Four Seasons of Love

Seasons of Love
Studio album by Donna Summer
Released October 11, 1976
Recorded 1976
Genre R&B, disco
Length 32:28
Label Casablanca
Producer Giorgio Moroder, Pete Bellotte
Donna Summer chronology
A Love Trilogy
(1976)
Four Seasons of Love
(1976)
I Remember Yesterday
(1977)
Singles from Four Seasons of Love
  1. "Spring Affair"
    Released: 1976
  2. "Winter Melody"
    Released: 1977
Professional ratings
Review scores
SourceRating
Allmusic[1]

Four Seasons of Love is the fourth album released by singer Donna Summer. Released on October 11, 1976, this concept album became her third consecutive successful album to be certified gold in the US. It peaked at #29 on the Billboard 200. In addition, all the cuts on this album went to number one on the disco chart.[2]

This was the third concept album Summer had made, though unlike the previous two which had contained one long track on side one and a small selection of slightly shorter ones on side two, Four Seasons Of Love was more equally balanced. The album told the story of a love affair by relating it to the four seasons. Side One contained "Spring Affair" and "Summer Fever", both disco tracks, and Side Two contained "Autumn Changes" (a slightly slower disco number) and "Winter Melody" (which had an even slower beat), plus a reprise of "Spring Affair". This concept was reflected in the four photos of Summer, one for each season of the year, in a pull-out 1977 calendar included with the original LP album. The photo on the cover was, fittingly, the Summer photograph. Summer's "first lady of love" image came across strongly on this album, though her trademark moans and groans were slightly less evident than on previous work. Pics included "Winter" in a fur with a tear on her cheek; "Spring" in a Scarlett O'Hara style hoop skirt on a swing; and "Autumn" re-enacting Marilyn Monroe's infamous scene from The Seven Year Itch with the billowing white dress over the subway grate - an allusion to her song "Love to Love You Baby", which she has been quoted as using Monroe for inspiration on her recording of it.

As with the previous two albums, Four Seasons of Love was distributed by different record labels in different countries, including Casablanca Records in the U.S. Edited versions of "Spring Affair" and "Winter Melody" were released in various places, but neither had a big impact on any charts (although the latter made the Top 30 on the UK singles chart). The album was also released as a Club Special Edition / Club Sonderauflage in West Germany on the Atlantic Records Label.

Track listing

All songs written and composed by Bellotte, Moroder, Summer. 

Side one
No. Title Length
1. "Spring Affair"   8:29
2. "Summer Fever"   8:06
Side two
No. Title Length
3. "Autumn Changes"   5:28
4. "Winter Melody"   6:33
5. "Spring Reprise"   3:51

Charts

Album
Year 2015 Chart blocklisted Position 1st
1977 Sweden 40
Single
Year Single Chart Position
1976 "Spring Affair" USA Billboard Hot 100 58
1977 "Winter Melody" USA Billboard Hot 100 43
United Kingdom 27

Certifications

Country Provider Certifications
United Kingdom BPI Silver[3]
USA RIAA Gold
Preceded by
"My Sweet Summer Suite" / "Brazilian Love Song" by Love Unlimited Orchestra
Billboard Hot Dance Club Play number-one single (all cuts)
November 13, 1976 - December 18, 1976
Succeeded by
"Don't Leave Me This Way" / "Any Way You Like It" by Thelma Houston

References

  1. Freedberg, Michael. "Four Seasons of Love > Review" at AllMusic. Retrieved 29 August 2011.
  2. Whitburn, Joel (2004). Hot Dance/Disco: 1974-2003. Record Research. p. 249.
  3. Gold & Platinum: Searchable Database. British Phonographic Industry. Retrieved on 2010-07-22.
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