40th Anniversary of "The Wanderer" #MusicMonday

This past weekend, October 16, 2020, marked the 40th Anniversary of Donna Summer’s album “The Wanderer.”

I was a senior in high school when this album came out, and like most teenagers I was full of curiosity because I was trying to figure out my path forward. I was trying to figure out who I was and what I wanted to do. I was trying to craft the Jim Joseph that I wanted to be, and not just follow all the rules that had been set forth for me. I was seeking independence, but didn’t know what that really meant.

“The Wanderer” helped me figure out my path forward. I know that says a lot but hear me out.

“The Wanderer” was the highly anticipated followup up to Donna Summer’s blockbuster and game changing “Bad Girls” which began a string now iconic hits … “Hot Stuff,” “Bad Girls,” “Dim All The Lights,” “Enough is Enough,” and “On The Radio.” Wow. Donna was red hot, so everyone was waiting for what she’d deliver next.

“The Wanderer.”

Really? This isn’t anywhere near where she’d been. Rock? From the woman who sang “toot toot hey beep beep?!?”

Really? What radio station plays her music now. What section of the store do I find this record?

“The Wanderer” was a massive departure from the prior Donna Summer sound, even though that sound had been evolving without anyone really noticing. But instead of creating another “Bad Girls,” she turned left. Instead of staying in her lane, she swerved. That box that she got placed into … she smashed it.

The album is brilliant. I remember thinking how brilliant it was for her to try something different. To be bold and daring. To break the mold. To wander. I related to it. I was embarking on college. I wanted to be bold and daring. To break out of the mold of high school. To break the box I was put into. To wander.

“The Wanderer” gave me courage.

The messaging throughout the album taught me many things. Like the quest for eternal optimism in “Looking Up.”

And the humility in “Who Do You Think You’re Foolin.”

My favorite cut on the album is “Cold Love,” simply because she really throws it all out there. Should have been a hit single for sure, but back then radio stations couldn’t place it. How could Donna Summer sing rock and roll? She’s a woman. She’s black. They basically told her to stay in her disco box. A box later relabeled as “dance.” The prejudice, sexism, racism, and judgement (and homophobia) all really bothered me.

So I turned it up louder.

Forty years later, I’m still inspired. Inspired to wander and try new things. To constantly evolve and be better. To remember that we should never be put in a box.

What’s your experience? JIM