I honestly loved her

In the 1970s, I had a record player that looked exactly like this. Same color, even.

I spent a lot of time with that record player spinning anything by any Osmonds (Little Jimmy Osmond was my favorite at the time, but I often "borrowed" my sister's Donny Osmond albums), Barry Manilow, and the Partridge Family (David Cassidy, swoon).

But on this record player, I listened to two albums more than any others: Let Me Be There and If You Love Me, Let Me Know, both by the incomparable Olivia Newton-John, who passed away Monday at the age of 73.

I've heard that the music we listen to in childhood and adolescence stays with us more than any other music, and Olivia's music still speaks to me every time I hear it. Her soothing voice, the lyrics that speak to any young, hopeless romantic. I listened to her songs so many times that I can still sing most of them by heart—and frequently do.

Olivia was always with me. One of my favorite memories from my adolescence was spending a night with my girlfriends, just roaming around the countryside. One of our topics of conversation was Xanadu, which had just been released. Even 42 years later, I can still hear the voice of one of my friends as she said the name "Xanadu."

But perhaps nothing Olivia did means more to me than the movie Grease. Released the summer of 1978, Grease came out at a time of great upheaval in my life. My parents were getting a divorce—and not the "conscious uncoupling" of today, but a bitter, angry 1970s divorce. My beloved sister, meanwhile, was leaving for college. What was I supposed to do without her? And I had no idea whether Charo would be on the next season of The Love Boat. I was 14 years old. Everything was traumatic.

Then, Olivia stepped in with her red, spike-heel Candies. 

The movie poster alone hooked me!

Grease was released just before my birthday. Maybe to take away the sting of her leaving, Laura took me to see it. And, oh! Was it ever glorious! ONJ! John "I am not Vinnie Barbarino" Travolta! My first introduction to the fabulous Stockard Channing (and one of my all-time favorite movie lines: "I feel like a defective typewriter. I missed a period.")! The charismatic Jeff Conaway! The sing-along songs (give me a Grease song at karaoke and I will give you a performance)! The hot dog jumping into the bun on the drive-in screen while John Travolta croons, "Why-yi-yi-yi? Oh, Sandy." (Skip to 2:20 if you don't have two and a half minutes to spare.) The "Born to Hand Jive" dance (which I can still do, natch)! Which brings us back to those Candies! Everyone talks about the tight leather pants, but I was a sucker for the shoes.

I had never seen a better movie in all my days—and I saw Lifeguard in 1976! 🤣 (P.S. With my sister, at the drive-in, a double feature with Orca.)

So we went again the next week.

And the week after that.

Seven or eight or nine times that summer, I went to Grease. It was my Star Wars. Sometimes I went with my sister alone, sometimes with my sister and others, sometimes with my friends. At least once, I am sure Laura and I saw it at ... the drive-in.

For 1 hour and 50 minutes, I could forget about the world around me. And whenever I felt blue, I could sing and dance to "Greased Lightnin'" (because, yes, I bought the double album, which set me back a pretty penny, and played it on that durable record player over and over and over).

But I digress.

My point is that Olivia Newton-John got me through a rough time and brought me closer to my sister. In fact, just the other day, we reminisced about that summer. (And also that previous Lifeguard summer—Sam Elliott (her), Parker Stevenson (me), California, sigh. Beyond the comprehension of two girls from Nebraska.) The highs, the lows and the joy of "Summer Nights."

So thank you, ONJ. You gave me the soundtrack of my teenage years and a lifelong bond with my sister. I am "Hopelessly Devoted to You." "If Not for You," my world wouldn't be quite so "Mellow." "You're the One That I Want" to listen to, and your voice was always "Magic." Your "Physical" presence is gone now, but you left "A Little More Love" in the world. "Fly Away," beautiful soul.