Junk Box Jury

Tracks taken from the album “Golden Hits” on (Philips BL7737) October 1966

Dusty Springfield | Golden Hits | (Philips) | Dusty Springfield’s vital statistics read: two-eight-two. I’ve checked personally—and they’re right. Other girls may aim for beauty queen measurements like 36-23-36 but that two-eight-two line-up was much more important to Dusty. For they represent the highest positions reached by her first three singles after she’d announced to a bemused pop world: ‘The Springfields‘ vocal trio are splitting up—and I’m going solo’.

She was full of fears back in that early autumn of 1963. Could she make it on her own? Would her personal pop choice of bluesy, rhythmic, violently-percussive, soulful singing click with her fans? Or would she, released from the pop-folk confines of the old Springfield image, walk slap into trouble?

Her first try-out recording sessions were odd mixtures of desperate morale-building Goonishness and of a deadly serious professional application to build a new career.

Dusty knew exactly what SHE wanted from musicians and technicians—know-how boys who became immediate worshippers of this green-eyed blonde-haired explosion of vocal, fire. And within a few weeks Dusty knew what WE wanted was what SHE wanted. Her first single, ‘I Only Want To Be With You’, went soaringly and searingly to number two in the charts. First phase of the most vital statistics in Dusty’s professional life.

Dusty Springfield | Golden Hits |(Philips)

‘Stay Awhile’ followed in the freezing February of 1964—got to number eight. And, in the jubilant June of that summer, out came the fantastic ‘I Just Don’t Know What To Do With Myself’, which jetted to number two, missing the top spot by something less than the proverbial hair’s-breadth.

The delicious, delectable and DARING Dusty had it made, clearly and irrevocably. She’d taken a chance and it had paid off. The vital statistics have continued . . . five with ‘Losing You’; fourteen for ‘Your Hurtin’ Kind Of Love’, two for ‘In The Middle Of Nowhere’; four for ‘Some Of Your Lovin’; seven for ‘Little By Little’.

Then, in March, 1966, out came ‘You Don’t Have To Say You Love Me’, with Dusty standing determinedly in number one position. Dusty said; ‘Phew! Made it at last.’ And it seemed to me that all show-business was applauding . . .

‘Goin’ Back’, a change of style, proceeded decorously to the Top Ten. And, by then, Dusty was running her own television series and earning plaudits even from people who’d never bought a pop record.

Consistency? Sure it’s consistency. Over three years, which can so easily be a life span in the unpredictability of pop, Dusty has simply built in every direction. In confidence, technique, ideas, range, everything!

And that glorious run of hit-making is represented here—a panoramic sound-picture of a truly world-class performer. Plus a few bonuses as well. Such as her wonderful reading of the beautiful ‘My Colouring Book’, which was originally a ‘B’ side but is a favourite of Dusty herself, and which stands for me, as THE definitive version of the composition. There’s ‘All Cried Out’, too; originally an EP track but a single hit in America. And the all-action ‘Wishin’ and Hopin’.

Dusty Springfield | Golden Hits |(Philips)

It’s when you hear all these hits lumped together; coming up one after another, that you realise just HOW consistent she’s been. Apart from her vocal contributions, you realise how much of Dusty’s own ideas are fed into each one. In the amiable John Franz she has a recording manager of understanding and sympathy—they now know each other’s little foibles and this is what partnership perfection is all about.

Musical direction, too, is the third corner of this triangle of talent—what I hope will prove an eternal triangle! Ivor Raymonde directed all but two of the tracks here enclosed. The young and brilliant Peter Knight came in for ‘Goin’ Back.’ And the last track of all, ‘All I See Is You’, the most recent single, features the ideas and nuances of Wally Stott.

To be quite fair to Dusty, I should say that those vital statistics I was mentioning are by no means the be-all and end-all of her singing life. What concerns her more than mere placings in a list of best-sellers is that she always strives for complete perfection in whatever she is singing. I’ve watched her make records, listened to wondrous things in the play-back studio . . . and seen her demand to go through the whole thing again, just to correct some minor, barely-noticed flaw.

Its an intuitive thing, this musical understanding of Miss Springfield. She simply knows what she wants, even if she can’t explain it in strictly musical terms. She imitates musical instruments—energetically sizzling like cymbals, boom-booming like bass drums, tarrah-ing like whole brass sections. Even difficult things come right . . . because everybody on a Dusty session wants it to come right.

But this album does more to explain the point than would a million words. It’s the story of a career—and a career that I’ll bet is only just starting. Three years of a most exciting talent. Of a restless trouper who attacks anything remotely second-rate with an explosive “UGH!” I present Dusty Springfield, Golden Girl of pop. She’s great! (Peter Jones)

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cost of record: 50 pence
from: Charity Shop