In the history of pop, how important is Donna Summer? What, if anything, will she be remembered for? My feeling is that, in a concise history, her entry will list her first two major singles, but perhaps relegate her otherwise to cover artist status.
'Love to Love You' is the important single that's missing from this collection. It got to No. 2 in the UK in spite of being banned by Radio One, the BBC's national station. The follow-up, 'I Feel Love', made it to No. 1, perhaps because it wasn't banned. A surprise really, because it has a more erotic pulse, but perhaps the BBC's censors only scanned the lyrics of each song before they made their decisions. This, anyway, is the glorious track that opens this collection.
It has the other good stuff too: 'MacArthur Park', 'On the Radio', and my favourite, 'Dinner With Gershwin'. Although two of these are covers of other's work, it is incorrect to write off Summer as simply a good singer who happened to be in the right place at the time Moroder was looking for one. Summer is no German creation.
If the tracks you like are here, buy this. I don't believe it's a re-master, but the sound quality is very good.
Although this is a unique collection with some very good track choices, "Hot Stuff" shows up once again, in its butchered format. This problem track has been circulating for years and appears in its defective state on at least three other compilations that I'm aware of, including the now out-of-print "Walk Away - Collector's Edition - The Best of 1977-1980". The issue isn't with the version of the song chosen, but with the sloppy mastering. Quite simply, the track starts late, thereby affecting the overall impact of the song's opening. Although only a split second or two off, it's the equivalent of dropping the needle on the record part way through the track. Ugh! Buyer beware. If this doesn't bother you, than go for it. But as for me, I cringe every time the track comes up.
If you are looking for a good concise overview of the "best" of Donna Summer, but think that listening to 2 discs may be a bit too much for you, consider getting this pleasing single disc import collection. Some of my very favorite Donna Summer songs are on here, things other than the "obvious hits" such as "State of Independence", "This Time I Know It's for Real" and "Love's About to Change My Heart." Donna Summer deserves much more respect for the influential music that she recorded in the 70s and 80s, and you'll find good examples on this collection.
