As mentioned in the Story Of Xanadu mega-piece in this web site, the music of Xanadu didn't end with the release of the soundtrack and movie. Xanadu co-producer Joel Silver conceived a project with record producer Richard Perry (who recorded hits with the likes of The Pointer Sisters, Harry Nilsson, Carly Simon & Barbara Strisand) that was inspired by the film's big band/rock musical sequence 'Dancin'. The result was this 1981 record called Swing on Perry's label, Planet Records. Swing was consisted of top studio musicians like Tom Scott (who also was the musical director for Olivia Newton-John's 1983 Physical touring band), Victor Feldman, Ira Newborn (who played the big band leader in the Dancin' scene), James Newton Howard, Paulinho Da Costa, David Benoit and the Tonight Show arranger Tommy Newson with Charlotte Crossley, Lorraine Feather & Steve March handling the leading vocals.
	A TIME TO DANCE AND A TIME TO SWING!!
			Similar to Dancin', this project was presented with the mix of traditional big band sound with modern technology to bring out, what the albums liner notes calls, "the sound of swing in the 80's." It should be noted that, unlike Dancin', there's no sonic outbursts from a five piece rock band to be found here. A good chunk of the tracks were covers with a pinch of originals mixed in. Tweedell Dee, Serenade In Blue, Let The Good Times Roll, Crazy He Calls Me and the Duke Ellington classic Caravan were played next to more "updated" old tunes like Trocadero Ballroom and Big Bucks, along side the originals like The Right Idea and, what should have been a great single, Make Love To Me Baby. Not much is known about this project outside of this one-off record. I personally remember this was also released on a picture disc format and, if I'm really scratching the back of me head, good old 8-track tape.. It is interesting to note that one year after this record was released, Linda Ronstadt would come out with the first of her three big band/ballad titles, What's New, to acclaim and large sales. This might suggest that the sales for Swing was below expectations or they would of came out with a follow-up to capitalize Ms. Ronstadt's latest success. To make this even worse, this title wasn't given a passing though during the 1990's lounge/big band revival and remained in the used vinyl record bins.
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