Track Listing

1. Jolene
2. When Someone Wants to Leave
3. River of Happiness
4. Early Morning Breeze
5. Highlight of My Life
6. I Will Always Love You
7. Randy
8. Living on Memories of You
9. Lonely Comin' Down
10. It Must Be You

Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #326918 in Music
• Released on: 1999-11-09
• Number of discs: 1

Amazon.com
When 28-year-old Dolly Parton summoned the courage to leave The Porter Wagoner Show in 1974, she knew she needed a dynamic solo album to pave the way. The No. 1 single "Jolene" was a fine place to start, with its instantly recognized guitar intro and its minor-key structure that suggested the murder ballads and wronged-woman folk songs of Parton's mountain heritage. But Dolly had bigger, mainstream success in mind, and used her difficult and prolonged parting with Wagoner as inspiration for "I Will Always Love You," a goose-bumpy consolation prize that must have broken Porter's old heart in two. While Parton would have other fine country moments before surrendering to the glitz and glamour of pop pursuit three years later, never again would her gossamer soprano sound as eerily timeless or innocent as it does on the bulk of these tracks. And although "I Will Always Love You" would become a blue-chip stock, with several other incarnations, including a caterwauled hit for Whitney Houston in 1992, Parton's version here--vulnerable yet resolute, and understated compared to future efforts--would represent her at her best, confessing to the tempo of tears. --Alanna Nash

Customer Reviews

Her Roots
Jolene is where Dolly's roots are, it was that era where some of her most memorable music came from, this cd being no exception whatsoever. This is pure gold. There are classics on this cd such as Jolene, the original version of I Will ALways Love You, Lonely Comin Down, and other memorable songs lik River of Happiness, Early Morning Breeze, and It Must Be You. All the songs are winners. This is a must have, and a great place for new fans of Dolly to start their collection. Go out and get it if you already havent!

BEST DOLLY ALBUM!!!
I LIKE THIS ALBUM THE MOST, BOASTING HER EARLY WORK. BESIDES "JOLENE". I'M VERY FOND OF "LIVING ON MEMORIES OF YOU" WHICH REMINDS ME OF A SONG YOU MIGHT HEAR IN A SALOON, BACK IN THE OLD WEST. I ALSO LOVE "HIGHLIGHT OF MY LIFE", "LONELY COMIN' DOWN"( WHICH IS VERY HEARTFELT)AND "IT MUST BE YOU", NOT TO MENTION THE LEGENDARY "I WILL ALWAYS LOVE YOU". THIS IS THE ONLY ALBUM I CAN SAY, BESIDES THE COMPILATIONS OF BEST HITS I HAVE, THAT I LIKE EVERY SONG ON DEEPLY. WORTH EVERY PENNY IF YOU LIKE DOLLY'S EARLY WORK.

Fine example of Parton's earlier work
Buddha's 1999 reissue of Parton's 1974 LP is a straight-up presentation of the original ten tracks. Clocking in at under 25 minutes, this may seem like a sampler rather than a full album in today's 78-minute CD world, but what's here is vintage pre-Hollywood Dolly. In addition to the chart-topping title track, the original version of her farewell to Porter Wagoner, "I Will Always Love You," is awe-inspiring. In contrast to Whitney Houston's overblown remake (and Parton's own oversung reworking), the original is a perfect record, filled with strength, vulnerability, fragility and resolution that culminate in heartbreak all around.

The remaining eight tracks, six from Parton, one from Wagoner, and one from Blaise Tosti ("It Must Be You") are a bit tamer than the topics explored on "Coat of Many Colors" (Buddha's other 1999 reissue), but no less heartfelt. Parton's emancipation from Wagoner would eventually lead her to Hollywood and crossover success, but in the mid-70s she was at the full flower of her first go-round as a pure country singer-songwriter.

Buddha's reissue was an essential buy upon its arrival in 1999, and one for which Parton fans should be grateful. At this point, however, BMG's 2001 pairing of this title with 1975's "My Tennessee Mountain Home" (which is otherwise unavailable on CD) offers twice the music (plus a bonus track) for a few dollars more.