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Having
drawn much of his musical inspiration from the country and western tunes he heard on the radio growing up, Jeff Barry's primary
goal in songwriting has always been simplicity ... or at least the appearance of simplicity. He believes that lyrics
should never sound stiff, forced or phony. They should flow naturally, like a casual conversation between two people.
Starting in the late '60s , his songs began to reflect this conversational style more and more. Jeff feels his best
effort at writing simply was this tender piano ballad, a massive hit for Olivia Newton-John in 1974. It topped both
Billboard's Hot 100 and Adult-Contemporary charts. It was an international smash. It became a Country best-seller
(much to Jeff's delight), and it even scored on the R & B charts in a cover version by The Staple Singers. For Olivia
Newton-John alone, "I Honestly Love You" has charted three different times (and she's recorded it at least that many
times). It's her signature tune, and recently she's gotten into the habit of ending concerts with it. The gentle
melody and plain-spoken lyric are as compelling in their simplicity as a fifty-piece orchestra would be in its grandeur; the
combination brings audiences to their feet. Today, more likely than not, they are theatre audiences. "I Honestly
Love You" is now the showstopping number in The Boy From Oz, a hit Broadway musical based on the life of the late
Peter Allen. All this exposure has made it Jeff Barry's most lucrative copyright ever.
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