Important additional tracks: I Feel Love (12" version) 8.15
A note about the sound quality of the two different German CDs by Walter Cescato:
"The German Repertoire 1999 CD is another UNCREDITED "Vinyl RIP on CD" fiasco.
It seems that today labels policy is to cheat on customers hidding such details.
This is the trick to make you buy another copy, if you've got a good vinyl already.
As a plus, a wrong connection between the vinyl player and the digital recorder ended up with an inverted stereo image
(I can't believe people doing this is german!)). If you are looking for the real master on CD find a copy from the Castle Communications release."
From Here To Eternity (single remix) 3.52 / Utopia 4.14 (German 7": Oasis 11 538 AT)
Clive Hocker: "The 7" version starts with the the vocoder-style voice
from the album version without any additional instrumentation.
Then the music starts (suddenly - almost in the same way as the Donna Summer
recording 'I Feel Love) and Moroder's singing begins after eight bars of this
introduction. After one verse (as on the album) the chorus repeats four times.
The mix during the chorus is substantially different with more emphasis on the
'hook' melody. Instead of proceeding onto the second verse (as on the album)
the beat continues but the music fades into the percussive start of 'Utopia -
Me Giorgio' and then that track continues until the single fades. It is almost
a medley of the two tracks - perhaps Moroder couldn't decide which was the better
song! A video (rather basic by today's standards) was released to accompany
the song and featured a close up of Moroder standing in front of a bright light.
During the chorus he moved in time to the music so that the light flared into the camera!".
Bob Esty worked on this LP, here is a quote from him taken from www.angelfire.com/de/moroder/
Bob Esty worked on 'Last Dance', here is a quote from him taken from www.angelfire.com/de/moroder/
Produced by Giorgio Moroder and Pete Bellotte. Chris Bennett on vocals.
The A-side is OK but not very exciting at all, whereas the B-side is absolutely fantastic,
and in the same line as the 'A Whiter Shade of Pale' album.
Track 5 for example is a fascinating boogie-woogie computer disco (!) and will keep your feet moving!
An extended 13 min version of Chase was released on a US 1-sided 12" (NBD 20146).
Bonus tracks UK 2010 CD:
The Number One Song in Heaven 4.02 / The Number One Song In Heaven 7.28 [full length] (UK 12": VS 24412)
Life in Tokyo (long version) 7.08 / Life in Tokyo (short version) 3.30 (Ariola AHAL 540)
Party Light 6.03 / Bolectro 3.52 (German 12": OASIS, 600.139)
Beat the Clock 6.38 / Beat the Clock 4.23 (UK 12": VS 270-12)
Harmony (single version) 4.08 / Givin' It up 3.33 (US/Canadian 7": Elektra E-46530)
Harmony 6.59 / Ooh, La, La 7.38 (German 12": Oasis 600 140-213)
Harmony / Givin' It up (UK 12": Elektra K 12390)
Harmony 6.45 / Ooh, La, La 7.06 (US 12": Elektra PRO 502)
Baby Blue 4.53 / If You Weren't Afraid 5.16 (German 12": Oasis 600 138-213)
René Mensing commented on this CD 21 Jan 2005:
"Every track has about 1 to 2 seconds silence before they start, measured from the beginning of every cue point.
Not only the Sparks is missing a few seconds from the intro, unfortunately (the main reason why I bought this cd!!!)
Suzi Lane-Harmony is missing almost the whole intro
so in other words the part that makes this recording so interesting (I believe more than 50 seconds is ommited on this release!).
The CD sounds very good and it seems that all tracks are taken from Mastertapes,
except Roberta Kelly-trouble Maker seems to sound if it is taken from vinyl and then digitally remastered afterwards.
But all in all it is a very nice CD."
Tryouts for the Human Race 7.54 (US 12" version) / Beat the Clock 6.33 (US 12": Elektra AS11412-A)
Clive Hocker: 'Strangely the US 12" version does NOT appear on 'Sparks - The 12 Inch Mixes'.
It omits the lengthy solo 'syn-drum' sequence in favour of a long introduction based on the existing verse/chorus and,
just before the final verse and chorus, adds an almost 'I Feel Love' synthesiser 'break-down' sequence.
Equally odd is the fact that it features an extra line in the final verse which is not in the album version:
'...We just want to feel the sun and be your little daughter or your son. We're just words that lovers use,
words that light that automatic fuse. Still we're at the mercy of the passion of the helpers of the Lord.
When that love explosion comes, my, oh my, we want to be someone...'
Which could suggest that the original version of this song is, in fact, the 'US extended 12" version' rather than the shorter album version!'
Jump the Gun (Long) 8.06 // Jump the Gun (Short) 3.56 / Falling in Love Again
Extra tracks UK CD 2011:
http://www.cherryred.co.uk/bbr/product.php?display=threedegrees
My Simple Heart (Full-lentgh Version) 5.12 / Hot Summer Night 4.42
Starlight 4.43 // Starlight 3.23 / Bodycheck 4.03 / Set Me Free 7.19 (UK 12": Ariola AROD 228)
Fly Too High (Extended) 6.50 / Night Rains 3.18
On the Radio 7.43 (Special Remixed Version) / There Will Always Be a You 4.00
Copyright (c) 1996-10-19 Jonas Wårstad.
Last update 2011-10-29.
May 1977 LP (+ CD) DONNA SUMMER: I REMEMBER YESTERDAY
All songs produced by Moroder/Bellotte. The only song here that should appeal
to 'Computer Disco' fans is 'I Feel Love' - a radical change from his earlier
'Soft Disco' sound and a superb Moroder classic. The other songs are very soft.
Sep 1977 LP (+ CD) GIORGIO: FROM HERE TO ETERNITY
Amazing, futuristic, rhytmical! Way ahead of its time and a must for Moroder fans.
The whimsical and corny last track sabotages the wholeness though.
Sep 1977 7" Giorgio: From Here To Eternity From Here To Eternity (single remix) 3.52 / Too Hot To Handle 4.51 (UK 7": OASIS 1)
This single remix is included on a various artist disco CD called 'Thump's Flashback Disco' (Thump/PolyGram 1999).
Oct 1977 2-LP (+ CD) DONNA SUMMER: ONCE UPON A TIME...
All songs produced by Moroder/Bellotte. 5, 6, 8 and 13 are really great
Moroder stompers, but many other tracks are good too.
"Yes, I did the double LP "Once Upon A Time".
We used the Munich Machine rhythm players (including the incredible drummer
Keith Forsey) and the Munich Symphony. Giorgio stayed away from the studio
for the entire project and left me to format the order of the record. He
left me alone and let me do whatever I wanted. His partner Pete Bellote was
in the studio for the guitar overdubs and later co-wrote lyrics with Donna.
Giorgio had given me a tape of himself at an electric piano singing "la, la,
la" the melody and giving some chord changes in his playing. I then did a
demo of the entire album w/synthesizers in L.A. After that, I flew to Munich
to stay at the Arabella Haus where Giorgio's studio Musicland was.
Everything you hear instrumentally was completed before Donna heard it. I
had sung the melody for her on the tape and she took it from there. It took
about 4 weeks to do all the music, then Donna flew in from her tour of Italy
and wrote the words to the songs. I didn't know what the lyrics were until
she sang them. Then we added background vocals and Giorgio mixed it. During
this process, I did the Roberta Kelly LP "Gettin' the Spirit" which had the
song "O Happy Day". I added a gospel choir and some overdubs in L.A. then it
went to Munich for Giorgio to mix it."
1978 German 7" The Beepers: Love Is You Love Is You 3.22 / Love Trap 3.08 (Oasis 15 517 AT)
Both tracks written and produced by Giorgio Moroder. Thanks to Dan Magnusson for info.
Dan told me that he thinks that The Beepers is not really a group but Giorgio solo,
and that he uses a vocoder like on the Munich Machine and Giorgio & Chris LPs.
13 March (?) 1978 LP (+ CD) ROBERTA KELLY: GETTIN' THE SPIRIT
Recorded in Munich and Los Angeles in 1978, produced by Giorgio Moroder and Bob Esty. A kind of gospel-disco.
The A-side is the better side with Giorgio's usual uptempo disco stomping a la 1978, not bad at all.
The B-side is slower and not in my taste.
1978 US 7" Roberta Kelly: Oh Happy Day Oh Happy Day 3.18 (single mix) / To My Father's House 3.58 (Casablanca NB 935)
May 1978 soundtrack LP-set (+ 2-CD) THANK GOD IT'S FRIDAY
Important additional versions: Last Dance 8.11 (promotional 12" mix by Marc Paul Simon and Bobby Guttadoro).
With Your Love (promotional 12" mix) 7.32. Both are featured on 'Donna Summer: The Dance Collection'.
(2-LP: Casablanca NBLP 7099-12.98; 2-CD 25 March 1997: Casablanca Chronicles, 314 534 606 2;
also as a 12-track single CD disc (Rebound Records 314-520-337-2) without the last track)
"I met Giorgio Moroder when I did 'Last Dance' (summer of 1977). Neil Bogart
(president of Casablanca Records) was the force behind doing the song. He
thought it was a "hit".
Paul Jabara had "trapped" Donna in a bathroom in Puerto Rico to make her
listen to the song idea. She said OK, and Paul and I finished the song and I
developed the way the song was to be done: slow intro, fast, then slow
again, then fast. It was to be the first time to my knowledge a disco track
did this.
Giorgio was initially against the song because it wasn't his, and, vocally,
Donna would be singing "full voice" (not high and breathy). This was not
like "I Feel Love" and the other previous tracks. Also, we were to use a
full orchestral arrangement, not electronic.
We recorded the entire track in one day at Record Plant. Giorgio was not
involved in the recording of the track except we had Jurgen Koppers (his
engineer) at the console. Mr. Moroder was present at the end of the
instrumental session when Donna sang her vocal (2 times only, as was her
habit). Donna and I had made a "demo" of the entire full length version with
piano and voice, so she knew the arrangement and the song before the vocal
session.
I mixed the song with Bob Stone at Larrabee Studios and it was done. After
hearing the final product, Giorgio asked me to arrange "Once Upon A Time".
This double LP was released before "Last Dance" because the movie "Thank God
It's Friday" came out some months later."
24 May (?) 1978 LP (+ CD) MUNICH MACHINE: A WHITER SHADE OF PALE
Written and produced by Giorgio Moroder and Pete Bellotte. Featuring Chris Bennett on vocals.
Heavy electronic rhythms and catchy melodies.
Clive comments on the differences between the CD versions:
"The Repertoire 2011 CD is virtually the same as the previous Bud/Oasis edition from 1996,
but with slightly louder and clearer sound. The cover artwork, also taken from the previous Bud CD release is a bit of a mess,
being a poor quality re-hash of the original album artwork.
In sum, the 2010 Gold Legion edition has better artwork and an informative booklet - plus it doesn't prematurely fade out In Love With Love.
But the 2011 Repertoire CD sounds better."
(European CD (Munich Machine's two first LPs) 1996: Bud Music, CBU 62509;
US CD 23 July 2010: Gold Legion 597732; German CD (Munich Machine's two first LPs) 4 April 2011: Repertoire)
1978 7"/12" Munich Machine: A Whiter Shade of Pale A Whiter Shade of Pale (edit) 4.12 / It's All Wrong (But It's Alright) 4.12
23 June (?) 1978 7" Giorgio and Chris: Love's in You Love's in You 3.35 / I Can't Wait 3.55
Clive Hocker: "The B-side features a very different beginning to the album version."
24 July (?) 1978 LP (+ CD) GIORGIO AND CHRIS: LOVE'S IN YOU, LOVE'S IN ME
Aug (?) 1978 live 2-LP (+ CD) DONNA SUMMER: LIVE [1978] AND MORE LP 1 Side A (live):
LP 1 Side B (live):
LP 2 Side A (live):
LP 2 Side B (studio):
CD:
All tracks produced by Moroder/Bellotte, except 'Theme from The Deep' produced by John Barry.
studio bonus track from 'The Deep' soundtrack:
25 Sep (?) 1978 soundtrack LP (+ CD) MIDNIGHT EXPRESS
Track 1 is Giorgio de-luxe, 3 and 8 are also good but slower. Track 2
is an OK ballad, whereas 4 is a bluesy song not written by Moroder at all. 6 is an exciting
song and you can hear some similarities to the 1982 Cat People soundtrack!
5 and 7 are more or less horror music.
Oct 1978 LP (+ CD) THE THREE DEGREES: NEW DIMENSIONS
Side A recorded at Wessex Studios, London, mixed at Musicland, Munich.
Side B recorded and mixed at Westlake and Larrebee Studio, Los Angeles.
Track 1 is very good and rhythmic, 2 is more glamorous and soft-disco, 3 has a good bass "drive" and melody, 4 an excellent rock-disco track,
5 and 6 are (to me boring) ballads.
The A-side on the European LP (and the Japanese & UK CD) is a medley with three segued tracks instead of separate songs (as on the US LP).
11 Dec (?) 1978 soundtrack LP BATTLESTAR GALACTICA
Music for a TV series that ran from 17 Sep 1978 to 29 April 29 1979.
Side A produced by Harold Faltermeyer, side B (track 9) produced by Giorgio Moroder/Harold Faltermeyer.
'Evolution' is pretty good actually even though it is rather slow and intended as soundtrack music.
It has the usual sounds of this period. It was included on a (deleted) Canadian CD-Maxi (Unidisc, SP5-1632).
April 1979 European 7"/12" Sparks: The Number One Song in Heaven The Number One Song in Heaven 3.48 [single edit] / The Number One Song In Heaven 6.56 (UK 7": Virgin, VS 244)
Liner notes in Sparks CD "The Heaven Collection" 1993: "The combination of Giorgio Moroder's electronics and a dance beat
had been intriguing to us. Both Giorgio and ourselves were feeling our way through the recording process,
as he had never worked with a band before, and we had never worked with a producer known more for his work
with solo disco artists like Donna Summer. No drum machines were used on the album; none existed at the time.
Just Keith Forsey (Billy Idol's current producer) and his steady right foot.
Though recorded mostly in Los Angeles, once again the British and European public were the most supportive of what we were doing."
12 April 1979 7"/12" Life in Tokyo Life in Tokyo (short version) 3.30 / Life in Tokyo (part 2) 3.29 (Ariola AHA 540)
Written by David Sylvian and Giorgio Moroder. Recorded in Los Angeles by all members of Japan, produced by Giorgio Moroder.
26 April (?) 1979 LP MUNICH MACHINE: BODY SHINE
Produced by Giorgio Moroder and M.W [possibly refering to Gunter Moll and Stephen Wisnet, two members of Munich Machine].
Varied and modern disco (not Computer Disco, even though track 3 comes close).
Some funk here, some guitars there. Doesn't really excite me.
1979 German/Italian 7" Munich Machine: Party Light Party Light (edit) 3.28 / Bolectro 3.01 (German 7": Oasis 101 072-100)
26 April (?) 1979 LP THE SYLVERS: DISCO FEVER
Produced by Giorgio Moroder and Harold Faltermeyer. Nothing special really,
this is also some kind of modern soft disco with no exciting rhytm. You can
even hear a saxophone! Track 5 has some speed, but not enough.
1979 UK 12" The Sylvers: Theme from Mahogany Theme from Mahogany [extended edit] 8.40 // Dance Right Now 5.38 / Forever 4.15 (Casablanca, CANL 167)
May 1979 2-LP (+ CD) DONNA SUMMER: BAD GIRLS
All songs except 12 produced by Moroder/Bellotte. Recorded late Jan to March 1979 at Rusk Sound Studios in Los Angeles.
Arguably her best album, including many classics.
1, 3, 4, 6, 14 and 15 are my favourites (Moroder de luxe)
but 7, 8 and 13 are also quite good. The rest of the tracks are slower ballads.
2-CD DONNA SUMMER: BAD GIRLS - DELUXE EDITION
coll-2-LP/CD DONNA SUMMER: THE DANCE COLLECTION [1977-1979]
July 1979 7"/12" Sparks: Beat the Clock Beat the Clock 3.49 [single edit] / (Alternative Version) 3.32 [edit of the 12" version] (UK 7": Virgin, VS 270)
The extended version is available on the Sparks CD 'The 12inch Mixes' (CMP 62010) and on the Italian CD 'Giorgio Moroder & Co: GREATEST HITS'
but unfortunately both CDs exclude the first few seconds from the beginning of the original vinyl version.
Liner notes in Sparks CD "The Heaven Collection" 1993: "[Donna Summer's] 'I Feel Love' had caused an amazing impression on us.
Working with Giorgio Moroder, we wanted to see if we could combine some of the electronics and feel of that song with our lyric slant.
'Beat the Clock' was the second British hit single from the LP. We were happy to see that the meny was basically the same at the BBC-TV canteen."
11 July (?) 1979 LP (+ CD) SUZI LANE: OOH, LA, LA
Recorded at Musicland Studios, Munich. Produced by Giorgio Moroder.
1979 7"/12" Suzi Lane: Harmony Harmony (single version) 4.08 / Ooh, La, La (edit) 3.59 (German 7": Oasis 101 071-100)
27 (?) Aug 1979 LP (+ CD) GIORGIO: E=MC2
This is Giorgio de-luxe! An amazing album, the world's first to be recorded
live-to-digital directly (on June 15th 1979). With an infectious, heavy, robotical rhythm, this has
to be one of his best records ever. A winner and a favourite amongst fans.
Two tracks (E=MC2 and I Wanna Rock You) were included on a (now deleted) Canadian CD-maxi in 1992 (Unidisc, SP5-1632).
For CD I don't recommend the official Repertoire CD as it is mastered from vinyl and has some unwanted noise (clicks and hiss).
Also the two bonus tracks are totally irrelevant, instead they should have included the single remix of Baby Blue.
If you want the best sound quality I, unfortunately, have to recommend a Russian illegal CD from 1995 (A 107)
which has excellent sound quality and must have been very carefully de-clicked by true music lovers.
There is another Russian illegal CD with another catalogue number but the sound quality is not by far as good,
and there is also a Europan illegal CD (SLAMCD 50162) but again the sound quality is mediocre.
Clive Hocker told me something interesting: "A curiosity is that 'What a Night' appeared in a drastically different
version as a jingle in a 20 second Nescafé Instant Coffee commercial
screened in the UK in 1980! Over various shots of steaming fresh coffee a rather
high-pitched male vocal (not Moroder) sang 'Fresh! Coffee! Beans!' to the tune of 'What a Night'!"
1979 7"/12" Giorgio: Baby Blue Baby Blue 3.49 [single version] / If You Weren't Afraid 3.50 [fade-out] (German/Italian 7")
Thanks to Soren Jensen for info. He informed me: "Baby Blue 3.49 is a single edit mix with a two extra notes before the drums start
and a cold ending instead of the 'bridge' to 'Oh What a Night'. 'If You Weren't Afraid' 3.50 just has an early fade-out."
1979 UK 7"/12" Giorgio: If You Weren't Afraid If You Weren't Afraid 5.23 / E=MC2 4.30 (Oasis 6/6-12)
Italian coll-CD GIORGIO MORODER & Co: GREATEST HITS [1976-79]
'Crusader' sounds like some African-inspired music from the 40s with a soft disco background!
(Italian CD Dec 1996: Dig It Int'l, DCD 11090)
Sep 1979 LP (+ CD) SPARKS: No 1 IN HEAVEN
All songs produced by Moroder. Synthesizers by Ron Mael and Moroder. A great album if you like (and even if you don't like) Sparks.
Track 3 was also issued as an edited single (3 min 50 sec) in Germany (available on 'The Very Best of Sparks' Repertoire CD).
(CD: Bud Music, CMP 62004; reissue CD 1999: Repertoire REP 4768-WG)
Oct 1979 UK/US 7"/12" Sparks: Tryouts for the Human Race Tryouts for the Human Race 3.15 [edit of US 12" version] / Tryouts for the Human Race 6.05 (UK 7"/12": Virgin, VS 289/289-12)
'The Very Best of Sparks' Repertoire CD includes the 3.20 edit.
Liner notes in Sparks CD "The Heaven Collection" 1993: "Despite the success with the public, the British press crucified us for 'going disco' with this LP.
We felt we had committed some crime and Giorgio was our accomplice. Funny how ten years later, 'disco' is called 'dance music'
and it's no longer a pejorative term. A video for 'Tryouts' that has never been shown in America was shot at Shepperton Film Studios in London.
We were transformed into werewolves by one of Hitchcock's Shepperton based make-up artists."
Sep 1979 7"/12" The Three Degrees: Jump the Gun Jump the Gun 3.56 / Falling in Love Again 3.53
"Falling in Love Again" is edited from from "NEW DIMENSIONS" LP (1978).
Oct 1979 LP (+ CD) 3 DEGREES: 3D
Produced by Giorgio Moroder & Harold Faltermeier.
Side A (track 1-3) plus the last track on side B is in the same style as Donna Summer's 'Hot Stuff' and therefore excellent.
Side B is much slower.
Nov 1979 7"/12" The Three Degrees: My Simple Heart My Simple Heart 3.42 / Hot Summer Night 4.42
(Feb 1980) 7" The Three Degrees: Without You Without You 3.34 / Magic in the Air
(April 1980) 7" The Three Degrees: Starlight Starlight 3.23 (single version) / Set Me Free (7": Ariola)
Oct 1979 LP (+ CD) JANIS IAN: NIGHT RAINS
Both tracks co-written and produced by Moroder.
Oct 1979 soundrack 7"/12" Janis Ian: Fly Too High Fly Too High 3.52 / Night Rains 3.18
Written and recorded for the Motion Picture "Foxes".
Oct 1979 coll-2-LP (+ CD) DONNA SUMMER: ON THE RADIO - GREATEST HITS VOLUMES I & II
All songs produced by Moroder/Bellotte, except track 15.
late 1979 soundtrack 7"/12" Donna Summer: On the Radio On the Radio 4.00 / There Will Always Be a You 4.00
The B-side is from BAD GIRLS.
Jan 1980 soundtrack 2-LP FOXES
1980 coll-LP (+ CD) DONNA SUMMER: WALK AWAY - THE BEST OF 1977-1980
(1985) German coll-2-LP/CD FROM HERE TO ETERNITY ... AND BACK [1977-80]