 Dusty Springfield Dusty Springfield's death was one of the most significant losses to music in a long time, and while the press regarded it as only slightly more than a footnote – the passing of an "oldies" performer – it's unquestionable that Dusty possessed one of the two or three greatest voices ever to be applied to pop music, and she left behind a wealth of excellent material. It's too bad that it took her death to bring her original albums back into print, but like looters during a riot, we may as well reap the benefits. Quick, grab a CD player from that broken storefront and let's listen to Dusty's first album in stunning digital sound! Wow, I sure can go from sincerity to sarcasm with no provocation at all, can't I? I need to get my prescription updated. At any rate, Stay Awhile – I Only Want to Be With You was Dusty's first album as a solo artist (she'd recorded one with her family group, The Springfields), originally titled A Girl Called Dusty in the UK, then reissued in the US with the addition of the big singles cited in the new title. The collection is a fantastically mature girl-group offering that showcases Dusty's awesome voice on a bunch of sophisticated early 60s pop tunes. Aside from the lead singles, there are a few primo Bacharach/David songs: "Wishin' and Hopin'," "Anyone Who Had a Heart," and the staggering "24 Hours From Tulsa," each of these making a strong case for Dusty being superior to Dionne with the Bacharach/David songbook. (Hey, quit shouting "Blasphemy!," it's only a damn CD review.) Dusty also applies herself to some tried-and-true pop of the era ("Will You Love Me Tomorrow?," "Mama Said," "You Don't Own Me," "Mocking Bird") and acquits herself wonderfully, if not besting the originals. These are still great versions and, though a bit obvious, further evidence that pretty much everything Dusty recorded was brilliant (um, except maybe that later-seasons "Growing Pains" theme with B.J. Thomas). The CD adds three bonus tracks to the original 12-track line-up, effectively increasing the filler quotient a bit, although Dusty filler is still welcome. This is one of those albums that begins super strong and sort of loses steam – the first half includes all the singles plus the Bacharach songs and the gem "When the Lovelight Starts Shining Thorugh His Eyes." The second half features the comparatively unmemorable "Something Special" and "Every Day I Have to Cry," plus the sort of ridiculous bonus track "Standing in the Need of Love" (a pop rewrite of the gospel tune "It's Me Ol' Lord (Standing in the Need of Prayer)"). But as I said, the voice is so seductive and heartbreaking on everything that these are minor quibbles … honestly, I don't fast-forward through the disc at all, and I can't say that about too many pop albums from the early 60s (this one came out in '64, and I'll take it over Beatles For Sale or whatever Rolling Stones album came out that year). Most people shopping for Dusty Springfield CDs will be happy with Dusty in Memphis or the Very Best of Dusty Springfield compilation on Mercury, though I'd strongly recommend the 3-disc box set The Dusty Springfield Anthology instead, keeping in mind that pretty much all the Dusty CDs on the market are worth owning (at least among the 60s reissues). She was a rare artist and one of the greatest performers ever, and her discography has a consistency that does not disappoint. This one is a bit more "oldies" focussed than some of the others, but still a treat and only a small percentage of overlap with the box set. Do yourself a favor while you're looting … get Dusty. You can get "dusted" later, fool.
Review by Serena Pustule |