The pity is that nobody got it--never mind bought it--at the time. Released in April 1969, Dusty In Memphis failed to make the slightest dent on either the UK or US charts, a huge blow to the confidence of an artist who had enjoyed more than five straight years of hit singles on both sides of the Atlantic. In some ways, she never got over the snubbing.

Why it stiffed remains one of those eternal mysteries, though rock snobbery probably played its part. After all, being a white solo girl (OK, woman; she was 30) singer entirely reliant on others for three-minute pop songs was about as low as you could go back then without dropping off the food chain altogether. That she continued to be lumped in with the likes of Petula Clark, Cilla Black and Lulu didn't help much either.

More than 30 years and several helpings of hindsight later, the record's reputation is probably more secure than ever. Recorded at Chips Moman's American Studios with Atlantic Records' biggest wigs (Jerry Wexler, Arif Mardin, Tom Dowd) handling production, the hope was that some of the Tennessee magic dust that had recently enthused Aretha Franklin would rub off on Springfield too. Handpicked songs from Goffin & King, Bacharach & David and a young Randy Newman plus some effortless Memphis musicianship made sure that's exactly what happened.

Here, the remastered original album is bolstered by a further eight mono mixes and supplemented by purring sleevenotes from Elvis Costello, plus rare archive photos. It's a more than fitting way to celebrate one of those rarest of albums in which voice, songs and arrangements come seamlessly together as one glorious whole.

Peter Kane
Q
November 2002