Happy Anniversary: Dusty Springfield, Reputation

25 years ago today, Dusty Springfield released the album that seemed destined to continue the career revival she'd begun with her duet with the Pet Shop Boys (“What Have I Done to Deserve This?”) Unfortunately, it's hard to make any headway in the US charts when your album isn't given an American release.

When Springfield's aforementioned collaboration with Neil Tennant and Chris Lowe provided her with a #2 hit in the UK and in the US, thereby providing her with the biggest hit of her career in America, she found herself understandably rejuvenated and ready to return to the studio. In turn, Tennant and Lowe provided her with another hit single, “Nothing Has Been Proved,” a song from the soundtrack to the film Scandal which was a top-20 UK hit. So, too, was “In Private,” another collaboration with the duo, but one which managed to climb into the US dance / club charts without even earning a US release, which is a damned impressive feat.

Sadly, it apparently wasn't impressive enough for Springfield to secure an American release for Reputation, even despite the fact that it featured two further Tennant / Lowe songs (“Daydreaming” and “Occupy Your Mind”), but it went on to provide the singer with her first top-20 album in the UK since 1965's Ev'rything's Coming Up Dusty, which had to make her feel pretty good.

As it happens, Reputation did belatedly earn an American release, but not until 1997, by which point it's fair to say that the ship had sailed on any chance of it proving to be a chart hit. Still, at least it managed to finally find a home on these shores: it's a strong endeavor from a classic artist.