| "Son of a Preacher Man" | |||||||||||||||||
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| Single by Dusty Springfield | |||||||||||||||||
| from the album Dusty in Memphis | |||||||||||||||||
| B-side | Just a Little Lovin' | ||||||||||||||||
| Released | January 13, 1969 | ||||||||||||||||
| Format | 7 | ||||||||||||||||
| Recorded | American Studios, Memphis, Tennessee: September 1968 | ||||||||||||||||
| Genre | Rhythm and blues, rock | ||||||||||||||||
| Length | 2:29 | ||||||||||||||||
| Label | Atlantic | ||||||||||||||||
| Writer(s) | John Hurley, Ronnie Wilkins | ||||||||||||||||
| Producer | Jerry Wexler, Arif Mardin, Jeff Barry, Tom Dowd | ||||||||||||||||
| Dusty Springfield singles chronology | |||||||||||||||||
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"Son of a Preacher Man" is a song recorded by Dusty Springfield in 1968 and featured on the album, Dusty in Memphis. Written by John Hurley and Ronnie Wilkins, "Son of a Preacher Man" was originally offered to Aretha Franklin, who turned it down. It was only upon hearing Springfield's version that Franklin reconsidered and recorded the song herself. By that time, however, Springfield's version had already become a hit; thus, Franklin's version, included on her 1970 album, This Girl's In Love With You, charted only as a tag-along b-side of the single, "Call Me".
Springfield's version was produced by Jerry Wexler, Tom Dowd and Arif Mardin for her first album for the Atlantic Records label and became an international hit reaching #10 in the United States and #9 in her native UK when released in late 1968. The album Dusty in Memphis was released in stereo though its singles were remixed and released in mono. "Son of a Preacher Man" was to be the last Top Ten chart hit for the artist for almost 20 years until she teamed up with Pet Shop Boys for the single "What Have I Done to Deserve This?" in 1987.
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Legacy
The writers of Rolling Stone magazine placed the release at #77 among The 100 Best Singles of the Last 25 Years in 1987. The record was placed at #43 of the Greatest Singles of All Time by the writers of New Musical Express in 2002. In 2004, the song made the Rolling Stone list of The 500 Greatest Songs of All Time[1] at #240.
A sample from "Son of a Preacher Man" was used on Cypress Hill's song "Hits from the Bong" on their album Black Sunday (1993). A year later the song was featured in a scene of the film Pulp Fiction. In the movie, the song was a background for the scene of Mia Wallace (portrayed by Uma Thurman) making Vincent Vega (portrayed by John Travolta) wait on the intercom. The soundtrack reached No. 21 on the Billboard 200, and at the time, went platinum (1,000,000 units) in Canada alone.[2] "Son of a Preacher Man" helped to sell over 2 million units of the album[3] and to reach #6 on the charts according to SoundScan.[4] Quentin Tarantino has been quoted on the "Collectors Edition" DVD of Pulp Fiction as saying that he probably would not have done that scene had he not been able to use "Son of a Preacher Man". The song is also featured in the Movie Enron: The Smartest Guys in the Room, during scenes depicting Kenneth Lay, ex-Enron CEO and son of a Baptist minister. In the 2008 television episode of the American series "The Office" entitled "Baby Shower", Jan Levinson, played by Melora Hardin, is filmed singing "Son of a Preacher Man" as a lullaby to her newborn daughter Astrid.[5]
Cover versions
The song has been covered by numerous artists, such as Farmer's Daughter, Dina Carroll, Bobbie Gentry, and Nancy Sinatra, as well as sampled by the rap group Cypress Hill in "Hits from the Bong" and rapper Adil Omar in "Known to Kick It". In the 2000s, the song became a staple of strong-voiced female contestants on the television program American Idol. Country diva Dolly Parton has performed the song numerous times, including a 1996 appearance on Late Show with David Letterman, and also reportedly recorded it in the mid-1990s, but her version remains unreleased. Also this song was used in episode 4 of the television series Sons of Anarchy's first season & was performed by Katy Sagal who plays Gemma Teller-Morrow & whom is also married to the show's creator, Kurt Sutter.
List of artists who have covered the song
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References
- ^ "The RS 500 Greatest Songs of All Time". RollingStone.com. http://www.rollingstone.com/news/story/6596085/son_of_a_preacher_man1. Retrieved 2008-11-05.
- ^ Billboard; 1/28/95, Vol. 107 Issue 4, p62, 1/2p
- ^ Billboard, 00062510, 4/20/96, Vol. 108, Issue 16
- ^ Christian Science Monitor, 08827729, 9/8/97, Vol. 89, Issue 198
- ^ The Office[1], Season 5 Episode 3, aired Thursday, October 16. 2008
- ^ The Boss Is Back, Allmusic.
- ^ [2]
- ^ Solid Gold '69, Allmusic.
- ^ Billboard.com - Artist Chart History - Sherrié Austin
- ^ Cold Turkey, Allmusic.
- ^ The Collection, Allmusic.
- ^ Inside Out, Allmusic.
- ^ Distort, Allmusic.
- ^ Soulicious, Allmusic.
- ^ Girl of Your Dreams, Allmusic.
- ^ The End of the World, Allmusic.
- ^ Gold, Allmusic.
- ^ [3],Dusty Springfield's Hall of Fame induction 1999
- ^ Girls Will Be Girls, Dusty Springfield.
- ^ This Girl's in Love with You
- ^ Sixties Soul Sensations, Allmusic.
- ^ Touch 'Em With Love, Allmusic.
- ^ [4], iTunes.
- ^ Take Me With You, Allmusic.
- ^ Jan Howard, Allmusic.
- ^ [5].
- ^ Live and Unplugged, Allmusic.
- ^ Come Along With Me, Allmusic.
- ^ Guitar Sounds of the'70s, Allmusic.
- ^ Liza With a 'Z', Allmusic.
- ^ Tiger Lilly by Natalie Merchant Import edition ASIN B00000I7LJ. The song is recorded live in a medley with Baby I Love You
- ^ [6]
- ^ Soundtracks for "Prime Time Country", episode dated 15 April 1996, Internet Movie Database.
- ^ Nancy, Allmusic.
- ^ Mavis Staples, Allmusic.
- ^ YouTube - Broadcast Yourself
- ^ Irrésistiblement, Allmusic.
- ^ Outta Sight!, Allmusic.
- ^ [7], 10/31/07 Revolution Hall, Troy, NY
- ^ [8]
- ^ [9]
External links
- "Son of a Preacher Man" at Allmusic
- "Son of a Preacher Man" at YouTube (requires Adobe Flash)
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