This Dusty Springfield Hit From 1968 Was Actually Written for Aretha Franklin Instead
Dusty Springfield’s “Son of a Preacher Man” was written with Aretha Franklin in mind, after producer Jerry Wexler asked songwriters John Hurley and Ronnie Wilkins to create a song for her. Franklin recorded it, but it did not fit her album at the time, and Springfield went on to make it her signature hit.
The song appeared on Springfield’s 1968 album *Dusty in Memphis* and became her final Top 10 single, earning her a Grammy nomination. Franklin later included her own recording on her 1970 album *This Girl’s in Love with You*, while the song reached a new audience through *Pulp Fiction* in 1994.
- Springfield’s signature hit was written for Aretha Franklin.
- Franklin recorded it but did not initially release it.
- “Pulp Fiction” introduced it to a new audience.
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Dusty Springfield was a British singer whose 1968 album Dusty in Memphis marked a shift towards American soul music. “Son of a Preacher Man” was written by John Hurley and Ronnie Wilkins after producer Jerry Wexler asked them to create a song for American singer Aretha Franklin.
Franklin recorded the song, but it was not included on her album at the time. Springfield’s version became a major hit and her final Top 10 single in the United States; Franklin later released her own recording in 1970. The song reached another generation of listeners when it featured in the 1994 film Pulp Fiction.