Retro Spins: Donna Summer - The Wanderer

It feels like a lifetime since I last played through a Donna Summer album. Way back in 2021, I not only listed to her 1983 released, She Works Hard For The Money, but also touched on how I was personally introduced to the singer.

Summer was already a well-established artist by the time the 80's hit. Her breakthrough came with her 1975 released, Love To Love You Baby, paving the way for consecutive gold certifications through 1977's Once Upon A Time... She'd receive platinum certification for 1979's Bad Girls, which would also serve as her last record for Casablanca. The split would come at a time where the artist felt she had no jurisdiction over her personal and professional life, with the label all but controlling all of it. She'd be the first female solo artist signed with Geffen, and release 1980's The Wanderer.

Though usually a disco-based artist, Summer wasn't tone deaf to the shifting times. Even if she were, it would be difficult to avoid banners which literally stated, "disco sucks" being posted all over the place. Smartly, she opted to leave the sound behind, focusing instead on a rock-based tracks with long time writers / producers, Giorgio Moroder and Pete Bellotte. Production, however, was rushed by Geffen, who wanted to put something new on the market ahead of Casablanca's planned greatest hits album, Walk Away.

The Wanderer would peak at number thirteen on the Billboard Hot 200, with the title track reaching number three on the charts. Two additional singles, Cold Love, and Who Do You Think You Are Foolin' would falter, not even cracking the top forty. Despite this, critics were relatively favorable towards the album.

Playing through it, I'm relatively favorable towards it too. In particularly, I really dug the title track, Looking Up, and Stop Me.

The overall feel to the album is peppy, with a rock sound that's almost familiar to a musical soundtrack for an 80's movie. I suppose this makes sense with Moroder behind the wheel. We are, after all, talking about the man behind such noteworthy soundtracks as Flashdance, American Gigolo, Metropolis, Over The Top, and so many more.

It was definitely a good listening session, and I'm kind of glad that I took the time to track down her 80's discography. I think this is going to be a good one, and I'm looking forward to jumping into tomorrow's Retro Spin.

Summer quickly returned to the studio to record the album, I'm A Rainbow. While it was initially intended to be released in 1981, it would ultimately be shelved. Geffen then insisted that the singer part ways with Moroder and Bellotte and paired her with Quincy Jones. Together, they would record her 1982 self-titled follow-up, which is where I'll dive in tomorrow.

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