The Wanderer (Donna Summer album)
The Wanderer | ||||
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Westlake Audio and Rusk Sound Studios (Hollywood, California) | ||||
Genre | ||||
Length | 39:17 | |||
Label | Geffen | |||
Producer | Giorgio Moroder Pete Bellotte | |||
Donna Summer chronology | ||||
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Singles from The Wanderer | ||||
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The Wanderer is the eighth
This album had been out of print, but was re-released on December 9, 2014, on the Driven by the Music label with remastered and bonus tracks, alongside all her other albums released during the 1980s (excluding She Works Hard for the Money). A reissue was released for purchasing and streaming for the 40th anniversary of the album on October 16, 2020. It features the original tracks and seven additional remix tracks.
The album sold over 600,000 copies in the United States.
Background and release
Summer had made her name the previous decade as the most successful female artist of the disco genre, releasing a vast selection of hit singles and albums on Casablanca Records. During this period however, Summer had felt that the label had exploited her and made her portray a sexually orientated image ("The First Lady of Love") with which she never felt comfortable.[citation needed] The label had also taken over other elements of Summer's personal life, to the point where she felt she had no control over her life or career.[citation needed] Having come out of a period of depression and rediscovering her Christian faith, Summer had made the decision to break away from Casablanca and file a lawsuit against them. After leaving Casablanca, Summer became the first artist to be signed to the newly established Geffen Records.
By 1980, banners reading "disco sucks" were seen everywhere and disco records became flops. Summer decided to leave the disco sound behind. The album was co-written and produced by Giorgio Moroder and Pete Bellotte, who had produced the vast majority of Summer's hits since their partnership with her began in 1974. Production for The Wanderer was rushed; Geffen wanted to get new product out because of Casablanca's plans to release Walk Away, another greatest hits collection. "We would have liked to do more tweaking, and have more time for production. But we just had to let it go," said Harold Faltermeyer about the recording of the album.
"Cold Love" gained Summer a
Critical and commercial reception
Review scores | |
---|---|
Source | Rating |
AllMusic | [1] |
Robert Christgau | A−[2] |
Rolling Stone | [3] |
The album peaked at number 13 on the
Track listing
No. | Title | Writer(s) | Length |
---|---|---|---|
1. | "The Wanderer" | Donna Summer, Giorgio Moroder | 3:47 |
2. | "Looking Up" | Pete Bellotte, Moroder, Summer | 3:57 |
3. | "Breakdown" | Harold Faltermeyer, Bellotte | 4:08 |
4. | "Grand Illusion" | Moroder, Summer | 3:54 |
5. | "Running for Cover" | Summer | 4:01 |
No. | Title | Writer(s) | Length |
---|---|---|---|
6. | "Cold Love" | Keith Forsey, Bellotte, Faltermeyer | 3:38 |
7. | "Who Do You Think You're Foolin'" | Sylvester Levay, Jerry Rix, Bellotte | 4:18 |
8. | "Nightlife" | Bellotte, Moroder | 4:00 |
9. | "Stop Me" | Bellotte, Forsey | 3:44 |
10. | "I Believe in Jesus" | Summer | 3:37 |
Personnel
- Donna Summer – lead vocals
- Harold Faltermeyer – keyboards, synthesizers, arrangements (1-6, 8, 10)
- Sylvester Levay – keyboards, synthesizers, arrangements (7, 9)
- Jeff Baxter – guitars
- Steve Lukather – guitars
- Tim May – guitars
- Les Hurdle – bass
- John Pierce – bass
- Leland Sklar – bass
- Keith Forsey – drums, percussion
- Gary Herbig – saxophone solo
- Trevor Veitch – musical contractor
- Bill Champlin – backing vocals (1, 2, 3, 5-10)
- Carmen Grillo – backing vocals (1, 2, 3, 5-10)
- Tom Kelly – backing vocals (1, 2, 3, 5-10)
- Stephanie Spruill – backing vocals (4)
Production
- Pete Bellotte – producer, mixing
- Giorgio Moroder – producer, mixing
- Harold Faltermeyer – engineer, mixing
- Jürgen Koppers – engineer, mixing
- Brian Reeves – engineer
- Ken Perry – mastering at A&M Studios(Hollywood, California)
- Laurie Kanner – production coordinator
- Donna Summer – album concept
- Christopher Whorf – design
- Martin Donald – lettering
- Harry Langdon Jr. – photography
Charts
Chart (1980) | Peak position |
---|---|
Australian Albums (Kent Music Report)[4] | 18 |
Finnish Albums (Suomen virallinen lista)[5] | 9 |
German Albums (Offizielle Top 100)[6] | 54 |
Italian Albums (Musica e dischi)[7] | 4 |
Japanese Albums (Oricon)[8] | 22 |
New Zealand Albums (RMNZ)[9] | 16 |
Norwegian Albums (VG-lista)[10] | 18 |
Spanish Albums (AFE)[11] | 8 |
Swedish Albums (Sverigetopplistan)[12] | 15 |
UK Albums (OCC)[13] | 55 |
US Billboard 200[14] | 13 |
Certifications and sales
Region | Certification | Certified units/sales |
---|---|---|
United States (RIAA)[15] | Gold | 500,000^ |
^ Shipments figures based on certification alone. |
References
- ^ AllMusic. Retrieved 29 August 2011.
- ^ a b Christgau, Robert. "The Wanderer > Review". Robert Christgau. Retrieved 2011-09-24.
- ^ Marsh, Dave (March 19, 1981). "Donna Summer: The Wanderer : Music Reviews". Rolling Stone. Archived from the original on 2007-12-09. Retrieved 2014-01-30.
- ISBN 0-646-11917-6.
- ^ Pennanen, Timo (2021). "Donna Summer". Sisältää hitin - 2. laitos Levyt ja esittäjät Suomen musiikkilistoilla 1.1.1960–30.6.2021 (PDF) (in Finnish). Helsinki: Kustannusosakeyhtiö Otava. p. 250. Retrieved August 24, 2022.
- Phononet GmbH. Retrieved July 17, 2022.
- ISBN 978-1094705002.
- ISBN 4-87131-077-9.
- ^ "Charts.nz – Donna Summer – The Wanderer". Hung Medien. Retrieved March 8, 2016.
- ^ "Norwegiancharts.com – Donna Summer – The Wanderer". Hung Medien. Retrieved March 8, 2016.
- ISBN 84-8048-639-2.
- ^ "Swedishcharts.com – Donna Summer – The Wanderer". Hung Medien. Retrieved March 8, 2016.
- ^ "Donna Summer | Artist | Official Charts". UK Albums Chart. Retrieved March 8, 2016.
- ^ "Donna Summer Chart History (Billboard 200)". Billboard. Retrieved March 8, 2016.
- ^ "American album certifications – Donna Summer – The Wanderer". Recording Industry Association of America.