Cats Without Claws

Infobox Album
Name = Cats Without Claws
Type = studio
Artist = Donna Summer


Released = September 04, 1984
Recorded = 1984
Genre = Dance, gospel, pop, R&B
Length = 36:36
Label = Geffen
Producer = Michael Omartian
Reviews = *Allmusic rating|2|5 [http://wm06.allmusic.com/cg/amg.dll?p=amg&sql=10:k9ftxq85ldke~T1 link]
Last album = "She Works Hard for the Money"
(1983)
This album = "Cats Without Claws"
(1984)
Next album = ""
(1985)|

"Cats Without Claws" is an album released by Donna Summer in 1984. Summer had achieved monumental fame during the disco era of the 1970s, and by now was signed to Geffen Records. She had had some degree of success with them, though her previous album had been released on another label.

That previous album, "She Works Hard for the Money", had been her most successful since the disco era, and as a result, its producer Michael Omartian was asked to produce the new album as well. Again the majority of tracks were written by Summer and Omartian, though a couple of other writers were credited including Summer's husband Bruce Sudano. As with the previous album, "Cats Without Claws" was pop/dance oriented but included soulful ballads. The album also contained a cover of "There Goes My Baby", originally made popular by The Drifters, which became the first single. A gospel song written by Reba Rambo and Dony McGuire entitled "Forgive Me" would win Summer a Grammy award for Best Inspirational Performance.

"Cats Without Claws" did not follow the success of its predecessor, reaching only Number 40 on the U.S. album chart. It produced four singles - the aforementioned "There Goes My Baby", "Supernatural Love" (also released as a 12" Disco Single), the title track and "Eyes". Of these, only the first had reasonable success, just missing the U.S. Top 20. Further 12" dance remixes included "Eyes" and "I'm Free".

Track listing

ide one

#"Supernatural Love" (Michael Omartian, Bruce Sudano, Donna Summer) – 3:33
#"It's Not the Way" (Omartian, Summer) – 4:22
#"There Goes My Baby" (Benjamin Nelson, Lover Patterson, George Treadwell) – 4:05
#"Suzanna" (Omartian, Summer) – 4:29
#"Cats Without Claws" (Omartian, Summer) – 4:20

ide two

#"Oh Billy Please" (Omartian, Summer) – 4:55
#"Eyes" (Omartian, Summer) – 4:45
#"Maybe It's Over" (Summer) – 4:43
#"I'm Free" (Omartian, Sudano, Summer) – 4:29
#"Forgive Me" (Dony McGuire, Reba Rambo) – 4:30

Personnel

*Donna Summer – vocals, composer
*Michael Omartian – composer, producer, keyboards, additional drums & percussion
*Bruce Sudano – composer
*Michael Baird – drums
*Nathan East – bass
*Michael Landau – guitars
*Paul Jackson, Jr. – guitars
*Paulinho da Costa – percussion
*Gary Herbig – sax solos
*Erich Bulling – synthesizer programs
*Ronnie Puccinelli – production coordinator

*Background vocals – Dara Bernard, Mary Ellen Bernard, Gene Van Buren, Cydney Davis, Siedah Garrett, Kahliq Glover, Portia Griffin, Susannah Melvoin, Bruce Sudano, Charles Vassy, Terry Williams

*Management – Susan Munao Management Co. Inc.

*Photography – Harry Langdon
*LP Art Direction – Chris Whorf for Art Hotel
*Design – Jeffrey Fey for Art Hotel

Production

*Produced and arranged by Michael Omartian
*Engineered and mixed by John Guess. "It's Not The Way," "Suzanna" and "Oh Billy Please" mixed by Juergen Koppers
*2nd engineers: Larry Fergusson, Dave Ahlert, Tom Fouce, Ross Palone
*Recorded at Lion Share Studios, Los Angeles; United Western Studios, Hollywood; Rhema Studio, Los Angeles
*LP mastered by Steve Hall at Future Disc Systems, Hollywood

Charts

Album

;Single