Two of my favorite Donna Summer quotes:
“My life was changed in one breath from God.”
“God had to create disco music so I could be born and be successful.”
I hear ya, Donna !!!
Donna Summer is one of those artist I didn't fully appreciate when the world was going wild over her; instead I thought Gloria Gaynor was far superior in song choices and attitude. I always gave both huge props for their God -given ,"take you to church " heavenly voices, however.
Today I realize Summer was just ahead of her time. For years I had wanted to actually see her perform; sadly, now I never will.
Nostalgically, the OSCAR winning song, "Last Dance", was the first time I slow danced with a man in public at "Feathers' in River Edge, NJ. It was 1978.
My face was both red & very happy!
Another Marilyn Monroe reference...
"While singing background for the hit-making 1970s trio Three Dog Night, Summer met producers Giorgio Moroder and Pete Bellotte. She eventually signed a deal with the European label Groovy Records and issued her first album, Lady of the Night, in 1974.
In 1975, Summer approached Moroder with an idea for a song she and Bellotte were working on for another singer. She had come up with the lyric "love to love you, baby". Moroder was interested in developing the new sound that was becoming popular and used Summer's lyric to develop the song. Moroder persuaded Summer to record what was to be a demo track for another performer. She later said that she had thought of how the song might sound if Marilyn Monroe had sung it and began cooing the lyrics. To get into the mood of recording the song, she requested Moroder turn off the lights while they sat on a sofa with him inducing her moans and groans. After hearing playback of the song, Moroder felt Summer's version should actually be released..."
It's interesting that we are now in the mist of some highly religious African-Americans condemning the LGBT community and writing vile things since Obama came out in favor of same sex marriage. While reflecting about the past I remembered how angry I was at Summer when she allegedly made those hateful remarks regarding AIDS and gays. I have moved on but I was never 100% convinced she wasn't just saving her pocket. I wanted to believe her but honestly I never was totally convinced. Still I gave her the benefit of the doubt and embraced her music once again.
CONTROVERSY:
"In the mid 1980s, Summer was embroiled in a controversy. She had allegedly made anti-gay remarks regarding the then-relatively new disease, AIDS, which as a result had a significantly negative impact on her career and saw thousands of her records being returned to her record company by angered fans. Summer, by this time a born-again Christian, was alleged to have said that AIDS was a punishment from God for the immoral lifestyles of homosexuals.[10][11] However, she denied that she had ever made any such comment and, in a letter to the AIDS campaign group ACT UP in 1989, she said that it was "a terrible misunderstanding. I was unknowingly protected by those around me from the bad press and hate letters... If I have caused you pain, forgive me." She went on to apologize for the delay in refuting the rumours and closed her letter with Bible quotes (from Chapter 13 of 1 Corinthians).[12]
Also in 1989, Summer told The Advocate magazine that "A couple of the people I write with are gay, and they have been ever since I met them. What people want to do with their bodies is their personal preference."[13] A couple of years later she filed a lawsuit against New York magazine when it reprinted the rumours as fact just as she was about to release her album Mistaken Identity in 1991.[14] According to a Biography television program dedicated to Summer in which she participated in 1995, the lawsuit was settled out of court though neither side was able to divulge any details..."
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