I know that Davideye said this album really deserved it's own thread when we were discussing "Bad Girls" so here it is.




This album has a long history. Originally recorded and intended for release in 1981, it was supposed to be Donna's second release for Geffen after the somewhat dissapointing sales of "The Wanderer". "The Wanderer" was mostly new wave rock and this album was supposed to be a return to dance, but by no means disco. Once again, Girigio and Pete were the producers but the writting team was not just exclusive to Donna and her long time producers, has it was on most of their albums. Much like "Bad Girls" and "The Wanderer", the writing credits were erratic and included some songs Donna wrote herself or only with Girigio. In some cases, it was the musicians that wrote the songs. Donna's husband, Bruce Sudano, wrote the title track. For an albm so personal, it was somewhat surprising that the Donna had a hand in writing maybe only half of the tracks. The sound was also a huge change, with songs that included dance pop, soaring ballads, sweet R&B, funky rock...everything. And this album sounded just like 1981 (as if I would know what that sounded like). The album is terribly dated but the writing is very sicere and I think this was the first case were you could really hear the true potenial of Donna's voice more than any album before or after (although I think Donna's recent club hits, which are off various projects and not any one album, really show how amazing Donna's vocals are) Anywho, despite the fact that the album would have done very well in an anviornment that was friendly to mix of dance, R&B, soul and pop from a well known female artist like Donna (as opposed to the prehaps surpringly aggresive "Wanderer"), Geffen rejected it, and thus the power house team of Donna, Girigio and Pete never worked together again (Girigio comes back in the fold every so often, most recently for two new songs from 2003's "The Journey" best of set). But the album didn't totally die. I've heard that bootlegs circulated among fans. In 1983, the some tracks were heard on two popular soundtracks. "Romeo" was released off "Flashdance" (and apparently had a video made up of only movie clips that was on MTV) and "Highway Runner" was released off the "Fast Times off Ridgemont High" soundtrack. Also the release of the tracks "Don't Cry For Me Argentina" and "I'm A Rainbow" on "The Anthology" in 1993 gave some listeners a taste of the softer songs off the album. The album was released, evantually...in 1996, from Mercury (the label Donna had released a Christmas album and "Endless Summer", a hits set with two new songs, two years prior). Again, it seemed odd that it was 1996 since the deal with Mercury seemed to be dead when they refused to let Donna dod a country album (!) but who knows why it happened then. Anyway, the albm now appears to be out of print and if you think of it was a studio album, it was probably her lowest selling ever since it didn't have any real promotion or singles.

I'm sure Davideye has a lot more he can add to the topic. As anyone heard ths album and do you have any opinions of it? For my money, it took a while to get into it and didn't hit me over the head but it's probably my third favorite Donna album (behind "Once Upon A Time" and "Bad Girls") and could have been an epic, or at least a decent seller with a few hits. It was a big mistake of David Geffen's. Even worse was the idea of teaming her with Quincy Jones for a pure R&B album, which Donna wrote very little on and did not enjoy singing since she was preganant at the time. Donna co-wrote only two out of nine songs. One great ("Love Is Just A Breath Away" rivals some of "bille Jean") and one terrible ("Livin' In America", which is pro-Regan era schamaltz). I think this album would have been a favorite of many if it were released in 1981 but we'll never know. Considering the fact of this album, I almost don't doubt that the same thing will happen with "Angel", an album Donna allegedly recorded in 2000 and was set to be released that year according to sources...it seems to be following that trend. Maybe we'll get to listen to the total album in...I don't know, 2015?

I have mixed feelings about this album.There are a handful of good tracks..."Back Where You Belong" is a decent R&B-flavored track...the quirky,stripped down New Wave-styled "Runner With The Pack" is alot of fun....the sexy slow jam "Sweet Emotion" is nice,and the catchy "Walk On (Keep On Walkin)" would have made a perfect lead single from this project.


But there are alot of weak,undistinguished tracks as well.The pop ballads are overproduced and overblown ("You To Me"...."I Need Time") and most of the rock songs are mediocre at best ("Leave Me Alone","Highway Runner").Other songs,like "Melanie" and "Romeo",find Donna and her producers treading the same New Wave territory that worked so much better on 'The Wanderer'.

If this had been a single album (without the filler),it probably would have been a decent effort.But as an 18-track double album,it's simply a bore to listen to all the way through.I can certainly understand why David Geffen was afraid to release it.In 1981,it's unlikely that a double-album from Donna Summer would have been a big success anyway.

Some interesting trivia about 'I'm A Rainbow'...


***The rumored first single was planned to be "Leave Me Alone".

***There is an alternate version of "People Talk" that features two women doing some kind of rap!

***Bootleg cassettes of this album circulated among fans for years,and there are a few differences between the bootleg version and the 1996 released version.The song "True Love Survives" is a little different.I've heard the alternate version.

***Giorgio Moroder has said that the album was never completely finished.It was mastered and turned in to David Geffen in the fall of 1981,but they had planned to go back and work on it a little more.However,Geffen cancelled the album altogether,so they never got the chance.One of the things they were gonna do was create a 'MacArthur Park'-like suite that combines the techno-styled tracks ("Romeo","Melanie","Runner With The Pack",etc) into a side-long medley,with each song seguing into each other.

***Interestingly,it's rumored that the cover art for the 1982 "replacement" album (produced by Quincy Jones) is actually the same cover art that was intended for 'I'm A Rainbow'.There is a shot of Donna standing with a rainbow behind her.Also,Donna was pregnant in 1982,so she couldn't have taken any new photos for the Quincy Jones project,lol.


***there is an interesting new article about 'I'm a Rainbow' including a track-by-track review.Go to www.foreverdonna.com and click on the "fan base" section,then click on "t-box".


...
[Edited 1/31/05 4:10am]

I knew you'd have to something to add. I do think that half the tracks are kind of weak but I think disagree on what works and what doesn't, as "Walk On" always kind of bored me and "You To Me" gets me. I also love "Leave Me Alone" and "Melanie". They could have been big singles if you ask me.

I think this project would have worked better as a single album.Take out the filler,keep the really good songs,and you would have a decent album.This is how the tracklist should have looked...

Donna Summer 'I'm A Rainbow'

SIDE 1---
I Believe In You
True Love Survives
People Talk
Back Where You Belong
Sweet Emotion

SIDE 2---
Walk On (Keep On Moving)
Runner With The Pack
To Turn The Stone
I'm A Rainbow
End Of The Week

but honestly,even with a revised tracklisting,this is still not a fantastic album,and it's certainly not as interesting as 'The Wanderer'.But I think my tracklist is more consistent and focused.The singles should have been...

"Walk On (Keep On Moving)"
"Runner With The Pack"
"Back Where You Belong"

Donna Summer sticky, anyone?

CinisterCee said:

some more trivia about this project...

***There are at least two known outtakes from this album: "Where Would I Be Without You" and "You'll Never Walk Alone".The latter song was removed from the tracklist in favor of "Don't Cry For Me Argentina".It is being saved for a *possible* future gospel album.

***On many bootleg cassettes of this album,there is an additional song called "Walk Hand In Hand",but that song is actually from the Quincy Jones sessions (recorded in either late 1981 or early 1982).It's a funky,enjoyable track that really should have appeared on the 'Donna Summer' album,perhaps replacing the silly "Livin In America".Both tracks have a similiar groove,but "Walk Hand In Hand" is superior.

VinnyM27 said:

I disagree.Pairing Donna up with Quincy Jones was a smart move,and it resulted in her most vibrant album of the 80s.In the early 80s,Quincy Jones was the hottest producer around and there are alot of top-notch songs on the 'Donna Summer' album."The Woman In Me" is sexy and inviting,with strong, powerful vocals."Protection" is the most convincing rock song Donna has ever done,with the possible exception of "Hot Stuff"."Love Is Just A Breath Away" is reminiscent of the best Eurodisco/techno stuff that Donna recorded with Giorgio,and of course,"State Of Independence" is a tour de force.In addition,with this album,Donna finally recorded a genuine R&B/funk tune "Love Is In Control (Finger On The Trigger)" that didn't sound out of place on radio stations that were playing Rick James and Evelyn Champagne King (let's face it,all three of 'The Wanderer' singles flopped big time at black radio).It's a fun,solid album and if you listen closely,you will hear many similarities between this album and the next project that Quincy completed: Michael Jackson's 'Thriller'.But I guess that's another thread,lol.

i must say im starting to realize that donna fans are the most informed and dedicated bunch of people out their..

and they arent all obsessive like the madge or mj fans....

DavidEye said:

I almost burst out into laughter here in the computer lab.

VinnyM27 said:

btw,where is VoicesCarry,RipHer2shreds,blackguitarist and all the other Donna fans? Do they even know about this album? LOL

DavidEye said:

If they don't, they're about to get schooled!

DavidEye said:

I'm sorry, but I can't disagree more with that tracklisting. If I had to make it a single album, I guess I would go...

I Believe In You
Melanie
You To Me
Sweet Emotion
Back Where You Belong

Runner With the Pack
Highway Runner
Brooklyn
People Talk
Leave Me Alone
I Need Time

And the singles:

Highway Runner
I Believe In You
People Talk
Back Were You Belong

That's right! I got rid of the title track!

That's a strech, but I think it's shows a very fun dance album and cuts out a lot of those tracks that slowed the album down and some questionable attempts at R&B. Then again, that's just my preference.

"Highway Runner" as a single??


That song is pure filler.That's probably why,in the movie 'Fast Times At Ridgemont High',it was only used as a brief instrumental

DavidEye said:

I haven't seen that movie in so long I don't remember it being in there (way before I was a fan). I like "Highway Runner" but yeah, maybe not a single. I think it's a good rock song, though. "Leave Me Alone", instead....I won't back down on that one!

VinnyM27 said:

"Leave Me Alone" was planned to be the first single....that is,until David Geffen heard the entire album and decided to cancel it's release.