Clips: Chronology of Olivia Newton-John’s Hair

Year: 1966
Song: “Christmas Time Down Under”
Hair: Shoulder-length flip.

Who knew that ON-J was such a teen sensation? She made her break trying to convince the world that Aussies don’t roast crocodiles over a pit for Christmas. (You’re thinking Easter.)

Year: 1972
Song: John Denver’s “Country Road”
Hair: Straight, slight wave.

ON-J Seemed to spend much of the early to mid ’70s singing pablum on television variety shows.

Year: 1978
Song: “A Little More Love”
Hair: Fully ’70s puffy with bangs.

It’s so strange to know that just a few years separate this ON-J from the short-haired, sexually assertive ON-J of the early ’80s. (See the same song re-recorded just a few years later for the difference.) Every Australian donated one sequin each to supply ON-J with enough for her and her back-up singers.

ON-J was also working the “Sandy” hair in ‘78 from time to time, as seen in this third version. As the astute YouTube commenter “cagwa” notes, “somewhere between gay and hot lies this video.”

Year: 1980
Song: “Xanadu”
Hair: Mullet.

Despite having worn her hair long and down for most of the movie Xanadu, ON-J has it cut short by the time she performs this live version. (The “video” version shows ON-J at her most Farrah, and it totally works.)

Year: 1982
Song: “Let’s Get Physical”
Hair: Short, with bangs.

The post Grease and Xanadu long hair is kaput, culminating in perhaps ON-J’s hottest look: the second-half tennis and headband getup. Too bad all that beefcake made me gay.

Year: 1984
Song: “Twist of Fate”
Hair: Aqua Net travesty.

In the “real life” sequences of this video, ON-J looks great, like a talented Markie Post. (So does John Travolta, in what was one of his last heartthrob roles. Looks like Markie Post, I mean.) But the teased, Debbie Harry look of the video just isn’t doing it for me.

Year: 1988
Song: “Tutta La Vita”
Hair: Straightened, with bangs.

Having pretty much done what she could with America, ON-J headed back to Australia to film the “Down Under” special, led off by this very Hall & Oates-sounding song. (Whoa-a-oh!) Amazingly looks younger than she did in the middle ’80s.

I could find more videos of ON-J through the ’90s, but let’s leave her at her best. Who wants to start my ELO cover band with me? I’ll play the triangle.