Love to Love You Baby is the second album by Donna Summer, and her first to be released internationally.
History
Summer's previous album had only been released in European countries where she had also had a couple of hit singles.
In the summer of 1975, Summer approached Giorgio Moroder and Pete Bellotte with an idea for a song. She had come up with the lyric "Love to love you, baby" as the possible title for the song. Moroder in particular was interested in developing the new disco sound that was becoming increasingly popular, and used Summer's idea to develop the song into an overtly sexual disco track. He had the idea that she should moan and groan orgasmically, but Summer was initially reticent. Eventually she agreed to record the song as a demo to give to someone else (possibly singer Penny McLean). She has stated that she was not completely sure of some of the lyrics, and parts of the song were improvised during the recording (she later stated on a VH1 Behind the Music program that she pictured herself as Marilyn Monroe acting out the part of someone in sexual ecstasy). Moroder was so astounded with Summer's orgasmic vocals and her imaginative moans and groans that he insisted she should release the single herself. Summer reluctantly agreed and the song, titled "Love to Love You", was released to modest success in Europe.
When it reached America and the hands of Casablanca president Neil Bogart, however, he was so ecstatic over the demo that he requested Moroder to produce a twenty-minute version of the song. Summer, Moroder and producer Pete Bellotte cut a seventeen-minute version, renamed it "Love to Love You Baby", and Casablanca signed Summer and issued it as a single in November 1975. Casablanca distributed Summer's work in the U.S. while other labels distributed it in different nations during this period.
"Love to Love You Baby" was Summer's first big hit in America, reaching #2 on the Billboard Hot 100 singles chart in early 1976 and becoming her first Number-One Hot Dance Club Play chart hit. The album (side one of which was completely taken up with the full-length version of the title track) was also released in late 1975 and was soon certified gold for sales of over 500,000 copies in the U.S. The song was branded "graphic" by some music critics and was even banned by some radio stations for its explicit content. Time Magazine later reported that a record twenty-two orgasms were simulated by Summer in the making of the song. In some areas of the music press, Summer was dubbed "the first lady of love."
As a result the album sold very well, making the Top 20 in both the U.S. and the U.K.
The other songs on the album had a more soul/R&B feel to them. Side two consisted of four more original songs, plus a reprise of one of them. Two of the songs, "Full of Emptiness" (which was taken from her previous album Lady of the Night) and "Whispering Waves" were ballads, while "Need-a-Man Blues" was in a slightly more pop/disco vein, and "Pandora's Box" was more mid-tempo.
Track listing
All tracks written by Pete Bellotte and Giorgio Moroder except where noted
| 2. |
"Full of Emptiness" |
2:22 |
| 3. |
"Need-a-Man Blues" |
4:30 |
| 4. |
"Whispering Waves" |
4:50 |
| 5. |
"Pandora's Box" |
4:56 |
| 6. |
"Full of Emptiness (Reprise)" |
2:20 |
Charts
Album
Single
| Year |
Single |
Chart |
Position (Weeks at top) |
| 1976 |
"Love to Love You Baby" |
UK Singles Chart |
4 |
| 1975 |
"Love to Love You Baby" |
U.S. Billboard Hot 100 |
2 (3) |
| 1975 |
"Love to Love You Baby" |
U.S. R&B |
3 (2) |
| 1976 |
"Love to Love You Baby" |
Norway's single chart |
2 (1) |
Cover versions and appearances in other media
This song has been sampled by Digital Underground for their song "Freaks of the Industry" and the refrain was sung by Beyoncé on her song "Naughty Girl".
No Doubt did a cover of the song for the Zoolander soundtrack.
Tom Tom Club did a cover of the song for their album The Good, the Bad, and the Funky.
The BBC banned the playing of the Donna Summer version because of its "orgasmic moans", so in the BBC play Abigail's Party (1977), a cover version by Clare Torry was used.
In part one of the season five finale of Friends, Rachel is singing this song as she is dancing around naked because she has the apartment to herself.
In the Will & Grace Season Five episode Sex, Losers and Videotape, Grace sings the song whilst making a sexy video. She is later heard singing it in the shower while unknowingly filmed by Jack. Later in the same episode, she watches the video of herself singing the song in the shower.
Kiki Kikova (A.K.A. Sam Taylor-Wood) released a limited edition of this song in 2003 which was produced by Pet Shop Boys.
References
