All Systems Go (Donna Summer album)

The album was Summer's first release since her 1984 album Cats Without Claws. In 1986, David Geffen hired Harold Faltermeyer to produce the album at Summer's urging. The objective was a tough FM-oriented sound; Faltermeyer had just finished the scores for the films Fletch (1985) and Top Gun (1986). Summer was adamant that the album should have stronger R&B influences on it. After the album was completed, Geffen heard the tracks and liked them but his executive team didn't think there were enough songs that could be deemed as singles. They had another song they wanted Faltermeyer to produce, but he was already working on other soundtrack projects. The song was "Dinner with Gershwin", and Richard Perry was hired to produce it with track writer Brenda Russell. Faltermeyer was surprised that nobody on the Geffen team saw the potential for "Fascination", "Voices Cryin' Out" or "Thinkin' Bout My Baby" as singles. "We had other songs completed for All Systems Go that didn't make the final cut. Like "Money Talks", which I was surprised they passed on, and there are a couple others that would have completed our original version for the album, before "Dinner with Gershwin" and "Bad Reputation" became substitutes. The decision was made afterward by executives who were looking for a radio hit for 1987, and not something that would perhaps last beyond then".[1]

Summer was credited as co-writer on seven of the nine tracks.

Professional ratings

Review scores
Source	Rating
AllMusic	[2]
The Rolling Stone Album Guide	[3]

In the US "Dinner with Gershwin" became Summer's last Top Ten R&B hit and reached No. 48 on the pop charts.[4] It gave Summer her highest UK chart placing (No. 13[5]) since the '70s, also reaching No. 13 in Ireland and No. 43 in the Netherlands.[6]

All Systems Go became the first album by Summer to fall short of the Top 100 on Billboard's album chart, peaking at No. 122[7] and dropping off completely after six weeks. It also failed to reach the UK Top 75.

"Only the Fool Survives" with Mickey Thomas of Starship was the second single released from the album. In the UK, "All Systems Go" reached No. 54.[5]

• Harold Faltermeyer – producer (1, 3, 4, 5, 7, 8)
• Peter Bunetta – producer (2), arrangements (2)
• Rick Chudacoff – producer (2), arrangements (2)
• Richard Perry – producer (6)
• Brenda Russell – associate producer (6)
• Jeff Lams – producer (9)
• Keith Nelson – producer (9)
• Donna Summer – producer (9)
• Susan Munao – executive producer
• Larry Fishman – production coordinator
• Janet Levinson – art direction, design
• Tony Viramontes – album cover illustration, photography
• Michael Manoogian – hand tinting

Technical

• Dave Concors – engineer (1, 5, 7)
• Peter "Pit" Floss – engineer (1)
• Wesley Plass – engineer (1)
• Brian Reeves – engineer (1, 3, 5)
• Daren Klein – engineer (2)
• Glen Holguin – engineer (6), mixing (6)
• Larry Ferguson – engineer (9)
• Paul Lani – additional engineer (2)
• Steve Peck – additional engineer (6)
• Ken Felton – second engineer (6)
• Scott Maddox – second engineer (6)
• Craig Miller – second engineer (6)
• Harold Faltermeyer – mixing (1-5, 8, 9)
• Ulrich Rudolf – mixing (1-5, 8, 9), engineer (3, 4, 7, 8)
• Jim Tract – mixing (6)
• Stephen Marcussen – mastering at Precision Mastering (Hollywood, California).