Written by
Summer, Donna, American, 1948 - 2012
Subject of
Duncan, Denise
Date
1978-1979
Medium
ink on paper
Dimensions
H x W x D (Unfolded): 23 3/4 × 18 11/16 × 1/16 in. (60.3 × 47.5 × 0.1 cm)
H x W x D (Folded): 12 7/16 × 9 1/2 × 1/16 in. (31.6 × 24.1 × 0.2 cm)
Caption
"On My Honor" is track nine on Donna Summer's Bad Girls album, recorded from December 1978 to March 1979 and released on April 25, 1979. Co-writer credits of the final song include producer Harold Faltermeyer, and Summer's husband, Bruce Sudano. Musician and songwriter Bruce Sudano met Summers in 1977 when he was a member of the band Brooklyn Dreams. The began dating shortly thereafter and they later married in 1980 and remained married until her death in 2012.
Denise Duncan is a songwriter and music producer. She co-wrote the song Fashion For Me with Bruce Sudano on Brooklyn Dreams’ 1979 album Sleepless Nights.
Description
Handwritten draft lyrics for the song, "On My Honor," by Donna Summer. The lyrics have been written on a large piece of white paper that has been folded into a four page booklet with a front cover, back cover, and two interior pages. The lyrics have been primarily written in dark green ink on all four pages. There are corrections, insertions, notes, and unrelated lyrics on the pages written in lighter green ink, black ink, and pencil. The first page includes a verse and the chorus. The name [Denise / (Paulette) / Duncan] has been added in light green ink to the top right. At the top of the second page is the text [Last Verse] followed by a single line of lyrics. The third page features the second verse plus pencil text that reads [Parliments[sic] / 100’s]. At the top left on the fourth page is the second chorus. This page also features three sets of unrelated draft lyrics written in horizontal and upside down orientations. The unfolded back of the sheet has doodles including a pencil sketch of a building with arched windows and a large, central bay window as well as handwritten notes including verb conjugations and numbers in Spanish.
Classification
Documents and Manuscripts
Type
drafts (documents)
Topic
Communication
Composers (Musicians)
Disco (Music)
Singers (Musicians)
Credit Line
Collection of the Smithsonian National Museum of African American History and Culture
Object number
2023.85.3
Restrictions & Rights
© Estate of Donna Summer
Permission required for use. Proper usage is the responsibility of the user.
GUID
http://n2t.net/ark:/65665/fd5a060cf27-5240-4023-a2ba-bef00258efad

Cataloging is an ongoing process and we may update this record as we conduct additional research and review. If you have more information about this object, please contact us at NMAAHCDigiTeam@si.edu

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