Unlike what seems like most of Melbourne, I don’t have a selfie with Olivia Newton-John at the Coles in Richmond. I don’t have an anecdote like my mate Nicko about hanging with her on a balcony at the Xanadu dance contest at Chasers in 1980.
What I do have is memories of Olivia as the backing track to my early 1970s in the back of the Valiant as Mum dropped off Tupperware to eastern suburbs housewives. My brother Sammy and I were thrilled when You’re So Vain and Maggie May were followed on AM radio by ONJ’s Banks of the Ohio and If Not For You.
Olivia Newton-John (centre) with Didi Conn (right, in pink) singing Summer Lovin’ in Grease.Credit:Getty
Future generations had the Wiggles as their pre-school musical love. We had Liv. I’m not sure if I knew what she looked like then. Countdown wasn’t on yet but from her voice and lyrics about love (“please mister please, don’t…
