(note: I've posted my last two album-by-album threads on Sept 20, this one just happens to be a Wednesday. so let's go!) Well, I've tackled two country legends, might as well go for a good ol' fashioned trifecta. Welcome to the Dolly Parton Album-by-Album (and some singles and collaborations too) thread! This list was compiled mainly from Wikipedia and dollydiscography.com. To capture the completeness of her career, we'll also be looking at a number of collaborations and guest spots recorded over the years, in between every album including the Porter Wagoner collaborations. The last couple of threads have discussed two albumsor releases per week and for now we'll stick to that, but if you're a Dolly superfan, speak up and we'll slow things down. As always, if I've missed a release that's worth discussing, or need to devote more time to a particular selection, let me know! With all that out of the way, let's get started.
First, a little background, from Wikipedia: Dolly Parton - Wikipedia With Dolly, we're starting about a decade before her first album, and a couple years before her career even started to develop as a Nashville songwriter. To start, a teenage Dolly in 1959:
The 1959 - 1962 Singles Puppy Love/Girl Left Alone (April 6, 1959) Dolly Parton - Puppy Love So Little I Wanted, So Little I Got/Forbidden Love (with Bill Owens) (1962) Bill Owens And Dolly Parton - So Little I Wanted, So Little I Got / Forbidden Love It's Sure Gonna Hurt/The Love You Gave (with the Merry Melody Singers) (August 6, 1962) Dolly Parton With The Merry Melody Singers - It's Sure Gonna Hurt ~~~~~ Full playlist: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=OLAK5uy_n4OpFS6vnJfl1gqa1pKr6wD3H00vyHLeo Interesting start. Dolly seems to have been positioned to be the next Wanda Jackson, or something like that. She's almost shouting on both sides of the first single. Both songs are short and pass without leaving much impact. Dolly's return the following year is slightly more sedate, this time a pair of duets with her uncle Bill Owens. These are slower, plodding, and equally unremarkable. The final recordings of this set date from 1962 and are far more polished, with Dolly this time backed by Nashville pros including Harold Bradley, Boots Randolph, Hargus "Pig Robbins" and, interestingly, Ray Stevens. Rather than duetting with her uncle again, Dolly has a proper backing vocal group here. The young voice is improving, and so are the surroundings. The B-side here is a good deal more jaunty than the A-side, but still nothing special. Solid country pop. Next: Halfway there. Additional links: Puppy Love - Dolly Parton's First Single Mercury Records and Tree Publishing
So happy to see an album by album thread of Dolly's work. I hope to learn something, and to discover new gems.
Hits Made Famous by Country Queens Compilation album by Faye Tucker and Dolly Parton Released April 13, 1963 Recorded 1963 Genre Country Length 29:11 Label Somerset Hits Made Famous by Country Queens is a compilation album by Faye Tucker and Dolly Parton. It was released on April 13, 1963, by budget record label Somerset Records. The album features Tucker singing four selections made famous by Patsy Cline, plus one original song. Parton sings three selections made famous by Kitty Wells, along with two traditional ballads and one original song. The album was made available for digital download on May 11, 2018. Hits Made Famous by Country Queens - Wikipedia ~~~~~ The dual-artist album seems to have been a short lived trend in the early 1960s; the bizarre Beatles/Frank Ifield album from 1964 comes to mind. But I suppose when you consider Dolly got 6 tracks to Faye Tucker's 5, well, it's a start. Featured here are several songs that were better known coming from Kitty Wells, including the country classics Making Believe and Release Me; the former in particular really suits Dolly's steadily improving vocals. Between those selections is a Dolly original, her first (at least released) solo write, with no Bill Owens credit in sight. It's a tearjerker of a ballad, a bit too sing-song in some of the verses. No showstoppers yet, though every performance here is solid, including the pair of traditional tunes that close out proceedings. Next: Six singles for the '60s. Additional links: Hits Made Famous by Country Queens
What Do You Think About Lovin' (November, 1964) Dolly Parton - What Do You Think About Lovin' Happy, Happy Birthday Baby/Old Enough to Know Better (Too Young to Resist) (August 30, 1965) Dolly Parton - Happy, Happy Birthday Baby Friends Tell Friends (Bill Phillips with uncredited harmony by Dolly Parton) (September 1965) Bill Phillips - It Happens Everytime / Friends Tell Friends Busy Signal/I Took Him for Granted (November 29, 1965) Dolly Parton - Busy Signal Put It Off Until Tomorrow (Bill Phillips with uncredited harmony by Dolly Parton) (January 17, 1966) Bill Phillips - Put It Off Until Tomorrow / Lonely Lonely Boy Don't Drop Out/Control Yourself (February 21, 1966) Dolly Parton - Don`t Drop Out / Control Yourself ~~~~~ Playlist: Dolly Parton: The Next Singles (1964-1966) The mid-60s leading up to Dolly's first solo album starts off strong. Some fun doubletracking and a strong vocal with lots of range on What Do You Think About Lovin', the B-side of which would appear on the aforementioned album. Contrast that with the the warble on Dolly's followup, and the difference is striking. There are just enough moments of power that come through to make it not a total loss. The flipside is a little less gimmicky, with a vocal that gets a little buried in the backing singers, though that might be this questionable transfer on Youtube. The first of two guest appearances in this list is with Bill Phillips, with Dolly joining in, but recognizably so, in the backing chorus. Neat! Busy Signal is another slightly gimmicky track with a great pop sound, complete with the horns that characterized so many soulful records of the time. No obvious country vibes here, and I'm surprised this one didn't chart at all. Solid record; maybe the hook did it in. The flip side is a great bluesy record, with some swingin' sax, and an echoed rockabilly vocal that sounds like a holdover from a decade before, in a fun, good way. Could have been another hit but wasn't. Put It Off Until Tomorrow is another Bill Phillips record, with much more Dolly in the mix on the choruses, and sounds pretty great; also one of her co-writes with Bill Owens. Don't Drop Out leans into the Motown girl group sound, complete with opening narration. Another great, strong vocal, maybe a little let down by the arrangement (I see you, Ray Stevens), but still strong. The flipside is a little more of the same, this time with a little more gospel feel (mostly thanks to the bigger backing vocals), and a funky fuzz bass(!). An interesting collection, for sure. Onward and upwards! Next: Hello, Dolly! Additional links: Monument Records Signs Dolly, Produces Her First Charting Single "Put it Off Until Tomorrow" Wins BMI Song Of The Year
Earlier this year, Sony released a vinyl set of these Monument singles. Hopefully they will make it available on CD and digital as well. Dolly Parton - The Monument Singles Collection 1964-1968
Wild week, y'all. So going to do a slightly late update today, with regular schedule resuming on Sunday: Hello, I'm Dolly Studio album by Dolly Parton Released September 18, 1967 Recorded 1964–1966 Studio Fred Foster Sound Studio (Nashville) Genre Country Length 28:55 Label Monument Producer Fred Foster Hello, I'm Dolly is the debut studio album by American singer-songwriter Dolly Parton. It was released on September 18, 1967, by Monument Records. The album was produced by Fred Foster. It peaked at number 11 on the Billboard Top Country Albums chart. The album spawned two top 40 hits, "Dumb Blonde" and "Something Fishy", which peaked at numbers 24 and 17, respectively. Hello, I'm Dolly - Wikipedia ~~~~~ And we're off! Dolly's first album is essentially a continuation of the singles from the previous two years. Dumb Blonde is great right out the gate and sets the tone, not just for this album, but for a whole career yet to come, all despite not being a Parton composition. The next two tracks are an interesting juxtaposition; one lamenting the man who won't pull his weight, and one raging at the woman who stole her (hopefully not the same) man. Put It Off Until Tomorrow is a remake of the January 1966 single with Bill Phillips, here with Dolly taking the lead. It's a classic sad country ballad with a soulful vocal and note-perfect Nashville backing. I Wasted My Tears was the B-side to the November 1964 single, her first of the '60s, and it's completely different energy. Here, Dolly isn't sad about a thing, but back to putting a fool in his place, as well as featuring an excellent example towards the end of Dolly's powerful, emotional falsetto. Something Fishy is another uptempo showcase, this time with more of an explicitly country sound with some well timed country guitars, both acoustic and electric. Side B starts off with another ballad, a hit for Skeeter Davis in the first half of 1967. Next is The Giving And The Taking, starting off strong with a powerful harmony vocal. Curious if that's Dolly singing with herself; the vibrato seems similar but I'm not sure if that's even a thing that would have flown for a relatively new artist in a fast-paced Nashville studio. I'm In No Condition is another song that was a hit (this time minor) for another artist, this time Hank Williams Jr. in April 1966. It's already great from Dolly, I can't imagine Bocephus doing it any better. The Company You Keep is the second and last Parton solo composition, the first being Something Fishy; not as impressive or catchy as the earlier track, but another decent country weeper. I've Lived My Life is mostly unremarkable, aside from Dolly's again powerful vocals; not enough to save it, though I can imagine it certainly being relatable. The Little Things sounds different right from the start, and the strong harmonies on this recall a classic girl group sound more than anything country. It's an interesting closer to a strong debut. The first side has both more hits and two of the three singles, though there's nothing here that's actually objectionable. Next: Wrapping up 1967. Additional links: Hello, I'm Dolly - Dolly Parton's 1st Solo Album
I subscribed to Vinyl Me Now’s Dolly Parton series and Hello, I’m Dolly is the album for October and just arrived to my house this morning. Perfect time and way to revisit this album. Like you said, it is basically a continuation of the singles she’s been recording for Monument. I’ve heard Dolly say in interviews that Fred Foster was trying to market her as a pop singer, along the lines of being another Brenda Lee. She finally got frustrated and told him she wanted to be a country singer and he relented and that’s how she got to record “Dumb Blonde.” I was surprised when I first learned that she did not write that song. It’s such a “Dolly” song and fits her voice and persona that you would think she’s the one who composed it! And of course that’s the song that would bring her to the attention of Porter Wagoner, but that’s for later!
Why, Why, Why/I Couldn’t Wait Forever (October 2, 1967) Dolly Parton - Why, Why, Why I'm Not Worth The Tears/Ping Pong (January 8, 1968) Dolly Parton - I'm Not Worth The Tears ~~~~~ Next from Dolly are two singles, three of the four sides of which are on a 1970 compilation that we'll get to a few albums from now. As for the 1968 B-side, Ping Pong is, well, interesting to say the least. The lyrics are very silly, the Marty Robbins fuzz guitar immediately dates it, and not in a good way, and even a 1982 collaboration with Kris Kristofferson can't save this goofy goober. Yikes. The "you're smashed again" couplet is funny, at least. Next: Hey Porter.
THE SEEKER - The Dolly Parton Album-by-Album Thread INDEX 1959-1964: The First Singles: 1959-1962 Hits Made Famous by Country Queens (with Faye Tucker) (April 13, 1963) 1964-1969: The Next Singles: 1964-1966 Hello, I'm Dolly (September 18, 1967) The Singles: 1967/1968 ~~~~~ Sites used to compile this thread: Dolly Parton albums discography - Wikipedia Porter Wagoner and Dolly Parton discography - Wikipedia Dolly Parton compilation albums discography - Wikipedia Dolly Parton singles discography - Wikipedia The Dolly Parton Discography
Just Between You and Me Studio album by Porter Wagoner and Dolly Parton Released January 15, 1968 Recorded October 10–12, 1967 Studio RCA Studio B (Nashville) Genre Country Length 29:49 Label RCA Victor Producer Bob Ferguson Just Between You and Me is the first collaborative studio album by Porter Wagoner and Dolly Parton. It was released on January 15, 1968, by RCA Victor. The album was produced by Bob Ferguson. It peaked at number eight on the Billboard Top Country Albums chart and spawned one single, "The Last Thing on My Mind", which peaked at number seven on the Billboard Hot Country Songs chart. Just Between You and Me (Porter Wagoner and Dolly Parton album) - Wikipedia ~~~~~ 1968 begins on LP with Dolly Parton moving from Monument to RCA Victor, first with Porter Wagoner until the Monument contract expired, then on her own later this year. The collaboration begins jauntily enough, with a Dolly/Bill Owens composition, appropriately for the pair, all about a rocky love affair. The Last Thing on My Mind is a cover, with a stronger, less weepy sound, and solidifies how good these two sound together. Dolly's harmony is impeccable and just fits right in. Love Is Worth Living is one of two Parton solo compositions, bringing the tempo down again with a solid country ballad. The title track starts off with some steel guitar from Nashville legend Pete Drake, and is a contribution from Sun Records legend Jack Clement; clearly Porter could bring out the big guns to make these albums. Mommie, Ain't That Daddy? is the other Parton solo write, and it's the weepiest of weepy country songs, complete with cheesy mid-song narration from Porter. Elvis, he ain't. The side ends with a mercifully uptempo bop that almost borders on bluegrass, complete with fine fiddlin'. Sorrow's Tearing Down the House (That Happiness Once Built) is a mouthful of a title; good thing the tempo's slow. Interesting pedigree here: written by Mel Tillis, first recorded by Stonewall Jackson, and then recorded by Porter Wagoner...and Skeeter Davis, circa 1962; only Porter knows why it came back out of the bag 6 years later with Dolly. Another long song title follows, another slower ballad, this time about good old fashioned cheatin'. Before I Met You is the shortest selection here, a swingin' country waltz with no shenanigans, just solid stuff with more wonderful harmonies, both performers sliding in and out of lead and harmony vocal roles. The overarching theme continues next with the cleverly titled Home Is Where The Hurt Is; that plus the very different sound of the chorus harmonies make this slightly memorable. This debut of sorts ends with two Parton/Owens composition, the first of which is so country it hurts, with some banter very reminiscent of Jackson from Cash and Carter; Dolly even busts out a little growl at one point, not unlike June herself. The finale is a retread of Put It Off Until Tomorrow, making this the third time in less than half a decade that this song has made it to record with Dolly's involvement. It's good but it's not *that* good, especially for not even being released as a single. Overall, this record is missing some of the energy of Dolly's Monument debut, with Porter clearly being more interested in classic tear-in-your-beer country. But it's a start. Next: She's A Woman. Additional links: The Porter Wagoner Show Welcomes Dolly Parton
i don't own any of her albums until the 1970s. all i have heard prior to that is what was on compilations
Just Because I'm a Woman Studio album by Dolly Parton Released April 15, 1968 Recorded December 11–20, 1967 Studio RCA Studio B (Nashville) Genre Country Length 30:28 Label RCA Victor Producer Bob Ferguson Just Because I'm a Woman is the second solo studio album by American singer-songwriter Dolly Parton. It was released on April 15, 1968, by RCA Victor. The album was produced by Bob Ferguson. It peaked at number 22 on the Billboard Top Country Albums chart. The album's title track was the only single released and it peaked at number 17 on the Billboard Hot Country Singles chart. Just Because I'm a Woman (1968 album) - Wikipedia ~~~~~ From the start, there's more energy on this album than the Porter collaboration. Dolly starts off again with one of those cheatin' men and telling him what's what, and it's great. Next up is a Harlan Howard song, a more straightforward love song. This is Dolly's first solo album out of Nashville Studio B (the Porter collaboration was also recorded there) and it shows, particularly with a couple players here including David Briggs that would go on to record with Elvis in the 70s. I'll Oilwells Love You by the title, of course recalls Dolly's most famous hit, but this isn't that at all. Rather, it's a clever co-write with her uncle Bill Owens. It's always good to hear Dolly being funny, and this is no exception. The Only Way Out (Is to Walk Over Me) is a ballad, which changes up the pace of this album nicely, but doesn't overstay its welcome, even being one of the longest songs on the record. Written by Neal Merrit, it's no May The Bird Of Paradise Fly Up Your Nose but it's a decent weeper. Little Bit Slow to Catch On is a Curly Putnam composition, and brings in the fiddles and some fine pickin' from steel player Lloyd Green. The Bridge is the third of four Parton compositions (or co-writes), and it's a sad song, released after but written long before Bobbie Gentry's Ode to Billie Joe, but no less effective, especially at the end. Bravo. Two Bill Owens songs follow, one slower, one more upbeat, both more fine showcases for Dolly's wonderful voice. The next selection is the single (1) single from the record, Parton's own Just Because I'm a Woman. Great song, strong message, and still fitting today in some quarters. Baby Sister isn't a Dolly song but it feels like it could be; another story song, a little weepy, but effective. Try Being Lonely is the quietly loping finale, and a Porter Wagoner cover, as it turns out. There are a couple minor standouts here, but nothing earthshattering. A solid late-60s country album, and that's good enough for me. Next: One and one is two. Additional links: Just Because I'm a Woman
i didn't know this was her first solo album. its more mature than i would have figured her first solo album would be. i heard this a long time ago. the title track is a masterpiece
Technically her second, but her first after signing with RCA and getting the Studio B treatment; apparently the Porter/Dolly album had to come first because of Dolly's Monument contract not having run out yet.
We should probably start a "Kill Count" for these early Dolly songs! There's gonna be a lot dead dogs, dead babies, and dead mamas over these next few albums! LOL!! So far we have 1 dead mother-t0-be and 1 unborn baby! ("The Bridge") Kill count = 2 !! "False Eyelashes" was always one of the standout songs for me on the "Just Because I'm A Woman" LP. I see it as Dolly's cautionary tale of what might have happened to her. There's an excellent podcast called "Dolly Parton's America" and the first episode (entitled "Sad Ass Songs") covers this period of Dolly's songwriting and some of the cultural background that probably influenced her. The second episode ("I Will Always Love You") delves into her relationship with Porter Wagoner. She's very open in these interviews and it's a fascinating listen.
Just the Two of Us Studio album by Porter Wagoner and Dolly Parton Released September 9, 1968 Recorded January 31–May 22, 1968 Studio RCA Studio B (Nashville) Genre Country Length 29:26 Label RCA Victor Producer Bob Ferguson Just the Two of Us is the second collaborative studio album by Porter Wagoner and Dolly Parton. It was released on September 9, 1968, by RCA Victor. The album was produced by Bob Ferguson. It peaked at number five on the Billboard Top Country Albums chart and number 184 on the Billboard 200 chart. The album spawned three singles. "Holding on to Nothin'" and "We'll Get Ahead Someday" were top ten hits on the Billboard Hot Country Songs chart, peaking at numbers seven and five, respectively. The third single, "Jeannie's Afraid of the Dark", peaked at number 51. Just the Two of Us (Porter Wagoner and Dolly Parton album) - Wikipedia ~~~~~ Porter leads off this second collaboration with a standard, slightly weepy (happy tears) duet about an impending love affair. Mmkay, it's a start. Next up is the first of a few special songwriters, with Tom T. Hall's I Washed My Face In The Morning Dew. It's a great, thoughtful lyric from The Storyteller, with Porter and Dolly trading off again. Jeannie's Afraid of the Dark is the third from this set to be released as a single, and it's a sad Dolly solo composition, and Porter takes the very old-school spoken middle section, appropriate for these kind of songs. Holding on to Nothin is a Jerry Chestnut song, the first single, and a return to tempo featuring some great harmony singing here between the two stars. Slip Away Today starts with and features some great picking throughout; it's a little bit James Burton, and a little bit Jerry Reed. The Dark End of the Street is from an interesting source, being a Chips Moman co-writer. This soul record is surprisingly translated well to a mid-tempo country ballad, with only a few hints at its origins. After the side break, the second of three Jerry Chesnut songs kicks off with weepy country fiddle and pedal steel throughout; it is, of course, not the Bill Withers record from a decade plus later, but it is the album's title track. More good harmonies here, a nice change from just trading vocals. Afraid to Love Again is Chesnut again and is a little more gospel-tinged than the other, with Hargus Robbins' piano kicking things off. We'll Get Ahead Someday comes from inside Porter's band, written by fiddler Mack Magaha, and this one hit big, rising to number 5 on the charts, the second from this album to hit the top 10. Somewhere Between is a Merle Haggard song, originally from Merle himself the previous year; lots of love songs on this album, not all of them happy. The album closes with two from Dolly's pen, and oh boy is this first one a choice. It's another sad song about the death of children, and yes, there's another sad reading from Porter. Yay. Dolly mostly saves us with the closing selection, and I Can features her poetry and pathos wrapped together nicely. One wonders what Dolly might have gone through to prompt all of these sad, sad songs, but at the same time the love songs are mostly uplifting, so it balances out. Next: Back then.
When Vinyl Me Please came out with the Dolly Parton series, I listened to all the albums in it on Spotify to decide whether or not to buy it. I decided against it, but I did like this album a lot. It is now on my "if I find a clean copy somewhere" list.
Dolly and Porter cut the song "Making Plans" during the sessions for their Just The Two of Us LP but for some reason it wasn't included on the final album and won't surface until 1980 in a "remixed, updated" version. I've always been curious why its was omitted. It's a much better song than some of the weaker songs that made it onto the album. Dolly covered it again with Linda Ronstadt and Emmyl0u Harris on their first Trio album nearly 20 years later. Oh just wait... there's more to come!! I was joking in my earlier post, but I do have this morbid curiosity now about all the people who get killed off in Dolly's early songs, so continuing our "Dolly Death Count" we can add 3 kids: poor little Jeannie and the two kids from "The Party." Basically, when Porter starts his recitation it's time to hide the children!! LOL That makes 1 dead unwed mother-to-be, 1 dead unborn baby ("The Bridge"), and 3 children ("Jeannie" & "The Party"). Total dead = 5
