Cats Without Claws

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Cats Without Claws
Cats Without Claws.jpg
Studio album by Donna Summer
Released September 11, 1984
Recorded 1983–1984
Genre Pop, dance, gospel
Length 44:36
Label Geffen
Producer Michael Omartian
Donna Summer chronology
She Works Hard for the Money
(1983)She Works Hard for the Money1983		 Cats Without Claws
(1984)		 The Summer Collection: Greatest Hits
(1985)The Summer Collection: Greatest Hits1985
Singles from Cats Without Claws
  1. "There Goes My Baby"
    Released: July 1984[1]
  2. "Supernatural Love"
    Released: October 1984[2]
  3. "Eyes"
    Released: May 1985
Professional ratings
Review scores
Source Rating
Allmusic 2/5 stars[3]
Robert Christgau B [4]
The Rolling Stone Album Guide 2/5 stars[5]

Cats Without Claws is the twelfth album released by Donna Summer. Summer had achieved monumental fame during the disco era of the 1970s, and in 1980 was signed to Geffen Records. She had had some degree of success with them, though her previous album had been released on another label.

This album peaked at No. 40 on Billboard's album chart and sold 300,000 copies in the United States.

That previous album, She Works Hard for the Money, had been her most successful since the disco era, and as a result, its producer Michael Omartian was asked to produce the new album as well. Again 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, Cats Without Claws was pop/dance oriented but included soulful ballads. The album also contained a cover of "There Goes My Baby", originally made popular by The Drifters, which became the first single. Although Summer requested "Oh Billy Please" as the first single, again Geffen and his executives rejected her request. A gospel song written by Reba Rambo-McGuire and Dony McGuire entitled "Forgive Me" would win Summer a Grammy award for Best Inspirational Performance.[6][7]

Cats Without Claws produced three singles: "There Goes My Baby", "Supernatural Love" (also released as a 12" Single) and "Eyes", "There Goes My Baby" reached #21 on the pop chart. Further 12" dance remixes included "Eyes" and "I'm Free".

Track listing

All songs written and composed by Michael Omartian and Donna Summer; except where indicated. 

Side one
No. Title Writer(s) Length
1. "Supernatural Love"   Omartian, Bruce Sudano, Summer 3:33
2. "It's Not the Way"     4:22
3. "There Goes My Baby"   Benjamin Nelson, Lover Patterson, George Treadwell 4:05
4. "Suzanna"     4:29
5. "Cats Without Claws"     4:20
Side two
No. Title Writer(s) Length
6. "Oh Billy Please"     4:55
7. "Eyes"     4:45
8. "Maybe It's Over"   Summer 4:43
9. "I'm Free"   Omartian, Sudano, Summer 4:29
10. "Forgive Me"   Dony McGuire, Reba Rambo 4:30

Personnel

  • Management – Susan Munao Management Co. Inc.
  • Photography – Harry Langdon
  • LP Art Direction – Chris Whorf for Art Hotel
  • Design – Jeffrey Fey for Art Hotel

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

Charts

Album
Year Chart Position
1984 UK Album chart 69
Norway 15
US Album chart 40
Sweden 10
Single
Year Single Chart Position
1984 "There Goes My Baby" USA Billboard Hot 100 21
"Supernatural Love" USA Billboard Hot 100 75

References

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  1. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  2. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  3. ↑ Wynn, Ron. "Cats Without Claws > Review" at AllMusic. Retrieved 29 August 2011.
  4. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  5. ↑ http://www.discomusic.com/forums/showthread.php/8066-Rolling-Stone-VS-Donna-Summer-A-Critical-Reappraisal
  6. ↑ John Joseph Thompson Raised by Wolves: The Story of Christian Rock & Roll- 2000 "Her song "Forgive Me" was an enormous Christian radio hit and won her another Best Inspirational Performance Grammy. Critics blasted her for it, and she did see a drop in sales and popularity for several years..."
  7. ↑ Encyclopedia of recorded sound -Frank W. Hoffmann, Howard Ferstler - 2005 Volume 2 - Page 1079 "She won Grammy awards for Best Inspirational Performance in 1983 and 1984, for "He's a Rebel" and "Forgive Me," respectively."
  8. ↑ https://www.facebook.com/OfficialDonnaSummer/photos/a.338441742943580.79917.335408976580190/640031342784617/?type=1
  9. ↑ https://www.facebook.com/OfficialDonnaSummer/posts/645205872267164
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