Last Dance (song)

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“Last Dance”
Single by Donna Summer from the album Thank God It's Friday
B-side	"With Your Love"
Released	1978
Format	7" single, 12" single
Genre	Disco, Pop, Soul, R&B
Label	Casablanca
Writer(s)	Paul Jabara
Producer	Giorgio Moroder, Bob Esty
Donna Summer singles chronology
"Back in Love Again" (1978) "Last Dance" (1978) "Je t'aime... moi non plus" (1978)

"Last Dance" is a song written by the late Paul Jabara. It was sung by Donna Summer for the Thank God It's Friday soundtrack in 1978. She also had a mini role in the same film (see Thank God It's Friday), singing the song. "Last Dance" was mixed by the Grammy Award winning record producer Stephen Short, whose back-up vocals are featured in the song.

"Last Dance" won an Academy Award and a Golden Globe for Best Original Song the same year. It is one of Summer's favorite songs and remains one of her most popular hits in the US, peaking at number three on the Billboard Hot 100 chart. The song has sold over 5 million copies in the U.S. alone.

"Last Dance" was one of the first disco songs to also feature slow tempo parts. It starts off slow and the full-length version found on the film soundtrack also has a slow part in the middle. This part was edited out for the 12" format, and yet more of the song was edited for the 7". The versions found on most greatest hits packages is either the original 7" edit ( - 3:21) or the slightly longer and remixed version from the 1979 compilation On The Radio: Greatest Hits Volumes 1 & 2 ( - 4:56).

"Last Dance" started a trend for Summer as many of her disco hits following this also had a slow tempo intro/vocal beginning. Her other hits of this tempo format include "On the Radio", "No More Tears (Enough is Enough)", a duet with Barbra Streisand, "Dim All the Lights", and another song written by and duetted with Paul Jabara, "Foggy Day/Never Lose Your Sense Of Humor" from his album, "The Third Album".

[edit] Cover versions, appearances in other media etc.

On an episode of Family Matters, Summer played Steve Urkel's aunt, Aunt Oona from Altoona, and sang this song in a karaoke contest.

The song is briefly sung by Michael Clarke Duncan in the outtakes of Talladega Nights: The Ballad of Ricky Bobby.

Tejano superstar Selena performed the song as a Medley which included Donna's 1979 hit "On The Radio" during her last concert in February, 1995 at the Houston Astrodome. The medley was initially released on the soundtrack for the film Selena, but was later released on the CD and DVD release of Selena: The Last Concert. In early 2006, Lucy Benjamin covered this song on The X Factor Battle Of The Stars. In the finale episode of american idol season 7,the top 12 girls performed this song along with donna summers.

Preceded by "You Light Up My Life" from You Light Up My Life	Academy Award for Best Original Song 1978	Succeeded by "It Goes Like It Goes" from Norma Rae
Preceded by "If My Friends Could See Me Now" / "Gypsy Lady" / "Runaway Love" by Linda Clifford	Billboard Hot Dance Club Play number-one single (with "After Dark" by Pattie Brooks, "Thank God It's Friday" by Love & Kisses and "Take It to the Zoo" by Sunshine) June 3, 1978 - July 8, 1978	Succeeded by "Boogie Oogie Oogie" by A Taste of Honey