Soul Kiss

Soul Kiss is the thirteenth studio album released by Olivia Newton-John in 1985. The sleeve contains photography by Helmut Newton and Herb Ritts.

Reception

Although the album was not nearly as commercially successful as her previous efforts and barely made the Top 30 on the Billboard 200, it was certified Gold in the U.S.^[2] and charted at #5 in Japan. Opinions of the album are mixed among Olivia's fans, as some detractors see it as a continuation of her move into sexually suggestive territory begun four years earlier with "Physical". Newton-John was pregnant at the time of the release and was therefore unable to promote the album, although many critics argue that the uncharacteristic sexual nature of the cover photographs were the real reason for the album's downfall.

Singles

• The album's title song reached #20 on the Billboard Hot 100 and Adult Contemporary charts, Newton-John's last U.S. Top 40 Pop single to date in the U.S. and her second-to-last in Canada, and "Bubbled Under" the UK singles chart at #100.
• The follow-up single, "Toughen Up," (written for Tina Turner but rejected by her as inferior) failed to chart entirely except for a minor chart placement in Australia.

Track listing

1. "Toughen Up" (Graham Lyle, Terry Britten) 3:51
2. "Soul Kiss" (Mark Goldenberg) 4:32
3. "Queen of the Publication" (John Farrar, Stephen Kipner, Tom Snow) 3:55
4. "Emotional Tangle" (Farrar, Billy Thorpe) 4:05
5. "Culture Shock" (Kipner, Paul Bliss) 3:52
6. "Moth to a Flame" (Kipner, Bliss) 3:46
7. "Overnight Observation" (Farrar, Snow) 4:27
8. "You Were Great, How Was I?" (duet with Carl Wilson) (Farrar, Snow) 3:46
9. "Driving Music" (Kipner, Tommy Emmanuel) 3:41
10. "The Right Moment" (Gerry Rafferty) 3:44

• European and Japanese versions also contained "Electric" as the tenth track. In the USA "Electric" was the "B side" to the first single "Soul Kiss."

Personnel

• Olivia Newton-John: Vocal
• Christopher Cross, Katey Sagal: Vocal Backing
• Larry Carlton, John Farrar, Steve Lukather, Lee Ritenour: Guitars
• Mark Goldenberg, Steve Kipner, Greg Phillinganes, Marcus Ryle, Tom Snow, Billy Thorpe: Synthesizers
• Nathan East, Abraham Laboriel, Sr.: Bass
• Vinnie Colaiuta, Carlos Vega: Drums
• Paulinho Da Costa, Michael Fisher: Percussion
• Tom Scott: Lyricon
• Ara Tokatlián: Pan Flute
• Strings Arranged By Jeremy Lubbock

Charts