Tag Archives: gay disco

Famous Disco Diva Ms. Gloria Gaynor literally took matters into her own hands by posting a short clip on the video platform TikTok, showing people how to keep their hands clean

Back2Stonewall’s Sunday Tea Dance – October 23rd: Gloria Gaynor’s “I Will Survive” Released 38 Years Ago Today – Video

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loria Gaynor's "I Will Survive" Released 38 Years Ago Today - Video

 

Gloria Gaynor’s disco anthem I Will Survive is 38 years old today. originally released on October 23rd 1978 the song about getting through a broken relationship was quickly adopted by the gay community who embraced it’s themes of strength and persistence.

The song was written by Freddie Perren and Dino Fekaris, and recorded by Gloria Gaynor in 1978.

‘I Will Survive’ was the b-side to another tune “Substitute”, but DJs loved the song and kept playing it, leading to it being released as a single in it’s own right.

Undoubtedly Gaynor’s biggest hit, ‘I Will Survive’ went to the top of the charts, but the singer also had success with her version of ‘Never Can Say Goodbye’ and the queer anthem ‘I Am What I Am’.

In 2016 the cultural significance of the song was recognized when it was added the US Library of Congress.

 

 

First I was afraid
I was petrified
Kept thinking I could never live
without you by my side
But I spent so many nights
thinking how you did me wrong
I grew strong
I learned how to carry on
and so you’re back
from outer space
I just walked in to find you here
with that sad look upon your face
I should have changed my stupid lock
I should have made you leave your key
If I had known for just one second
you’d be back to bother me

Go on now go walk out the door
just turn around now
’cause you’re not welcome anymore
weren’t you the one who tried to hurt me with goodbye
you think I’d crumble
you think I’d lay down and die
Oh no, not I
I will survive
as long as i know how to love
I know I will stay alive
I’ve got all my life to live
I’ve got all my love to give
and I’ll survive
I will survive

It took all the strength I had
not to fall apart
kept trying hard to mend
the pieces of my broken heart
and I spent oh so many nights
just feeling sorry for myself
I used to cry
Now I hold my head up high
and you see me
somebody new
I’m not that chained up little person
still in love with you
and so you felt like dropping in
and just expect me to be free
now I’m saving all my loving
for someone who’s loving me

#FlashbackFriday Disco Classic! - Donna Summer Performs "McArthur Park" [1978]

Back2Stonewall Disco Flashback – Donna Summer’s “Once Upon A Time” (1977) – Suite Remix

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Donna Summer OPAT

 

Once Upon a Time is the sixth studio album by Donna Summer and was released on October 25, 1977.

OUAT  hit No. 26 on the US Billboard 200, number thirteen on the Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums chart[1] and No. 24 on the UK Albums Chart.  The entire album charted as one entry at No. 1 on the Hot Dance/Discochart. Once Upon a Time includes the singles “I Love You”, “Fairy Tale High”, “Once Upon a Time” and “Rumour Has It”. Originally the  album was not as successful as Summer’s previous album I Remember Yesterday’; but now occupies a special place in music history despite the fact that it did not produce a single stand alone hit.

The concept album was Summer’s first double album, telling a modern-day Cinderella-themed story through means of disco music. The album’s story concept was conceived by Joyce Bogart, Susan Munao and Donna Summer based on an idea by Al Bogatz. The songs were written in collaboration between Summer, Giorgio Moroder and Pete Bellotte.

Throughout the album and as described in the liner notes storyline, the songs tell the story of a young woman who lives in a fantasy world of make-believe in which she is seemingly trapped, but thanks to her belief in her dreams she embarks on an adventure that ends with the man she loves entering her life. The “rags to riches” story is brought into the modern day via the use of the electronic disco sound.

Once upon a time, we were all that gitl….

Below is the 35 minute Once Upon A Time Suite” mixed by the very talented  leftatalbuquerque on Youtube

 

 

CLICK HERE to buy the Full Album of Once Upon a Time and help support Back2Stonewall.com

Act one

1. “Once Upon a Time” 4:02
2. “Faster And Faster To Nowhere” 3:34
3. “Fairy Tale High” 4:25
4. “Say Something Nice” 4:44

Act two

5. “Now I Need You” 6:09
6. “Working the Midnight Shift” 5:07
7. “Queen for a Day” 5:59

Act three

8. “If You Got It Flaunt It” 4:43
9. “A Man Like You” 3:34
10. “Sweet Romance” 4:31
11. “(Theme) Once Upon a Time” 0:48
12. “Dance Into My Life” 4:10

Act four

13. “Rumour Has It” 4:57
14. “I Love You” 4:43
15. “Happily Ever After” 3:51
16. “(Theme) Once Upon a Time”

Disco Legend and Gay Icon of the 70’s & 80’s Donna Summer Passes Away At 63

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Five-time Grammy winner, and legendary queen of disco, Donna Summer has passed away in Florida at the age of 63 after a long term fight with cancer.

Ms Summer, an LGBT Disco icon in the 1970’s and early 1980’s was the first artist to have three consecutive double albums reach number one on the US Billboard chart, and she also charted four number-one singles in the United States within a thirteen-month period.

In 1975, Summer came up with the lyric “love to love you, baby”. To get into the mood of recording the song, she requested all the lights be turn off while she recorded the moans and groans heard on the album.   Although some radio stations refused to play it due to its suggestive style, “Love to Love You” found chart success in several European countries, and made the Top 5 in the UK. and was a huge hit in gay discos in America

In 1977, Summer released album I Remember Yesterday. This album included her second top ten single, “I Feel Love”, which reached number six in the US.  Also released in 1977, was Once Upon a Time, a double album would also attain gold status. In 1978, Summer released her version of the Richard Harris ballad, “MacArthur Park”, which became her first US number one hit. The song was featured on Summer’s first live album, Live and More, which also became her first album to hit number one on the US Billboard 200 chart, and went platinum selling over a million copies and included anothet Top 10 track, “Heaven Knows”

Also in 1978, Summer acted in the film, Thank God It’s Friday, playing a singer determined to perform at a hot disco club. The film met modest success, but a song from the film, entitled “Last Dance”, reached number three on the Hot 100 and resulted in Summer winning her first Grammy Award..

But in the mid -1980s, Donna became embroiled in a controversy with her gay fans. She had allegedly made anti-gay remarks regarding the then new disease AIDS, which as a result had a significantly negative impact on her career and saw thousands of her records being returned to her record company by angered fans.

Summer was at this time a born-again Christian, was alleged to have said that  “AIDS was a punishment from God for the immoral lifestyles of homosexuals”  However, she denied that she had ever made any such comment and, in a letter to the AIDS campaign group ACT UP in 1989, she said that it was “a terrible misunderstanding. I was unknowingly protected by those around me from the bad press and hate letters….If I have caused you pain, forgive me.”   Summer told The Advocate magazine that “A couple of the people I write with are gay, and they have been ever since I met them. What people want to do with their bodies is their personal preference.”.

The gay community believed and forgave her.

Rest In Peace Donna Summer