Vintage Vinyl #10

Dusty Springfield - You Don't Have To Say You Love Me and What's It Gonna Be? 7"s
Bought from Kelly's Records, Cardiff
Price paid: £3 each

A wonderful double-bill to bring this series to a pause for the summer. There cannot be a single person in the world with an ounce of soul in their being who could not be convinced that Dusty Springfield was one of the most incredible vocalists ever to have walked the Earth. How can you not fall for her? Today's X-Factor wannabe warblers all seem to adhere to the Aretha Franklin 'sing as many notes per syllable as you can' school of singing. Dusty never had to do that. She was a troubled woman, but everything she sang was perfect, honest and utterly joyous.

I found quite a number of her old 7-inches in Kelly's, and as tempted as I was to buy the lot, my accountant (aka MrsRobster) would never have allowed it. So I thought I'd plump for one that everyone knows and one slightly lesser-known one. I don't have to say I love You Don't Have To Say You Love Me - that much should be obvious. What I will say is that I would loved to have heard a version without the big orchestra and choir. Imagine - just Dusty and a pianist; gives me goosebumps just thinking about it. Released in 1966, it was Dusty's only number one single - how ludicrous is that? Just one #1?! Its b-side is the upbeat Every Ounce Of Strength which again showcases her astonishing vocal talents even if the song is just about average.

Sadly by the end of the following year, the hits began drying up. What's It Gonna Be was the second of four successive non-charting singles. A shame because I love it; that twangy guitar makes it for me I think, though of course the voice steals the show. The b-side, Small Town Girl, is a passable ballad which probably wouldn't have much going for it were it shorn of Dusty and the seemingly de rigueur orchestral backing.

There would be a couple more big hits - I Close My Eyes And Count To Ten and Son Of A Preacher Man both went top 10 in 1968 - but sadly while Dusty would continue to record, her next decent hit didn't arrive until she teamed up with the Pet Shop Boys in 1987. I'm tempted to buy a couple more Dusty records to feature in the next run of this series.

Right, going to have to buy some more singles over the summer. Watch out, wallet...!


Soundtrack:

• You Don't Have To Say You Love Me - Dusty Springfield (single)
• Every Ounce Of Strength - Dusty Springfield (b-side of You Don't Have To Say You Love Me)
• What's it Gonna Be? - Dusty Springfield (single)
• Small Town Girl - Dusty Springfield (b-side of What's it Gonna Be?)