Love to Love You Baby (song)

Background

By 1975, Summer had been living in Germany for eight years and had participated in several musical theatre shows. She had also released an album in the Netherlands entitled Lady of the Night, written by Giorgio Moroder and Pete Bellotte and produced by Bellotte, which had given her a couple of hit singles. She was still a complete unknown in her home country when she suggested the lyric "Love to Love You Baby" to Moroder in 1975. He turned the lyric into a full disco song and asked Summer to record it. The full lyrics were somewhat explicit, and at first, Summer said she would only record it as a demo to give to someone else. However, Summer's erotic moans and groans impressed Moroder so much that he persuaded her to release it as her own song, and "Love to Love You" became a moderate hit in the Netherlands.

In an interview in 1976, Summer responded to a number of questions that she claimed she'd been asked about the process of recording the song: "Everyone's asking, 'Were you alone in the studio?' Yes, I was alone in the studio. 'Did you touch yourself?' Yes, well, actually I had my hand on my knee. 'Did you fantasize on anything?' Yes, on my handsome boyfriend Peter."

International release and reception

A tape of the song was sent to Casablanca Records president Neil Bogart in the U.S., and he played it at a party at his home. Impressed with the track, Bogart continued to play it over and over all night. He later contacted Moroder and suggested that he make the track longer - possibly as long as 20 minutes. However, Summer again had reservations; she wasn't sure of all of the lyrics. Nevertheless, she imagined herself as an actress (namely Marilyn Monroe) playing the part of someone in sexual ecstasy. The studio lights were dimmed so that Summer was more or less in complete darkness as she lay on the floor.

The final recording lasted over 16 minutes, and according to the BBC, contained 23 "orgasms". By that point, the song was renamed "Love to Love You Baby". It took up the entire first side of the album of the same name, and was also released as a 12" single. Edited versions were also found on 7" vinyl.

Originally released in November 1975, the song became an international disco smash. In the U.S., it became Summer's first US Top 40 hit, spending two weeks at #2 on the Billboard Hot 100 chart in February 7th & 14th 1976 and logged four weeks atop the Billboard Dance Club Songs chart, as well number three on the Billboard Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs chart.

In the UK, upon release in January 1976, the song reached #4 on the UK Singles Chart in spite of the BBC's initial refusal to promote it. They also refused to play it. As a result of the success of the song, Summer would be named "the first lady of love," which labeled her with a sexually oriented, fantasy image from which she would struggle to free herself.

Casablanca Records became responsible for the distribution of Summer's work in the U.S., and later in other parts of the world. Bogart was particularly keen for Summer to portray the image of the rich, powerful, sexy fantasy figure with which this song had labeled her. Bogart and his wife Joyce (who also became Summer's manager) would become close friends with Summer once she returned to the United States. However, Bogart also began interfering with aspects of Summer's personal and professional life. She would later become a born-again Christian, leave disco, Casablanca and the Bogarts behind, and file a lawsuit against them (which was eventually settled). Thereafter, Summer decided to exclude "Love to Love You Baby" from her concert playlists. However, she reintroduced the song into her concert repertoire some 25 years later.

Personnel

Track listing and formats

Original Netherlands 7" (Groovy GR 1211)

1. "Love to Love You" (3:20)
2. "Need-a-Man Blues" (?)

NB This original release (without the "Baby" in the title) ran for just over 3 minutes and 20 seconds. This version was integrated into the 16-minute version found on the album. All subsequent international releases either contained a new edit of the full album version (lasting just under five minutes) or the original version (but still adding "Baby" to the title). In some cases (for example, the United States), both versions were found on different sides of the record.

US 7" (Oasis OC 401)

1. "Love to Love You Baby" (4:57)
2. "Love to Love You Baby" (3:27)

UK 7" (GTO GT 17)

1. "Love to Love You Baby" (4:57)
2. "Need-a-Man Blues" (?)

Germany 7" (Atlantic ATL 10625)

1. "Love to Love You" (3:20)
2. "Need-a-Man Blues" (3:09)

NB The word "Baby" appears on the sleeve but not the label

Netherlands 7" (Groovy GR 1218)

1. "Love to Love You Baby Part I" (3:30)
2. "Love to Love You Baby Part II" (5:20)

NB This Dutch re-release was issued shortly after the song became a hit internationally, with "Baby" being added to the title

France 7" (Atlantic 10.693)

1. "Love to Love You Baby (Part 1)" (3:27)
2. "Love to Love You Baby" (Part 2)" (4:57)

Canada 7" (Oasis OC 401X)

1. "Love to Love You Baby" (3:22)
2. "Need-a-Man Blues" (3:12)

Sweden 7" (Polar POS 1209)

1. "Love to Love You Baby" (3:21)
2. "Need-a-Man Blues" (3:10)

Spain 7" (Ariola 16575)

1. "Love to Love You Baby" (3:42)
2. "Need-a-Man Blues" (4:30)

1983 re-issue

Following the dance chart success of the Patrick Cowley remix of Summer's "I Feel Love" in 1982, Casablanca Records/PolyGram re-issued her first hit single "Love to Love You Baby". However, the single failed to make an impact on the charts the second time around, and it would be the label's final single re-release of tracks from the Donna Summer back catalog in the 1980s. In 1984, Casablanca Records was closed by PolyGram.

UK 7" (Casablanca CAN 1014)

1. "Love to Love You Baby" (Part One) – 3:35
2. "Love to Love You Baby" (Part Two) – 4:12

UK 12" (Casablanca CANX 1014)

1. "Love to Love You Baby" (Come On Over to My Place Version) – 16:50
2. "Love to Love You Baby" (Come Dancing Version) – 8:10 (A Young and Strong mega-edit)

NB: The "Come On Over to My Place Version" is in fact the original full-length album version

1990 re-release

Germany CD single (Casablanca 874 395-2)

1. "Love to Love You Baby" – 4:15
2. "I Feel Love" – 5:39
3. "Bad Girls" – 3:54
4. "On the Radio" (long version) – 5:51

2013 release

1. "Love to Love You Baby" (Giorgio Moroder Remix) (featuring Chris Cox) (4:15)

Cover versions and samples