Thursday, November 30, 2006

Music Box: Dusty Springfield

Dusty Springfield "Dusty in Memphis"

No music collection could be complete without Dusty's 1969 masterpiece, "Dusty in Memphis." Michael and I were just listening to it the other night and even after all these years I had to turn to him and say, "God, I can't believe how good this is." In 1999 the album was gloriously remastered and a whopping 13 bonus tracks were tagged on (that's more songs than were on the original lp), including fun covers of Bread's "Make It With You" and Carole King's "You've Got a Friend." But it's the classic album that you'll never forget -- "I Can't Make It Alone" still gives me goose bumps and "So Much Love" still makes me swoon everytime (both are Goffin-King compositions, suggesting that Dusty may very well have been the ultimate interpreter of their work). What a voice ...


Especially: "Son of a Preacher Man," "I Don't Want to Hear It Anymore," "So Much in Love," "I Can't Make It Alone"

8 comments:

Mydoona said...

Hey, my partner and I love Dusty also. Not sure if you heard that there has been a musical put together of her life.
Have a look at what my partner wrote on his blog.
http://mydoona.blogspot.com/2006/05/diva-dusty.html

Anonymous said...

I have to confess... I don't get it. I'm crazy for music and consider myself appreciative of some far-fetched musical stylings but I get BORED with Dusty. I bought the album because it was on Rolling Stone's Top 500 list a few years ago. I'll give it another whirl, just because I'm worried I'm missing something...

Anonymous said...

You know i Love me some Dusty!

Give her another try Hotlanta.

DUSTY is one of the best singers of all time.

Anonymous said...

She had a good later album in the 90's "A Very Fine Love" that had some good tracks. She covered country singer KT Oslin's "Where Is A Woman to Go". It's awesome.

Anonymous said...

Okay, I just listened to the whole album all the way through.There are SOME highlights. But "That Sweet Old Roll" has got to go. "I Can't Make It Alone" and "Willie & Laura Mae Jones" are as close to perfect as a song can get. I think I'll take my put upon diva in the form of Tammy Wynette though. Sorry.

Anonymous said...

You should try the other release - the Philips one with the green cover. It sounds better but doesn't have all the extra stuff added.

"I Can't Make It Alone" is just so, so awesome.

dit said...

this album is amazing. One of the fgew that hold up to the virus of time.

Anonymous said...

I love, love, love this album. It is the perfect collection of songs to end the day on the beach, right before sundown. "I Cant' Make it Alone" is one of the best produced songs ever and I am a big fan of "Son of a Preacher Man." It is by far the most played album on my IPod.