After devoting special episodes to certain (still living) acts over the years, it took her tragic death for the BBC/TOTP2 to finally profile Donna Summer. Proclaimed "Queen of Disco" by the media, and while undoubtedly deserving of the epithet, Summer in fact also deserves to be remembered as one of the greatest song stylists of all-time (and it should be noted that she composed the majority of her lyrics), recording and releasing (as well as composing) music in multiple genres; everything from rock, pop, soul, new wave, Inspirational, New Jack Swing, country... Working with the likes of Moroder/Bellotte, Quincy Jones, Stock-Aitken-Waterman and even releasing a Christmas album.
In a mere half hour we get just a taste of Donna's versatility, combining various live performances (some from the BBC archives and some apparently from US archives) as well as the odd video (Donna did not make a live appearance on TOTP until 1987 - which of course is included - although she was miming as was required by acts at the time). A performance of Last Dance was thankfully included, for although a big hit in the USA and one of her signature tunes, it only made number 50 in the UK.
While the inclusion of her 2004 appearance on Later with Jools Holland (performing The Beatles' Let It Be) was a most welcome inclusion (and a great testament to her versatility) it is entirely regrettable that two of her undoubted signature songs: On the Radio and She Works Hard for the Money (both minor hits in the UK) are omitted. What also would have been a nice touch is to have included her final appearance on TOTP, performing Melody of Love in 1994, as this was the only time she sang live on the show (the rules for miming having changed 3 years earlier). Adding 10-15 minutes to the run time and incorporating those (at least) 3 missing performances would have rounded off this tribute a lot better and made it so much more worthy of such an incredible talent.
But then any tribute is better than no tribute I suppose. But still, an extended version would be even better.
In a mere half hour we get just a taste of Donna's versatility, combining various live performances (some from the BBC archives and some apparently from US archives) as well as the odd video (Donna did not make a live appearance on TOTP until 1987 - which of course is included - although she was miming as was required by acts at the time). A performance of Last Dance was thankfully included, for although a big hit in the USA and one of her signature tunes, it only made number 50 in the UK.
While the inclusion of her 2004 appearance on Later with Jools Holland (performing The Beatles' Let It Be) was a most welcome inclusion (and a great testament to her versatility) it is entirely regrettable that two of her undoubted signature songs: On the Radio and She Works Hard for the Money (both minor hits in the UK) are omitted. What also would have been a nice touch is to have included her final appearance on TOTP, performing Melody of Love in 1994, as this was the only time she sang live on the show (the rules for miming having changed 3 years earlier). Adding 10-15 minutes to the run time and incorporating those (at least) 3 missing performances would have rounded off this tribute a lot better and made it so much more worthy of such an incredible talent.
But then any tribute is better than no tribute I suppose. But still, an extended version would be even better.