1980"
  26. ↑ http://www.uk-charts.top-source.info/top-100-1980.shtml
  27. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  28. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  29. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  30. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  31. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  32. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  33. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.

External links


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