The greatest female pop singer to emerge from Britain – feel free to disagree – Dusty Springfield was well past her commercial prime when she entered the studio with producer Brooks Arthur (Janis Ian, Bette Midler) in 1974. But if ‘60s hits like “Son of a Preacher Man” and “Wishin’ and Hopin’ ” were a fading memory, her voice retained its stirring power, as the sessions intended for the album ultimately titled Longing show.
Unreleased in its intended form at the time, though most of the tracks have been previously available, Longing emphasizes the grand pop side of Springfield’s personality, downplaying the soul and girl group elements of her ‘60s work. Reflecting the times, tunes include a Barry Manilow co-write (“I Am Your Child”), a song from the Broadway musical “Pippin” (“Corner of the Sky”) and a passionate love epic composed by Brill Building greats Barry Mann and Cynthia Weill (“Make the Man Love Me”). Springfield nods to her Motown influences with a swinging take on Martha and the Vandellas’ “A Love Like Yours (Don’t Come Knocking Everyday).”
If not the place to start for newcomers, Longing is a worthy addition to the Springfield canon regardless. It’s a little square, but still compelling.
