Dusty Springfield

Even the greatest of artists need a little help from their friends. Working with producer Johnny Franz at the Philips’ studio in London in the 1960s alongside the very best songwriters, arrangers and session musicians, Dusty Springfield and her crew accomplished great things; some of the most achingly beautiful, seductive and soulful music of any era. To demonstrate, although it is one of the latest tracks included here, jump straight in with 1970’s sublime ‘How Can I Be Sure?’.

Many of the same team were simultaneously working with Scott Walker on his several works of genius, but the name that appears on the record is there for a reason. Dusty was a star because no-one could sing like her, no-one could inject such passion, mournfulness, longing, sadness or joyfulness quite like her.

Your hour with Dusty omits the huge hits ‘You Don’t Have to Say You Love Me’ and ‘I Just Don’t Know What to Do with Myself’ as I imagine you’ll be familiar with them (but I’ve included and alternate mix of ‘I Only Want to Be with You’). Instead, discover quite possibly the best interpretation of Bacharach/David with 1967’s ‘The Look of Love’ and ditto Randy Newman, though you’ll have to make your own choice between her cut of ‘I Think It’s Gonna Rain Today’ and ‘I Don’t Want to Hear it Anymore’.

Dusty was equally adept at up-tempo floor-fillers as well as smouldering bluesy lovelorn ballads. Check out ‘Ain’t No Sun Since You’ve Been Gone’, arranged for her by 22-year-old John Paul Jones, a year before destiny saw him drafted in to a new band called Led Zeppelin, or the storming flop single ‘What’s it Gonna Be?’  And I’ve also included two versions of Goffin/King’s ‘Don’t Forget About Me’ recorded by Dusty on each side of the Atlantic two years apart, the earlier British version unreleased until many years later.

And don’t forget to check the exquisite ‘Just a Little Lovin’ or the haunting stripped bare B-side ‘No Stranger Am I’. Heck, check them all. This is one hour of unmitigated greatness and possibly genius who was an undoubted influence on every British female singer (plus the likes of St Etienne, Pet Shop Boys and Soft Cell) over the past half-a-century.