Olivia Newton-John Collection

Ode to Olivia

We ain't got the right to say

to say you're not country

You've just a country girl

It's so plain to see

 

If you're not a country girl

Neither are we

They don't treat us this way

When we sing in your country

Who said a country girl

Had to be from Tennessee

We ain't got the right

To say you're not country

 

Let Me Be There is really what they're wishin'

They've Never Been Mellow

That must be why they're kickin'

But we've all bought your records

And we're a hummin' your last tune

So we ain't got the right

To say you're not country

 

Nudie makes rhinestone suits

I guess he's made a million

But nobody can copy you

There's just one Olivia

But you've built the bridge

and crossed over into country

And we ain't got the right

To say you're not country

 

Let Me Be There is really what they're wishin'

They've Never Been Mellow

That must be why they're kickin'

But we've all bought your records, honey

And we're a hummin' your last tune

 

So we ain't got the right

To say you're not country

We ain't got the right

To say you're not country

We Honestly Love You

 

We ain't got the right to say

to say you're not country

You've just a country girl

It's so plain to see

We Honestly Love You

 

Back in 1974 Olivia was topping the charts and winning all sorts of awards for her music. Winning Top Female Vocalist of the Year from the Country Music Association was just about the top accolade from the Nashville music scene, but it landed her in hot water with some of the old guard in the CMA membership. They were incensed - among the objections they cited were that Olivia wasn't born and bred in Nashville. Of course that fact that they might have missed out on an award had nothing to do with it. They claimed that they lacked adequate representation in the CMA and said artists who were "non country" had been winning the CMA awards; Olivia was one of the artists they were referring to. The group of disaffected stars, which included George Jones, Minnie Pearl and Hank Snow, even went on to form a separate organization called the Association of Country Entertainers but this was short-lived. History has shown that Olivia's crossover chart success opened whole new markets to the appeal of country music.

Not everybody was grouchy about Olivia's triumph, and she was supported by many CMA members, including Stella Parton, Dolly Parton's sister who made this record as a tribute to Olivia. The lyrics have amusing references to some of Olivia's songs.

By Stella Parton, CS-333, Country Soul Records inc. 3 minutes and 20 seconds. This US promo single is now deleted.

The song is also featured on Stella Parton's LP I Want To Hold You in My Dreams Tonight, 1975 Soul, Country and Blues label, distributed by IRDA, Nashville ref: LPN-6006 Stereo.