Donna Summer LP covers poll

**Jeff H** · November 12th, 2002, 09:39 AM

I was curious about how these polls worked, so I thought I'd pose this very trivial question: What is your favorite Donna Summer album cover (not necessarily the music inside)?

**Robbie** · November 12th, 2002, 10:00 AM

I was hoping "Live And More" would be on the list because that is my favorite album cover of Donna's; NOT the photo they used for the CD rerelease or cassette version but the original LP version, with the extreme up-close shot of Donna singing away at the microphone. "Once Upon A Time" and "A Love Trilogy" were my other favorites. :D

**BrunoRepublic** · November 12th, 2002, 11:48 AM

Originally Written by Robbie

I was hoping "Live And More" would be on the list because that is my favorite album cover of Donna's; NOT the photo they used for the CD rerelease or cassette version but the original LP version, with the extreme up-close shot of Donna singing away at the microphone.

I second that. The triple-gatefold cover, with the front shaped to Donna, was a work of art in itself.

**markydefad** · November 12th, 2002, 12:15 PM

Geez, I'm torn between 3 covers (feelin' like a fool) :D

I wanna endorse Donna Ho...cause that cracks me up. :lol:

But then again, Donna Cinderella was her loveliest photo ( AND you know what WE think of that LP!!!)

BUT, artistically , Donna Marilyn: "Four Seasons Of Love"--actually Donna on the half-moon cover (sorta a cross between Bette's "Clams on the Half-shell" and Bea Arthur's "The Man In The Moon Is A Lady" sequence from "Mame"....is my fave.

**Jeff H** · November 12th, 2002, 12:42 PM

Wow. :o I just wanted to learn how the poll feature worked and was fully prepared for there to be zero interest in this topic!

So I'm sorry that I apparently left out a big favorite: the original Live and More cover. I didn't know how many poll options I could get away with, so I decided to limit it to 10. And I couldn't be sure what would be considered the dominant image from the LAM cover; the die-cut close-up? (Which on my copy eventually became detached and was stored inside the jacket with the album!)

And Marky... My "Marilyn" reference was due to the shot of Donna in the famous billowing white dress, of course. The thought of Donna as Bea Arthur NEVER crossed my mind! :lol:

**markydefad** · November 12th, 2002, 12:52 PM

Originally Written by Jeff H

And Marky... My "Marilyn" reference was due to the shot of Donna in the famous billowing white dress, of course. The thought of Donna as Bea Arthur NEVER crossed my mind! :lol:

Yeah, I know. Well, if you watch "Mame"...you'll see ol' Bea hanging on to that crescent moon for dear life, doing her comedy schtick. It just flashed in my mind as I was typing....I really doubt it was the inspiration for the art direction of the cover. More like girly-calendars from the 1950's/60's, I would guess.

**paul** · November 12th, 2002, 02:09 PM

I'm a leg man so I like the "Four Seasons" cover.

**Outsider** · November 12th, 2002, 05:10 PM

I also like the "Four Seasons Of Love" album cover. :evil:

**totoman** · November 13th, 2002, 06:49 AM

I couldnt work out how to vote but I would have gone with Cinderella myself. The original front sleeve from Live and More is a very close second though.

toto

**Jeff H** · November 13th, 2002, 09:35 AM

I guess you weren't able to vote, Totoman, because it looks like the poll is closed--even though I'm sure I set the duration of the poll for 5 days. Not sure what's up with that...

Oh well, at least I learned how the poll feature works. OK--who's going to try one next?

**Rab** · November 13th, 2002, 03:25 PM

Hmm...which Donna Summer LP cover had the whole album side of "Try Me I Know We Can Make It"?...I'm assuming this was the Once Upon a Time LP...

I wonder how many people are associating the time period...as in, the "mood of the time period" with the cover? I like the Bad Girls LP because it was at the very peak of the disco era, in 1979 (the greatest year). People were much freerer about sex, not as worried about catching anything, I think her suggestive, erotic music matched that. Almost every song on this album was very good as well and was so upbeat

The sad thing about Donna Summer is that she doesn't seem to have any pride whatsoever about being labeled the "queen of disco". Imagine being nobody, and then within 4 years doing a duet with Barbra Streisand and have several outstanding LP's under your belt? Unfortunately, it seems Donna really started going down in flames when she came out with all that negetive publicity about gays, the very people that supported her. Here was one of my idols turning out to be a total homophobe, it was sad. :cry:

**BrunoRepublic** · November 13th, 2002, 09:39 PM

Originally Written by Rab

Hmm...which Donna Summer LP cover had the whole album side of "Try Me I Know We Can Make It"?...I'm assuming this was the Once Upon a Time LP...

Nope, that was "A Love Trilogy".

The sad thing about Donna Summer is that she doesn't seem to have any pride whatsoever about being labeled the "queen of disco".

Well, Donna became very frustrated by the fact that she felt she was trapped into a single genre, when she wanted to perform in many. Also, the whole "sexpot" image wasn't her at all -- she is and was very conservative.

Unfortunately, it seems Donna really started going down in flames when she came out with all that negetive publicity about gays, the very people that supported her. Here was one of my idols turning out to be a total homophobe, it was sad. :cry:

Unfortunately, many gays stopped supporting her because of what they'd heard -- only what they had "heard" were misquotes, a sentence or two taken out of context, and outright lies. Donna has always been very supportive of the gay community. But in the early 80s, she was essentially the victim of a smear campaign. Where did you read these interviews where she said nasty things about gay people? I too had heard that she had said all sorts of things -- but I had never read them in any reputable publication;it was always along the lines of "a friend of a friend was there when she said..." ...and we know how reliable that sort of source usually is!

The reason why you won't find these things in print is because she never said any such things. Do a search on the subject, and get the real story. And remember that you can never really trust anything that you haven't experienced first-hand.[/i]

**JussiK** · November 14th, 2002, 05:07 AM

It's GOT to be the Love To Love You Baby album. What kind of an image did you Americans have in that one? We had the Star clearly in the throes of having a wank. Turn the lp over and she's rolling on the floor still in ecstasy with one massive thigh lusciously exposed. C'mon voters, lets hear it for masturbation!

**Jeff H** · November 14th, 2002, 10:06 AM

Originally Written by Graham Start

The reason why you won't find these things in print is because she never said any such things. Do a search on the subject, and get the real story.

Aaarrrrgh!!! The urban legend that refuses to die! :evil:

Amazing how this topic rears its ugly head again and again. Posting a rebuttal when the rumor was last repeated here is what got me started at this site about a year ago.

Thanks for handling rumor control this time, Graham.

**Rab** · November 14th, 2002, 03:55 PM

Donna has always been very supportive of the gay community. But in the early 80s, she was essentially the victim of a smear campaign. Where did you read these interviews where she said nasty things about gay people?

Well, I'm not going to claim to be an expert on Donna Summer but I distinctly remember an interview given with her from a Boston radio station, 20+ years ago. In her own words she stated to the effect that she did not "agree with the lifestyle", and that everyone is entitled to their opinion. This was not gossip. Perhaps, her opinion was embelished elsewhere, but I know what I heard. It was her voice, not someone pretending to be her. There was also someting mentioned about her being a born again Christian, which makes her a hippocrit just like all the others when you consider how erotic and risque her music and albums were. I guess it is OK for her to say that it was really not "her", being so sexual and all, when it is all over and done with and she has already made her few million $ in the bank.

What I also know is that Donna was very concerned about her demise in the music industry, and was apparently very disgusted that her lastest albums did not receive enough publicity/advertising. She, like others may have made the mistake assuming gays did not have any allies and were pretty much a dissenfranchised enough group that it was safe for her to voice her opinion.

Of course, a lot can happen in 20-25 years, I hope I'm wrong. If she was a homphobe maybe she became enlightend, and realized that being gay is not a "lifestyle" as I remember her putting it. I want very much to believe this was a smear campaign. She was one of our icons, and also a native of my birthplace, Boston.

**JussiK** · November 15th, 2002, 12:40 AM

The guy who looks after Donna's house, is still a close pal to the diva and used to babysit for her is as gay as a daffordil. Donna has no objections to his lifestyle - now. I talked to the guy and he told me there was indeed a confused time filled with personal problems when she did.

**Nano** · November 15th, 2002, 11:55 AM

Jussik, you made me LOL with your supporting of "Love to love you baby"... I have to confess again my favorite is the front cover of "On the radio"... Although "Once upon a time" had also a nice cover... Can't remember the foldout image, though.
It's really difficult when it comes to her Seventies albums, because she looks so good in all of them! It's also curious to see how much she changed looks at that time. The female Bowie? Madonna's teacher? :o

**midas** · November 15th, 2002, 12:21 PM

where can I find older polls,
me I am guessing you´ve allready
made poll about:
1 , donna Summer best song
2, most played (by you) song
3, Best slow jam etc.
can i find these polls
and btw are ther any females in this group
(just curious)

**rhessel** · November 15th, 2002, 03:47 PM

Hello:

I just voted for "Four Seasons Of Love" but this is my second choice.

As a matter of fact my best Donna Summer cover is "A Love Trilogy". As it is not listed, so...

Cheers,

**Masdefi** · November 16th, 2002, 05:28 PM

My choice is without doubt for "Four seasons of love", very sexy cover, it was my dream when I was twenty...
That's the best cover from Donna's LPs to me.

**HustleBaby** · November 16th, 2002, 06:57 PM

I have to go with "Four Seasons" especially the moon photo! I've mentioned that I can envision myself in the same photo several months ago in a Favorite Albums thread.

My second choice is "On The Radio". I like the photo of her sitting on a radio with airbrushed pink and blue background.

*DISCO DELIGHT*