All Systems Go (Donna Summer album)

Last updated
All Systems Go
Allsystemsgo.jpg
Studio album by
ReleasedSeptember 15, 1987
RecordedOctober 1985June 1987
StudioOasis 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).
Genre
Length43:04
Label Geffen
Producer
Donna Summer chronology
The Dance Collection: A Compilation of Twelve Inch Singles
(1987)
All Systems Go
(1987)
Another Place and Time
(1989)
Singles from All Systems Go
  1. "Dinner with Gershwin"
    Released: August 1987
  2. "Only the Fool Survives"
    Released: November 1987
  3. "All Systems Go"
    Released: January 1988

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.

Contents

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

Professional ratings
Review scores
SourceRating
AllMusic Star full.svgStar full.svgStar empty.svgStar empty.svgStar empty.svg [2]
The Rolling Stone Album Guide Star full.svgStar full.svgStar empty.svgStar empty.svgStar empty.svg [3]

In the US "Dinner with Gershwin" became Summer's last Top Ten R&B hit and reached No. 48 on the pop charts. [4] It gave Summer her highest UK chart placing (No. 13 [5] ) since the '70s, also reaching No. 13 in Ireland and No. 43 in the Netherlands. [6]

All Systems Go became the first album by Summer to fall short of the Top 100 on Billboard's album chart, peaking at No. 122 [7] 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. [5]

Track listing

Side one
No.TitleWriter(s)Length
1."All Systems Go" Harold Faltermeyer, Donna Summer 4:13
2."Bad Reputation" Peter Bunetta, Joe Erickson, Summer4:14
3."Love Shock"Faltermeyer, Bruce Sudano, Summer4:16
4."Jeremy"Faltermeyer, Pit Floss, Andy Slovic, Summer, Hannes Treibe4:40
5."Only the Fool Survives" (duet with Mickey Thomas) John Bettis, Michael Omartian, Sudano, Summer, Virgil Weber4:42
Side two
No.TitleWriter(s)Length
6."Dinner with Gershwin" Brenda Russell 4:39
7."Fascination" Eddie Schwartz, David Tyson 4:30
8."Voices Cryin' Out"Faltermeyer, Summer5:20
9."Thinkin' Bout My Baby"Jeffrey Lams, Keith D. Nelson, Summer6:20
2014 Demon Music Group bonus tracks [8]
No.TitleWriter(s)Length
10."Tearin' Down the Walls" Siedah Garrett, Tony Maiden 3:59
11."All Systems Go" (Edit)Faltermeyer, Summer3:50
12."All Systems Go" (Extended Remix)Faltermeyer, Summer8:03
13."Dinner with Gershwin" (Edit)Russell4:12
14."Dinner with Gershwin" (Extended Version)Russell7:43
15."Dinner with Gershwin" (Instrumental)Russell4:12
16."Only the Fool Survives" (Edit)Bettis, Omartian, Sudano, Summer, Weber4:00

Personnel

Production

Technical

Charts

Weekly charts

Chart performance for All Systems Go
Chart (1987)Peak
position
Dutch Albums (Album Top 100) [9] 72
Italian Albums ( Musica e dischi ) [10] 17
Japanese Albums (Oricon) [11] 69
Swedish Albums (Sverigetopplistan) [12] 27
US Billboard 200 [13] 122
US Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums (Billboard) [14] 53

Singles

YearSingleChartPosition
1987"Dinner with Gershwin" UK Singles Chart [5] 13
US Billboard Hot 100 [4] 48
US Billboard Hot Black Singles [4] 10
US Billboard Hot Dance Club Play [4] 13
U.S. Billboard Hot Dance Music/Maxi-Singles Sales [4] 16
1988"All Systems Go"UK Singles Chart [5] 54

Related Research Articles

<i>Heart of Stone</i> (Cher album) 1989 album by Cher

Heart of Stone is the nineteenth studio album by American singer-actress Cher, released on July 10, 1989 by Geffen Records. As of January 1991, the album has sold more than 4 million copies worldwide. The album was supported by her 1989–1990 Heart of Stone Tour.

<i>Unguarded</i> (Amy Grant album) 1985 studio album by Amy Grant

Unguarded is the seventh studio album by Christian and Pop singer Amy Grant, released in 1985 on A&M Records. It is Grant's first album released by A&M.

<i>Bad Girls</i> (Donna Summer album) 1979 studio album by Donna Summer

Bad Girls is the seventh studio album by American singer-songwriter Donna Summer. It was released on April 25, 1979, by Casablanca Records. Originally issued as a double album, Bad Girls became the best-selling and most critically acclaimed album of Summer's career. It was also her final studio album for Casablanca Records. In 2003, Universal Music re-issued Bad Girls as a digitally remastered and expanded deluxe edition.

<i>Cher</i> (1987 album) 1987 studio album by Cher

Cher is the eighteenth studio album by American singer-actress Cher, released on November 10, 1987 by Geffen Records. The album has been certified Platinum in the US by the RIAA and Gold in Australia by ARIA and the UK by BPI.

<i>The Wanderer</i> (Donna Summer album) 1980 studio album by Donna Summer

The Wanderer is the eighth studio album by American singer-songwriter Donna Summer, released on October 20, 1980. It marks a musical departure for Summer, being an album influenced by rock and new wave whilst previous albums all fell under the disco music category. Her inaugural release of the Geffen Records label, it became a top 20 album in the United States, with the title track reaching No. 3 on the Billboard Hot 100; other singles failed to enter the top ten. However, the record was more unsuccessful on the charts than her previous album Bad Girls, which topped the Billboard 200 for five weeks.

<i>She Works Hard for the Money</i> (album) 1983 studio album by Donna Summer

She Works Hard for the Money is the eleventh studio album by American singer Donna Summer, released on June 13, 1983, by Mercury Records. It was her most successful studio album of the decade, peaking at No. 9 on the Billboard 200 and its title track became one of the biggest hits of her career and her biggest hit of the decade, peaking at No. 3 on the Billboard Hot 100.

<i>Donna Summer</i> (album) 1982 studio album by Donna Summer

Donna Summer is the tenth studio album by American songwriter Donna Summer, released on July 19, 1982, by Geffen Records. It featured the Top 10, Grammy-nominated "Love Is in Control " single. The album itself saw a drop in chart position from her previous album, peaking at No.20, but ultimately outsold it by remaining on the Billboard 200 for 37 weeks - nearly 20 weeks more. Its longevity was aided by follow-up singles "State of Independence" and "The Woman in Me", which charted at 41 and 33 respectively.

<i>Cats Without Claws</i> 1984 studio album by Donna Summer

Cats Without Claws is the twelfth studio album by American pop singer Donna Summer, released on September 11, 1984. Summer had achieved monumental fame during the disco era of the 1970s, and in 1980 was signed to Geffen Records. She had had some degree of success with them, though her previous album had been released on another label. It peaked at No. 40 on Billboard's album chart, failing to attain the success of its predecessor which peaked at No. 9.

<i>Silhouette</i> (album) 1988 studio album by Kenny G

Silhouette is the fifth studio album by American saxophonist Kenny G. It was released by Arista Records in 1988, and reached number 1 on the Contemporary Jazz Albums chart, number 8 on the Billboard 200, and number 10 on the R&B/Hip-Hop Albums chart.

<i>Hot Together</i> 1986 studio album by Pointer Sisters

Hot Together is the title of the twelfth studio album by the Pointer Sisters released in October 1986 by RCA Records.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Dinner with Gershwin</span> 1987 single by Donna Summer

"Dinner with Gershwin" is a song written by Brenda Russell and recorded by American singer-songwriter Donna Summer. The song was produced by Russell and Richard Perry. It was released on August 14, 1987 as the lead single from her 13th studio album All Systems Go (1987) by Geffen Records.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">All Systems Go (song)</span> 1988 single by Donna Summer

"All Systems Go" is the third single from American singer-songwriter Donna Summer's thirteenth album of the same name (1987). Edited from its original album version, it became a minor hit in the United Kingdom, where it reached #54 on the UK Singles Chart.

<i>One Heartbeat</i> 1987 studio album by Smokey Robinson

One Heartbeat is a million-selling 1987 album by R&B singer/songwriter Smokey Robinson. It hit number 26 on the US Billboard Album Chart and number 1 on the US Billboard R&B album chart.

<i>Rock Solid</i> 1988 studio album by Commodores

Rock Solid is the 13th studio album by the Commodores, released in 1988. At this time in the band's career, hits were no longer forthcoming, and this album failed to enter the Billboard albums chart. The single, "Solitaire", reached No. 51 on the R&B chart. It is the last of the band's albums with keyboard player and founding member Milan Williams, who left after a dispute about playing in South Africa.

<i>Kathy Troccoli</i> (album) 1994 studio album by Kathy Troccoli

Kathy Troccoli is the self-titled fifth full-length album from singer-songwriter Kathy Troccoli. It was released by Reunion Records in 1994. The lead single was Diane Warren's "Tell Me Where It Hurts". The songs "My Life Is In Your Hands" and "Mission of Love" were top ten Christian radio hits. In 1995, Troccoli was nominated for Female Vocalist of the Year and for Song of the Year for the track "My Life Is in Your Hands", which she co-wrote with Bill Montvilo, at the 25th GMA Dove Awards. The album peaked at number ten on the Billboard Top Christian Albums chart.

<i>Something to Talk About</i> (album) 1986 studio album by Anne Murray

Something to Talk About is the twentieth studio album by Canadian country pop artist Anne Murray. It was released by Capitol Records in 1986. The album is so named after the Shirley Eikhard-composed song "Something to Talk About", which Murray had wanted to record for the album but was rejected by her producers; Bonnie Raitt went on to have a huge hit with the song.

<i>Dangerous</i> (Natalie Cole album) 1985 studio album by Natalie Cole

Dangerous is a 1985 album by American singer Natalie Cole released on May 15, 1985, through the Atco Records-distributed Modern Records label. The album reached peak positions of number 140 on the Billboard 200 and number 48 on Billboard's R&B Albums chart.

<i>Ooh La La</i> (Suzi Lane album) 1979 studio album by Suzi Lane

Ooh, La, La is the debut and only studio album by American singer, Suzi Lane, released in 1979 through Elektra Records. The album was produced by Giorgio Moroder who was also producing Donna Summer at that time. Lane said she met Summer at the recording studio and that she was influenced by the "high-energy electronica" sound pioneered by Moroder and Summer. The title track along with the song "Harmony" reached number one on Billboard magazine's Hot Dance Music/Club Play chart. The dance hit was number one for one week then remained on the chart for six months.

<i>In the Still of the Night</i> (album) 1989 studio album by Johnny Mathis

In the Still of the Night is an album by American pop singer Johnny Mathis that was released on August 8, 1989, by Columbia Records and continues the trend that began with his 1986 collaboration with Henry Mancini, The Hollywood Musicals, in that the project is devoted to a specific theme that ties the songs together. Mathis hints at the theme for this album in the liner notes for his 1993 box set The Music of Johnny Mathis: A Personal Collection, where he gives his thoughts on the 1964 Little Anthony and the Imperials song "I'm on the Outside Looking In" that he covered for his 1988 album Once in a While: "That was group singers' kind of material. I was singing other stuff. It wasn't the picture of the lone crooner standing in the spotlight. That's what I was doing when all this other stuff was going on. I never listened to it until it was brought to my attention by [that album's producers] Peter Bunetta and Rick Chudacoff." Mathis chose to continue his work with Bunetta and Chudacoff on this project, which focuses on "this other stuff" that Mathis refers to: pop and R&B hits from the 1950s and 1960s.

<i>Can You Stop the Rain</i> (album) 1991 studio album by Peabo Bryson

Can You Stop the Rain is the fifteenth studio album by American singer Peabo Bryson. It was released by Columbia Records on June 4, 1991 in the United States. Following the release of All My Love (1989), his sole return release with his longtime label, Capitol Records, the singer signed with label Columbia to complete work on his next project along with Walter Afanasieff, Peter Bunetta, Rick Chudacoff, and Barry Mann. Bryson himself became instrumental in composing and producing several songs on his own for the album along with Sir Gant and Dwight W. Watkins.

References

  1. Harold Faltermeyer/Flood of Memory: The Summer Reign on Sunset Blvd/interview by David St.Mark/issue=October 2012/Daeida.com
  2. Wynn, Ron. "All Systems Go > Review" at AllMusic. Retrieved 29 August 2011.
  3. "Rolling Stone VS. Donna Summer: A Critical Reappraisal". Archived from the original on 2016-03-04. Retrieved 2 October 2016.
  4. 1 2 3 4 5 "Donna Summer > Charts & Awards > Billboard Singles". AllMusic . Retrieved 2011-03-14.
  5. 1 2 3 4 "UK Charts > Donna Summer". Official Charts Company . Retrieved 2011-03-13.
  6. "NL Charts > Donna Summer". MegaCharts . Retrieved 2012-02-09.
  7. "Donna Summer > Charts & Awards > Billboard Albums". AllMusic . Retrieved 2011-03-27.
  8. "The Official Donna Summer – Timeline – Facebook" . Retrieved 2 October 2016.
  9. "Dutchcharts.nl – Donna Summer – All Systems Go" (in Dutch). Hung Medien. Retrieved March 8, 2016.
  10. Racca, Guido (2019). M&D Borsa Album 1964–2019 (in Italian). ISBN   978-1094705002.
  11. Oricon Album Chart Book: Complete Edition 1970-2005. Roppongi, Tokyo: Oricon Entertainment. 2006. ISBN   4-87131-077-9.
  12. "Swedishcharts.com – Donna Summer – All Systems Go". Hung Medien. Retrieved March 8, 2016.
  13. "Donna Summer Chart History (Billboard 200)". Billboard. Retrieved March 8, 2016.
  14. "Donna Summer Chart History (Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums)". Billboard. Retrieved July 17, 2022.