Top 10 Best Dolly Parton Songs
We will always love these Dolly Parton songs. Welcome to MsMojo, and today we’re counting down our picks for the all time Dolly Parton BANGERS!
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00:00 Time to bow for service and devotion
00:04 Welcome to Ms. Mojo, and today we're counting down our picks for the all-time Dolly Parton bangers.
00:09 Islands in the street, that is what we own
00:14 Number 10. Bygones
00:18 Can you forgive me? It's true I've made mistakes, but so have you
00:24 Dolly Parton's 49th album, Rockstar, wasn't the first time this country music legend adapted
00:30 other forms of music for crossover success, but it may be among the most unique. That's
00:35 because it featured, filtered among many covers of classic rock anthems, originals like Bygones.
00:41 When you break a trust it's painful To find the one you love's your angel
00:46 Dolly's partner on this track is none other than Judas Priest's Rob Halford,
00:51 an insanely talented singer in his own right. This musical marriage works well within the
00:55 context of Bygones, as Halford's naturally theatrical voice melds with Parton's smooth
01:00 delivery in such a fascinating way. How long must you punish me?
01:06 It may seem strange for the country faithful to hear her vocals in the context of such a heavy
01:11 song, but we think it absolutely rocks. Let Bygones be Bygones
01:19 Number 9. Starting Over Again
01:21 Mama moved out, Daddy sold the house
01:27 Parton may not have written the single from her Dolly, Dolly, Dolly album, but she had some pretty
01:32 formidable assistance from the person who did, disco queen Donna Summer. Starting Over Again
01:37 doesn't sound like Summer's musical pedigree, however, which helps make it feel like it
01:41 belongs to Parton instead.
01:42 Got an apartment, she moved in with her sisters
01:48 The lyrics to Starting Over Again are melancholic, told from the perspective of a married couple
01:53 going their separate ways after many years together.
01:56 Starting over again, now where do you begin?
02:03 Dolly lends much warmth and humanity to the song, while the slow ballad arrangements
02:08 underline the sadness behind Starting Over Again and its unique point of view.
02:12 When your dreams are all shattered, and your kids are all scared
02:18 Number 8. Baby I'm Burnin'
02:20 You look at me that way, I know what you're I say, your eyes reflect love and desire
02:27 Baby I'm Burnin' is taken from Dolly's 1978 album Heartbreaker, and it shows. The song
02:32 feels tailor-made to the dance-centric landscape of 1970s pop radio, a crossover hit for Dolly
02:38 that proved she could adapt to the times.
02:40 The way that you love me, the way that you touch me, the way that you whisper my name
02:47 Parton's country roots always shine through everything she does, and this is also true
02:51 with Baby I'm Burnin'. Sure, the arrangements may feel more than their share, but Parton's
02:56 sweet vocals are equal parts melodic and playful.
02:59 Oh baby I'm burnin' out of control Baby I'm burnin' heart and soul
03:06 This combination of musical heart and an openness to trying new things
03:10 makes Baby I'm Burnin' feel like a great way for Dolly to stretch her creative legs.
03:14 Hot as a fierce dog, the flame in me is higher Baby I'm burnin' you got me on fire
03:21 Number 7. Here You Come Again
03:23 Here you come again
03:26 Songwriting can be a magical process, particularly during a collaboration.
03:31 Dolly worked with songwriting legends Barry Mann and Cynthia Wile for Here You Come Again in 1977.
03:37 All you gotta do is smile that smile
03:42 This was an attempt to broaden the Parton brand for a pop audience,
03:45 although Dolly has been quoted as demanding steel guitar be included on the tune,
03:49 in order to anchor it to her country roots.
03:52 You're messing up my mind, filling up my senses
03:57 This was a smart move on her part, since this edition does exactly that,
04:01 making Here You Come Again a light and loose pop ballad with that classic country twang.
04:06 Here you come again
04:10 Number 6. Little Sparrow
04:12 Little sparrow, little sparrow
04:18 Dolly Parton's Little Sparrow album from 2001 signified another form of branching out for the
04:24 country legend, but this time it wasn't pop, rock, or disco that was on the menu, but tradition.
04:30 All ye maidens heed my warning
04:34 Folk, bluegrass, gospel, and blues all permeated this wonderful album,
04:40 but the title track is truly on another level.
04:43 I would find him, I would find him
04:46 The song's unaccompanied intro highlights just how powerful and dynamic Dolly's face still was
04:52 in the new millennium. While the backing instrumentation is gorgeously evocative,
04:56 the lyrical content is equally bittersweet. A feminist anthem that celebrates strength,
05:01 mourns weakness, and calls to its audience to listen deeply and reflect.
05:06 Little sparrow
05:08 Number 5. The Bargain Store
05:12 My life is likened to a bargain store
05:16 The confessional and often cinematic nature of country music is an aspect that brings
05:21 listeners coming back again and again to rediscover their favorite songs.
05:25 The Bargain Store is classic country through and through, a story about a woman's emotional
05:30 state after some negative experiences in her romantic life. Why you take for instance this
05:35 old broken heart It's the arrangements here that really make The Bargain Store such a striking
05:41 song, from the almost rock hook of the guitar, to the backing vocals and subtle melodic choices
05:47 behind the chorus. My life is likened to a bargain store
05:51 It's a little quirky, super memorable, and a classic cut from one of Dolly Parton's most
05:58 unique albums. And who doesn't love a giant metaphor? The Bargain Store is often coming back
06:10 Number 4. 9 to 5
06:12 Tumble out of bed and stumble to the kitchen Pour myself a cup of ambition
06:16 And yawn and stretch and try to come to life
06:19 Dolly Parton has made a number of memorable movie appearances over the years, but it's perhaps
06:24 1980's 9 to 5 that serves as her most high-profile co-starring role. Parton sang the title song,
06:30 and her album 9 to 5 and Odd Jobs was something of a companion piece to her contributions to
06:35 that film's soundtrack. 9 to 5 just knows that it has a million dollar chorus, so it wastes no time
06:46 in getting there. Dolly sings her heart out with charm and charisma, and a passion that makes you
06:50 feel like she's really lived the day job struggle. The arrangements feel more poppy than Parton's
06:59 older material, and 9 to 5 is still performed live for her legions of admirers all around the world.
07:05 Number 3. Coat of Many Colors
07:13 Back through the years I go wondering once again
07:18 Some of the best Dolly Parton songs are those that reflect upon her youth
07:22 and her upbringing. Coat of Many Colors is absolutely one of these tunes,
07:26 a classic fan-favorite Dolly song that possesses so much emotional resonance.
07:31 "And I didn't have a coat, and it was way down in the fall."
07:36 There are biblical themes that can be inferred, sure, but it's also about familial love and pride.
07:42 The chorus is a tear-jerking combination of heartbreaking honesty and lyrical poignancy.
07:47 "And I just couldn't wait to wear it, and mama blessed it with a kiss."
07:54 The sort of song that makes country fans hold this music closer to their hearts.
07:58 Meanwhile, it serves as a great way for those not familiar with the genre to be exposed to
08:02 one of its all-time greats. "In my coat of many colors, mama made for me."
08:09 Number 2. Jolene
08:13 "Jolene, Jolene, Jolene, Jolene."
08:18 If one is seeking out honest-to-goodness proof concerning Dolly Parton's enviable songwriting
08:23 process, let's just admire the fact that Jolene was apparently composed by the singer in a single
08:28 day. "Your smile is like a breath of spring, your voice is soft like summer rain."
08:33 Many artists would work weeks, months, or even years to acquire a song that possesses the same
08:38 emotional resonance as Jolene, but here Dolly is with her God-given gift of song.
08:43 "You could have your choice of men that I could never love again."
08:47 To be fair, Chip Young's guitar work also serves as some formidable glue to hold Jolene
08:52 all together, but elsewhere, it's the combination of Dolly's soaring vocals and those iconic lyrics
08:57 that makes this song just about perfect. "Please don't take him just for college again."
09:03 Before we unveil our top pick, here are a few honorable mentions.
09:08 "Just Because I'm a Woman." Dolly rebukes a double standard.
09:12 "Just because I'm a woman."
09:15 "I Know You by Heart." Dolly and Smokey in the 80s.
09:19 "Evening Shade." Parton executes a murder ballad.
09:30 "They cared even less at evening shade."
09:35 "The River Unbroken." A smooth and slinky single.
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10:00 Number 1. "I Will Always Love You." "If I should stay."
10:07 A good song is a good song, regardless of genre. And with 1974's "I Will Always Love You,"
10:15 Dolly Parton composed one that belongs on the medium's proverbial Mount Rushmore.
10:19 "I would only be in your ways."
10:26 If you can listen to that achingly beautiful chorus and not shed a tear,
10:30 then you are truly stronger than us, because this one gets us every time. "I Will Always
10:35 Love You" certainly gained a new lease on life when it was covered by another voice of her
10:39 generation, Whitney Houston, but Parton's original is something truly special.
10:44 "And I wish you joy and happiness."
10:48 It's a masterpiece of simplicity and honesty that transcends songwriting
10:53 to become what just may be the national anthem of country music.
10:56 What's your favorite Dolly Parton song? Let us know in the comments.
11:09 Do you agree with our picks? Check out this other recent clip from Ms. Mojo.
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