Album chart, peaking at number 21. It also climbed to number 41 in the UK, number 24 in Germany, number 18 in Sweden, number 16 on the US Billboard R&B chart, number 14 in Norway, number 8 in Austria, and number 1 in both Italy and Spain. Giorgio Moroder and Pete Bellotte served as both producers and co-writers of all but one of the tracks on the record.
Side one consists of a single track "Try Me, I Know We Can Make It", a nearly eightteen minute long dance suite with three distinct musical movements. A shortened version was released as the second single; it made it to number 80 on the US Billboard Hot 100, number 35 on the US Billboard R&B chart, and number 1 on the US Billoard Dance chart.
Side two opens with the minute long sensual "Prelude to Love". It segueways seamlessly into the next track.
Next is a cover of the Barry Manilow 1975 hit single "Could It Be magic". As the lead single, Summer's orgasmic version reached number 52 on the US Billboard Hot 100, number 40 in the UK, number 21 on the US Billboard R&B chart, and number 3 on the US Billboard Dance chart.
The mid-tempo groove "Wasted", the B-side to the second single, also charted at number 1 on the US Billboard Dance chart. I like the combination of the guitars and symphonic strings on this one.
The side and album closes with mid-tempo "Come With Me", another invitation to a night of passion.
I did not pick up a copy of A Love Trilogy until after Donna Summer's passing in 2012. Since then it has been part of my digital catalog. As a dedicated disco-baby, I really enjoy the production and rich orchestration on the record.
For more from Donna Summer, click here.
I'm kinda proud to say that this is the album my Texas Grandma heard in a record store in a mall back in the day shortly after it was released and bought it for herself. Up to that time, I had never known her to listen to the radio or even care much about music though she loved Herb Alpert & the Tijuana Brass and had like six or seven of their 8-track tapes that she listened to in her Delta 88.
ReplyDeleteSoon she had Donna's first two tapes as well in that big blue crusing vessel and she kept buying the 8 tracks as Donna and Casablanca released them though I'm pretty sure she stopped with the Live & More album which, like Once Upon A Time.. before it, was a magnificent double tape set.
When I asked her why she stopped buying Donna Summer albums, she said she didn't have any more room in her center console or glovebox for tapes, which was the truth. She did have a beanbag ashtray that sat on top of the huge dash for her Salems and a liquid compass thing mounted to the left of the steering wheel on the dash as her GPS.
That's the story of my Texas "Disco" Grandma. On March 19th, it will be eleven years since she passed.
Herc, your grandmother sounds awesome. I would have gotten along with her very well.
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