Let Me Be There (album)

The American publication of the album by MCA Records used the cover art from Olivia's 1972 LP record Olivia, which was not released by MCA. Some of its songs were taken for the US publication, such as song titles from the British publications of the albums If Not for You and Olivia.{{citation needed|date=March 2019}} The album was not released outside of North America, the UK, Ireland and Australasia. An album with the same title and cover art was released in Japan, but with the same track listing as First Impressions.

Though the title song was a commercial failure in England, it was Olivia Newton-John's first American top ten hit, successfully boosting her singing career in North America. She had previously charted in the Billboard Top 40 with the song "If Not for You".

{{Album ratings

| rev1 = AllMusic

| rev1score = {{Rating|4|5}}[{{AllMusic|class=album|id=mw0000191113|pure_url=yes}} AllMusic review]

}}

Billboard noted that the album was a "mixture of cuts from previous LP's of this versatile Australian songstress who serves up a pleasing set of country, rock and ballads including her current hit, 'Let Me Be There.{{'"}}{{cite magazine|url=https://www.worldradiohistory.com/Archive-All-Music/Billboard/70s/1973/Billboard%201973-12-15.pdf|magazine=Billboard|title=Top Album Picks|issue=10 December 1973 |page=51 |access-date=August 10, 2024}}

Cashbox stated:{{cite magazine|url=https://www.worldradiohistory.com/Archive-All-Music/Cash-Box/70s/1973/Cash-Box-1973-12-08.pdf|magazine=Cash Box|title=Album Reviews|issue=8 December 1973|page=31 |access-date=August 10, 2024}}

Olivia's new LP on MCA is as beautiful as she is, sparkling with the kind of fervent intensity rarely heard from a young performer. Definitely country flavored, the album is a slick combination of ballads and uptempo swingers. The title track is a warm, compelling piece and Olivia really delivers on versions of John Denver's, "Take Me Home, Country Roads" and Kris Kristofferson's "Me And Bobby McGee."

There's a beautifully shy but sexy cut of Johnny Burnette's "Just A Little Too Much" and an outstanding version of Dylan's "If Not For You." Olivia has it all.

AllMusic editor Joe Viglione wrote in his retrospective review: "It's early Newton-John, a bit naïve and far from the sophistication of her Warm and Tender release on Geffen, but it works, especially because it contains her first two hit records."

The album was released to capitalize on the success of its title track, which it did well. The song "Let Me Be There" earned Newton-John her first Grammy at the 16th Annual Grammy Awards held March 2, 1974 (in this case for Best Country Female) . The album was certified Gold by the RIAA in 1974,{{cite certification|region=United States|title=Let Me Be There|artist=Olivia Newton-John|type=album}} and it peaked at No. 54 on the US Pop chart and at No. 1 (for two weeks) on the Country chart.

All songs produced by John Farrar and Bruce Welch.{{cite AV media notes |title=Let Me Be There |others=Olivia Newton-John|date=1973|type=CD liner |publisher=Festival records}}

{{Track listing

| headline = Side one

| title1 = Take Me Home, Country Roads

| writer1 = {{hlist|Bill Danoff|Taffy Nivert|John Denver}}

| length1 = 3:22

| title2 = Amoureuse

| writer2 = {{hlist|Véronique Sanson|Gary Osborne}}

| length2 = 3:40

| title3 = Brotherly Love

| writer3 = John Farrar

| length3 = 3:21

| title4 = Heartbreaker

| writer4 = Russ Ballard

| length4 = 2:32

| title5 = Rosewater

| writer5 = Newton-John

| length5 = 5:05

| title6 = You Ain't Got the Right

| writer6 = {{hlist|Dennis Locorriere|Ray Sawyer|Ron Haffkine}}

| length6 = 3:31

}}

{{Track listing

| headline = Side two

| title7 = Feeling Best

| writer7 = Glenn Shorrock

| length7 = 3:22

| title8 = Being on the Losing End

| writer8 = {{hlist|Carl Groszmann|Glynne Jones}}

| length8 = 3:43

| title9 = Let Me Be There

| writer9 = John Rostill

| length9 = 3:03

| title10 = Music Makes My Day

| writer10 = Farrar

| length10 = 3:14

| title11 = Leaving

| writer11 = {{hlist|Doug Flett|Guy Fletcher}}

| length11 = 3:52

| title12 = If We Try

| writer12 = Don McLean

| length12 = 3:24

}}

In the United States, the album was released with artwork from her 1972 Olivia album and some different songs from this and some earlier Newton-John albums.

{{Track listing

| headline = Side one

| title1 = Let Me Be There

| writer1 = Rostill

| length1 = 3:00

| title2 = Me and Bobby McGee

| writer2 = {{hlist|Kris Kristofferson|Fred Foster}}

| length2 = 3:46

| title3 = Banks of the Ohio

| writer3 = Traditional

| length3 = 3:15

| title4 = Love Song

| writer4 = Lesley Duncan

| length4 = 3:44

| title5 = If Not for You

| writer5 = Bob Dylan

| length5 = 2:50

}}

{{Track listing

| headline = Side two

| title6 = Take Me Home, Country Roads

| writer6 = {{hlist|Danoff|Nivert|Denver}}

| length6 = 3:16

| title7 = Angel of the Morning

| writer7 = Chip Taylor

| length7 = 3:52

| title8 = If You Could Read My Mind

| writer8 = Gordon Lightfoot

| length8 = 3:41

| title9 = Help Me Make It Through the Night

| writer9 = Kristofferson

| length9 = 2:19

| title10 = Just a Little Too Much

| writer10 = Johnny Burnette

| length10 = 2:05

}}

Performers and musicians

• Brian Bennett – drums
• Terry Britten – guitar
• Vicki Brown – background vocalist
• Pat Carroll – background vocalist
• John Farrar – arranger, background vocalist, instruments, producer
• Mo Foster – bass
• Cliff Hall – piano
• Jean Hawker – background vocalist
• Alan Hawkshaw – arranger, piano
• Dave Macrae – piano
• Margo Newman – background vocalist
• Olivia Newton-John – vocalist
• Kevin Peek – guitar
• Mike Sammes – background vocalist
• Trevor Spencer – drums
• Alan Tarney – background vocalist, bass
• Bruce Welch – guitar, producer
• Mark Warner – guitar

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{{Certification Table Top|caption=Certifications and sales for Let Me Be There}}

{{certification Table Entry|title=Let Me Be There|artist=Olivia Newton-John|type=album|relyear=1973|region=Canada|award=Platinum|accessdate=19 August 2021}}

{{Certification Table Entry|region=Japan (Oricon Charts)|nocert=yes|salesamount=89,130|salesref={{cite book|title=Oricon Album Chart Book: Complete Edition 1970-2005|publisher=Oricon Entertainment|location=Roppongi, Tokyo|year=2006|isbn=4-87131-077-9}}}}

{{Certification Table Entry|region=United States|title=Let Me Be There|artist=Olivia Newton-John|type=album|award=Gold}}

{{Certification Table Bottom|nosales=yes}}

{{reflist}}

{{Olivia Newton-John}}

{{Authority control}}

Category:1973 albums

Category:Olivia Newton-John albums

Category:Albums produced by Bruce Welch

Category:Albums produced by John Farrar

hu:Let Me Be There