Antieant

I always thought that female country singers sounded better than male.. maybe its the sex appeal i dont know.

crushedblind

Lauded as ‘one of the prettiest, singinest, songwritinest (and you can probably add rootinest, tootinest for good measure) little blondes in country music,’ it’s apparent that Dolly Parton’s country roots run deep. They’d have to! For as much as the public idea of Dolly Parton has ballooned into a Matel Corporation caricature of itself, Parton’s catalogue of undeniably honest songs and numerous achievements are a beacon for the kind of hard work and determination country music characterizes itself by. To her fans---in an almost bizarre and cosmic case of funny how some things just work out---Dolly has become a realization of her name; a timeless reminder and recognizable friend from the good ole days, a child’s keepsake from which pasts are revisited.

Despite gracing the Opry stage at age thirteen and a few early successes as a songwriter, the start of Parton’s career can almost solely be credited to her work on the Porter Wagoner Show. Averaging over three million viewers, Wagoner’s syndicated television program expanded Parton’s audience and provided a constant amount of exposure for the budding songwriter. Parton and Wagoner would go on to record together and reach respectable success, even as much as being awarded Vocal Group of the Year in 1968 by the Country Music Association. But inevitably Parton would become disheartened by the little attention being paid to her solo career. With 10 solo studio releases from 1967-1972, Dolly was out to prove that behind the face and the voice was a songwriter bent on nothing short of telling her story.

In March 1973 Dolly Parton’s My Tennessee Mountain Home was released with little commercial success. My Tennessee Mountain Home---her 11th solo album---marks the first studio album comprised entirely of Parton’s own songs. It’s highly reflective, and paints an almost grandiose portrait of her childhood in rural Tennessee and her struggles of making it in Nashville.

The album starts with Dolly reciting the first letter she wrote home after moving to Nashville. The letter finds Parton homesick and anxious; cognizant of the difficulties ahead. Parton worries that ‘Nashville's not exactly what I’d thought it would be’ and confesses ‘I didn’t realize how hard it was to leave home either until I started to leave and everyone started crying, and I cried too.’

The songs that follow represent Parton’s journey; from her puppy-love memories as a child, to her whimsical hope of returning home and her acceptance of the past for what it is.

Starting with I remember, Parton gives an introduction to those little things about her childhood she holds so dear. She proudly admits that ‘I remember lots of things that often I recall, but I remember mama and daddy most of all.’ Following this theme throughout the album Parton projects her parents as Cratchit like characters. Hearing songs like Old Black Kettle and Daddy’s Working Boots you can almost imagine Parton as a child sprawled on the kitchen floor; eyes beaming, head ****ed back staring at these iconic figures, bursting with pride and appreciation. My Tennessee Mountain Home and Back Home are amuck with the same kind of fantasies about returning home and ‘to the smog and smoke and city life, I'm saying so long, I’ve shed a lot of tears through all the years that I’ve been gone.’ Parton’s early difficulties in Nashville had left her unsuspectingly sure that the answer was to return home where ‘life is as peaceful as a baby's sigh.’

But most the compelling turns the record takes are the songs where Parton faces the truth.

I've seen daddy's hands break open and bleed
And I've seen him work till he's stiff as a board
An' I've seen momma layin' in suffer and sickness
In need of a doctor we couldn't afford
Anything at all was more than we had
In the good old days when times were bad

Parton must admit that though love and happiness were present, so too was the reality of poverty.

No amount of money could buy from me
The memories that I have of then
No amount of money could pay me
To go back and live through it again

Parton realizes that she’s left home and for better or worse she’s got to make her way.

Teardrops mingled with the summer rain that was a falling
The day I left my mountain home behind
With a suitcase in my hand and a hope in my heart
I was following a dream I had to find

The album ends with Down on Music Row. Both critiquing and lamenting over her struggles to be heard. Down on Music Row is Parton’s final realization and acceptance of her times in Nashville and contains a sly thanks to those who helped her.

But I could feel that change a coming'
And I just kept right on a humming'
With my old' guitar still strumming'
All them songs that I'd wrote
And then Chet and Bob at RCA
Well, they listened to my songs that day
And they both told me that I was on my way

My Tennessee Mountain Home never spawned a chart topping hit nor did it receive much commercial success but for Parton it chronicled a critical part in her journey. Though neither musically or lyrically risky, Parton stepped out with this recording and told her story. It is her first album as a songwriter and plays out as Parton intends. For every bit of watery adoration there is a truth that can be found. Parton details her journey with her own nuances—which at times reek of inflated sentiment---but for her the emotions were real, the pain unbearable at times and throughout it all remained a constant hope and love from a certain Tennessee mountain home.

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gimme danger little stranger

Flower Child

Wow, I'm blown away crushedblind! Excellent, excellent addition sir. Very insightful. I hope you stick around.

Ah, Dolly Parton. Definitely someone who needed to be mentioned in the thread.

I don't know if I would say 'little' but wow, yes, the woman knows how market herself. But if most people are like me, I know her more for her big boobs than I do for her music though. So her marketing may also have been a downfall from a musical stand point. I do really enjoy a few of her songs, and I'm glad you put this album up here because I might look more into her than just the stuff I've heard on classic country cd collection informercials. Thanks!

crushedblind

well im really glad you liked it! i've had a good time reading the ones already here--some of which i wouldnt have even thought of

im kinda like you---familiar with just the hits, but i thought it would be fun to pick an album of hers and see what she's about

lol on the boobs--i got that quote from this video which i think was before the 'work' was done her image seems strange to me, almost at times like a female elvis

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gimme danger little stranger

crushedblind

found these in a box of records my neighbor gave me



thinking about doing one of them once i get my stereo fixed

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gimme danger little stranger

Hank The Drifter

I was going to add my Hank Williams review to this thread, but I decided to write another review for this thread instead. Hope you enjoy.

Marty Robbins
1959 [LP] 1999[CD]

Marty Robbins is one of my favorite Country/Western musicians of all time for these twelve songs alone. I'm not a big fan of most of Robbins other work, but this album is superb. I got into Robbins after listening to massive amounts of Hank Williams and still wanting more of that great Country music. Someone suggest I check this album out by Marty Robbins and boy am I grateful they made this suggestion. This is real Country/Western music, recorded and released in 1959 this album peaked on the charts at number one in 1960. I know this doesn't mean anything, but this is one album I feel is truly worthy of a spot on the charts. I got into this album because someone suggested it too me, and now I'm suggesting it to those of you that haven't heard it! So check it out!

Marty Robbins had an extremely clear baritone voice that was at its peak on this album, at least comparing to the other work of his I've heard. Which its nearly impossible to hear all of his music being he released fifty some-odd studio albums, and over one-hundred singles.

Big Iron is the opening track on this album, is probably my favorite on the album. This song is just so descriptive and pains such vivid pictures in your mind. Not to mention Robbins smooth voice that seems to be pretty much perfect on these recordings. Cool Water is a song written by Bob Nolan and recorded by man different bands/musicians and charted for something around fifteen weeks and within the top ten. However, Robbins cover never charted although he done a very good job with the track. I've heard other recordings of the song including the one by the group that the song charted with and I think Robbins done the best job with it. The song is about a mule by the name of Dan and his owner[?] seeing a mirage in the middle of the desert. Billy the Kid is another great cowboy [western] song about a young outlaw who was by legend said to have killed over 20 men in his time. In this song Robbins says he "At the age of twelve years he did kill his first man." This is another one of my favorites on the album a lot of fun to listen to. El Paso is easily the most well known song on this album. Robbins both wrote is and recorded it, and it charted well on both the Pop and Country charts. This song has two different version, a full length one that's over 4 minutes long and another version that's three minutes long. The song had to be shortened because at the time of the song being released it was longer than anything played on the radio. So, in order to assure it would be played on the radio Robbins recorded a shorter version of it. From my experience I much prefer the full version over the other, and I assume others do too. Anyway, this song is about a cowboy that falls in love with a woman in El Paso, Texas. After falling in love with her someone tries to take her and the cowboy guns the man down. Once the cowboy kills the man the cowboy flees El Paso because he is scared he will be killed himself. This is a pretty interesting song that has been used for many different things and cover by many great bands, and some bands you wouldn't think of recording a song like this such as The Grateful Dead. Sorry for the lengthy explanation of this song, but its the biggest hit on the record so I figured I might as well tell the entire story about it as I know it. Simply put Running Gun is a song that explains how you can't turn your back on a life of crime.




This album in my opinion is one that any who calls their self a Classic Country fan should at least give a chance. I know its technically Country/Western but I feel like it belongs in this thread, personally. The new version has some bonus material on it. No matter which copy you listen to its worth your time! This actually seems like a really good album to get if you're trying to get into classic Country/Western stuff, because I know plenty of people that aren't Country fans and can listen to this and enjoy it. So, for those trying to get into this type of stuff GIVE THIS ALBUM A LISTEN!

Absolute classic album, but one of County's greatest acts of all time.

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“If a song can't be written in 20 minutes, it ain't worth writing.” - Hank Williams

Flower Child

Bravo, Hank, well reviewed.
Always been a Marty Robbins fan myself, thought I was about the only one in the world until you. He does have a bit more of a country & western tumbleweed vibe to him, and I like it. Sometimes I get a little stuck on my Texas men, and guys like Marty Robbins are a nice change. He almost reminds me of a much jollier Townes Van Zandt.

Hank The Drifter

Thanks man.

Yeah, sucks there isn't more Marty Robbins fans out there. I'm a big fan of some of his stuff. Actually a jollier TVZ isn't a bad comparison in my opinion.

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“If a song can't be written in 20 minutes, it ain't worth writing.” - Hank Williams

Funkymonk

I wish i found this site along time ago! whaqt brilliant reviews on here! track by track too Fanbluddytastic folks! haha!

LL5466

I defiantly listened to some of these bands growing up. Great suggestions, keep them coming!