#motown sound

GAY ICON Dusty Springfield

Dusty Springfield was one of few female artists whose musical success was part of “British Invasion” of the 1960s. She charted such hits as:

• “You don’t have to say you loved me”
• “Mama Said” (1964) a cover of the song by the Shirelles
• Burt Bacharach’s “The Look of Love”

Springfield sang in a variety of styles, mostly pop, soul, folk, Latin, and rock'n'roll. With her voice described as “breathy sensuality” and “haunting sexual vulnerability”.

In the 1960s, on several occasions, she performed as the only white singer on all-black bills. Springfield loved the Motown sound and introduced it to a wider UK audience with her covers of their hit. She also was instrument in facilitating the first British TV appearances for the Temptations, the Supremes, the Miracles and Stevie Wonder.

Due to bouts with alcoholism and drug addiction in the 1970s and early 1980s, Springfield took a break from performing and recording.

Throughout her life, Springfield was never married nor linked to a man. She had several relationships with women, including American singer Norma Tanega. The two lived together for 5 years from 1966 to 1970. Due to stresses in their lives, Tanega returned to the US.

Springfield struggled with her sexual identity. In an interview in 1970 she said:

“Many other people say I’m bent, and I’ve heard it so many times that I’ve almost learned to accept it … I know I’m perfectly as capable of being swayed by a girl as by a boy. More and more people feel that way and I don’t see why I shouldn’t.”

Then in 1973 she added:

“I mean, people say that I’m gay, gay, gay. I’m not anything. I’m just … People are people … I basically want to be straight … I go from men to women; I don’t give a shit. The catchphrase is: I can’t love a man. Now, that’s my hang-up. To love, to go to bed, fantastic; but to love a man is my prime ambition … They frighten me.”

Other relations included:

• Faye Harris (American photojournalist) - from 1972 to 1978 they had an “off and on” domestic relationship.
• Carole Pope (of the rock band Rough Trade) - together six-month.
• Teda Bracci (American actress) - they met at an AA meeting in 1982 and exchanged vows in 1983. But the relation was marred by physical violence. They separated two years later.

She had a career revival in 1985 when the Pet Shop Boys invited her to join them on the song “What Have I Done to Deserve This?”

This led to other collaborations including songs with Richard Carpenter and BJ Thomas. And she continued to record new albums in the 1990s.