| "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 | November 8, 1968 | ||||||||||||||||
| Format | 7" | ||||||||||||||||
| Recorded | American Studios, Memphis, Tennessee: September 1968 | ||||||||||||||||
| Genre | Blue-eyed soul, R&B, 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 September 1968 and featured on the album, Dusty in Memphis. It was written by John Hurley and Ronnie Wilkins. The rights to cover "Son of a Preacher Man" were 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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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.
Samples from "Son of a Preacher Man" were used on Cypress Hill's "Hits from the Bong" on their album Black Sunday in 1993 and on Adil Omar's "Known to Kick It" in 2008. In 1994 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 (100,000 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 film 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]
Country singer Peggy Little released a cover version in 1969 that peaked at #40 on the Billboard country charts.
Album track covers at the time of the Springfield/Franklin/Little hits include Skeeter Davis, Tina Turner, Bobbie Gentry, Liza Minnelli, Jan Howard, and Nancy Wilson. Tanya Tucker recorded a version in 1975 on her album Tanya Tucker. Canadian country music band Farmer's Daughter took a version of the song to #35 on the RPM Country Tracks charts in 1995.[6]
A live version by Joan Osborne appears on her 1996 album Early Recordings.
Cam Clarke recorded the song in 1999, giving it a gay interpretation.
Australian-born country singer Sherrié Austin also released a cover version, taking it to #46 on the U.S. Billboard country charts in 2004.[7]
There is a version in Swiss German called "där Sohn vom Pfarrär" recorded in 1994 by Sina from Switzerland.
The song has also been covered by Katey Sagal for an episode of the television show Sons of Anarchy.
Hank Marvin covered the song on his 2000 album Marvin at the Movies.
The song was also covered by German singer Sarah Connor (on the album Soulicious), Jessica Simpson (performed on the Early Show) and Joss Stone.
R&B/soul trio The Honey Cone recorded a version for their 1971 album Sweet Replies.
Sylvia Vrethammar recorded the song in Swedish as "En lärling på våran gård", which was released as a single in 1969 [8] and entered the Svensktoppen chart the same year.[9]
Canadian singer Jann Arden recorded the song on her 2007 album Uncover Me.
Liza Minnelli covered the song as part of her 1972 filmed concert Liza with a Z.