Dusty in Memphis
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| Dusty in Memphis | ||
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| Studio album by Dusty Springfield | ||
| Released | January 13, 1969 | |
| Recorded | American Studios September 1968 |
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| Genre | Soul, Pop | |
| Length | 33:31 | |
| Label | Atlantic Records | |
| Producer(s) | Jerry Wexler, Arif Mardin, Jeff Barry, Tom Dowd | |
| Professional reviews | ||
|---|---|---|
| Dusty Springfield chronology | ||
| Dusty... Definitely (1968) |
Dusty in Memphis (1969) |
From Dusty With Love (1970) |
Dusty in Memphis is the fifth studio album by Dusty Springfield, often acclaimed as a "white soul" album, and released in 1969. It was produced by Jerry Wexler and Arif Mardin and engineered by Tom Dowd, all three of whom played key roles in Aretha Franklin's career. "So Much Love", "Son of a Preacher Man", "Breakfast in Bed", "Just One Smile", "I Don't Want to Hear It Anymore", and "Just a Little Lovin'" are some of the album's prominent songs.
Though the album is classified in the soul genre, its producers have stated that the Memphis Cats (the session musicians on Dusty In Memphis) were actually playing a jazz version of soul throughout most of the album's tracks. Dusty's delivery of the mostly interpretive (non original) material bears a strong resemblance to the singing of Peggy Lee, Julie London, and others of the torch singing tradition.
While not a significant success at the time of its release, the album's reputation has grown over time, and today it is routinely cited in many 'greatest albums of all time' lists (see Reviews section below).
Contents |
[edit] Track listing
Side one:
- "Just a Little Lovin'" (Barry Mann, Cynthia Weil) – 2:18
- "So Much Love" (Gerry Goffin, Carole King) – 3:31
- "Son of a Preacher Man" (John Hurley, Ronnie Wilkins) – 2:29
- "I Don't Want to Hear It Anymore" (Randy Newman) – 3:11
- "Don't Forget About Me" (Goffin, King) – 2:52
- "Breakfast in Bed" (Eddie Hinton, Donnie Fritts) – 2:57
Side two:
- "Just One Smile" (Randy Newman) – 2:42
- "The Windmills of Your Mind" (Alan Bergman, Marilyn Bergman, Michel Legrand) – 3:51
- "In the Land of Make Believe" (Burt Bacharach, Hal David) – 2:32
- "No Easy Way Down" (Goffin, King) – 3:11
- "I Can't Make It Alone" (Goffin, King) – 3:57
In 1999, Rhino Records released a remastered Deluxe Edition of Dusty in Memphis, containing the following bonus tracks:
- "What Do You Do When Love Dies" (Mary Unobsky, Donna Weiss) – 2:42
- "Willie & Laura Mae Jones" (Tony Joe White) – 2:49
- "That Old Sweet Roll (Hi-De-Ho)" (Goffin, King) – 2:59
- "Cherished" (Kenny Gamble, Leon Huff) – 2:38
- "Goodbye" (Roland Chambers, Leonard Pakula) – 2:33
- "Make It With You" (David Gates) – 3:12*
- "Love Shine Down" – 2:22*
- "Live Here With You" (Gil Slavin, Michael F. Soles) – 2:44*
- "Natchez Trace" (Neil Brian Goldberg, Slavin) – 2:58*
- "All the King's Horses" – 3:10*
- "I'll Be Faithful" (Steven Soles) – 3:01*
- "Have a Good Life Baby" – 3:09*
- "You've Got a Friend" (King) – 5:28*
- "I Found My Way" – 3:12*
(*These songs were from the intended Faithful album produced by Jeff Barry. The album was shelved when its pilot singles failed to perform. Master tapes for this album were destroyed in a fire, but Barry had kept reference copies of the intended final mixes)
[edit] Personnel
- Dusty Springfield - Vocals
- Arif Mardin - Producer, arranger, strings arranger, horns arranger
- Tom Dowd - Producer, arranger, horns arranger
- Jerry Wexler - Producer
- Jeff Barry - Producer (relates to bonus materials on 1999 Deluxe Rhino version)
- Jim Pierson - Compilation producer, liner notes
- Gene Orloff - Conductor, arranger
- Thom Bell - Arranger (relates to bonus materials on 1999 Deluxe Rhino version)
- The Sweet Inspirations - Backing vocals
- Reggie Young - Guitar, sitar
- Tommy Cogbill - Guitar, bass guitar
- Bobby Emmons - Organ, piano, electric piano, congas
- Bobby Wood - Piano
- Gene Chrisman - Drums
- Mike Leach - Congas
- Ed Kollis - Engineer
- Dan Hersch - Remastering
- Jim Feldman - Liner notes
- Haig Adishian - Design
- Rachel Gutek - Reissue design
- David Redfern - Photography
[edit] Charts
Album - Billboard (North America)
| Year | Chart | Position |
|---|---|---|
| 1969 | Pop Albums | 99 |
Singles - Billboard (North America)
| Year | Single | Chart | Position |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1969 | "Breakfast in Bed" | Pop Singles | 99 |
| 1969 | "Don't Forget About Me" | Pop Singles | 64 |
| 1969 | "Willie & Laura Mae Jones" | Pop Singles | 78 |
| 1969 | "The Windmills of Your Mind" | Adult Contemporary | 3 |
| 1969 | "The Windmills of Your Mind" | Pop Singles | 31 |
[edit] Reviews
Rolling Stone (12/11/03, p.146) - Ranked #89 in Rolling Stone's "The 500 Greatest Albums of All Time" - "...the result was blazing soul and sexual honesty...that transcended both race and geography."
Rolling Stone (4/11/02, p.106) - Ranked #9 in Rolling Stone's "50 Coolest Records". "...London's fabbest pop starlet takes her big voice and fire-hazard bouffant to Memphis and becomes a born-again soul diva..."
Rolling Stone (10/31/02, p.135) - Ranked #3 in Rolling Stone's "Women In Rock: The 50 Essential Albums" - "...[A] British soul masterpiece..."
VH1 - Ranked #58 in VH1's "100 Greatest Albums of Rock & Roll" "...Not only is this Dusty's finest work, it is unanimously acknowledged as one of the great soul albums...a faultless record on which we have, thankfully, now recognized she was far too ahead of her time for her own good..."
Entertainment Weekly (3/12/99, p.71) - "...It's her shining moment and just might be one of the all-time great pop albums." - Rating: A
New Musical Express (10/2/93, p.29) - Ranked #54 in its list of the "Greatest Albums Of All Time."
Dusty In Memphis was ranked 87th in a 2005 survey held by British television's Channel 4 to determine the 100 greatest albums of all time.
