I'm a Rainbow
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| I'm a Rainbow | ||
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| Double album by Donna Summer | ||
| Released | 1996 (original 1981 double album was never officially released. Released on single CD format in 1996) | |
| Recorded | 1981 | |
| Genre | Pop, Dance, Soul, R&B | |
| Length | 72:50 | |
| Label | Geffen (unreleased), Mercury (1996 CD issue) | |
| Producer(s) | Giorgio Moroder, Pete Bellotte | |
| Donna Summer chronology | ||
|---|---|---|
| The Wanderer (1980) |
I'm a Rainbow (1981) |
Donna Summer (1982) |
I'm a Rainbow is a double album recorded by Donna Summer in 1981 that remained unreleased until 1996. After making her name as the biggest selling and most important female artist of the disco era in the 1970s, Summer had signed to Geffen Records in 1980 and released the New Wave-influenced album The Wanderer and I'm a Rainbow, a dance-orientated double album, was set to be its follow-up (Summer had gained much success during the 1970s with double albums). However Geffen were unhappy with the resultant effort and insisted that Summer part company with Giorgio Moroder and Pete Bellotte who had produced and co-written, and with whom Summer had been working since the early 1970s. She was instead paired up with producer Quincy Jones and begun work on the 1982 self-titled album.
Over the years, certain songs from I'm A Rainbow began to appear. Two tracks recorded for the album appeared on film soundtracks during the 1980s - "Highway Runner" appeared on the soundtrack to Fast Times at Ridgemont High, and "Romeo" appeared on the Flashdance soundtrack. Anni-Frid Lyngstad of ABBA recorded "To Turn The Stone" on her solo debut "Something's Going On." Remixes of two further tracks appeared on the 1993 compilation album The Donna Summer Anthology - the title track (written by Summer's husband Bruce Sudano), and a version of "Don't Cry For Me Argentina" from Evita.
Bootleg copies of the album circulated among fans for years before the full album was finally released by Mercury Records, a division of Polygram, in 1996. While dance-oriented music was a theme throughout the album, this was combined with several different musical styles, making it one of Summer's more diverse albums. Styles explored included 80's Brit synth-pop like Human League and Duran Duran, pop/rock, and ballads. It included a duet with Joe "Bean" Esposito, writing credits from Harold Faltermeyer, Keith Forsey, Sylvester Levay, Summer's husband Bruce Sudano as well as the usual Summer/Moroder/Bellotte team. Had it been released in 1981, it's quite possible that certain tracks released as singles would have given rock manstays like Blondie, The Pretenders, and Pat Benatar competition on the charts, though radio and MTV were increasingly drawing lines based on race and musical styles. Many recognised Disco artists did not get further airplay as radio scrambled to capture the "new sound", whatever it would be. As it turned out, Evelyn "Champagne" King, Cheryl Lynn, and Teena Marie would take over the dance queen roles that year.
[edit] Tracklisting
1. I Believe (In You)
2. True Love Survives
3. You To Me
4. Sweet Emotion
5. Leave Me Alone
6. Melanie
7. Back Where You Belong
8. People Talk
9. To Turn The Stone
10. Brooklyn
11. I'm A Rainbow
12. Walk On (Keep On Movin')
13. Don't Cry For Me Argentina
14. A Runner With The Pack
15. Highway Runner
16. Romeo
17. End Of The Week
18. I Need Time
