Reviews (page 9 of 13)
Nothing unpleasant about this, but nothing that wowed me either. I thought it wore out its welcome just a touch, although as I write that I’m enjoying the final song. Maybe cut 2-3 just before this final one.
This is a difficult album to rate. I’ve always loved Dusty Springfield, but this isn’t her best work. No surprise that it’s her debut - it’s generic 60s pop, without the soul of her later work (“Son of a Preacher Man”, “Spooky”, or “Windmills of Your Mind”). As such, we don’t get her best vocal performances. Wishin’ and Hopin’ is the only song I really like here, and there’s a couple of others which pale in comparison to the originals (“You Don’t Own Me” and “Will You Love Me Tomorrow”) - this wouldn’t matter as much if Dusty’s versions were a bit more elaborate rather than just imitations of the originals. The rest is just easy-listening background music.
Good songs Good voice Can't complain
great voice, some great songs, some yawn. 3/5
Fun to read WHY this album matters at all. Lots of racial cross over
Decent, 3.1
She`s great
Good Bacharach standards, well sung. It just goes on a bit too long
Pretty decent.
This was a fun album to listen to, not something I would have picked for myself so I appreciate this album generator expanding my horizons a bit more. She has a very strong voice which I really enjoyed. My favorite track was probably her rendition of “You Don’t Own Me” I really liked her version of it. I thought the album flowed well together and was able to mix happier and upbeat songs well with the slower and more emotional songs. I think this album is a 3, definitely had some songs I really enjoyed and a few I probably would skip on an another listen.
Makes want to play some stick ball beside an open fire hydrant in the streets of Brooklyn.
Frankly, I'm mostly finding myself... Like, just unsure why this album was included on this list. The way I figure it, if you've heard DUSTY IN MEMPHIS, you're probably good for Dusty Springfield albums you "need" to hear. It's the one with "Son Of A Preacher Man", after all. With a doubt, that's her greatest song, with or without a popularity boost from Tarantino. The rest of the album is pretty good blue-eyed soul, too, so... I'unno, I just can't imagine what else you're supposed to get from a **second** album of hers that IN MEMPHIS doesn't already provide. And it's not like this album provided a good answer. Like, yeah, it's a 60's pop album, composed entirely of covers. And, look, I'm not down on covers, or largely recording songs the artist didn't write; as long as the artist can provide something new or that makes it uniquely their own. Elvis did that all the time — and "Son A Preacher Man" falls into this as well, since not only did Dusty not write it, but it was originally meant for Aretha. Now, "Son Of A Preacher Man" turned out to be a classic, whether it's Dusty or Aretha singing it. Meanwhile, this album, being 100, makes me wonder what's so special about Dusty Springfield. She's a great singer, and she's got range, and it's all a pretty fun listen, but... What's the big deal about this album, besides the fact that it's from the woman who'd go on to be the second pick to sing "Son Of A Preacher Man"? I'm willing to bet, there's probably a dozen other records from 1964 alone that'd sound just as good as this one. So why does **this** hafta be something I **need** to hear before I die? Now, I'm not gonna be a complete jerk about that, like so many others would be. To my ears, this is still a pretty solid 3. It's a good listen that I can't say I didn't enjoy. I'm just lost on what that "special something" is really supposed to be. Like, this could have been any girl called anything, y'know? But, eh, whatever. I'm not gonna throw a fit about it. Besides, at least it was a way better listen for this Randomizer than American Music Club's CALIFORNIA, even if that's not a very high bar to clear. Jus', goodness.
6.2/10
A chord in my heart for Dusty is being struck. You can hear the influence of American soul being the underlying impulse behind her voicing--and that voice! This cover shows Dusty the nonconformist, blue-shirted soul getting an early airing, Bacharach David and Dozier Holland and Goffin King (throw in some Ray Charles) getting behind her and propelling this album into the stellar pop pantheon.
She does have a lovely voice and these are great songs but maybe history has changed the narrative coz this didn’t feel original or groundbreaking. It just felt like her interpretations of other (better) originals.
It's funny how different a listening experience can be given different variables. Marianne played this in the car as we were driving around this weekend and at a lower volume, playing in the background, I was finding Dusty's vocals were grating on me in a similar way Adele does, and I wasn't enjoying it very much. But a more focused listen later on revealed a more nuanced vocal, and I was also struck by how few artists Dusty had as milestone markers along the way. She was certainly breaking ground in the early-to-mid-'60s. But... I didn't exactly love it. It's good stuff, all the more given the time period and musical landscape, but this ain't my jawn.
This album has quite some classics of the 60s sound that I didn't know were from Dusty. It is a sound I do enjoy but I'm not a huge fan of it. The songs are great though, and her voice is unique and pleasant to listen to.
3.5/5
Absolutely incredible voice, but an album of mostly covers, even if that was the norm back in the day, should not be on this list.
A really good listen! Classic collection of songs and sung with lots of vigor!
Mmhm
this was pretty nice but weirdly not for me even tho i thought i was poised to love this
Lovely but somewhat repetitive
Contains several covers, which are not done as well as the original artists. She does have a great voice, rich and gravely. Includes the classics "Wishin' and Hopin'" and "I only want to be with you", which are great and really play to Dusty's voice and style.
Pretty solid, very fifties vibes, kinda like grease or a retro diner. Heard a couple songs without even knowing before Fave song: when the light starts shining thru Least fave song: mama said Would I listen again: maybe as background noise or if feeling jazzy
I like Dusty's voice and love Summer Is Over, but I wouldn't necessarily listen to the album again.
Lovely album. Lovely lady.
A timeless classic You Don't Own Me. But album does get a bit monotonous after a while.
Greats standouts, does fall to some 60s cliches often enough to get boring
Great voice, songs a bit uneven.
Full of iconic songs, this album is a total delight. (Whether or not some of those songs would have so successfully stood the test of time had they not been sung by Dusty… I suspect not.) The perfect soundtrack to Christmas morning in many ways – even the heartbreaks are sunny. I’m landing on four stars because the album itself didn’t have that artistic cohesion that I expect from a five star record (I’m sure that having had Pink Floyd recently has had an influence). Still, bangers.
genérico até o cu fazer biquinho, mas num eh ruim não. tem umas bem sessentistas, bem divertidinhas, mas é isso. num fede nem chera
Blind album and artist. I recall hearing some of these somewhere but can't put my finger on it... I'm sure it'll come to me one day. Album was alright and a lot of the same thing. Catchy at times.
I was surprised by how many of these songs I knew. This album got very repetitive. It seems like if you were a woman singer in this time period, you had to sing almost exclusively about men 🙄
pleasant old-school listening. Can imagine my grandparents listening to this back in the day
In most cases, the originals were better. 3/5
Well, this is pleasant. Obviously, Dusty in Memphis gets all the attention, but one gets a good sense that that album didn't come from out of nowhere. Probably not one I'll revisit all that much, but a nice enough half-hour's diversion.
Nice voice, ok songs
An alright album with alright music. Was that necessary here?
I heard many songs from Dusty Springfield here and there, on compilations or soundtracks. I always loved her stuff! First time listening to a full LP of this artist and this was exactly what I expected, nothing mindblowing, but really pleasant songs nevertheless.
I knew almost every song but didnt realize they were remixes.
6/10 - We have gone almost full circle now except that we still have around 700 albums to go. I think the other Dusty album should have also been a 3/10 I just did not know what my rating scale would be. It was a fine album but I am happy that I have finally caught up.
At first I wasn't enjoying this. A bit twee, dated. Not my thing. But the version of Will You Love Me Tomorrow saves it from total disgrace. Great version of a great song.
talented white lady sings motown karaoke
Pretty good, lots of classic songs
I did not use a private spotify session for this one. Lots of classics on this album, love her voice. Don't know when I would put this on, though. Maybe if traveled back in time to the sixties segregated south, running a whites only diner and I liked soul music.
Enjoyed it some good tracks :)
Incredible voice.
Not as good as the other Dusty Springfield album on the list.
Taking the best songs that America had to offer 10 years ago and performing them all together on an album that you name after yourself is the epitome of British excellence. This is an album for old racist fucks who have had 10 years of exposure to black American music and were finally ready to listen to it. The songs are fine, I don't think these versions add much to the original but Dusty seems like a swell lady and a talented singer.
Much like the previous album we had, this is perfectly fine, pretty bland 50's/60's pop music. It's not something I'd listen to regularly but wouldn't be annoyed if the whole album played in the background. It's funny to me that her debut album was all covers, but I guess that was relatively normal at the time this was made.
British white woman vaguely soul music? I wouldn't have guessed. Simplistic in nature with great vocals and that signature 60's sound. Overall, a fine listen.
Smooth!
thikai cha teti ramro ta manena
This sounds so different than Dusty in Memphis. I have not heard Thai album at all before. Some good songs and good performances. I don’t think I would have it on the list of 1001 but it was pleasant enough. .
Lovely album done by one of the best!
Not bad. Very doo-wop. I've heard a lot of these songs before, and I guess now I know where they all came from.
There is some amazing stuff on here but the quality isn't consistent throughout. But even at it's weakest point, her voice still makes everything enjoyable.
So , sometimes you stumble in some that you say"eh.. this is gonna suck" and then it's a pleasant surprise. Like this one. I know, it may be cheesy, but some of the classics still hold up, or at least for us Boomers that are pretty good.
Great songs but not the best versions
Great songs, sung beautifully, but it's all covers. That was common at the time of release, but there is no original work here, hence 3 stars.
che bella voce, che bel vibe. Dusty mi stai simpy
223/1001
Interesting how this album is all about Dusty Springfield and not at all about her at the same time. A large collection of cover songs from the 60s with the typical early-mid 60s sound and vibe. But to be fair, most of them benefit from being sung by Dusty. 3.5/5
I guess I really like the Dusty hits, not so much the other stuff
An enjoyable listen. It really feels like a solid representation of a mid 60s music
Sounds of my childhood. Dusty sounds like she's breaking ground here, and at the time I think she was. Nice listen.
Goeddd. Begint met André Hazes. Sowieso echt een erg goed album, maar net wat te lang vind ik
Classic 60's
You don’t own me is great, like really great! But honestly I just think dusty is a bit… meh. Sure great for her time just a bit… dusty? Honestly my favourite was I only wanna be with you so I was so disappointed after realising it wasted on the album. It’s just an okay album 3/5
A bit of a challenge chasing this album down. The album was reproduced so majorly that they decided to retitle it? I listened to the Stay Awhile album. It seemed that the track listing was mostly the same with a few extras This incarnation of Dustys music is so early 60s and honestly a relic. The background vocals and random string orchestra instrumentations are laugh inducing. I like 70/80s Dusty far more That said, I liked some of the songs in a non ironic way. Anyone Who Had A Heart , Wishin And Hopin, Will You Love Me Tomorrow were some enjoyable songs
Far too sultry for a girl from Skelmersdale or wherever it is she's from. Sounds pure West Coast LA, actually pure West Coast LA postcode. Either way, she sings beautifully, although as these songs aren't hers, you sometimes sense a slight emotional detachment.
Surprisingly enjoyed it
de_dust2
Not terrible, no real stand-outs on this one, though. Very glad I now know Dusty is not a boy..
You don’t need to hear it from me for it to be true that Dusty Springfield was an icon of her era, and one of the leading characters of the Swinging Sixties. But I’m really not all that familiar with her music. She seemed like a pretty cool person though. Best of all, she was pretty openly bisexual, which was a huge deal considering the standards of the 70s. But it’s interesting how this album resides when looking at it through a historical lens. This album draws heavily on the soft rock and roll, blue-eyed soul sound of the 50s. And in 1964, when basically every notable and memorable release from that year was a jazz album, this is an interesting callback. Plus, when this was made, it had only been a decade and a half since the 50s started. The most notable release from about 15 years ago is probably My Beautiful Dark Twisted Fantasy. We have to remember that what seems like history long past for us was once the new, cool thing. Which is wild to think about. But from the perspective of an actual listening experience, this album is just okay. I’ve expressive before that this era of music is sort of a gray spot for me, and that seems to be consistent here. There is just never enough going on in these old school rock and roll albums to keep me entertained. Plus, having her debut be entirely composed of covers maybe isn’t the best way to become familiar with the songwriting abilities and talents of Dusty. But thankfully, the one saving grace of this record is Dusty herself. She actually provides something to the covers, and her voice is wonderful. Definitely justifies why she was such a huge star back in the day. My score has less to do with her, and more to do with the music itself and my general bias towards this genre. Rating: 5/10
Favorite Track: Mama Said
Just to preface this review I listened to the original UK release track list with none of the bonus tracks to fully take in the record and its sequence as it was originally heard. Firstly, who would’ve thought a Brit could’ve pulled off the Motown sound with such ease. It may be unfair to just define the album’s genre as simply pop because there is a lot going on here musically. This record is packed with straight, to the point, and catchy tunes that really are a good example of the best from its era. The original album sequencing is pretty standard and is overall a cohesive and accessible listen.
Solid album of covers. It’s odd to me that it’s on this list.
A tremendous voice but on this album she sees trapped singing a lot of songs that are similar.
When I began to get into music in the early 60’s I had to be very selective about when and which album or single to buy. Money from a paper round and the odd 2/6d birthday money didn’t go far. Listening to this album today reminded me that at that time there was a series of albums featuring all the chart hits at the time. Not by the original artists but by session musicians and they were very close to the originals. From memory I think they were all called Top of the Pops and featured a bikini clad lady on the front. I bought one of these albums and my favourite track happened to be a cover of Dusty Springfield’s “I Only Want To Be With You” which is from this album. That track was on constant replay so the song is permanently imprinted in my brain. Other than that I had no further involvement with Dusty other than she appeared a lot on TV and had a hit with the Pet Shop Boys. I appreciated her vocal talents which is an understatement because perhaps she had one of the finest female voices in pop and soul. It wasn’t until recently when I have become reflective of all the music I may have missed because I was too busy with life, that I picked up a Dusty Springfield greatest hits CD at a charity shop. Thanks to that I am very familiar with mist of the songs on A Girl Called Dusty and I can now really appreciate what a talent she was. A good album. Note to self - Wiki states that the Top of The Pops series didn’t begin until 1968 so there must have been another similar series of covers around 1964 the date of this album’s release. Wonder what happened to that album as it’s no longer in my collection? 3/5 16/10/24
Ehh.. I really don’t have a lot to say about this. It’s old pop music from the early 60s that really sounds like it’s from the 50s. It sounds nice and has a few decent tracks, but this album is rather unremarkable. It doesn’t really stand out. The lyrics are passable, but most of the time they don’t really offer a whole lot. Springfield’s voice is what makes most of this album, along with a few backing instrumentals. But, they don’t carry the album. This album has its moments, but with it just being (sometimes nice) covers of songs with a 50s - 60s pop sounds it doesn’t really have too much going for it. It’s just rather unremarkable.
Pretty good album, I've heard it before and I still like it. She has a great voice and the songs are excellent and classic. I'm sure that I will listen to this many more times.
Peppy! Still not really that interesting, or more than just a kinda OK album. 3/5
Does not seem to be available anywhere anymore in the original format.
3,5*
Not too bad. I don’t see myself listening to it again.
Love Dusty, and this is a good album of covers by a 17 year old. But not great, yet.
Great voice but felt like a pretty generic 60’s female singer album.
Breaking away from my usual word salad reviews - I don’t really know to describe my feelings on this album in a lengthy manner. So this one will be short. It’s a fun record. The song selection, and renditions of said song selection, is actually quite excellent. 'You Don't Own Me', 'Do Re Mi', 'Mockingbird', 'Will You Love Me Tomorrow?', and 'Wishin' And Hopin'' are all particular standouts. But the true highlight of it all is Dusty Springfield's voice. She sings with a rare kind of warmth that is both relaxing on the ears and engages you with her great technique and how she can flawlessly hit every note that is thrown her way. I give this album an appreciative 3/5. Because as good as the songs are throughout this tracklist, there are better renditions of them out in the world, in my opinion. It's also hard to really look at 'A Girl Called Dusty' as anything groundbreaking or remarkable in the grand scheme of things - as it feels like it merely exists to showcase her vocals; and that's fine. But is it '1001 albums' I must experience before I die worthy? Not really. However, it is a fun listen nonetheless; even if it isn't the sort of LP I would go out of my way to play through my setup.
"Mockingbird"
Easy listen. Cool.
I am pleasantly surprised by this record. Some really memorable melodies and hooks, even though it sounds very dated.
This was some classic 50's, early 60's sound. Couple of fun songs on it. As a lot of people call out it is a lot of covers, which is odd for a debut album.
She can defo sing, overall the album passed by without much to note, went out on a great track though "summer is over" really liked that one
hmmm I didn't really love this so much. it wasn't bad but I just got kind of bored because the songs blended together pretty quickly to me. I've enjoyed other Dusty albums so maybe this one just isn't for me.
Quality classic and hip stuff. Dusty really was a treasure. It's an almost painful reminder of simpler times.
Several recognizable songs
Huh, I had no idea Dusty Springfield was British. I guess that explains why this random white lady is singing r&b and soul songs at the height of Motown? I knew a lot of these songs, but I didn’t particularly love her takes on them. She’s a competent singer, and she sings with a lot of passion — she can definitely belt (used to best effect on the closing track by Ray Charles, “Don’t You Know”). I also like the husky timbre of her voice. But there’s something about her tone I find off putting. It’s like a frog in the throat/country twang thing I can’t quite describe mixed with a bit of shrillness. There’s also often a sharpness that’s just not that pleasant to listen to. I wonder if that has something to do with her lacking the context/understanding of the importance of blue notes in this type of music. “Twenty-Four Hours from Tulsa” and “Nothing” seem to have her voice a bit lower in the mix, which softens some of the sharpness (the backing vocals help too). That’s probably why I think they’re some of the better songs on the album. “Anyone Who Had a Heart” is also a decent track, mainly because it showcases her smoother sounding upper register, as does “Wishin and Hopin.” The standout on this album is probably the Carole King-penned “Will You Love Me Tomorrow,” though I still prefer the version by The Shirelles. In fact, on most of these tracks where there are more famous versions, I prefer the other artists over Dusty. This wasn’t a terrible listen, but I probably wouldn’t seek it out again. 3/5 (maybe 3.5 on a day when I’m in a good mood)
Happy to listen to but I wouldn’t say it’s revolutionary
This album wasn’t on Apple Music, but I was able to add all songs in order. She has a great voice and some fun songs. With that said, I doubt I’d put it on.
Really enjoyed it. Nothing that blew my socks off but great vibes throughout. 3.5 stars
Didn’t know anything about her beforehand. 1964. This album slaps! Yes, it has some sing-songy girl loves boy tracks, but the production on some is unique and beautiful. There is the harrowing strings on “You Don’t Own Me” and then the absolutely awesome harmonies on “lovelight”. And even the kitschy chorus on “wishin and hopin” made me chuckle and sing along instantly. Feels great to hear this music 60 years later and get to appreciate it. Stuff I’d incorporate into a party playlist. Fav track: When the Lovelight Starts Shining Through His Eyes
No shade to Dusty, but this is a compilation of others’ hits and can’t stand up against the other great stuff here in my opinion. I don’t love her voice enough gor it to make up for anything either.
Gostei de algumas e outras achei bem fracas
All covers, and not particularly interesting ones.
Lækker produktion med vildt god dybde, var helt overrasket over at læse at det *ikke* er Phil Spector, det lyder ret Phil Spector-agtigt. Fed stemme.
Quite nice
Not sure why everybody is hating on this album… this is completely different for me and I quite like it.
Dusty sounds great on this set of cover songs.
dramatískt og yfirkeyrt en ég fíla það. 3,5.
Fun to listen to and obviously great singing, but shouldn't albums on this list bring a little more? Original songs, say, or at least significant reinterpretation?
An enjoyable album, with a few belters in there. Too long though, with a bit of filler.
Like it
She's a great singer, but the songs don't hold up. They all have better covers elsewhere. It's also a bit anachronistic - this is a 1964 album with mid 50s songs.
Reminds me of My Best Friends Wedding. She has some pipes.
so many hits. are these covers? need to research.
I like her voice and really enjoyed this album although there isn´t a single hit on and it mostly contains cover-versions. favourite: "You Don't Own Me", "Will You Love Me Tomorrow" 2,5
It's really easy to forget that Dusty had PIPES. This was a nice reminder, even if none of the selections are definitive for her or the songs.
I've always had a soft spot for Dusty Springfield, a folk singer who came to the US, heard soul music, and never looked back from that. It's fun to hear her takes on R&B songs well known and not, as well as to hear a British take on the sounds coming from places like Motown (a personal highlight of this album for me might honestly be the background vocals of the group the Breakaways) but I like Dusty best less when she's belting and more when she sounds totally laid back compared to the larger than life sounds around her, as on her masterpiece which I can't wait to get to.
I love her voice - though this is pretty straight stuff
Mostly a cover album which is kinda standard for the time. Love her voice tho
I find it kind of tricky to work out how to score these 50s/early 60s albums where artists sang songs written and sung by others previously, mixed in with some stuff they got to sing first. Am I just marking the voice alone in this case? I did enjoy this album (which I appear to have listened to some extended version), but primarily the upbeat numbers, the corny ballad stuff not so. And yes she had a great voice and the delivery full of vigour and enjoyment. I don’t usually comment on it, but it’s also a really cool album cover. I scored her other album on here a 3, but this was a bit better. However I’m not sure I can go much higher when ultimately most other artists have written their own material. As a slight aside. In this case it does feel a bit awkward that a British white girl is singing soul and mowtown type numbers. Must have been a stack of black artists with as good a voice who could have recorded it. However, if that’s the music Dusty liked then I guess nothing stopping her. Interesting to note the attitudes and marketability of things at the time. Now it’s more about looks.
She's got a great voice and there is just classy 60's/70's singer songwriter instrumentation (full orchestra/fun rock/jazz influences). Also I guess the white stripes covered one of her songs on this record.
An album very much of its time but well worth a listen
I don't dislike Dusty Springfield, and the songs are great, but sometimes she sounds like my grandmother singing the songs of her youth. This is a good example of this.
I enjoyed this quite a bit for being mostly covers. Not groundbreaking but she was easy to listen to.
continuing my mid streak with a perfectly fine slice of blue-eyed soul 6/10
Some amazing tracks (all covers of course). But great voice, love this era. Just nothing overly special at the end of the day
Not unpleasant, would probably go up with a more attentive relisten but it's not my current vibe
She's a great singer and she has a lot of great original songs. I guess your first album used to be covers to show off how you could sing and then people wrote songs for you? Some of these sound to me like she's trying to sound like an African American woman. But I guess if Elvis could get away with it. This is good I guess, I'd just expect to have an album on this list that was an album of Dusty originals instead of all covers
i wish this thing had half stars because this is the most two and a half stars album i've ever heard, but for the sake of you don't own me i will round up
Yeah, it is one of those two gigantic releases of hers. Filed to the brim with short immediate sounding pop songs, each having a bright bulging "hit attempt" written all over them.
classic ez listening
A nice debut with a handful of classics including several covers. However, Dusty does not yet have the emotional depth and sensuality that would later characterize her voice.
Thoughts before listening: A Dusty Springfield album that isn't the Memphis one? I've never seen any of her other albums getting praised so this is a little surprising. British female soul music is what I am expecting with this. Review: So I recognize a ton of these songs, but I don't think Dusty is the original artist. I am pretty sure that most of these songs were originally done by American artists, with many of them being done by black singers. Dusty has a great voice and these songs are arranged very well, which makes for an enjoyable listen. This is a 3-star album cause its not really my favorite style, but I can definitely hear that its high quality.
But I’d rather be listening to Dionne Warwick.
Solidly fine. Good for doing the washing up to.
A British approximation of some of the best American RnB & Soul songs and sounds of the early 60s. She brings a lot to the material - a charismatic performance and a wide ranging rich voice that's as comfortable belting out a powerful anthemic chorus as whispering a soft hushed line. The production is great too - nothing original really, but a solid recreation of the Stax, Spectre sound - lush and maximalist: gospel singers, horns, swelling strings, crispy clean guitars, jazzy drums, and a propulsive bass. The album is at its best on the uptempo RnB tracks that are brimming with energy, the slow soul ballads get mired in the mush of sentimental strings. Favorites are the ones I instantly recognized, incredible hits: Mama Said, Will you Love Me Tomorrow, I Only Want to Be With You
She's got a great, soulful voice and did a great job executing so many popular covers making them her own. I'm more impressed than I thought I would be even though this type of thing isn't really my jam. Nice, but probably not a repeat listen.
Available through YouTube but not Apple Music. Good, not great, early pop
Wishin' and Hopin'. I found it! The one single that stood the test of time. ... that somehow means the entire album must be heard before I died...? It's not a bad album, but I don't think I would have listed it as a timeless classic.
I have nothing to say about this really. It is exactly what I expected from a self titled 1964 album. Not bad, and not innovative.
Good voice, but thought it was a bit boring
Lot's of well known songs on this album. I only have the Silver Collection album of her. This is quite a nice album.
A little old-school for me. I was four years old when this album came out. My family was listening to classical music in the home for the most part. I just wasn’t exposed to it. But the more I listen to it the more I enjoy it. 3
This album had some songs I really liked! "Mama Said", "I Only Wanna Be With You" and "You Don't Own Me" in particular were very good.
p70. 1964. 3 stars. The source of all white female blue eyed soul. Mostly covers, and the production is horribly dated - but that's offset by THAT voice. When this is good it's excellent. Better quality control on the material and this could easily have been a 4 or a 5. When this is good it's excellent.
Surprised to read other reviewers bemoaning this being an album of songs not written by Dusty herself, as if Frank Sinatra or Aretha Franklin were singer songwriters. Especially given the wave of second rate cover versions we seem to be suffering recently. Admittedly this album is a vehicle for Dusty's voice and personality which are fantastic and deserve to be mentioned in the same breath as the artists above. Very contemporary to Dionne Warwick and sharing some of "her" songs. But really Dusty herself is the reason for this album, amazing and unique voice, naturalistic phrasing on a bunch of generally good and in some places classic tunes. Pop goodness personified.
Highlights: Mama Said
It was okay. Nothing amazing, nothing terrible 3/5
I'm not sure why my initial thought was Meh when this popped up. I love Bacarach-esq music and Dusty's voice is amazing. Enjoyed it!
Hits
I like Dusty a lot. She has a wonderful voice and has some all time classic songs on her discography, but I don’t think an album consisting of mostly covers warrants a spot on this list.
A pretty amazing voice and some great song choices.
Highlights: You Don't Own Me, 24 Hours From Tulsa, Anyone Who Had A Heart. In a nutshell: the debut from of a 60s pop queen. As a debut, it's good. Not perfect. I got the feeling it was a rushed recording. Mockingbird could have used a different singer to do the call and response then carry on with backing, because it feels weird to have Dusty singing with herself. PS. I stan Hal David and Burt Bacharach. Overall: 5/10
Classi
So I actually really enjoyed this, Dusty has a nice voice and this list is pretty desperately light on early female vocalists. It's a very '60s pop sound and while it definitely sounds dated now, it's nice. Maybe this shouldn't be a huge knock, but (basically?) everything on here is a cover. That's not completely out of line for the time I guess, but it does take it down a bit for me. It's also worth noting that a lot of the covers are of black artists (the Shirelles, the Supremes, etc.). She seems to have been really influenced by early soul music (allegedly why she launched a solo career, her early work was with with a few folk-pop trios). There also seems to be a bunch of different versions of the album. The Spotify version is missing a bunch of songs and is slightly different from what Wikipedia says. I guess the original record was never released in the US, then she released a different version a few years later, and there's also been a bunch of singles releases and later CD releases. It makes it a bit confusing, but you get the vibe pretty quickly. For the second day in a row, this is probably a 3.5, but I'm leaning towards rounding down. It's very nice, but probably won't stick with me a ton and it's a bit less cohesive than a lot of other albums on here. Favorite song: You Don't Own Me Other: Mama Said, When the Love Light Starts Shining Through His Eyes, My Colouring Book, Anyone Who Had a Heart, Will You Love Me Tomorrow, Wishin' and Hopin' 6/17/24
Like it
This was a good listen. Had no idea she was British
So good. Much better than i was expecting. Very strong 3.
You Don't Own Me Wishin' And Hopin'
Better than a 3, not quite a 4.
la mejor es when the love light starts shining thru his eyes sin duda (larguísimo el nombre eh)
Beautiful voice, lovely pop songs. Not really a stand out for this list as I don't think it has much creative merit but I pleasant listen.
Classic songs. Never knew who sang them
Dusty Springfield brings a nice blend of classic country crooner and 50s/60s doo-wop pop vibes with this album. While there are a lot of so-so songs and covers on this record, there are a few that stand the test of time and are still played and referenced to this day. Shoutout to Dusty for serenading me during many a shift at Walgreens with the classic "Wishin' and Hopin'". A light, pleasant listen for a Friday morning. Notable Tracks: You Don't Own Me When The Love Light Starts Shining Thru His Eyes Wishin' and Hopin' 6/10
Einige Coverversionen dabei. Also Lieder, die später gecovered wurden.
I wasn't expecting to enjoy this album half as much as I did! I'm not sure if it had much to do with Dusty herself or just the fact that there were some great songs I recognised from all over the place. It seems odd that a covers album would make it to this list, especially considering that the tracks weren't interpreted much differently from their originals. This is like a Karaoke album! But I liked it all the same
I quite enjoyed this one!
I definitely expected more albums older than the '80s when I started this list so it's good to see something from the '60s again. I've also noticed that my reviews are more often about how terrible the list is than the albums themselves.
i like dusty but why is an album composed solely of covers on a list like this?
It was good. Typical 60s pop, nothing special.
very long, couple good songs, overall decent. not exactly my kind of music though
Great voice.
For the time, this seems like it was a pretty banger album.
A very sweet record Dusty has a great voice and smooth delivery. I don't think it's the best song selection, though I love the second half with the Bacharach songs in it
Just a set of covers, with no real personality added to anything, but Dusty’s voice really elevates everything. I enjoyed it but there was nothing special enough about this to put it on the list. Then again if there were no Dusty albums on the list that would be bad too, so maybe they just picked one more or less randomly. 3.5 stars
This type of music reminds me of being a kid in the back seat on road trips, when it gets late and the only thing that picks up is Oldies on the AM radio. Good tunes, great voice.
This was a sweet listen. The songs here have a certain "rare" quality, you don't hear this sound so often any more. I particularly enjoyed You Don't Own Me, Mockingbird and Twenty-Four Hours From Tulsa. I wouldn't consider it to be a repeatable album but it was nice as a one-off.
"A Girl Called Dusty" is Dusty Springfield's debut studio album, released in 1964. It features a collection of soulful and sophisticated pop tunes that showcase Springfield's remarkable vocal talent. Tracks like "I Just Don't Know What to Do with Myself" and "All Cried Out" are particularly memorable, with Springfield's emotive delivery shining through. The album's production, while somewhat dated by today's standards, has a charming quality that adds to its nostalgic appeal. Springfield's voice is the star of the show, effortlessly gliding over each track with grace and power. While "A Girl Called Dusty" may not have the same level of polish as some of Springfield's later work, it remains a strong debut that highlights her incredible vocal abilities. It receives a rating of 3 out of 5.
The album is not available on YouTube Music nor could I find it on Spotify so I created my own playlist of the songs and listened to it on Spotify. Who knew I'd know (remember) so many of these songs! Just goes to show how old I am. ;-) 3 stars
Good music. Very nice vocals.
very meditative. once upon a time we could hold each other tight but that loving paradigm has been shattered without purpose. i know its not a crime to say bye without a rhyme but you didnt leave a dime or a letter for my person. you think i try to whine but the words that here i cry are not tears for a grey sky, but for my womanly brethen. girl he might leave you behind, but life flows like the nile, because the contract we sign is written with and old pencil. i like it
Feels very much like a collection of singles. Love her voice
It was pretty good.
Nice voice, okay songs, but in the end it doesn't even matter. Nothing special to talk about.
Good
it was ok
It’s fine. I was a bit surprised actually. I had heard a few of these songs but didn’t know the artist. She had more soul and energy than I was expecting, but I didn’t give this album enough attention. Maybe it didn’t deserve it. Maybe I’ll listen again. It’s me, not you.
dont think i listened to the whole thing bc i was super tired. i prefer the other kind of 60s music like the doors
this was fine, but not anything particularly groundbreaking. i think it was all covers too. it was nice but not sure if it's really "1001 albums" worthy.
this was nice enough, though maybe a bit underwhelming. dusty has a great voice and handles the varied genres of these covers well, but nothing sticks out to me as particularly impressive or interesting. another day, another chance to wonder why this album made the list. i'm imagining the abe simpson meme with the text "we made a boring cover album, which was the style at the time" favorites: mama said, you don't own me, wishin' and hopin'
I forgot about Twenty-Four Hours From Tulsa. I like it. Spunky version of Will You Love Me Tomorrow
Not bad, but uneven. It really feels like she decided to write a dozen love songs that could match whatever relationship and mood you happen to be in.
Favorite Tracks: You Don’t Own Me Mama Said Wishin’ and Hopin’
Album 387 of 1001 Rating : Dusty Springfield - A Girl Called Dusty Rating : 3.5 / 5 Some great classic tunes. Brings to mind the time I spend around 5th or 6th grade wearing out the American Graffiti soundtrack. Kind of at the end of one musical era as another began.
First two tracks are amazing. It stays solid but never reaches those heights again.
This wasn’t on my streaming service, but I know many of the songs. It’s fine, but not my style.
Dusty sings well enough, but there were a couple songs where her vocals couldn't save it for me, like "Do Re Mi" and "Twenty-Four Hours From Tulsa". The songs are sometimes a little unremarkable, but then again, not all covers are created equal. Still worth a listen.
Powerful. Last song reminded me of Adele work. 3.5/5.
I liked this more than I anticipated, and that’s because, for it not because of this website, I never would’ve taken the plunge. But I’m glad to have dabbled in potential bi-con Dusty Springfield.
Easy listening Perfectly enjoyable
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.
It's okay, but could have lived without listening to this album. Honestly, it feels like taking a bunch of Motown hits and saying, hey, you don't need to listen to black artists, a white girl can sing these adequately for you. Seems to fit in with what was going on in the 60s.
Good pop album
C'était chill et relax.
It was fine. Production doesn't hold up to today's standard ofc but her voice is great. 3 stars
Great singer, but it lost a lot of charm when I learned it was all covers. Made me exited for more Dusty, but I’m not sure this album is that special
the Tate mcRae of the 60s.
Fairly enjoyable; strong voice, but the songs fall into two categories for me: 1) not my cup of tea; or 2) I'd rather hear the original. I will say the recording sounds better than most recordings of this era I've heard on this list, _especially_ the other ones also recorded in 3-channel stereo.
A great portrait of the artist as a young woman. Though her best is yet to come.
It’s interesting to catch an album from 60 years ago you’ve never heard. I put this through an amp and speakers from the 1940s which I think was the right call, although streamed with a digital device so I imagine that distorts things a little. This is very simple lyrics, melodies, very contained vocals. The backing harmonies on chorii I think are sometimes a single track - no layering. It’s so stark compared to modern music. It’s very pleasant listening. You Don’t Own Me is probably the track that I liked best, melodically gave me some Nina Simone vibes. I’m not sure it’s terribly memorable overall.
- Das Album schwankte bei mir zwischen richtig coolen, treibenden und catchy Songs und Liedern, die ich streckenweise nicht mal mehr langweilig sondern nervig und kitschig fand. Dementsprechend schwer ist es, das Album als ganzes zu bewerten. - Grundsätzlich wirds zum Ende hin besser und rundet den Charakter der Platte ab. - Alles in allem hebt sich diese Frau für mich mit diesem Album nicht unbedingt von anderen Künstler*innen ihrer Zeit ab. Da finden ihre "Hits" schon wesentlich mehr Anklang bei mir. Habe bei denen das Gefühl, da steckt ein richtiger Stil und etwas mehr Spirit drin. 2,75/5
Didn't realize she was the singer to a couple songs I already knew. Not too bad of an album.
Not bad, but not something I'm going to listen to often. I heard a few songs that I didn't realize were made by her.
Hmm, quite a few songs I've heard despite not having ever listened to this album. I would assume most, if not all, of the songs are covers? Still good recordings nonetheless. I always forget Dusty was from England.
Dusty Springfield is the sound of the American diner. I always thought Jim Carrey and Jeff Daniels made the mockingbird song up. Turns out Dusty Springfield sung it on this album.
pretty, dusty
Influential, and a good reminder that "I Just Don't Know What To Do With Myself" is NOT actually a White Stripes song, but still not quite a thing I'd dive into.
She’s cool. Cute. Palatable. Interesting that she’s British. Not realy my thing but no problems.
A few great tracks, but almost aggressively 1960s. Somewhere in the 3.5 range.
Great vocal delivery here. Something we don't see much these days. Exceeded my expectations.
Sorta fun
Whether the intended package or a picked apart and reassembled set, a girl called Dusty asserted herself to become a Swinging Sixties icon with this album. Inviting the listener with her pose and wide smile, one becomes bowled over by her interpretation of the soul music that would more or less define her trajectory and this is a good first impression made that only hints at the best yet to come. Favorites: All Cried Out, I Wish I'd Never Loved You, Can I Get a Witness?, Summer is Over, Don't Say It Baby, My Colouring Book, Every Ounce of Strength, Heartbeat.
Good overall, but can’t see myself listening to it again
Pretty impressive debut. Great voice, great tunes. Faves: Mama Said, Do Re Mi, Wishin' And Hopin'
Surprisingly I recognized a few old school bops on this album. Would listen again.
Enjoyable pop. Some great songs.
Quite a pleasant listen.
I love her voice...it makes me think of all the James Bond movies. I did like the Memphis album more, but I enjoy her stuff.
I don't understand how this album made the list. Every album so far - even the ones that absolutely were not my taste - has had some cohesion and creative vision. This is, a skillfully done, compilation of cover tracks. Great vocals, good backing band, but still a collection of covers. Almost every track is available in more interesting versions.
Nice record, but only a handful of standout songs for me. Favourite tracks: Mockingbird, Anyone Who Had A Heart, I Only Want To Be With You, Summer Is Over.
I'm not the biggest fan of artists who don't write their own songs. There's no denying that Dusty has a powerful voice, although even that took a little getting used to. I was enjoying it by the end of this very long album, but at first I didn't like her tone. Regardless of the voice, though, an album by a singer who just sings other people's songs could never be above a 3 for me (unless that singer is Ella Fitzgerald).
Enjoyable while high lol
I really liked this album. Odd mix of covers that felt like only songs that I listen to but I was a fan
Lots of fade out ends, surely they know how the song ends? What did they do when it was performed live? Was ok, not my sort of thing, especially on a Friday
I seem to only like her slower songs
Really good voice,but it's covers.not feeling that such an album really fits on a list like this. Mama said and will you love me tomorrow are my personal standouts.
Some good ones! Girl power before that was a thing. Typical of the era album
Remember this being alright
PIPES
This album didn't ring a bell and I can tell you I wasn't thrilled with the selection. That said, there were songs I recognized. Not great, but not terrible. I see why it was iconic back in the day.
Great English female pop singer from the 60’s-70’s. Everything she touched turned to gold. Some great songs.
Uninspired
My son (jazzhead) has theory about why no-one can play like Clifford Brown or Miles Davis anymore. There were so many jazz musicians in the thirties and forties that you are hearing now the very best of hundreds of thousands of players. To make it to the top you had to be truly extra-ordinary. And so it is with female singers in the sixties (viz. Aretha). Though the material here is sometimes slight the phrasing, the variation, the tone...all truly exceptional. Greater things would come, and her truly great moments were of course singles. So a very solid 3.5.
Couldn’t find the album on streaming.
Stand outs You Don’t Own Me I Only Want to be With You 3.4
Not my cuppa, few classics on there that I recognise as samples from newer tracks
You dont own me, mama said
Clearly way better than Jane Macdonald, but the choice of songs seems somewhat similar
Pure 60s essence right here
Good ol 20s, would sample shouts and upbeat cute but nostalgic mood
Good, but normal
Fine, it's a classic but not something I would particularly reach for
Couldn’t find this album on iTunes but I listened to her Essentials. Lots of well-known songs.
Enjoyable and feels very familiar. her voice is strong and soulful. I personally wont go looking for it again but I wont mind if it comes on in the background
she shines brightest on Do Re Mi and You Don't Own Me. Otherwise, as a debut album, I think she's still a work in progress (I miss you Preacher Man!)
Tiny snippet songs. Feels old-timey, definitely from the mid-60s! Sweet voice, soaring background music. Pleasant listening but didn't evoke much of an emotional response for me.
A bit too mellow so far for me but I didn’t listen to the entire album yet.
This album was a nice little 36 or so minute listen. She is a pretty great singer and the accompanying instruments are great for the background Mock YEAH ing YEAH bird YEAH. I had no idea where this was from other than Dumb and dumber so that was a nice little treat
Another one not on Apple Music booooo. Loved the first Dusty album so interested to see what came before it. This album is great for what it is. Pretty little ditty's that aren't necessarily up my alley but sound great and she has a beautiful voice. Really loved Wishin' and Hopin'. Still hard to imagine that voice comes out of her but that's the impressiveness of it I guess.
wasn’t expecting this soulful of a voice from the lady on the album cover. mostly forgettable tracks though
she's Dusty for sure. though this is country and I don't think I need to restate how I feel about country, this is alright in my books. very samey of course but not at all grating like alot of country is to me.
She's pretty cool, could use a little more variety
Wishing’ And Hopin’ this album makes it on Apple Music at some point
7/10
For an album of covers I liked this more than I thought i would. That's mainly due to her amazing voice. Ultimately though there's only 2 songs that I added to my liked collection to actually listen to again.
This might just be an Apple Music issue, but I find it infuriating that a supposedly "essential" album isn't available to listen to. Apparently this was never released properly in the US, until maybe 1997 on a CD reissue that featured different songs? I was able to piece this together (I think, who fucking knows) from two other releases. It's good, there are some classic singles, and overall I think Dusty Springfield is an important piece of music history.
Not bad, but nothing amazing. Some songs really did transport me to a different time though!
3/5 Best Track: You Don't Own Me
Album #7 Dusty Springfield’s A Girl Called Dusty So far I am very here for it, love the voice and currently I relate hard so it just makes it that much better. Very distracted and have listened to it 4 different times but still haven’t been able to do a more focused listening on the second half of the album. From what I could gather I did really enjoy it. Would listen to her again. Based on my taste in music: 3.25 Pretending to be a music critic: 4
She's got a lovely voice. I feel like the songs were pretty unoriginal in general.
Dusty has a beautiful voice and it was fun to hear a lot of familiar classics, but so many of these songs were also sung by Dionne Warwick and she is the real GOAT. Ultimately giving 3 stars because it's just not really my type of music, and if I was going to listen to something like this, I would prob opt for someone else like Dionne.
Erg veel dusty om naar te luisteren. Sommige zijn wel lekker maar dit is me teveel.. 2.5 moet ie worden wmewaja
Not really my taste but very good classic pop. Dusty has a fantastic voice and the best tracks are the ones in which she gets to really showcase it. Production is excellent with great instrumentation. If you're in the mood for dancing round the kitchen, this one is perfect.
Pff misschien ben ik te kritisch, maar ook dit album was niet spectaculair. Wel echt een 3.5 waard, staan namelijk bangers op als 'You Don't Own Me'.
I’ve known Dusty Springfield’s name and many of the songs on this album, but I never put the two together. Although the lyrics on a few of the songs are a bit dated, many of them are true classics. The nasal quality of Dusty’s voice is not my favorite, but she has great control and delivers the songs well. I would certainly enjoy another listen but I probably wouldn’t seek it out
It's ok, not a must listen
Misclassified -- this isn't jazz! What grabs me is mostly the voice rather than the songwriting. Though I enjoyed listening to her first album, Dusty in Memphis is much stronger, with unforgettable songs. Note: The album in Spotify appears to have a very different tracklisting, try YouTube or purchase for the original UK release.
Great songs. Great voice. But it are mainly songs for the single charts. As an album it misses a structure.
Easy listening for working
Some great songs on here. A few remind me of moving to wales when I was young. Driving up the M4 at night while my mum played Dusty
Nice 50s sound!
There's pleasant stuff here even if some of it runs together. Still has a nostalgic sound somehow with its expansive arrangements. Favorite track: Will You Love Me Tomorrow
What I expected from knowing a bit of dusty and a few of the songs from other artists versions. Would listen again & liked a few singles.
Fun old fashioned pop. I don’t get it
Extremely poppy, too long for an album like this. Good singer and some undeniable well made hits, but the sound is not for me. *You Don't Own Me *Wishin' and Hopin' *Summer is Over
She can really belt it out! Wow great voice! This was a neat record also - a bunch of covers really but she chose them well and they suit her voice nicely. Plus this seems to have been recorded with excellence also - great sound. The 'bonus tracks' in the reissued version I listened to didn't quite meet the same mark so I can tell they gave up on them a bit sooner. Great job Dusty!
Jos levyä olisi vähän karsittu eli fillerit pois, tämähän olisi upea! Aivan hieno nytkin, etenkin a-puolella on hyvä meininki. Hieno ääni, mukaansatempaavat biisit. Mutta tosiaan jatkuva itkeminen ja sinun puhuttelu tylsemmissä biiseissä puuduttaa.
Mehevät biisivalinnat, mainio laulaja. Jään silti kaipaamaan subjektiivisuuden liimaa, tai vaikutelmaa välttämättömyydestä.
Mock-Yeah-Ing-Yeah-Bird-Yeah! LOL
Some good orchestral stuff in there reminiscent of the time. And a few great numbers on there, but some that fall into middle-of-the-road area.
Pretty good
I think I'm either too young or too old to enjoy this as much as I feel like I should.
Tolle Stimme, gute Songs, aber bleibt nicht wirklich in meinem Ohr.
Very much an early-60's R&B girl band sound, most of these songs would fit right in on a Shirelles or Marvelettes album. Didn't know much about Dusty before this except for Son of a Preacher Man -- she has a great voice but the character that sets her apart comes out in the smokier, country numbers. Best song here imo is 24 Hours From Tulsa where that tone really comes through. Cool to learn more about her but I don't see myself firing this up except maybe as part of a 60's Motown mix.
When I first started the album, I was convinced I wouldn’t like it. A few songs in, and I started to enjoy it. There are quite a few solid songs, and it’s easy to see the influence Dusty has had on the genre, as we hear some of her style in artists today. That said, I struggled with a good chunk of the album, in that several songs, while good for their time, sound too antiquated for me.
Definitely a classic. But rarely fits my mood
Certainly an icon of the 60s and an early example of the British invasion, preceeding The Beatles. Her voice is stunning. The music itself is largely standard covers but that wasn't uncommon for the early 60s. I preferred the second half. She deserves a place on this list.