Mistaken Identity album by Donna Summer: your opinion please

[Cory Ander]

"Mistaken Identity" album sound like? I was reading the description of it and was puzzled. Rap vocals? Six guitarists?

[SandraDee]

Well, I listened to it once & have never played it since as I was so disappointed after her triumphant return to euro pop/disco on her previous SAW LP. I can respect Donna's need to try different styles & I'm sure she didn't need the money that comes with a commercially successful record. I must dig it out & listen to it again to see if I've been overly harsh on it. My main memory is a track where she attempts a 'Soul 2 Soul' sound (as many acts were in 1990/91) & fails dismally IMO. Nice artwork though! (Donna's image is always interesting).
If Donna ever asked my advice on her career I'd advise her to always record in Europe as she seems to make much better music there than in America - the air must suit her or something!

[kdavid13]

You will either love or hate this album. In all honesty - it does feature some of Donna's best singing EVER. The Soul-II-Soul-ish first single was "When love cries" where Donna uses her falsetto throughout the song and yes people - she does rap in the middle of the song. I happen to love this laidback song.No house mix was ever commisioned but many club mixes surfaced.
As far as 4-on-the-floor beats are concerned - only 2 tracks fit the bill. The gorgeous 2nd single "Work that magic" was remixed & extended and it is my favorite track on the album. The other one happens to be my least favorite song on the album (and also my least favorite DS song) - "What is it you want" is pure house but Donna sounds a lot like an imitation of Crystal Waters (think "Gypsy woman") in fact I really think it is very inspired by this song...and Donna also reprises her "male" vocal from a character she portrayed on her 1980 ABC special. If you've seen the special - you will know what I'm talking about.
The rest of the songs are pretty much like the stuff that came out around that same time (Paula Abdul,Karyn White...etc.) which is not bad but you're talking about Donna Summer who once ruled the dancefloors and was regarded as The Queen.Trying to sound like Paula Abdul is a step down.And I mean no disrespect to Paula when I say this.
That said - I like "Fred Astaire" a somewhat funky dance song,"Say a little prayer" (with scratching and tons of special effects),"Get Ethnic" (where Donna implores a scratching DJ to swing that funky beat),another Soul II Soul-ish track called "Cry of a waking heart" which is very good (another falsetto-lead vocal from Donna) and there are also excellent ballads like "Heaven's just a whisper away" (truly beautiful - if you search on youTube - Donna can be seen singing this one live on a UK talk show - the live version is even more gorgeous) and "Friends unknown" dedicated to her longtime fans.
That's pretty much it. Over at the Donna Summer Forum I belong to - some fans adore this CD and others will simply NOT accept it. Your choice. 8)

[STEPHEN L FREEMAN]

Sandy & Kris summed it all up pretty well. So, for my 2 cents...

I found the album to be just a notch above "Cats Without Claws", which is my least favorite Donna LP.

And as a side note: as I understand it, coming from Donna's Southeast Promotions person, at the time...
The decision not to go with the 2nd SAW LP, and use Keith Diamond as Producer instead, came from Atlantic Records. Not Donna.

[SandraDee]

The decision not to go with the 2nd SAW LP, and use Keith Diamond as Producer instead, came from Atlantic Records. Not Donna.

Apparently, the material that SAW had prepared for Donna's 2nd LP with them was used for the Lonnie Gordon LP which never got released in the UK 'cos Supreme records went bust! (shame 'cos it's a good one, but it did finally surface on CD recently)

[SandraDee]

Well, I've just listened to 'Mistaken Identity' for the 2nd time (!) & enjoyed it more than I thought I would. It's nothing earth-shattering but if you don't mind the late 80s/early 90s sounds (squeaky Fairlights, hollow-sounding drum machines etc.) & you have the ability to suspend your disbelief that it's by the 'queen of disco' (as I have to also do when listening to 'The Wanderer') then it's quite a pleasant listen (at least she's given up trying for the 'rock chick' image of some of her 80s stuff too!). Kris's review was spot-on & I agree that 'Work That Magic' is the best track.

[STEPHEN L FREEMAN]

...the material that SAW had prepared for Donna's 2nd LP with them was used for the Lonnie Gordon LP which never got released...

I'd heard that. But I never learned which of Lonnie's releases were, actually meant for Donna.
Wasn't there one, or two commercial 12"s released from that switcheroo?

What are the titles from the Lonnie CD that you found, Sandy???

[SandraDee]

Steph, I'm sure I read about the Lonnie G material being meant for Donna in one of the 3 books I've got by the PWL/SAW team themselves (Mike Stock, Pete Waterman & Phil Harding) but I can't find exactly which tracks. There were 3 singles released at the time - Happenin' All Over Again, If I Have To Stand Alone & the excellent mid-tempo Beyond Your Wildest Dreams (later done by Sybil); quite why the last 2 singles weren't commercially successful I'll never know as they are one of the best things SAW ever did IMO. According to the CD notes the LP got picked up for release in mainland Europe, Japan & South America. There are some fab tracks such as 'Best of Friends', 'How Could He Do This To Me' & 'Better Off Without You' (later done by Hazell Dean) & it seems criminal that they never saw(!) the light of day in the UK or US at the time. I love Lonnie but I would LOVE to hear the LP sung by Donna.

[STEPHEN L FREEMAN]

S...& the excellent mid-tempo Beyond Your Wildest Dreams...

Isn't that song BE-A-UTIFUL??? Everything about it is perfect.
And Lonnie sounds SOOO good, in ballad mode.

[Videoskooter]

Isn't that song BE-A-UTIFUL??? Everything about it is perfect.
And Lonnie sounds SOOO good, in ballad mode.

[STEPHEN L FREEMAN]

...

Bless you, my good Man...Bless you!
(I'd never seen that b4) :o)

[SandraDee]

Isn't that song BE-A-UTIFUL??? Everything about it is perfect.
And Lonnie sounds SOOO good, in ballad mode.

You're so right - it's perfection & shoulda been a massive hit. I've heard so many people bash SAW/PWL for being cheesy, production-line music but there stuff was always uplifting, feel-good, melodic & well-crafted pop/dance - where the hell is the uplifting, feel-good, well-made music nowadays? I sure don't hear any - come back SAW pllllease!