According to the US National Weather Service, "the record high temperature for the month of June is 104 degrees, set June 27, 1934. The last time it was 103 degrees in the Twin Cities was on July 23, 1940. However, it did reach 104 degrees on July 24th 1941, and 105 degrees on July 31st 1988."
The day before yesterday was an incredibly hot one too! It seems appropriate, then, to share the following video clip from 1967 of the great Dusty Springfield performing the Martha and the Vandellas classic, "Heat Wave"!
As I note on my website Dusty Springfield: Woman of Repute:Dusty's love and respect for black soul music and the musicians who produced it ensured that she played a pivotal role in getting Motown artists recognized in Britain. Her efforts culminated in her invitation of a selection of artists from the Detroit-based label to London for a special appearance on the Friday night, cult music TV show, Ready, Steady, Go! It also ensured that when Dusty toured South Africa in 1964 she stipulated in her contract that she would only perform before non-segregated audiences.
Upon her arrival, the South African government demanded that she alter the contract. Dusty refused, and after playing a series of concerts in Cape Town to mixed audiences, she and her entourage where placed under house-arrest. Strictly speaking, Dusty wasn't deported, as her return airfare wasn't paid for. Nevertheless she was, in her own words, "drummed out of the country."
"I wasn't making any major statement," she would later remark in her typically deprecating manner, "I just thought it was morally the right thing to do."
Pictured above right and at left: Dusty singing with Martha and the Vandellas on the 1964 Ready, Steady, Go! Motown special. For Martha's recollections of her friend Dusty Springfield, click here.
Related Off-site Links:
• Dusty from the Soul – Sharon Davis (Blues & Soul, Vol.564, 1990, via Dusty Springfield: Woman of Repute).
• Let's Talk Dusty
6 comments:
OMG I didn't know she sang this!
I have to admit I don't know that much about her =/
But I can just check the archives of your blog to figure that out :)
Thanks, Michael. I love it. I'm growing into a Dusty Springfield fan, thanks to you!
Dusty! Just like Dawn I am a Dusty fan because of you.
Great song. Dusty does a good job on it. Wish I lived nearby so you could share Dusty music with me. It think,"Son of a Preacher Man" is the only song I have of hers. I love this song. I have an old 45 from Martha and the Vandellas. I used to sing along with it.
Mark
Can't believe it was that hot here. It rarely gets to 100 here as we have too much vegetation and humidity.
Oops, I meant to say, can't believe it was that hot in Minnesota.
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