This Time I Know It's for Real

1989 single by Donna Summer

"This Time I Know It's for Real" is a song by American singer songwriter Donna Summer, released on February 13, 1989, as the first single from her 14th studio album, Another Place and Time (1989), by Atlantic Records and Warner Bros. Records. Like the rest of the album, the song was written and produced by the British Stock Aitken Waterman (SAW) team, though Summer also had a hand in writing this song. The song became Summer's biggest hit in the United Kingdom since 1979, reaching number three and spending a total of 14 weeks in the UK Singles Chart top 75. It reached number seven in both the United States and Canada, becoming Summer's 14th and final top 10 hit on the US Billboard Hot 100 as well as the last top 40 hit of her career. The song was also successful on the Billboard Hot Adult Contemporary chart, peaking at number two.

Summer became aware of SAW after her husband, Bruce Sudano, drew her attention to their work during a visit to Europe. She was further encouraged by Rick Astley's subsequent success, saying she "loved his production". Jim Arundel from Melody Maker declared it as "gloriously driven, simple, joyous and just a bit sad too." Pan European magazine Music & Media commented, "Very much a SAW production with Summer's voice adding a touch of class. Her first chance of a major hit since 1983's 'She Works Hard for the Money'." Jerry Smith of Music Week described the song as an "irritatingly catchy, lightly soulful dance tune that is sure of a high chart placing".

In 2014, Matt Dunn of WhatCulture ranked the song at number 11 in his "15 unforgettable Stock Aitken Waterman singles" list, stating that he found the lyrics "simple enough" and the video "odd", as it shows "people jumping up and down, bootscooters, clapping hands, spinning train conductors, flamenco dancers, people swimming through lights and others dancing on top of trains and boats", but eventually considered that this SAW song contributed to "reviv[e] the career of a former disco diva". In its 2016 retrospective review, Pop Rescue also stated that the song "simply oozes S/A/W sound from the very first moment it bursts open with some very Rick Astley/Sonia esque drums. This is textbook S/A/W and is absolutely flawless." In 2021, British magazine Classic Pop ranked the song number nine in their list of 'Top 40 Stock Aitken Waterman songs', underlining its success on the charts. In 2023, Alexis Petridis of The Guardian listed the song at number eight in his "Stock Aitken Waterman's 20 greatest songs – ranked! ", adding that it "is gleaming dance pop with a nailed on euphoric chorus".

Australian girl group Young Divas covered "This Time I Know It's for Real" to coincide with nationwide tour dates from July to August 2006. The song was produced by George Papapetros and Max Kourilov and released as a CD single on May 6, 2006, to attract attention for the tour. "This Time I Know It's for Real" peaked at number two on the ARIA Singles Chart and spent 14 weeks in the top ten.

In 2004, British singer Kelly Llorenna reached number fourteen on the UK Singles Chart with her version of the song.