The Australian rock group, Divinyls is known to most Americans for their 1990 song 'I Touch Myself ' from the groups self-titled 4th album. In February of 1995 they released Divinyls released the song ' I'm Jealous ' from their 5th album Underworld . It doesn't seem to have been released in America but it charted at number 14 in Australia and remained in the top 50 for 19 weeks.
I came across the song on YouTube and liked it. Hope you also enjoy it
January 5th marks what would be Type O Negative's bassist and lead singer, Peter Steele ( born Peter Ratajczyk) 64th birthday. In his honor I am posting " I Don't Wanna Be Me" from Type O Negative's 2003 album Life Is Killing Me
" On the eleventh day of Christmas, my true love gave to me 11 pipers piping". This is said to represent the 11 faithful Apostles or Disciples of Jesus.
On this day, December 8, 1943, James Douglas Morrison was born in Melboure, Florida and became the Navy brat of Rear Admiral George Stephen and Clara Virgina Morrison. So I thought I would honor Jim Morrison with some pictures and what is, surprisingly, my favorite The Doors song, Unknown Soldier.
The second track from Houses of the Holy is The Rain Song. It had the working title Slush because of its easy listening mock orchestral arrangement. The ballad was released on March 28, 1973 after George Harrison, who was a fan, told John Bonham that Led Zeppelin never wrote ballads. In tribute to this the opening chords of The Rain Son is from the easily recognizable first line from George Harrison penned The Beatles song Something.
The Rain Song is over seven minutes long. The song was originally constructed by Jimmy Page at his home in Plumpton, England because he had recently installed a Vista studio console that was partially made up from the Pye Mobile Studio that the group used at the 1970 Royal Albert Hall performance.
Page brought the completed melody arrangement to Robert Plant, who then wrote some lyrics. Plant considers these lyrics to be the best that he has ever written. To get the orchestral effect to the song John Paul Jones used a mellotron, while Page played a Danelectro guitar.
From late 1972 to 1977 Led Zeppelin immediately played The Rain Song right after The Song Remains the Same presenting the songs in the same chronological order as on the album. The setlist was organized in this manner because Page played his Gibson EDS-1275 double-necked guitar on both songs: the top, the 12-string neck, tuned to Standard tuning, for The Song Remains the Same, while using the alternate tuning Esus2 on the 6-string neck for the live performance of The Rain Song. This tuning is a step higher than what was used on the album, Dsus2 an "open page" alternative guitar tuning which required Plant to sing at a higher level.
THE RAIN SONG
This is the springtime of my loving - the second seasonI am to know
You are the sunlight in my growing- so little warmth I've felt before.
It isn't hard to feel me glowing - I watched the fire that grew so low.
It is the summer of my smiles - flee from me Keepers of the Gloom.
Speak to me only with your eyes. It is to you I give this tune.
Ain't so hard to recognize - These things are clear to all from time to time.
Talk Talk- I've felt the coldness of my winter
I never thought it would ever go. I curse the gloom that set upon us...
But that I love you so.
These are the seasons of emotion and like the wind they rise and fall
This is the wonder of devotion - I see the torch we all must hold.
This is the mystery of the quotient - a little rain must fall.
For James Gandolfini who sadly and shockingly died today. A fine actor who when he appeared on screen or stage you just had to stop and watch him and he made you forget about the other actors. He made his name as Tony Soprano and he will always be Tony Soprano in our hearts. You are sadly missed, James Gandolfini
Don't Stop Believing
Just a small town girl
Livin' in a lonely world
She took the midnight train going anywhere
Just a city boy
Born and raised in south Detroit
He took the midnight train goin' anywhere
A smoker in a smokey room
A smell of wine and cheap perfume
For a smile they can share a night
It goes on and on and on
Strangers waitng
Up and down the boulevard
Their shadows searching in the night
Streetlight people
Living just to find emotion
Hiding somewhere in the night
Working hard to get my fill
Everybody wants a thrill
Payin' anything to roll the dice just one more time
The Song Remains the Same is the first track off of Led Zeppelin's 1973 album Houses of the Holy.
This was Robert Plant's tribute to world music, reflecting his belief that music is universal.
Originally The Song Remains the Same was an instrumental with the working title The Oveture, before Plant put lyrics to it, after which the song became known as The Campaign before Led Zeppelin settled on The Song Remains the Same.
Zeppelin first performed the song live on their 1972 Japanese Tour Bootlegs from this tour show that the song did not have a settled title to it. Plant even called the song Zep while on stage in Tokyo. From late 1972 to 1975 The Song Remains the Same ( just as on Houses of the Holy) segued into The Rain Song. The Song Remains the Same would be the opening song for the 1977 and 1979 concerts, before being dropped from the set list for the 1980 European tour. The song was also performed at the 2007 Led Zeppelin reunion show at the O2 Arena.
For the album release Robert Plant's vocals were slightly sped up, while Jimmy Page played the overdubs on a Fender Telecaster guitar and a Rickenbacker 12-string guitar. In live performances, however, Jimmy played a Gibson EDS-1275 double neck 12-string.
Video from Earls Court Show in 1975
The Song Remains the Same
I had a dream. Crazy dream.
Anything I wanted to know, any place I needed to go.
Hear my song. People won't you listen now?
Sing along.
You don't know what your missing now.
Any little song that you know.
Everything that is small has to grow.
And it has to grow.
Na, na, na, na,wow!
California sunlight, Calcutta rain.
Honolulu starbright- the song remains the same.
Sing out Hare hare, dance the Hoochie Koo.
City lights are oh so bright , as we go sliding...sliding...sliding through.
Released on March 23,1973 by Atlantic RecordsHouses of the Holy is the fifth studio album from Led Zeppelin. The album's title is from Led Zeppelin to their fans who appeared at venues that they dubbed "Houses of the Holy" . This album became the first one to contain completely original music by the band and marks a musical turning point in the band.
Stargroves
Much of Houses of the Holy was recorded at The Rolling Stones frontman, Mick Jagger's former Berkshire County home, Stargroves, in the Spring of 1972. There was an earlier attempted recording of the album at Headly Grange.
At the recently installed personal studios of Jimmy Page and John Paul Jones many of the songs were produced as demos. Also because of the installment of the studios in their homes, they were able to complete the arrangements that had been laid down earlier. In particular, Page was able to furnish complete arrangements of 'The Rain Song' and 'Over the Hills and Far Away' , while Jones developed 'No Quarter' .
Olympic Studios - London
There was another round of recordings in May of 1972 at Olympic Studios and during Led Zeppelin's 1972 North American tour there was additional recording sessions at Electric Lady Studios in New York.
Some songs that were recorded at these various sessions, but did not make Houses of the Holy were, 'Black Country Woman', 'The Rover' and the title-track 'Houses of the Holy'. But these songs were kept and released on their subsequent album.
John Paul Jones
Houses of the Holy was a turning point in the style of Led Zeppelin music and in the band's lifespan. Jimmy Page layered his guitar riffs in his production techniques and moved away from the blues influence of previous albums. With'The Song Remains the Same'and it's intricate companion, 'The Rain Song' , Robert Plant's voice matured to a less open form of mysticism and fantasy as with the previous albums. Also on Houses of the Holy there were music styles that had not been heard on the other Led Zeppelin albums. 'D'yer Maker', for example is reggae-based and takes it's name from an old music hall joke: 'My wife went to the West Indies.' 'Jamaica?' 'No she went on her own accord.'; No Quarter has John Paul Jones' acoustic piano solo and atmospheric keyboard sounds featured; 'The Crunk is actually an attempted funk tribute to James Brown; and 'The Rain Song' is embellished by Jones on his newly owned mellotron. The albums final song, 'The Ocean', is dedicated to "the ocean" of fans who had amassed to Led Zeppelin concerts at this time of their career.
The cover of the album was inspired by Arthur C. Clark end of the novel'Childhood's End'. It is a collage of over thirty different photographs, that eventually became eleven, taken by Aubrey Powell at the Giants Causeway in County Antrim, Northern Ireland and the two children who modeled for the album cover were siblings, Stefan and Samantha Gates. The album cover was meant to be a full-color shoot by taking advantage of the morning and evening sun, but this was never achieved because of the miserable weather. So the pictures of the two children were shot in black and white instead of color and were multi-printed to create the effect of eleven individuals on the cover. The inside photo was that of the ancient real-life Celtic Dunluce Castle nearby.
In 1974 Houses of the Holy was nominated for a Grammy for in the category Best Album Package. In 2003 VH-1 ranked Houses of the Holy at # 6 on their VH-1's 50 Greatest Album Covers.
Houses of the Holy should have actually been released in August of 1972, but because of problems with the mix and artwork it was pushed back to January of 1973. This gave Led Zeppelin time to finish their Japanese tour and a 25 date tour of the UK, which would be the last time the band would ever tour their home country. But even with this pushed back date of January there were still snags in finishing the final product until Houses of the Holy was finally released on March 23, 1973.
Bonzo looking oh so thrilled about having his picture taken at the recording of Houses of the Holy
Reviews for the album were mixed with much of the criticism being directed toward 'The Crunge' and 'D'yer Maker' . According to some 'The Grunge' was totally unnecessary because Zeppelin had proven that it had a funk abundance the moment John Bonham's hand[grenade drums exploded over the intro to 'Good Times Bad Times' and had repeatedly demonstrated that "white rock musicians could do things with black funk music nobody else had even thought of." *
Houses of the Holy became the band's third album to top the British charts, entering at #1, making it Zeppelin's third album to top the charts there. But this only lasted for thirteen weeks before being replaced by it's predecessor, Led Zeppelin IV. While in America it was on the American charts for 39 weeks, 2 of the weeks at #1.
* From the book 'Led Zeppelin: When Giants Walked the Earth'
Fate has seemed to deem it necessary that I write about Elvis' performance in Hawaii. The thing is I didn't know that this was the 40th anniversary until a few minutes ago. But there are two women, who are no longer with me on Earth, who would most definitely know : my Mother and my Mom (step-mother who raised me). I have a feeling that one or both of them made it so that I would find the video of the performance.
My Mother, bless her heart, tried everything she could while she was alive to get me to go completely bat crap over Elvis like her. She all but worshiped the ground he walked on, but it wasn't until I got older did I develop a bit of an appreciation of Elvis music other than his gospel. And as it turns out 'Aloha From Hawaii via Satellite' was what could be deemed an early birthday present for her because it was a few days later.
As for my Mom, well she said she wasn't that big of a fan of Elvis but yet she saw him three times in concert and two of the times were in Hawaii. Plus my Mom got three scarves from Elvis. One from each concert. So all of this leads me to believe that she really liked Elvis more than what she let on and just did not want to admit it.
So with that bit of background here is my piece on the 40th Anniversary of Elvis ' 'Aloha From Hawaii via Satellite' plus the video that was posted on youtube last year.
Aloha From Hawaii via Satellitewas an Elvis Presley concert that was broadcast from Honolulu, Hawaii January 14,1973 from the Honolulu International Center (now known as the Neil S. Blaisdell Center) and was aired to over 40 countries across Europe and Asia, who saw it the next day, but it was also shown to them in primetime . But despite the satellite innovation, the concert was not aired in the United States until Wednesday April 4, 1973 (Happy Birthday to me ) because the concert took place on the same day as Super Bowl VII. Viewing figures have been estimated to have been over 1 billion viewers worldwide. It was also the most expensive entertainment show at the time, costing $2.5 million.
Elvis manager Colonel Tom Parker became inspired by President Richard M. Nixon's recent trip to China announced on July 8,1972 that there would be a worldwide satellite broadcast from Hawaii to allow the entire world a chance to see an Elvis Presley concert "since it is impossible for us to play in every major city." It was initially stated that the concert would take place in October or November of 1972 but after MGM studios voiced concern over the possible clashing with the release of their documentary 'Elvis on Tour' the concert date was changed to early 1973. As this show was already planned before this upset, the original shows, now set for November, would still go ahead without being filmed.
On September 4, 1972 Colonel Parker held another news conference from Las Vegas that the concert, now titled Aloha from Hawaiiwould be broadcast January 14, 1973. Then the press were told that an audience of 1 billion was expected to watch the "first entertainment special to be broadcast around the world", even though Parker had not taken into consideration that many countries, including parts of America and Europe,would not see the broadcast live because of the time of the broadcast.
Two weeks after the news conference Colonel Parker received a letter from Honolulu Advertisercolumnist, Eddie Sherman. Mr. Sherman had read news accounts that admittance to the concert was to be free and instead a donation for charity was required. He then suggested to Colonel Parker, that as Elvis Presley had recorded and was still performing the song 'I'll Remember You' written by Hawaiian singer-songwriter Kui Lee, the donations should go to the Kui Lee Cancer Fund that had been established in 1966 following his death. Seeing this as another chance to again publicize Elvis' charitable side, Parker eagerly agreed.
Producer-director Marty Pasetta had gone to an Elvis concert in Long Beach, California in mid-November, and found it to be "boring" and lacking in physical excitement. He went to Colonel Parker with ideas for the broadcast, including a runway that led out from the stage and into the audience. Parker thought that the idea was ridiculous and that Elvis would agree with him and have no part of it. To Colonel Parker's chagrin Pasetta went to Elvis with the ideas and Elvis agreed with Pasetta, to Mr. Pasetta's surprise. This only proved to be another example in the growing rift between Elvis Presley and Colonel Parker.
On November 17 and 18, Elvis performed in Honolulu as originally planned for the satellite concert. Then on November 20 Elvis gave a press conference to promote the special. He also officially announced that it now be in aid to the Kui Lee Cancer Fund.
Before arriving to Hawaii on January 9,1972 for rehearsals, Elvis lost 25 pounds ( too bad he couldn't keep it off ) and was confident after news that his record sales were increasing and that Elvis on Tour had been nominated for a Golden Globe. Rehearsals were held at the Hilton Hawaiian Village while the main set was being constructed.
Elvis attending a sound check
As a fail-safe, Elvis taped the January 12 rehearsal concert just in
case anything went wrong with the satellite during the actual broadcast, but of course nothing went wrong with the actual January 14 broadcast. For both of his shows Elvis wore Bill Belew's white "American Eagle" jumpsuit. Marty Pasetta, who by this time was in charge of directing the Oscars, directed the broadcast.
There was no price on audience tickets for both the January 14 concert and the January 12 pre-broadcast rehearsal. Each member of the audience was asked to give whatever they could afford. The concert and its merchandise raised $75,000 for the Kui Lee Cancer Fund in Hawaii.
Elvis performed a variety of new and old songs including 'Steamroller Blues', CArl Perkins' 'Blue Sued Shoes', ' Suspicious Minds', 'Hound Dog', The Beatles' 'Something','See See Rider', 'Welcome to My World' and others. After the concert was done and the audience left Elvis went back on stage and recorded five songs for the show that was to be aired in America.
I have loved this 'The Christmas Guest'since I was about nine or ten years old. Then it would give me goosebumps now I just cry. I don't know why but I have seemed to have gotten more weepy as the years have gone by. Oh well, it's a good release. Anyway, the song is by Grandpa ones and all I really know of him is that he was on the American television show 'Hee-Haw' with Buck Owens and Roy Clark and this is the only song I ever remember hearing from him. Anyway, the story of 'The Christmas Guest' is that of a man whose family has died and he is all alone on Christmas until the Lord speaks to him and tells the man to expect Him as on Christmas. So the man tells his friends and makes his house ready for his special Christmas Guest. He waits all day and three times his door is knocked upon by strangers in need of help, in which the man does help them, but the Lord does not show up. At the end of the day the man kneels and asks the Lord why He did not visit like he had promised... I do not want to spoil the end of it for you so I'll let you watch the video. But you may have it already figured out. But just in case you haven't :
The Christmas Guest
It happened one day near December's end
two neighbors called on an old friend
And they found his shop so meager and lame
Made gay with a thousand bows of green
And Conrad was sitting eith his face ashined
When he suddenly stopped his stitch a twine
And he said "Oh friends at dawn today
When the cock was crowin the night away
The Lord appeared in a dream to me
And said 'I'm comin' your guest to be.'
So I've been busy with my feet astir
And strewn my shop with branches of fir
The table is spread and the kettle is shined
And over the rafters the holly is twined
Now I'll wait for my Lord to appear
And listen closely so I will hear His step
As he nears my humble place
And I'll open the door and look on His face"
So his friends went home and left Conrad alone
For this was the happiest day he'd known
For long since his family had passed away
And Conrad spent many a sad Christmas day
But he knew with the Lord as his Christmas guest
This Christmas would be dearest and best
So he listened with only joy in his heart
And with every sound he would rise with a start
And look for the Lord to be at his door
Like the vision he'd had a few hours before
So he rant o the window after hearin' a sound
But all he could see on the snow-covered ground
Was a shabby beggar whose shoes were torn
And all his clothes were ragged and worn
But Conrad was touched and went to the door
And he said "You know, your feet must be frozen and sore
On a flight on October 20,1977 after a concert in Greenville, South Carolina the great Southern rock band Lynard Skynard, became a legend. For this is when their chartered Convair CV-300 ran out of fuel and despite the valiant efforts of the pilots to make an emergency landing on a small airstrip, the plane went down in Gilsburg, Mississippi in Amite ( pronounced A-mitt) County, 10 minutes from the next Lynard Skynard tour stop,Baton Rouge,Louisiana. Just three days after the release of the band's fifth studio album Street Survivors and five days into their most successful headlining tour. Lead singer, Ronnie Van Zant was killed on impact when a piece luggage flew out of the above head compartment and struck him snapping his neck. Also killed in the crash was guitarist Steve Gaines, his sister backup singer Cassie Gaines as was assistant road manager Dean Kirkpatrick, pilot William McCreary and co-pilot William Gray; the other band members Allen Collins, Gary Rossington, Leon Wilkeson, Billy Powell,Artimus,Pyle and background singer Leslie Hawkins and road crew suffered serious injuries.
Following the crash and the immediate press, Street Survivors became the band's last album to have original members of Lynard Skynard, Ronnie Van Zant and Allen Collins on it and is also the only studio recording to have Steve Gaines on it. It is also the second platinum album for the band reaching number5 on the U.S. album charts. With the single "What's Your Name" reaching number 13 on the singles charts in January of 1978. The original cover of Street Survivors had flames in the background but because of the death of band members and pilots the flames were discontinued and a black background was put in its place behind the band.
What's Your Name
Well, it's 8 o'clock in Boise, Idaho
I'll find my limo driver
Mister, take us to the show
I done made some plans for later on tonight;
I'll find a little queen
And I know I can treat her right.
What's your name, little girl?
What's your name?
Shootin' you straight, little girl?
Won't you do the same?
Back at the hotel, Lord, we got such a mess
It seems that one of the crew had ago with one of the guest, oh yes.
Well the police said we can't drink in the bar
What a shame
Won't you come upstairs girl
and have a drink of champagne
What's your name, little girl?
What's your name?
Shootin' you straight, little girl?
For there ain't no shame
What's your name, little girl?
What's your name?
Shootin' you straight, little girl?
Won't you do the same?
What's your name, little girl?
What;s your name?
Shootin' you straight, little girl?
Won't you do the same?
9 o'clock the next day
And I'm ready to go
I got six hundred miles to ride
To do one more show, oh no
Can I get you a taxi home
It sure was grand
When I come back here next year
I wanna see you again
What's your name, little girl?
What's your name?
Shootin' you straight, little girl?
Well, there ain't no shame
What's your name, litle girl?
What's your name?
Shootin' you straight, little girl?
Won't you do the same?
Lynard Skynard disbanded after the crash, reuniting just once in January of 1979 to perform an instrumental version of "Free Bird" at Charlie Daniels' Volunteer Jam V. Collins, Rossington, Pyle and Powell performed the song with Charlie Daniels and members of his band. Even though he was still undergoing physical therapy for his left arm, Leon Wilkeson was at the performance as was Ronnie Van Zant's widow, Judy; Chris Gaines' widow, Teresa; JoJo Billingsley, backing vocalist for the band and Leslie Hawkins.
Even though the end of the original band is tragic as were some times for the survivors after it Lynard Skynard has survived the years of break-ups, replacements, deaths to finally getting it right with again with Ronnie's kid brother, Johnny Van Zant.
On May 2, 2012 Lynard Skynard the upcoming release of a studio album entitled Last of a Dyin' Breed along with a North American and European concert tours. On August 21,2012 Last of a Dyin' Breed was released. To celebrate the album's release, the band had four autograph signing tour throughout the southeast.
On September 9, 2012 while on the Piers Morgan show on CNN the band stated that it had discontinued the use of the Confederate flag in their concerts because they did not want to be associated with racist who had adopted the flag. After fans protested they revised the decision, noting that it is part of Southern heritage and states rights.
' The Lemon Song' is of course by Led Zeppelin and is on their 1969 album Led Zeppelin II. It was recorded in Hollywood, California at Mystic Studios while the band was on their second tour of America. 'The Lemon Song' was released October 22, 1969.
With sexual innuendo laced through 'The Lemon Song' also featured some of Zeppelin's most blues influenced playing. 'Lemon' was practically recorded live in studio. There was no electrical devices used to create Robert Plant's vocal. It was made purely with Plant's voice and the acoustics of a 16x16 foot room with wooden walls in Mystic Studios.And of course with the heavily funk influenced complex bass performance of John Paul Jones.
'The Lemon Song' was performed on Zeppelin's first three tours of the U.S. ( on the first tour as 'Killing Floor'), before it was dropped from their live line-up in late 1969. But the "squeeze my lemon" continued to be inserted in 'A Whole Lotta Love' medley and ad libbed elsewhere.
'The Lemon Song' borrows (maybe a little too heavily) from Howlin' Wolf's 'Killing Floor, which Led Zeppelin would often incorporate into their live set list during their first tour of America.For the second and third North American tours it evolved into 'The Lemon Song', with Robert Plant often improvising lyrics on stage.
Other lyrics, notably "squeeze (my lemon) 'til the juice runs down my leg', can be traced back to Robert Johnson's song ' Travelling Riverside Blues' ( sometimes also called 'Mudbone' or Mud Bone'). It's also likely that Robert Johnson borrowed this song himself from another 1937 Arthur McKay song called 'She Squeezed My Lemon'. The song also borrowed from Albert King's 1966 song 'Cross-Cut Saw'.
On the early 1970's British re-release of Led Zeppelin II, does the label list 'The Lemon Song' as 'Killing Floor' as the third song and credited it to Chester Burnett (Howlin' Wolf's given name), while the liner notes list the song as 'The Lemon Song' and give Led Zeppelin credit. So, in December of 1972, Led Zeppelin was sued by Arc Music, owners of the publishing rights to Howlin' Wolf songs, for copyright infringement. The suit was settled out of court. Even though the terms of the settlement were not released, soon after Howlin' Wolf received a check from Arc Music for $45,123 and co-writing credit on further releases of the song.
THE LEMON SONG
I should have quit you baby, long time ago
I should have quit you baby long time ago
I wouldn't be here, my children down, on the killin' floor
I should have listened, baby, to my second mind
I should have listened, baby, to my second mind
Every time I go away and leave you, darling, you send me the blues way down the line.
Said, people worry I can't keep you satisfied.
Let me tell you baby, you ain't nothin' but a two-bit, no good jive.
Went to sleep last night, worked as hard as I can, Bring home my money, you take it, give it to another man.
I should quit you, baby, such along time ago.
I wouldn't be here with all my troubles, on the killing floor.
Squeeze me baby, 'til the juice runs down my leg.
Squeeze me baby, 'til the juice runs down my leg.
The way you squeeze my lemon, I'm gonna fall right out of bed.
I'm going to leave my children right on this killing floor.
It seems that we have lost a lot of people in the music industry these last months Levon Helms, Adam Yauch (MCA of the Beastie Boys ) and now, shockingly today, the Queen of Disco, the lovely Donna Summer, from what has been reported, to cancer. She died this morning in Key West, Florida with her husband Bruce Sadano, of the R&B group Brooklyn Dreams, and her three daughters.
Yes, we think of Donna Summer as the Disco Queen but that was not her first choice of music. Born Ladonna Adrian Gaines on December 31, 1948 in Boston, she got her start in her church in the Boston area neighborhood of Dorchester, Massachusetts, when she was 10 years old and replaced the singer that was supposed to be there but did not show up. Her priest thought it would be cute to have Donna sing, thinking she would have this cutesy little girl voice and boy did she fool him. She opened her mouth and out came a voice that belied Donna's 10 years. Weeks before she was to graduate from high school, in 1967, she left home for New York with her blues-rock band Crow, where they tried and failed to land a record deal. When the band realized this was not going to happen, they decided to split up with Donna staying behind to pursue her dream of making music. She auditioned for the role of Dionne in the musical Hair but lost the part to fellow aspiring singer, Melba Moore, but Donna Summer did agree to take the part in the Munich production of the play. Reluctantly, her parents gave her permission to move to Germany for the work.
While she lived in Munich she became fluent in German and performed in the musicals, the German version of the Broadway musical The Me Nobody Knows, Ich Bin Ich ( I Am Me), Show Boat and Godspell. In three years time she had moved to Vienna, Austria and was performing with the Viennese Folk Opera. In 1971 she had a one-off European record deal with Decca Records in which she did a cover of the Jaynetts song "Sally Go 'Round the Roses". In 1972, she released the single, "If You Walkin' Alone" on the Dutch label Phillips Records. In 1973, Donna married Austrian actor Helmuth Sommer and they had a daughter, Mimi, the following year. However, by 1975 her marriage had crumbled because of her affair with the German artist, Peter Muhldorfer and she formally divorced from Helmuth Sommer. Donna kept his last name and Anglicized it to Summer, hence Ladonna Gaines became forever known as Donna Summer. After her divorce she along with her boyfriend Peter Muhldorfer, who was a surrealist painter, moved back to America living in Los Angels.
While providing background vocals for the 1970's group Three Dog Night, Donna met music producers Giorgio Moroder and Pete Bellotte. She eventually would sign a deal with European label Groovy Records and in 1974 issued her first album, Lady of the Night. But there was no release of it in America and was met with limited success in Europe mainly due to the song "The Hostage", which went to #1 in Belgium and #2 in the Netherlands.
In 1975, Donna went to Moroder with an idea for a song that Bellotte and she had been working on for another singer.She had come up with the lyric " love to love you, baby". Moroder became interested in the new popular sound that happening and used Donna's lyric to develop the song. Summer was persuaded by Moroder to record the demo for another artist but when Moroder listen to the playback of the demo, he felt that Donna's version ought to be released instead.
The song was sent to Casablanca Records president Neil Bogart in hopes that it would be released in America. Bogart told Moroder and Bellotte that if they could do a longer version for the discothequeshe would release the song, now called "Love to Love You,Baby". So, Moroder, Bellotte and Summer came back with a 17 minute version and Casablanca signed Donna Summer and released the single in November of 1975. While the clubs were playing the 17 minute version of the song ( also on the album "Love to Love You, Baby"), the radio stations were playing the shorter version. By early 1976, "Love to Love Youu, Baby reached #2 on U.S Billboard Hot 100, while the album sold over a million copies.The song became controversial due to Donna's moans and groans and some radio stations in America and Europe, including the BBC, refused to play it. But the song found success in Europe and made it the Top 5 in England, despite the BBC ban.
Thus began Donna Summer's successful musical career. But while she was becoming successful her boyfriend Peter Muhldofer was becoming resentful of all of her fame and it drove a wedge in between the two.Donna had stated that he became violent and with the help of Casablanca president Neil Bogart he was eventually forced to return home to Germany after his visa was revoked.
In 1978, while recording the hit track "Heaven Knows", featuring Brooklyn Dreams member Joe "Bean" Esposito on vocals, Donna met fellow member Bruce Sudano. Within a few months they were dating. Donna and Bruce married on July 16, 1980. A year later she gave birth to their first child together, a daughter, Brooklyn and the following year another daughter, Amanda was welcomed into the family.
She had often talked about the early part of her career as being filled with confusion and anxiety. By mid-1977, because of her struggle with the media's naming her "the first lady of love", she began suffering from anxiety attacks and depression. Donna Summer wrote in her memoir that she had made several attempts at suicide. During this time she began to take prescription drugs as a self-medication and this led to her becoming an addict. Following a nervous breakdown in her home in 1979, Donna went to a local church with her sister and became a born-again Christian. It was then that she decided that she would no longer sing "Love to Love You, Baby", but 25 years later she did. Even as recent as 2011 she re-recorded the tracks, complete with moans and groans, for the "Loveoverdose" fragrance by Diesel.
Donna Summer and her family moved to Nashville, Tennessee in 1994 because she was taking time out of show business to focus on painting, a hobby she took up in 1985.
Driven by Music by Donna Summer, artist
Now we come to today May 17, 2012 with the loss of singer and artist, Donna Summer. Thank You for the music and the paintings. You will live forever in your family, fans and your art both music and paintings.
I was originally starting a post about the song 'The Song Remains the Same' but I have very easily gotten sidetracked. First it was ' Bron-Yr-Aur Stomp' from Earls Court in '75 and now it is Led Zeppelin's 1969 concert in full from Cleveland, Ohio. OH LORDY! They're playing 'Dazed and Confused' right now and that song, for some reason, makes me want to cry. I don't know if it's Robert Plant's voice or Jimmy Page's guitar or it could be a compilation of both of them, but OH MY GOSH I'm friggin' speechless. I won't be cruel and keep it to myself, here it for you to enjoy:
Led Zeppelin had a four-point landing in Cleveland,Ohio on July 20,1969, the same day that Apollo 11 landed on the moon, at Musicarnival. Led Zeppelin had a sold-out concert, of clapping, stomping and dancing in the aisles, of 2,574.
Jimmy Page received a standing ovation for his bluesy solo "White Summer". But the group hit their stride in the last 10 minutes of "Dazed and Confused" when Robert Plant, Jimmy Page, John Paul Jones and John Bonham played in a tight together jam.
Led Zeppelin closed with "Communication Breakdown" .
I have a strong suspicion that is Peter 'G' Grant over Jimmy's shoulder that got cut out.
I'll do 'Bron-Yr-AurStomp' and 'The Song Remains the Same' at a later date.
