Last Dance by Donna Summer

Album: Thank God It's Friday soundtrack (1978)

Charted: 51 3

Get the Sheet Music License This Song

Paul Jabara wrote this for the 1978 movie Thank God It's Friday. The movie takes place at a dance club, and Jabara played the role of Carl, a clueless club patron. The film didn't do nearly as well as Saturday Night Fever, which was released a year earlier and was also centered around a disco. "Last Dance," however, was a huge hit and won the Academy Award for Best Original Song.
Jabara also wrote "It's Raining Men" for The Weathergirls, as well as Barbra Streisand's theme to her 1979 movie The Main Event. Jabara died of AIDS-related causes in 1992 at age 44.
Summer performed this in the movie, which also featured a performance by the Commodores singing "Too Hot Ta Trot." It was Summer's first role in a major motion picture; she played an aspiring young singer named Nicole. In the film, she tries to convince the DJ at a hot nightclub to let her sing. At the end of the night, she gets her chance and performs "Last Dance," knowing it might be her last chance.
The lyrics could be viewed as a woman looking for the love of her life, but in more literal terms, it's the last song before closing time at the disco, and she is looking for someone to go home with for the evening.
European producer Giorgio Moroder worked on this track. He also produced Summer's hits Bad Girls and Love To Love You Baby.
Summer appeared on a 1994 episode of the TV show Family Matters where she played Steve Urkel's aunt Oona from Altoona, and sang this song in a karaoke contest. >>
Suggestion credit:
Donovan Berry - El Dorado, AR
This was included on a 2010 disco CD included in kids' meals by Wendy's. However, the fast food chain was forced to pull their freebie after customers complained about this song's racy lyrics. Even though the CD had been marked as safe for 3 years old and up, the lyrics "so horny" could be heard.

Please sign in or register to post comments.

Comments: 5

Carmelo from Genova, ItalyI don't think you can be so sure she says "horny" in that much talked about bit of the lyrics as the sound is not that clear in there so it could be anything.
I'd rather say it's something like "...cause when I'm bad I'm so so HOPELESS...". What about? - @rchie, Italy
Camille from Toronto, Oh5/17/12~RIP Donna Summer~this is probably her best loved tune. It has a rockin' rhythm and Donna belts out the words in a way that command you to listen to them. The opening notes sound like the disco ball starting to glitter on the dance floor, signaling the night is just about over. It starts out slow then ramps up to a very satisfying crescendo. Very well done.
Steve Dotstar from Los Angeles, Calove the 16th notes in the violins on this song....
John from Nashville, TnDonna Summer won her first of five Grammies with this song in the category of best r&b vocal performance by a female singer. She was up against Natalie Cole ("Our Love"), Chaka Khan ("I'm Every Woman"), Aretha Franklin ("Almighty Fire") and Alicia Bridges ("I Love The Nightlife").
Brian from Mentor, OhIs it just me, or does she say "When I'm bad, I'm so, so horny" on the last verse? She says "When I'm bad, I'm so, so bad" on the rest of the verses. The version I'm referring to is on the Greatest Hits.

see more comments

Susanna Hoffs - "Eternal Flame"They're Playing My Song

The Prince-penned "Manic Monday" was the first song The Bangles heard coming from a car radio, but "Eternal Flame" is closest to Susanna's heart, perhaps because she sang it in "various states of undress."

Michael Sweet of StryperSongwriter Interviews

Find out how God and Glam Metal go together from the Stryper frontman.

Harry ShearerSongwriter Interviews

Harry is Derek Smalls in Spinal Tap, Mark Shubb in The Folksmen, and Mr. Burns on The Simpsons.

Little RichardFact or Fiction

Was Long Tall Sally a transvestite? Did he really set his piano on fire? See if you know the real stories about one of Rock's greatest innovators.

Jim Adkins of Jimmy Eat WorldSongwriter Interviews

Jim talks about the impact of "The Middle" and uses a tree metaphor to describe his songwriting philosophy.

Reverend Horton HeatSongwriter Interviews

The Reverend rants on psychobilly and the egghead academics he bashes in one of his more popular songs.