What is so good about it? Was anyone else disappointed by this album? I paid 28 euro for it the other day and apart from the title track, there's really very little to warrant it's classic album status and deluxe edition treatment (though I love the 12" version of I Feel Love). Admittedly I've only listened to the album once and usually it takes a few more listens, but after the first listen I'm not sure I can sit through all those mid-tempo ballads again. It seemed to pick up a a bit on the final side, but surely this album is overrated?
[Edited 1/24/05 16:08pm]

It's not my favorite DS album, but I do like it. It was hailed at the time because it combined rock, R&B and disco. A novel enough idea, but it dated the album quite a big. But there are still some great tracks:

Bad Girls
Walk Away
Dim All the Lights
Can't Get to Sleep at Night
Our Love
Lucky
Sunset People

I've never been too keen on the ballads on this album, but when it's good it's great. Both Walk Away and Dim All the Lights (along with MacArthur Park Suite) are her best vocal performances. The deluxe edition is good, but I have a lot of that stuff elsewhere.

This is one of my favourite albums of all time. I can listen to it all the way through without getting bored. Perhaps it's because I love her voice so much. To each his own.

VoicesCarry said:

I agree her voice is superb on this. As much as I do like it, I always find myself skipping right through Hot Stuff and going right to the toot, toot, beep, beep. My favorite album of hers is Once Upon a Time.... Good stuff all throughout that album. And damn, girl was fond of the concept albums:

Four Seasons of Love
I Remember Yesterday
Once Upon a Time...
Bad Girls

RipHer2Shreds said:

This album is largely forgotten, which I think is a crime. . This is probably because people tend to shun disco altogether. Once Upon A Time is too camp kitsch in some parts for me.

VoicesCarry said:

A concept album about hookers isn't camp kitsch? But I agree - it's looked over, because disco as a whole gets no respect (thank you, John Travolta).

RipHer2Shreds said:

No, I meant the songs are. Just compare the tracks on Bad Girls with Fairy Tale High, Queen For A Day, If You Got It Flaunt It and so on.

RipHer2Shreds said:

C'mon, John Travolta was I N C R E D I B L E in Saturday Night Fever!!!

VoicesCarry said:

Now, why are you only gonna point out the wickity wack tracks? I actually like Fairy Tale High and love Now I Need You, Dance Into My Life, Rumor Has It and I Love You (the best track on there, IMO). I guess when I think about it, I don't prefer one over the other, but there are songs on both I have to skip (On My Honour and Journey to the Center of Your Heart on BG).

RipHer2Shreds said:

I have the original LP and I like how it all sounds like one big mix. Very sweet.

And yes some of the songs from Once Upon A Time may be superb, but they are supremely campy! I think I Remember Yesterday is a much better album. Don't you just love Can't We Just Sit Down (And Talk It Over)?
[Edited 1/24/05 16:36pm]

VoicesCarry said:

I actually like every song on I Remember Yesterday - her little trip through the decades of music. And I love Black Lady, her little Supremes tribute Back in Love Again and, yes, Can't We Just Sit Down. Hmmm...maybe that's my fave DS album. I cannot choose.

RipHer2Shreds said:

Neither can I. I them all

"Bad Girls" is my absolute favorite Donna Summer album. I love every track on it except for some of the ballads. I do love "On My Honor" though. Side 4 reminds me of techno house before there was such a thing. Georgio Moroder was truly ahead of his time.

I've always loved pimps and hookers so naturally I love all the pictures and the whole hooker theme going on.

RipHer2Shreds said:

"I Love You" might be my least favorite track (least favorite of the singles, comapred to the funky "Rumour Has It") on the album, but I still like it. Far and away, my favorte of Donna's albums, with "Bad Girls" coming in at number two. I think "Bad Girls" might take a few listens. I find it hard to believe that you can't get into the ballads, as they are my favorite part of the album. They show Donna's amazing vocals, along with her sincere songwriting. The only thing I don't like on the album are the fart noises from "Lucky", which is still a great track. It's just a good well written and nice sounding disco album, with experiments a of rock, folk, AC, funk, soul, techno, etc.

VinnyM27 said:

I love the lyrics, though.

VoicesCarry said:

Probably one of the best written songs on there. Great lyrics.

VoicesCarry said:

Funny, cuz me and my boyfriend are both so mature that we also refer to them as the fart noises. In fact, he cannot listen to it without laughing. We also got into a big stupid argument once, because he said the orchestral break in the middle of the full version of Love to Love You Baby sounded like the theme to $10,000 Pyramid. Maybe it hurt cuz it was true, but it angered me...I kicked him outta the room.

Without question,'Bad Girls' is Donna Summer's masterpiece.This album took disco music to a whole new level.The opening track "Hot Stuff" dares to combine rock with disco,and it works! The title track is my all-time favorite disco song....insanely catchy,with a funked-up arrangement.Throughout the album,Donna's vocals are remarkably strong and powerful,unlike many of her previous albums.

This album has only two weak songs: "My Baby Understands" and "Lucky",both of which are filler.But the highlights are plentiful.The tender ballad "On My Honor" finds Donna venturing into country music.Another ballad "All Through The Night" is equally impressive.R&B songs like "Walk Away" and "Can't Get To Sleep At Night" are brilliant.The last track "Sunset People" is techno/disco at it's best.

RipHer2Shreds said:

It's one of my favorite Donna albums too,but one thing that annoys me about this album is her weak vocals,especially on the first seven or eight songs.We know she can sing,but on this project,she's clearly not giving her all.That's why it's kinda frustrating listening to alot of her pre-'Last Dance' material.She's intentionally holding back.

But,it's a great album nonetheless.My favorite songs are "Now I Need You","Dance Into My Life","Say Something Nice" and "I Love You".The two ballads "A Man Like You" and "Sweet Romance" are delightfully soulful.

Some interesting facts and trivia about this album...


***A few of you mentioned that you don't really care for the ballads.Well,Neil Bogart (president of Casablanca Records) wasn't too impressed either.When Donna turned in the finished album,he was less-than-thrilled with Side Three, suggesting that she replace the ballads with uptempo tracks.Donna angrily threatened to quit singing altogether...lol...so the ballads remained.

***According to Donna,the title track was actually recorded in 1977,but remained in the vaults for a few years.If you get the 2-CD 'Deluxe Edition',you can hear the original demo version.I assume that this is that 1977 version.

***The song "Dim All The Lights" was written by Donna for Rod Stewart,who was interested in doing a disco song.In the end,she kept the song for herself,and he simply found another disco song to sing ("Do Ya Think I'm Sexy").

***Oddly enough,the song "Walk Away" was released as a single over a year after the album came out! It was released in the fall of 1980,at the same time when Donna's new single "The Wanderer" (on Geffen records) was ruling the airwaves.Donna had recently left Casablanca Records,and they were pissed...lol...perhaps this was their way of sabotaging her new single at Geffen?

***In the summer of 1979,you couldn't avoid this album.Radio went nuts over this project,and even the non-singles ("Journey To the Center Of Your Heart","Love Will Always Find You","Our Love") received airplay in my area.In addition,"Sunset People" got alot of airplay too,even though it was never released as a single,at least not here in the States (I could be wrong).

DavidEye said:

wtf?????

Is that the producer Moroder in the pic in a trenchcoat flashing Donna?

What's Donna reachin' for

CinisterCee said:

Yep,that is Giorgio.Looks like he just bought himself a hand job

scandalous!

Giorgio Moroder "The Chase"

CinisterCee said:

Apparently Donna thought so too.A few months after this album was released,she became a born-again Christian

That's my favorite part of that album artwork - the big, bright pink phallus (it's pink on the cover anyway) in the background.

DavidEye said:

Yet she still sings the songs from "Bad Girls" (the hits, anways) but she stuck firm to not doing "Love To Love You, Baby" (until recently, I heard).

DavidEye said:

DavidEye and myself got into it with somebody (I can't remember who it was) over the greatness of Donna Summer and this fantastic album. When this was released, it was HUGE! As a kid, I was in love with Donna bigtime and living in So. Cal, I vividly remember riding down Sunset Blvd all the time and seeing this huge billboard of this album. This album perfectly blended rock and disco and it was a bonafide crossover album. Without question, this album is paramount!

RipHer2Shreds said:

I loved her shoes!!!!

I got this album when I was very young, and it still is one of my faves.

As stated in here, I think people who eihter love this album or don't should give "Once Upon A Time" a try. Totally different. It's very pop with some nice funky stuff, insane techno (the electric stuff on there puts the electric "Bad Girls" stuff to shame, and that's ain't bad), sweet ballads, and kitshy dance/disco. It's less than $10 (I've seen it for $7.99 online) most places so take a look.

gemini13 said:

oh to be 15 yrs old and in my bedroom all alone with donna on the turntable and those pics on the cover !!! those were the days !!!