I’m making a Dolly Parton playlist in honor of my late friend’s upcoming birthday as well as the upcoming two year anniversary of his death.
I know the hits, but not at all familiar with the deeper cuts. I’m looking for both upbeat songs and ballads.
Thanks!
It’s hard to assess “lesser known” Dolly Parton songs due to her overwhelming popularity, but if you have not already added Mule Skinner Blues to your playlist, you might consider it.
The Dolly songs I immediately know are Jolene, Coat of Many Colors, Nine to Five, Why’d You Come in Here Looking Like That, Two Doors Down, Here you Come Again, I Will Always Love You. So, those are the ones I’d consider the hits. Of course, it’s not rare that I’ll hear a song and remember it from the era in the late 1970s/early 1980s when country crossover was so popular and lots of country hits made it to top 40 radio.
I always liked her early hit “Travelin’ Man”.
I don’t know how well known it is, but I like Hard Candy Christmas (not really a Christmas song).
How about some of the covers she’s done? Here’s a partial list, with video.
Don’t forget her cover of Stairway to Heaven. It’s actually pretty good!
Some favorites of mine not already mentioned:
Love Is Like a Butterfly
Old Flames Can’t Hold a Candle To You
Eagle When She Flies
Wildflowers (trio with Emmylou Harris and Linda Ronstadt, written by Dolly)
A sharp satirical take on the “Momma Tried” genre (but you have to listen all the way through).
In My Tennessee Mountain Home.
Brilliant, sensitive imagery.
I was going to say this.
“Do I Ever Cross Your Mind” from the second album with Emmylou and Ronstadt (Trio II) is also pretty good (also written by Dolly)
“Sorrow in the Wind” from the Trio album, with Linda Ronstadt and Emmy Lou Harris. Heartbreakingly beautiful.
How about my least favorite, “Applejack.”
I’m Gonna Sleep with One Eye Open from The Grass is Blue.
I’m Red, White, and Blue which is sort of Dolly’s version of Cher’s Half Breed.
Joshua where Dolly finds romance with a Boo Radley type.
I can’t think of one damn thing with Porter Waggoner. Weird.
Great. “I’m Red, White, and Blue” is a Loretta Lynn song and I spelled Porter Wagoner’s name wrong.
Anything else can I screw up for someone? That old saw about the origin of the name Windy City perhaps? Davy Crockett dying at the Alamo?
I’m fond of Marry Me, a blue grassy number from her Little Sparrow album. It’s up beat and written from the viewpoint of an excited but naive country girl. It’s funny but not mean spirited.
“He’s gonna kiss me on the mouth,
and he’s gonna marry me!”
Until I heard it I never would have thought that you could put a banjo into Stairway and not only make it work but work good.