Dusty In Memphis

She agonised over this repertoire, I read, and I imagine her weighing which of the songs on offer could she best alchemise with her genius voice, transforming words through extension, twisting the beat, intonation, abrupt stops here, a happenstance “whom” breathed into extraterrestrial life there. She fuses the words “fall” and “for” into “unfulfilled” and you might never notice unless you choose to hover at that moment rather than be swept. The aftertouch she applies to syllables has a swerve I last encountered playing “Sensible Soccer”. The songs are brilliant. I’m a child of indie rock and so carry a distaste for the artiste and repertoire model, producers selecting songs for ingenues to be fostered, groomed, abused and discarded at its worst, yet this wins out by seemingly inverting the model, a sympathetic collaborator in Wexler and a driven singer in Springfield. This set could be a rehearsal for a lover’s conversation, a fantasist’s contingency planning, a romantic cousin to Kafka’s “Letter to Father”, astonishingly rousing constructions, mythic torch songs. The band doesn’t fumble this. Never an option, I imagine. Easy listening is another of my blind spots, and reckoning what it means here is fun: a certain suggested distance of the instruments combined with lapidary clarity in the mix so nothing’s lost. Everything is soft, but unblurred when you listen carefully - the bumblebee-like bass lines could earn a podium alone. The string-led sigh is salve, a kind reframing of domestic ruction, bitterness and torture. If the guitar on “Don’t Forget About Me” was turned up, it’d melt Stonehenge; at this volume, it’s a hypnotic anecdote about a commotion, someone else’s distant threat. The music pours over and layers around that voice, dish for the gods and the lovelorn.

#305 Heard Before? Only "Preacher". Notes: - i have very mixed feelings about this sort of "let's hand the singer some random pop songs" albums. but this one is fine and dandy, the mix is great, and the orchestrations, while typical of the era, work well with the material. - terrific selection of songs. Dusty is fabulous here, but it's always great to hear the work of Goffin & King, Bacharach & David, and (to a lesser extent) Randy Newman. "Windmills of Your Mind" has been one of my favorite songs for many years, and she nails that too. - again, what a versatile and exciting singer. Verdict: Big, bold blue eyed soul. Listen Again? After three times today, I'm not dying to hear it again soon, but I'm sure I'll revisit it some time.

In which Dusty finally gets a whole album's worth of good material. And, man, does she do it justice! Seems ridiculous to think she was intimidated by Aretha, who she easily matches here. Nice story about how the Memphis sessions lead to Led Zep getting signed as a side-effect! I don't listen to this album very often as it's quite sugary, but I binged it five times today. What a voice, what a heterogenized ansa-indenyl zirconocene catalyst. Could we be heading for another consecutive consensus 5/5? Ooh..

I liked this about as much as I like Elvis. I gave him 3 stars too. Son of a Preacher Man was pretty good.

Got halfway thru the first song for a few days and kept getting distracted or not feeling it but today I woke up early and sat down with some knitting and a hunk of cheddar to gnaw on and absolutely vibed with this album. which I feel like really reveals a part of this project (for me at least) where I often feel more charitable about an album if I am able to recreate an appropriate environment for enjoying it. dusty got that today, but most of the time I am listening to these on the train or at work and it is tricky if they don't fit that vibe. Most of them work pretty alright for that but I'm glad I waited to listen to dusty until I had a nice environment. I also had a shortbread cookie that was fucking bonkers and a cup of tea with evaporated milk in it because I don't have any fresh milk and the evaporated milk did expire in 2024 but I felt like it would be fine. evaporated milk in tea is really good by the way, it gives it a malty, caramelly taste. very nice. I liked how horny Dusty is in these songs. Really beautiful and it made me feel good today : )

DUSTY IN MEMPHIS - Dusty Springfield (1969) - 10?/1001 Shit was clean. That's all I really had to say. Portishead before Portishead.

It all just bleened into on bog back ground music. Not bad not great

Beautiful voice, great songs. A joy to listen to. My only complaint that keeps it from 5 stars is that it all feels very much in her comfort zone

83

Nice songs, but quite boring.

Didn’t finish the album. Loved her vocals and instrumental. Wish all the songs weren’t focused on a man but very very good.

This is an early favourite. Love Dusty's voice and the orchestration, and I don't think there's a bad song on it. It's quite timely for me too - I'm in the midst of a soul phase at the moment!

4/5

Objectively great and easy listening but deffo need to be in the mood to listen would 3.5 this. It's too classic and musically masterful to do less

Don't let Dusty into Memphis again bruh. 10/10

Incredible

Son of a preacher man is good, the rest is more meh

I enjoyed this. Not my typical listen, but some really good songs.

This album, in the same way that The Suburbs had a consistent tone throughout, just sets the perfect mood, except the songs are more distinguishable. I can imagine putting this on in the background on many occasions and it would sound just right.

A nice, comfortable listen. It is pretty good but looking at the albums in my 4-star category, It's just not quite there.

3.5

Dusty Springfield has a very lovely voice. And son of a preacher man is a straight banger. These songs are all smooth and easy, very pleasant. I like it, very nice.

Son of a preacher man is a banger, the rest of the album is also an enjoyable listen.

An exceptional voice and excellent set of songs.

8/11 Best song: son of a preacher man

A fine album. Son of a Preacher Man is a great track, but the rest of the album is yet another Brit doing an imitation of a black American genre. It’s not bad, but it’s maybe half as good as the American greats.

Feels like I just got served A Girl Called Dusty. This one is way more cohesive and focused and just rocks all the way through.

Really good. Several great songs. Son of a Preacher Man clearly the highlight.

i cant make it alone absolute bop

nice ez listening :)

I love lady bunny!

This is great!

absolutely gorgeous, some great players in that studio band & excellent backup singers too. also goddamn beautiful crystal clear stunning mix??? i know this is still like plastic soul or whatever but dusty definitely the smoothest mf to come out of the uk,, name another British artist with this much sauce .. bowie doesnt count & his "soul" album was kinda mid don't forget about me was my favorite

2/5

3.64

This will be new. Don’t know any of her songs even though I know the name. Maybe I’ll recognize something. Soulful old school music. Great voice. Her voice elevates everything here. Son of a Preacher Man is the song I know. Probably from Pulp Fiction. It’s a great track. Some of the slower songs don’t really do it for me. But there’s a lot to like. Enjoy the sound sometimes when it gets orchestral and reminds me of a James Bond song. Windmills of Your Mind fits that perfectly. Really good song. Feels like a 3 to me. Perfectly fine and even good at times but nothing really wows me.

1969 Pop, r&b, blue eyed soul

Not for me

Definitely a stand-out of soul and pop from this era. Great songs and beautiful voice. It can't be bad. Some really strong songs and some less exciting, but always a great listen. It doesn't transcend the era for me, but would revisit. Top Songs: Son of a Preacher Man, I Can't Make It Alone

That's clean

Another perfectly respectable album from Dusty, and another 3 stars. It's cheating a bit though - she's got a great voice, the song-writers and producers are cherry picked so it's not likely to fail. I love Son Of A Preacher Man, and the rest of the album is OK. It's a bit of Sixties easy listening.

Album #231: Dusty Springfield – Dusty in Memphis ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ I don’t know what the odds are of getting the only two Dusty Springfield albums on the list in a row, especially at this relatively early stage in the project, but they must be very slim. But! This was welcome. I loved A Girl Called Dusty yesterday, and I love this album even more. While her debut has a certain whimsical innocence and schmaltz, this album tones down the latter and obliterates the former. It’s a deeply mature soul album performed expertly. At this point in time, nowhere in the world had better musicians than Tennessee. It’s also helped by having several songs written by Gerry Goffin and Carole King, one of the greatest songwriting partnerships there ever was. They’re the best songs on the album, with No Easy Way Down being my favourite. But honestly, outside of Just a Smile, I can’t fault a single song here. It’s carried by one of the greatest voices ever recorded. Her voice is just so fucking cool. It’s literally perfect. It’s obviously indebted to Aretha Franklin, especially in her phrasing, but she reminds me a lot of Al Green. That quiet intensity. She’s never loud, but carries the emotion without the need to wail or moan. You just get the sense she was an absolute master of her craft. A stunning baroque pop-soul classic with a Southern twist. A tour de force.

Nice Sunday afternoon baking music

Despite her ability to actually sing, the sweeping orchestral music is too saccharine for my tastes

Two Dusty's in a week? I am showered in blessings. Massive James Taylor fan but her You've Got A Friend is right up there. How it got put on a 1969 album Deluxe Edition as "unissued" when it wasn't written until 1971 and not by her has me very confused. But not complaining

Son of a Preacher Man is the obvious stand out. The rest is pretty much the same. I sometimes forget that Dusty Springfield and Rick Springfield are not the same person.

Obviously the standout here is Son Of A Preacher Man but the entire album is pretty decent. Great vocals.

2.75 - This is fine. I was really surprised to learn that Dusty Springfield was a woman and not the same person as Rick Springfield.

2,5

Pleasant surprise with Dusty Springfield, especially Son of a Preacher Man, because I didn’t know it was her! Love the first half, more edgy. The second half doesn’t have the same pace. 3/5 Just a Little Lovin': 4 So Much Love: 3 Son of a Preacher Man: 5 I Don't Want to Hear It Anymore: 3 Don't Forget About Me: 3 Breakfast in Bed: 2 Just One Smile: 2 The Windmills of Your Mind: 3 In the Land of Make Believe: 2 No Easy Way Down: 3 I Can't Make It Alone: 3

other than the single, nothing is memorable on the entire record.

Meh

13 Oct 2026 · 7/10 Short and sweet, nice and relaxing, great performance. But nothing special you know?

Sounds gorgeous and timeless!

4.5995/5

Yay, more Dusty! Lovely as ever.

She really has a beautiful voice. But I can hear the bouffant coming through some of those 60's songs.

I'd always confused Dusty Springfield with Buffalo Springfield, but I'm glad I know they are not the same now because she's good.

Not my thing, but sounded nice...

This album is best when it is at its most soulful, bluesy mood. The rest—not so much.

Good album. A "problem" with this album is that it contains "Son Of A Preacher Man", which is actually too good and popular. However, I really enjoyed some of the other tracks. In particular, I enjoyed: "Just A Little Lovin'", "Don't Forget About Me", "Breakfast In Bed" (my second favourite), or "The Windmills Of Your Mind". Her voice is also very good, and the arrangements are great. Overall, this is between 3 and 4 stars for me, though I'm inclined to award 4 stars to this one.

If only this could do more for me than be soft and leering, but alas, it's just fine.

Great to have a female in this list at last! The first of many I hope 🤞 Overall Dusty’s style isn’t my thing, and it took me a couple of listens to warm up to the album. There’s no denying she has a wonderful voice, and I can imagine quite a stage presence. I found a lot of the lyrics quite basic and not super engaging - apart from Windmills of Your Mind. That was a stand out track for me! I also cannot believe Dusty is British! Been conned my whole life!!! Not my fave by far, but a chilled listen nonetheless. Highlights: A beautiful voice to introduce me to the Swingjng Sixties. Lowlights: Land of Make Believe - felt too high for her voice and really forced. AND THE FADE OUTS. Top tracks: So Much Love, The Windmills of Your Mind Rating: 2.5

3.5/5 - enjoyable

I like it it wasn’t my Style

Nice calm album a bit more interesting than the last one.

Lovely smooth voice and 1 or 2 good songs but feels kind of dated. 1.6/5

1000% more interesting than yet another male led record A nice mix of up tempo and slower numbers but hey 60s, a 3 second fade isn't how you end a song.

Enjoyed. Obviously recognised a few songs. She was a beautiful voice which sounded quite different on a few tracks. 3.3/5

I have to admit, on first listen I found Dusty in Memphis quite old-fashioned, and the style of music didn't immediately grab me. However, after a couple of listens I definitely started to warm to it and found myself enjoying it on its own terms. I think the more soulful tracks are where the album really shines, particularly when Dusty shows a bit more variety in her vocals, which makes the songs feel much more exciting and engaging. Son of a Preacher Man and Breakfast in Bed are both absolutely superb. I love how effortlessly sexy they are, and there's something about Dusty's delivery on these tracks that really draws me in. Not an album I instantly fell in love with, but definitely one that grew on me, and I can see myself enjoying it more with further listens. Will defo be revisiting this one. Rating: 3.5

Amazing voice, cool chord progressions. Nice instrumentarium. Overall enjoyable album with few skips. A-side slightly more interesting then the B-side

3.7/5 fun

Eh

Dusty Springfield rocks, what a great album. My one issue is that I really don’t like son of a preacher man.

Well, two things are true. One, A Girl Called Dusty is not a very good album. Two, I knew this was going to be different the second I got it. "Son of a Preacher Man" is known as one of the better soul songs sung by a white girl, and the rest of the album… glory, does it follow suit. Pretty much every single song is a direct improvement on everything Springfield displayed on her debut. I mean, from the covers alone you can tell that they’re very different albums: the debut is this innocent, cheery picture of Springfield, in down-to-earth clothing, and this solid blue color. It’s bright and it’s positive. I’ve seen two versions of the cover for this album, one is displayed on the 1001 website, and it sees Springfield’s headshot, with a knowing, almost sultry smile, framed by this olive-green color. The other cover, the one that’s known more widely, is Springfield with her hands to her face, in this yellowish lighting. Both covers push a more obstructed, mysterious aesthetic, one that’s backed up by the musical choices on the album: heavy strings, softer songs, more mature singing and topics, it all communicates a grown-up-ness. The album’s obvious peak is “Son Of A Preacher Man,” which is also the album’s most innocent song, and the peak of energy for the album. Instantly iconic, phenomenal, beautiful, energetic, lovey-dovey, love it. The other big highlights, “I Don’t Want To Hear It Anymore,” a sad ballad that really fits well in the album, “Breakfast in Bed,” an easygoing, surprisingly dear song that I adore, and the haunting “Windmills Of Your Mind.” This album is phenomenal! Absolutely listen! 10/10 DOES IT BELONG ON THE LIST: ABSOLUTELY REASON: quality, significance, place in catelogue

Love her

In which our heroine sets out to make an Aretha Franklin record, but is ultimately limited by being a white English woman. Still, there are some very soulful tunes here, mixed with an equal amount of MOR pop tunes. Probably a 3.5 star listening experience, I’m going to round up and give her credit for trying this approach.

I only know Dusty's big singles, which are true pop classics., but have never heard a while album its a departure from my usual listening. Liking so far, this is lushly orchestrated and she has an undeniably fabulous voice. Lazy Sunday morning coffee music for sure. It's not an album pf great variety or contrast (sadly she never had a sparse dub-step period), but thats not the point, it's all about that buttery smooth voice and US radio airplay. I may well buy this record just so I dont have to play Paul (bloody) Simon and Cat (flippin) Stevens whenever Nina's parents come for dinner, Oooh, Windmills Of Your Mind, i didn't know she did this. Love this song and this version. Had a slight panic when I thought In The Land Of Make Believe was The Land Of Make Believe (the anti Thatcher polemic recorded by Bucks Fizz , written by Pete Sinfield from King Crimson bizarrely) but it isn't, which is a very good thing. "Hey Dusty, we're a tune short of a full album" "Just stick Preacher Man on again at the end, it's a proper banger, i doubt anyone will notice and anyone who does won't care" A solid 4 stars, it would probably be 5 if I drank more than one cup of coffee on Sunday mornings... Fnal thought: What is it about ride cymbals in the 60's that made them sound so much better than those today?

Really enjoyed this album. Lovely arrangements throughout, sublime vocals, 2 absolute classic songs in Son Of A Preacher Man and Windmills Of Your Mind and a fine selection of other songs in support. I wasn’t sure if this was a 3.5 or 4 but I thought I’d be generous for once and give Dusty 4

Firstly, what a great sounding album, well performed and of course her voice, buut the quality of it all is pretty amazing, so kudos to the sound engineers. The music is absolutely quintessential for the era, no wonder so many are staple in period soundtracks. Whilst most of it is night club fare, I very much preferred the more orchestral or funkier tracks rather than when it veered to Nana Mouskouri. Son of a Preacher Man is ubiquitius for a reason and Windmills is the other obvious standout, and whilst there is filler, the album never outstayed its welcome.

I’m embarrassed to say I confused Dusty and Rick and thought that Dusty was a guy until very recently. Oops. Love her voice! I can only imagine what seeing her live during this time would’ve been like. So much soul and passion, but all cushioned with softness. Beautiful.

Love her voice and the production of this album. Really solid listen!

Lindo

Tolerance was needed to get through this. This is not my style at all. ★★

Although there are similarities to other artists that I do enjoy in her music, it was too much on the soft and boring side for me. I can see how others would enjoy this music and album but not I.

Lovely voice Dusty has, and obviously Preacher man is an excellent song, the rest of the album, well, nothing really stands out for me.

I found the music very soft and peaceful, which I really liked. It's perfect as background music for old cafe's and calm evenings on the couch. I can imagine myself sipping from a glass of wine while listening this, altough I don't like alcohol.

Yeah this is exactly what I wanted it to be. It sounds like an old soul record, and it's so beautiful a lot of the time. I was skeptical this album would be boring, but it exceeded my expectations. I question how much I'll revisit this album, but it's some beautiful old soul music that makes me want to slow dance and sway with someone. I want to give this a 4, but I'm sticking with a 3. It feels like a great background vibe rather than something I want to listen to.

Despite all the times I heard it covered by contestants on American Idol in the late 2000s, I think this might have been the first time I heard the original recording of Son of a Preacher Man. Really nice album otherwise, I liked the horns on some of the tracks. I feel like I've been giving out 4s like candy recently, but this is a list of the greatest albums of all time, so I guess it makes sense that most of them are good. Ratings don't matter anyway

She was good was our Dusty I liked this

dusty all day

everyone knows "son of a preacher man" because it slaps. but the rest of the album is very nice. that old school MOR soul that does not happen these days. "breakfast in bed" and "so much love" are great as well.

(9/1089) A very relaxing album. She has a good voice, it gave me some 60s vibes and I enjoyed it. Favorite: Just a Little Lovin, Son of a Preacher Man, Breakfast in Bed Least favorite: The Windmills of Your Mind 8/10

Many critics place this album in the top 100 of all time. It's a nice album and she can sing but I don't place it quite that high

cena romántica con vino a la luz de la vela

Would have sex to it #2 (except to "The Windmills Of Your Mind) (I NEVER KNEW THE SONG JAN WAS SINGING IN THE OFFICE TO HER BABY WAS ON THIS RECORD! That realisation hit me like a freight train...)

classudo!!! músicas chiques!!!!!

WOW! I'VE GIVEN UP ALREADY ON MY PROJECT, JUST A FEW DAYS IN TOO, MIND YOU! MY PROJECT NAME IS BIDEN, AND I SMELL LIKE POOP, TOO! PEEPEE POOPOO IS MY MIDDLE NAME! GET "HACKED," LOSER MCPOOPER!!!!!

Bueno

Als alter "Pulp Fiction"-Fan hab ich natürlich "Son of a Preacher Man" noch und nöcher gepumpt. Aber wenn man den Song mal im Albumkontext hört, fällt einem erst auf, dass Dusty Springfield wirklich eine der wunderschönsten Stimmen aller Zeiten besitzt. Das hat mich wirklich umgehauen. Die Produktion gefällt mir auch sehr gut, vielleicht manchmal etwas zu viele Streicher und dicke Hose, "The Windmills of Your Mind" klingt ja fast wie ein Bond-Song. Aber dahinter stecken einfach wunderschöne Melodien, die von Dusty so graziös vorgetragen werden, dass man nur dahinschmelzen kann.