Dusty Springfield vs. Shelby Lynne | Head 2 Head 🗣️

On the 11th edition of Head 2 Head, Dusty Springfield and Shelby Lynne duke it over their respective takes on “Just a Little Lovin’.” 

Welcome to Head 2 Head! On Head 2 Head, we pit at least two musicians singing the same song together, comparing and contrasting their performances.  Then, after much deliberation, we deliver a verdict of which performance was the best, or at least, subjectively, which performance moved us more.  For our 11th head-to-head, the source material is 🎙 Dusty Springfield, specifically the song, 🎵 “Just a Little Lovin’”. The two artists going head-to-head are Springfield and Grammy award winner 🎙 Shelby Lynne.  So, without further ado, let the Head 2 Head commence!

1. Dusty Springfield, “Just a Little Lovin’”

💿 Dusty in Memphis • 🏷 Atlantic • 📅 1969

“Just a little lovin’ / Early in the mornin’ / Beats a cup of coffee / For starting off the day.” Honestly, I totally agree 🎙 Dusty Springfield.  Furthermore, what better way to open her soulful 1969 classic, 💿 Dusty in Memphis than with the short but utterly sweet 🎵 “Just a Little Lovin’”? Dusty in Memphis is probably best known for the classic 🎵 “Son of a Preacher Man” (the third track), but first – FIRST – comes “Just a Little Lovin’.”  Listening to this 🎼✍ Barry Mann and 🎼✍ Cynthia Weil classic is like listening or partaking of a piece of heaven, sigh.

The lyrics, as aforementioned, are part of the charm, but there’s more beyond this ‘tasteful sex’ if you will. The overall aesthetic, with Dusty Springfield taking a more soulful approach, is a key to the success.  No, Springfield doesn’t serve up a powerhouse vocal performance by any means, but her subtlety actually pays huge dividends.  Furthermore, it’s not as if she doesn’t truly ‘seize the moment’ over the course of this two-minute and twenty second gem.  Of course, beyond the songwriting and singing, the production deserves a huge shout out. It features lush strings and horns in addition to standard pop/soul instrumentation (keys, guitar, bass and drums).  “Just a Little Lovin’” is absolutely epic – a juggernaut.

2. Shelby Lynne, “Just a Little Lovin’”

💿 Just a Little Lovin’ • 🏷 UMG Recordings Inc. • 📅 2008

Almost 40 years after Dusty Springfield recorded her iconic “Just a Little Lovin’,” 🏆 Grammy-award winning artist 🎙 Shelby Lynne covered it.  Awesome! She also took things a step further – she named her 2008 album 💿 Just a Little Lovin’. Furthermore, as critic Thom Jurek writes in his AllMusic review, Just a Little Lovin’ is Lynne’s “personal homage to the late, legendary Dusty Springfield.” Like on 💿 Dusty in Memphis, Lynne commences Just a Little Lovin’ with, well, “Just a Little Lovin’.”

The deal is, though, Lynne does things her own way. Where Springfield kept things shorter, Shelby opts for more than five minutes of song.  In her hands, the tempo is slower.  Furthermore, the orchestral instrumentation is stripped back to keys, guitar, bass, and drums – rhythm section essentially.  Even though it’s a stark contrast, it works quite well for Lynne.  She doesn’t need more than this chill, relaxed backdrop.  Her voice paints this canvas stunningly, like Springfield, benefitting from subtlety and restraint.  Also, worth noting musically, there are changes from the 1969 version, which help to further distinguish it.  Ultimately, Ms. Lynne is incredibly effectively.

The Verdict 👨🏿‍⚖️ 

Dusty Springfield or Shelby Lynne?  Two fine takes on “Just a Little Lovin’” if I’m being totally honest.  That said, Dusty Springfield gets the edge.  Why? Well, her 1969 version is simply iconic.  Lush orchestration, subtle but gorgeous vocals – it’s just a total vibe.  Lynne does it awesome too, but Dusty’s version ‘takes the cake’ on this blue-eyed soul gem!

X vs. X: Head 2 Head 🗣️ No. X [📷: Atlantic, Brent Faulkner, The Musical Hype, UMG Recordings, Valentin Tikhonov from Pixabay]