1. Mama Said
2. You Don't Own Me*
3. Do Re Mi
4. When the Lovelight Starts Shining Through His Eyes*
5. My Colouring Book
6. Mockingbird
7. Twenty-Four Hours from Tulsa
8. Nothing
9. Anyone Who Had a Heart *
10. Will You Love Me Tomorrow
11. Wishin' and Hopin
12. Don't You Know
A
About ten years ago, my sister and I were sitting around drinking and listening to music (as we often did, and still do when the opportunity presents itself). My sister's tastes mostly run to top 40 pop, while I generally go for older or more indie stuff. Anyway, I put the Jesus and Mary Chain's Darklands on and I'll never forget my sister's proclamation: "I want to fuck his voice".
I bring this up because honestly, that's how I feel about Dusty Springfield. Her voice has the perfect mix of charm, intelligence and downright sensuality, and I fucking love it. Add to that a collection of great song choices and and enormous, everything-but-the-kitchen-sink approach to production, and this is just a great record from start to finish.
The great thing is that Springfield has range. She can blaze through upbeat soul like "Mama Said" and play the wounded lover on the slow "My Colouring Book". "When the Lovelight Starts Shining Through His Eyes" is an utterly joyful, and wonderfully over-the-top song with an irresistible hook that tells the story of a man originally dismissed who slowly wins his love. But the really good stuff is the slow ballads. Leslie Gore will always own "You Don't Own Me", but Springfield does a wonderful job of it and the lush production adds an interesting twist to the song. And "Anyone Who Had Heart" is similarly gorgeous. She may not be able to quite match the originals, but Springfield has her own particular take on the songs that makes them stand on their own. I'd also like to refocus on the production, which is a trifle overblown but at the same time irresistibly catchy, as opposed to the slick and taut original versions of most of these songs.
It's kind of interesting, really. Dusty Springfield sings with an American accent, and her songs ape the American originals, but no-one quite manages to perfect the imitation and the result is something strange and unique. I mention this because, pretty much since the '50s, this has been the story of British rock and soul - white people trying to sound black, and ending-up sounding completely unique. It's especially true of the Rolling Stones, who are the next album on this list.
Anyway, this is a great album. If you love early 60s pop (which I do) then you owe it to yourself to hear it. What's amazing is that this isn't even the best Dusty Springfield album on the list - the superlative Dusty in Memphis is still to come.
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