Donna Summeris inarguably the queen of disco music, and released a track in 1978 for a musical comedy that became a genre sensation. With the help of her regular collaborator Giorgio Moroder, they released a hit track that didn’t top the charts, but did earn an even bigger award: an Oscar.
Thank God It’s Fridaywas a musical comedy produced by Motown Pictures during the height of the disco era. It told several intertwining stories of the patrons and staff of a groovy Los Angeles disco club called The Zoo over the course of a Friday night. The film wasn’t a jaw-dropping box office success, but it had a stellar cast. Jeff Goldblum played the leading role of Tony Di Marco in one of his earliest performances, alongside Debra Wingeras Jennifer in her first major on-screen appearance.
What also made the film stand out was its musical stars playing leading roles. Berlin’s Terri Nunn played Jeannie in her only film role, with Summer also appearing as Nicole Sims, an aspiring disco singer. While Thank God It’s Friday featured the Commodores performing “Too Hot to Trot,” it was Summer’s “Last Dance” that received critical acclaim.
“Last Dance” came about due to Summer’s role in the film, seeing as her character brings a demo version of the track to the club’s disc jockey, hoping to perform it. Throughout the film, the disc jockey refuses until the film’s final moments, leading to a sensational performance by Summer. The track ended up entering the Billboard Hot 100 charts and peaking at No. 3, and stayed in the Top 10 for several weeks.
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Rolling Stone ranked the track at No. 200 of the “Greatest Dance Songs of All Time,” showcasing that disco was “ready to jump the shark” at the time. “Last Dance” was also a first in the disco genre for its ballad-style opening that switches gears into a dynamic dance fever.
According to the song’s arranger, Bob Esty, songwriter Paul Jabara was the one to have convinced Summer to record the track. Some drama ensued, according to Esty, who helped rearrange the entire track alongside Summer. Despite Moroder not liking the track or the idea of Summer singing in full vocal, Esty believed he’d receive co-producing and co-writing credit.
Instead, the credit went to only Jabara, who would win an Oscar for Best Original Song for “Last Dance” in 1979. He also won a Golden Globe in the same category, along with a Grammy Award for Best Rhythm & Blues Song. The track also earned Summer her first of many Grammys in the category Best R&B Vocal Performance, Female.
