Dusty in Memphis

Dusty Springfield

Product Details

• Audio CD (August 18, 1992)
• Original Release Date: March 1969
• Number of Discs: 1
• Label: Rhino / Wea
• ASIN: B0000032UK
• In-Print Editions: Vinyl
• Average Customer Review: 5.0 out of 5 stars See all reviews (8 customer reviews)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #11,357 in Music (See Bestsellers in Music)

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Editorial Reviews

Amazon.com
Dusty Springfield never claimed to be a soul singer, but Dusty in Memphis effects a unique and deeply moving synthesis of her brand of stylish pop and the southern R&B of the late '60s. Her soft tones and hushed, confessional readings make for definitive versions of everything from "Son of a Preacher Man" (a later version by Aretha Franklin is good, but less thrillingly sensual than this one) to Randy Newman's ballads "I Don't Want to Hear It Anymore" and "Just One Smile" to a swirling take on "The Windmills of Your Mind." The soul obscurity "Breakfast in Bed" even gives a knowing spin to a line from an earlier Dusty classic: "You don't have to say you love me." --Rickey Wright

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

5 of 5 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Dusty - Britain's Memphis Belle, July 29, 1998

By A Customer

DUSTY IN MEMPHIS

After the success of Dusty's single Some Of Your Lovin', Atlantic Records (Dusty's US label) decided to encourage her exploration of Soul music.

When Atlantic suggested to Dusty that she record with the legendary Memphis Sound production team (who had already worked with most of the 60's Soul Legends such as Aretha Franklin and Wilson Picket), they probably expected the result to be an extremely well sung and authentic reproduction of an Aretha Franklin-type album.

However, nobody could have predicted the unique result of teaming Dusty with the Memphis Sound; an amazing blend of classy compositions (from Goffin / King, Randy Newman and Bacharach / David) and authentic Southern R&B.

The famous Memphis Sound's rhythm and horn sections, coupled with intricate orchestral arrangements, give a lush, textured and "down-home Southern feel" to a lot of the album (on tracks such as Son Of A Preacher Man, So Much Love and Breakfast In Bed). ! Yet, tracks such as I Can't Make It Alone and I Don't Wanna Hear It Anymore have quite complex arrangements that show the Memphis Sound stretching into new musical territories. Commenting at the time, Dusty said that she was amazed the Memphis Sound musicians could extend their musical range so much further than the R&B sound they were renowned for.

There were certain Black artists of this era (the 60s) who regarded Dusty as a white singer who imitated the Black R&B vocal style. Jerry Wexler (one of the Dusty in Memphis producers) disagreed and has explained (in Lucy O'Brien's biography) that Dusty was not mimetic in any way - Dusty's voice had a naturally soulful quality of it's own which enabled her to enter the R&B arena in her own way.

Whatever the debate about her voice, the vocals on Dusty in Memphis are smoky, emotive and dynamic but also often express that unique vulnerability which became one of Dusty's vocal hallmarks (most evident on Just One Smile! ).

This album produced the US and UK Top Ten hit, Son Of ! A Preacher Man. Aretha Franklin was first offered the song by Jerry Wexler, but turned it down because she didn't approve of the song's risqué lyrics. However, after Dusty's success with the song, Aretha then decided to cover it !!

Dusty in Memphis is a timeless classic. This was the album that lead to Dusty being crowned (in Jerry Wexler's own words) the White Queen of Soul. Elvis Costello hails it as being one of the most important albums ever produced by Atlantic Records.

Best regards,

A Guy Called Michael

4 of 4 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars "the best white soul album of all time", December 30, 1998

By A Customer

A quote from the Guinness Encyclopedia of Popular Music:"Dusty In Memphis...the best white soul album of all time." I couldn't have put it better myself!

3 of 3 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Simply one of the finest albums of the 60s, December 27, 1998

By	[e-mail] (John Anthony Barrett) (Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates) - See all my reviews

Rated by everyone and his dog as among the finest albums of the whole of the 1960s, this CD set is quite magical in that it all adds up to much more than the sum of its parts. Take the Sweet Inspirations, add the Memphis Cats, sprinkle with a liberal dash of Gerry Wexler, Thom Dowd and Arif Mardin, then add the magic ingredient that is Dusty Springfield and you've got yourself a little piece of musical heaven.