Editor’s Note: From Albumism’s inception back in 2016, we’ve remained unabashedly and unequivocally passionate about our mission of celebrating the world's love affairs with albums past, present and future.
But while our devotion to the album as an art form has remained steadfast, as evidenced by our deepening repository of individual album tributes and reviews, we’ve admittedly seldom taken the opportunity to explicitly articulate our reverence for the virtues of artists’ complete album repertoires as a whole.
Hence why we’ve decided to showcase what we believe to be the most dynamic discographies of all time in this recurring series. In doing so, we hope to better understand the broader creative context within which our most beloved individual albums exist, while acknowledging the full breadth of their creators’ artistry, career arcs, and overall contributions to the ever-evolving musical landscape.
We hope you enjoy this series and be sure to check here periodically for the latest installments.
DOLLY PARTON
Studio Albums: Hello, I'm Dolly (1967) | Just Between You and Me* (1968) | Just Because I'm a Woman (1968) | Just the Two of Us* (1968) | In the Good Old Days (When Times Were Bad) (1969) | Always, Always* (1969) | My Blue Ridge Mountain Boy (1969) | The Fairest of Them All (1970) | Porter Wayne and Dolly Rebecca* (1970) | Once More* (1970) | Two of a Kind* (1971) | The Golden Streets of Glory (1971) | Joshua (1971) | Coat of Many Colors (1971) | The Right Combination / Burning the Midnight Oil* (1972) | Touch Your Woman (1972) | Together Always* (1972) | My Favorite Songwriter, Porter Wagoner (1972) | We Found It* (1973) | My Tennessee Mountain Home (1973) | Love and Music* (1973) | Bubbling Over (1973) | Jolene (1974) | Porter 'n' Dolly* (1974) | Love Is Like a Butterfly (1974) | The Bargain Store (1975) | Say Forever You'll Be Mine* (1975) | Dolly (1975) | All I Can Do (1976) | New Harvest...First Gathering (1977) | Here You Come Again (1977) | Heartbreaker (1978) | Great Balls of Fire (1979) | Dolly, Dolly, Dolly (1980) | Porter & Dolly* (1980) | 9 to 5 and Odd Jobs (1980) | Heartbreak Express (1982) | Burlap & Satin (1983) | The Great Pretender (1984) | Once Upon a Christmas (with Kenny Rogers) (1984) | Real Love (1985) | Trio (with Emmylou Harris and Linda Ronstadt) (1987) | Rainbow (1987) | White Limozeen (1989) | Home for Christmas (1990) | Eagle When She Flies (1991) | Slow Dancing with the Moon (1993) | Honky Tonk Angels (with Loretta Lynn and Tammy Wynette) (1993) | Something Special (1995) | Treasures (1996) | Hungry Again (1998) | Trio II (with Emmylou Harris and Linda Ronstadt) (1999) | Precious Memories (1999) | The Grass Is Blue (1999) | Little Sparrow (2001) | Halos & Horns (2002) | For God and Country (2003) | Those Were the Days (2005) | Backwoods Barbie (2008) | Better Day (2011) | Blue Smoke (2014) | Pure & Simple (2016) | I Believe in You (2017) | A Holly Dolly Christmas (2020) | *Collaborative albums with Porter Wagoner | Readers’ Poll Results | Interview
Over the years, Dolly Parton has transcended music stardom to rightfully become a pop culture legend. I love her American icon status…but I respect her more for the prolific amount of songs she has written throughout her deep catalog.
Sure, her classic don’t-take-my-man ballad “Jolene,” her punchy working girl anthem “9 to 5,” and her breezy mainstream pop hit “Here You Come Again” get plenty of shine. But, to me, what’s most interesting about Parton’s collection of songs through the years are the times when she goes to the dark side to pen noirish American folklore tales.
Pull up “Evening Shade” from 1969’s My Blue Ridge Mountain Boy for Parton’s tale of vengeful murderous children, or “The Bridge” from 1968’s Just Because I’m a Woman where she abruptly ends an unusual love song with a shocking cliffhanger, or the pining “Daddy Come and Get Me” from 1970’s The Fairest of Them All about a woman whose ex-lover put her in a mental institution.
According to Parton’s latest book Dolly Parton, Songteller: My Life in Lyrics, she’s locked a secret song in a wooden box at her Dollywood resort—only to be opened twenty-five years from now when she hopefully turns 100. I’m hoping it’s a real fucked-up “Dark Dolly” tale.
Mark’s 3 Favorite Dolly Parton Albums of All Time:
1. 9 to 5 and Odd Jobs (1980)
2. Hello, I’m Dolly (1967)
3. Just Because I’m a Woman (1968)
VISIT Dolly Parton’s Official Store
LISTEN & WATCH: