RIP, Olivia Newton-John

I didn't know that Olivia Newton-John's father was an MI5 agent or that her maternal grandfather was a Nobel prize-winning scientist until I learnt said facts from an obituary today. She didn't need those associations to be interesting in my eyes.

I saw "Grease" at the local cinema when I was six or seven. "Xanadu" when I was eight (and mad about rollerskating to boot). The clip for her song "Physical" on breakfast telly when I was nine. Olivia was an angelic-voiced chameleon and I adored her. Not in a sexual way - I was too young. However, I recognised she was levels above "pretty". If additional proof of her heavenliness was required, Tim Brooke-Taylor was infatuated with her in an episode of "The Goodies".

While nothing Olivia did post-1981 grabbed my attention in the same way, "Grease", "Xanadu" (especially) and "Physical" have never fallen in my estimation. Am I simply mourning a part of my childhood? I'd like to believe that's not the case. Everyone is saying she was a special person. I'd like to believe I knew that all along.