"Cold Love" by Donna Summer

Song#:  0424
Date:  11/29/1980
Debut:  81
Peak:  33
Weeks:  12
Genre:  Rock



Pop Bits:  Summer's new label (Casablanca) and updated sound resulted in the new wave-ish #3 "The Wanderer." Continuing to move further away from her disco heydays, this second single's rock sound didn't seem to register with radio or buyers. And after three consecutive #1 albums, "The Wanderer" LP stalled at #13 and only went gold - a bit of a disappointment. But revamping your image and sound rarely results in universal acceptance, so overall this transition album didn't do all that bad.

ReduxReview:  This is certainly a far cry from "Bad Girls" and "I Feel Love," but I think it works well for her. She sings it convincingly and shows she could do something other than dance tunes. I can imagine the reaction of fans anxious to hear her next single and then this comes on. I'm sure it caused a lot of WTF's. The song is not the strongest pop/rock tune you'll hear and I think the arrangement could even rock out more, but it is an interesting and overlooked song in her catalog.

ReduxRating:  7/10

Trivia:  Although not a big chart success, this single's rock-leaning performance ended up getting Summer a Grammy nomination for Best Rock Female Vocal. The sound was being compared to other rock female artists like Heart and Pat Benatar, to whom she lost the Grammy.

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