Dusty Springfield Soul Diva Or White Artist Rip Off?

[Drew3]

This may have been done on here before but here goes!

Just watched the recent South Bank show from a month or two back about Dusty Springfield and wondered what the view of the regular patrons of this site thought about this very talented singer?

Does she deserved to get played and are any venues doing so?

'I just don't know what to do with myself' is brilliant sung by Miss Springfield

KTF.

Drew.

[Guest]

This may have been done on here before but here goes!

Just watched the recent South Bank show from a month or two back about Dusty Springfield and wondered what the view of the regular patrons of this site thought about this very talented singer?

Does she deserved to get played and are any venues doing so?

'I just don't know what to do with myself' is brilliant sung by Miss Springfield

KTF.

Drew.

wonderful singer her version of long after tonight is all over is magical top artist

[Guest garv]

Fantastic singer & she loved soul / black music,

" Dusty in Memphis" (Atlantic) is a great album & produced by Jerry Wexler & her lp "everything`s coming up Dusty" ( Phillips) is also stunning, contains her versions of " Long after tonight is all over" & " i had a talk with my man" the vocal on the latter is pure soul.

Heard loads of Dusty played at venue`s ever since i started getting into soul music.

Garv.

[Makemvinyl]

Been playing "Whats it Gonna Be"

Since its release

and has been a classic blue eyed Northern Soul track since day 1

and is a good singer and was a big soul/Motown instigator

in the early says,

But her first songs when she came out of Aussie Land"like "Island of Dreams"

where out and out C&W urgh

Doug

Edited May 22, 2006 by MAKEMVINYL

[Guest]

This may have been done on here before but here goes!

Just watched the recent South Bank show from a month or two back about Dusty Springfield and wondered what the view of the regular patrons of this site thought about this very talented singer?

Does she deserved to get played and are any venues doing so?

'I just don't know what to do with myself' is brilliant sung by Miss Springfield

KTF.

Drew.

Dusty was just the finest female vocalist in the UK during the 60s check out her WHERE AM I GOING TO LP with a version of " I can't wait until I see my baby's Face" + others:

we'll get a soundbite up on the website today..you'll love it.

[binsy]

Brilliant singer, also love her version of 'Ain't no easy way down' from the Dusty In Memphis album.Love her Philly lp with tracks 'Lost', 'Silly silly fool' 'Bad case of the blues' and a 70s lp called 'Cameo' a track called' Who gets your love' a Lambert & Potter penned tune.

[Sean Hampsey]

Agree with Binsy (yet again) on this. 'Silly Silly Fool' & 'Lost' are Philly Magic!

Also, have always had a real soft spot for her Phillips 45's "Your Hurting Kinda Love" and "Some Of Your Loving"

Sean Hampsey

[Little-stevie]

Agree with Binsy (yet again) on this. 'Silly Silly Fool' & 'Lost' are Philly Magic!

Also, have always had a real soft spot for her Phillips 45's "Your Hurting Kinda Love" and "Some Of Your Loving"

Sean Hampsey

Loved Dusty from the age of 14 and always will..."some of your loving" gonna go home and play it later...Top lady indeed for me and many others...

[chrissie]

This may have been done on here before but here goes!

Just watched the recent South Bank show from a month or two back about Dusty Springfield and wondered what the view of the regular patrons of this site thought about this very talented singer?

Does she deserved to get played and are any venues doing so?

'I just don't know what to do with myself' is brilliant sung by Miss Springfield

KTF.

Drew.

Without doubt one of the greatest female vocalists of all time. "What's it gonna be" was one of the first records I bought when I started buying vinyl again. Dusty sings Soul (I Think that's the title) is a fantastic CD with her version of "Long After Tonight is all over" which is awesome.

QoFxx

[soulfulsaint]

Good question she was from the UK sixties generation scene where several major artists used their talent to 'bring' black music to a wider pop audience. The Beatles, the Stones, Tom Jones, Dusty and even Lulu's 'Shout' spring to mind. But Dusty was good too, and her Memphis recordings go beyond pop. One way of taking 'race' out of the equation is to compare her best material with say Chris Clark's at Motown. For me Dusty edges it.

Edited May 22, 2006 by soulfulsaint

[Guest musicden786]

Been playing "Whats it Gonna Be"

Since its release

and has been a classic blue eyed Northern Soul track since day 1

and is a good singer and was a big soul/Motown instigator

in the early says,

But her first songs when she came out of Aussie Land"like "Island of Dreams"

where out and out C&W urgh

Doug

Hello Doug hope your are well.

Good post and very good reply. Pity one or two DJs around at the moment try to put this lady down.

Didnt Dusty record some audition material with Motown?

Denis.

[Guest Netspeaky]

If she had been black we wouldn't be haven't this post, one of the best white voices ever. listen to her music it's all there, it's called soul music.

[Guest]

If she had been black we wouldn't be haven't this post, one of the best white voices ever. listen to her music it's all there, it's called soul music.

Not allways,chekc her Springfieds recording more folk than soul.......... Lena Zaffaroni had a better voice

[chrissie]

Lena Zaffaroni had a better voice

Ken............I am seriously worried about your mental health recently..errrrrrrrrrrr did I say recently

QoFxx

Edited May 22, 2006 by chrissieo

[Guest]

Ken............I am seriously worried about your mental health recently..errrrrrrrrrrr did I say recently

QoFxx

Right you got me,total fraud................am i gonna` have to prove this,i`ve got a couple of Lena 45s,that prove Lena had a much better vocal range,she just never got the soul bug

or the slimming pills fukced her soul-side-up

Edited May 22, 2006 by ken

[Guest Matt Male]

Good question she was from the UK sixties generation scene where several major artists used their talent to 'bring' black music to a wider pop audience. The Beatles, the Stones, Tom Jones, Dusty and even Lulu's 'Shout' spring to mind. But Dusty was good too, and her Memphis recordings go beyond pop. One way of taking 'race' out of the equation is to compare her best material with say Chris Clark's at Motown. For me Dusty edges it.

Dusty vs. Chris Clark eh? Interesting, i never thought of that comparison. Did they ever record the same track so we can compare?

Agree with everything said so far she was 'the white first lady of soul' i think someone once said.

M.

[Guest TONY ROUNCE]

Right you got me,total fraud................am i gonna` have to prove this,i`ve got a couple of Lena 45s,that prove Lena had a much better vocal range,she just never got the soul bug

or the slimming pills fukced her soul-side-up

...and of course LZ had releases on Stax (I'm not joking about this, she really did!) - but seriously, anyone who can even think about mentioning Dusty and La Zavaroni in the same sentence, apart from jokingly, really IS ready for that checkup from the neck up.....

TONE

[Guest Netspeaky]

...and of course LZ had releases on Stax (I'm not joking about this, she really did!) - but seriously, anyone who can even think about mentioning Dusty and La Zavaroni in the same sentence, apart from jokingly, really IS ready for that checkup from the neck up.....

TONE

LZ did a version of "Rescue Me" but it was crap.

[Guest dundeedavie]

been playing haunted for a while when i do soul sets , brilliant tune from the same sessions i think as "silly silly fool"

Davie

[Guest NASHEE]

I Luv this to bits

plus her best ever pop offering....I close my eyes and count to ten

Edited May 22, 2006 by NASHEE

[Drew3]

Just had a listen to Silly Silly Fool and What's It Gonna Be on the SCJB.

Both excellent records.

I have heard both before but not paid as much attention as I should have.

Clearly the majority feel that Ms S is up there with other great soul artists and deserves that place.

Who am I to disagee.

Drew.

[Guest rachel]

Really like this one.

 

[Guest TONY ROUNCE]

LZ did a version of "Rescue Me" but it was crap.

...You say that like you were expecting it to be anything other than crap, mate!

TONE

[Guest dundeedavie]

just thought i'd stick up a file of haunted in case anyone didn't know it

dusty___haunted.mp3

[Bigsoulman]

Her "Dusty In New York" ep with "Live It Up" is brilliant

Lenny

[ockers]

Silly Silly Fool....quality gamble and huff

and her version of am i the same girl....awesome

[Mike Lofthouse]

Her "Dusty In New York" ep with "Live It Up" is brilliant

Lenny

Just bought a copy of this for the wonderful - 'I Want your Love Tonight' - produced by Shelby Singleton I believe.

Agree with the comments on 'Silly Silly fool' - it appeared on the philly box set and was not out of place!!

Just playing 'Where I'm Going' and 'Everything's Coming up Dusty' - what fantastic material was cut on her - I often wonder how they came about these these songs in the UK in the 60's - somebody must of been really 'hip' - more so than white America!

And how good is the the art work on 'Everything's Coming up Dusty' ? - beats CD's hands down!

Mike

[Guest]

LZ did a version of "Rescue Me" but it was crap.

Two versions,one on UK President both shite

[Sweeney]

...and of course LZ had releases on Stax (I'm not joking about this, she really did!) - but seriously, anyone who can even think about mentioning Dusty and La Zavaroni in the same sentence, apart from jokingly, really IS ready for that checkup from the neck up.....

TONE

I can vouch for this. Bought a copy of Lena Zavaroni's 'Ma, He's Making Eyes at Me' as a less than serious birthday present for a friend who collects Stax. I thought he was going to faint when he opened the package. His face was an absolute picture!

[Sunnysoul]

Not allways,chekc her Springfieds recording more folk than soul.......... Lena Zaffaroni had a better voice

For once, I find myself agreeing with Ken ... IMHO Dusty is/was way overrated as a vocalist. Take her supposedly classic Dusty in Memphis LP, every track on that LP was a cover and every one of them had - either before or after her - been done in superior style by, dare I say it, "authentic" US soul artists . The LP's reputation had more to do with Jerry Wexler's production suss and the fact that she had become the darling token "white girl who could sing soul" of rock music critics of the time, a bit like a softer version of Janis Joplin. Actually , the Dusty in Memphis LP was a commercial failure at the time , barely scraped into the charts , the general record buying public just didn't buy it ... and of course Aretha , Gladys Knight and most of the other truly great female soul artists were deservedly selling records in bucketloads at the time ....

And her LP in Philly with tracks such as Silly Silly Fool WAS admittedly a very good one, probably her best work, but it was more a testament to Gamble & Huff's writing and production talent than Dusty's vocal treatment.

Yes, Dusty's version of What's It Gonna Be IS superior to the original by Laura Greene but again , it's the great backing track that is the star rather than Dusty and I also believe that the backing track was recorded in the US with Garry Sherman , who was of course Jerry Ragavoy's production cohort, and Garry Sherman could make ANYONE sound good !!!!

Sorry , the best I can say is that Dusty was occasionally pretty good , but of the other UK females Cilla Black , Lulu and Helen Shapiro had greater vocal talent if we are all being honest , and then you have others like Julie Driscoll who were truly brilliant ...

[Sean Hampsey]

Yes, Dusty's version of What's It Gonna Be IS superior to the original by Laura Greene but again ,

Susan Barrett, Surely!?

Sean Hampsey

[Ted Massey]

For once, I find myself agreeing with Ken ... IMHO Dusty is/was way overrated as a vocalist. Take her supposedly classic Dusty in Memphis LP, every track on that LP was a cover and every one of them had - either before or after her - been done in superior style by, dare I say it, "authentic" US soul artists . The LP's reputation had more to do with Jerry Wexler's production suss and the fact that she had become the darling token "white girl who could sing soul" of rock music critics of the time, a bit like a softer version of Janis Joplin. Actually , the Dusty in Memphis LP was a commercial failure at the time , barely scraped into the charts , the general record buying public just didn't buy it ... and of course Aretha , Gladys Knight and most of the other truly great female soul artists were deservedly selling records in bucketloads at the time ....

And her LP in Philly with tracks such as Silly Silly Fool WAS admittedly a very good one, probably her best work, but it was more a testament to Gamble & Huff's writing and production talent than Dusty's vocal treatment.

Yes, Dusty's version of What's It Gonna Be IS superior to the original by Laura Greene but again , it's the great backing track that is the star rather than Dusty and I also believe that the backing track was recorded in the US with Garry Sherman , who was of course Jerry Ragavoy's production cohort, and Garry Sherman could make ANYONE sound good !!!!

Sorry , the best I can say is that Dusty was occasionally pretty good , but of the other UK females Cilla Black , Lulu and Helen Shapiro had greater vocal talent if we are all being honest , and then you have others like Julie Driscoll who were truly brilliant ...

How can you possibly compare Dusty to that old croaker Cilla Black one of the most over rated singers ever

[Guest]

How can you possibly compare Dusty to that old croaker Cilla Black one of the most over rated singers ever

I sold a Cilla killer,25 quid...............so that fukcs your theory i sense anti Liverpudlianism,could i be wrong

[Little-stevie]

I sold a Cilla killer,25 quid...............so that fukcs your theory i sense anti Liverpudlianism,could i be wrong

I think Dusty had a little bit more soul about her than Cilla ,no not a bit,quite a fooking lot...Not anti Liverpool Ken but i just can't get Cilla singing on blind date out of my mind now..A cat with a poker up its arsre comes to mind....I did like Cilla singing anyone who had a heart though,a tune i got from my mum...

[chrissie]

For once, I find myself agreeing with Ken ... IMHO Dusty is/was way overrated as a vocalist. Take her supposedly classic Dusty in Memphis LP, every track on that LP was a cover and every one of them had - either before or after her - been done in superior style by, dare I say it, "authentic" US soul artists . The LP's reputation had more to do with Jerry Wexler's production suss and the fact that she had become the darling token "white girl who could sing soul" of rock music critics of the time, a bit like a softer version of Janis Joplin. Actually , the Dusty in Memphis LP was a commercial failure at the time , barely scraped into the charts , the general record buying public just didn't buy it ... and of course Aretha , Gladys Knight and most of the other truly great female soul artists were deservedly selling records in bucketloads at the time ....

And her LP in Philly with tracks such as Silly Silly Fool WAS admittedly a very good one, probably her best work, but it was more a testament to Gamble & Huff's writing and production talent than Dusty's vocal treatment.

Yes, Dusty's version of What's It Gonna Be IS superior to the original by Laura Greene but again , it's the great backing track that is the star rather than Dusty and I also believe that the backing track was recorded in the US with Garry Sherman , who was of course Jerry Ragavoy's production cohort, and Garry Sherman could make ANYONE sound good !!!!

Sorry , the best I can say is that Dusty was occasionally pretty good , but of the other UK females Cilla Black , Lulu and Helen Shapiro had greater vocal talent if we are all being honest , and then you have others like Julie Driscoll who were truly brilliant ...

Maybe Helen Shapiro, but as for the others you have got to be having a giraffe

QoFxx

[chrissie]

i sense anti Liverpudlianism,could i be wrong

Surely not and to you to

QoFxx

[Guest TONY ROUNCE]

For once, I find myself agreeing with Ken ... IMHO Dusty is/was way overrated as a vocalist. Take her supposedly classic Dusty in Memphis LP, every track on that LP was a cover and every one of them had - either before or after her - been done in superior style by, dare I say it, "authentic" US soul artists . The LP's reputation had more to do with Jerry Wexler's production suss and the fact that she had become the darling token "white girl who could sing soul" of rock music critics of the time, a bit like a softer version of Janis Joplin. Actually , the Dusty in Memphis LP was a commercial failure at the time , barely scraped into the charts , the general record buying public just didn't buy it ... and of course Aretha , Gladys Knight and most of the other truly great female soul artists were deservedly selling records in bucketloads at the time ....

And her LP in Philly with tracks such as Silly Silly Fool WAS admittedly a very good one, probably her best work, but it was more a testament to Gamble & Huff's writing and production talent than Dusty's vocal treatment.

Yes, Dusty's version of What's It Gonna Be IS superior to the original by Laura Greene but again , it's the great backing track that is the star rather than Dusty and I also believe that the backing track was recorded in the US with Garry Sherman , who was of course Jerry Ragavoy's production cohort, and Garry Sherman could make ANYONE sound good !!!!

Sorry , the best I can say is that Dusty was occasionally pretty good , but of the other UK females Cilla Black , Lulu and Helen Shapiro had greater vocal talent if we are all being honest , and then you have others like Julie Driscoll who were truly brilliant ...

...just how far "in cheek" was your tongue when you wrote this, mate? Nice try at stirring up some controversy, but I recognise a wind-up when I read one - or, for the sake of your sanity, at least I hope I do!

TONE

PS and BTW there was at least one original on "In Memphis", "Son Of A Preacher Man"...

[Little-stevie]

Maybe Helen Shapiro, but as for the others you have got to be having a giraffe

QoFxx

Lulu better then Dusty .....Now lets here you fight your corner on that one...Fudge can sing better than that ...Shout shout shout,yes thats what she did..If she's done some other fantastic work then let me know,would like to hear it....

[chrissie]

Lulu better then Dusty .....Now lets here you fight your corner on that one...Fudge can sing better than that ...Shout shout shout,yes thats what she did..If she's done some other fantastic work then let me know,would like to hear it....

Think you mis-understood me Steve, I love Dusty and think she is was the best white female vocalist ever, what I meant was that cilla, lulu etc were not in her league but Helen was good, maybe not quite as good as dusty but listenable

QoFxx

[Guest trickbag]

dont know what some of you are talking about lena zav cilla lulu, pick anyone from mid sixtys early seventys.none can compare just listen then tell me im wrong,remember not everyone makes a hit record just take a look at your collection,how many where in the charts

Dusty_Springfield___I_ll_Try_Anything.mp3

Dusty_Springfield___Ain_t_No_Sun_Since_You_ve_Been_Gone.mp3

Dusty_Springfield___Long_After_Tonight_Is_All_Over.mp3

[chrissie]

dont know what some of you are talking about lena zav cilla lulu, pick anyone from mid sixtys early seventys.none can compare just listen then tell me im wrong,remember not everyone makes a hit record just take a look at your collection,how many where in the charts

Not much more you can say to that, speaks for itself

QoFxx

[Guest Netspeaky]

dont know what some of you are talking about lena zav cilla lulu, pick anyone from mid sixtys early seventys.none can compare just listen then tell me im wrong,remember not everyone makes a hit record just take a look at your collection,how many where in the charts

you can also add tracks like her version of "Welcome Home" and "Go ahead On"

[Guest trickbag]

could listen to dusty all day so many wonderful recordings

Dusty_Springfield___Go_Ahead_On.mp3

Dusty_Springfield___Long_After_Tonight_Is_All_Over.mp3

Dusty_Springfield___Welcome_Home.mp3

[Ted Massey]

Remember seeing Dusty appearing on i think a motown revue singing Wishing and Hoping and singing the pants of i think the Marvelettes or the vandellas who were backing her

[Guest TONY ROUNCE]

Lulu better then Dusty .....Now lets here you fight your corner on that one...Fudge can sing better than that ...Shout shout shout,yes thats what she did..If she's done some other fantastic work then let me know,would like to hear it....

Actually, Lulu did make some great sides on Decca. Her version of Little Hank's "Try To Understand" is fabulous, as is her original version of Them's "Here Comes The Night". I also like her (uncredited) duet with Johnny B. Great on Rufus and Carla's "That's Really Some Good". Many of her records from this period were produced by soul legend Bert Berns, when he was commuting back and forth from New York, and they sound as good as any US-produced girlie records of the era.

Even Cilla made a couple of truly fantastic records in the mid 60s, particularly "Conversations", "I've Been Wrong Before" (Randy Newman song) and "What Good Am I" (written, I think, by Kenny Lynch and Mort Shuman). But in her case it really was only a handful of goodies among an abundance of not so goodies.

Helen Shapiro was the first girl that I ever had a crush on, so I'm not even going to try to be objective there.

Julie Driscoll? Fabulous looking woman, but a so-so singer whose records do not even hint at any realy possibility that she had the potential to be better than the unbeatable Ms. Springfield.

I'm sure that if you asked any of these women, then or now, they would tell you that Dusty Springfield was better than any of them - all of the time...

TONE

[Little-stevie]

Think you mis-understood me Steve, I love Dusty and think she is was the best white female vocalist ever, what I meant was that cilla, lulu etc were not in her league but Helen was good, maybe not quite as good as dusty but listenable

QoFxx

Sorry Chris

My reply was to sunny soul comments about the others british girls being better...

All the best...

Edited May 23, 2006 by little-stevie

[Drew3]

Remember seeing Dusty appearing on i think a motown revue singing Wishing and Hoping and singing the pants of i think the Marvelettes or the vandellas who were backing her

There was a clip of that review on the South Bank show that prompted my origional post.

KTF.

Drew.

[Guest]

Actually, Lulu did make some great sides on Decca. Her version of Little Hank's "Try To Understand" is fabulous, as is her original version of Them's "Here Comes The Night". I also like her (uncredited) duet with Johnny B. Great on Rufus and Carla's "That's Really Some Good". Many of her records from this period were produced by soul legend Bert Berns, when he was commuting back and forth from New York, and they sound as good as any US-produced girlie records of the era.

Even Cilla made a couple of truly fantastic records in the mid 60s, particularly "Conversations", "I've Been Wrong Before" (Randy Newman song) and "What Good Am I" (written, I think, by Kenny Lynch and Mort Shuman). But in her case it really was only a handful of goodies among an abundance of not so goodies.

Helen Shapiro was the first girl that I ever had a crush on, so I'm not even going to try to be objective there.

Julie Driscoll? Fabulous looking woman, but a so-so singer whose records do not even hint at any realy possibility that she had the potential to be better than the unbeatable Ms. Springfield.

I'm sure that if you asked any of these women, then or now, they would tell you that Dusty Springfield was better than any of them - all of the time...

TONE

LULU also did a real nice,Leave a Little Love, Decca! must have been pretty young on this one!

Wheres JM gone with his promise of the-I Cant wait until i see my babys face?? clip! Anyone!

[Rotherham Soul]

Hre's my favourite Dusty track

Brill!!

Every_Day_I_Have_To_Cry.mp3

Edited May 23, 2006 by rotherham soul

[Rotherham Soul]

Remember seeing Dusty appearing on i think a motown revue singing Wishing and Hoping and singing the pants of i think the Marvelettes or the vandellas who were backing her

Got that clip

Was on the Ready Steady Go Motown Special

Duet with Marthea Reeves