Dusty Springfield: The Many Lives of Mary O'Brien
- Jul 17
- 1 min read
The original "Reputation era" belonged to this week's Dolls Podcast subject: Dusty Springfield.
Born in post-war Britain to a Scottish father and Irish mother, Mary O’Brien was never going to be a good little Catholic schoolgirl. She wouldn't be content in a family band, either. Dusty Springfield was born to be in the spotlight. No government or journalist was going to box her into a corner! And no man – or woman – could tie her down. The worlds she created in songs like “Spooky,” “The Look of Love,” “Just A Little Lovin’,” and of course “Son of a Preacher Man” were tender and sultry like her “microphone voice.” She rarely belted, but did she really have to?
Bask in Dusty’s greatness, be charmed by her wit, revel in her resurrection with Reputation, and enjoy and a career-spanning retrospective of this beloved bi-con.
Featuring music by Dusty Springfield, Bessie Smith, the Exciters and more 🎙️
Unveiling the Legends: Dolls of the 60s and 70s is available wherever you stream your podcasts
or head to the Podcasts page of my site!
For some obscure reason I always thought Dusty and The Springfields were Australian! Great episode I learnt more about Dusty in 50 minutes than I did in a lifetime! Please take a look at Bobbie Gentry, another creative spirit who wouldn't let the male world push her around. Everyone knows her for her Southern Gothic classic Ode to Billie Joe but there was a lot more to Bobbie than that!
dusty is the best of the best. i can't make it alone is magic wrapped up in a voice.