Donna Summer

Released: February 26, 1974

Songwriter: Pete Bellotte

Producer: Pete Bellotte

Late last night at a fancy dress ball
I was dancing with all the queens and lords
When a tall and mystic man took me by the hand
And began dancing my eyes away

Domino, domino, domino
Who's the man behind the mask I'd like to know
Who's this masquerading lover
I wish I could discover
Domino, domino, domino

I was feeling so dizzy and lame
Was it champagne or really him to blame
Though our faces were disguised
Feelings couldn't hide
That this wasn't just some kind of game

Domino, domino, domino
Who's the man behind the mask I'd like to know
Who's this masquerading lover
I wish I could discover
Domino, domino, domino

Domino who are you
Domino I'd like to know
Domino who's the real domino
Though we're strangers still
It's real love I feel domino

Then at midnight the bells were all rung
And he kisses me and held me in his arms
Then a crowd would ride between us
Trapped away my stranger
And I never did find him again

Domino, domino, domino
Who's this man behind the mask I'd like to know
Who's this masquerading lover
I wish I could discover
Domino, domino, domino

As the unquestioned queen of disco, the one and only Donna Summer lit up the late 70s and 80s with flashy, exuberant vocals and automatic earworms. Born LaDonna Adrian Gaines on Dec. 31, 1948, Summer moved to Germany after being cast in a Munich production of Hair. There, she happened to meet Giorgio Moroder and Pete Bellotte, and the trio conglomerated to form a dynamic music team. With Moroder, Summer forged together her first album, The Hostage, which reached moderate success in Northern Europe. Summer’s big break, however, would come later with the release of 1975’s sexual “Love to Love You Baby”, which became one of disco’s first mainstream hits and reached #2 on the Billboard Charts.

1977 came around with the concept album I Remember Yesterday, which featured the Top 10 single “I Feel Love”. The next year, Summer hit the silver screen with the movie Thank God It’s Friday, whose soundtrack featured one of her own the iconic “Last Dance.” This would later become one of the disco legends' signature songs. “Dance” would take home an Academy Award for Best Original Song, a Grammy, and a Golden Globe, and it jumped to a peak of #3 on the charts.

Yet Summer’s illustrious career was far from finished – Summer’s first live album Live and More featured the single “MacArthur Park”, a melting ballad that was a cover of the Jimmy Webb ballad of the same name. “Park” became Summer’s first – and perhaps most memorable – No. 1 hit, and cemented her status as a vocalist as well as a performer. With the track, she became the first female in modern rock history to hold the top spot in both the Hot 100 and the Billboard 200. 1979, though, would really be the peak of her career.

more tracks from the album

Lady of the Night

From the album

Lady of the Night (1974)

Donna Summer popular songs

DominoDonna Summer

Donna Summer

Lady of the Night