Bad Girls, released in 1979, is undoubtedly Donna Summer’s best-selling album. And that is the most recognized disco album of all time. The timeless hit songs from her 7th album such as “Hot Stuff”, “Bad Girls”, and “Dim All The Lights” strongly established her eternal status as the Queen of Disco.
My most favorite album of Donna Summer is, however, Once Upon A Time released in 1977 (the second favorite is She Works Hard For Money in 1983).
Everything about this 6th album-songs, vocal performance, background vocals, production-is phenomenal. I never get tired of listening to the album even I repeat it over and over.
Once Upon A Time was the last of her consecutive concept album series from her 4th Four Seasons of Love. In the 1970s Cinderella story, Donna Summer was a storyteller of a confusing princess who was lost in the labyrinth of the complicated real world…until finding true happiness. Though the title of the first song was a typical opening phrase of an optimistic fairy tale, “Once Upon A Time” was the not-so-fancy introduction about a princess who unwillingly trapped in the cold world lacked respect for her. She struggled to make her way out from the darkness on the second “Faster And Faster To Nowhere”. The princess experienced a hard time gaining the love and respect she deserved on “Say Something Nice” (4th) and “Now I Need You” (5th), and ultimately fell to a late-night shift worker who made her ends meet after returning to the reality at midnight like Cinderella on “Working The Midnight Shift” (6th) even she once experienced “Fairy Tale High” (3rd) the princess dreamed. After a struggling period, she started gaining royalty and happiness again.
Once Upon A Time is a theatrical disco album. The most notable point of this concept album is Donna Summer’s vocal performance especially expression. She repeatedly said her advantage was expressional flexibility depending on the songs backed by a variety of her experiences from church (gospel choir) to the theater (“Hair” in Germany). Once Upon A Time was the most significant album of Donna Summer that vividly presented her dynamic skill. Her voice was different in each song. Donna expressed the trapped princess with “Once Upon A Time” and “Faster And Faster to Nowhere” and her anxiety about love with “Say Something Nice” and “Now I Need You”. On the other hand, Donna blossomed fairy expression such as dreamy and heavenly princess with “Fairy Tale High”, glorious reign with “Queen For A Day” (7th), upbeat expectation her price was coming with “Rumour Has It” (13th), and everlasting love and happiness with “I Love You” (14th) and “Happily Ever After” (15th). Donna Summer’s outstanding vocal skill still gives listeners a clear visual effect on their imagination. Her expression skill was, needless to say, a big advantage in making a concept album as a storyteller.
My personal best song is “Fairy Tale High”. The ’70s disco on the prime. The buoyant melodies and Donna’s floating vocal performance always make me high-spirited. Vividly visual sound to express the fairy excitement written on the lyric. Melodies are old-fashioned but timeless. You can enjoy both listening and dancing with this disco masterpiece.
Donna Summer also proved that she had no problem on singing any type of music as she was influenced by any type of good music. Though Once Upon A Time was a disco album, this album had a variety of flavors. The middle of the album featured the songs to impress Donna’s vocal versatility. “If You Got It Flaunt It” was more old school soul than disco, and Donna Summer clearly expressed her strong influence from the gospel by her dynamic performance with “A Man Like You”. Donna emotionally sang the R&B power ballad “Sweet Romance” (10th). Her vocal performance also beautifully succeeded in the comparison of two sides between quiet solitude and aggressive craving for dancing to ease the frustration on “Dance Into My Life” (13th).
Another impressive point of Once Upon A Time is the modern and progressive disco melodies that could be heard in the 21st century. Donna Summer and her production team brought Once Upon A Time to the moon with crystal heels and pumpkin coach and came back to the 1970s at midnight with the next Bad Girls album. The melodies of Once Upon A Time weren’t only typical disco made for just dance but also listen carefully and drown in the melodies. Most progressive melodies were heard between “Now I Need You” and “Working The Midnight Shift”. Absorbing a lot of synth-pop elements, those songs resembled some of Lady Gaga, Madonna (especially Ray of Light album), or some Euro disco, even though, of course, Donna Summer archived the modernization of disco music way before them. Those dark synth melodies were upgraded from her previous music and made a clear difference with other artists. The progressive sound production should largely be contributed by one of Donna’s main songwriting partners, Italian composer Giorgio Moroder.
Donna Summer and Once Upon A Time proved many things that disco music could do other than dance. High artistry to create a concept album, making a variation to express the storyline in the concept album, and progressive production. But most importantly, Once Upon A Time proved that Donna Summer was a real songstress who could give visual effects by her magical voice, and her legacy is forever with many other her masterpieces.
OVERALL POINTS: 99/100
- Eternal dopeness: ★★★★★
- Overall integrity: ★★★★★
- Songs: ★★★★+3/4
- Originality: ★★★★★
- Song orders: ★★★★★
- Vocal: ★★★★★
- Background: ★★★★★
- Sound: ★★★★★
- Production: ★★★★★
- Strong songs: “Once Upon A Time”, “Faster and Faster To Nowhere”, “Fairy Tale High”, “Say Something Nice”, “Now I Need You”, “Working The Midnight Shift”, “Rumour Has It”
EXTRA (NOT COUNTED TOWARD THE OVERALL POINTS)
- Title: A
- Album cover: A
RELEASED DATE (U.S.): 10/31/1977
GET TO KNOW DONNA SUMMER’S ROOTS IN BOSTON! BOSTON MUSIC TRIP/DONNA SUMMER SERIES!
- BOSTON MUSIC TRIP/DONNA SUMMER, #1 OF 2: Birth-Childhood. Fairy Tale High Boston
- BOSTON MUSIC TRIP/DONNA SUMMER, #2 OF 2: High School Era
- BOSTON MUSIC TRIP/DONNA SUMMER, OUTTAKE: Dining and Getting Around
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