Best Dolly Parton song?

[TopCat]

:0

 

[embree]

Doctor Robert F Thomas & Tennessee Mountain Home

 

[oake]

Or possibly Harper Valley PTA

I wasn't aware she'd recorded that song. She certainly didn't write it.

 

[danny la rouge]

I wasn't aware she'd recorded that song. She certainly didn't write it.

She did record it, but it was obviously originally a hit for Jeannie C Riley. (Who didn't write it either).

 

[clandestino]

Jolene...

It's a brilliant vocal performance but the lyrics are so "little woman" that was endemic in country at the time, apart of course from the great Loretta Lynn with stuff like The Pill and Don't Come Home a Drinking (which off the toad of my head preceded Dolly and Tammy's hits)

Yes, except it's a song from one woman to another, so it's not quite the same. It's the fact she's pleading "please don't take him, just because you can" that makes it such an amazing song.

 

[kittyP]

Joelene, even if it is obvious

9-5 really gets me too although I am not sure why.
Tennessee Mountain Home is great too.... there are loads.

 

[twistedAM]

Yes, except it's a song from one woman to another, so it's not quite the same. It's the fact she's pleading "please don't take him, just because you can" that makes it such an amazing song.

Loretta says:

A you've been makin' your brags around town
That you've been a lovin' my man
But the man I love, when he picks up trash
He puts it in a garbage can
And that's what a you look like to me
And what I see's a pity
Close your face and stay outta my way
If ya don't wanna go to fist city

 

[clandestino]

Fair enough - but Jolene is the more interesting approach. Exactly because it takes the "little woman" thing, for want of a better phrase, that you mentioned (which was very common in soul too - there's so many great songs that are essentially the poor singer saying "I know I can't stop you fooling around, and it's not my place to say, since I'm just a girl and all, but you would mind awfully if you didn't"), and subverts it. Makes it a dialogue between two women, rather than a woman and a man. And makes it a human conversation too - trying to appeal to someone's better nature, rather than being hardassed about it. Not that being hardassed isn't a human response, but not everyone operates like that. If they did "Hamlet" would be a very short play.

 

[RubyBlue]

jolene, of course (this is also my real name so i have a particular affinity with said song )

^ is that really your name? I love it - generally dislike names ending with 'ene' like noelene but Jolene is a lovely name

 

[the button]

Little sparrow

 

[QueenOfGoths]

Mr.QofG's and his friend Paul - and their acoustic guitars - do quite a rollicking, if somewhat homoerotic, version of Jolene!

 

[DaRealSpoon]

'Jolene' all the way

Altho 'harper valley PTA' and 'D.i.v.o.r.c.e' are good.

has anyone said '9 to 5' yet? I dont care what anyone says its a class tune

 

[El Jefe]

'D.i.v.o.r.c.e' are good.

TAMMY!

 

[twistedAM]

'
Altho 'harper valley PTA'

Jeannie C. Riley

btw Billy Ray Cyrus did a pretty decent version of that

 

[scooter]

She's one of those people who wrote more famous songs than you realise. I only found out recently that she wrote
Been listening to her first solo album - not a bad track on it. The woman is a phenomenon - and so sweet and wholesome too.

ETA I think some of the songs on the first album are covers but the best songs on the album are the ones she wrote

 

[DaRealSpoon]

Billy Ray Cyrus did a pretty decent version of that

a la Bill Hicks I was gonna say just how wrong that statement has to be.

But i cant be arsed.. Billy ray Cyrus has never done a good version of anything... na na na... Im not listening.

If it's Tammy then apologeys. I only have the Dolly version and I likes it

 

[dessiato]

the one I most enjoy is the one she sings at the end of the night just before she leaves the stage! I am not a fan of her singing although I accept that some of her lyrics are good.

 

[twistedAM]

a la Bill Hicks I was gonna say just how wrong that statement has to be.

But i cant be arsed.. Billy ray Cyrus has never done a good version of anything... na na na... Im not listening.

If it's Tammy then apologeys. I only have the Dolly version and I likes it

Hey you, watch out or Billy will introduce you to the black cock of death

 

[ovaltina]

Nine to Five obv

 

[DaRealSpoon]

Hey you, watch out or Billy will introduce you to the black cock of death

That 'cracker ass, no talent, jar-head' can bring it on... Lets hunt and kill Billy Ray Cyrus, WOOOOOO!!!

 

[TruXta]

Islands in the stream was written by... the muthafucking Bee Gees. I shit you not. Still a great song tho, even with Kenny Rogers singing.

 

[twistedAM]

That 'cracker ass, no talent, jar-head' can bring it on... Lets hunt and kill Billy Ray Cyrus, WOOOOOO!!!

Ah, every dog has it's day and a good dog like Tom T Hall just might have two.

 

[Meltingpot]

I like her version of Cat Stevens' "Peace Train."

 

[Y_I_Otter]

I'm not a big fan, but I liked her "Trio" stuff with Linda Ronstadt and Emmylou Harris a lot.

I'm also partial to her Travellin' Thru, the gospel-flavoured number that plays while the credits roll at the end of "Transamerica".