Dinner with Gershwin

"Dinner with Gershwin"
"Dinner with Gershwin"
Single by Donna Summer
from the album All Systems Go
B-side	"Dinner with Gershwin (Instrumental)"
Released	August 14, 1987
Recorded	Studio 55, Los Angeles, 1987
Genre	Dance-pop, R&B
Length	4:12 (7" version); 4:35 (LP version); 4:52 (Instrumental); 7:43 (Extended version)
Label	Geffen (U.S.); Warner Bros. Records (Europe)
Songwriter(s)	Brenda Russell
Producer(s)	Richard Perry & Brenda Russell
Donna Summer singles chronology
Music video
	"Dinner with Gershwin" on YouTube

"Dinner with Gershwin" is a song written by Brenda Russell and recorded by American singer-songwriter Donna Summer. The song was produced by Russell and Richard Perry. It was released on August 14, 1987 as the lead single from her 13th studio album All Systems Go (1987) by Geffen Records.

Despite its parent album receiving mixed-to-negative reception, "Dinner with Gershwin" was reviewed as a standout from All Systems Go. The song gave Summer her final top ten hit on the Hot R&B Singles chart, peaking at number ten and was her first top ten on the chart since 1983's "Unconditional Love". Despite that, the song became her first lead single since 1978 to miss the top forty on the Billboard Hot 100, peaking at number 48. The song was better received in the UK, thanks to Summer's first appearance on Top of the Pops on 19 November 1987, leading to a peak of number 13 there.

The song was edited from the original album version for its release as a single, and the 12" edition also contained an exclusive non-album track called "Tearin' Down the Walls." Brenda Russell later recorded her own version of the song for her 1990 album Kiss Me with the Wind.

Track listing

7" - Geffen Records 7-28418 / Warner Bros. - 258 237-7

"Dinner with Gershwin" – 4:12
"Dinner with Gershwin (Instrumental)" – 4:52

12" - Warner Bros. U 8237 T

"Dinner with Gershwin (Extended Version)" – 7:43
"Dinner with Gershwin (LP Version)" – 4:35
"Tearing Down the Walls" – 3:59

Also released as a picture disc (U 8237 TP)

Official Versions

Album Version (4:38)
7" Version (4:12)
Extended Version (7:43)
Instrumental (4:52)
Special Edited Dance Mix (4:36)

Personnel

Donna Summer – lead vocals
Steve Lindsey – acoustic piano, synthesizers, organ, drum programming
Brenda Russell – additional synthesizers, backing vocals
Howie Rice – clavinet
Stanley Clarke – clavinet concept
Larry Klein – additional synthesizer programming, fretless bass
Donald Griffin – guitar
Collyer Spreen – percussion
Terral (Terry) Santiel – additional percussion
Gary Herbig – clarinet
Maxi Anderson – backing vocals
Bunny Hull – backing vocals
Joe Turano – backing vocals

Production Credits

Richard Perry – producer
Brenda Russell – associate producer
Glen Holguin – engineer, mixing
Jim Tract – mixing
Steve Peck – additional engineer
Ken Felton – second engineer
Scott Maddox – second engineer
Craig Miller – second engineer

Chart positions

Chart performance for "Dinner with Gershwin"
Chart (1987)	Peak position
Canada Top Singles (RPM)	39
Ireland (IRMA)^[1]	13
Italy (Musica e dischi)^[2]	23
Netherlands (Dutch Top 40)^[3]	34
Netherlands (Single Top 100)^[4]	43
Spain (AFYVE)^[5]	43
Spain Airplay (Los 40)^[5]	19
UK Singles (OCC)^[6]	13
US Billboard Hot 100^[7]	48
US Dance Club Songs (Billboard)^[8]	13
US Hot Dance Music/Maxi-Singles Sales (Billboard)^[9]	16
US Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs (Billboard)^[10]	10

References

^ "The Irish Charts – Search Results – Donna Summer". Irish Singles Chart. Retrieved 3 March 2023.
^ Racca, Guido (2019). M&D Borsa Singoli 1960–2019 (in Italian). Independently Published. ISBN 9781093264906.
^ "Nederlandse Top 40 – Donna Summer" (in Dutch). Dutch Top 40. Retrieved 3 March 2023.
^ "Donna Summer – Dinner with Gershwin" (in Dutch). Single Top 100. Retrieved 3 March 2023.
^ ^a ^b Fernando Salaverri (September 2005). Sólo éxitos: año a año, 1959–2002 (1st ed.). Spain: Fundación Autor-SGAE. ISBN 84-8048-639-2.
^ "Donna Summer: Artist Chart History". Official Charts Company. Retrieved 3 March 2023.
^ "Donna Summer Chart History (Hot 100)". Billboard. Retrieved 3 March 2023.
^ "Donna Summer Chart History (Dance Club Songs)". Billboard. Retrieved 3 March 2023.
^ "Dance Singles Sales Chart for 24 October 1987". Billboard. Archived from the original on 27 April 2021. Retrieved 3 March 2023.
^ "Donna Summer Chart History (Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs)". Billboard. Retrieved 3 March 2023.

[sc_Ireland2_Donna_Summer-1] "The Irish Charts – Search Results – Donna Summer". Irish Singles Chart. Retrieved 3 March 2023.

[2] Racca, Guido (2019). M&D Borsa Singoli 1960–2019 (in Italian). Independently Published. ISBN 9781093264906.

[sc_Dutch40_Donna_Summer-3] "Nederlandse Top 40 – Donna Summer" (in Dutch). Dutch Top 40. Retrieved 3 March 2023.

[sc_Dutch100_Donna_Summer-4] "Donna Summer – Dinner with Gershwin" (in Dutch). Single Top 100. Retrieved 3 March 2023.

[SSs-5] Fernando Salaverri (September 2005). Sólo éxitos: año a año, 1959–2002 (1st ed.). Spain: Fundación Autor-SGAE. ISBN 84-8048-639-2.

[sc_UKsinglesbyname_Donna_Summer-6] "Donna Summer: Artist Chart History". Official Charts Company. Retrieved 3 March 2023.

[Billboardhot100-7] "Donna Summer Chart History (Hot 100)". Billboard. Retrieved 3 March 2023.

[Billboarddanceclubplay-8] "Donna Summer Chart History (Dance Club Songs)". Billboard. Retrieved 3 March 2023.

[9] "Dance Singles Sales Chart for 24 October 1987". Billboard. Archived from the original on 27 April 2021. Retrieved 3 March 2023.

[Billboardrandbhiphop-10] "Donna Summer Chart History (Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs)". Billboard. Retrieved 3 March 2023.

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v t e Donna Summer
Discography Awards
Studio albums	Lady of the Night (1974) Love to Love You Baby (1975) A Love Trilogy (1976) Four Seasons of Love (1976) I Remember Yesterday (1977) Once Upon a Time (1977) Bad Girls (1979) The Wanderer (1980) I'm a Rainbow (rec. 1981, rel. 1996) Donna Summer (1982) She Works Hard for the Money (1983) Cats Without Claws (1984) All Systems Go (1987) Another Place and Time (1989) Mistaken Identity (1991) Christmas Spirit (1994) Crayons (2008)
Live albums	Live and More (1978) Live & More Encore (1999)
Compilations	On the Radio: Greatest Hits Volumes I & II (1979) Walk Away: Collector's Edition (The Best of 1977–1980) (1980) The Summer Collection: Greatest Hits (1985) The Dance Collection: A Compilation of Twelve Inch Singles (1987) The Donna Summer Anthology (1993) Endless Summer: Donna Summer's Greatest Hits (1994) The Ultimate Collection (2003) The Journey: The Very Best of Donna Summer (2003) Gold (2005) Singles... Driven by the Music (2015) The Ultimate Collection (2016)
Remix albums	Love to Love You Donna (2013)
Singles	"The Hostage" (1974) "Lady of the Night" (1974) "Virgin Mary" (1975) "Love to Love You Baby" (1975) "Could It Be Magic (1976) "Try Me, I Know We Can Make It (1976) "Spring Affair (1976) "Winter Melody (1977) "Can't We Just Sit Down (And Talk It Over)" (1977) "I Feel Love" (1977) "Shut Out" (1977) "Down Deep Inside" (1977) "I Remember Yesterday" (1977) "Love's Unkind" (1977) "I Love You" (1977) "Rumour Has It" (1978) "Last Dance" (1978) "Back in Love Again" (1978) "MacArthur Park" (1978) "Heaven Knows" (1978) "Hot Stuff" (1979) "Bad Girls" (1979) "Dim All the Lights" (1979) "No More Tears (Enough Is Enough)" (1979) "On the Radio" (1979) "Sunset People" (1980) "Walk Away" (1980) "The Wanderer" (1980) "Cold Love" (1980) "Who Do You Think You're Foolin'" (1981) "Love Is in Control (Finger on the Trigger)" (1982) "State of Independence" (1982) "I Feel Love (Patrick Cowley Remix)" (1982) "The Woman in Me" (1983) "Protection" (1983) "She Works Hard for the Money" (1983) "Unconditional Love" (1983) "Love Has a Mind of Its Own" (1984) "There Goes My Baby" (1984) "Supernatural Love" (1984) "Eyes" (1984) "Dinner with Gershwin" (1987) "Only the Fool Survives" (1987) "This Time I Know It's for Real" (1989) "I Don't Wanna Get Hurt" (1989) "Love's About to Change My Heart" (1989) "Breakaway" (1989) "When Love Takes Over You" (1989) "State of Independence (New Bass Remix)" (1990) "When Love Cries" (1991) "Work That Magic" (1991) "Carry On" (1992) "La Vie en rose" (1994) "Melody of Love (Wanna Be Loved)" (1994) "Any Way at All" (1994) "I Feel Love (Remix)" (1995) "Whenever There Is Love" (1996) "I Will Go with You (Con te partirò)" (1999) "Love Is the Healer" (1999) "The Power of One" (2000) "You're So Beautiful" (2003) "Dream-A-Lot's Theme (I Will Live for Love)" (2004) "I Got Your Love" (2005) "I'm a Fire" (2008) "Stamp Your Feet" (2008) "It's Only Love" (2008) "Fame (The Game)" (2008) "To Paris with Love" (2010)
Related topics	Brooklyn Dreams Pete Bellotte Joe "Bean" Esposito Giorgio Moroder Bruce Sudano Neil Bogart Paul Jabara Sunshine "Down Deep Inside" Love to Love You, Donna Summer (2023)