DAVID BIANCULLI, HOST:
That is FRESH AIR. I am David Bianculli, in for Terry Gross. Even many individuals who prided themselves on hating disco beloved one among its largest hit-makers, Donna Summer time.
(SOUNDBITE OF SONG, “HOT STUFF”)
DONNA SUMMER: (Singing) Sitting right here consuming my coronary heart out, ready, ready for some lover to name. Dialed a few thousand numbers currently, virtually rang the telephone off the wall. Searching for some sizzling stuff, child, this night. I want some sizzling stuff, child, tonight.
BIANCULLI: Her hits of the Nineteen Seventies and early ’80s included “Scorching Stuff,” “Final Dance,” “Heaven Is aware of,” “On The Radio,” “Unhealthy Women” and “She Works Laborious For The Cash.” She had three consecutive No. 1 platinum albums and 11 gold albums. She’s now the topic of a brand new HBO documentary titled “Love To Love You, Donna Summer time.” She was thought-about a disco intercourse queen, and he or she performed the half properly, however that is hardly how she noticed herself. Donna Summer time died in 2012.
We will hearken to Terry’s 2003 interview along with her. On the time, she had written her memoir, “Extraordinary Lady.” She had her first hit, “Love To Love You Child,” in 1975. She made that document when she was residing in Germany, the place she had starred in a manufacturing of “Hair.” In Munich, she met the document producer Giorgio Moroder, who grew to become her collaborator and one among disco’s most profitable and influential producers. Summer time had been doing demo recordings for Moroder when she got here up with a line she thought would make a very good hook for a tune – love to like you, child.
(SOUNDBITE OF ARCHIVED NPR BROADCAST)
SUMMER: Yeah, I had this concept at house sooner or later. And I bumped into the studio, and I stated, Giorgio, I’ve this concept. Would you – do you suppose you could possibly write one thing to it? And I form of sang it to him, and he stored saying it over. He says, love to like you. I like to like you. He stored rubbing his chin and considering like a little bit mad scientist. After which he went into the studio, and Giorgio had written this monitor. And I started to – he requested me to go in and begin singing one thing, and I had – did not have any phrases aside from love to like you, child. So I used to be improvising on the monitor dwell. And that basically grew to become “Love To Love You Child,” the unique monitor.
TERRY GROSS: So if you sang him your preliminary concept, what was it that you simply sang?
SUMMER: You recognize, like to – I like – (singing) I like to like you, child – you already know, the melody of the tune. After which he went from there and produced one thing after which I started to sing it. After which I started to play with the – there weren’t that many phrases, so I performed with the sound of the music. You recognize, (vocalizing). You recognize, there – we did not have the identical expertise now we have at present, so I needed to do all the things with my very own voice.
GROSS: You say within the e book you approached the tune like an actress since you did not consider your self as having that sort of actually horny persona. So inform us about how you probably did strategy recording the vocal.
SUMMER: Effectively, the vocal was – it was very breathy and ethereal. And principally, I used to be a theater singer, so I had been, you already know, far more of a belter. And it was actually completely different and tough for me to faucet into who this particular person was. And so I imaged Marilyn Monroe and simply started to suppose, properly, how would Marilyn sing this tune? And he or she can be very smooth. After which I – you already know, I began taking part in with the thought in my thoughts. After which I – in order I started to form of consider it her means, by way of her, I started to know who the tune was for and who the tune was about and the woman singing it. And I tapped into it and recorded it.
GROSS: Effectively, I feel this could be a very good place to listen to your recording of “Love To Love You Child.”
(SOUNDBITE OF SONG, “LOVE TO LOVE YOU BABY”)
SUMMER: (Singing) I like to like you, child. I like to like you, child. I like to like you, child. I like to like you, child. I like to like you, child. While you’re laying so near me, there isn’t any place I might quite you be than with me. Oh. I like to like you, child. I like to like you, child. I like to like you, child. Do it to me repeatedly. You set me in such an terrible spin, in a spin. Oh.
GROSS: That is Donna Summer time’s first large hit. Now, when Neil Bogart determined to have this document on his label, he wished an extended model for the dance golf equipment. So that you had to return and do, like, a protracted model, like – what? – 14 minutes.
SUMMER: Effectively, it wasn’t for the dance golf equipment, truly. I feel Neil had a little bit one thing else in thoughts. It labored out for the dance golf equipment.
GROSS: Oh.
SUMMER: Nevertheless it truly – it was for…
GROSS: Torrid love (laughter).
SUMMER: …The key occasions – secret lives of many individuals. However he had performed the quick model when he was along with his spouse, and he thought that it was too quick. And he stated, this temper is so nice. I simply wish to hear it prolonged. What is the longest that you’ll lengthen it? And Giorgio stated, properly, you already know, we’ll do the perfect we are able to. And we got here again. I feel the unique was, like, 17 and – virtually 18 minutes. And, after all, he thought nobody would ever play it on the air, however they wound up taking part in it on the air.
GROSS: So what did you add for the lengthy model?
SUMMER: Effectively, there was music – extension music added and bridge music, and there have been different melodies inserted after which simply form of vocal swells. You recognize, simply – it was a temper setter.
GROSS: What did you do to set your temper?
SUMMER: Mine (laughter)? I laid on the ground. And it was very tough to do that as a result of, I imply, I used to be a comic, and Giorgio and I – we had been all the time goofing round. So Pete and Giorgio needed to flip the lights down. And I feel they may have introduced some candles within the room or one thing. And I actually laid on the ground. They lowered the microphone to me, and I simply, you already know, sort of sang it like I used to be, you already know, having a romantic encounter (laughter). It is embarrassing to me to say this now, but it surely’s true. And we nailed the tune, lastly. And, you already know, like I stated, I got here up with some vocal approaches that weren’t – principally nobody had ever carried out earlier than. So it sort of began the entire thing of this new kind of music.
GROSS: Now, after recording “Love To Love You Child,” you had been delivered to the US to advertise the document. And as you say, that is if you had been reworked right into a intercourse queen and complicated diva, which was a sort of awkward place so that you can be in judging from what you write in your e book as a result of, initially, you had been introduced up within the church. And second of all, you had been used to singing in, like, a theater setting, not being the intercourse queen. And also you considered your self as comedic, not the…
SUMMER: Undoubtedly.
GROSS: …Intercourse queen.
SUMMER: What a distinction.
GROSS: So how had been you reworked? What had been a number of the issues that you simply had been instructed you wanted to put on or say or act like?
SUMMER: Effectively, I imply, I’ve – you already know, all people has completely different parts of their character, and I are usually – I may be very, very quiet and to myself and withdrawn. And I simply, you already know, form of – and I may be extraordinarily outgoing once I should be as a result of I grew up in a giant household. And so I simply form of drew on my different self, the one which I’m more often than not when no person’s round and once I simply wish to be alone. And that form of – I believed that particular person would work high quality for no matter it was I needed to do.
And so, I imply, the issues that they inspired me to do, you already know, was to – you already know, they gave me a make-up artist and a hair particular person and a stylist. And, you already know, they took me to Hollywood and did the entire Hollywood factor with the garments and the makeovers and the, you already know, issues that I had, you already know, carried out in numerous – I modeled in Europe, so I used to be accustomed to all of that trend, you already know, enter. However, you already know, they wished me to look a sure means, to be a sure means. And so they stated, properly, you are going to be a star. Individuals aren’t asking for you. They’re asking for this picture of you. And in order that’s sort of what, you already know, was carried out. They started to rework me into a picture.
GROSS: How did you just like the picture?
SUMMER: Effectively, I did not just like the picture per se. I imply, I did not notably take care of the intercourse picture. I believed it was sort of slim, and I felt like I used to be going to have to interrupt out actual quickly, in any other case I wasn’t going to make it. So, you already know, initially for the document, it was what – you already know, what bought the document. Nevertheless it wasn’t a spot that I used to be snug.
GROSS: You might be already a mom by then.
SUMMER: Sure. I had one daughter, Mimi, by this time.
GROSS: Did that make it extra uncomfortable, being a mom?
SUMMER: Yeah, I feel – I imply, I feel when it’s a must to be accountable to individuals, it is arduous not to consider what you are doing. When you do not have to be accountable to anybody, you then solely have your self to reply to. It is completely different. So I all the time felt like I had this form of – individuals to reply to. And my kids – and my baby, on the time, was one among them. And I felt sooner or later, I did not need her to say, Mother, properly, you probably did it, you already know, however – you already know.
GROSS: Did she ever say that?
(LAUGHTER)
SUMMER: Yeah, she did. Sure, she did…
GROSS: What was your comeback?
SUMMER: …A lot to my chagrin. I simply instructed her it was a unique time. And, you already know, I got here from a completely completely different life than her. And I used to be very insecure and never in a position to make my very own stand at the moment. And I allowed myself to be led into issues that I, you already know, actually did not approve of, even for myself. For different individuals – they wish to do it, that is their enterprise. I – you already know, I’ve nothing towards that. However for me, I did not suppose that it was the precise – I’d have – if I’d have had to decide on a tune as a primary tune, it will have been “Final Dance” or “Sufficient Is Sufficient” or one thing like that.
GROSS: After “Love To Love You Child” grew to become a success, there was a cake, a now-famous cake, that was made and delivered lengthy distance (laughter).
SUMMER: (Laughter) It certain was.
GROSS: Would you describe the cake…
SUMMER: OK.
GROSS: …And the extremes that had been gone to to ship the cake to its vacation spot?
SUMMER: Effectively, that cake is definitely within the e book. And it was a cake that was made by Hansen’s Muffins in LA. And so they did an image of me from the album cowl. And the cake was – oh, gosh, I feel it possibly it was about 4 ft, 5 ft lengthy. It was physique size. And I used to be drawn out on the cake, you already know, like I’m on the album. And it stated love to like you, child, on it. And so they flew the cake top quality, two seats, with individuals accompanying it, from LA to New York to a celebration. And so they offered it to me. And it was – you already know, they introduced it in on an ambulance. And I imply, it was simply this entire large to-do about this cake. It turned out to be its personal advertising and marketing device for the corporate and for me. It was fairly a giant factor on the time.
GROSS: There is a {photograph} in your e book of your mother and father sitting on a sofa subsequent to the cake…
SUMMER: (Laughter).
GROSS: …Staring on the cake with a glance, I feel, of confusion and resignation on their faces.
SUMMER: Yeah (laughter). Taking a look at it – what’s going on right here?
GROSS: What did they consider this?
SUMMER: Effectively, I feel the look on my mom’s face is, you already know, just about that – what? This isn’t my baby. She has no garments on, or she has a little or no garments on. Her legs are uncovered. And my dad is taking a look at it, sort of perplexed, going, I believed I did a very good job, you already know.
(LAUGHTER)
SUMMER: And they also had been so perplexed. You recognize, I imply, they had been actually comfortable that day, I feel. After they introduced the cake, they only – they had been dumbfounded. They’d by no means seen something prefer it. And to see, you already know, that specific album cowl carried out that large, they had been in shock.
BIANCULLI: Donna Summer time chatting with Terry Gross in 2003. Extra after a break. That is FRESH AIR.
(SOUNDBITE OF MFSB SONG, “TSOP (THE SOUND OF PHILADELPHIA)”)
BIANCULLI: That is FRESH AIR. Let’s get again to Terry’s 2003 interview with disco queen Donna Summer time. She died in 2012 and is the topic of a brand new HBO documentary referred to as “Love To Love You, Donna Summer time.”
(SOUNDBITE OF ARCHIVED NPR BROADCAST)
GROSS: Why do not we hear one other recording? And that is one other one among your hits, one among your – I assume it was like your second large hit, your second actually large hit. That is the tune “Final Dance,” which is from the movie “Thank God It is Friday.” Let’s hear it.
(SOUNDBITE OF SONG, “LAST DANCE”)
SUMMER: (Singing) Final dance, final probability for love. Sure, it is my final probability for love tonight. I want you by me, beside me, to information me, to carry me, to scold me, ‘trigger once I’m unhealthy, I am so, so unhealthy. So let’s dance the final dance. Let’s dance the final dance. Let’s dance this final dance tonight. Final dance, final probability…
GROSS: That is Donna Summer time, her hit “Final Dance.” That is – what we hear initially of that’s one thing typical for a few of your songs – beginning sluggish, after which the beat is available in and all the things hurries up. Is that one thing that you simply and Moroder knew would actually work? And what actually works about that?
SUMMER: I feel we determined – and I do not know if it was Neil and Giorgio. We – they wished me to have a sluggish tune as a success, and so they had been having a tough time discovering the precise tune for me to sing. And I do not know if it was Neil or Giorgio who got here up with the thought of, why not begin the tune sluggish after which escape into it, so individuals can begin collectively, after which they will swing themselves out and begin dancing, you already know, the way in which they dance. And it was a format that labored for us very properly.
GROSS: I wish to get again to what we had been speaking about earlier than, which is like, you already know, the picture that was created for you…
SUMMER: OK.
GROSS: …Of, like, the disco diva, the intercourse goddess. Did you are feeling such as you needed to dwell as much as that in your private relationships?
SUMMER: Effectively, not my private relationships a lot. However I feel in my, you already know, public relationship to individuals, once I did interviews or no matter, individuals (laughter) – guys can be so nervous, like they thought I used to be going to, you already know, simply – I do not know – soar on them or one thing. And I feel the picture was actually fairly arduous to dwell as much as sooner or later, particularly with my humorousness and on the time, my sort of quirky sense of mocking. It simply did not go collectively. So I needed to actually be calm once I did interviews and never, you already know, clown round an excessive amount of.
GROSS: What had been the excursions like? I imply, you describe in your e book that, you already know, generally, you’d have, like, male dancers in loincloths.
(LAUGHTER)
SUMMER: Yeah. Effectively, that was what was taking place on the time. I imply, we had this one present that was – I overlook who designed the present, but it surely was a giant egg. You recognize, there was – smoke can be on the stage, and the lights can be down. And I’d be contained in the egg. After which unexpectedly, the music would begin, and the egg would begin to break aside. After which 4 dancers would come out and elevate the shell off and I’d be unveiled within the center.
GROSS: (Laughter).
SUMMER: Do not ask me whose concept that was. However in any case, the viewers would go loopy as a result of the egg had been on the market from the time they obtained there. So I might be out in that egg for for 10 minutes whereas persons are getting in, you already know – of their seats and stuff. However – so, I imply, initially the – you already know, the reveals had been fairly racy, I might say. You recognize, individuals would throw bras on stage and underwear and all types of issues. And sooner or later, doing “Love To Love You, Child” grew to become virtually inconceivable. I simply could not do it after some time. It was simply greater than I might deal with.
GROSS: Individuals threw their bras on stage?
SUMMER: Their bras, their underwear. Individuals would rush the stage, women and men, and simply throw themselves (laughter) on the stage. And it was like nothing I’ve ever seen or skilled in my life. It was simply such an odd factor. You recognize, once I would begin doing the tune, individuals would actually simply escape and run down the aisles and attempt to soar onto the stage. And lots of occasions, they made it. And it was again within the days once I solely had, I feel – properly, I had two bodyguards, however they weren’t sufficient to suit all the way in which throughout the stage. And so some individuals would handle to interrupt by way of the traces, and it was fairly scary.
GROSS: Effectively, why do not we hear one other document right here?
SUMMER: OK.
GROSS: My visitor is Donna Summer time, and her new e book known as “Extraordinary Lady.” It is an autobiography. Why do not we hear “Unhealthy Women?” And the way did you give you the thought of writing a tune about hookers?
SUMMER: It wasn’t the primary tune I wrote about hookers, by the way in which, but it surely was essentially the most well-known one (laughter). And it happened as a result of somebody in my workplace was accosted by the police, and so they thought that she was a hooker. And that is how the story happened.
GROSS: Now, as you describe in your e book, Neil Bogart out of your document label did not need you to document it. He wished Cher to document it. What was his drawback with having you document this tune?
SUMMER: He simply thought it was too rock ‘n’ roll, too – he did not suppose it was dance sufficient on the time, the way in which it was recorded initially. And I had gone in and recorded it with my husband Bruce and the Brooklyn Goals. They did the monitor. However I – when he stated he wished to present it to Cher, I instructed him, I do not suppose so. That is my tune. And I preserve Cher – I like Cher, however she will’t have my tune proper now. And so I simply took the tune, and we simply form of canned it for about…
GROSS: How’d you get again to it?
SUMMER: Effectively, The way it happened was fairly weird, truly. I used to be within the studio. And a pal of mine labored within the studio. He ran the studio, truly, as an engineer, Steve Smith. And he was going by way of outdated tapes. And he heard “Unhealthy Women.” And he is like, Donna, I simply – man, I heard this tape final evening. He stated, I performed it again and again. I feel it is a hit document. I stated, you do? I stated, properly, I do know, however Neil does not need me to do the tune. What am I going to do? He stated – I stated, he does not need – he will not let me. I already requested him. He stated, look. I feel you bought to drag this tune out. I feel you bought to launch the tune. And I stated, properly, you already know, when Giorgio comes, possibly you may play it to him and simply see how he feels about it. Effectively, the tune was down. There wasn’t any beep beeps or toot toots on it. And it nonetheless wanted some work. And Giorgio took it out, and he truly beloved it. And he stated, properly, you already know what? Let me work on this. So he went to work on it, after which I got here in and did some extra vocals and issues. And it was lacking one thing. And I stored considering, what – you already know, what do you do if you’re sitting in a automobile, attempting to get a prostitute’s consideration? And I stated, you honk your horn. So the beep beep and the toot toot was get individuals’s consideration. And it did. It labored.
GROSS: It is such an incredible document. Let’s hear it. That is Donna Summer time singing “Unhealthy Women.”
(SOUNDBITE OF SONG, “BAD GIRLS”)
SUMMER: (Singing) Toot toot, hey, beep beep. Toot toot, hey, beep beep. Toot toot, hey, beep beep. Unhealthy women talkin’ ’bout the unhappy women. Unhappy women talkin’ ’bout unhealthy women, yeah. See them out on the road at evening walkin’, selecting up all types of strangers, if the value is correct. You possibly can rating in case your pocket’s good. However you desire a good time. You ask your self who they’re. Like all people else, they arrive from close to and much.
BIANCULLI: That is Donna Summer time. She spoke to Terry Gross in 2003. After a break, we’ll proceed their dialog. And we’ll bear in mind Chris Strachwitz, the founding father of Arhoolie Information, who died earlier this month. He traveled the nation to trace down and document regional musicians, releasing invaluable collections of blues, Cajun, zydeco, Tex-Mex and gospel. I am David Bianculli, and that is FRESH AIR.
That is FRESH AIR. I am David Bianculli, professor of tv research at Rowan College, in for Terry Gross. We’re listening to Terry’s 2003 interview with Donna Summer time, the topic of a brand new documentary on HBO titled “Love To Love You, Donna Summer time.” It premieres Saturday evening. She died in 2012.
She grew to become a top-selling disco queen within the Nineteen Seventies and Eighties, however was concerned in music lengthy earlier than that. She sang in a psychedelic rock band within the late ’60s, and within the mid ’70s, earlier than her disco years, she moved to Germany to carry out in a theatrical manufacturing of “Hair.” It was there when she started working with document producer Giorgio Moroder.
(SOUNDBITE OF ARCHIVED NPR BROADCAST)
SUMMER: Oh, I went there once I auditioned for “Hair,” and I obtained the half, and that was – I auditioned in New York, and I obtained the half. They had been on the brink of put up a forged of “Hair” in Germany, and so they did not have any Black youngsters for the present, so that they auditioned for teenagers in New York. And there have been 300 youngsters the day I auditioned and solely two of us had been taken. I used to be one among them.
GROSS: Did you like doing the present?
SUMMER: Yeah, on the time, yeah, I did. It was it was a variety of enjoyable. And I used to be coming of age in a complete different local weather and a complete different group with – you already know, with completely different challenges and completely different pleasure, you already know. And it wasn’t like rising up in America. It was simply this – having this entire different house to turn into an grownup. And…
GROSS: Was {that a} good factor?
SUMMER: Oh, it was nice.
GROSS: What was good about that?
SUMMER: Effectively, I feel rising up – you already know, I grew up within the church and grew up very strict. And this was the antithesis of that. And I actually needed to discover my means within the center and go, OK, that is my line. I am strolling this line. And it made me set up my very own identification, and it made me know who I actually was and what I actually, you already know, believed in for myself.
And it wasn’t one thing that – you already know, I am doing this as a result of my mother and father stated do that, or I am not doing this or I am doing this as a result of all these individuals do that. It was having this form of excessive liberalness on one facet and excessive, you already know, strictness on the opposite, after which going, OK, that is what’s proper right here. I’ve – that is snug, and I can dwell with this. So…
GROSS: That is stunning as a result of, like, in Germany, you came upon who you actually had been, and you then grew to become a star and so they made you over to anyone else.
(LAUGHTER)
SUMMER: Consistently being remodeled. What am I going to do, you already know? By no means adequate (laughter).
GROSS: I wish to ask you about being born once more. I do know that is been essential in your life. At what level in your life did that occur?
SUMMER: It occurred on the top of my profession, to inform you the reality. And it occurred at a time once I most likely with out it will not be alive. And so I feel that it was my – positively with out a query, I feel, I do know, it was my saving grace from God.
GROSS: Like, what level – like, what data had been popping out at about this time, simply so we are able to place it?
SUMMER: Oh, let’s have a look at. The place am I at? It was most likely across the “Unhealthy Women,” “Sufficient Is Sufficient” – no, possibly it was a little bit after that – someplace in there, someplace round and about that point, you already know.
GROSS: And a number of the issues that had been going incorrect together with your life at the moment, you say you do not suppose you’d have survived in the event you hadn’t…
SUMMER: No.
GROSS: …Been born once more.
SUMMER: No, I would not have.
GROSS: What was going incorrect?
SUMMER: (Clears throat) Excuse me. I simply – I feel that I used to be exhausted, I feel, emotionally exhausted. I had seen all of it. I felt like I might seen all of it. And I did not really feel like there was something left to do. I felt like, you already know, what am I doing right here on this place? What’s the objective of my being right here? And I feel if you begin asking these questions, you higher discover solutions as a result of it may be extraordinarily miserable in the event you do not.
And I feel that you simply most likely – I do not know in the event you undergo this, however as inventive individuals, I feel artists are inclined to undergo this, you already know, fairly just a few occasions of their existence. It is par for the course, and it is what makes you go to the following stage. However, you already know, in the event you’re conscious that there’s one other stage. I felt like I had gone to that stage, and I did not know the place to go from there. So I felt like, properly, there’s nothing left for me to do now however simply die. And so I – you already know, I wanted God.
GROSS: Do you’ve gotten a favourite of your hits that we’ve not performed but?
SUMMER: Favourite – properly, I like “Final Dance.” I like “Final Dance.” And I like, you already know, “On The Radio” too.
GROSS: “On The Radio” – good selection. Let’s hear “On The Radio.”
SUMMER: (Laughter) Oh, you intelligent infant.
GROSS: Inform us about, you already know, the origin of the tune and the manufacturing on it, how you place it collectively.
SUMMER: OK. Mmm hmm. Effectively, “On The Radio” was – I used to be within the studio with “On The Radio” for about three weeks to a month – not within the studio with it, however I had the tune. Giorgio had given me the monitor, and I stated, Giorgio, what – is there something – did you’ve gotten something in thoughts if you wrote this monitor? And he stored saying – properly, he stated, one thing with the radio. And I stated, OK. I stated, OK. And I contemplated it for about three weeks. I could not give you a phrase.
And so sooner or later I used to be within the studio, and it was the day I used to be presupposed to be recording one thing else. And I used to be sitting on the piano and I used to be up at Rusk Studio in Los Angeles. I used to be on the piano, and Stephen Bishop’s document was on the highest of the piano. And I appeared on the document, and I do know Stephen, and we have written collectively, and I am like, you already know, how would Stephen say this? What would – what line would he come up – he is so intelligent. And unexpectedly this one line got here to me, and it was, it should have fallen out of a gap in your outdated brown overcoat.
And it simply – it was like, lightning bolt. OK, that is it. I knew who the particular person was. I knew who the particular person was within the tune. I knew who she wanted to be. I knew what she was going by way of. And I knew what needed to be stated. And in order quickly as I obtained the entire private data on the character, I used to be ready to enter the studio, stand on the microphone and sing the tune just about verbatim the way in which you hear it. And I feel I obtained a lot of the tune within the first take.
So, you already know, it was about having that story in my psyche and having the ability to go on there and sing it from that particular person’s perspective. And as soon as I obtained the attitude, I used to be writing.
GROSS: You recognize the whoa-oh? You recognize, like, on the radio, whoa-oh? Sorry for doing that so horribly.
SUMMER: (Singing) Whoa-oh-oh-oh.
GROSS: Thanks.
SUMMER: (Laughter).
GROSS: When – at what level within the tune does that really come to you, that you simply had been going to do this there? Is that if you’re on the mic, or is that if you’re doing the songwriting?
SUMMER: I feel that I simply did that spontaneously. I imply, I do not suppose that – I do not – I simply suppose it got here out. I do not suppose I deliberate it, you already know, however simply most likely wanted one thing there.
GROSS: Donna Summer time, thanks a lot for speaking with us.
SUMMER: Thanks.
GROSS: OK Effectively, that is Donna Summer time, “On The Radio.”
(SOUNDBITE OF SONG, “ON THE RADIO”)
SUMMER: (Singing) Somebody discovered a letter you wrote me on the radio, and so they instructed the world simply the way you felt. It should have fallen out of a gap in your outdated brown overcoat. They by no means stated your identify, however I knew simply who they meant.
Whoa-oh-oh-oh, I used to be so shocked and shocked, and I questioned, too, if by probability you heard it for your self. I by no means instructed a soul simply how I have been feeling over you. However they stated it actually loud. They stated it on the air on the radio, whoa-oh-oh-oh, on the radio, whoa-oh-oh-oh, on the radio, whoa-oh-oh-oh, on the radio, whoa-oh-oh-oh.
BIANCULLI: That is Donna Summer time. She spoke to Terry Gross in 2003. Developing, we bear in mind document government and musicologist Chris Strachwitz, the founding father of Arhoolie Information, who died earlier this month. That is FRESH AIR.
(SOUNDBITE OF BIG MAMA THORNTON SONG, “SWEET LITTLE ANGEL”)
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