Donna Summer, the Queen of Disco, has died at the age of 63. The five-time Grammy Award-winning artist had been battling cancer.
Summer became an icon in the 1970s, when disco music was all the rage. Even after disco was declared dead, Summer adapted to a changing musical environment and found pop success. Her string of hits included "Hot Stuff," "Last Dance," and "She Works Hard For The Money." However, of all her hits, "Love To Love You Baby" might have the most interesting backstory.
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Around 17 minutes long, the epic track, produced by synth pioneer Giorgio Moroder, features sparse lyrics and suggestive moans. The lyrics go as follows: "When you're laying so close to me/ There's no place I'd rather you be than with me/ I love to love you, baby/ Do it to me again and again/ You put me in such a awful spin, in a spin."
[Photos: Donna Summer gallery]
By today's standards, those lyrics are almost Disney-worthy, but when the song hit the radio in 1975, it caused quite a sensation. Some critics called it obscene. TIME magazine called it "a marathon of 22 orgasms." Perhaps due to the controversy, the tune was a huge hit.
Summer, one of seven children raised by devout Christian parents who introduced her to gospel and classical music, became a born-again Christian in the 1980s; she stopped performing the song at concerts, perhaps due to its suggestive themes. However, last year, the tune was remixed for a fragrance ad, according to People magazine.
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Summer's born-again beliefs made her the target of gay advocacy groups in the '80s. She was reported to have made some anti-gay statements and controversial remarks about AIDS during several of her concerts. Some concertgoers reported Summer saying, "It was Adam and Eve, not Adam and Steve." Many of her gay fans, who made up a large portion of her fan base, were livid.
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Summer denied making the statements. However, she later issued something of an apology. In a statement, she said, "As a Christian, I have nothing but love for everyone and I recognize it is not my place to judge others."
[Videos: Donna Summer music videos]