# Suggest some lesser known Dolly Parton songs **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [July 1, 2019, 6:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/suggest-some-lesser-known-dolly-parton-songs/836357 "2019-07-01T18:04:06Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 19\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![dalej42](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/67e7ee/32.png) [@dalej42](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/dalej42)\ **Post date:** [July 1, 2019, 6:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/suggest-some-lesser-known-dolly-parton-songs/836357/1 "2019-07-01T18:04:06Z")
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! ---
**Author:** ![divemaster](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/divemaster/32/78_2.png) [@divemaster](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/divemaster)\ **Post date:** [July 1, 2019, 6:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/suggest-some-lesser-known-dolly-parton-songs/836357/2 "2019-07-01T18:15:59Z")
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. [![](https://img.youtube.com/vi/O8u1vM5iSJA/maxresdefault.jpg "Mule Skinner Blues Dolly Parton with Lyrics.") ](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=O8u1vM5iSJA) ---
**Author:** ![dalej42](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/67e7ee/32.png) [@dalej42](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/dalej42)\ **Post date:** [July 1, 2019, 6:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/suggest-some-lesser-known-dolly-parton-songs/836357/3 "2019-07-01T18:27:55Z")
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. ---
**Author:** ![F.U.Shakespeare](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/aca169/32.png) [@F.U.Shakespeare](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/F.U.Shakespeare)\ **Post date:** [July 1, 2019, 6:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/suggest-some-lesser-known-dolly-parton-songs/836357/4 "2019-07-01T18:29:09Z")
I always liked her early hit [“Travelin’ Man”](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kCU-ZRaKfcs). ---
**Author:** ![Periwinkle](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/bbe5ce/32.png) [@Periwinkle](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Periwinkle)\ **Post date:** [July 1, 2019, 6:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/suggest-some-lesser-known-dolly-parton-songs/836357/5 "2019-07-01T18:55:58Z")
I don’t know how well known it is, but I like Hard Candy Christmas (not really a Christmas song). [![](https://img.youtube.com/vi/bvK1F6bUrzU/hqdefault.jpg "Dolly Parton - Hard Candy Christmas") ](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bvK1F6bUrzU) ---
**Author:** ![Skywatcher](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/skywatcher/32/254_2.png) [@Skywatcher](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Skywatcher)\ **Post date:** [July 1, 2019, 7:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/suggest-some-lesser-known-dolly-parton-songs/836357/6 "2019-07-01T19:03:49Z")
How about some of the covers she’s done? [Here’s a partial list, with video.](https://www.vividseats.com/blog/13-dolly-parton-covers-that-prove-shes-the-queen-of-country) ---
**Author:** ![Lips\_Obsession](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/bbce88/32.png) [@Lips\_Obsession](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lips_Obsession)\ **Post date:** [July 1, 2019, 7:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/suggest-some-lesser-known-dolly-parton-songs/836357/7 "2019-07-01T19:52:58Z")
Don’t forget her cover of Stairway to Heaven. It’s actually pretty good! ---
**Author:** ![SpoilerVirgin](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/4491bb/32.png) [@SpoilerVirgin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SpoilerVirgin)\ **Post date:** [July 1, 2019, 8:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/suggest-some-lesser-known-dolly-parton-songs/836357/8 "2019-07-01T20:19:15Z")
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) ---
**Author:** ![peccavi](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/peccavi/32/388_2.png) [@peccavi](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/peccavi)\ **Post date:** [July 1, 2019, 8:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/suggest-some-lesser-known-dolly-parton-songs/836357/9 "2019-07-01T20:23:51Z")
[To Daddy](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DW3kCIgMBFA) A sharp satirical take on the “Momma Tried” genre (but you have to listen all the way through). ---
**Author:** ![Kent\_Clark](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kent_clark/32/105_2.png) [@Kent\_Clark](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kent_Clark)\ **Post date:** [July 2, 2019, 12:28am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/suggest-some-lesser-known-dolly-parton-songs/836357/10 "2019-07-02T00:28:45Z")
[In My Tennessee Mountain Home](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=W2b9RxWYf-s). Brilliant, sensitive imagery. ---
**Author:** ![drad\_dog](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/aeb1de/32.png) [@drad\_dog](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/drad_dog)\ **Post date:** [July 2, 2019, 7:38am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/suggest-some-lesser-known-dolly-parton-songs/836357/11 "2019-07-02T07:38:20Z")
[![](https://img.youtube.com/vi/lolwrRZa11o/maxresdefault.jpg "Hank Williams, Jr. - I'm In No Condition") ](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lolwrRZa11o) ---
**Author:** ![Quercus](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/q/7ab992/32.png) [@Quercus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Quercus)\ **Post date:** [July 2, 2019, 1:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/suggest-some-lesser-known-dolly-parton-songs/836357/12 "2019-07-02T13:07:50Z")
> [@SpoilerVirgin](#): > > Some favorites of mine not already mentioned: > […] > Wildflowers (trio with Emmylou Harris and Linda Ronstadt, written by Dolly) 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) ---
**Author:** ![BrotherCadfael](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/977dab/32.png) [@BrotherCadfael](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BrotherCadfael)\ **Post date:** [July 2, 2019, 1:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/suggest-some-lesser-known-dolly-parton-songs/836357/13 "2019-07-02T13:23:23Z")
“Sorrow in the Wind” from the Trio album, with Linda Ronstadt and Emmy Lou Harris. Heartbreakingly beautiful. ---
**Author:** ![elfkin477](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/a9a28c/32.png) [@elfkin477](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/elfkin477)\ **Post date:** [July 2, 2019, 11:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/suggest-some-lesser-known-dolly-parton-songs/836357/14 "2019-07-02T23:06:43Z")
How about my least favorite, “Applejack.” ---
**Author:** ![Mike\_Mabes](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mike_mabes/32/1782_2.png) [@Mike\_Mabes](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mike_Mabes)\ **Post date:** [July 2, 2019, 11:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/suggest-some-lesser-known-dolly-parton-songs/836357/15 "2019-07-02T23:43:30Z")
I’m Gonna Sleep with One Eye Open from The Grass is Blue. ---
**Author:** ![Two\_Many\_Cats](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/8dc957/32.png) [@Two\_Many\_Cats](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Two_Many_Cats)\ **Post date:** [July 3, 2019, 1:43am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/suggest-some-lesser-known-dolly-parton-songs/836357/16 "2019-07-03T01:43:43Z")
_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. ---
**Author:** ![Two\_Many\_Cats](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/8dc957/32.png) [@Two\_Many\_Cats](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Two_Many_Cats)\ **Post date:** [July 3, 2019, 2:00am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/suggest-some-lesser-known-dolly-parton-songs/836357/17 "2019-07-03T02:00:19Z")
> [@Two\_Many\_Cats](#): > > _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? ---
**Author:** ![Baal\_Houtham](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/baal_houtham/32/13604_2.png) [@Baal\_Houtham](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Baal_Houtham)\ **Post date:** [July 3, 2019, 1:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/suggest-some-lesser-known-dolly-parton-songs/836357/18 "2019-07-03T13:53:06Z")
I’m fond of [Marry Me](https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=uE-YNE7TMrI), 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!”_ ---
**Author:** ![BubbaDog](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bubbadog/32/333_2.png) [@BubbaDog](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BubbaDog)\ **Post date:** [July 3, 2019, 3:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/suggest-some-lesser-known-dolly-parton-songs/836357/19 "2019-07-03T15:53:12Z")
> [@Lips\_Obsession](#): > > Don’t forget her cover of Stairway to Heaven. It’s actually pretty good! 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.