“I Honestly Love You” was perhaps destined for pop success due to its sterling pedigree. Prior to releasing “I Honestly Love You,” Newton-John earned what was then her biggest Hot 100 hit to date with another sparkling country-pop crossover gem, “If You Love Me (Let Me Know),” which peaked at No. She won best country vocal performance at the Grammy Awards in March, and was England’s representative in the annual Eurovision Song Contest in April, tying for fourth. This musical shift converged with Newton-John’s burgeoning career momentum, which started to accelerate during the first half of 1974. In other words, by early 1974, the pristine production and impeccable songcraft Newton-John had long favored was coming into fashion, at least commercially. “Anything on Top 10 Bewildering Hit Mix,” screamed a Billboard headline on February 9, 1974, noting the top 10 that week comprised two “basically MOR records” by Barry White and Barbra Streisand as well as “four soul crossovers, two country crossovers and a patriotic spoken-word novelty.” After pointing out the “widely scattered direction of influences on mass listening habits,” the article observes that the songs in the top 10 shared one important common trait: “their strong traditional pop construction values, whether the record’s starting point is soul, country, MOR or rock.” The crossover appeal of “Let Me Be There” was characteristic of the top 40 during this time. The LP’s gospel-tinged, pedal steel-heavy title track was another big hit, reaching the top 10 on the Easy Listening and Hot Country Singles (now Hot Country Songs) charts in late 1973, and then topping out at No. 1 album on the Hot Country LPs (now Top Country Albums) chart for two weeks in March 1974 with her second U.S. “If Not For You” was also her first song to make an appearance on the Hot 100, peaking at No. In August 1971, she spent three weeks atop the Top 40 Easy Listening (now Adult Contemporary) chart with a cover of Bob Dylan’s “If Not For You.” Newton-John’s version hews much closer to George Harrison’s take from All Things Must Pass, with jaunty slide guitar high in the mix next to her optimistic warble. pop chart-topper upon the release of her 1971 debut solo LP, If Not For You - mainly by locking down No. Newton-John’s fortunes soon turned around, however, and she started seriously laying the groundwork for a U.S. That song didn’t chart, although she then toured as a duo with her friend Pat Carroll and later became part of a fictional band called Toomorrow, to little fanfare. In 1966, after winning first place on an Australian TV talent show, she traveled to England and recorded the Jackie DeShannon-written “Till You Say You’ll Be Mine” for Decca Records. The success of “Honesty” didn’t come out of nowhere, as Newton-John had been working on building a career for years by this point. Appearing on her 1974 North America-released LP If You Love Me, Let Me Know, the song was indicative of Newton-John’s skill as an interpreter and ability to elevate manicured pop. 1, 1974’s “I Honestly Love You,” fittingly arrived as her star was simultaneously ascending in the country, soft rock and top 40 pop worlds. Newton-John’s first Billboard Hot 100 No.
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