Mistaken Identity is an album released in 1991 by Donna Summer. Since making her name as the biggest female star of the disco era in the 1970s, Summer had experimented with different musical genres throughout the 1980s with varying degrees of success. By 1991 she was signed with Atlantic Records and two years prior to this had released an album with production team Stock Aitken Waterman. SAW's unique "hit factory" sound (their own brand of 1980s synth/sampled pop/dance) had been particularly evident on that album and had given Summer several hits, but for her new album she was keen to adopt a more Urban style, and the result was indeed a very far cry from the previous album. Sounds range from a Lisa Stansfield "All Around The World" and Soul II Soul-esque style to current 90s House - especially in the track "What Is It You Want?" (opening spoken intro: House? Whose house?? MY house!!! - no doubt a reference to her role as Queen of All Things Danceable) but audiences expecting HI-NRG dance melodies and chord progressions of her earlier works were disappointed. The tracks "When Love Cries" and "Work That Magic" were issued as singles and both moderately successful.

Track listing

1. "Get Ethnic" (Donna Summer, Keith Diamond, Paul Chiten, Anthony Smith, Larry Henley) - 5:21
2. "Body Talk" (Donna Summer, Keith Diamond, Eve Nelson, Anthony Smith, Larry Henley) - 4:48
3. "Work That Magic" (Donna Summer, Keith Diamond, Eve Nelson, Anthony Smith, Larry Henley) - 5:00*
4. "When Love Cries" (Donna Summer, Keith Diamond, Eve Nelson, Anthony Smith, Larry Henley) - 5:15
5. "Heaven's Just A Whisper Away" (Keith Diamond, Larry Henley, Anthony Smith) - 4:06
6. "Cry Of A Waking Heart" (Betsy Cook, Bruce Woolley) - 4:36
7. "Friends Unknown" (Donna Summer, Keith Diamond, Anthony Smith, Vanessa Smith) - 3:44
8. "Fred Astaire" (Donna Summer, Keith Diamond, Anthony Smith, Donna Wyant) - 4:40
9. "Say A Little Prayer" (Donna Summer, Keith Diamond, Anthony Smith, Donna Wyant) - 4:07
10. "Mistaken Identity" (Donna Summer, Keith Diamond, Anthony Smith, Donna Wyant) - 4:08
11. "What Is It You Want" (Donna Summer, Keith Diamond, Donna Wyant, Anthony Smith, Vince Lawrence, Dave Resnik) - 4:40
12. "Let There Be Peace" (Donna Summer, Keith Diamond) - 3:59

(*)The UK edition of this album contained the "ISA full-length remix" of this track

Personnel

13. Donna Summer - vocals, rap vocals, composer
14. 'Kaydee' - rap vocals, drums, percussion, assorted funkiness, "Intro Madness" on "Mistaken Identity"
15. Carl James - rap vocals, bass
16. Neil Thomas - rap vocals
17. 'Wrong Way' Smith - "Intro Madness" on "Mistaken Identity"
18. Keith Diamond- composer, producer, keys
19. Paul Chiten - composer
20. Eve Nelson - composer, keys, piano
21. Anthony Smith - composer, keys
22. Larry Henley - composer
23. Betsy Cook - composer
24. Bruce Woolley - composer
25. Vanessa Smith - composer
26. Donna Wyant - composer
27. Vince Lawrence - composer, keys
28. Dave Resnik - composer, "vibe" on "What Is Is You Want"
29. Joe Taylor - guitars
30. Vicki Genfan - guitars
31. Rafe van Hoy - guitars
32. Skip McDonald - guitars
33. Paul Pesco - guitars, acoustic guitars
34. Ira Siegel - guitars
35. Joe Hornoff - drums
36. J.T. Lewis - drums
37. O.C. Rodriguez - drums
38. Bob "Mr Shaker" Conti - percussion
39. Steve McLoughlin - "on a Harley D" on "Body Talk"
40. Danny Wilensky - saxophone
41. The 'Heart' Strings (Suzie Schumway, Sally Schumway, Suzanne Ornstein, Ann Labin and Cathy Metz) - strings
42. Background vocals: Donna Summer; The New York crew: Craig Derry, Yogi Lee, Cliff Dawson, Biti Straughn, Lauren Kinham, Tracy Amos, 'Sabelle'; The Los Angeles crew: Marry Ellen Bernard, Gene Miller, Susan Macke
43. Album art concept: Donna Summer
44. Album cover coordination: Tracy Nicholas Bledsoe
45. Design: Bill Smith Studio, London
46. Photography: Harry Langdon, L.A.
47. Stylist: Gina Delgado

Production

• Produced and arranged by Keith Diamond
• Strings on "Friends Unknown" arranged by Keith Diamond and Eve Nelson
• Engineered by George Karras
• Additional engineers: Bob Rosa, Acer Key, Peter Robbins, J.C. Convertino
• Assistant engineers: Shawn 'Fido' Berman, Steve McLoughlin, Andy Udoff, Adam Yellin, Carl Glanville, Jeff Lippay, Danny & Steve, Welcome, Darien Sahanaja, Joe Seta
• Recorded at Unique Studios, NY; Hit Factory, NY; Electric Lady, NY; Rumbo Studios, LA; Encore Studios, LA; Track Record Studios, LA; American Studios, LA; Presence Studios, CT; R.P.M. Studios, NY; Interface Studios, NY; My Blue Heaven Studios, NY
• Studio managers: Tony Drootin - Unique, NY; Vicki Camblin - Rumbo, LA; Troy Germano - Hit Factory, NY; Bob Mason - R.P.M., NY; Daryl - Encore, LA; John Russell - Presence, CT
• Mastered at The Hit Factory by Herb Powers

Charts