Dear Pennies & Pens,
Like so many others, I have been looking for new hobbies to keep me busy while in quarantine. Back in January, I bought a turntable and started collecting vinyl records.
I absolutely love listening to records! Music sounds so much better on vinyl. The vocals are clearer and you can hear the background instrumentals better. That said, in this post, Iâll be talking about Donna Summerâs 1979 classic, âBad Girlsâ.
For those that donât know, this album is seriously dope. Itâs just iconic for so many reasons. The vocals, lyrics, production and styling all make this album worth discussing 40 plus years after it was created.
Donna Summer paved the way for musicians like Beyonce`, Rihanna and Little Mix. Without her bold and audacious lyrics that allowed women to show their sexual side – modern pop music wouldnât exist. Donna set the tone for what I believe is a new wave of music called Femme Pop. Check out the post where I officially crowned Beyonce` as the Queen of Femme Pop.
Bad Girls starts off with âHot Stuffâ one of the songs that Donna is best known for. Whatâs so original about this song is that itâs about a womanâs sexual wants, desires and needs. Before songs like this, a womanâs sexuality was always depicted and controlled by men so women didnât have a say in their own sensuality. However, this song changed all of that.
Next up, we get âBad Girlsâ – the title track. This song is interesting because itâs talking about prostitution and stripping. The album art also depicts this in a visual way by showing Donna wearing a risque outfit, smoking cigarettes while a man drives up with a cigarette and money in his hand. I can only imagine how controversial this song and album art was upon release. But itâs a topic that while sometimes taboo – it should be discussed.
The next few tracks slow the album down just a bit. My favorites include âDim All the Lightsâ, âJourney to the Centre of Your Heartâ and âOn My Honorâ. In fact, thatâs what I love and cherish about Donna. She gives you different perspectives on each song. Each song on this album has its own vibe making it a complete body of work.
Donna Summer may not be with us anymore, but her music lives on.
And there it is. de la Pen…All Pen Everything. With us, keeping it real never goes wrong.
P.S. Did you like this post? Learn how to write your own album reviews with my book #MakeUrPenLoud: How To Be A Lifestyle Blogger.