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Donna Summer Was 'Queen of Pop'

Don't just limit her to disco, say critics

By Matt Cantor,  Newser Staff

Posted May 17, 2012 5:10 PM CDT

(Newser) – Following today's news of Donna Summer's death, critics and fans are lining up to pay their respects to the Queen of Disco. A few highlights from around the Web:

  • Queen of Disco? "A more appropriate title would have been Queen of Pop," writes Melinda Newman at Hitfix. "The musical style may have been disco ... but the truth is no one had to step into a disco to hear a Summer song during her heyday."

  • Still, as for disco, "she was as much a part of the culture as disco balls, polyester, platform shoes and the music's pulsing, pounding rhythms," writes Mesfin Fekadu for AP.
  • She was unfairly judged by critics of her day, notes Ann Powers at NPR. Her rendition of "Love to Love You Baby" offers "a vocal performance as subtle and rich in meaning as anything in pop."
  • "In my head," writes Bernadette McNulty in the Telegraph, "she will always be the ever-young, sexy diva singing with her head back, eyes closed in some kind of ecstasy, lips quivering over the microphone as her arms swing out like wings by her side—the woman who made disco really swing."

In this Jan. 12, 1979, file photo, singer Donna Summer poses with three awards she won at the American Music Awards.
In this Jan. 12, 1979, file photo, singer Donna Summer poses with three awards she won at the American Music Awards.   (AP Photo/Nick Ut, File)
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COMMENTS
Showing 3 of 8 comments
myflap.blow
May 18, 2012 7:01 AM CDT
I was just a budding teenager when Love to Love You Baby melted my am radio. Whitney mighta wanted to feel the heat, but Donna made me work it hard for the runny.
coolsmoothla
May 17, 2012 10:29 PM CDT
As a lover of music, "loved to have loved you Donna" I wonder, "how deep was your love?" ♪  how deep is your love (how deep is your love?) ...  I really need to learn ... cause we're living in a world of fools ...breaking us down ... when they they all should let us be ... we belong to you and me ... I believe in you You know the door to my very soul You're the light in my deepest, darkest hour You're my savior (Jesus) when I fall ... and you may not think that I care for you But you know down inside that I really do And it's me you need to show ... how deep is your love ♫  http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BBMriOspUvA&feature=related
slammer
May 17, 2012 9:41 PM CDT
rip-i guess god wanted some very good music up there!
 

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