The Springfields
Encyclopedia
The Springfields were a British pop-folk vocal trio who had success in the early 1960s in the UK
, US
and Ireland
and included singer Dusty Springfield
and her brother, record producer Tom Springfield
, along with Tim Feild
, later a noted Sufi writer, who was latterly replaced by Mike Hurst
, who also became a noted record producer.
, joined her brother Dion O'Brien and Tim Feild, who had been working as a duo, "The Kensington Squares". Dion became Tom Springfield
, and Mary became Dusty Springfield.
Tom Springfield was a songwriter and arranger with a wide knowledge of folk music and the group had strong vocal harmonies as well as Dusty’s powerful lead. Occupying a musical sphere comparable to that of the contemporary Peter, Paul and Mary
they were signed to Philips Records
and released their first single, "Dear John," in 1961, followed by two UK chart hits with "Breakaway" and "Bambino" – like their other records, produced by Johnny Franz
.
The first recording contract the Springfields signed was offered by producer Johnny Franz
at Philips Records
in London. With early singles including "Breakaway" and "Bambino
", and numerous television appearances, the trio soon became very popular in the UK. After Feild was replaced by Mike Hurst the Springfields became even more successful. In 1962, their version of "Silver Threads and Golden Needles" reached the US Top 20 (Billboard
), #23 (Cash Box), the first single by a British group ever to do so (predating the Tornados
’ “Telstar
” by two months, and The Beatles
by 15 months). The record also reached #1 in Australia. It featured lead guitar by Judd Proctor. "Silver Threads and Golden Needles" sold over one million copies, and was awarded a gold disc
.
"Island of Dreams" rose to the UK #5 at the beginning of 1963, and stayed in the charts for six months. The follow-up, "Say I Won’t Be There", was also #5 in the UK Singles Chart
. By this time, the Springfields were one of the most popular groups in the UK. The group had several chart hits and had recorded several foreign language records. However, Dusty Springfield felt limited by the group's folk act and Tom's lead role within the trio and, towards the end of 1963, decided to leave for a solo career, at which point the group disbanded.
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
, US
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
and Ireland
Republic of Ireland
Ireland , described as the Republic of Ireland , is a sovereign state in Europe occupying approximately five-sixths of the island of the same name. Its capital is Dublin. Ireland, which had a population of 4.58 million in 2011, is a constitutional republic governed as a parliamentary democracy,...
and included singer Dusty Springfield
Dusty Springfield
Mary Isobel Catherine Bernadette O'BrienSources use both Isabel and Isobel as the spelling of her second name. OBE , known professionally as Dusty Springfield and dubbed The White Queen of Soul, was a British pop singer whose career extended from the late 1950s to the 1990s...
and her brother, record producer Tom Springfield
Tom Springfield
Tom Springfield is the brother of Dusty Springfield and an important figure in the 1960s folk and pop music scene...
, along with Tim Feild
Reshad Feild
Reshad Feild is an English mystic, author, spiritual teacher, and musician. He is the author of more than a dozen books about Sufism and spirituality and has exercised a huge influence amongst western seekers over the last forty years.-Life and career:As a young, upper-class Englishman, he was...
, later a noted Sufi writer, who was latterly replaced by Mike Hurst
Mike Hurst (producer)
Mike Hurst is an English musician and record producer.-Biography:...
, who also became a noted record producer.
Career
The trio formed in 1960, when Mary "Dusty" O’Brien, who had been a member of all-girl singing trio The Lana SistersThe Lana Sisters
Riss Chantelle formed The Lana Sisters in 1958, along with Lynne Abrams. They put an advert in The Stage for a third member and got a reply from Mary O'Brien, who would go on to massive solo success a few years later as Dusty Springfield. After Riss left the Lana Sisters she became the Chantelles...
, joined her brother Dion O'Brien and Tim Feild, who had been working as a duo, "The Kensington Squares". Dion became Tom Springfield
Tom Springfield
Tom Springfield is the brother of Dusty Springfield and an important figure in the 1960s folk and pop music scene...
, and Mary became Dusty Springfield.
Tom Springfield was a songwriter and arranger with a wide knowledge of folk music and the group had strong vocal harmonies as well as Dusty’s powerful lead. Occupying a musical sphere comparable to that of the contemporary Peter, Paul and Mary
Peter, Paul and Mary
Peter, Paul and Mary were an American folk-singing trio whose nearly 50-year career began with their rise to become a paradigm for 1960s folk music. The trio was composed of Peter Yarrow, Paul Stookey and Mary Travers...
they were signed to Philips Records
Philips Records
Philips Records is a record label that was founded by Dutch electronics company Philips. It was started by "Philips Phonographische Industrie" in 1950. Recordings were made with popular artists of various nationalities and also with classical artists from Germany, France and Holland. Philips also...
and released their first single, "Dear John," in 1961, followed by two UK chart hits with "Breakaway" and "Bambino" – like their other records, produced by Johnny Franz
Johnny Franz
Johnny Franz was a UK record producer and A&R man at the Philips label. Although his name is not recognized by many Americans, Franz was one of Britain's most successful producers in the 1950s and 1960s...
.
The first recording contract the Springfields signed was offered by producer Johnny Franz
Johnny Franz
Johnny Franz was a UK record producer and A&R man at the Philips label. Although his name is not recognized by many Americans, Franz was one of Britain's most successful producers in the 1950s and 1960s...
at Philips Records
Philips Records
Philips Records is a record label that was founded by Dutch electronics company Philips. It was started by "Philips Phonographische Industrie" in 1950. Recordings were made with popular artists of various nationalities and also with classical artists from Germany, France and Holland. Philips also...
in London. With early singles including "Breakaway" and "Bambino
Bambino
Bambino is Italian for "little boy". The feminine is bambina. It can refer to:* Il Bambino, name given in art to the image of the infant Jesus* Bambino , another name for the Italian wine grape Bombino bianco* Bambino!, Japanese manga...
", and numerous television appearances, the trio soon became very popular in the UK. After Feild was replaced by Mike Hurst the Springfields became even more successful. In 1962, their version of "Silver Threads and Golden Needles" reached the US Top 20 (Billboard
Billboard (magazine)
Billboard is a weekly American magazine devoted to the music industry, and is one of the oldest trade magazines in the world. It maintains several internationally recognized music charts that track the most popular songs and albums in various categories on a weekly basis...
), #23 (Cash Box), the first single by a British group ever to do so (predating the Tornados
The Tornados
The Tornados were an English instrumental group of the 1960s that acted as backing group for many of record producer Joe Meek's productions and also for singer Billy Fury. They enjoyed several chart hits in their own right, including the UK and U.S. Number One "Telstar" , the first U.S...
’ “Telstar
Telstar (song)
"Telstar" is a 1962 instrumental record performed by The Tornados. It was the first single by a British band to reach number one on the U.S. Billboard Hot 100, and was also a number one hit in the UK. The record was named after the AT&T communications satellite Telstar, which went into orbit in...
” by two months, and The Beatles
The Beatles
The Beatles were an English rock band, active throughout the 1960s and one of the most commercially successful and critically acclaimed acts in the history of popular music. Formed in Liverpool, by 1962 the group consisted of John Lennon , Paul McCartney , George Harrison and Ringo Starr...
by 15 months). The record also reached #1 in Australia. It featured lead guitar by Judd Proctor. "Silver Threads and Golden Needles" sold over one million copies, and was awarded a gold disc
Music recording sales certification
Music recording sales certification is a system of certifying that a music recording has shipped or sold a certain number of copies, where the threshold quantity varies by type and by nation or territory .Almost all countries follow variations of the RIAA certification categories,...
.
"Island of Dreams" rose to the UK #5 at the beginning of 1963, and stayed in the charts for six months. The follow-up, "Say I Won’t Be There", was also #5 in the UK Singles Chart
UK Singles Chart
The UK Singles Chart is compiled by The Official Charts Company on behalf of the British record-industry. The full chart contains the top selling 200 singles in the United Kingdom based upon combined record sales and download numbers, though some media outlets only list the Top 40 or the Top 75 ...
. By this time, the Springfields were one of the most popular groups in the UK. The group had several chart hits and had recorded several foreign language records. However, Dusty Springfield felt limited by the group's folk act and Tom's lead role within the trio and, towards the end of 1963, decided to leave for a solo career, at which point the group disbanded.
Personnel
| (1960–1961) |
|
|---|---|
| (1962–1963) |
(Mike Hurst would replace Tim Feild)
|
Albums
| Year | Album | US Billboard 200 The Billboard 200 is a ranking of the 200 highest-selling music albums and EPs in the United States, published weekly by Billboard magazine. It is frequently used to convey the popularity of an artist or groups of artists... |
Label |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1961 | Kinda Folksy Kinda Folksy Kinda Folksy is the debut album by vocal-trio The Springfields-Track list:*1. Wimoweh Mambo*2. The Black Hills of Dakota*3. Row, Row, Row*4. The Green Leaves of Summer*5. Silver Dollar*6. Allentown Jail*7. Lonesome Travller... |
— | Phillips |
| 1962 | Silver Threads and Golden Needles | 91 | |
| 1963 | Folk Songs from the Hills | — | |
| 2007 | On An Island of Dreams | — |
Singles
| Year | Single | Chart Positions | Album | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| UK UK Singles Chart The UK Singles Chart is compiled by The Official Charts Company on behalf of the British record-industry. The full chart contains the top selling 200 singles in the United Kingdom based upon combined record sales and download numbers, though some media outlets only list the Top 40 or the Top 75 ... |
US Billboard Hot 100 The Billboard Hot 100 is the United States music industry standard singles popularity chart issued weekly by Billboard magazine. Chart rankings are based on radio play and sales; the tracking-week for sales begins on Monday and ends on Sunday, while the radio play tracking-week runs from Wednesday... |
US Country Hot Country Songs Hot Country Songs is a chart published weekly by Billboard magazine in the United States.This 60-position chart lists the most popular country music songs, calculated weekly mostly by airplay and occasionally commercial sales... |
|||
| 1961 | "Breakaway" | 31 | — | — | singles only |
| "Bambino" | 16 | — | — | ||
| 1962 | "Silver Threads and Golden Needles Silver Threads and Golden Needles "Silver Threads and Golden Needles", a song written by Jack Rhodes and Dick Reynolds, was first recorded by Wanda Jackson in 1956. The original lyrics, as performed by Jackson, contain a verse not usually included in later versions, which also often differed in other minor details.-Other versions:*... " |
— | 20 | 16 | Silver Threads and Golden Needles |
| "Dear Hearts and Gentle People" | — | 95 | — | ||
| "Island of Dreams" | 5 | — | — | singles only | |
| 1963 | "Say I Won't Be There" | 5 | — | — | |
| "Come On Home" | 31 | — | — |
External links
- [ AMG biography]