Donna Summer Album: “Gold”

Let me preface this by saying one thing. If you have 1993's "The Donna Summer Anthology", hold on to that, but if you don't, run, don't walk, to the store to get this.

Donna Summer has been showered countless hits collections in her career. However, Gold is only the second to even attempt at covering a broader range of her career than the disco period and the biggest of the 80's pop and 90's dance hits.

The two discs work perfectly. Disc one exclusively covers the Casablanca disco phase where Donna was on top of the world. Disc two starts right at 1980, where Donna had signed to Geffen and was going through a change, both spiritually and musically. I am one who loves both periods.

In the late 1970's, Donna was a disco superstar, the one artist who was able to give The Bee Gees a run for their money in America. From early sexual works such as Love To Love You Baby and Four Seasons Of Love to edgy electronic classics such as Once Upon A Time and Bad Girls, Donna and Giorgio Moroder carved out a special niche in pop music for them. She was sexy and had a wonderful voice, he was a studio whiz. The music was fantastic and turned Donna into a true icon.

After the disco backlash hit, Donna was one of the few artists to survive with a career after radio blacklisted the genre by successfully reinventing her image. After marrying Brooklyn Dreams meber Bruce Sudano, Donna turned to religion and chose to better herself. Granted, it was a turn that alienated some of her gay fanbase because it's hard for some people to think of "Christian" without homophobia, but I have no doubt that Donna is innocent of the claims laid against her.

The 1980's were a time of experimenting for Donna, from a Pat Benatar style rock album (The Wanderer) to a soulful Quincy Jones production (Donna Summer) to straight-ahead pop albums (She Works Hard For The Money), Donna showed true diversity, from doing everything from hard rock to gospel on an album, she started losing fans. It was to such an extent that David Geffen shelved Donna's 1981 "I'm A Rainbow" for 15 years, because the album was a total potpourri of genres. Needless to say, the music was still phenomenal despite what sales tell you. More recently, she has enjoyed the occasional one-off dance hit from newly recorded cuts that make it onto soundtracks, live albums and greatest hits packages.

This collection is a fine representation of Donna's long and fruitful career, and as she is finally working on a new album (let's hope this time it's for real), this is only the beginning of another period of memorable moments.

Donna Summer Gold is an outstanding two CD set that gives her fans a terrific collection of her hits and other great songs! Donna's voice is in excellent form throughout this album; and the sound quality couldn't be better. The artwork is also very good. This two CD set is a must-have for Donna's fans.

"Love To Love You Baby" is one of Donna's biggest hits; she throws herself into this song and makes it hers and hers alone! The musical arrangement never drowns out Donna; it enhances the song instead. "Could It Be Magic" has Donna handling complicated tempo and key changes seemingly effortlessly--but, of course, we know it really wasn't that easy. Donna's talents more than carry her through great disco ballads like "Could It Be Magic." "Love's Unkind" has a rock beat that's mixed with a disco beat; this is great music for dancing and I predict you'll enjoy "Love's Unkind" very much. "I Feel Love" reminds me of the disco days when the clubs were full of people dancing their cares away--those were great times!

"MacArthur Park" gets a fine treatment as Donna sings this with grace and style. When the tempo changes drastically Donna never misses a beat; and this impresses me. The song may start slow and sweet; but it sure turns strong and hot! "Bad Girls" is both a great song and the title of one of Donna's albums from 1979 or 1980; and listen for Donna to outdo even herself on "Dim All The Lights." "Dim All The Lights" is great disco and it still makes good dancing music today! The first CD also has a spectacular duet between Donna and Barbra Streisand; "No More Tears (Enough Is Enough)" is sure to please you.

The second CD continues the hits. "The Wanderer" has a great beat that is absolutely infectious; and I really like her huge hit entitled "She Works Hard For The Money." "She Works Hard For The Money" has some rather sad lyrics but it still works well as a strong song about survival. "Supernatural Love" has a great beat and Donna sings this with all her heart and soul--what a belter she is! "Dinner With Gershwin" is a tune that didn't quite make it all the way but I remember this song well. "Dinner With Gershwin" is actually one of Donna's better songs. "This Time I Know It's For Real" has a relentlessly upbeat flavor as Donna sings this beautifully; and the dance beat makes you want to jump up and dance wherever you are!

"Melody Of Love (Wanna Be Loved)" has a magnificent piano arrangement that, along with the brass, makes this number very special as Donna Summer sings this flawlessly. Donna's excellent diction makes her singing all the better, too. "I Will Go With You (Con Te Partiro)" comes from classic opera but the arrangement is so brilliantly put together that it actually works as a dance song! The second CD ends strong with Donna Summer performing "You're So Beautiful." This tune showcases Donna's ability to sing with a more modern dance type of music that we hear in many clubs today.

If you ever had doubt about Donna Summer's ability to sing, this will lay your fears to rest. This two CD set is fantastic and it demonstrates just how strong Donna Summer's talents really are. I strongly recommend this two CD set for Donna Summer fans; and fans of disco and modern dance music will like this, too.

Donna Summer has had more greatest hits compilations than I have had hot dinners. From "Walk AWay", "Best of Donna Summer," On The Radio (GH 1 & 2), "Anthology", "Endless Summer", "Journey - Very Best of Donna Summer" to this latest offering "Gold".

The good news is that GOLD is quite possibly the best compilation to date. Why?

1. The digital remastering is brilliant

2. There are 2 CD's containing every key single.

3. There are original versions of songs, as opposed to the remix versions found on her other compilations. For example, this is the first time the correct single version of "Love to Love you Baby" is included on a DOnna Summer compilation. Forget the dismal remix found on "Endless Summer". The version found on 1979's "On The Radio Greatest Hits 1 & 2" almost contained the correct version but it had a little twigging done to it to make it flow with the next song. Other points worth noticing are that GOLD contains the promotional single version of "Mmarcarthur Park" which originally was hard to find on a Donna Summer CD. Also, there is a decent 6.50 minute version of "I feel Love" - the only way to hear this song.

4. The CD comes with a very interesting booklet with rare photos of Ms Summer.

While other reviewers say that 1993's ANthology is a better compilation, GOLD contains most of those songs anyway. In adddition, GOLD is digitally remastered, unlike Anthology.

The only complaint with GOLD is that there are the same amount of 80's songs as her 70's songs. I would have preferred if they had put less 80's stuff as these were her inferior years.

Overall, a risk free purchase. If you have any of her other compilations, you could throw them out after buying GOLD.

There is just so much that we reflect on from the 70's and the feel of Disco. Yet, with all the feel of the 70's, we really think of very few acts that still showcase very well within the depths of Disco. Out of all of them, nobody has been able to capitalize on that feeling like Donna Summer has. She has been known as one of those acts that always comes back by surprise. Yet, so many may feel that she has released oo many hits collections under her belt. Although that might be a bad idea to so many, there are very few that really reflect on the Disco diva from Boston to its limits.

Donna Summer: Gold, the 2005 hits collection contains all of her standards that have been widely recognized from her career in so many wanys including She Works Hard For The Money, No More Tears (Enough Is Enough), The Wanderer, On The Radio, and other great songs. The collection also includes some tracks that were overshadowed from other Donna Summer hits collections including Supernatural Love, and Unconditional Love with Musical Youth to name a few. There are so many good songs here, but some might feel that there are just too many hits collections that reflect Donna Summer's career. Yet, some might obligate to choose the 2003 The Journey: Very Best Of Donna Summer collection instead of this one, or any other one Donna has released.

Yet, while so many people are into divas that seem like they're manufactured and there music is worthless like Britney Spears, Ashanti and Lindsay Lohan, it is sometimes too easy to forget about guilty pleasures like Donna Summer. Donna Summer: Gold is a great collection for anybody young or old alike who hasn't heard her music before, or for those who want the definitive Donna Summer collection.

Album Cover: B

Price: B

Remastering: A

Songs: A

Overal: B 1/2+

This is one of Donna Summers "Greatest Hits" collections that should not be overlooked.Not only is it one of the most complete ever released but the remastering alone is worth every cent.The sound is Amazing!!!,so much so that it sounds as if these songs were originally released today!.The only thing that I did not like is that they took out "Dont cry for me Argentina" which was included in the Donna Summer Anthology to put "Dinner with Gershwin" which to me has little or no relevance in this compilation.Now the pros are they included the 7inch version of "When Love Cries" which is beautiful and much better than the original and the last track "Youre so Beautiful"which I had not heard of until now which to me is pretty cool and I love the beat!.Having all that said go ahead and buy it!,you wont repent.If youre a huge fan of Donna Summer and like to collect her recordings I would also reccommend a few other wonderful Greatest Hits compilations "On the Radio"(because the songs are mixed together and the music is nonstop!)and "The Donna Summer Anthology"(Because it has some beautiful songs that are not included in here)."The Journey"also deserves honorable mention because its a 2 disc set,number 1 includung her more popular recordings and two cool new songs "Thats the Way" and "I will live for Love"and # 2 including 12''versions of some of her hits.