Songs You Can Sing Along To in Western Music: Olivia Newton-John’s Easy-to-Sing Tracks

Twist Of FateOlivia Newton-John

Twist Of Fate (Remastered 2021)

This is the theme song from the 1983 film Two of a Kind, in which Olivia Newton-John and John Travolta, who co-starred in Grease, reunited on screen as lovers.

Like Xanadu, the soundtrack sold well, but unfortunately the film itself failed at the box office.

Twist of Fate—released in Japan as Unmei no Itazura—reached No.

5 on the U.

S.

Billboard chart and became Olivia’s final Top 10 hit in America.

Produced by David Foster, it’s quintessential ’80s pop rock driven by lush synths, and younger listeners who enjoy hits by today’s chart regulars like The Weeknd might even find it feels like the original blueprint.

The lyrics closely follow the film’s plot, and with no difficult vocabulary they’re easy to understand, making the song very approachable for beginners to Western pop.

Including Olivia’s signature high notes, the melody is probably more karaoke-friendly than her earlier country-pop and soft-rock material—upbeat, catchy, and sure to get a crowd going.

I Honestly Love YouOlivia Newton-John

Olivia Newton-John – I Honestly Love You (Version 2)

Olivia Newton-John made her debut in her teens, but in fact she spent a long time honing her craft before truly breaking through in her twenties.

Initially, she gained popularity with a country style, then shifted toward soft rock and pop.

One of her signature songs, “I Honestly Love You,” released in 1974, topped the U.

S.

charts and is also well known in Japan under the title “Ai no Kokuhaku” (Confession of Love).

There are likely people who first discovered the song when it was re-released in 1998 in a newly recorded version produced by David Foster with Babyface on backing vocals.

Covered by many artists, this classic standard, “I Honestly Love You,” is a ballad that demands a poised, refined delivery to convey its bittersweet emotion—making it quite difficult to sing perfectly.

That said, the melody is straightforward and the lyrics aren’t complicated, so it should still be approachable even for beginners to Western pop music.

Summer NightsJohn Travolta & Olivia Newton John

Summer Nights (From “Grease”)

For those of us who can’t help but gaze into the distance and think, “Those were the days,” this song is a karaoke staple for many.

Known in Japan by the title “Omoide no Summer Nights,” “Summer Nights” is a duet by Olivia Newton-John and John Travolta, the stars of the film Grease, and it’s a very fun number used in a memorable scene.

It’s also amusing how the male and female perspectives differ just a bit.

I highly recommend singing this as a duet—ideally with a close male-female pair.

Watching the movie first will help you understand the context of the lyrics and make it easier to sing.

Don’t worry about singing perfectly; it’s guaranteed to be more exciting if each of you gets into character as the film’s protagonists!

Have You Never Been MellowOlivia Newton-John

Olivia Newton-John – Have You Never Been Mellow

The “Physical” phase is great, but when it comes to Olivia Newton-John, isn’t this the song most people think of? The refreshingly soft-rock “Have You Never Been Mellow” is especially memorable for Olivia’s incredibly adorable, beautiful vocals and its moving melody; in Japan, it might actually be more familiar under its Japanese title, “Soyokaze no Yūwaku” (Temptation of a Gentle Breeze).

It’s been extremely popular here, frequently used in commercials, and even as instrumental hold music on phone lines, so it’s a song that has continued to be loved across generations by people of all ages.

Olivia’s fairy-like, crystal-clear voice really shines, though the section leading up to the chorus uses a lot of falsetto and may feel challenging for those who struggle with high notes.

Adjust the key to a comfortable range for yourself, follow the natural flow of the chord progression, and try letting yourself ride the melody as gently as a breeze.

The lyrics aren’t difficult and are easy to pronounce, and since they make extensive use of the present perfect tense, it could even be good English practice for junior high school students.

Hopelessly Devoted To YouOlivia Newton-John

Hopelessly Devoted To You (From “Grease”)

If you spent your youth in the late 1970s, there’s a good chance Olivia Newton-John and John Travolta are forever linked in your memories.

Both starred in the musical film Grease, and their performances of the songs featured in the movie became huge hits, propelling Olivia to true global superstardom.

The song introduced here, Hopelessly Devoted to You—also known in Japan by the title “Aisuredo Kanashi”—is a richly romantic ballad and a classic that earned high acclaim, even receiving an Academy Award nomination for Best Original Song.

If you’ve seen the film, you can probably picture Olivia’s poignant performance of the song on screen.

It’s a quintessential pop ballad with a straight 6/8 feel, and to be honest, trying to emulate Olivia’s style does demand considerable vocal skill.

That said, the beautiful melody is easy to follow, and as long as you don’t worry too much about techniques like fine vibrato, the lyrics use no difficult words or grammar, so overall it should be quite singable.

Listen closely to Olivia’s beautiful tone, and try singing it with heartfelt emotion!

Let Me Be ThereOlivia Newton-John

Olivia Newton-John – Let Me Be There

Let Me Be There is one of Olivia Newton-John’s hit songs from her time in the UK, a representative classic that found success in the country-pop style.

It’s also famous for being a favorite cover in Elvis Presley’s concerts.

As noted, it’s an upbeat country-pop number with simple melodies and lyrics, making it very easy to understand and a good choice even for beginners to Western pop.

One of Olivia’s charms—her soaring high notes—are relatively restrained here, so even those who aren’t confident with high pitches may find it approachable.

That said, there’s a key change at the end, so be sure to steady your breathing beforehand.

The low male chorus in the chorus section, sung by Mike Sammes, doesn’t need to be reproduced, but it could be fun to ask a close friend to take that part!

If You Love Me, Let Me KnowOlivia Newton-John

Olivia Newton-John – If You Love Me, Let Me Know

This is the title track from Olivia Newton-John’s album If You Love Me, Let Me Know, released in 1974 for the U.

S.

and Canadian markets.

The best-of edition, with its striking cover of Olivia folding her arms and looking straight at the viewer, is memorable—some people may have picked it up on the spot after seeing it at a record shop.

If You Love Me, Let Me Know is a country-pop song in line with Olivia’s style at the time.

It was also released as a single and became a hit in the United States, Canada, and elsewhere, making it one of her signature early tracks.

Like Let Me Be There, neither the melody nor the lyrics are particularly difficult, so it’s easy to sing without strain.

The overall range is on the higher side, but you can handle it by adjusting the key to suit your own vocal range.