The Power of Gloria Gaynor

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The Power of Gloria Gaynor
Thepowerofgloriagaynorcover.jpg
Studio album by
Released1986
Recorded1986
Genre Pop, soft rock
Label Stylus
Producer Steve Rowland
Gloria Gaynor chronology
I Am Gloria Gaynor
(1984)
The Power of Gloria Gaynor
(1986)
Gloria Gaynor '90
(1990)
Reissue cover
Gloriagaynoriamwhatiam.jpg
One of the many reissued covers, this one under the name I Am What I Am.
Professional ratings
Review scores
SourceRating
The Encyclopedia of Popular Music Star full.svgStar full.svgStar empty.svgStar empty.svgStar empty.svg [1]

The Power of Gloria Gaynor, also known as The Power, or The Power of Love, is the twelfth studio album by Gloria Gaynor, released in 1986, which is composed mostly of cover versions of other popular songs from the 1970s and 1980s, and is her only album to be released on Stylus Records. It was originally only released in the UK. The album was issued on record, compact disc and cassette, each containing bonus tracks of re-recorded versions of a few of Gaynor's biggest hits in a medley and a remixed version of "Don't You Dare Call It Love".

Contents

The Power of Gloria Gaynor was a huge departure from her disco albums, as well as her previous two albums that were R&B and dance based. It failed to perform any better than Gaynor's previous efforts of the 1980s, but did peak at #81 on the UK album chart in October 1986. It has been licensed by many low-budget record labels and re-released on CD countless times (never by the same name) occasionally with other tracks by Gloria Gaynor recorded for other albums. On many reissues of the album, a cover of "Careless Whisper" is also included, which was presumably recorded for this album in London with the rest of the tracks, but went unused when the album was originally released.

The only single released was the remixed version of "Don't You Dare Call It Love", one of two tracks written by Gaynor for this release, on a 12-inch single in the UK. The B-side contained Gaynor's cover of "Every Breath You Take", originally recorded by The Police in 1983, also remixed.

Track listing

No.TitleWriter(s)Original ArtistLength
1."The Eye of the Tiger" Frankie Sullivan, Jim Peterik Survivor 3:57
2."The Heat Is On" Harold Faltermeyer, Keith Forsey Glenn Frey 4:20
3."Feel So Real"Steve Arrington Steve Arrington 3:53
4."The Power of Love" Hugh Cregg III, Chris Hayes, John Colla Huey Lewis and the News 4:06
5."Everybody Wants to Rule the World" Roland Orzabal, Ian Stanley, Chris Hughes Tears for Fears 4:02
6."What a Wonderful World" Lou Adler, Herb Alpert, Sam Cooke Sam Cooke 3:14
7."Every Breath You Take" Gordon Sumner The Police 2:45
8."Don't You Dare Call It Love"Gloria Gaynor, Linwood Simon Original composition4:45
9."Everytime You Go Away" Daryl Hall Hall & Oates 3:52
10."Broken Wings" Richard Page, Steve George, John Lang Mr. Mister 5:04
11."Suddenly" Leslie Charles, Keith Diamond Billy Ocean 3:40
12."Top Shelf"Gloria Gaynor, Linwood SimonOriginal composition4:54
13."He's Out Of My Life" Tom Bahler Michael Jackson 3:28
14."I Want to Know What Love Is" Mick Jones Foreigner 4:05
15."I Will Survive / Never Can Say Goodbye / Reach Out (I'll Be There) / I Am What I Am" Dino Fekaris and Freddie Perren / Clifton Davis / Holland–Dozier–Holland / Gerald Herman Gloria Gaynor / Jackson 5 / Four Tops / La Cage aux Folles 9:38
16."Don't You Dare Call It Love" (remix)Gloria Gaynor, Linwood SimonOriginal composition5:47

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References

  1. Colin Larkin (2006). "Gaynor, Gloria". The Encyclopedia of Popular Music . Vol. 3 (4th ed.). Muze, Oxford University Press. p. 705. ISBN   978-0-19-531373-4.