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This Time I Know It's for Real

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"This Time I Know It's for Real"
Single by Donna Summer
from the album Another Place and Time
B-side
  • "Whatever Your Heart Desires" (Europe)
  • "If It Makes You Feel Good" (US)
ReleasedFebruary 13, 1989 (1989-02-13)[1]
StudioPWL (London, England)
GenreDance-pop
Length3:38
Label
Songwriter(s)
Producer(s)Stock, Aitken & Waterman
Donna Summer singles chronology
"Fascination"
(1988) 		"This Time I Know It's for Real"
(1989) 		"I Don't Wanna Get Hurt"
(1989)
Music video
"This Time I Know It's for Real" on YouTube

"This Time I Know It's for Real" is a song by American singer-songwriter Donna Summer, released on February 13, 1989, as the first single from her 14th studio album, Another Place and Time (1989), by Atlantic Records and Warner Bros. Records. Like the rest of the album, the song was written and produced by the British Stock Aitken Waterman (SAW) team, though Summer also had a hand in writing this song.[2]

The song became Summer's biggest hit in the United Kingdom since 1979, reaching number three and spending a total of 14 weeks in the UK Singles Chart top 75. It reached number seven in both the United States and Canada, becoming Summer's 14th and final top-10 hit on the US Billboard Hot 100 as well as the last top-40 hit of her career. The song was also successful on the Billboard Hot Adult Contemporary chart, peaking at number two.

Background

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Summer became aware of SAW after her husband, Bruce Sudano, drew her attention to their work during a visit to Europe. She was further encouraged by Rick Astley's subsequent success, saying she "loved his production".[2] Hitting it off with the producers immediately, Summer recalled that the song came together on their first day working together, a rare case of "hitting the nail on the head the first time".[2] While she was enthusiastic, her then US label boss David Geffen wanted a rockier sound with more guitars from the SAW sessions, a dictate which was immediately refused by Pete Waterman.[2]

With Geffen Records ending her US deal due to an impasse over the new material, this was Summer's first US single to be released on Atlantic Records.[2] Since 1980 she had been signed to Geffen, but her work across Europe had always been distributed by Warner Bros.' main label. This would continue to be the case following her signing to Atlantic.

Critical reception

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Initial response

[edit]

Alex Henderson from AllMusic described the song as a "exuberant, club-friendly Euro-dance/Hi-NRG" gem.[3] Jim Arundel from Melody Maker declared it as "gloriously driven, simple, joyous and just a bit sad too."[4] Pan-European magazine Music & Media commented, "Very much a SAW production with Summer's voice adding a touch of class. Her first chance of a major hit since 1983's 'She Works Hard for the Money'."[5] Jerry Smith of Music Week described the song as an "irritatingly catchy, lightly soulful dance tune that is sure of a high chart placing".[6]

Impact and legacy

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In 2014, Matt Dunn of WhatCulture ranked the song at number 11 in his "15 unforgettable Stock Aitken Waterman singles" list, stating that he found the lyrics "simple enough" and the video "odd", as it shows "people jumping up and down, bootscooters, clapping hands, spinning train conductors, flamenco dancers, people swimming through lights and others dancing on top of trains and boats", but eventually considered that this SAW song contributed to "reviv[e] the career of a former disco diva".[7] In its 2016 retrospective review, Pop Rescue also stated that the song "simply oozes S/A/W sound from the very first moment it bursts open with some very Rick Astley/Sonia-esque drums. This is textbook S/A/W and is absolutely flawless."[8] In 2021, British magazine Classic Pop ranked the song number nine in their list of 'Top 40 Stock Aitken Waterman songs', underlining its success on the charts.[9] In 2023, Alexis Petridis of The Guardian listed the song at number eight in his "Stock Aitken Waterman's 20 greatest songs – ranked!", adding that it "is gleaming dance-pop with a nailed-on euphoric chorus".[10]

Chart performance

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"This Time I Know It's for Real" reached the top-ten in the majority of the countries in which it was released. In the US, it charted for 17 weeks on the Billboard Hot 100 with a peak at number seven in its tenth week on the chart on June 24, 1989,[11] thus becoming Summer's 14th and last top ten hit in the country, six years after the top three hit "She Works Hard for the Money". It also reached number two on the Billboard Adult Contemporary,[12] number five on the Dance Club Songs,[13] and number one on the Dance Singles Sales chart.[14] In the UK, "This Time I Know It's for Real" charted for 14 weeks and hit number three in its fifth week, on 19 March 1989,[15] thus marking Summer's return in the top ten after ten years of absence, her previous top ten hit being "No More Tears (Enough Is Enough)", released in 1979. In Continental Europe, "This Time I Know It's for Real" achieved its highest position in the Flanders part of Belgium where it reached number two, being blocked from the number one slot by Madonna's "Like a Prayer" which topped the chart then, and featured on the chart for 12 weeks.[16] In France, after a debut at number 43, it reached number six twice and remained in the top 50 for a total of 18 weeks, becoming Summer's highest peak position in the country.[17] It was also a top-three hit in Finland and Norway,[18][19] attained number four in Ireland, number five in the Netherlands,[20][21] number six in Denmark and number seven in Canada.[22][23] In addition, it peaked within the top-20 in Sweden, West Germany, Spain and Italy,[24][25][26][27] and barely made top-40 in Australia where it charted for ten weeks.[28] On the Music & Media's European Hot 100 Singles chart, "This Time I Know It's for Real" spent 26 weeks with two weeks at a peak of number seven,[29] and being much aired on radios, had a 17-week chart run on the European Airplay Top 50 where it reached number eight.[30]

Track listings

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  • 7-inch single
  1. "This Time I Know It's for Real" – 3:36
  2. "Whatever Your Heart Desires" (original mix) – 3:50
  • 12-inch maxi
  1. "This Time I Know It's for Real" (extended version) – 7:20
  2. "Whatever Your Heart Desires" (original mix) – 3:50
  3. "This Time I Know It's for Real" (instrumental) – 3:34

Charts

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Certifications

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Certifications for "This Time I Know It's for Real"
Region Certification Certified units/sales
United Kingdom (BPI)[46] Silver 200,000^
United States (RIAA)[47] Gold 500,000^

^ Shipments figures based on certification alone.

Young Divas version

[edit]
"This Time I Know It's for Real"
Single by Young Divas
from the album Young Divas
ReleasedMay 6, 2006
Recorded2006
GenreDance-pop, house
LabelSony BMG
Songwriter(s)Donna Summer, Matt Aitken, Mike Stock, Pete Waterman
Producer(s)George Papapetros, Max Kourilov
Young Divas singles chronology
"This Time I Know It's for Real"
(2006) 		"Happenin' All Over Again"
(2006)

Australian girl group Young Divas covered "This Time I Know It's for Real" to coincide with nationwide tour dates from July to August 2006.[48] The song was produced by George Papapetros and Max Kourilov and released as a CD single on May 6, 2006, to attract attention for the tour.[49] "This Time I Know It's for Real" peaked at number two on the ARIA Singles Chart and spent 14 weeks in the top ten.[50] It was certified platinum by the Australian Recording Industry Association (ARIA), for shipments of 70,000 copies. The song was later included on their self-titled debut album Young Divas. Due to an overwhelming response of the Young Divas' version of "This Time I Know It's for Real", a music video was filmed to accompany the song's release.[51]

Track listing

[edit]
  1. "This Time I Know It's for Real" (Radio Edit)
  2. "This Time I Know It's for Real" (Extended Remix)

Credits and personnel

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Source[52]

Weekly chart

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Chart (2006) Peak
position
ARIA Singles Chart[50] 2

Year-end charts

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Chart (2006) Rank
ARIA Singles Chart[53] 6
Australian Artists Singles Chart[54] 2

Certifications

[edit]
Certifications for "This Time I Know It's for Real" Young Divas version
Region Certification Certified units/sales
Australia (ARIA)[55] Platinum 70,000^

^ Shipments figures based on certification alone.

Other cover versions

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In 2004, British singer Kelly Llorenna reached number fourteen on the UK Singles Chart with her version of the song.[56]

References

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  1. ^ "New Singles". Music Week. February 11, 1989. p. 39.
  2. ^ a b c d e "A Journey Through Stock Aitken Waterman: Ep 45: This Time I Know It's For Real on Apple Podcasts". Apple Podcasts. Retrieved January 24, 2023.
  3. ^ Henderson, Alex. "Donna Summer – Another Place and Time". AllMusic. Retrieved November 8, 2020.
  4. ^ Arundel, Jim (December 1, 1990). "Albums". Melody Maker. Retrieved February 24, 2023.
  5. ^ "Previews: Singles" (PDF). Music & Media. March 4, 1989. p. 21. Retrieved September 25, 2020.
  6. ^ Smith, Jerry (February 25, 1989). "Singles" (PDF). Music Week. p. 25. Retrieved August 29, 2023.
  7. ^ Dunn, Matt (January 16, 2014). "15 unforgettable Stock Aitken Waterman singles". WhatCulture. Retrieved January 23, 2024.
  8. ^ "Review: "Another Place And Time" by Donna Summer (CD, 1989)". Pop Rescue. January 6, 2016. Retrieved September 25, 2020.
  9. ^ "Top 40 Stock Aitken Waterman songs". Classic Pop. Retrieved August 27, 2021.
  10. ^ Petridis, Alexis (November 23, 2023). "Stock Aitken Waterman's 20 greatest songs – ranked!". The Guardian. ISSN 0261-3077. Retrieved January 16, 2024.
  11. ^ a b "Donna Summer Chart History (Hot 100)". Billboard. Retrieved September 22, 2020.
  12. ^ a b "Donna Summer Chart History (Adult Contemporary)". Billboard. Retrieved September 22, 2020.
  13. ^ a b "Donna Summer Chart History (Dance Club Songs)". Billboard. Retrieved September 22, 2020.
  14. ^ a b "Donna Summer Chart History (Dance Singles Sales)". Billboard. Retrieved November 14, 2022.
  15. ^ a b "Official Singles Chart Top 100". Official Charts Company. Retrieved September 22, 2020.
  16. ^ a b "Donna Summer – This Time I Know It's for Real" (in Dutch). Ultratop 50. Retrieved September 22, 2020.
  17. ^ a b "Donna Summer – This Time I Know It's for Real" (in French). Les classement single. Retrieved September 22, 2020.
  18. ^ a b "Top 3 Finland" (PDF). Music & Media. April 8, 1989. Retrieved March 26, 2018.
  19. ^ a b "Donna Summer – This Time I Know It's for Real". VG-lista. Retrieved September 22, 2020.
  20. ^ a b "The Irish Charts – Search Results – This Time I Know It's for Real". Irish Singles Chart. Retrieved September 22, 2020.
  21. ^ a b "Nederlandse Top 40 – Donna Summer" (in Dutch). Dutch Top 40. Retrieved September 22, 2020.
  22. ^ a b Danish Singles Chart. April 7, 1989.
  23. ^ a b "Top RPM Singles: Issue 6377." RPM. Library and Archives Canada. Retrieved September 22, 2020.
  24. ^ a b "Donna Summer – This Time I Know It's for Real". Singles Top 100. Retrieved September 22, 2020.
  25. ^ a b "Offiziellecharts.de – Donna Summer – This Time I Know It's for Real" (in German). GfK Entertainment charts. Retrieved September 22, 2020.
  26. ^ a b Fernando Salaverri (September 2005). Sólo éxitos: año a año, 1959–2002 (1st ed.). Spain: Fundación Autor-SGAE. ISBN 84-8048-639-2.
  27. ^ a b "Classifiche". Musica e dischi (in Italian). Retrieved May 29, 2022. Set "Tipo" on "Singoli". Then, in the "Artista" field, search "Donna Summer".
  28. ^ a b "Donna Summer – This Time I Know It's for Real". ARIA Top 50 Singles. Retrieved September 22, 2020.
  29. ^ a b "Eurochart Hot 100 Singles" (PDF). Music & Media. Vol. 6, no. 13. January 4, 1989. Retrieved November 12, 2019.
  30. ^ a b "European Airplay Top 50" (PDF). Music & Media. Vol. 6, no. 17. April 29, 1989. p. 33. OCLC 29800226. Retrieved August 29, 2023 – via World Radio History.
  31. ^ "Donna Summer – This Time I Know It's for Real" (in Dutch). Single Top 100. Retrieved September 22, 2020.
  32. ^ "Discos más populares de Latinoamérica". El Siglo de Torreón. August 11, 1989. Retrieved January 21, 2023.
  33. ^ "Top Dance Singles" (PDF). Music Week. March 18, 1989. p. 14. Retrieved August 29, 2023 – via World Radio History.
  34. ^ "Dance Tracks". Radio & Records. June 16, 1989. p. 39. ProQuest 1017218680.
  35. ^ "Jaaroverzichten 1989" (in Dutch). Ultratop. Archived from the original on August 28, 2015. Retrieved November 12, 2019.
  36. ^ "Top Singles - Volume 51, No. 8, December 23, 1989". RPM. December 23, 1999. Archived from the original on September 7, 2017. Retrieved November 22, 2017.
  37. ^ "Eurochart Hot 100 1989" (PDF). Music & Media. 6 (51): 6. December 23, 1989. OCLC 29800226. Retrieved November 12, 2019.
  38. ^ "De Single Top 100 1989 Over" (PDF) (in Dutch). Radio 538. Archived (PDF) from the original on December 6, 2011. Retrieved November 12, 2019.
  39. ^ "Jaahroverzichten 1989" (in Dutch). Single Top 100. Archived from the original on September 14, 2011. Retrieved November 12, 2019.
  40. ^ "Year End Singles". Record Mirror. January 27, 1990. p. 44.
  41. ^ Copsey, Rob (May 7, 2021). "Official Top 40 best-selling songs of 1989". Official Charts. Retrieved October 25, 2023.
  42. ^ "Billboard Top 100 - 1989 - Longbored Surfer - Charts". Archived from the original on January 25, 2010. Retrieved November 12, 2019.
  43. ^ a b "1989 The Year in Music". Billboard. Vol. 101, no. 51. December 23, 1989. p. Y-40.
  44. ^ "1989 The Year in Music: Top Adult Contemporary Singles". Billboard. Vol. 101, no. 51. December 23, 1989. p. Y-42.
  45. ^ "Top 100 Single–Jahrescharts 1989" (in German). GfK Entertainment. Archived from the original on October 9, 2015. Retrieved November 12, 2019.
  46. ^ "British single certifications – Donna Summer – This Time I Know It's for Real". British Phonographic Industry.
  47. ^ "American album certifications – Donna Summer – This Time I Know It's for Real". Recording Industry Association of America.
  48. ^ "Australia's Fab Four Femmes Unleash The Young Divas!". Sony BMG. May 1, 2006. Archived from the original on September 5, 2007. Retrieved September 27, 2012.
  49. ^ "CD Releases: This Time I Know It's for Real". Sony BMG. Archived from the original on September 5, 2007. Retrieved September 27, 2012.
  50. ^ a b "Young Divas – This Time I Know It's for Real". australian-charts.com. Hung Medien. Retrieved September 27, 2012.
  51. ^ "Young Divas Know It's For Real! Single Goes Gold; New Video Airs This Weekend". Sony BMG. Archived from the original on September 5, 2007. Retrieved September 27, 2012.
  52. ^ a b "Young Divas – This Time I Know It's for Real (CD)". Discogs. Retrieved September 27, 2012.
  53. ^ "ARIA Charts – End Of Year Charts – Top 100 Singles 2006". Australian Recording Industry Association. Retrieved September 27, 2012.
  54. ^ "ARIA Charts – End Of Year Charts – Top 50 Australian Artist Singles 2006". Australian Recording Industry Association. Retrieved September 27, 2012.
  55. ^ "ARIA Charts – Accreditations – 2006 Singles" (PDF). Australian Recording Industry Association. August 17, 2006. Retrieved November 5, 2024.
  56. ^ Roberts, David (Managing Editor) (2005), British Hit Singles & Albums (Edition 18), Guinness World Records Limited, ISBN 1-904994-00-8


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