What a great song. One of (if not) my favorite song by Donna Such a talent

written by the great Brenda Russell!!

G3000 said:

written by the great Brenda Russell!!

Very underrated songwritter

aardvark15 said:

What a great song. One of (if not) my favorite song by Donna Such a talent

I believe this was a sizeable R&B hit for Donna but I don't understand why this didn't do well for her at Pop radio. For me, this was by far, one of her best songs.

Here's the B-side to "Gershwin", "Tearin Down the Walls", which was deleted from the album.

My 3rd favorite song of her's great track.

Gunsnhalen said:

My 3rd favorite song of her's great track.

what's 2nd and 3rd?

aardvark15 said:

Gunsnhalen said:

My 3rd favorite song of her's great track.

what's 2nd and 3rd?

Sunset People, Need-A-Man Blues & Dinner with Gershwin

Love this track. Very different for Donna

Gunsnhalen said:

aardvark15 said:

what's 2nd and 3rd?

Sunset People, Need-A-Man Blues & Dinner with Gershwin

I asked for third. Good choices love Sunset People

I believe this was a sizeable R&B hit for Donna but I don't understand why this didn't do well for her at Pop radio. For me, this was by far, one of her best songs.

It peaked at #10 on the r&b chart but only made it to #48 on the pop charts. For some reason it's not included on the double cd set of The Donna Summer Anthology. Instead the title track All Systems Go is included.

[Edited 8/1/12 3:53am]

ChickenMcNuggets said:

There wasn't too much uptempo stuff on the All Systems Go album, but of what there was, I quite liked both this one and the cute, synthy "Love Shock".

"Love Shock" should have been the second single.It's a fun,catchy track with great lyrics.80s synth-pop at its best.

aardvark15 said:

G3000 said:

written by the great Brenda Russell!!

Very underrated songwritter

The story goes that,Brenda wrote this song for her own album but when a Geffen exec heard it,he felt that it could be a hit for Donna.They talked Brenda into giving the song to Donna.A year later,Brenda released her own version.

All Systems Go (the album) was a huge commercial flop,but I think it would have done much better if they had released different singles.These are the singles that I would have chosen:

"Dinner With Gershwin"---wise choice for the first single,and it did pretty well on R&B charts.

"Love Shock"---the pop crowd would have loved this one.It's fun and infectious.With a cool video and MTV exposure,this could have been a smash.

"Fascination"---a sexy,soulful Quiet Storm track that would have introduced Donna to a whole new audience.It's very Sade-ish.I think it would have been a surprise hit.

I SO miss Donna! She was such a big part of my life...before I ever heard of Prince... I hope one last album will be released...

UnderMySun said:

I believe this was a sizeable R&B hit for Donna but I don't understand why this didn't do well for her at Pop radio. For me, this was by far, one of her best songs.

It peaked at #10 on the r&b chart but only made it to #48 on the pop charts. For some reason it's not included on the double cd set of The Donna Summer Anthology. Instead the title track All Systems Go is included.

Donna complained that Geffen Records didn't really get behind "Dinner With Gershwin".By 1987,her relationship with Geffen had deteriorated.They didn't even promote this album and dropped her from the roster soon thereafter.

Interestingly,in the 80s,Donna often had successful singles on other labels.In 1983,she had to release one final album for Casablanca,which by that point was owned by Polygram.The album was She Works Hard For The Money,which was considered a huge comeback for her.Then in 1989,after she had been dropped by Geffen,she scored a Top 10 smash with "This Time I Know It's For Real" on Atlantic Records.

She complained that Geffen didn't know how to market and promote her,and based on the two examples I listed above,she may have had a point.

SoulAlive said:

UnderMySun said:

It peaked at #10 on the r&b chart but only made it to #48 on the pop charts. For some reason it's not included on the double cd set of The Donna Summer Anthology. Instead the title track All Systems Go is included.

Donna complained that Geffen Records didn't really get behind "Dinner With Gershwin".By 1987,her relationship with Geffen had deteriorated.They didn't even promote this album and dropped her from the roster soon thereafter.

Interestingly,in the 80s,Donna often had successful singles on other labels.In 1983,she had to release one final album for Casablanca,which by that point was owned by Polygram.The album was She Works Hard For The Money,which was considered a huge comeback for her.Then in 1989,after she had been dropped by Geffen,she scored a Top 10 smash with "This Time I Know It's For Real" on Atlantic Records.

She complained that Geffen didn't know how to market and promote her,and based on the two examples I listed above,she may have had a point.

Also, wasn't Geffen responsible for ending her partnership with Giorgio Moroder and Pete Bellotte? I think this was a huge mistake on Geffen's part. She could have continued doing great and interesting albums with Moroder well into the 80s and beyond. Imagine "Take My Breath Away" and "What a Feeling," if sung by Donna, for starters.

duggalolly said:

SoulAlive said:

Donna complained that Geffen Records didn't really get behind "Dinner With Gershwin".By 1987,her relationship with Geffen had deteriorated.They didn't even promote this album and dropped her from the roster soon thereafter.

Interestingly,in the 80s,Donna often had successful singles on other labels.In 1983,she had to release one final album for Casablanca,which by that point was owned by Polygram.The album was She Works Hard For The Money,which was considered a huge comeback for her.Then in 1989,after she had been dropped by Geffen,she scored a Top 10 smash with "This Time I Know It's For Real" on Atlantic Records.

She complained that Geffen didn't know how to market and promote her,and based on the two examples I listed above,she may have had a point.

Also, wasn't Geffen responsible for ending her partnership with Giorgio Moroder and Pete Bellotte? I think this was a huge mistake on Geffen's part. She could have continued doing great and interesting albums with Moroder well into the 80s and beyond. Imagine "Take My Breath Away" and "What a Feeling," if sung by Donna, for starters.

Yeah,Geffen put an end to her association with Moroder and Bellotte.It would have interesting to see where those guys could have taken Donna in the 80s.After 'The Wanderer',Donna went from one producer to another,never really finding a distinctive sound and style.

Yeah,Geffen put an end to her association with Moroder and Bellotte.It would have interesting to see where those guys could have taken Donna in the 80s.After 'The Wanderer',Donna went from one producer to another,never really finding a distinctive sound and style.

According to the liner notes for the I'm A Rainbow album, it was originally intended by Donna and her collaborators Moroder and Bellotte to be a double album like several of her previous albums with Casablanca. But with a new decade, a new record company (Geffen) and musical climate, Donna's label balked at the idea so they shelved the album and paired her with Quincy Jones for a more R & B flavored approach. Commercially speaking the label got the big pop and R & B hits that they wanted, but creatively it doesn't seem as interesting as what Summer/Moroder/Bellotte were capable of coming up with.

SoulAlive said:

,Donna went from one producer to another,never really finding a distinctive sound and style.

I think Donna had a distinctive style and sound. That was versatility. She never was a one sound/style artist. That is probaby what may have distracted record companies from signing her. I don't know. Having one distinctive sound/style is what record companies look for, it seems. But, when you're an artist who does not create just one genre of music, it can be frustrating. When Donna passed, Mary J. Blige referred to Donna as a game changer. Her versatility was likely the reason for such a reference.

leecappella said:

SoulAlive said:

I think Donna had a distinctive style and sound. That was versatility. She never was a one sound/style artist. That is probaby what may have distracted record companies from signing her. I don't know. Having one distinctive sound/style is what record companies look for, it seems. But, when you're an artist who does not create just one genre of music, it can be frustrating. When Donna passed, Mary J. Blige referred to Donna as a game changer. Her versatility was likely the reason for such a reference.

Donna was not very veratile at her height. She was the disco queen. Yes she incorporated many genres in disco and occassionally did other genres but that was her main focus and stayed her main focus until the death of disco

aardvark15 said:

leecappella said:

I think Donna had a distinctive style and sound. That was versatility. She never was a one sound/style artist. That is probaby what may have distracted record companies from signing her. I don't know. Having one distinctive sound/style is what record companies look for, it seems. But, when you're an artist who does not create just one genre of music, it can be frustrating. When Donna passed, Mary J. Blige referred to Donna as a game changer. Her versatility was likely the reason for such a reference.

Donna was not very veratile at her height. She was the disco queen. Yes she incorporated many genres in disco and occassionally did other genres but that was her main focus and stayed her main focus until the death of disco

Although she was versatile within disco, I was referring to your comment when you said that after the 80's, she never found one distinct sound or style. "After the 80's" being my focus of response:) I just wanted to make the point that I don't think she was looking for one sound or style. Even her albums prior to the 80's show that she was not all about one sound or style. Maybe her management and/or record company was focused on one genre, but she always seemed to want to avoid being boxed into one genre, sound, or style. My focus is not on how versatile she was, but that she was versatile. I'm saying her versatility was her sound/style. As opposed to just one genre being her sound/style.

[Edited 8/1/12 18:23pm]

[Edited 8/1/12 18:23pm]

leecappella said: