Dusty Springfield Is Still Covered by Artists Today
Dusty Springfield songs are still as popular today as they were when they were first recorded. Songs from her album, Dusty in Springfield have been covered with various levels of cheeriness by UB40 and Chrissie Hynde, the Harry J Allstars and even a Pussycat Doll, but what emotional pain there is at the heart of this LP’s song Breakfast In Bed. Welcoming a secret paramour early one morning, the singer seems casual at first, but later cuts loose and begs them to stay (it also uses a protesting-too-much line that replicates the title of one of Dusty Springfield’s big hits, “You don’t have to say you love me”).
Recorded with the magisterial production team of Jerry Wexler, Arif Mardin and Tom Dowd, and crisply blending soul and sophisticated pop, there’s a similar range throughout Dusty In Memphis. In parts it’s cool as can be, her immaculate voice close and confiding as she reflects on imperfect affairs of the heart, but as on the elegantly end-of-tether version of Randy Newman’s gossiping neighbours song I Don’t Want To Hear It Anymore, more urgent feelings are never far away (Wexler would recall Dusty as an insecure perfectionist who needed to feel songs before she could sing them). Consequently, with the ever-wondrous southern soul tune Son Of A Preacher Man, the driving Don’t Forget About Me or the jazzy version of celebrated psycho-drooler Windmills Of Your Mind, there isn’t a duff track. Though there is irony in the fact that the strings - not to mention those stunning vocals - were actually recorded in New York.
