Donna Summer – Love Is In Control (Finger On The Trigger) (US 12″)

Burning The Ground Exclusive 1982

In the name of LOVE week. To celebrate Valentine’s Day all posts up until February 14 will feature LOVE in the title. Additionally, to celebrate BLACK HISTORY MONTH all through February I will be featuring some great black artists from the decade of excess!

NEW 2023 Transfer!
NEW Meticulous Audio Restoration!

Originally posted April 14, 2011

“Love Is in Control (Finger on the Trigger)” is a Grammy-nominated single from Donna Summer’s self-titled 1982 album. The single was her 12th top 10 hit on the Billboard Hot 100 chart.

Summer’s 1980 The Wanderer album — her inaugural release on Geffen Records — had been certified gold in America although it did not enjoy numerous hit singles as some of her ’70s releases had enjoyed. Summer had prepped her next album, which would be released in 1996 as I’m a Rainbow — a double set which continued her association with Giorgio Moroder and Pete Bellotte, but David Geffen, decided to cancel the project, and assigned Summer to record an album with producer Quincy Jones. Jones was a much sought-after producer at the time, particularly due to his association with Michael Jackson’s album Off the Wall.

“Love Is in Control (Finger on the Trigger)” was the lead single off the Jones’ produced album Donna Summer. It was written by Jones and Rod Temperton (formerly of funk band Heatwave) — who’d also written Jackson’s “Rock with You”. Summer reported that the recording process for this album was challenging, as she was pregnant at the time and unhappy over I’m a Rainbow’ being shelved by Geffen Records.

The single was issued in three different versions: the 7″ single release (3:42), the LP version (4:19), and a 12″ single version (7:04). The 12″ version features a “Dance Remix” on Side One and an “Instrumental Version Featuring Ernie Watts On Sax Solo” on Side Two. Both are remixes by Craig Kostich and Bruce Swedien.

“Love Is in Control (Finger on the Trigger)” became a major hit, peaking at no. 10 on the US Billboard Hot 100 on the week of September 25, 1982, giving Summer her sixteenth top 40 hit, and reaching no. 4 on the US R&B Chart. It was Summer’s best R&B showing since “Bad Girls” in 1979—even using police whistles in the song as in “Bad Girls”. Although the parent album was certified gold in the US, it did not produce any more major hits and did not prove the powerhouse album Geffen Records had hoped for.

SIDE A:
Love Is In Control (Finger On The Trigger) (Dance Remix) 7:04

SIDE B:
Love Is In Control (Finger On The Trigger) (Instrumental) 7:04
Featuring, Soloist [Sax Solo], Saxophone – Ernie Watts

VINYL GRADE:
Vinyl: Near Mint
Sleeve: Near Mint

U.S. CHART HISTORY:

Year Single Chart Position
1982 Love Is In Control (Finger On The Trigger) U.S. Billboard Hot 100 #10
1982 Love Is In Control (Finger On The Trigger) U.S. Billboard Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs #4
1982 Love Is In Control (Finger On The Trigger) U.S. Billboard Hot Dance Music/Club Play #3

RELEASE INFORMATION:
Label: Geffen Records – O-29938, Geffen Records – 9 29938-0 B
Format: Vinyl, 12″, 33 ⅓ RPM, ARC Pressing
Country: US
Released: 1982
Genre: Funk / Soul, Pop
Style: Synthpop

CREDITS:
Mastered By [Runout Etching ❀] – Brian Gardner
Producer, Written-By – Quincy Jones
Remix [Remixed By] – Bruce Swedien, Craig Kostich
Written-By – Merria RossRod Temperton

NOTES:
(Instrumental Version Featuring Ernie Watts on Sax Solo)

*Remixed From The Original 4:20 Version
Available On The Geffen Album Donna Summer – Donna Summer

Buy the 12″ at DISCOGS

VINYL TRANSFER & AUDIO RESTORATION:
-DjPaulT
burningtheground.net

THE GEAR:
Turntable:Technics SL-1200MK7
Cartridge/Stylus:  Ortofon 2M Black PnP MkII
Turntable Isolation Platform: ISO-Tone™ Turntable Isolation Platform
Platter: Pro Spin Acrylic Mat
Stabilizer: Pro-Ject Record Puck
Phono Pre-amp:
Pro-Jec Tube Box DS2
DAC:
Alpha Design Labs GT40a USB DAC
Record Cleaning
: VPI HW 16.5 Record Cleaning Machine
Artwork Scans
: Epson Workforce WF-7610 Professional Printer/Scanner

SOFTWARE:
Recording/Editing: Adobe Audition 3.0 (Recording)
Down Sampling/Dither: iZotope RX Advanced 2
Artwork Editor: Adobe Photoshop CS5
Click Removal: Manual
FLAC/MP3 Conversion: dBpoweramp
M3U Playlist: Playlist Creator

RESTORATION NOTES:
All vinyl rips are recorded @ 32bit/float
FLAC (Level Eight)
Artwork scanned at 600dpi

**24bit FLAC Only Available For Seven Days!


Password: burningtheground

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Queertone
Queertone
February 28, 2023 8:23 am

Many thanks!

Shawn
Shawn
February 7, 2023 8:38 pm

I used to have the 12″ single of this way back in the day. Glad to see it resurface.

Yoku
Yoku
February 7, 2023 1:35 pm

Thank you very much for your effort to share the music with us. You are excellent and only the one!

ING
ING
February 7, 2023 12:19 pm

This track slams. I used it on a mixtape dedicated to Temperton after he passed, “Tempertones, volume 1.” What would’ve happened if Rainbow was issued and this was never recorded by her???

Toxicaudio
Toxicaudio
February 7, 2023 10:37 am

Thx Paul. You can’t go wrong with good,old Disco Music.

Marco
Marco
February 7, 2023 4:53 am

I’m always pleased to see a Donna Summer post on BTG. I actually don’t recall this single though. I like the theme over the next week or so too.

Looking forward to hearing this later.

Thanks Paul 🙂

dj xrey
Reply to  Marco
February 7, 2023 1:24 pm

This was somewhat of a “comeback” hit for Donna in the US (with 3 top 10 chart peaks) as her previous album “The Wanderer” was her first post-Casablanca release, and wasn’t supported by Geffen to be a “dance album” in the post-disco backlash in the US. Geffen wanted to use Quincy Jones as her producer on this album based on the massive success he enjoyed with Michael Jackson’s “Off The Wall” album. David Geffen wanted to jettison Giorgio Moroder & Co. as they were perceived as “dated ’70s disco producers”. As a result, Geffen shelved her Moroder-produced album “Rainbow” in… Read more »

Last edited 1 year ago by dj xrey
Jason
Jason
February 6, 2023 9:52 pm

Thank you very much Paul.

dj xrey
February 6, 2023 3:52 pm

Paul, I know you’ll surprise us with some great R&B and dance tracks we’ll “love” this month! Have fun browsing for these goodies

Last edited 1 year ago by dj xrey
Philippe DUPONT-MOUCHET
February 6, 2023 2:25 pm

This woman uttered such unbearable words towards homosexuals that we should all banish her forever, despite her pathetic attempts to rectify her real thinking

Jeff
Jeff
Reply to  Philippe DUPONT-MOUCHET
February 6, 2023 3:41 pm

Please don’t say such things. I was recently reading a response to an interview on Super Deluxe Edition with Dr. Robert from the Blow Monkeys. It had to do with their song “Digging Your Scene” which was a song about the AIDS crisis. In the interview, Dr. Robert mentioned something along these lines concerning Ms. Summer. I’d like to quote the response from a commenter: MIchael Khalsa ““Donna Summer said AIDS was God’s revenge. I know she took it back later”” “Good morning Robert. Donna Summer never said that. In the early 80’s she was appearing on christian television shows… Read more »

dj xrey
Reply to  Philippe DUPONT-MOUCHET
February 6, 2023 3:50 pm

She recorded some of the most iconic pop, R&B, and dance music of all time. Now that she’s gone, BTG keeps her singing and dancing for the rest of us regardless of her religious beliefs and statements from 40+ years ago. Please have some respect for those who were taken from us and remember her for the music that gave us so much love and positive energy.

Last edited 1 year ago by dj xrey
Jeff
Jeff
February 6, 2023 12:00 pm

Donna Summer is a big favorite of mine. My Mom loves her too! Thank you, Paul, for this great new re-rip. I especially love the instrumental on the flip.

“Love Week” is going to be great; I can just tell!! Also like how you’ll be celebrating black history month as well!!

Jeff