Look no further.....this is definitely the one you want!!!!!
Paul Tognetti | Cranston, RI USA | 09/03/2004
(5 out of 5 stars)
"Although some may consider this one to be a bit pricey, in my opinion this CD is easily the best available Dusty Springfield collection on the market today. The 25 track single disc English import covers nearly all of Dusty's extraordinary career from the early days with the Springfields until her final chart appearance with Pet Shop Boys in 1987. Of course, you'll find just about all of her important solo hits as well including "The Look of Love", "I Only Want To Be With You" and the 1966 Top 20 smash "All I See Is You". Also included is the haunting Grammy award winning tune "The Windmills of Your Mind" from the spring of '69 and a number of terrific tunes that were big hits for Dusty in England but failed to catch on here in the States. Among these are "I Just Don't Know What To Do With Myself", "In The Middle of Nowhere" and Dusty's all-time favorite single "Some of Your Lovin'" which reached number 8 on the British charts in the summer of 1965. There are a couple of notable omissions including "Brand New Me" from the winter of 1969 and "Mama's Little Girl" which I believe was Dusty's finest recording during her brief stay at ABC/Dunhill in the early 70's. My kudos to the folks at Philips for a first rate remastering job. If I have any criticism of this collection at all it is the skimpy six page booklet. Given the stature of this artist it could have easily been 10 or 12 pages. But at this point I doubt you will ever find a better Dusty Springfield collection. Highly recommended."
One disc compilation of Dusty's best
Daniel J. Hamlow | Narita, Japan | 02/03/2004
(5 out of 5 stars)
"One of the most uneven careers belonged to a woman with one of the smoothest voices in pop. Pop? Dusty Springfield was equally at home doing soul, country, disco, and easy listening music. And though her heyday was 1962-1968, with a brief revival (1987-1990), the singer born Mary Isabel Catherine Bernadette O'Brien at one time was the Queen of British Pop in her first heyday.Three songs during her time with Springfields, consisting of brother Tom and Tim Field are here. The UK #5 "Island Of Dreams" sports country-like harmonies, harmonica, and strings with her bandmates. The same sound is present in the US Top 20 "Silver Threads And Golden Needles", and given the theme of woman in sorrow while her man plays the cheating game, a steel guitar would complete its countrified feel. Stretched out vowels by Tom and Dusty and a folky sound is present in the UK #5 "Say I Won't Be There."She went solo following the Springfields' dissolution, and she beat the odds in a world where male dominated groups ruled the charts. The upbeat and poppy UK #4 "I Only Want To Be With You" proved her worthiness, and hey, even Samantha Fox had a hit with it on her I Wanna Have Some Fun album.Dusty though was best at singing soft songs. The title track of this compilation, written by the King/Goffin songwriting team, is a longing nostalgia for a purer and more innocent time, piano and flute, and a wall of sound Phil Spector would be proud of. This song of "thinking young and growing older" was also covered by the Byrds. However, it's another King/Goffin song, the soulful "Some Of Your Lovin'" that's her personal fave. Her rendition of the Bacharach/David breakup song "I Just Don't Know What To Do With Myself" was one of her biggest, with Linda Ronstadt and The White Stripes (!!) covering it. It was also included on the soundtrack to Phil Collins' movie Buster.Speaking of movies, one of her best ballads is the lilting song from the James Bond spoof Casino Royale, "The Look Of Love," which to me is Dusty at her vocal best. Another vocal highlight is "Windmills Of Your Mind" taken from her Dusty From Memphis, which has a light mellow Latin beat before strings sneak through in later verses and billow out in full strength.Two of those ballads were originally based on Italian songs redone with English lyrics and done with a sometimes overdone symphony--they are the #9 UK "All I See Of You" and her signature tune "Io Che Non Vivo (Senzate)" a.k.a. "You Don't Have To Say You Love Me." Thw 80's and 90's saw a comeback due entirely to Neil Tennant and Chris Lowe, a.k.a. the Pet Shop Boys. Their duet "What Have I Done To Deserve This", a leisurely 80's disco song with horns and cheery synths, peaked at #2 on the UK charts. The title track to her 1990 Reputation album, produced by the PSB, strengthened her comeback and with the intense techno beats and strings, deserved better than its #38 UK peak. "In Private" from the same album, reached #14 despite having a slightly slower tempo. The final single, the ballad "Nothing Has Been Proved" was done over the closing credits of Scandal, and whose lyrics was a companion to the movie, an account of the Christine Keeler/John Profumo scandal that disgraced both parties and caused Harold MacMillan's government to fall from power.Twenty-five songs spanning thirty-two years, although the 70's and early 80's were a sporadic period for Dusty. Still, a recommended one-disc compilation for Ms. Springfield."
Great Pop tunesmith of the 60's
C. Burch | San Francisco, CA USA | 04/29/1998
(4 out of 5 stars)
"Before buying this CD, most of my memories of Dusty Springfield were from AM radio in the 60's. Hearing this CD on a good stereo will suprise you. Many of the arrangements (Son of a Preacher Man and the Look of Love, to name a few) are exquisite. This compilation is one of the few places to get most of her big hits on one CD. A fine anthology of one of the great pop singers of the 1960's. Recommended."
Track Listings (25) - Disc #1