One thing that I'm sure will sadden Davideye (and other fans) is that there is almost no chance of a new Donna Summer ablum. Again, this is straight from the artist. Every year she hinted at a new album and really seemed to suggest that it was coming in 2004, after the release of "The Journey" and all the hype that came out from "You're So Beautiful".

In Donna's latest Christmas message, she mostly talked about the very recent loss of her father but did mention preforming live and looking forward to seeing fans but nothing about a new album. I think that I must finally accept that fate that most Donna fans have already accpeted...she will never release a new album! I think that the release of a new collection, one of a series, is not promising, while "The Journey" was but that was a year and a half ago. She on to yet another US set. I think she has little to do with those but I also think that she is probably happier not taking the risk of a new album, which in this enviornment, probably won't sell well enough. I'd like see her go indepdent and take a chance but I think she likes the comfort of a major label (see her deals with Mercury and Sony, which never resulted in a pop studio album but had some interesting results). Anyone have any comments or thoughts on this.

That is great news!!

Yeah,it sucks doesn't it? I remember in the late 90s,getting really excited when Donna signed with Sony.But all we got from that deal was a "Live" album with two new tracks.Then,in the early 2000s,there was all this talk about a new album titled 'Angel',but it never materialized.It's obvious that Donna is just not motivated to make a new album,independently or otherwise.From this point on,we may continue to get a new song here and there,but I stopped waiting for a new Donna Summer album.

Lennon said:

It's great news if you're closed minded.

VinnyM27 said:

Ow come on...close minded coz I don't like Donna Summer?? Saying something like that, is close minded!

DavidEye said:

Well I think that "Angel" was a completed album and "You're So Beautiful" along with "I Got Your Love" (the possible title for a song that was featured in a "Sex and the City"?) were two tracks that leaked from it. I'd beat that it is done! I think she's only motivated to do an album for a major label and they obviously let her down. I think "Angel" is collecting dust in a valut and it's up to someone with a major label to buy it and release it (hell, even an indie could do this). I think the problem is that when she is ready to make an album, they (the record companies) aren't OR they disagree with what she wants to do (consider if "Angel" is complete...but not modern enough....I heard in 1994 that she wanted to do a country album when she was going to make a record for Mercury). The world may never know but right now, I'm not counting on a new album. I know Donna has to mourn but I think she should also consider the possiblty of a new album with a tribute to both her parents (who have both died in the time that Donna has been between albums...which is now 14 years!).

Didn't she record a song for the Pokemon movie?

jayaredee said:

She sure did.She sang the theme song "The Power Of One" (2000).

VinnyM27 said:

Donna Summer 'Angel' (recorded from 2000-2003)---

"You're So Beautiful"
"Angel"
"Valley Of The Moon"
"Half The Battle"
"Not A Day"
"Rain On My Shoulders"
"Only Words"
"Work It"
"Tearing Down The Berlin Wall"
"Til You Get It"
"I Got Your Love"

Lennon said:

Yes, but you didn't even know The Emotions' "Best Of My Love", so I can't really expect you to know Donna Summer.

Looks like another song from the aborted 'Angel' project is gonna leak out soon! Producer/DJ Tony Moran is gonna play one of the songs ("Valley Of The Moon") in New York during his annual New Year's Eve celebration! Not sure if he has Donna's permission to do this...lol...or maybe since he co-wrote the track,he has the rights to play it? Who knows? But here are the lyrics...


"Valley Of The Moon"

(written by Nathan DiGesare,Donna Summer and Tony Moran)

I feel you breathing
I hear you thinking
See you dancing

(chorus)
I found out that love is a circle
I found out that it's out of control
I found out that it's always new
in the Valley of the Moon
in the Valley of the Moon

Wet all over
like beams of sunlight
you're shining on me
flesh against my soul
A change of weather
that sudden pleasure
your hidden treasure

(chorus)
I found out that love is a circle
I found out that it's out of control
I found out that it's always new
in the Valley of the moon
in the Valley of the moon

VoicesCarry said:

That is because i don't like her, so ofcourse I don't know Donna Summer.... I only know the 2 big hits she had....and that is enough for me

Lennon said:

The "two big hits she had"? LOL.Donna has had numerous big hits! Don't make me have to list them all.

DavidEye said:

Ow that was gonna be my question...maybe I recognize some more!

Lennon said:

Sounds like you need Finesse to sit you down and give you a stern talking to about 70's music (and 80's and 90's music, since Donna's had major hits in all 3 decades)!
[Edited 12/29/04 13:29pm]

Lennon said:

I'll name the most successful hits...

"Love To Love You Baby" (1975)
"I Feel Love" (1977)
"Last Dance" (1978)
"MacArthur Park" (1978)
"Heaven Knows" (1978)
"Hot Stuff" (1979)
"Bad Girls" (1979)
"Dim All The Lights" (1979)
"Enough Is Enough" with Barbara Streisand (1979)
"On The Radio" (1979)
"The Wanderer" (1980)
"Love Is In Control (Finger On The Trigger)" (1982)
"She Works Hard For The Money" (1983)
"This Time I Know It's For Real" (1989)


but there are many other hits as well.

Lennon said:

It's not that you were closed minded...you were closed eared! I can't imagine what you thought the two Donna hits were. It's hard to imagine her with only two big hits. Check out the track listing and I'm sure you'll recognize most of the songs (maybe not "Love Is In Control", which I only discovered when I become a fan)

DavidEye said:

So a full album exists but unfornately keeps getting released song by song. Hopefully someone wil figure this one out before it gets out of hand and release the full album. "Valley Of The Moon" might be interesting. All of the titles sound good. "Til You Get It" and "Work It" are probably hot dance/R&B songs while "Tearing Down The Berlin Wall" and "Half the Battle" might be political and/or emotional.

VinnyM27 said:

then she's just a pussy, and not worth my time. don't get me wrong, she's great. but if Cher and Tina can go out there and scrape together a comeback every 10 years, at their ages, then this bitch ought to get off her ass and do something with herself. for christ's sake, even Diana Ross dragged her carcass out on the road for a fake-ass Supremes thing. and that bitch is crazy! there's no reason Donna can't do it.


sorry, Donna. tough love.

VinnyM27 said:

you'd think that among all of the best ofs and anthologies that have been released under her name that one of the labels (or even Donna herself) might come up with the bright idea of "hey, since i've got half a dozen unreleased albums sitting around, why don't we just tack one of them on the next compilation as a free bonus disc" ? hmmm? it wouldn't cost the new purchaser a thing if they just wanted the compilation, and it would give the people that are burnt out on buying her compilations after so many years a reason to buy yet another one. it's a win-win if you ask me. after all, these albums are sitting around on a shelf not making any money, so they might as well be used as a selling point for yet another best of.

hell, for as many projects as she's been working on in the last decade that haven't seen the light of day, they could go ahead with the annual best of as usual AND have new material out there every for the next, oh, 5 or 6 years.

best of both worlds. whattayathink?

Donna Summer was my absolute favorite singer before I discovered Prince during the disco era. I haven't bought any of her newer stuff since "This Time I Know It's For Real". The later stuff (the little that I got a chance to hear) was OK but it was not very appealing to me.

I would have loved to have seen Donna Summer make a big comeback like Cher did with "Believe" but on the other hand, I would hate to see her sell out to the hip hop crowd like The Barkays did on their new album (it hasn't sold well at all and I am glad...maybe they won't do it again).

Anyway, I'm glad to see she is retiring from recording with dignity rather than just making music for the sake of making music. I hope she continues to tour.
[Edited 12/30/04 0:37am]

vainandy said:

It's not that she has retired. It seems like whenever she wants to do something, record companies aren't game. She did make a new album but Sony did not release it and slowly, it will probably be heard through one off singles, compilation fillers, soundtracks, TV shows or other areas. You should check out some of her newer stuff. The new collection is a good place to get an overview. She's been tearing up the dance charts since her Sony contract in 1999 with singles through various areas, including the "Pokemon" ballad turned club remixed hit "The Power Of One".

Isn't her career maintained from greatest hits anyway?

Unless you're a die-hard of her, I don't see a lot of people running to snatch up a new album.

GrayKing said:

Tough love, indeed! Taking the new album indie is the only opition. Keep in mind with all the divas you mentioned, they all had major label support (actually, Cher's "Believe" was kind of just sitting on the shelf in the fall of 1998 and then picked up once the single started to get big...over time...what a concept!).

I, along with others, really don't think she wants it anymore but the fans want it so bad. However, the fanbase is shrinking, with many fans being frustrated with her, so the album would be a big gamble. No one is banking on selling millions, but I'm sure some might except a hit, even something that lands in the Top Ten in it's first week and has one big single. But with the release of "You're So Beautiful" (and now it being included on a second set) already, the "Angel" ship seems to have sailed.

GrayKing said:

Are you refferring to the "Angel" tracks? I think Sony still owns them. I think the mix of "You're So Beautiful" that was released was a rough mix, and not the one intended for the album. The song has since been remixed but never officaly released as a maxi single (a big flaw) and it's still kind of up in the air as to who owns it (Donna, I'm sure) since only a very bulky 10 min+ mix was released on a bonus remix disc for "The Journey" (and only the US edition). It's hard to tell what it is giong on with her and her songs anymore. While I don't see Donna making a new album, I might see "Angel" evantually being released by some smart indie dance label OR by Donna herself. It probably won't be a hit that way, but at least the fans will get it and it might be something that Donna can build on.

subhuman09 said:

If it had a hit like "Believe" on it, it could happen. Donna is still on the dance charts, so young club goers might pick up a new album of hers, even if they don't associate her as someone back from that disco era (although I'm sure nearly all of her fans do).

VinnyM27 said:

there's a club mix of this? good to know, because last year, i was putting together a Donna Summer 2-disc anthology for my mom and doanloaded this song (and the edit of "The Journey" .... or a different one, i don't remember), and thought "oh christ, wtf am i gonna do with this?").

guess i'll replace it with the remix for her now

VinnyM27 said:

if she's only going to do it on the stipulation that it's a sure-fire hit, she may as well not even do it. Cher didn't go into "Believe" looking for a hit. she had said she would never do another dance album again (after her 2 late 70's disco albums), but it evolved naturally by working with Junior Vasquez after the semi-success of the "One By One" remix. (of course, almost all of the tracks she worked on with him were replaced on the album as the project progressed). and Tina Turner's comeback was pretty much a fluke. "Let's Stay Together" took off in the UK so quickly and so unexpectedly that there weren't even any plans at the time to go in to do a full album. once some momentum builds and interest is garnered, the "hit" and "comeback" aspects of it will take care of themselves.


but if she is afraid of doing it and it failing, then she's in the wrong business and probably shouldn't have been in it in the first place, even as much as i enjoy the fact that she was (and is still, though to a lesser extent, obviously).

I absolutely agree and most people that are into house music that know anything about disco, knows that house is a reincarnation of disco.

GrayKing said:

I totally agree.Hell,even Gloria Gaynor(!) managed to release a new CD (actually,a 2-CD set) a few years ago.Donna has no more excuses.