The Hostage (song)

1974 single by Donna Summer

"The Hostage"

Single picture sleeve in the Netherlands

Single by Donna Summer

from the album Lady of the Night

B-side

"Let's Work Together Now"

Released

June 22, 1974 (1974-06-22)

Genre

Symphonic rock^[1]
R&B^[1]

Length

4:16

Label

Groovy

Songwriter(s)

Giorgio Moroder
Pete Bellotte

Producer(s)

Pete Bellotte

Donna Summer singles chronology

"Denver Dream"
(1974)

"The Hostage"
(1974)

"Lady of the Night"
(1974)

"The Hostage" is a song by American singer Donna Summer from her debut studio album, Lady of the Night (1974), which was released exclusively in the Netherlands.^[2] The track was written by Giorgio Moroder and Pete Bellotte, with the latter also serving as producer. It was issued as a 7-inch single in Europe and Asia in 1974,^[3] later being included in the German and French versions of Summer's 1975 album Love to Love You Baby.^[4] In the lyrics, Summer plays a wife whose husband is kidnapped.^[5]^[6] By 1978, The Hostage has sold 500,000 copies.^[7]

Charts

Weekly charts

Weekly chart performance for "The Hostage"
Chart (1974)	Peak position
Belgium (Ultratop 50 Flanders)^[8]	3
Belgium (Ultratop 50 Wallonia)^[9]	8
Netherlands (Dutch Top 40)^[10]	2
Netherlands (Single Top 100)^[11]	2
Spanish Singles Chart^[12]	2

Year-end charts

Year-end chart performance for "The Hostage"
Chart (1974)	Position
Belgium (Ultratop 50 Flanders)^[13]	34
Netherlands (Dutch Top 40)^[14]	32
Netherlands (Single Top 100)^[15]	33

References

^ ^a ^b Molanphy, Chris (November 27, 2017). "Queen of Disco Edition". Hit Parade | Music History and Music Trivia (Podcast). Slate. Retrieved July 12, 2023.
^ Lady of the Night at Discogs (list of releases). Retrieved April 8, 2020.
^ "The Hostage" at Discogs (list of releases). Retrieved April 8, 2020.
^ Love to Love You Baby at Discogs (list of releases). Retrieved April 8, 2020.
^ "DONNA SUMMER: People 115 - THE HOSTAGE/LET'S GET WORK TOGETHER". Blues & Soul (186). March 30, 1976.
^ "From Rock's Backpages: Donna Summer & The Story Of 'Love To Love You Baby'". The Quietus. May 18, 2012. Retrieved April 8, 2020.
^ Kahn, Henry (12 August 1978). "France 1978: The Future has Never Been Brighter". Billboard. p. F-3. ISSN 0006-2510. Retrieved 14 December 2022 – via Google Books.
^ "Donna Summer – The Hostage" (in Dutch). Ultratop 50. Retrieved April 8, 2020.
^ "Donna Summer – The Hostage" (in French). Ultratop 50. Retrieved April 8, 2020.
^ "Nederlandse Top 40 – Donna Summer" (in Dutch). Dutch Top 40. Retrieved May 25, 2020.
^ "Donna Summer – The Hostage" (in Dutch). Single Top 100. Retrieved April 8, 2020.
^ Salaverri, Fernando (September 2005). Sólo éxitos: año a año, 1959–2002 (in Spanish) (1st ed.). Spain: Fundación Autor-SGAE. ISBN 84-8048-639-2.
^ "Jaaroverzichten 1974" (in Dutch). Ultratop. Retrieved July 24, 2023.
^ "Bijzondere lijst: Top 100-Jaaroverzicht van 1974" (in Dutch). Dutch Top 40. Retrieved July 24, 2023.
^ "Jaaroverzichten – Single 1974" (in Dutch). Single Top 100. Retrieved July 24, 2023.