Customer Reviews

Those Were the Days

5 star:		(46)
4 star:		(17)
3 star:		(6)
2 star:		(4)
1 star:		(7)

 

 

"Those Were The Days" marks Dolly's third full album of cover songs, although she has included cover material on albums thruout her career. The first full cover album was 1984's "The Great Pretender" in which Dolly covered songs from the late 50's and early 60's. Although "Pretender" is a good album, it suffers from the typical 80's production, heavy on the synthesizers. The next like album was 1996's "Treasures" which was kind of a mixed bag of genre's and era's. With "Days" Dolly sticks pretty much to the late 60's and early 70's. The songs are all done in bluegrass-y style of her most recent work. For the most part the results are fantastic. A few of the songs take a few spins to grow on you, "Where Have All The Flowers Gone" and "Both Sides Now" have been sped up a bit but work once you become accustomed to the faster style. For me the stand out tracks are the title track, which has always been a favorite of mine, "Me & Bobby McGee", "Where Do The Children Play" and "Imagine".
After 40 years of making music, Dolly is making some of the best albums of her career. That's very rare for any artist. Although she didn't pen any of the songs on this album, that in no way detracts from it. This is a great album and a fun listen. Essential to any Dolly collection.

I thought that this album would be a 'cheesy' tribute album like one of those oldie groups re-doing all of thier old famous songs in the same exact way, but with updated, and rinkity production and weaker/newer vocals. But I was wrong. These songs were all done with a very unique and fresh spin. I was sick of the originals of most of these songs...for most are very well known to all of us, but Dolly puts all heart, and grace into the vocals in a way that makes these old birds fly again. It's really nice.
I never thought that I would enjoy a fast blue grass version of Twelth of Never, but it works. This whole album is "but it works". It shouldn't, but it works. And how the hell did Dolly Parton get Cat Stevens? aka Yusuf Islam? He hasn't played music, to my knowledge for over 20 years, and he was just recently deported out of the country while traveling to the US with his daughter in a case of mistaken identity, still with no apology from Tom Ridge, or the Department of Homeland Security. It's absolutely shocking to me that he agreed to play with Dolly on this. But then again, it's not. Because who is sweeter then Dolly?
And this album is in deed very sweet, and goes right up there now, shocking so, with her Christmas Album with Kenny Rogers ,which is a consistent staple in my house when we decorate the tree each year.
Shockingly Good!
I don't know if the sound bites do this album justice. The songs are very well done, arrangements, musicians, vocals, production, etc.
I'd like to give it 4 and half stars, because of her choice of overly peace loving/campfire songs, but she pulls it off.

I have long been a Dolly Parton fan. Like, we're talking, from when I was five and my parents brought home Dolly's 'Greatest Hits' on record. In the year 2005, this woman continues to amaze! Not only does she continue to make music, (she IS almost sixty years old, people!), but the quality of the work she puts out is still top-notch. "Those Were the Days" is no exception, deepening and expanding Dolly's repetoire and her legacy. It's time to just say it. The woman is a treasure to American Music and will, no doubt, go down in history as one of the greatest musicians/songwriters/recording artists of all time. This new compilation features no original Dolly songs and yet it shimmers and sparkles with some ethereal quality that only Parton seems to be able to hone and capture. Even I was skeptical when buzz about this album started building a year ago. I thought, "A cover album of sixties music?... Okay... We'll see..." After numerous listens, my initial fear embarrasses me. Dolly Parton comes through BIGTIME with twelve classics re-tooled Dolly-Style and given good 'ole bluegrass re-birthings. So, they're lively, they're poignant, they're fun. I don't think her voice has ever sounded greater, her timbre more melodious, her interpretation of each song more PERFECT... If you want a taste of just how brilliant Dolly Parton is as a vocalist, take a listen to one of the album's many highlights, "Where Do The Children Play", particularly the final verse where she makes the song absolutely soar... I got CHILLS, people! CHILLS! Up and down my arms!!!

But, above and beyond the toe-tapping, head-bobbing, shoulder shrugging fun with which this album practically drips, I'd like to point out what is truly amazing about Dolly Parton. Beneath the wig and the make-up and the acrylic nails and the (...) and the cute-as-heck little giggles, (you can hear them throughout the album, literally), there's a genius woman who pulled herself up by her bootstraps a long time ago, guitar and banjo in hand, to become the Queen of Country music... And down deep in the marrow of this album, she's winking at us with those sparkling eyes and big, fake lashes. And her little wink says, "I know a little something about life, folks. Listen up, and we all just might be okay."

And in a world of Tsunamis, Hurricanes, Earthquakes, Terror Alerts, Global Warming, Obesity, African Genocide, and a great big Disaster-Of-A-War... I, for one, feel better that at the very least, we've still got Dolly Parton...

THOSE WERE THE DAYS is Dolly Parton's first studio album since 2003's FOR GOD AND COUNTRY, an album which surprised many Parton fans well aware of her long deliberately apolitical stance for it's strong if unintentional right-wing undercurrents. This new album seems to be a very discreet peace offering (no pun intended) to her more liberal, pacifist fans. This is a collection of pop/rock and folk songs that were big hits in the days when Dolly Parton was just making a name for herself as a country star in the late 1960's singing some of the most stone-hard country music of any woman of the period (check out her wonderful 1968 album JUST BECAUSE I'M A WOMAN which is available on CD). While Dolly was singing her heart out in songs about lost love and ruined reputations, the "hippies out in San Francisco" as one country song from the era dubbed them were singing about for free love and against injustice in many songs that were more folk (and thus, country) than rock n'roll although certainly neither group would acknowledge this fact. Several of these songs in fact were covered long ago by country artists. "Me and Bobby McGee", written by Nashville's Kris Kristofferson, has been recorded by a slew of country singers, Country's own flower child of the era, Skeeter Davis, recorded "Both Sides Now" on an album, and Johnny Cash and June Carter had a hit with "If I Were a Carpenter".

Most of these songs are legendary peace anthems from the era, although some are pure mainstream pop (The Twelfth of Never) or slightly eccentric rock like the title track. Dolly at 59 remains a powerhouse singer and most of these songs fit her like a glove. The main reason this album is so much better than FOR GOD AND COUNTRY is simply these are better songs than most of what was on that album, excepting the evergreen religious standards. There were other good folk songs from the era that could have more easily fit into this collection, notably "If I Had a Hammer" which was sung during the era by several country stars like Johnny Cash and Wanda Jackson. Although Dolly's most arch-conservative fans may be in shock at her covering John Lennon's "Imagine", long a notorious song in some Christian circles for it's one line against religion, "Turn, Turn, Turn" more than proves there was a spiritual degree to the peace movement. And when Dolly wraps her heartfelt vocals on the thought-provoking lyrics of "Blowin' in the Wind" and "Where Have All the Flowers Gone", the humanity crosses all political borders and becomes a deeply moving experience. These are other tracks her show yet again that underneath all that gloss and glamour and campy humor, the deep soul and real heart that is the real Dolly Parton.

I had the chance to see Dolly perform these songs live on tour in Kansas City, so her amazing performance there probably influences my opinion, but this is a GREAT CD. Dolly's talent shines through on "Me and Bobby McGee" as she sings with the author of that song, Kris Kristofferson. "Blowing in the Wind" will surprise you at how much a bluegrass feel just brings out the powerful lyrics. Unike some here, I think her version of "Imagine" is great--John Lennon's work was timeless, but that does not mean that no one else can bring meaning to these words.

"What is old is new again" a phrase that applies to these songs, and Dolly's talent as well.

The thought of Dolly Parton recording John Lennon's holiest of holy, 'Imagine,' is like attending a Royal Shakespeare Company's Hamlet only to see Billy Ray Cyrus strutting out as the Danish prince.
It just isn't done.
Well, somebody forgot to tell Ms. Dollywood, and she up and done it. And her version is terrific.
The recording highlights her incredible range, especially when her voice soars during a descant at the end. How is it possible that this senior citizen -- even with those pair of supersized lungs -- still can hurl notes to the angels?
And Parton's sweet, earnest soprano gives a new fullness to Lennon's plaintiff, what-if lyrics.
A professional critic featured on this Web site described Parton's 'Imagine' as over-the-top. Well, that's profound. What did she expect, a dour, remorseful Parton? Parton's soul embodies exuberance, which defines her singing. This is a woman who revels in all kinds of music, and we listeners shouldn't sniff because she's brave enough to journey out of Nashville.
And just imagine what a sadder world this would be if the Tennessee mountains hadn't allowed their favorite nightingale to take flight.

When I read some months ago that Dolly was recording 60's and 70's tunes I was disappointed. However, I asked, and got the CD for Christmas and I was pleasantly surprised. She has retained her acoustic feel of the past 3 bluegrass CDs and made these old chestnuts sound new again. She has added some bridges to Blowin' in the Wind, Cruel War and others. They work very well. There are several very tasteful arrangements. For example, The Twelveth of Never duet with Keith Urban is outstanding! It should be a Top 10 country hit, but most likely will be ignored by mainstream county radio. If I were a Carpenter is dusted off with a clever duet intrepretation with Joe Nichols. Both Sides Now is given new life with a great bluegrass feel! This project works and should stand tall on anyone's collection of Dolly CDs. Enjoy!

After Martina's rather boring "Timeless" I was not all that excited to open This Dolly Cd. I have to say I was really suprised by how much I enjoyed this. Dolly has picked a really interesting group of songs (somthing Martina could have done much better) and her versions are really nice. "Imagine" is done with such power! And her "cruel War", "Where have all the flowers gone" and "Blowing in the wind" are songs that not only have stood the test of time, but need to be heard in 2005 as much as they did in 1965. Welcome back to my cd player dolly!

Dolly was never a hippie, but she has chosen some wonderful songs from the '60s and '70s era for "Those Were the Days." To me, Dolly has always been more about the songs she writes than about the singer or persona. The songs on this CD are beautifully written by other writers, which is why I believe she wanted to do the album. They have a message we all can still learn from.

Having listened all the way through the CD only once, and to a few select songs two or three times, I have a favorite picked out. My favorite as of the moment is "Both Sides Now." She does it as a hard-driving bluegrass tune, with the added harmonies of Rhonda Vincent, Judy Collins, and Dolly herself. I'd describe it as superb. Other favorites of mine are "Turn, Turn, Turn" and "Where Have All the Flowers Gone."

The collaborations with Keith Urban and Joe Nichols are fun too. Dolly could always pick the real "hunks" to sing with. As she'd giggle and no doubt say, "They're old enough to be my lover!"

If you are a Dolly fan, you will really love "Those Were the Days." If you are not a bluegrass music fan, you may not like it. But give it a try. I highly recommend it either way. Dolly Parton's voice only gets better with age, laryngitis or not! If you're undecided whether to buy this CD or not, I feel you should just say "Yes" to Dolly.

I wonder if I'm just part of a massively well studied demographic. This album tugs on so many heartstrings for me...It must be perfectly calculated to appeal to the many like me (I'm under no illusions about the uniqueness of my current tastes). Many familiar songs, with very strong emotional appeal, rendered (in most cases) even more poignant and sometimes powerful by Dolly's never-far-from-cheesy delivery. Some of the songs covered here I didn't even really like in the originals (e.g. Those Were the Days, Twelfth of Never) but with Dolly on the mike, it's just all wonderful. A bit of a confection, but if confection were the only point of doing all these covers (i.e., for so gifted a songwriter as Dolly Parton -- not to mention WEALTHY, thank you very much Miss Houston) then I'm pretty sure I'd need to take a shower after one listen. They don't leave you with even that guilty pleasure feeling.. These are guileless renditions of solid pop songs; a skillful backup band and a shameless smattering of accompanying vocalists (most of whom were the original composers or hitmakers) round out the experience. One thing I wish were here is the actual voice of Yusuf Islam...apparently he's only playing guitar with her on Where do the Children Play (it would have been nice to hear that voice).