Funkatropolis: “Love Is in Control (Finger on the Trigger)" by Donna Summer

After Donna Summer’s foray into new wave and rock on her 1980 album, The Wanderer, she returned to her R&B and dance-music roots with her self-titled 10th studio album, released on July 19, 1982. The Quincy Jones-produced collection offers a satisfying selection of R&B, dance, pop, post-disco, and funk. The album’s lead single is the electrifying synthfunk track “Love Is in Control (Finger on the Trigger).” Summer delivers a superb vocal performance. The song showcases her considerable range as a singer, as she effortlessly transitions from her soulful lower tone to her higher register, lighting up the chorus with her fiery falsetto. This hot dance jam is masterfully produced and arranged, featuring a monstrous synth bass line, an explosive chorus, and a splendid sax solo from Ernie Watts. It also boasts a fantastic horn arrangement and some great rhythm guitar parts.

The song is about taking ownership of your emotions and desires and maintaining a sense of independence and self-awareness in romance. The line in the chorus, “Love is in control,” speaks to the sense of empowerment that comes with taking control of your heart and desires. Now that the song’s narrator has found real love, her life has changed, and her “finger is on the trigger” as she’s ready to jump in and fully commit to this person with no reservations.

“Love Is in Control (Finger on the Trigger)” was written by Quincy Jones, Rod Temperton, and Merria Ross. It was released in June 1982 on Geffen Records. The song performed well on the charts, peaking at #10 on the Billboard Hot 100, #4 on Billboard’s R&B singles chart, and #3 on Billboard's Dance Club Charts. It also enjoyed major chart action in other parts of the world, charting in the top 10 in many countries, including Finland (#3), the Netherlands (#6), Norway (#3), South Africa (#7), and Switzerland (#4). And it landed in the top 20 and several other nations. The song earned Summer a Grammy nomination for Best Female R&B Vocal Performance at the 25th Annual Grammy Awards in 1983.

“Love Is in Control (Finger on the Trigger)” was featured on the soundtracks of the films Magindanao (1982) and Lost in America (1985). And it was featured in an episode of the animated sitcom Bob’s Burgers (season 5, episode 4, 2014). Additionally, it was sampled on “Figga Trigga” by The Tabledancers. Sheena Easton covered the song for her 2000 album Fabulous. She released it as the album’s second single in 2001.

Here’s the full personnel for “Love Is in Control (Finger on the Trigger)”: Donna Summer (lead and backing vocals), Leon Ndugu Chancler (drums), Michael Sembello (guitar), Ernie Watts (tenor saxophone solo), Greg Phillinganes (synthesizers, synth bass), Paulinho Da Costa (percussion), Michael Boddicker (synthesizer [Polymoog] Vocoder), backing vocals (Donna Summer, Howard Hewitt, James Ingram and Phillip Ingram), and the horn section consisted of Bill Reichenbach Jr. (trombone), Gary Grant (trumpet), Ernie Watts (saxophone), and Jerry Hey (trumpet). Hey is also responsible for the song’s excellent horn arrangement.