Living Beyond Life – A Crucial Life Lesson from Dame Olivia Newton-John.
Her Poignant Life Lesson – Extending One’s Legacy BEYOND One’s Life.
Dame Olivia taught me exactly that yesterday, ten months after she passed on.
Yesterday (10 May 2023), I received her latest CD, “Just The Two Of Us – The Duets Collection Volume One” in the mail.
A tenacious fighter to the end – it’s only the first of two Volumes.
It’s an album of duets with the most iconic names in the music world, who are also her buddies – Dolly Parton, Barry Gibb, Cliff Richard, Michael McDonald, John Travolta, Richard Marx and Mariah Carey etc. She also shares the microphone with her daughter, Chloe Lattanzi, and fellow Australian singer, Delta Goodrem.
There are a massive 17 songs in all.
This is just Volume One! Which means there’s a follow-up!
So this is the lesson Olivia taught me. Whilst others are just living up to the time their mortal coil is finally spent, there’s others who does whatever it takes to go on a bit longer, to make further impact on the goodness of the world.
Sadly, there are those do not live up to their allotted time or do not live it up to their capacity. I want this Blog to be a positive one. Let’s get back on the Positive Bus.
Going beyond Life at 110%.
The lyrics to Dame Olivia’s hit song Xanadu (below) seems more poignant than pop-y at this point of writing :
“A place where nobody dared to go
The love that we came to know
They call it Xanadu
And now, open your eyes and see
What we have made is real
We are in Xanadu.
A million lights are dancing and there you are, a shooting star
An everlasting world and you’re here with me, eternally.”
My XANADU and LIV 4EVR memorabilia (image below)
Besides Dame Olivia, I’m also looking at the likes of Steve Jobs and Freddie Mercury.
They all knew their time on earth was about to come to a final unwelcomed Conclusion, but they also knew they wanted to bless their fans with some more last hurrahs after they have left for the Higher Plain.
I’m also thinking of these Singer/Song Writers and Concert Lifers – Paul McCartney, Elton John, Bruce Springsteen and Mick Jagger.
Their Railway Tracks extend beyond the Last Train Station!
Rock On, Comrades!
So this is what touched me about Dame Olivia’s latest CD. I say it as if she’s still a living artiste.
It was a well-recorded and unrushed album.
It’s album with her big heart and soul poured into the making of it. The entire album artwork is drenched in golden orange hues, her favourite colour.
The songs that really got me was her duel with her mateys Sir Barry Gibb, “Face To Face” and Sir Cliff Richard, “”Suddenly”. Tissue time.
Like everything Dame Olivia touches (or sang), she does it with class, radiance and elegance! She ropes in her mateys for this Duets album, a project that is obviously something dear to her. I can imagine her strengthening her weak self, singing at her highest level, giving her ALL and not disappointing her band and her guest Duet singing partner.
ONJ’s upbeat positive message in her album sleeve. She signed it off on June 2022 (above image). She left us two months later.
I’m reminded of how Freddie Mercury had to down alcohol to numb the pain from his Aids complications. But he fought on. He gave enough for there to be one more album release after he departed. The Queen‘s album is poignantly titled – Made In Heaven.
Steve Jobs was still thinking of innovative product developments and enhancements in his final moments.
If there was one Life Lesson my rock star friends have taught me, is this: When you are blessed with a Skill that touches people, whether it’s your soothing healing voice, your guitar skills, your song writing skills, your visual art, your writing prowess or your product inventions, you do it right to your last breath.
Your Blessing is meant to bless others.
The more you bless, the more you will be blessed.
Don’t keep the Blessing to yourself, it will fizzle out because of selfishness.
Over the years, I’ve been beyond-blessed by Dame Olivia, she considers me her “Matey“.
We emailed each other till the last 50 days of her life. Around the same time that she signed of her latest album.
Although I have her mobile number, I never did give her a call. Never knowing when it would be a good and convenient time for her to chat.
Sometimes “Just Do It” is not cool. Less is much more.
I remember her awesome concerts fondly, especially our backstage banters. I have these personalised concert passes (above & below images) to fondly reminisce.
She kindly included my image of her in her autobiography “Don’t Stop Believin'”.
Dame Olivia lives on in my heart and in the hearts of her fans and admirers worldwide.
So WOW, Olivia’s album Volume 1, tells me she’s ben a busy Singer till her very last, despite her pain and inconveniences.
More importantly, she’s a Fighter till the end.
To quote an Enlightened One in taking his last breath – “Oh Wow, Oh Wow, Oh Wow“.
Meanwhile, I patiently wait for Dame Olivia’s beloved Duets Volume 2 to bless the world … and me.
