156. Bruce Sudano Discusses Donna Summer, Bad Girls

You, Me and An Album

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In celebration of the album’s 45th anniversary, musician and songwriter Bruce Sudano (Brooklyn Dreams, Alive N Kickin’, solo) visits YMAAA to talk about Donna Summer’s Bad Girls. He talks about the role he played in the making of the album, his relationship with Summer, to whom he was married for 32 years, and how Bad Girls represents the “peak era” of Summer’s musical career. Bruce also discusses Summer’s versatility as a vocalist and songwriter and how those gifts helped to make Bad Girls one of the most important albums of its era. Bruce concludes by talking about his latest solo album, Talkin’ Ugly Truth, Tellin’ Pretty Lies, and working with esteemed producer Ken Lewis.

Keep up with Bruce’s music, tour dates and more at brucesudano.com! Also be sure to give him a follow on Facebook and at @brucesudano on Instagram.

Al is on Bluesky at @almelchior.bsky.social. This show has accounts on Instagram and Threads at @youmealbum. Subscribe for free to You, Me and An Album: The Newsletter! https://youmealbum.substack.com/

1:29 Bruce joins the show

1:49 How did Bruce wind up on the cover of Bad Girls?

3:51 Bruce had not known Summer long when they started working on Bad Girls

4:45 Bruce talks about the general creative approach Summer took on the album

12:04 Bruce addresses the diversity of songs on Bad Girls

18:32 Bruce talks about the writing and recording of “Bad Girls”

22:50 Bruce explains how “Lucky” came together

24:32 Bruce discusses the futuristic quality of Side 4

26:17 The Bad Girls period was an extremely busy one for Bruce and Donna

30:57 “Hot Stuff” is a “very L.A.” recording

35:28 Bruce explains why Summer started writing songs on the piano

38:03 Bruce reveals which rock star Summer wrote “Dim All the Lights” for

40:09 Bruce talks about how Summer took on different personas for different songs

43:51 Bruce discusses how music—and their lives—changed after Bad Girls

48:01 Summer was the complete entertainer

49:48 Bruce talks about making Talkin’ Ugly Truth, Tellin’ Pretty Lies

57:36 Bruce alerts us to his upcoming live dates

Outro music is from “Talkin’ Ugly Truth, Tellin’ Pretty Lies” by Bruce Sudano.

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