You won’t be surprised to learn that I wasn’t a big fan of Jon Anderson or Vangelis and thought the music they made together was even worse than their main gigs. But I am glad they wrote this song otherwise we wouldn’t have this great record. Their original version wasn’t a hit (because it’s rubbish) but it was a big success for Donna Summer in 1982 — in Europe anyway, it flopped in the US.
Produced by Quincy Jones who gives it an electronic beat with more groove than Vangelis, it’s a soaring number with a big choir of backing voices that includes Lionel Richie, Dionne Warwick, Michael Jackson, Christopher Cross, Kenny Loggins, and Stevie Wonder — only Quincy Jones could pull all those together.
Anderson’s lyrics are as silly as ever — what the fuck does “Shot to the soul, the flame of Oroladian” mean? — but Donna sings them with soulful gusto and the record sounds so glorious it doesn’t matter how ridiculous they are.
Download: State of Independence (Extended Version) – Donna Summer (mp3)
PS: Until I researched this post I had no idea Chrissie Hynde sung on a version of this song by the band Moodswings in 1992.
cryingallthewaytothechipshop.wordpress.com 
A great song. Didn’t know it was co-written by him from Yes.
By the way, I’d just like to say I’m glad you’ve regained your senses after the horror that was Toto.
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Tune!!!! And the Moodswings version which I posted fairly recently is great too
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You did? I missed that.
No idea how I didn’t know it existed
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Well … being that I own “Friends of Mr Cairo”, I think “rubbish” is a bit too harsh, but …. meandering from this thread, came across this YouTube Gem … A bit of the backing talent on DS’s version (pretty impressive … and a quite lovely Dyan Cannon strolling through as well):
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Whoops … I totally missed that you posted the gem above. SORRY!!!!!
I’d get rid of my comment if I could.
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I like that Dionne Warwick is singing with a fag in her hand
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I love the Summer version, weirdly I wasn’t a fan of the version with Hynde on it. And I love her.
I have a weird liking – it’s a childhood thing and not something I’ve been to keen to investigate as an adult – for Jon And Vangelis. I don’t get very close to Prog as a rule, it’s the music that doesn’t enter my house, but a lot of the electronic people I love were fairly obviously influenced by prog stuff along the way. I can’t escape my punk influence I guess. (although John Lydon loves his prog too doesn’t he)
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