1981 Pop Classic, Runner Up for ‘Greatest of All Time Hot 100 Songs by Women,' Remains a Sizzling Hit 45 Years Later
A pop classic that is a runner-up for the "Greatest of All Time Hot 100 Songs by Women" remains a blood-pumping, sizzling hit 45 years later.
"Physical" by Olivia Newton-John remains one of the defining songs from the early 1980s. It captured a cultural moment where music, fashion, and fitness trends were intertwined in mainstream entertainment.
The song's massive success helped solidify Newton-John's transformation from country pop star to an artist willing to take creative risks with her sound and image. Decades later, it continues to stand as a signature hit that defined an era.
Billboard's "Greatest of All Time Hot 100 Songs by Women" encapsulates a who's who of female recording artists. Coming in just ahead of the movie and music superstar at No. 1 is LeAnn Rimes with the 1997 hit, "How Do I Live." One notch after Newton-John is Debby Boone's 1977 smash, "You Light Up My Life" at No. 3.
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Ironically, the entertainer believed she "went too far" with the song "Physical." She shared with AXS TV's Dan Rather her concerns about the song's messaging.
"I surprised myself," she began.
"After I recorded it I kind of had a freak out," she admitted. "I called Roger Davies, and I said, 'I think I've gone too far.'" Davies was Newton-John's manager for many years.
"I think the song's going to be taken the wrong way, and I don't think we should release it," she continued. "He said, 'Too late, its out and its doing really well.'"
"And it went to No. 1 for 10 weeks," she revealed. "So I told Roger we should tone it down, lets make a video about exercise."
Little did Newton-John know the impact "Physical" would have on a generation of music video watchers. Smooth Radio reported that sales of exercise wear, featured prominently in the music clip, skyrocketed after the video surged in popularity.
Newton-John added in a clip about the making of the video, "It was the birth of the '80s headband fashion craze. I should have started a headband and leg warmer company or made fitness videos. Jane Fonda beat me to it."
Olivia Newton-John died on August 8, 2022. She was 73.
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This story was originally published May 25, 2026 at 10:49 AM.