Dusty Springfield had already proven herself as a master of the chirping pop track and the dramatic torch song. But taking a crack at sultry American soul seemed like a stretch, with even Springfield herself doubting whether she could pull it off.
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Despite her insecurities about her abilities, Springfield rose to the occasion on “Son of a Preacher Man,” which would become the most famous track on her acclaimed 1968 album Dusty in Memphis. Here’s how Springfield recorded a track that was intended for none other than the Queen of Soul herself and made it indelibly her own.
Springfield Soul
Dusty Springfield emerged from an upbringing both strict (she attended a convent school) and tumultuous (due to overbearing parents). Nonetheless, she emerged in the early ‘60s in her native UK as a hitmaker with The Springfields, which featured her brother Tom and a fellow named Mike Hurst (who took the stage name Tim Springfield to make it seem like a total family act).
It was just a matter of time before Springfield went out on her own as a solo artist, and she found immediate worldwide success in 1964 with the bouncy “I Only Want to Be With You.” She enjoyed another major smash a few years later with the heartbreaking ballad “You Don’t Have to Say You Love Me.”
Still, as the decade progressed, Springfield felt the material she was getting wasn’t always the best fit for her talents. She decided she wanted to try and work in America, specifically in Memphis, Tennessee, home to some of the best soul songs of the era. That was the impetus for the album Dusty in Memphis.
“Preacher” Feature
Working with behind-the-scenes legends like Jerry Wexler, Tom Dowd, and Arif Mardin, as well as ace musicians and the incredible backing singers The Sweet Inspirations, Springfield should have been in her element while making the album. Instead, she struggled with a crisis of confidence while singing with the band. Despite the album’s title, she recorded the vocals after the fact in New York.
Much of the material came from in-demand songwriters like Gerry Goffin and Carole King. But the relatively unheralded duo of John Hurley and Ronnie Wilkins wrote “Son of a Preacher Man.” The pair thought the song was tailor-made for Aretha Franklin.
But Franklin balked, feeling that her father being a preacher might have caused confusion. Instead, Wexler heard it as the ideal vehicle for Springfield’s vocals. That hunch proved accurate, as Springfield ended up with a Top-10 hit on both sides of the Atlantic.
What is “Son of a Preacher Man” About?
“Son of a Preacher Man” is a tale about youthful romance, albeit one with a twist: The churchgoing girl is wooed by the scion (named Billy Ray) of a religious leader. They sneak away from the holy proceedings whenever they can: When they gathered ‘round and started talkin’ / That’s when Billy would take me walkin’”.
The girl is floored by the effect he has on her: The only man who could ever reach me / Was the son of a preacher man. She admits he’s testing her faith, specifically her vows of chastity: Being good isn’t always easy / No matter how hard I try. While Stealin’ kisses from me on the sly, Billy Ray changes her life: Learnin’ from each other knowin’ / Lookin’ to see how much we’ve grown.
Sensing the sly undercurrents of the lyrics and the combination of innocence and sultriness expressed by the vocals, Quentin Tarantino famously made “Son of a Preacher Man” an important fixture in his classic film Pulp Fiction. That gave it a second life, ensuring Dusty Springfield would continue to enchant audiences with a performance she herself doubted.
Photo by Dove/Daily Express/Getty Images
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