Artist: Dusty Springfield
Title: Simply... Dusty
Year Of Release: 2000
Label: Mercury UK
Genre: Jazz-Pop
Quality: FLAC (tracks,cue,log,m3u,scans)
Total Time: 79:07 + 75:23 + 78:50 + 79:02
Total Size: 1.90 GB
As part of a Universal Earbook series that was launched in 2006, Dusty Springfield's 2000 box set Simply Dusty was reissued in a new format. It still contained the four CDs and 98 tracks of the original set, but this time it was packaged within a nearly LP-sized hardback coffee table book. If you have the original box, it's certainly an indulgence, as you're basically paying quite a bit (about $100) for larger-sized artwork and more durable, handsome packaging; even if you don't have the original box, it's a bit of an indulgence, considering how high the price is. Viewed simply for its music and visual appeal, however, it's quite good (and one of the better of the first batch of titles in the Earbook line), the many photos and illustrations of record sleeves benefiting from having been blown-up to a much larger size. The music is for the most part quite good as well, containing all the familiar hits and many high-quality LP tracks, B-sides, and unissued-at-the-time items that -- though they're mostly available elsewhere (a 1966 BBC cover of the folk standard "Poor Wayfaring Stranger" being a notable exception) -- are quite satisfying and not all that easy to track down in other formats. "For the most part" is a crucial qualifier here: the decline in the quality of the material is sharp in the last half of the set, becoming especially precipitous on disc four, though that CD does include her 1987 comeback hit with the Pet Shop Boys, "What Have I Done to Deserve This?" To be harsh, if the set's intention was to be a survey of Springfield's most significant work, you could cut most of disc four out with barely any loss at all, its primary purpose being to make the anthology a career-spanning one rather than a selective best-of. Still, for the serious Dusty fan, this makes for a nice display on the mantle piece (in addition to containing much classic music), with detailed track-by-track notes included in the book.
CD1
1. Blossom Dearie
2. Ragtime Selection (I Love A Piano - Pretty Baby - When the Midnight Choo Choo Leaves for Alabama)
3. (Seven Little Girls) Sitting on the Back Seat
4. Far Away Places
5. Island of Dreams
6. Say I Won't be There
7. No Sad Songs For Me
8. I Only Want To Be With You
9. Once Upon a Time
10. Stay Awhile
11. Will You Love me Tomorrow?
12. Wishin' And Hopin'
13. I Just Don't Know What to do With Myself
14. All Cried Out
15. Losing You
16. Summer is Over
17. I Will Always Want You
18. Your Hurtin' Kinda Love
19. I Wanna Make You Happy
20. In The Middle of Nowhere
21. Baby Don't You Know
22. Some of Your Lovin'
23. Who Can I Turn to (When Nobody Needs Me)?
24. Doodlin'
25. I've Been Wrong Before
26. Little by Little
27. If it Hadn't Been For You
28. You Don't Have to Say You Love Me
29. Every Ounce of Strength
CD2
1. Goin' Back
2. Poor Wayfaring Stranger
3. All I See Is You
4. Go Ahead On
5. I'll Try Anything
6. Give Me Time
7. The Look Of Love
8. What's It Gonna Be?
9. Chained To A Memory
10. Welcome Home
11. Broken Blossoms
12. If You Go Away
13. Where Am I Going?
14. It's Over
15. Magic Garden
16. I Close My Eyes And Count To Ten
17. I Will Come To You
18. Sweet Lover No More
19. Another Night
20. I Can't Give Back The Love I Feel For You
21. I Think It's Going To Rain Today
22. Son Of A Preacher Man
23. The Windmills Of Your Mind
24. No Easy Way Down
25. Am I The Same Girl
CD3
1. Let Me Get In Your Way
2. A Brand New Me
3. The Star Of My Show
4. Someone Who Cares
5. Live Here With You
6. Make It With You
7. You've Got A Friend
8. Morning Please Don't Come
9. How Can I Be Sure
10. What Are You Doing The Rest Of Your Life?
11. Mixed Up Girl
12. Crumbs Off The Table
13. Yesterday When I Was Young
14. See All Her Faces
15. Easy Evil
16. Of All The Things
17. Learn To Say Goodbye
18. Sea And Sky
19. In The Winter
20. Home To Myself
21. Exclusively For Me
22. I'd Rather Leave While I'm In Love
23. Turn Me Around
24. Love Me By Name
25. Hollywood Movie Girls
CD4
1. That's The Kind of Love I Got For You
2. Closet Man
3. I Just Fall in Love Again
4. I Wish That Love Would Last
5. (But It's a) Nice Dream
6. I Don't Think we Could Ever be Friends
7. Blind Sheep
8. Losing You
9. You'll be Loving Me
10. What Have I Done to Deserve This?
11. Nothing Has Been Proved
12. In Private
13. Daydreaming
14. Something in Your Eyes
15. Go Easy on Me
16. I Can't Help The Way I Don't Feel
17. Wherever Would I Be?
18. Quiet Please There's a Lady on Stage (live)
19. Someone to Watch Over Me
