Donna Summer: Bad Girls-Deluxe Edition

Brandon Gantt · 07-30-2003, 04:35 PM

Press ReleaseSource: Mercury/UME

Lookin' for Some Hot Stuff Baby?

Donna Summer's Disco Classic BAD GIRLS Expanded, Remastered and Reissued in DELUXE EDITION

Wednesday July 2, 10:00 am ET
LOS ANGELES, July 2 /PRNewswire/ --

The greatest album of disco, from its greatest diva, has been expanded with 12-inch singles and rarities as well as digitally remastered for a special reissue.

Originally one of the great double LPs of all time, even more has now been added for the two-CD DELUXE EDITION of Donna Summer's BAD GIRLS (Mercury/UME), released July 29, 2003.

Disc One features the entire remastered 1979 album, which reached double platinum and #1 pop/R&B, including the classic hits "Hot Stuff" (#1 pop/dance, platinum and Grammy winner for Best Rock Female Vocal Performance), "Bad Girls" (#1 pop/dance/R&B, platinum) and "Dim All The Lights" (#2 pop, gold). The added bonus track is the demo of "Bad Girls."

Disc Two boasts nine extended versions of not only BAD GIRLS tracks but of Summer's other hits during the period. Released prior to BAD GIRLS were the 12-inch versions of the 1977 techno breakthrough "I Feel Love" (#6 pop/#1 dance, gold); the Grammy- and Oscar-winning "Last Dance," a Top 5 pop/R&B gold hit written for Summer's role in the 1978 film Thank God It's Friday, and "MacArthur Park Suite," the medley which included her first #1 pop single, her gold 1978 cover of Jimmy Webb's epic "MacArthur Park" which drove Live And More to her first #1 album charting, and the gold Top 10 pop/R&B "Heaven Knows." Spun off from BAD GIRLS were the 12-inchers "Hot Stuff," "Bad Girls," "Dim All The Lights" and "Walk Away" (Top 40 pop/R&B). With "Hot Stuff," "Bad Girls" and "MacArthur Park," Summer became the first woman to chart three solo #1s during one year.

The post-BAD GIRLS tracks are "No More Tears (Enough Is Enough)," a duet with Barbra Streisand which went gold and #1 pop/dance, and, opening the '80s, the long version of the gold Top 10 pop/dance/R&B "On The Radio," cut for the Foxes soundtrack, which titled her greatest hits package, her third consecutive #1 double album, marking her as the only artist in history with that distinction.

But BAD GIRLS was a landmark in more than
mere popularity and commercial success. The album was more soulfully sung, with more R&B horns and fewer strings, than previous disco discs. Its definitive production style (from the celebrated Giorgio Moroder and Pete Bellotte), vision of a truly global pop music, and expression of a woman's outspoken, emotional and observant sides (the busiest co-writer is Summer, who wrote three songs solo and co-wrote five others) signaled a new era in music.

Though disco's days would end, the inevitable and eventual resurgence of dance music as a cornerstone of global pop would return Summer to dance floor triumphs over and over. Every young diva who has followed, whether from R&B, pop or country, has been influenced by the BAD GIRLS of Summer.

Source: Mercury/UME

This release kicks major ass! I'm a little reluctant to lay down my dollars for reissues, but Universal really makes this an essential Donna Summer purchase. Having a restored version of the 1979 original is nice, but what elevates this to "must have" category is the extremely rare demo version of "Bad Girls". Being a demo it's a little more earthy and funky than the polished studio version, but Summer's vocals shine so brightly she makes it eminently releaseable in it's own right. Also included are th 12" singles from the 79/80 period, which are a godsend to new Donna devotes like myself.

Bill Levenson, of Universal, has put together a very worthy release, and fans (new or old) should not pass it by.

P.S.
If you puchase from BEST BUY it's only $20 of the SRP!

charles white · 07-30-2003, 05:40 PM

I think this is nothing more than splashy re-packaging of the same stuff-that being the previously released edition of Bad Girls (arguably the only concept disco album in music history) and mating it with The Dance Collection released in 1987. Only the demo version of BAD GIRLS and possibly the long version of ON THE RADIO(I forgot that it was in the movie FOXES) makes this disc a stand out. I have the two previously issued CDs. Let Universal impress me by making this album available as SACD with a multi-channel mix or simply releasing the excellent LIVE AND MORE album.

Kevin Farley · 07-30-2003, 07:18 PM

That's ok; my vinyl's and 12"'ers still sound fantastic when I dj them!

This CD sounds like it would be a great comp to get though.

Kenny_H · 07-30-2003, 08:19 PM

I picked up this classic double cd yesterday at J&R Music World along with the Marvin Gaye "I want You" and Diana Ross "Diana" dual cd's. All were essential vinyl pieces in their day and are no less today. The re-mastering and added tracks are great! Listening to them on a Sony CDP-CX455 400 disc changer connected digitally to a Denon AVR-2803 AV reciever and Polk PSW-202 sub & RM-6005 surrounds really kick!!! I prefer listening to them using the 5-Channel mode. Donna Summer's LP's always had a sharp pressing and these cd's are no exception!!! I'm going to enjoy these!!!

Alan_Horner · 07-31-2003, 01:31 AM

I agree that, on the face of it, the new Bad Girls doesn't seem to offer much. But this is the first time the title has been remastered since that original clunky CD way back when, and the improved sound is just terrific. And actually, the new clarity reveals a few rough spots (the shrill chorus girls' blaring of "YEAHHHH" in "My Baby Understands").

I debated getting this because it did seem as if there wasn't much to it, but I don't regret the purchase. And though it really doesn't matter, the heavy gloss cover really had me smiling. Instantly reminded me (as it intended) of some of the old LP jackets.

Of course, they should have offered up Once Upon A Time for a deluxe edition. I noticed that some artists have multiple deluxe edition releases, but I get the feeling that Bad Girls will be the only Donna title.

**HTF Ads**

Paul.S · 07-31-2003, 05:27 PM

Quote:

Let Universal impress me by making this album available as SACD with a multi-channel mix or simply releasing the excellent LIVE AND MORE album.

Hear, hear. It's becoming more and more of a dicey prospect to buy Universal Music Group standard CD remasters when UMG has quickly become the biggest SACD supporter other than Sony. Are we suckers to buy this? Is an SACD in the offing, say, next year? Also, Charles, did you mean release a Live and More SACD . . . or CD? There is a CD available.

BTW: how was the original Bad Girls CD? Alan_Horner, you commented that the sound quality left something to be desired. But did the release include, say, the lyrics that were in the original LP?

Paul

charles white · 07-31-2003, 07:50 PM

I have never found LIVE AND MORE on CD not to say that it was ever released but may be out of print. To me, the original BAD GIRLS CD sounded very similiar to my worn out vinyl-very bright, shrilly sound with a very wide soundstage. All very typical of records made by the Casablanca label.

Paul.S · 07-31-2003, 09:20 PM

Charles:

Live and More on CD at Amazon.com

". . . a magical journey of mystery and love." (I may have the quote wrong . . .)

Paul

charles white · 08-01-2003, 07:42 AM

I found the same link after I had posted that message. Silly me! I'll hold out for the SACD for 6 months before I purchase the CD!:b

Alan_Horner · 08-01-2003, 10:54 AM

Quote:

you commented that the sound quality left something to be desired. But did the release include, say, the lyrics that were in the original LP?

The original CD release did contain the song lyrics on a fold-out insert (as opposed to the regular CD booklet style). The cover shot also has a red band at the bottom proclaiming "Over 70 minutes of music," even though it slightly obsured some of the original cover art. The deluxe edition features the lyrics to all songs (including the 12" mixes on Disc 2) and has an extended booklet with a background piece/promo fluff essay. Also reproduced is the photo collage from the original gatefold LP interior.

Packaging aside -- and I do love the new packaging on the deluxe edition, the sound is a dramatic improvement over the old CD. Now, part of that may be simply that this is the first remastering of the title on CD since that disc, so it was bound to be a major improvement. The clarity of the deluxe edition reveals the original CD to be a muddy mess. My favorite songs (Side IV to the original LP) "Our Love," "Lucky," and "Sunset People" have really been improved by the remaster. The synthesizers sound really bright, clean, and distinct now.

I'd recommend this for the improved sound. The second disc of 12" mixes is nice, but not the main selling point for me.

Brandon Gantt · 08-01-2003, 07:38 PM

I have to agree with Alan. For me the main selling point was having the remastered original and the demo of "Bad Girls" (which features alternate lyrics btw). At only $9.99 from Best Buy, I couldn't resist.

As for SACD, don't you need the separate elements (i.e. the unmixed vocals and music) and not just the original mixed masters? Very little of Donna's raw material appears to have survived from her Casablanca period.