Cats Without Claws
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| Cats Without Claws | ||
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| Studio album by Donna Summer | ||
| Released | 1984 | |
| Recorded | 1984 | |
| Genre | Pop, Dance, Soul, R&B, Gospel | |
| Length | 36:36 | |
| Label | Geffen | |
| Producer(s) | Michael Omartian | |
| Donna Summer chronology | ||
|---|---|---|
| She Works Hard for the Money (1983) |
Cats Without Claws (1984) |
The Summer Collection: Greatest Hits (1985) |
Cats Without Claws is an album by Donna Summer released in 1984. Summer had achieved monumental fame during the disco era of the 1970s, and by now was signed to Geffen Records. She had had some degree of success with them, though her previous album (which had been her most successful since the disco era) had been released on another label.
Due to the success of the previous She Works Hard for the Money album, producer Michael Omartian was also asked to produce the new album too. As with its predecessor, the majority of tracks were written by Summer and Omartian, though a couple of other writers were credited including Summer's husband Bruce Sudano. As with the previous album, this one was pop/dance orientated but too included soulful ballads. The album also contained a cover of "There Goes My Baby", originally made popular by The Drifters, and a gospel song written by Reba Rambo and Dony McGuire entitled "Forgive Me", for which Summer would win a Grammy award for Best Inspirational Performance. (Indeed, producer Michael Omartian was well-known at the time for his work with contemporary Christian superstar Amy Grant.)
Cats Without Claws did not follow the success of its predecessor, reaching only Number 40 on the U.S. album chart. It produced three singles - the aforementioned "There Goes My Baby", "Supernatural Love" (also released as a 12" Disco Single) and "Eyes". Of these, only the first had reasonable success, just missing the U.S. Top 20. Further 12" dance remixes included "Eyes" and "I'm Free".
[edit] Track Listing
- Supernatural Love (Donna Summer, Michael Omartian, Bruce Sudano) 3:33
- It's Not The Way (Donna Summer, Michael Omartian) 4:22
- There Goes My Baby (Benjamin Nelson, Lover Patterson, George Treadwell) 4:05
- Suzanna (Donna Summer, Michael Omartian) 4:29
- Cats Without Claws (Donna Summer), Michael Omartian) 4:20
- Oh Billy Please (Donna Summer, Michael Omartian) 4:55
- Eyes (Donna Summer, Michael Omartian) 4:45
- Maybe It's Over (Donna Summer) 4:43
- I'm Free (Donna Summer, Michael Omartian, Bruce Sudano) 4:29
- Forgive Me (Reba Rambo, Dony McGuire) 4:30
[edit] Personnel
- Donna Summer - vocals, composer
- Michael Omartian - composer, producer, keyboards, additional drums & percussion
- Bruce Sudano - composer
- Michael Baird - drums
- Nathan East - bass
- Michael Landau - guitars
- Paul Jackson, Jr. - guitars
- Paulinho da Costa - percussion
- Gary Herbig - sex solos
- Erich Bulling - synthesizer programs
- Ronnie Puccinelli - production coordinator
- Background vocals: Dara Bernard, Mary Ellen Bernard, Gene Van Buren, Cydney Davis, Siedah Garrett, Kahliq Glover, Portia Griffin, Susannah Melvoin, Bruce Sudano, Charles Vassy, Terry Williams
- Management: Susan Munao Management Co. Inc.
- Photography: Harry Langdon
- LP Art Direction: Chris Whorf for Art Hotel
- Design: Jeffrey Fey for Art Hotel
[edit] Production
- Produced and arranged by Michael Omartian
- Engineered and mixed by John Guess. "It's Not The Way," "Suzanna" and "Oh Billy Please" mixed by Juergen Koppers
- 2nd engineers: Larry Fergusson, Dave Ahlert, Tom Fouce, Ross Palone
- Recorded at Lion Share Studios, Los Angeles; United Western Studios, Hollywood; Rhema Studio, Los Angeles
- LP mastered by Steve Hall at Future Disc Systems, Hollywood
