Donna Summer would have wanted Linda singing her songs

[cristianargentina]

Billboard Magazine - 1994-09-03

Donna Summer "A 20th Anniversary Celebration"

(I post the cover and the page (part of the interview) where she mentions Linda Ronstadt.)

[fabtastique]

interesting .... I love Donna but am not familiar with how much she had written. I know Starting Over Again ... its an OK tune but glad that she acknowledged Linda.

[cristianargentina]

She was so underrated as a songwriter:( Such a big, beautiful voice stucked with disco/dance/club music:(

[Deleted]

I seem to recall Linda stating that the disco genre is one she was not comfortable with... I know she never sang anything close to it...

[cristianargentina]

That was the main problem with Donna's career. She was forced by the music labels she was signed to to sing disco/dance music. She had an extraordinary voice wasted on such a limited music style as disco music was. I can certainly understand why Linda never recorded that kind of music, and I'm glad she didn't (Although Streisand recorded some disco music, and I have to admit I love some of them, especially her duet with Donna). Anyway, Donna has written some of the most beautiful songs I've ever heard. Sadly, she used to sing those songs live. She would not record them in studio (or didn't release them). She's written some pretty amazing christmas songs too. At the time of this interview, I think she was already working on writing a musical, "Ordinary Girl", for which she wrote the song "If there is music there" (released on her live DVD "Live & more encore". I think, when she said she wished those artists (including Linda) would sing her songs, she was referring to that kind of song ("If there is music there"). Even in her heyday disco era, she recorded the theme song "Once upon a time", spoken, as a ballad. That tune is, musically, a masterpiece. Sadly, it is spoken, not sung. Whenever she could, she would sing amazing songs live ("The way we were", for example). I miss that woman. She was a great loss for the music world We've lost so many in recent years... Laura Branigan, Luther Vandross, Michael Jackson, Donna Summer, Robin Gibb, Maurice Gibb, Prince, George Michael... It is surreal to me. I guess this is becoming a common thing to happen when you're over 40 (I'm 47 years old).

[Dianna]

I could hear Linda singing "Dim all the lights" or "Heaven Knows," which calls for a big full voice like Linda's.. Even tho Donna is known for being a disco RnB singer, some of her songs had a rock sound to them.

[rick]

There are a few songs that were covered by both Linda and Donna --


Lush Life









The Man I Love

(Linda's voice used on an episode of "Young Indiana Jones") --







And then here is a song that was written by Dan Fogelberg that was recorded by Donna Summer prior to her death but only just released about a year ago. ( could clearly see Linda covering this song. I had posted this when the song was released but it didn't seem to garner any notice. I think it's a beautiful performance by Donna --

Nether Lands --





Another song that Donna sang that Linda might have sung is "Reflections," the 1967 Motown hit by Diana Ross & The Supremes. Linda had quite a bit of luck covering songs such as "Heatwave," "Tracks of My Tears," and "Ooh, Baby, Baby" --





Here is a Donna song that is not disco recorded for her double LP "Bad Girls" "There Will Always Be a You" --




Here's Donna singing "Heaven's Just a Whisper Away" from her album "Mistaken Identity" (It's certainly not in the disco/dance mode and it shows off what a terrific voice she had) --

[cristianargentina]

Very nice post, Rick Glad to see people around here who appreciate Donna's unique talent:) I wish her wish would have come true during her lifetime and some of her songs were recorded by those artists she clearly admired (to the point she mentioned by name some of them, Linda included). Not everything she did was disco or dance (needless to say, changing the arrangements, you can make a standard out of some disco tracks). Now some songs came to mind of hers, that are not very well known and are not disco nor dance recordings: Friends Unknown, Whenever There Is Love (Duet with Bruce Roberts), Let There Be Peace.
And... believe it or not, Linda's appreciation for Jimmy Webb's songwriting skills was certainly shared by Donna: Donna's classic "MacArthur Park" is written by Jimmy Webb ♥ Not his best (lirically), at all, but there it is.

[jhar26]

Aug 3, 2018 13:56:09 GMT -5 @robertaxel said:

I seem to recall Linda stating that the disco genre is one she was not comfortable with... I know she never sang anything close to it...

Well, I would have payed to hear Linda do Love To Love You Baby and I Feel Love.

[cristianargentina]

Aug 4, 2018 8:26:29 GMT -5 jhar26 said:

Aug 3, 2018 13:56:09 GMT -5 @robertaxel said:

I seem to recall Linda stating that the disco genre is one she was not comfortable with... I know she never sang anything close to it...

Well, I would have payed to hear Linda do Love To Love You Baby and I Feel Love.

Well, she's been so versatile when covering different genres... who knows. Maybe with different arrangements... I wonder if she ever read that Donna interview anyway.

[rick]

Aug 4, 2018 8:15:09 GMT -5 cristianargentina said:

Very nice post, Rick Glad to see people around here who appreciate Donna's unique talent:) I wish her wish would have come true during her lifetime and some of her songs were recorded by those artists she clearly admired (to the point she mentioned by name some of them, Linda included). Not everything she did was disco or dance (needless to say, changing the arrangements, you can make a standard out of some disco tracks). Now some songs came to mind of hers, that are not very well know and are not disco nor dance recordings: Friends Unknown, Whenever There Is Love (Duet with Bruce Roberts), Let There Be Peace.
And... believe it or not, Linda's appreciation for Jimmy Webb's songwriting skills was certainly shared by Donna: Donna's classic "MacArthur Park" is written by Jimmy Webb ♥ Not his best (lirically), at all, but there it is.

Thank you, Cristian. You are very kind. It’s nice to have someone like you notice what I posted. Most of the time on this board I feel I post and it is just crickets.
Your point about Jimmy Webb is very well-taken. Donna sings “MacArthur Park” with such urgency that the lyrics don’t really get in the way of her vocals.
And thank you for mentioning those ballads such as “Friends Unknown.” Donna Summer was a real talent with a true vocal gift.

[cristianargentina]

Aug 4, 2018 14:27:19 GMT -5 rick said:

Aug 4, 2018 8:15:09 GMT -5 cristianargentina said:

...

Thank you, Cristian. You are very kind. It’s nice to have someone like you notice what I posted. Most of the time on this board I feel I post and it is just crickets.
Your point about Jimmy Webb is very well-taken. Donna sings “MacArthur Park” with such urgency that the lyrics don’t really get in the way of her vocals.
And thank you for mentioning those ballads such as “Friends Unknown.” Donna Summer was a real talent with a true vocal gift.

You're welcome, Rick:) I'm new here... so I still really don't know how much the users participate or comment on others' comments. Yours was worth my answer:) I can speak and post stuff about Linda like crazy, but I'm a music fan who loves tons of artists, especially those with outstanding voices, so I literally can chat about any great singer (in this case, Donna Summer♥). I hope this is not a problem for adms since this is a Linda Ronstadt forum. But I thought it would be cool to share this. I remember when I read it at the time and it got stucked in my mind, probably cause I was surprised that Donna mentioned another singer I love (Linda). I was subscribed to Billboard Magazine those years (in the 90s) and used to receive an issue a week. Nice times ♥ You're absolutely right, was a real talent with true vocal gift (wouldn't change a word of that statement).

[rick]

Bette Midler and Donna Summer duet on “Hot Stuff” —

bootlegbetty.com/2018/08/07/audio-bette-midler-and-donna-summer-hot-stuff-hulaween-2003/

[Topher]

Linda's good friend Emmy Lou covered Donna's "On the Radio" on her White Shoes album, I think. Donna was an amazing talent.

[erik]

Quote by Topher:

Linda's good friend Emmy Lou covered Donna's "On the Radio" on her White Shoes album, I think. Donna was an amazing talent.

And Donna's song "Starting Over Again" was a minor pop (and major country) hit for Linda's other Trio pal Dolly.

Truth be told, I never got what people had against Donna in her late 70s heyday, let alone the whole Disco thing. If rock and roll fans had any idea of the negative and disgusting way they reacted to disco, they'd realize that this was almost the same way their grandparents likely felt when Elvis came along in 1956.

[the Scribe]

As a huge fan of 70's popular music I thought the disco hits were awesome. I never understood where the negativity came from but I am guessing much of it had to do with its birth being an outgrowth of dance music out of gay clubs. Unlike today the stigma and hatred towards the gay community was harsh. As far as Donna Summer goes her first hit song Love To Love You wasn't indicative of her talents and pigeonholed her initially. She sure changed that perception after some more hits. Donna is another of those musicians that may become more popular after death.

[cristianargentina]

The disco music is no less than other musical genres. I do not like rock, yet I have enjoyed some rock stuff from Linda. Disco music defined an era and many may not like it, but there are tons of classic disco songs, and songs don't become classic songs just out of the blue. Donna, Bee Gees, all that disco era gave place to disco-oriented pop made by artists in the 70's (ABBA, no less: outstanding studio production, songwriting, sound quality not to mention the harmonies and incredible perfect pop melodies) such a Laura Branigan, Madonna herself and so many acts that came to light in the late 70s and early 80s. I have much respect for all musical genres. It's all about subjectivity. There all kinds of stuff for all kinds of tastes. However, the case of Donna is pretty particular because disco music would be represented by such big voices as hers. And she had to take her pipes down to record disco music. Once she got out of that place, she's recorded alot of memorable songs, with outstanding interpretation quality, whether live or in studio, and she proved she had a strong, big, powerful and outstanding voice, not to mention her songwriting skills. Gone too soon, I will miss her forever. And BTW, she shone so bright when she did "Dim all the lights" (which she wrote for Rod Stewart) and even sung impersonation his voice, and I was "where the HELL she comes that raspy voice?. She is, was and will ever be one of the greatest vocalists ever, no matter which genres she covered throughout her career. ♥

[rick]

Aug 8, 2018 9:07:50 GMT -5 erik said:

Quote by Topher:

Linda's good friend Emmy Lou covered Donna's "On the Radio" on her White Shoes album, I think. Donna was an amazing talent.

And Donna's song "Starting Over Again" was a minor pop (and major country) hit for Linda's other Trio pal Dolly.

Truth be told, I never got what people had against Donna in her late 70s heyday, let alone the whole Disco thing. If rock and roll fans had any idea of the negative and disgusting way they were reacted to disco, they'd realize that this was almost the same way their grandparents likely felt when Elvis came along in 1956.

Erik,
Am sure you remember or have seen photos / video of people taking disco records in around 1979-1980 and smashing them and setting them on fire, chanting, “Disco Sucks.”
While I am not saying it is the entire reason for this happening, but a lot of the artists who were popular in Disco were African-American and/or gay. And the songs were very popular in gay clubs. And traditional artists such as Paul McCartney (“Goodnight Tonight”), The Rolling Stones (“Miss You”), Rod Stewart (“Do Ya Think I’m Sexy?”) etc. were cutting Disco/dance tunes. I think it threatened a number of white Christian heterosexual males that their dudes were making these records and their ladies were off dancing at night in gay clubs. I don’t think it was truly just about the music. Just like now with the same group being threatened that whites, and white men, won’t be the majority any more.

[erik]

Quote by rick:

Erik,
Am sure you remember or have seen photos / video of people taking disco records in around 1979-1980 and smashing them and setting them on fire, chanting, “Disco Sucks.”
While I am not saying it is the entire reason for this happening, but a lot of the artists who were popular in Disco were African-American and/or gay. And the songs were very popular in gay clubs. And traditional artists such as Paul McCartney (“Goodnight Tonight”), The Rolling Stones (“Miss You”), Rod Stewart (“Do Ya Think I’m Sexy?”) etc. were cutting Disco/dance tunes. I think it threatened a number of white Christian heterosexual males that their dudes were making these records and their ladies were off dancing at night in gay clubs. I don’t think it was truly just about the music. Just like now with the same group being threatened that whites, and white men, won’t be the majority any more.

At the time, I was too young to know (let alone care) that this was going on; but yes, later on I read and saw photos and video of these disco record burnings, and read about Disco having been an outgrowth of the gay nightclub scene. I also do recall the times of listening to the radio in that period from 1977 to 1980, and for the life of me I don't recall any rock and roll act, let alone Linda (whose Simple Dreams was the biggest selling album by any solo artist in 1977), whose popularity or airplay were adversely affected by their not insinuating disco beats. Indeed, Linda could easily have been swamped by that movement, but her fan base was so large that she thrived in terms of album sales in that time frame like nobody's business.

Certainly Donna Summer, rightly or wrongly, was seen as the Queen of Disco; but she made some really fine hits of that time period that Linda could verily easily have essayed, if differently. And it may be of note that Donna was the only artist to get a #1 pop hit out of a song written by Jimmy Webb, that being a (radio)-abbreviated version of "MacArthur Park" in late 1978.

[Donna and Linda fan]

There was a late night TV show in 1979 or 1980 with Kenny Rogers and Donna Summer. I think they sang together and solo, and Donna sang some of Linda Ronstadt’s Rock and Country Rock hits. At the time, Linda Ronstadt was, and had been for the past decade, the reigning Queen of Rock (although Stevie Nicks, Debby Harry, and Pat Benatar were on the horizon).

So singing Linda’s songs demonstrated Donna’s rock abilities as both she and Linda were true belters. Interestingly, both Linda and Donna went on to record early hit New Wave albums, before that genre morphed into synth pop. It made sense as early New Wave combined sounds of Punk and Disco.

I’ve searched the web for the Kenny Rogers & Donna Summer show but have been unsuccessful. Donna sounded great!

[eddiejinnj]

Welcome to the forum, Donna and Linda fan. I seem to recall that Kenny Donna connection as in a show but I know if it can be found our tech savvy member/s will help you out if they can. I agree that Linda and Donna were both true belters. It's easy to join the forum. All have a great day and be well!!! eddiejinfl

[topher]

Is this the Kenny/Donna clip you're thinking of:

[eddiejinnj]

Thank you so much for posting, topher!!! eddiejinfl

[RobGNYC]

Does anyone have a copy of this book? I recall that the first edition (1982) had a list of Donna Summer's favorite female vocalists (five I think). Linda was on the list.

[eddiejinnj]

Yeah, I do recall seeing those books and do remember the Donna list and Linda being on it. Those were the days of hunting down info best we could. eddiejinfl

[moon]

Aug 3, 2018 11:03:32 GMT -5 cristianargentina said:

She was so underrated as a songwriter:( Such a big, beautiful voice stucked with disco/dance/club music:(

She was an amazing performer and a great songwriter. RIP Donna Summer

[vikingfan]

To me, disco is like any other genre. There's really good disco and there is some real garbage disco. The right producer and artist made some terrific records. It wasn't my cup of tea necessarly but I could certainly appreciate the artistry of records by performers like Donna Summer, Bee Gees, Gloria Gaynor, Kool and the Gang, Diana Ross, even earl Madonna. To stick your nose up at an entire genre is just snobbery IMO.

[Another Fan]

Try Whispering Waves, Thinkin Bout my Baby, Facination to name a few. On Bad Girls, On My Honour, There Will Always Be A You, All Through the Night.
She’s truly a great ballad singer.
Her acapella version of the US national anthem is in my opinion better than Whitney’s

[Another Fan]

Try Whispering Waves, Thinkin Bout my Baby, Facination to name a few. On Bad Girls, On My Honour, There Will Always Be A You, All Through the Night.
She’s truly a great ballad singer.
Her acapella version of the US national anthem is in my opinion better than Whitney’s