Love Is in Control (Finger on the Trigger)

Infobox Single
Name = Love Is In Control (Finger On The Trigger)


Artist = Donna Summer
from Album = Donna Summer
B-side = Sometimes Like Butterflies
Released = 1982
Format = 7" single, 12" single
Recorded = 1982
Genre = Dance-pop/funk
Length =
Label = Geffen (U.S.)
* Warner Bros. Records (Europe)
Writer = Quincy Jones, Rod Temperton, Merria Ross
Producer = Quincy Jones
Certification =
Chart position = * #10 (US)
* #18 (UK)
* #6 (The Netherlands)
Last single = "Who Do You Think You're Foolin'" (1981)
This single = "Love Is In Control (Finger On The Trigger)" (1982)
Next single = "State of Independence" (1982)
Misc =

"Love Is In Control (Finger On The Trigger)" is the first single from Donna Summer's self-titled 1982 album. Since making her name in the disco era of the 1970s, Summer had signed to Geffen Records in 1980 and had a hit album with them, produced by Giorgio Moroder and Pete Bellotte (who had produced the vast majority of her hits). Geffen however felt that it was time Summer started working with other producers, and shelved her 1981 "I'm a Rainbow" album. Instead she was teamed up with legendary producer Quincy Jones for her 1982 album. As with the last few albums, this one saw Summer experiment with a variety of different musical styles, several of which can be heard in this song. It became her biggest hit for some time, peaking at #10 in the US, and was her first UK Top 20 hit of the 1980s, reaching #18.

Donna herself reports that the recording process for this album was challenging, as she was pregnant at the time, and her previous effort had been rejected by Geffen. Musically, "Trigger" was also a stretch for her, as the vocal melody lay high in Donna's register, and she would have to travel through her break from her chest belt to head voice often from verses to choruses, without any long-held "power notes" she was now famous for. She performed this song live on her "A Hot Summer Night... With Donna" VHS released 1983 concert, where her encore for the evening was debuting her "She Works Hard for the Money" single.

The B-side of the "Love is in Control" 7" single was the non-album track "Sometimes Like Butterflies", in 1985 covered by legendary British soul singer Dusty Springfield.

The 12" single of the song, at 7:04, has never been released on cd. An instrumental version of the song was released as the B-side on the original vinyl 12" single featuring Ernie Watts performing a "saxophone vocal".