Physical (album) - Composition

Composition

"As I've gotten older and my influences on music have expanded, I've gotten attracted to different styles"

Musically Physical is one of the most diverse records for Newton-John, and sets her career from a totally different direction. The album was completely produced by Newton-John longtime collaborator, John Farrar, who did a then-modern music production, which later became musical trend in the 1980s. The songs features a more pop rock sound, and more high notes than as usual in her country pop era. The album contains a large use of synthesizers, such on the songs "Make a Move on Me" and "Love Make Me Strong" (Totally Hot also made some use of the synthesizer, but Physical uses the electronic instrument tightly on almost album tracks). It made the album one of the most dance-pop recordings by Newton-John, especially on the songs "Landslide" e "Physical". The vocoders background vocals made by John Farrar also were used, most notably on "Stranger's Touch" and "Recovery". The songs "Carried Away" and "Falling" has a more soft rock sound than Newton-John's past ballads, because of the more extensive use of guitars and synthesizers.

Lyrically Physical explores themes of the behavior of humans and his relationship with the world around. The songs "Falling" and "Landslide" tells about falling in love and love at first sight. The lyrics of "The Promise (The Dolphin Song)" deals about the killing of dolphins for commercial gain, with sounds of the marine mammal in the background. "Carried Away" deals with lyrics talking about a relationship breakup, and "Recovery" talks about a lonely woman, who is recovering to a troubled relationship. "Silvery Rain" has lyrics denouncing the aerial application use for pesticides to exterminate insects. The lyrics of "Love Make Me Strong" tells about the power of love in the determination of a person. The songs "Physical" and "Make a Move on Me" has more sexualized lyrics, with some suggestive innuendos (like "there's nothing left to talk about unless it's horizontally" and "come on baby make a move on me tonight").