Album: The Wanderer (1980)

Writers: Giorgio Moroder, Donna Summer

[Edited 12/13/10 17:07pm]

She sounds kinda like Elvis Presley here.

MickyDolenz said:

She sounds kinda like Elvis Presley here.

That's exactly what John Lennon said when he heard it. Well, not exactly, but, kind of:)

"John Lennon raced into Yoko Ono's home office in the mammoth old Dakota building with a copy of Donna Summer's new single, "The Wanderer." "Listen!" he shouted to us as he put the 45 on the record player. "She's doing Elvis!" I didn't know what he was talking about at first. The arrangement felt more like rock than the singer's usual electro-disco approach, but the opening vocal sure sounded like Donna Summer to me. Midway through the song, however, her voice shifted into the playful, hiccuping style Elvis had used on so many of his early recordings.

"See! See!" John shouted, pointing at the speakers.

The record was John's way of saying hello again after five years..."

http://articles.latimes.c...n-lennon11

[Edited 12/13/10 17:57pm]

John also said that Rock Lobster by the B-52's reminded him of Yoko.

I called this rockabilly new wave lol

I could hear Roy Orbistin, doing this...

love the second verse:

slipped down the back stairs on my toes then out the door

cause I can't take that 9 to 5 life,it's a bore

I havent heard this song in a long time didnt know it Donna Summer This song was release in 1980? It feels like it was a year or two later. I remember 'On The Radio' was a huge hit, I believe I was jammin to that song in 1980.

This song sounds early new wave, maybe its just me but Debbie Harry/Blondie should have recorded this song. Its more their style.

shorttrini said:

I could hear Roy Orbison, doing this...

The chorus does sound a little like Roy.

MickyDolenz said:

shorttrini said:

I could hear Roy Orbison, doing this...

The chorus does sound a little like Roy.

yep.

i think she was pregnant in that video.

1sotrue said:

I havent heard this song in a long time didnt know it Donna Summer This song was released in 1980? It feels like it was a year or two later. I remember 'On The Radio' was a huge hit, I believe I was jammin to that song in 1980.

This song sounds early new wave, maybe its just me but Debbie Harry/Blondie should have recorded this song. Its more their style.

Yes,this song was released in the fall of 1980."On The Radio" was a huge hit at the beginning of that year.Donna sued her record company (Casablanca) and was able to start over on a new label (Geffen).

Interestingly,Casablanca tried to sabotage Donna's new single by confusing listeners.When "The Wanderer" was sent to radio stations,Casablanca released a year-old Donna song ("Walk Away") as a 'new' single and surprisingly,it briefly charted.

"The Wanderer" does indeed sound like New Wave,and that's the direction that Donna wanted to go in.She wanted to break away from disco music.I suppose that Blondie could have easily recorded this song.Just a few months earlier,they were riding high with "Call Me",also produced by Giorgio Moroder.

grethomory said:

i think she was pregnant in that video.

she was pregnant with her daughter BrookLyn