Dusty Springfield - Just Dusty

  by Lisa Torem

published: 25 / 4 / 2009

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Review

UK singer Dusty Springfield was one of the most popular recording artists in the 60’s. This new UMTV release features twenty six of Springfield’s most must-have hits. And many of these hits come to life when you hear the story behind them. 'You Don’t Have to Say You Love Me' was an Italian ballad Springfield heard performed at a festival. She asked her friend Vicki Wickham, the producer of 'Ready Steady Go', to write English lyrics for it. Wickham, along with Yardbirds manager Simon Napier-Bell obliged, scribbling the lyrics down in a taxi on the way to a nightclub. This powerful ballad has a poetic rhyme scheme, climactic build and a syntactic structure you could hang your hat on. It lyrics such as “you don’t have to stay forever/ I will understand…” might not, however, pass muster in this post-feminist era as the song, to some, might suggest that the female is not being given a fair shot romantically. Nevertheless, given the time period, Springfield pulls it together. Elvis Presley had been offered the song, but rejected it. Springfield’s recording in ’66 shot up to number 4 in the US and number 1 in the UK. Presley learned his lesson and then recorded it himself, but years later and not until 1970. Springfield had that rare intuition - both for choosing material and knowing how to articulate the nuances. In this release, the hits that launched her career are all there – some girl-band pop, some torch, some brave covers that had already been done. 'If You Go Away (Ne Me Quitte Pas)', originally recorded by French singer Charles Aznavour, was a challenge that could have been” lost in translation” by the wrong voice. Springfield learned from this production the art of translating the song’s entire feel and meaning, rather than just interpreting it word by word. She nails the French while extracting the purity of the original lyric and maintaining the ethereal flow. 'The Look of Love' was written specifically for Springfield by American composer Burt Bacharach, who said, “you could hear three notes and you knew it was Dusty. It was such a rare and beautiful voice.” The original cut had a long, sax solo not present here - probably a good choice – as the main event here is Springfield’s super-sultry take on the quintessential love song of all time expressed by lyrics such as: “the look of love/is in your eyes/the look your smile can’t disguise/the look of love is on your face/ the look your smile can’t erase…” Another ballad, 'What Have I Done To Deserve This', has a heavy tone which at first sounds like an anthem, but the song’s weight is balanced by Springfield’s sheer vocal restraint. Though the concept of unrequited love rears its sorrowful head, Springfield manages to disavow bitterness and shed hope. 'Take Another Little Piece of My Heart' required a leap of faith as Janis Joplin with her original version made it her signature song. But, Springfield takes it in a new direction. It’s not the in-your-face defiance we might expect – rather it’s more syncopated and traditional in its phrasing – I’m not sure which ranks higher – but it’s deserving of a serious listen. 'Son Of A Preacher Man' has a funky-feel that might be classified as Americana today. “The only one that could ever reach me/was the son of a preacher man…” Springfield snarls, growls and cajoles the listener into believing that this questionable match will work. Other up-beat companion pieces are 'Spooky' not as way-out as the original, but sassy and cutting-edge for the time and 'In Private', which is probably the most contemporary in terms of production. Both the sing-a-long pop of 'I Only Want To Be With You' and 'In The Middle of Nowhere' recall the American Motown sound that Springfield revered. Springfield gave many of those Motown singers a platform in the UK when hosting 'The Sound of Motown' in 1965 for a special edition of 'Ready Steady Go'. The final cut, 'Anyone Who Had A Heart', is the ultimate weeper. As Springfield begs to be loved again (post-feminist sensibilities not included!), she broaches the entire intoxicating breadth of her soul-curdling range. Dusty Springfield died aged 59. Her wish to have her greatest hits played at her funeral was granted. She had just received an O.B.E. insignia on her death-bed days earlier. The only quarrel with this collection might be the track order – do you play this on the way to work or at a dinner party ? Is it jarring to leap from deep reflection to pop bliss to French torch song ? But, then that’s the challenge with a singer that spans eras. Other than that, this is a stunner that shouldn’t be missed – a limousine ride through Motown, Haight-Asbury and Carnaby Street with the stereo up and the windows down.

Track Listing:-

1 I Only Want To Be With You
2 Stay Awhile
3 I Just Don't Know What To Do With Myself
4 Losing You
5 In The Middle Of Nowhere
6 If You Go Away
7 Some Of Your Lovin'
8 Little By Little
9 You Don't Have To Say You Love Me
10 Goin' Back
11 Brand New Me
12 All I See Is You
13 I'll Try Anything
14 Give Me Time
15 I Close My Eyes And Count To Ten
16 Son Of A Preacher Man
17 How Can I Be Sure
18 Breakfast In Bed
19 Just One Smile
20 What Have I Done To Deserve This
21 Nothing Has Been Proved
22 In Private
23 Spooky
24 Take Another Little Piece Of My Heart
25 The Look Of Love
26 Anyone Who Had A Heart

Band Links:-

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dusty_Sp
https://www.dustyspringfield.co.uk/
http://www.dustyspringfieldmusical.com
https://www.facebook.com/DustyTheMusic
https://twitter.com/DustyTheMusical