Dusty Springfield


Faithful - Real Gone Music ( Atlantic) 2015 (1971)

Tracks: 1. I'll Be Faithful / 2. Live Here With You / 3. Haunted / 4. Someone Who Cares / 5. Make It With You / 6. Love Shine Down / 7. I Believe In You / 8. Have A Good Life Baby / 9. Natchez Trace/ 10. All The King's Horses/ 11. You've Got A Friend / 12. I Found My Way Through The Darkness / 13. Nothing Is Forever

Comments:

“Faithful” was Dusty’s planned third album for Atlantic Records recorded in the first half of 1971. Two singles from the sessions were released, "I Believe In You" / "Someone Who Cares"), and "Haunted" / "Nothing Is Forever" in the U.S.. Due to poor sales of the singles the album plans were abandoned and Springfield left the label for ABC/Dunhill.

The title “Faithful” comes from one of the greatest tracks one the album, "I'll Be Faithful", which would have been a much better choice for a single; the song written by Albright/Sloes/Soles has quite a lot in her classic “Son of a Preacher Man”.

A fire at one of Atlantic's storage sites was thought to have destroyed the 'Faithful' session tapes, but at some point in the nineties the album's producer, Jeff Barry, revealed that he had kept completed stereo mixes of all the tracks. Many of the songs were released as bonus tracks on the Rhino/Atlantic deluxe remastered edition of Dusty in Memphis in 1999, but now “Faithful” has been released as a proper album.

Though the album does not quite compare with her classic “Dusty in Memphis” it really has some great tracks. Dusty’s vocals are as always perfect, but some songs are a bit ordinary and forgettable.

Besides “I’ll Be Faithful”, the quiet “Live Here With You” stand out; also a song credited to Michael Soles with Gilbert Slavin, these two were also behind a third highlight; the soul/gospel song “I Found my Way Through the Darkness”.

Charming is the light “All the King’s Horses”, and the version of “You’ve Got a Friend” is nice, without adding much new to the original Carole King version.

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