Dusty In Memphis

This record is a beautiful snowglobe of the late 60s period. Classy, perfectly arranged orchestrations gently roll down like snowflakes on a landscape and Dusty's voice glows gold with the warmth of the hearth.

Dusty's voice isn't just sexy, it's sex-positive, feeling its way around intimacy with warmth and tenderness. She's the Queen of the Afterglow. What transforms this from an album by a great singer to a great album full stop is how sympathetic the players are to her movements. They don't just watch her go deep into her feelings, they follow her down. Chief among them: Arif Mardin, whose swelling and lilting string and horn arrangements are the love interest to Dusty’s come-hither voice. The organic development of these songs--Dusty and the band built them from the ground up, rather than her just rocking up and following sheet music like she was used to--allows her to grow roots in the material, which is top-tier stuff from big-hitters including Bacharach, Newman, and Goffin/King. Whether reliving a sexual awakening with the preacher’s son, mollifying him/her with (I’m sure not just) breakfast in bed, bidding a rueful farewell, building her world upon a smile, or being driven mad by gossip heard through cheap walls, she fully inhabits her roles. These songs have an emotional life of their own, lived in and lived through by one of the most sensitive singers of all.

Every time I get one of my all-time favourites on this list, it feels like winning a game. Nobody beats Dusty, her voice is so warm and beautiful, and she's having so much fun... five stars and a chef's kiss!

Mehhhhh. White people soul. “Son of a Preacher Man” is great, but otherwise, I dunno.

I know 3-4 song but Ive never listened to this album. I think I've always been a little confused about her name. Is she related yo buffalo springfield? Such moody and cinematic music. The songs often take me on a start-finish journey rather than feel refrain-repeat style. I really enjoy this album and will definitely return to listen again. She reminds me of Aretha Franklin but much sappier and I'm a sucker for sappy 70's.

Alienating everyone in my life with my sincerely held and deep-seated belief that Dusty Springfield is Buffalo Springfield’s husband.

Initially thought I wasn't going to like it, but to my surprise it was pretty good! I liked hearing The Windmills of your Mind - I added it to my spotify playlist. A classic and a beautiful voice

One of my all-time favourite albums. probably the greatest blue-eyed soul record ever. Son of a preacher Man is the big single, but it is the sofetr, sexier tracks that I really dig (Breakfast in Bed, Alittle Loving, I Don't Want to Hear it). Dusty doesn't try to compete with Aretha, but leans into her more tender, more intimate style. This is a wonderful blend of Bacharach and the funky Memphis sound. She was almost too intimidated to record these songs, but thank god she did. I love this album.

I have not spent enough time with Dusty Springfield, apparently. (Not the first time this has happened in this project, but I'm definitely feeling it today.) I've always loved her smoky, soulful voice in the hits I know. I would say her voice was unique, but I like the idea that this album was the prototype for the wonderful wave of British female singers of the 2000s. I definitely appreciate and get that idea (as well as that she gave credit to Peggy Lee and Aretha Franklin as influences) but I would still always be able to pick her voice out. Anyway, this is just the thing for the end of a long, hard day, with soft lights and a glass of wine. Lovely.

I am not familiar with Dusty Springfield as a singer at all, but I am familiar with a couple of Dusty’s songs covered from other artists like both Son of A Preacher Man and Breakfast In Bed from Joan Osborne’s two albums: Early Recordings (1996) and Breakfast In Bed (2007) and The Windmills Of Your Mind from Alison Moyet's Voice (2004) album. Another slight connection factor for me is the Memphis/American Sound Studios from several Elvis Presley recordings from 1969 and I do hear that Memphis/American Sound Studios sound in Dusty’s songs on this album. Being a fan of post-punk and 80’s music. I know that Morrissey from The Smiths also loved the poignant and maudlin performances of female singers such as Dusty Springfield and Sandie Shaw who were a considerable influence on him growing up in Manchester England. Since this my first listen to Dusty Springfield, she has a particularly good voice with clear diction. I usually do not listen this type of Easy Listening Pop, but I like it and this album does have high replayability factor. I am pleased to hear how good and consistent all the songs are. The mono release is also excellent. In 1001 Albums You Must Hear Before You Die, I see that Dusty Springfield’s debut album, A GIRL CALLED DUSTY, is listed under # 0045, so I am looking forward to listening to this when it appears Rate Artist: Dusty Springfield (4.5) Rate Album (Year): Dusty in Memphis (1969 Original) (5) Rate Album (Year): Dusty in Memphis (1992 Re-issue) (5) Rate Album (Year): Dusty in Memphis (1999 Deluxe Edition) (4.5) Rate Album (Year): Dusty in Memphis (2002 Re-issue) (5)

Blue eyed soul. Songs don't have the typical verse and chorus structure. More of a lyrical journey. She's got a breathy, sensual voice. Favorite songs were Son of a Preacher Man, Just One Smile, and Windmills of your Mind

Je me réveillai ce jeudi matin en ouvrant mon téléphone et remarquai instantanément que celui-ci avait été souillé de messages par l'inévitable ltrapeze: "Il faut absolument que tu écoutes la huitième piste de l'album du jour !" me menaçait-il. Je me rendormis. Lors de mon second réveil, de nouveaux messages étaient venus se glisser dans mon téléphone sans que je m'en aperçoive. Ils étaient tous signés de la main du turbulent ltrapeze : "Mais réveille-toi enfin !!" répétait-il à tue-tête. Je lançai soudain l'album et fus rapidement arrivé à ladite huitième piste. Et quelle ne fut pas ma surprise d'entendre une version grossièrement remixée d'une chanson très chère à mon cœur : celle de ses moulins, justement. Observez un peu comme le texte est traduit: The Moulins of My Heart Like a pierre that we jette In the living water of a ruisseau Qui leaves behind elle des thousands de rounds dans la wasser Du machst tourner von deinem Name die Moulinen von meinem Hertz Luft in den Nase (ja), Luft in den Nase So wie Dylan (oh Junge), So wie Dylan Et ainsi de suite... Je serais le dernier étonné d'apprendre que Michel Legrand se soit retourné dans sa tombe au moment d'entendre cette reprise, et qu'il ait même effectué une rotation à 360 degrés pour rendre ses lettres de noblesse à son texte. N'en déplaise à ltrapeze.

Figure maternelle de la famille Springfield, Dusty s'impose neammoins comme la numero 1 de cette caste de chanteurs. Le titre The Windmils of Your Mind s'impose déjà comme l'un des tauliers du générateur. Néammoins, on se retrouve un peu dérangé par les nombreuses accusations de vulgarité à son encontre, entre ses jupes extremement courtes, sa descente de whisky qui ferait rougir un pilier de bar, ou encore cette phrase, sortie du contexte d'une escapade nocturne avec son amant gérant d'un club de moto: "tape dans l'fond j'suis pas ta mère". La famille Springfield reste ce qu'elle est, une famille bourrée de talent musicalement parlant, mais une famille également très rustique socialement parlant.

Smooth, soulful, enjoyable. beautiful voice

Best Song: Son Of A Preacher Man. The one song I'd heard before. The only one where the singer (or her vocal object) seems to have an ounce of agency. How did this righteous song end up in the middle of all this wrist-wringing? Worst Song: So Much Love. Real weepy and pathetic lyrics that feel like they are entirely undone by the very next song. Overall: Entirely forgettable except for the one song that managed to escape the melodramatic clutches of the rest. Each song is dripping with cheese and sounds like it is intended to be listened to while staring forlornly out of a rain-covered window. I also dislike how none of the songs know how to end, instead just fading out into nothingness.

Отличный альбом, какая же она клевая!

timeless, beautifully crafted, soulful pop

A near-perfect album only ruined by that one episode of The Office where Jan insists on performing a heavily emotional rendition of 'Son of a Preacher Man' to her newborn daughter.

God this is so good. And why have I not played it for so long....[embarrassed face]. DSs soulful vulnerable voice skates over heartfelt melodies, lyrics full of broken relationships and gorgeous strings. Some of the songs make me well up. Play in a low lit room with a single malt. Magical. I dont give many 5s. Best female solo album ever for me. Five.

A week in, this is the first album by a female artist I've come across. Not only that, but decades on Dusty In Memphis comes with its own queer reading. Like "Breakfast In Bed" - super gay and super heartbreaking, n'est-ce pas? This album is another one where it's clear of the influence it would have on future artists. While some of the songs are very familiar, it's a comforting sense of familiarity. Auntie Dusty is here and everything will be alright.

Spit song from Hadestown inspiration-windmills of your mind

Love me some dusty. A great blue-eyed soul album. Close your eyes and listen to son of a preacher man.

# Album Name: Dusty in memphis # Artist: Dusty Springfield # Rating: 4/5 # Comments: What a lovely voice. This album has a tremendous 60's feel. The vocals are brilliant, both dusty's and the backing vocals. Son of a preacher man is an absolute classic. Great track. Its quite a chilled vibe but i enjoyed it. I think this one will be a grower. I'll be coming back to this album and dustys back catalogue. # Top Tunes: Little lovin / SOAPM / So much love # Would I listen to it again? Yes

Dusty in Memphis The difference between this and the other Dusty album we had is immediately very stark: the song choice, the playing, the sound, all are instantly better on Just a Little Lovin’, more sympathetic to her voice, poppy and accessible but also. That continues with So Much Love, even if these two songs are quite as strong as some of the songs later on. Son of a Preacher Man. Despite being very overfamiliar it is, of course, truly excellent. Atmospheric, mysterious with brilliant playing and a fantastic vocal. I Don’t Want to Hear it Anymore, has, as usual a great vocal, and a very nice 60s pop feel with a nice build. Don’t Forget About Me and Breakfast in Bed are both superb. Never heard either of them before, but both are excellent. I love the guitar and the stomping chorus on Don’t Forget About Me in particular. Just One Smile felt a little cloying to me, the arrangement perhaps a little big band. The Windmills of Your Mind is a fantastic song, but I’m not as keen on this version. The vocal is super, but I’m not keen on the arrangement with the Spanish guitar, it feels a bit lounge. The strings towards the end are good, but I’m not sure they quite rescue it. In the Land of Make Believe is great, it has a very pleasing delicacy and although there is quite a lot happening musically it’s placed back in the mix to give it some sense of restraint. No Easy Way Down falls a little close to easy listening, but is just about rescued by the vocal (of course) and the playing, the organ is particularly noceI Can’t Make it Alone has a lovely build and crescendo, it’s good, even if not quite as strong as some of the others When it’s good this is great, and although it's far superior than the other album we had, there are some songs that don’t quite work for me, sailing a little close to easy listening or lounge, which stops it from getting into the 5s. A 4 feels about right, reflecting the quality of singing and playing. 🗑️🗑️🗑️🗑️ Playlist submission: Preacher Man is the obvious one, but for a change I’ll go Don’t Forget About Me

Amiable music that I very much appreciate.

Beautiful album from British icon, Dusty Springfield. I have never listened to this album in its entirety but have only heard the pop hits from her, but it causes me to dig deeper. I bet she could put on a show! **Classic record that I need to grab used sometime

Soul has never been in my repertoire, this much is true, so picture my surprise when this website decided to zag, rather than zig, by presenting me something I never would have organically listened to. But I’m glad it did. Whilst Dusty In Memphis wasn’t my pick of the litter, it was solid throughout. Springfield’s beautiful voice was refreshing after two of the first three albums presented to me were either boom bap, or R&B. Son Of A Preacher Man is an obvious all time classic, but the songs opening trio of songs (Just A Little Lovin’ and So Much Love) was fantastic. The rest of the album was consistent also, solid the whole way through. Three stars.

Dusty Springfield just sounds effortlessly cool. I bet she'd be fun to hang out with.

That voice. Plus a couple of bona fide classics on here. Some filler, though

I played this album twice, and other than Son of a Preacher Man (which is wonderful), I thought it was rather bland MoR stuff.

Thoughts before listening: This album is a mainstay in best albums lists, both for the 60s as well as of all time. I know that it has "Son of a Preacher Man" which is a classic song, but I do not know any of the other tracks. In fact, this has always seemed to me like a bit of an oddity for those lists. Review: This is okay. "Son of a Preacher Man" truly is one of the best songs of all time, but the rest of the album stays in a mid-tempo soul sound that just isn't all that interesting to me. Dusty certainly has a nice voice and these are well arranged songs, but its just not my style. 2-stars.

Just when you thought blue eyed soul couldn't get worse, British people start doing it and somehow make it worse. No grits, no balls, no soul, this pales in comparison to Aretha.

It's alright. Didn't really catch my attention.

The English Ladies Who Know How to Sing American Soul Invasion began with this talented lady.

An absolute classic

Dusty Springfield had such a great voice, and these songs and arrangements suit her perfectly. Is the "being good isn't always easy, no matter how hard I try" verse in Son of a Preacher Man the sexiest delivery in pop?

This album is totally new for me as a singer. And it feels like I found something amazing for me. 5/5

The greatest blue eyed soul album ever recorded. Absolutely flawless in all ways and probably the best album of 1969 if you don't count The Beatles' Abbey Road. Majestic stuff.

Great ballads, great vocals, great arrangements!

fijn, wil ik vaker luistern

Dusty Springfield isn’t typically my thing, but this album was undeniably great. Her voice is so pure, and the songs are really well constructed. Love the orchestral backing on a lot of these tracks. Highlights: The Windmills of Your Mind - This sounded almost like a Bond theme to me at the beginning. Love the way her voice moves through this song, soft and subtle at the beginning and more strong at later points as the song grows. Don’t Forget About Me - This could have easily been a song that Aretha Franklin was singing. Just a very full song, with some cool guitar work in it too. Son of a Preacher Man - the biggest song off this album and for good reason. Very soulful with a great blend of different instruments hitting at just the right points opposite her voice. The closer, I Can’t Make it Alone, is another excellent tune. Dusty’s voice is pitch perfect on this one. This was a revelation. Exactly the type of thing I hoped to get out of this project. While I wouldn’t say I loved every song on this, there are no bad ones. A truly great album, which I never would have expected to say prior to listening to it.

Love songs

Sublime

I had pretty positive feelings about Ms. Springfield already, but I was surprised by how much I liked the whole album.

For all the absolute slop this list has suggested, every now and again it recommends something great. This is regarded as a classic masterpiece and rightfully so.

This was honestly a jaw dropper. Amazing album, hit song feel yet its under rated.

Top tier soul No notes

A timeless classic. Chilled AF in parts. Fun and uplifting in parts. I’ve never tired of this album, and likely never will.

What an album. That voice! That playing! Those songs! Misery has never sounded so good. Best Tracks: Son of a Preacher Man; Don't Forget About Me; Breakfast In Bed

I can only think I'll like this more on more listens and I already liked it. Perfect in the sun.

Really enjoyed this one! Incredibly well mixed, and Dusty's voice does wonders to make this feel so warm and rich.

I like the beginning, jazzy and smooth. i actually like the whole album so far. nice smooth voice. relaxing.

Dusty Springfield has this sweet, unique voice! As I was listening to it, I thought "I think I have heard this voice before." When "Son of a Preacher Man" played, I said to myself, "Yep." Fantastic album, fantastic voice. Loved it!

10/10 morning album

I love Dusty Springfield's voice, and this album was so, so good, mainly for that reason. The songwriting was just absolutely spot on and the performances were just perfect. I especially loved the wistful minor key and delightfully melancholy classical acoustic of Windmills of Your Mind. I listened to it twice -- five stars.

Truly a masterpiece. Before listening to this album, I was familiar with “Son of a Preacher Man,” which is a great song. Her version of “The Windmills of Your Mind” is truly haunting.

Classic soul pop sound, but if we’re being honest, the whole record floats on Dusty’s vocals (although Aretha’s bassist, Tommy Cogbill is the other standout on this record). Is it dated to 1969? Yeah, it’s the definitive “this is the sound of 1969” album. Those strings did not hold up. The horns did. It’s the kind of album a cynic might point to in a contrast to Blonde on Blonde or the Velvet Underground, without any appreciation for the undeniable probability that Lou Reed and Bob Dylan probably both loved this record. Are there better albums doing what it does? Sure, Aretha herself, for one. Is it great, an all time classic, a necessary part of any collection? Can’t be denied.

Windmills in your mind was enough to be. 5 star

Every track hit. Not the live album I expected, but the intimacy and emotion made it feel like she was singing right in the room. Stunning vocals, gorgeous arrangements, and not a single misstep.

Fiver

Magnificent

never heard of her and now i'm obsessed. the songs, the lyrics, her life story. she gave an interview in fucking 1970 saying she was "capable of being swayed by a boy or a girl". omg a truly queer icon who wasn't afraid!! although i know this cost her a lot. son of a preacher man changed my brain chemistry. as someone else said here, breakfast in bed is so gay! i wish i knew this song when i was living the same. the windmills of your mind starts so lana del rey coded. i'm listening to this album nonstop as if i had nothing else to do with my life

White Aretha Franklin killed ts

Sure, one of the greats. But the recording and playing is just incredible. With the band in Memphis and Dusty in New York, just an incredibly well produced record.

This hit right in my sweet spot for sensual, soulful singers of the 60-70s. Really enjoyed the last Dusty-album I had as well, but this takes it up a notch. Top notch arrangements, big sound and it all starts with a beautiful ode to morning sex - what’s not to like? A new fave.

Iconic. One of my absolutely favorite albums, incredible from top to bottom. All hits, no misses.

Her voice was so soulful and soothing, perfect drive for a sunny morning weekend drive!

PUTAIN la découverte d’une vie bonus pour les 5ères le reste est presque tout aussi incroyable après façon

This is a gem of an album. Hauntingly beautiful vocal work and excellent instrumentals. Listened to it twice, having never heard anything from it before! 'The Windmills of Your Mind' is *chef's kiss*

pre album: scared, i dont like whatever style this is. had a little peek and it may be FIRE song 1: hold on TS writing fire. much liked, very lovely style. album gave conservative farmer, but i feel like this is southern soul style sum shi song 2: instrumentals are EATING, and vocals are very nice song 3: slightly different beat, a little more jazzy, lwk chasing the beat but catching it in the end of each line??? song 4: we are starting slower, BIG FAN, feels like italian jazz song 5: upbeat but lwk too much upbeat from 4th song, slowed down but still ehh song 6: pretty nice, similar to 2nd and 3rd ish mix, a lot going on song 7: kinda tiana esque, very princessy and the lyrics are very fitting, gets upbeat and then dies down song 8: very slow lana del rey type start, slower with latin influence, goated guitar, climax so cutie, love song great lyrics song 9: we getting MORE latin w this one, with some orchestra too. song 10: hawaii guitar notes intro??? slow dance style song, turns more soul esque song 11 - gone, 12 is repetition of 3, 13 is GONE RAWR rest of album are mono audios OVERALL RATING - solid 7.9/10, its not my genre but its growing on me lots

What a fantastic album! And what a contrast with Adele I had to listen to less than a week ago. This lady knows how to sing and knows how to use her voice. But perhaps even more important: the instrumentations are fantastic. The highlight of this album (no, certainly not preacher man) is the astonishingly beautiful 'The windmills of your mind'. That song has more variation and more instrumental interesting elements than a whole disc of Adela. Probably: more than the entire discography of Adele. 'Breakfast in bed': that singing is truly magnificent. Yes, I can truly like pop music.

I'm sure that all who rate albums here have an album (or two) that they have bought more than once or twice over the years as new versions (re-mastered, vinyl, sacd, blu ray, extra tracks, etc) are issued. This is the one for me - it's so good that I'm always keen to find another version in case it introduces a new sound, a surprise that I may not have picked up on before. Just an all-time classic!

Having "Son of a Preacher Man" on an album is enough to warrant a 5-star review. The fact that the rest of the album and Springfield's vocals are as great as they are is just a wonderful bonus.

Such a sweet album!! Her voice is so warming

THAT'S WHY SHE'S THE GOAT

The strings!! ❤️

5/5 Heartfelt Haze Ballads This isn’t just one of the greatest vocal performances of the 20th century. It’s the template for every soft, slow, emotionally intelligent heartbreak that came after it.

Dusty Springfield singing a lot of beautiful cover versions of some of the most iconic songs of the 60's. Son Of A Preacher Man is the big hit, but I actually prefer a lot of the other, more orchestrally expansive songs on this album. The Windmills Of Your Mind and No Easy Way Down are my favorites here. It's quite reminiscent of Elvis in Memphis in that its a solid collection of orchestral 60's pop covers. Just a beautiful album and a joy to listen to.

++*: Son of a Preacher Man, Breakfast in Bed +: Just a Little Lovin', So Much Love, Don't Forget About Me, Just One Smile, The Windmills of Your Mind, In the Land of Make Believe, I Can't Make It Alone +: I Don't Want to Hear It Anymore, No Easy Way Down 9,7/10

Springfield’s vocal performances are amazing. Full of a wide range of emotion and beautiful tone. She cements her status as a high-level interpreter of terrific songs. https://open.substack.com/pub/richcain/p/project-1001-dusty-in-memphis-by?r=4ztyq&utm_campaign=post&utm_medium=web&showWelcomeOnShare=false

I feel like I’ve made this mistake before, but I was expecting country music from Dusty Springfield, but this is good old classic R&B. This was such a lovely listen. Dusty’s voice is fantastic and engrossing, and the music itself is interesting and a little sedating. If you haven’t heard Son If A Preacher Man before, then you’re probably not from this planet. This is an album that is hard to find any faults with, so I’m going to stop trying.

ez csodálatos volt, pedig azt hittem, hogy nem fogom szeretni.

Stimme wie Frühsommerregen

This really captured my soul. Way to go Dusty!

Her voice is sublime and the musicians compliment it perfectly. Although this is cloying to my taste, it is a great record. Also Son Of A Preacher Man has a place in my heart after being introduced to me in the 90's thanks to Pulp Fiction.

Epic, emotive, vocals coupled with great arrangements. Puzzling that it undersold and was poorly reviewed on release. Glad that it achieved its place on many ‘best of’ lists.

Great album, easy listening, but some classic tunes

This is a great album right here! Dusty Springfield is a name that I've definitely heard before, but I didn't really know anything about her until today. I mean, I didn't even know she was English! But now I know a few things about here, with there being one in particular that's really important. She knows how to make a good album. Dusty in Memphis was her fifth album, and it's apparently her best. It's also amazing. I have no real complaints. Dusty's singing is very nice. She brings some solid character to each song to make them feel original, despite her not having written any of the songs herself. Still, many of these are the definitive versions of these songs, and for good reason. The aforementioned singing as well as the excellent instrumentation makes this album a delight to listen to. The songs all work well together to form a complete package. It feels like a cohesive listen. The album's also pretty short, but that's not a bad thing. I think the 34 minutes are spent well, and there really isn't much more I'd ask for from it. I've seen comparisons to Aretha Franklin that aren't completely unwarranted. I think I like Aretha more, but Dusty definitely has a talent for musicianship. Also, I can't believe this was in 1969! Dusty in Memphis is an absolute classic album that has aged very gracefully. I love it. Light 5/5.

A beautiful sweet and sorrowful soul album. 9.1/10 Best Track: “Son of a Preacher Man”

Lightning in a bottle.

So many hits here! And they seem to keep building until the end. 4+ but I’ll round up because of the unexpected pleasure of the album. Thank you, Memphis, for filling out these great songs.

A schmaltzy British torch singer and TV presenter whose career is on the skids signs with a new label and goes to Memphis to try to emulate her idol, Aretha Franklin, recording songs by a random grab bag of writers, including Randy Newman, Carole King and Burt Bacharach. Why is it that things that really shouldn’t work seem to end up being the most sublime when they actually do? Because this weird nonsense is easily one of my favorite albums of all time. There is hardly a bad second on the entire record. Just sheer greatness from start to finish.

Great album! Can't think of a better way of spending a spring Sunday walk listening to Dusty Springfield. Some big hits as well, son of a preacher man, breakfast in bed and windmills of your mind, clear favourites. 5 stars all the way.

I don’t listen to this album enough. Every time I do I realize that I’ve been neglecting this masterpiece. Hopefully this is a cycle I can end now. The orchestration on this album is so lush and expansive. All the musicians give top notch performances supporting Dusty’s beautiful voice through these well written songs. DJ Muggs for the win with the “Son Of A Preacher Man” sample for “Hits From The Bong.”

Beautiful album!!! So classic, soulful and sultry. Instant 5.

Excellent album. Soulful and a bit gospelly, with a hint of country. Her vocal performances are great

Wish we got yesterdays and todays in reverse order. Without this there’s certainly no Amy Winehouse or Adele. Dustry Springfields voice is smooth but it still has a ton of soul. The arrangements underneath her are lush, but never distract from her singing, which is the focal point for a reason.

Wow I really loved this album- her voice, the instruments, the music… all of the songs are pretty solid to me - but especially: The windmills of your mind Just a little lovin Son of a preacher man Just a really special album

pfff

que sonido este sesentoso con esa voz