A Girl Called Dusty
Dusty Springfield
1964
Album Summary
A Girl Called Dusty is the debut studio album by English singer Dusty Springfield. It was released on 17 April 1964 in the United Kingdom by Philips Records. The album peaked at No. 6 on the UK Album Charts and No.5 on NME charts in May 1964.
WikipediaAlright, so here's an album that was released in the mid-60s but sounds like it's from the 50s for the most part. A lot of the records on this list are ahead of their times but that's not the case here. Dusty gets points for some really great recordings of really great songs but they're mostly rips of other people's work. That was common for the time (especially among white performers covering songs by black artists) but it still makes me wonder why this was included in the list. It was enjoyable but nothing groundbreaking. Hence the 3 star rating.
I'm a sucker for the chanteuse who can make covering any song sound so easy. This album is but a foretaste of the feast to come regarding Dusty. But overall this one still grabs me, even if no one can really agree on song sequencing or even which songs appear on which version (American or British). The first time I ever heard of Dusty Springfield was when the Pet Shop Boys song, "What Have I Done To Deserve This" came on the car radio, and one of my high school friends said, "Ooh! Dusty!" and turned up the radio. I'm still not completely convinced he had any idea who Dusty Springfield was. Or the Pet Shop Boys for that matter.
Loved Dusty ever since that scene in Pulp Fiction - Go make yourself a drink and I'll be down in two shakes of a lambs tail. Summer Is Over makes me feel like I'm riding off into a desert sunset after victory at a high noon duel.
Sounds massively modern for 1964. A blueprint for all modern female soul/pop/RnB singers. Think Adele but in the 60s. This album must have been a revelation at the time. Best song: When the love light starts shining thru his eyes.
This was really, really, really good! Her voice is just amazing, the songs are all good and there’s some absolute belters in there too that I didn’t even know was Dusty! Absolutely tremendous album and will definitely be purchased in the future! Loved it!
The last Dusty album we reviewed ]had "Son of a Preacher Man" which is a song that can positively influence your rating and cover up a lot of blemishes. For this LP, we will find out what we really think of her. When this starts, I can't help but think she was influenced by white musicians from the Bobby Sox era. There are some songs where she tries to embrace Motown influences but she sure does sound white when she does this. If she wants to venture to Motown, shouldn't she get a guitar player and someone who can play either the trombone or sax rather than continuing with the orchestra? It's hard to pull off a Motown sound when you're relying on a dude in a suit with a baton. For perspective, this LP was released in 1964 and the Beatles didn't release albums with their first covers of Smokey Robinson until 1963/64 so it's not like there was a lot of guidance on how to adopt the sound. While I can cut her a bit of slack, there is no excuse for the baton still being in the house. Side 1: Anyway, "You Don't Own Me" is a very good song and there is no denying how good her voice is. The LP then moves onto the second tier songs. "Do Re Mi" and "When the Love Light . . ." have decent melodies although it's hard not to label Do Re Mi a weiner song. "My Colouring Book" put me to sleep but "Mockingbird" is fun. Side 2: The song "Nothing" is quite good and demonstrates she can sing songs that are uptempo and loud (by Dusty standards). "Wishing and Hoping" validates my point on her needing to move on from the suit with the baton. "Don't Ya Know", the Ray Charles cover that concludes the album, is fabulous and the best song on the LP. She is accompanied by band that can play this type of music and they sound like they are having a whack of fun. Final thought: She wasn't born with the name "Dusty Springfield"; she picked it and it's an incredibly cool name. How could she pick a name that cool and a hairstyle that lame? Ringo looked cool with that hairstyle but Dusty, not so much. My feelings about this album are really mixed. She has a great voice and I really want to like her more.
Soulful, liked it much better than I expected. Favorite songs were You Don't Own Me, Summer is Over
It was really good!! I don’t know I expected less. But I found this super.
Love Dusty! Almost forgot how many hits she had back in the 60s. But her joint project with the Pet Shop Boys was the best.
Loved this, even better than the other album even though that has the most well known tune. could listen again and again
This album was a treat. It contains all of the Dusty Springfield songs I already knew, plus some additional gems.
I just cannot get enough of this. The album is not a 5 Its very repetitive and the closing tracks are a little dull But god I'm all for that cute 60s love music. You Don't Own Me and My Colouring Book are really good
What a wonderful album and I want to do a cross reference on which of these were covers or originals. Beautiful songs in here and her voice is marvellous
I listened to this album on headphones during the car ride from Buffalo to Chicago, which was the perfect way to hear the buttery quality of Dusty's voice. I've heard a few of the songs before, but it was special to listen to a whole album of her. I haven't thought of the song "You Don't Own Me" in awhile and think its a beautiful mix of sweet and creepy. I loved the arrangement of "Mockingbird", with the backing vocals being as loud as the lead vocals. "Can I Get a Witness" really showcased her vocal range and I loved the screamy bits at the end!
Is there a better British Soul Singer than Dusty? I don't think so! "Can I Get A Witness" "You Don't Own Me" "Wishin' & Hopin'" "Anyone Who Had A Heart" the list goes on of classic soul/pop on this album. Brilliant, and reminds me of my childhood, you can hear here why the Pet Shop Boys wanted to revive her career in the late 80's. Iconic and strong role model! Love this album it reminds me of my childhood in the 60's
Wonderful, mournful 60s blue-eyed soul. You Don't Own Me is chilling and perfect.
Wow. Pure joy blasting out the speakers. They don’t make them like this anymore. I love how hard the drums are on a lot of these songs. Everything on here is gold but “Twenty-Four Hours From Tulsa” wrecked me. Also, she can really wail! "Don't You Know" in particular has some fantastic, soulful vocals in the second half. (I had to stream that one on the album "Dusty" for some reason.)
Actually really love this. 60s. Some covers of songs I've heard before. Super catchy!
I fell in love with Dusty Springfield while listening to "Dusty In Memphis," and while that album has a particular magic of its own, this album, "A Girl Called Dusty," is no less amazing. Some truly iconic songs here. She puts so much into every song. If you're in the US and want to listen to the original UK tracklisting on Spotify, try this playlist here: https://open.spotify.com/playlist/502kIR00kWHE9mhHS1EnFd?si=kpLMLADVRIO_tDZRKGz9kg&utm_source=copy-link This track order is far superior to what was released in the US.
Jaa ik hou van haar energie en haar stem. You don't own me, kende ik natuurlijk al maar heel het album is echt sterk met vooral een sterk middenstuk. Ik hoor graag meer van haar en van dit genre.
I love Dusty Springfield, and this album is chock-full of great songs done in her fantastic style. What’s not to love?
Wowee! Range is the word for this album. Songs cover a wide range of styles: there are a few covers of tunes made popular by American "girl groups" like The Shirelles and The Supremes, three Bacharach/David numbers, one written by Ray Charles, and one by Kander & Ebb. But Springfield also demonstrates remarkable vocal range, from a deep growl to a chill-inducing soulful belt to a lovely light head voice. (My husband kept asking, "Is this the same person?") The lyrics display sexual and romantic power that must have been unusual in 1964. Even Wishin' and Hopin', which advises us to give one's true self up to get a man ("Do the things he likes to do. Wear your hair just for him."), also encourages us to make the first move since it won't happen if we just sit passively wishing and hoping, etc. And it's fascinating to note the shift in tone when some of these songs, clearly written for men, are sung from a woman's perspective --- Twenty-Four Hours from Tulsa hits me very differently sung by Dusty Springfield than sung by Gene Pitney. I absolutely love this album. Can't get enough!
At first, I didn't get the depth and emotion and individuality here that I got listening to Dusty in Memphis. It seemed to sound very much like other 60s girl groups (which is not in any way a negative, mind you!). However, listening again, many of the songs being classics with well-known performances by others, I really got to appreciate the debut of a real talent. I really loved her performances of the classic songs, noting that I'm not sure I could pick Dusty or Dionne when it comes to Bacharach/David. (They both win!) It was "Don't You Know," though, that her singing really blew me away. I could listen to this one over and over and over.
bloody hell this is good. i didn't realise half of this was her. this is the 60s at its best, skittish drums, brass, strings, backing singers and melodies.
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Not available on Spotify USA. Recreated using the American versions, but in this case, I think the US albums are better, including the singles/B-sides. Fantastic album either way. You Don’t Own Me, 24 Hours, and Nothing are all great. US ‘version’ is a 5 star.
Pretty good album with no big misses. It gets repetitive sometimes but some song really stood out
Good album with some standout songs but it dragged on for a little too long. It would be better if it didn’t have 20 songs 8.1/10
Live it Up made me think of Locomotion - haha. I’ll be honest, with a name like Dusty Springfield, I thought it was going to be more country sounding even though I knew deep down it wasn’t. I enjoyed this. Nothing necessarily profound but pretty fun. Given that this is her first album, I’d say pretty strong debut.
Lots of catchy ass tunes I’ve heard before but didn’t know were Dusty. Pleasantly surprised!
Had no idea who Dusty Springfield was and was pleasantly surprised to hear familiar beats and songs throughout her album, which somehow wasn’t on Spotify so I just found the track list online and went through each song in a queue. Definitely would recommend if you’re into classical music!
4 of the songs are unavailable on spotify. I decided to listen to it on youtube: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hzSI9js1nGQ&list=PLowQCq3Ss89g7z4hUKG5BN8M_9R8TcD6T
Good blue eyed soul album. Timeless? Maybe not but a fun listen every now and then.
it’s so weird how well this British woman did Motown Fav track: mockingbird
Really good, great voice, and second-best Mockingbird rendition of all time
Good album. Expected country from the name Dusty, but I was WRONG. Here are some good sixties bops
There were a lot of songs on this album I was familiar with but couldn't tell you they were by Dusty Springfield. It was a fun listen. I enjoyed it.
Dusty. What else can you say? These are some of the biggest hits of the 60s. Countlessly covered, remixed, reused, recycled, and replayed. Do Re Mi is the album's low point, but I'm not sure if I can isolate its high point. It's all so good! I'm partial to Wishin and Hopin.
7. Coloring book doesn't fit in well to an iambic meter, and this album has not convinced me otherwise.
Another album that I was surprised how many songs I recognized - although not always Dusty's version. I believe she did a bunch of covers and also covered things. Probably 3-3.5 stars for the music itself - would be a nice album to have on in the background where it is nice to listen to but can also just be nice noise to have around, with a round up for impact
Really enjoyable. I had only really been familiar with her hits, and this album was a pleasant surprise that really showcased her talent and had a more old-school flavor. Would listen again
Lots of great songs I already knew but refreshingly lots of great songs I didn't. Favourite track: summer is over
today this album is great for background music. Warm, funny, great for this time of the year
An entire album of famous hits I've heard before. Didn't realize these songs were all hers. The only one I knew for sure was "Son of a Preacher Man" and that's not even on this album.
A remarkable collection of well known songs, many with a Motown influence. Dusty's voice is incredible.
A me questo disco ha sorpreso ed è piaciuto. Lo stile di Dusty mi piace e sento molto soul nella sua voce anche se non necessariamente nelle melodie. Si sentono gli anni 60 ma in maniera estremamente positiva e non stucchevole.
Dusty Springfield's first album sees her stepping into a Blue-Eyed Soul style. Her performance is commanding and confident. I'm not terribly familiar with her work but I find it interesting that like the Beatles, we see the influence of Black music on an English artist. Her voice on 'Twenty-Four Hours from Tulsa' is soaring and was the first track to really click for me. Though some of the song choices are confusing to me, her studio recordings are energetic and exciting.
Loved it! A total classic - this is another one of those albums that I've listened to and heard song after song that I recognized but never knew who sang it. Definitely will listen again. Great Sunday morning vibe.
bloody enjoyable record this. Maybe longer than it needs to be la lovely relaxing listen. 4/5
Great voice, great songs, and only a few of them that I knew before listening. Oldest album so far, and first solo artist and female vocalist
Dusty leaves her roots and embraces soul and lets her voice rip. Great album, even though it has a lot of covers.
Thought I wouldn’t like this but she’s got a great voice and besides one or two tracks the songwriting is interesting and fun. The backing band sounds great. 4/5
Ah Dusty, what a little legend! Packed to the brim with bangers this album! My faves include Wishin and Hopin, and You Don't Own Me, what a tuuuuune. Loved listening - will listen more what a great reminder to listen to more Dustyyyy.
I knew so little about Dusty Springfield before now. I had no idea she was British! She's just got such an earthy style, I'd assumed she was American. And wow... so many classic songs. This was a fun listen.
I enjoyed this album. Nothing very groundbreaking about the music, but the arrangements are solid and her voice is fantastic. I can't help but wonder about cultural appropriation whenever I'm listening to "blue-eyed soul" so I feel like I should go back to some of the original versions. But she sounds like she belongs in this style (unlike, say, Janis Joplin, who I thought wrecked some good R&B songs). Stand out moments: "You Don't Own Me" sounded like it belongs in a Quentin Tarantino movie (then I saw that Son of a Preacher Man is in Pulp Fiction). "Do Re Mi" had a fun groove and a great piano break in the middle. I really liked "Anyone Who Had a Heart" - unusual voicings and progressions - kudos to Bacharach and David (I saw Dionne Warwick recorded it first so I went to check it out - that version sounds great, but this one has a distinct sound). Solid 4.
Not sure why this album isn't on Apple Music, I know she's famous. I pieced it together though and really enjoyed it. She's got a very classic sound, definitely a go-to for '60s pop singers. I didn't recognize many songs just looking at the tracklist, but almost immediately I was hit with classic jams I hear over and over again. I'm pretty sure we'll get more from her on this list, and I've got no problem with that. Favorite tracks: Wishin and Hopin, Mama Said, You Don't Own Me. Album art: Just a simple portrait of a girl called Dusty. Not false advertising, I'll give it that. 4/5
Смесь довольно ненавязчивого речитатива с фоновым мягким фанком. Вася В слямзил свой Царский Альбом с некоторых треков Коммона
A very enjoyable listen. Uplifting from beginning to end, great runtime, flawless 60s production, and a great vocal performance.
Pleasant, 60s pop music. Dusty has a nice voice, but occasionally can be a little faceless. Favorite tracks: "When The Lovelight Starts Shining Through His Eyes", "Will You Still Love Me Tomorrow", "Twenty Four Hours from Tulsa"
Slušat ovo i densat u kuhinji je ekšli bilo katartično i popravilo dan, hvala Dusty!
Top Tracks > Mama Said > You Don't Own Me > Twenty Four Hours From Tulsa > Will You Love Me Tomorrow? > Wishin' and Hopin' > Don't You Know > I Only Wanna Be With You > Can I Get a Witness > Once Upon a Time
Good album. A couple hits I recognized, some I didn't. She's got a lovely voice, and a fine story teller.
- Cool. We are wearing the same shirt. - "You Don't Own Me" ❤️ I like this vintage genre. It’s melodic and gives me a peculiar feeling. I never listened to this album but I discovered I already knew a couple of songs.
I had no idea Dusty was English. Still the ultimate icon of the swinging sixties. Enjoyable album even if she was brought up closer to Doncaster than Detroit
Pros: - really, fantastically amazing and timeless songs. Cons: Misc: - I thought Dusty Springfield was a 70's male singer. Fuck!
Yesyesyesyaaaaas! I could listen to this all day long. There are so many great tracks on here that are both personal favorites and also HUGELY popular. She's a 60's "girl group" all on her own, bringin the soul.
Had to cobble this together since it's not available on Spotify in the States. All the songs are though, it was pretty easy. I like this era of American pop songs from the Brill Building, Motown etc. and Dusty (the proto Adele?) is a great interpreter. Her truly great days are still ahead of her here but this is a nice collection.
A new stuff for me, but actually pretty good, not greatest but indeed enjoyable
Enjoyed more than the last Dusty album I rated. More energy. Feels even more soulful. Dusty's the original blue eyed soul. Like Adele before there was Adele
I liked this one a lot, had a few standout tracks. 'Nothing' is my favourite. But I don't think it deserves a place in this list.
Whit woman singing soul music makes me feel dirty. But the songs are good
I enjoyed this quite a bit! Great voice; good vibe; solid set of songs.
Love me some Dusty. Great voice, great collection of songs. Some ahead of their time (You don’t own me), others less so….
Nothing not to like about this, An amazing singer and though the songwriting quality varies significantly, it bottoms out at “pretty good” and a plenty of it ascends to pop classic status.
20 tracks, 55 minutes, that's some value for money. Though on research it looks like the usual trick of an original album has been padded out with a whole bunch of other things - but in this case I don't mind,. Wonderful production. Sound of the 60s.
"A Girl Called Dusty" is the debut album from English singer Dusty Springfield. Dusty had been a member of The Springfields in the early 60's, toured the US and became exposed and influenced by Motown. Her music and style are described as blue-eyed soul and pop; she also sings ballads. I hear all those on this album including some doo-wop (probably pop at that time). I found this album very interesting in that it constantly switched styles seemingly between songs. Obviously, Dusty has a great and emotional voice. At times she reminded me of Amy Winehouse and other times more of a Motown singer. This album was her first collaboration with song writers Burt Bacharach, Hal David, Gerry Goffin and Carole King. The album starts with a cover of the Shirelles' "Mama Said" written by Luther Dixon and Wille Denson. More in the doo-wop style but Dusty also gives it that blue-eyed soul feel. "My Colouring Book" has more of a orchestral and grandeur tone. A song written by Fed Ebb and John Kander and performed by Sandy Stewart in 1962. You really start to hear Dusty's versatility here. The second side begins with "Twenty Four Hours From Tulsa" and kind of combines a lush orchestral background with doo-wop. A very 50's-sounding song and showcases her great vocals. My favorite song on the album is the Burt Bacharach and Hal David song "Wishin' and Hopin'.'" Just a great pop song with horns, great backing vocals and of course, Dusty nailing it. I have listened to later 60's Dusty. This was my first time for her earlier songs. I really enjoyed the variety of styles and can see why it made this 1001 list.
Carino, molto allegro. Molto bello, che bella voce e ritmo. Ci sono un sacco di classici! Quasi 5 stelle
Some really great songs on here, Dusty does a great job with interpreting some classics. This is 1964 in a nutshell
A charming album from Dusty Springfield, who always seems to find just the right songs to cover to suit her voice accompanied by a perfectly arranged orchestra and backing singers. The special something in Ms Springfield's interpretation of these songs seems to be a sense of displacement - a white Londoner with a soulful voice singing mostly American songs, crooning love songs about boys despite being a lesbian, a wholesome image despite addiction to drink and drugs. A sometimes tragic, sometimes heroic figure, Ms Springfield never seemed to quite belong despite being beloved by many.
A Girl Called Dusty is likely patchier than I'd like to believe, but there's a sparkle about most of the music that simply works. The initial few songs expose the listener to a pretty wide variety of styles, with Dusty's voice doing significantly but not wildly different things. Then the record seems to settle in a groove, though not as far as style goes: We end in another new world, with kaleidoscopic memories of the last half hour.
This is the type of album I love discovering through 1001 Albums. I don't think I ever would've listened to it otherwise, but I'm really enjoying it. It's fun, catchy and upbeat with more varied and interesting instrumentation than a lot of early '60s music I've heard.
You tend to forget just how many hits Dusty made completely her own. The pure quality of that voice which has been rarely matched just transformed any song into something special. The vocal performances throughout are impeccable, (obviously) and the production on the instrumentation is timeless and supports dusty without overpowering her at any time. There's also the fact that it's just really really good. The song selection and track list is just really well put together and the whole album front to back is really entertaining.
There are some classic hits on this album that are lovely and timeless. Dusty's voice is captivating and amazing when coupled with the right songs and arrangements. There are some duds on the first half of the album that doesn't make her voice justice imo. But overall a good listening experience. Especially during the spring I would guess.
Hadn't listened to much Dusty until now and my first impression of, "A Girl Called Dusty" is that I should have listened to her much earlier. I recognized a couple of the songs and I especially enjoyed her versions of the Burt Bacharach covers. Solid record throughout and I'm guessing this is her essential album from her catalog. Well worth the listen!