Donna Summer

Released: August 28, 1978

Songwriter: George Gershwin Ira Gershwin Duke Ellington Paul Francis Webster Shelton Brooks

Producer: Giorgio Moroder Pete Bellotte

[Spoken]:
I just wanna say this
This is something I thing most of you ladies will identify with
And maybe some of you men too

[The Man I Love]

Someday he'll come along
The man I love
And he'll be rich and strong
The man I love
And when he comes my way
I'll do my best to make him stay

He'll look at me and smile
I'll understand
And maybe for awhile
He'll take my hand
And though it seems absurd
I know we both won't say a word

[Spoken]:
You know I'm the kind of lady
That always seems to find the wrong man
At the wrong place at the wrong time
It's not that I go out looking for him
But somehow he always seems to find me
You see what I'm looking for is the kind of man
That comes home with candy
And flowers sayin' "come on put on your dancing shoes
Cause we're gonna wine and dine, wine and dine"
But what I always seem to find is the kind of man
That comes home fussing
And fighting, breaking my best dishes
And beat my head outside the wall
Shows no love no respect and nothing at all

[I Got It Bad and That Ain't good]

Never treats me sweet and gentle
The way he should
I got it bad and that ain't good!
(No, it ain't good at all, you know)

[Spoken]:
Listen, have you been treating your lady nice lately, you have?
And how about you?
Great, well I've been gettin' rocked completely!

My poor heart is sentimental it's not made of wood
I got it bad and that ain't good

[Spoken]:
So you see on Monday nights
I just go out and drink and drink

But when the weekend's over on Monday rolls aroun'
I end up like I start out just cryin' my heart out
Cryin' my heart out
Lord above me (come on) make him love me
Then he should
I got it bad baby
I got it bad baby
I got it bad and that ain't good!
No it ain't good at all you know

[Spoken]:
But listen mister big shot I've got your number
And I'll take care of you
And you too and you and you and you

[Some of These Days]

Some of these days
You're gonna miss your Donna
Some of these days
You're gonna feel so lonely
You'll miss my huggin'
You'll miss my kissin'
You'll miss me honey
When you're far away

You're gonna be so lonely
For me only
'Cause you know daddy
You had you way
And if I leave you
You know it's gonna grieve you
You're gonna miss your sweet lovin' Donna
Some of these days

And if I leave you
You know it's gonna grieve you
You're gonna miss your sweet little Donna
Some of these days

Hey honey call me when you got time
Know what I mean...

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

Live and More

From the album

Live and More (1978)

Donna Summer popular songs

My Man Medley: The Man I Love/I Got It Bad and That Ain’t Good/Some of These DaysDonna Summer

Donna Summer

Live and More