All Systems Go (Donna Summer album) explained

All Systems Go
Type:studio
Artist:Donna Summer
Cover:Allsystemsgo.jpg
Released:September 15, 1987
Recorded:October 1985 - June 1987
Studio:Oasis Recording Studios and Studio 55 (Los Angeles, California, USA); Conway Studios, Soundcastle and One On One Studios (Hollywood, California, USA); Musicland Studios, Red Deer Studios and Union Studios (Munich, Germany).
Length:43:04
Label:Geffen
Prev Year:1987
Next Title:Another Place and Time
Next Year:1989

All Systems Go is the thirteenth studio album by Donna Summer. It was released on September 15, 1987; it would be her final release on Geffen Records, which had been Summer's label since 1980. There were two singles released in the US, "Dinner with Gershwin" and "Only the Fool Survives", although both failed to reach the top 40 of the Hot 100. The title cut, "All Systems Go" was released as single in the UK. The album peaked at number 122 on the US Billboard 200, becoming her lowest charting studio album to date.

Background

The album was Summer's first release since her 1984 album Cats Without Claws. In 1986, David Geffen hired Harold Faltermeyer to produce the album at Summer's urging. The objective was a tough FM-oriented sound; Faltermeyer had just finished the scores for the films Fletch (1985) and Top Gun (1986). Summer was adamant that the album should have stronger R&B influences on it. After the album was completed, Geffen heard the tracks and liked them but his executive team didn't think there were enough songs that could be deemed as singles. They had another song they wanted Faltermeyer to produce, but he was already working on other soundtrack projects. The song was "Dinner with Gershwin", and Richard Perry was hired to produce it with track writer Brenda Russell. Faltermeyer was surprised that nobody on the Geffen team saw the potential for "Fascination", "Voices Cryin' Out" or "Thinkin' Bout My Baby" as singles. "We had other songs completed for All Systems Go that didn't make the final cut. Like "Money Talks", which I was surprised they passed on, and there are a couple others that would have completed our original version for the album, before "Dinner with Gershwin" and "Bad Reputation" became substitutes. The decision was made afterward by executives who were looking for a radio hit for 1987, and not something that would perhaps last beyond then".[1]

Summer was credited as co-writer on seven of the nine tracks.

Release and aftermath

In the US "Dinner with Gershwin" became Summer's last Top Ten R&B hit and reached No. 48 on the pop charts.[2] It gave Summer her highest UK chart placing (No. 13[3]) since the '70s, also reaching No. 13 in Ireland and No. 43 in the Netherlands.[4]

All Systems Go became the first album by Summer to fall short of the Top 100 on Billboards album chart, peaking at No. 122[5] and dropping off completely after six weeks. It also failed to reach the UK Top 75.

"Only the Fool Survives" with Mickey Thomas of Starship was the second single released from the album. In the UK, "All Systems Go" reached No. 54.[3]

Personnel

Production

Technical

Charts

Weekly charts

Chart (1987)! scope="col"
Peak
position
Italian Albums (Musica e dischi)[6] 17
Japanese Albums (Oricon)[7] 69

Singles

YearSingleChartPosition
1987"Dinner with Gershwin"UK Singles Chart13
US Billboard Hot 10048
US Billboard Hot Black Singles10
US Billboard Hot Dance Club Play13
U.S. Billboard Hot Dance Music/Maxi-Singles Sales16
1988"All Systems Go"UK Singles Chart54

Notes and References

  1. Harold Faltermeyer/Flood of Memory: The Summer Reign on Sunset Blvd/interview by David St.Mark/issue=October 2012/Daeida.com
  2. Web site: [{{AllMusic|class=artist|id=p5556|pure_url=yes}} Donna Summer > Charts & Awards > Billboard Singles]. AllMusic. 2011-03-14.
  3. Web site: UK Charts > Donna Summer. Official Charts Company. 2011-03-13.
  4. Web site: NL Charts > Donna Summer. MegaCharts. 2012-02-09.
  5. Web site: [{{AllMusic|class=artist|id=p5556|pure_url=yes}} Donna Summer > Charts & Awards > Billboard Albums]. AllMusic. 2011-03-27.
  6. Book: Racca, Guido. M&D Borsa Album 1964–2019. it. 2019. 978-1094705002.
  7. Book: Oricon Album Chart Book: Complete Edition 1970-2005. Oricon Entertainment. Roppongi, Tokyo. 2006. 4-87131-077-9.

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