Once Upon a Time (Donna Summer album)

Once Upon a Time
Studio album by Donna Summer
Released October 31, 1977
Recorded Musicland Studio, Munich, Germany (1976–1977)
Genre Euro Disco, Psychedelic Dance, Electronic, Trance, Soul, Broadway
Length 69:15
Label Casablanca
Producer Giorgio Moroder, Pete Bellotte
Donna Summer chronology
I Remember Yesterday
(1977)		 Once Upon A Time
(1977)		 Live and More
(1978)
Singles from Once Upon a Time
  1. "I Love You"
    Released: December 1977
  2. "Fairy Tale High"
    Released: December 1977 (Germany only)
  3. "Once Upon a Time"
    Released: 1978 (Japan only)
  4. "Rumour Has It"
    Released: March 1978

Once Upon a Time is the sixth studio album by American singer-songwriter Donna Summer. It was released on October 31, 1977, and peaked at No. 26 on the US Billboard 200,[1] number thirteen on the Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums chart[1] and No. 24 on the UK Albums Chart.[2] The entire album charted as one entry at No. 1 on the Hot Dance/Disco chart. Once Upon a Time includes the singles "I Love You", "Fairy Tale High", "Once Upon a Time" and "Rumour Has It". The album was not as successful as Summer's previous album I Remember Yesterday; it did not spawn a hit single as popular as "I Feel Love".

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. The album was recorded at Musicland Studios, Munich. Arrangements were handled by Bob Esty while electronic arrangements were the work of Moroder. The artwork was designed by Stephen Lumel and Gribbitt! with photography by Francesco Scavullo.

Concept and image

Summer's previous two records were musical concept albums: 1976's Four Seasons of Love told the story of a love affair by relating it to the four seasons, while 1977's I Remember Yesterday presented a musical catalogue of musical styles and lyrical themes from the past, present and an imagined future. Once Upon A Time is another concept album—the first "disco opera" per Robert Christgau[3]—developed by Joyce Bogart, Susan Munao and Donna Summer as a modern-day Cinderella narrative.

Throughout the album and as described in the liner notes storyline,[3] 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.

Release and reception

Professional ratings
Review scores
SourceRating
Allmusic[4]
Robert ChristgauB− [3]

The album sold reasonably well as it made the US Top 30 and was certified gold in the U.S. by the RIAA that same year. It spawned the European hit single "I Love You", which became her fifth Top 10 in the UK in less than two years, and it also hit the US Top 40. "Rumour Has It" was also a UK Top 20 hit.

Track listing

All tracks written by Donna Summer, Giorgio Moroder, and Pete Bellotte. 

Side 1
No. Title Length
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
Side 2
No. Title Length
5. "Now I Need You"   6:09
6. "Working the Midnight Shift"   5:07
7. "Queen for a Day"   5:59
Side 3
No. Title Length
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
Side 4
No. Title Length
13. "Rumour Has It"   4:57
14. "I Love You"   4:43
15. "Happily Ever After"   3:51
16. "(Theme) Once Upon a Time"   3:58

Charts and certifications

Weekly charts

Chart (1977–78) Peak
position
Australia Kent Music Report Chart[5] 44
Canada RPM Album Chart[6] 27
Japan Oricon Chart[7] 31
Norway VG-lista Chart[8] 24
Spanish Albums (Promusicae)[9] 10
UK Albums Chart[2] 24
US Billboard Pop Albums[1] 26
US Billboard R&B Albums[1] 13
US Billboard Hot Dance/Disco[10] 1
Singles
Year Single Chart Position
1977 "I Love You" UK single chart 10
US Billboard Hot 100 37
1978 Norway 10
"Rumour Has It" UK single chart 19
US Billboard Hot 100 53

Certifications

Region Certification Certified units/Sales
Canada (Music Canada)[11] Gold 50,000^
France (SNEP)[12] Gold 100,000*
United Kingdom (BPI)[13] Gold 100,000^
United States (RIAA)[14] Gold 500,000^

*sales figures based on certification alone
^shipments figures based on certification alone

Cover versions, appearances in other media etc.

"Sweet Romance" has been sampled by Ilacoin for his underground hit "By a Stranger", which had guest appearances from Labba and Black Rob and featured on Grand Theft Auto III. In 2001, Awaken covered "(Theme) Once Upon A Time" in their album "Party In Lyceum's Toilets".

The song I Love You was also featured prominently in the Saturday Night Live skits featuring Tom Hanks "Sabra Shopping Network" and "Sabra Price is Right".

References

  1. 1 2 3 4 "Donna Summer > Charts & Awards > Billboard Albums". Allmusic. Retrieved 2011-03-27.
  2. 1 2 "UK Charts > Donna Summer". Official Charts Company. Retrieved 2011-03-13.
  3. 1 2 3 Christgau, Robert. "Once Upon a Time > Review". Robert Christgau. Retrieved 2011-09-24.
  4. ↑ Freedberg, Michael. "Once Upon a Time > Review" at AllMusic. Retrieved 29 August 2011.
  5. ↑ David Kent (1993). Australian Charts Book 1970—1992. Australian Chart Book Pty Ltd, Turramurra, N.S.W. ISBN 0-646-11917-6.
  6. ↑ "CAN Charts > Donna Summer". RPM. Retrieved 2012-01-20.
  7. ↑ "JPN Charts > Donna Summer". Oricon. Retrieved 2012-02-08.
  8. ↑ "NOR Charts > Donna Summer". VG-lista. Retrieved 2011-03-27.
  9. ↑ Fernando Salaverri (September 2005). Sólo éxitos: año a año, 1959–2002 (1st ed.). Spain: Fundación Autor-SGAE. ISBN 84-8048-639-2.
  10. ↑ "Donna Summer > Charts & Awards > Billboard Singles". Allmusic. Retrieved 2011-03-14.
  11. ↑ "Canadian album certifications – Donna Summer – Once Upon a Time". Music Canada.
  12. ↑ "Les Certifications depuis 1973". infodisc.fr. Retrieved 2016-09-14.
  13. ↑ "British album certifications – Donna Summer – Once Upon a Time". British Phonographic Industry. Enter Once Upon a Time in the field Keywords. Select Title in the field Search by. Select album in the field By Format. Select Gold in the field By Award. Click Search
  14. ↑ "American album certifications – Donna Summer – Once Upon a Time". Recording Industry Association of America. If necessary, click Advanced, then click Format, then select Album, then click SEARCH
Preceded by
"Dance, Dance, Dance (Yowsah, Yowsah, Yowsah)" / "Everybody Dance" / "You Can Get By" by Chic		 Billboard Hot Dance Club Play number-one single (all cuts)
December 17, 1977 – January 14, 1978 		Succeeded by
"Supernature" / "Give Me Love" / "Love Is Here" by Cerrone
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