Love Trilogy
Encyclopedia
A Love Trilogy is the third album by Donna Summer
. It was released on March 5th, 1976, just eight months after her international breakthrough with the single and album of the same name - "Love To Love You Baby
". The boldly sexual nature of that particular song had earned Summer the title "The first lady of love." By now Summer's work was being distributed in the U.S. by Casablanca Records
, and they in particular were keen for her to continue portraying this image, despite her not being completely comfortable with it. As such, the Love Trilogy album continued in the same vein with the first side being taken up entirely by one long disco track in four fairly distinct movements ('Try Me', 'I Know', 'We Can Make It', and 'Try Me, I Know We Can Make It'), the incorrectly named "love trilogy" of the title - "Try Me, I Know We Can Make It
". Side Two contained a further three sexually-oriented disco songs, including a cover of Barry Manilow
's "Could It Be Magic
". The album's artwork showed Summer floating light-heartedly through the clouds, again adding to the image of her as a fantasy figure.
While the album sold well across the world, (it was her second, consecutive album to be certified Gold in the United States
) it failed to produce a successful follow-up single to "Love To Love You Baby". Edited versions of "Try Me, I Know We Can Make It" and "Could It Be Magic" charted in some nations, but sales figures did not come close to those of her breakthrough single.
Singles
Donna Summer
LaDonna Adrian Gaines , known by her stage name, Donna Summer, is an American singer/songwriter who gained prominence during the disco era of the 1970s. She has a mezzo-soprano vocal range. Summer is a five-time Grammy winner and was the first artist to have three consecutive double albums reach...
. It was released on March 5th, 1976, just eight months after her international breakthrough with the single and album of the same name - "Love To Love You Baby
Love to Love You Baby (song)
"Love to Love You Baby" is a song by American singer Donna Summer released in 1975 . It became one of the first ever disco hits to also be released in an extended form.-Song information and original release:...
". The boldly sexual nature of that particular song had earned Summer the title "The first lady of love." By now Summer's work was being distributed in the U.S. by Casablanca Records
Casablanca Records
Casablanca Records was an American record label started by Neil Bogart, who partnered with Cecil Holmes, Larry Harris, and Buck Reingold in 1973, and based in Los Angeles. The label was formed after all of them had left Buddah Records and secured financing by Warner Bros. Records to start the venture...
, and they in particular were keen for her to continue portraying this image, despite her not being completely comfortable with it. As such, the Love Trilogy album continued in the same vein with the first side being taken up entirely by one long disco track in four fairly distinct movements ('Try Me', 'I Know', 'We Can Make It', and 'Try Me, I Know We Can Make It'), the incorrectly named "love trilogy" of the title - "Try Me, I Know We Can Make It
Try Me, I Know We Can Make It
"Try Me, I Know We Can Make It" is a song by Donna Summer from her Love Trilogy album released in 1976. Summer's breakthrough had come in the form of the disco song "Love to Love You Baby" which in its entirety lasted almost seventeen minutes and took up the entire first side of the album of the...
". Side Two contained a further three sexually-oriented disco songs, including a cover of Barry Manilow
Barry Manilow
Barry Manilow is an American singer-songwriter, musician, arranger, producer, conductor, and performer, best known for such recordings as "Could It Be Magic", "Mandy", "Can't Smile Without You", and "Copacabana ."...
's "Could It Be Magic
Could It Be Magic
"Could It Be Magic" is a song by Adrienne Anderson and Barry Manilow. It was included on Manilow's 1973 debut album, Barry Manilow.Due to its popularity, it was released as a single in 1975, two years after it had originally been recorded, where it reached #6 in the United States.Manilow's...
". The album's artwork showed Summer floating light-heartedly through the clouds, again adding to the image of her as a fantasy figure.
While the album sold well across the world, (it was her second, consecutive album to be certified Gold in the United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
) it failed to produce a successful follow-up single to "Love To Love You Baby". Edited versions of "Try Me, I Know We Can Make It" and "Could It Be Magic" charted in some nations, but sales figures did not come close to those of her breakthrough single.
Track listing
Personnel
- Donna Summer – vocals, composer
- Giorgio MoroderGiorgio MoroderHansjörg "Giorgio" Moroder is an Italian record producer, songwriter and performer based in Los Angeles. When in Munich in the 1970s, he started his own record label called Oasis Records, which several years later became a subdivision of Casablanca Records...
– bass guitarBass guitarThe bass guitar is a stringed instrument played primarily with the fingers or thumb , or by using a pick....
, composer, producer and synthesizer - Pete BellottePete BellottePeter J. Bellotte is a British songwriter and record producer, most famous for hismain body of work with Donna Summer alongside his partner Giorgio Moroder...
– composer, producer - Backing vocals: Madeline BellMadeline BellMadeline Bell is an American soul singer, who became famous as a performer in the United Kingdom during the 1960s, having arrived from the US in the gospel show Black Nativity in 1962, with vocal group The Bradford Singers.-Career:She worked as a session singer, most notably backing for Dusty...
, Sunny Leslie, Sue GloverSue and SunnySue and Sunny were a vocal duo and session singers operating in the 1960s, 1970s and 1980s. Although sisters, their full stage names were Sue Glover and Sunny Leslie...
(the Midnite Ladies) - Other musicians on this album were known collectively as "Munich Machine" and worked on a variety of Moroder/Bellotte productions from this period.
- Munich Machine are: Thor Baldursson – string arrangement, Frank Diez – guitar, Keith ForseyKeith ForseyKeith Forsey is an English soundtrack composer, drummer, songwriter and record producer.-Biography:Forsey's first recordings were as the younger member of the group The Spectrum, better known for the end title theme for Gerry Anderson's Captain Scarlet, but hit makers across Europe in their own...
– drums, Martin Harrison – drums, Molly Moll – guitar, Gary Unwin – bass.
Production
- Producers: Giorgio Moroder, Pete Bellotte
- Engineer: Juergen Koppers, Mack & Hans
- Musical arrangements: Giorgio Moroder and Thor Baldurson
Charts
Album| Year | Chart | Position |
|---|---|---|
| 1976 | The Billboard 200 | 21 |
| Billboard Top R&B Albums | 16 | |
| U.K. Albums Chart | 41 | |
| Spain | 1 | |
| Germany | 24 | |
| Norway | 14 | |
| Sweden | 18 | |
| Austria | 8 | |
| Italy | 1 |
Singles
| Year | Single | Chart | Position |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1976 | "Could It Be Magic" | Billboard Hot 100 | 52 |
| Billboard Hot R&B Tracks | 21 | ||
| U.K. Singles Chart | 40 | ||
| "Try Me I Know We Can Make It" | Hot Dance Music | 1 | |
| Hot R&B Tracks | 35 | ||
| The Billboard Hot 100 | 80 | ||
| "Wasted" | Hot Dance Music | 1 |