In a little less than three years, we’ve lost some major voices in the music world. While the deaths of Michael Jackson, Amy Winehouse, and Whitney Houston were shocking, they weren’t altogether surprising. All suffered personal struggles that were regularly press-worthy fodder, so on some level we’d been prepared for the worst.

But the death of Donna Summer yesterday at 63 feels different. The news really did come out of nowhere. According to reports, only her family and close friends knew Summer had been battling lung cancer and just how serious her condition had become.

A versatile singer who effortlessly tackled showtunes, dance, funk, pop, and rock, Summer’s career counts hits that spanned five decades. Crowned the Queen of Disco, a title that Summer so richly deserved for her total domination of the genre, her musical legacy extends well beyond the confines of the dance floor. Bringing music typically heard only in dim nightclubs into the mainstream light of day (the seminal “I Feel Love,” for one), Summer paved the way for dance-pop artists like Madonna (whom she called “a phenomenon”), Kylie Minogue, Beyoncé, Rihanna, and Lady Gaga. Moreover though, she was the model of a female force to be reckoned with, one of her own making.

How best to pay tribute to a legendary diva like Donna Summer? The tunes, of course. These five tracks provide a good overview of her musical journey through various eras.

“MacArthur Park” (1978)
Originally recorded by Richard Harris, Donna Summer’s discofied take on “MacArthur Park” not only spent five weeks at #1 on the dance chart, but also was her first #1 on the Billboard Hot 100. Summer’s reign lasted three weeks, while the rain ruined the cake that took so long to make.

Has anyone made heads or tails of this song? Still, the inscrutable “MacArthur Park” was dramatic and that was enough for the 5-year-old me. Had I known then that a 17+ minute version existed (dubbed the “MacArthur Park Suite,” it incorporated “One Of A Kind” and “Heaven Knows”), I don’t know what I would have done with myself.

They really don’t make ’em like this anymore.

All the sweet green icing flowing dooooooooown!

“She Works Hard For The Money” (1983)
In 1980, Summer had sued to be released from Casablanca Records, her disco-lovin’ label home, and subsequently became the first signee to Geffen Records. After releasing a couple of albums to disappointing sales in 1980 and 1982, she was basically written off by the Geffen, which turned over an unreleased album she’d recorded with producer Michael Omartian to PolyGram/Mercury.

In May 1983, the title track to She Works Hard For The Money became another top 5 hit for Summer, her twelfth. Ever the trailblazer, she was the first African-American female to have a music video aired in heavy rotation on MTV. One assumes Summer was too God-fearing in those days to say it, but I will: Suck it, David Geffen!

Keeping Summer company on the Hot 100 during her three-week stay at #3 with “She Works Hard For The Money” that August? The Police, Eurythmics, Duran Duran, Michael Sembello, Stevie Nicks, and erm, Taco.

“Twenty-eight years have come and gone, and she’s seen a lot of tears…”

“This Time I Know It’s For Real” (1989)
Too young to enjoy her original run under the disco lights, my first chance to dance to Donna Summer’s music away from the home stereo arrived via “This Time I Know It’s For Real.”

Co-written and produced by British production team Stock Aitken Waterman (Kylie Minogue, Bananarama, Rick Astley), the exuberantly executed “This Time I Know It’s For Real” reached #7 on the Hot 100 in June 1989, and was already a staple of my high school dances that spring. The effect on me when it came on in the gymnasium? Instant elation.

“Shout it out with a megaphone!”

“Love Is The Healer” (1999)
One of two new studio tracks recorded for Summer’s 1999 album, Live & More Encore, “Love Is The Healer” hit during my full-on, real-deal clubbing phase. Co-produced by Thunderpuss (Barry Harris & Chris Cox), their Club Mix remains one of my favorite remixes the duo ever turned out. (Note: the embed below is the Thunder Drum-A-Pella.)

“Love Is The Healer” was Summer’s 12th #1 club hit, proving the veteran singer-songwriter still knew how to deliver the goods as the world approached the millennium (as if there was any doubt). The track’s brilliant spoken breakdown offers a wonderful summation of Summer’s music career and perhaps her raison d’être.

“Love is the mission, baby. It’s always been the only assignment I’ve ever had.”

“Stamp Your Feet” (2008)
In 2008, Donna Summer released Crayons, her first studio album in 17 years. Then 59, she tapped into the talents of current pop/R&B writers and producers (Toby Gad, Greg Kurstin, Danielle Brisebois, Evan “Kidd” Bogart, J.R. Rotem) for a 12-song set that delivered on the promise of those collaborations.

Summer scored three additional Billboard dance number ones from Crayons, “I’m a Fire,” “Fame (The Game),” and “Stamp Your Feet.” She performed the latter track, along with “Last Dance,” on American Idol‘s 2008 finale. Jason Nevins’ remix of “Stamp Your Feet” remains a fave.

“Stamp your feet on the ground, make it really loud, you ain’t goin’ down!”

It’s sad to know the Queen of Disco has departed us, but as long as there’s a groove and people feel the need to move, the last dance will always be saved for Donna Summer.

Purchase Donna Summer’s amazing discography via iTunes, Amazon MP3.