Olivia Newton-John and Denver John’s 'Fly Away' Duet Still Hits Home 47 Years Later

Dec 29, 2022 by apost team

On Aug. 8, 2022, the world lost one of its brightest stars — Olivia Newton-John. She was a British-Australian performer best known for her work as an actress, singer and activist. The acclaimed entertainer won several awards over the course of her life and was honored by fans and critics alike.

Newton-John released several albums and chart-topping singles, making her one of the best-selling music artists from the second half of the 20th century to the present. 

And who could forget her turn in the 1978 musical film “Grease,” alongside John Travolta? 

The film catapulted the performer to fame and made her a household name, showing off her sweet yet powerful vocals and great acting chops. Even today, people are still singing the songs from the “Grease” soundtrack and dressing up as Danny and Sandy for costume parties.

But aside from “Hopelessly Devoted To You,” “Summer Nights” and “You’re The One That I Want” from “Grease,” Newton-John was also responsible for singing perhaps some of the decade-defining hits of the late '70s to the '80s. 

The Australian music legend was responsible for the hits “Physical,” "If You Love Me (Let Me Know),” "Have You Never Been Mellow,” "A Little More Love" and "Twist of Fate," among many others. 

However, people tend to forget that Newton-John sang a heart-wrenching ballad with another famed singer, John Denver. Their song, “Fly Away,” is considered a masterpiece by many. The duo’s collaboration is a match made in heaven, Denver’s soft and comforting voice complements Newton-John’s reassuring and angelic backing vocals. 

Since Newton-John’s passing, the song has had a resurgence in popularity online. Fans of the two late artists recalled how the duet sounded and felt like they were being flown to the heavens.

Like Newton-John, Denver was also one of the biggest musicians in the late '70s to the '80s. Notable for his impact on the American folk music scene, Denver was also highly-regarded as one of the most prominent acoustic performers in the United States. 

Blending rock, country, acoustic and even pop, Denver’s music was widely loved by many. Most of his songs appeared on the Billboard Country Music Charts, Adult Contemporary Charts and even on the Billboard Hot 100. Among Denver’s hits are "Poems, Prayers & Promises,” “Take Me Home, Country Roads," "Rocky Mountain High," "Thank God I'm a Country Boy," "Sunshine on My Shoulders,” "Calypso" and "Annie's Song."

Denver and Newton-John crossed paths because of the similarity of their musical style — blending pop elements with soft adult contemporary, making a massive appeal to country music enthusiasts. The duo’s collaboration on “Fly Away” marked the start of their future appearances together and subsequent collaborations.

Recorded and written in 1975, “Fly Away” was released as a single from Denver’s “Windsong” album. The track peaked at No. 13 on the Billboard Hot 100 charts, ruled over the Adult Contemporary Charts for two weeks, and concurrently placed 12th on the Country Music charts.   

Newton-John, although not entirely credited, is famously known for lending her backing vocals on the ballad. On Denver’s “Rocky Mountain Christmas Special,” she performed the song alongside the hitmaker. Since the 1975 clip was uploaded on the Internet, fans of both Newton-John and Denver had been listening to the performance, over and over again — hoping to have seen an official collaboration between the two music legends before they both passed away. 

Denver died in a single-fatality plane crash in 1997, while Newton-John passed away in August 2022 because of cancer. 

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Newton-John and Denver’s iconic performance of “Fly Away” at the “Rocky Mountain Christmas” special gained a resurgence in views on social media following the Australian songstress' death in August 2022. Looking back on the song’s lyrics, it somehow ominously speaks about the music icon’s last days before her passing. 

“All of her days have gone soft and cloudy, All of her dreams have gone dry, All of her nights have gone sad and shady, She’s getting ready to fly,” the song lyrics explain. 

While the song is 47 years old already, the everpresent themes of longing and detachment in a modern world filled with connections, still speak volumes today. 

Fans of both artists have taken to the comments section to remember them, with some even sharing their fondest memories of hearing the song:

“Such a beautiful mellow '70s vibe. They're both gone now, and nobody makes music like this anymore,” a fan recalled. 

“Two of my favorite people from my childhood to this very moment. So so many memories. Thank you both with all my heart. Your presence made this world a much better place,” a user posted. 

“These 2 people had such a beautiful Christmas show. I used to watch them when I was younger and wished I could have (been) there hanging out with them. Heaven should be happy to have both of them,” someone dearly shared. 

Truly, good music transcends time; and Denver and Newton-John’s timeless piece is a testament to that. 

Aside from “Fly Away,” Newton-John was also known for covering Denver’s “Take Me Home, Country Roads,” launching the song to great heights in the United Kingdom and Japan. A year after, the two returned to television as they both appeared as guest stars on “The Carpenters' Very First Television Special.”

Have you heard Olivia Newton-John and John Denver’s song “Fly Away”? Are you a fan of theirs? What do you think about the song? Let us know, and pass this on to your family, friends and other loved ones who you think should hear this song!