Being a die hard fan, I bought this album when it was first released. At first, I thought it was a bit slow, and it is a slow album, but Olivia's vocals are spectacular on this album. After a while, I found that this was a great piece for winding down. If I'm feeling a little melancholy, it's still my first choice to play. Like so many, IF LOVE IS REAL and DON'T CRY FOR ME ARGENTINA are probably my favorite songs on MAKING A GOOD THING BETTER. Both songs are hauntingly beautiful. Listen, listen again and enjoy.

I can never get enough of this album. Slush, smooth, emotive and powerful all at the same time. The title track, "Making A Good Thing Better" has a rousing tinge of carousel and "feel-good sunshine" to it. The other songs like "Sad Songs" and "You Won't See Me Cry" then throws you off balance with it's deep and painful dive into what heartbreaks and betrayal are all about, BUT this time with a powerful twist that leaves you actually gripping with sympathy for the "victims" in the songs. "Don't Ask A Friend" examines the sensitivity of putting friendship on the line. If you really want to feel truly alive and experience the "blues" done in contemporary style at its best, GET this CD!!! If you love ballads and don't like this album, I'll personally refund you. It's that GOOD.

When I first saw this CD, I was surprised that there was anything of Olivia's catalog left. Since MCA foolishly pulled most of her original albums from print, there's hardly anything left. The first time I heard the album I was disappointed, in fact I had to listen to the album in sections. "Making A Good Thing Better" is a good song, but not nearly as enjoyable as "If You Love Me", or "Let Me Be There". Her versions of "Ring Of Fire", and "Sad Songs" are well performed. I also find "You Won't See Me Cry", and "It's So Easy To Begin", with their breathy arrangements are enjoyable. "Don't Cry For Me, Argentina" is a masterpiece. Olivia's vocals are fantastic, the orchestration is powerful, and the song is majestic. Unfortunately, "Don't Cry For Me, Argentina" is one of the few worth while songs on the record. "Slow Dancing" takes some getting used to, but it is alright after being played a few times. "Cooling Down" is awful. For one thing it's too slow, and drags down an already slow album. With better arrangements, and a more uptempo melody it could work, but as is it doesn't belong here. "It's So Easy To Begin" could also be a bit faster, but is a better piece. "I Think I'll Say Good-bye" pales in comparison to songs like "Jolene", "Country Girl", and even "Ring Of Fire", though an uptempo song is a nice break. "Don't Ask A Friend" is a good song, written by Olivia but it is too far down the sequence on an album like this to get a fair listening. The same thing for "If Love Is Real". MAKING A GOOD THING BETTER is too dull and formulatic to rank among Olivia Newton-John's top albums. "Don't Cry For Me, Argentina", "Ring Of Fire", "You Won't See Me Cry", and the title track make the album worth having. Still, I would much rather own HAVE YOU NEVER BEEN MELLOW, IF YOU LOVE ME, or LET ME BE THERE.

People, people, people just listen to yourselves and give Olivia's 1977 release a chance. It shot straight to #34 on the U.S. album chart. At first, I didn't like all the songs but the standouts were Making A Good Thing Better; If Love Is Real; Don't Cry For Me Argenina; the up-beat Ring of Fire; the romantic Slow Dancing; Sad Songs; and the country-esque, quick-paced I Think I'll Say Goodbye. There is also a touch of Making A Good Thing Better in "Totally Hot's" tracks such as; Dancin' 'Round and 'Round, Never Enough, Borrowed Time, and Boats Against The Current.

This 1977 release was one of Olivia's first albums that didn't generate a Top 40 hit single, although the title track did crack the Hot 100.

Producer John Farrar knew her fanbase embraced her sweer innocent country girl persona but Olivia was eager to explore a more pop oriented audience. This split persona may have alienated her more traditional country fans while pop audiences couldn't accept her--not yet anyway. Of course, that's just supposition on my part but I became an Olivia fan during this time period and remain so to this day.

MAGTB does hint at a more gutsier potential especially on the title track, the pop-flavored SAD SONGS and the rock-tinged ballad DON'T ASK A FRIEND. This subtle turn would eventually erupt with GREASE and her phenomenal international juggernaut called PHYSICAL.

Olivia's breathy, sometimes sexy, voice floats thru this collection and there are some truly good songs on this collection: an evocative rendering of BJ Thomas' future hit, SLOW DANCING; a flippant cover of Johnny Cash's RING OF FIRE with dancing harmonica and fiddle; her heartfelt interpretation of DON'T CRY FOR ME ARGENTINA including a cascading symphonic accompaniment; the sultry Streisandish COOLING DOWN and a poignant SO EASY TO BEGIN.

But it is Randy Edelman's gorgeous IF LOVE IS REAL that is pure Olivia. With plaintive simplicity and Edelman's harmonium, along with unexpected sleighbells, it is IMO one of Olivia's finest performances.

After four decades and her brave battle with cancer, Olivia has proven she is a legendary member of female pop and country.