Ultimate Dolly Parton [ORIGINAL RECORDING REMASTERED]

Dolly Parton

Product Details

• Audio CD (November 3, 2006)
• Original Release Date: June 3, 2003
• Number of Discs: 1
• Format: Original recording remastered
• Label: RCA
• ASIN: B000099T49
• Also Available in: Audio Cassette  |  MP3 Download
• Average Customer Review: 4.2 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (31 customer reviews)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #9,231 in Music (See Bestsellers in Music)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

55 of 57 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A good introduction to Dolly's music, October 15, 2003

By	Peter Durward Harris "Pete the music fan" (Leicester England) - See all my reviews (TOP 10 REVIEWER)    (REAL NAME)

To anybody who already owns a compilation of Dolly's music for RCA, the track listing here has a familiar look to it with few exceptions. The exceptions are Please don't stop loving me, a sensational duet with Porter Wagoner not normally included on Dolly's solo compilations, To know him is to love him, from the first Trio album, and Why'd you come in here looking like that, from Dolly's period with Columbia.

The other tracks here include many Dolly classics, notably Jolene (her only UK top ten solo hit), Islands in the stream (a duet with Kenny Rogers that became a USA number one pop hit and UK top ten hit), Here you come again (a USA top three pop hit), Coat of many colors (Dolly's autobiographical signature song - the only song here that didn't reach number one on the USA country chart, peaking at number four), Bargain store (which some radio stations thought too risqué), 9 to 5 (a USA number one pop hit), It's all wrong but it's all right (much more risqué than Bargain store) and Love is like a butterfly (one of Dolly's finest romantic songs).

This is among the best single CD collections of Dolly's music BUT there is a 36 track double CD version, which contains all twenty tracks here plus sixteen more Dolly classics including Dumb blonde, Just because I'm a woman, Touch your woman, My Tennessee mountain home, The seeker and Two doors down and which I've already reviewed. The double-CD was eventually released in America in 2005 re-packaged and re-titled (Essential Dolly Parton) with one extra track (Shine). I recommend the double CD instead of this single CD - but this is still an excellent collection.

31 of 33 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars the essence of Dolly, July 23, 2003

By	Steven Swain "friendly neighborhood mall geek" (Rocky Mount, VA USA) - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

Though the title is a bit of a misnomer, "Ultimate Dolly Parton" captures the essence of the hit-making career of country-pop singer extrodinare Dolly Parton. It is both historic and enjoyable to listen to this disc, and it should belong in any casual Dolly fan's record collection.

The disc can be divided into three distinct sections. The first includes the first seven tracks, and easily qualifies as the best moments on "Ultimate." Here, Dolly's Smoky Mountain-bred sensibilites mesh into the "countrypolitan" leanings of musical partner Porter Wagoner to create some of the early '70s best country hits. Tracks like "Jolene," "Coat of Many Colors," and the anthem "I Will Always Love You" secure Dolly's place in country music history and shold not be missed.

Tracks 8 though 16 follow Dolly's rise in popularity, and a general mainstreaming of her sound. This era is capped by great tracks like "Here You Come Again" and "9 to 5," but like her "Islands in The Stream" singing partner Kenny Rogers' music from the late '70s and early '80s, much of what you hear from this period is better forgotten. What stareted as well-intended country crossover degenerated into bad schmaltzy pop, which never holds interest for long.

The last few tracks show how Dolly redeemed herself from the horrors of Carter administration -era soft rock to reclaim her rightful position as the queen of modern country. The aforementioned "Stream" is a delight, as is "To Know Him Is To Love Him," with the equally endearing Linda Rondstat and Emmylou Harris. The last track, "Why'd You Come In Here Lookin' Like That," is a nod to the "hot country" that would dominate the 1990s, but Dolly wisely decided to sidestep the rat race of contemperary country radio and forge a stunning bluegrass-tinged fourth musical era. None of that is covered on "Ultimate," but it's worth the trip to seek out some of Dolly's most recent output.

Buy this album without hesitation, and check out her new music as well.

15 of 16 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Captures most of her number one hits but not all of her best, July 7, 2003

By	James E. Bagley "Jim Bagley" (Sanatoga, PA USA) - See all my reviews (TOP 500 REVIEWER)    (REAL NAME)

Ultimate Dolly Parton is a chronological retrospective containing twenty of Parton's most successful singles from the 1970s and 1980s. Aside from "Coat of Many Colors" (her greatest composition), all of the enclosed recordings hit number one on the country charts.

Leading off the set are the colorful, uptempo sagas of crusty "Joshua" and that tramp "Jolene," as well as the simple but effective devotionals "I Will Always Love You" and "Love Is Like A Butterfly" from the early-to-mid-70s. This period comprises Parton's best recordings, the most consistent work by a female singer-songwriter in country music history. Also included from this era is her biggest hit with longtime music partner/mentor Porter Wagoner, "Please Don't Stop Loving Me" (I prefer their heartbreaker "If Teardrops Were Pennies").

With "Here You Come Again" from 1978, Parton went pop, or more precisely, middle-of-the road. The six tracks that follow it, like "Starting Over Again" and "You're The Only One," are sluggish, bland soundalikes - usually written by others - that failed to exploit her immense personality. Thankfully, the collection emerges from this sonic coma with Parton's spunky, self-penned "9 To 5" (1980) and the delightful yodelfest "Tennessee Homesick Blues" (1984).

Mid-80s collaborations with Kenny Rogers on "Islands In The Stream" plus Linda Ronstadt and Emmylou Harris on "To Know Him Is To Love Him" (the exquisite Parton-centered "Wild Flowers" should be here, not this ordinary, Harris-led effort) amply exhibit Parton's harmonizing skills, while other country chart-toppers from this period (the Rogers' duet "Real Love," the enchanting "Think About Love") are inexplicably omitted from this set. Instead, it's left to 1989's "Why'd You Come In Here Lookin' Like That" (licensed from Sony) to brings things to a rousing conclusion.

So, you ask, does this cd truly represent Parton's "ultimate" work? No way. Check out Essential Dolly Parton, Volume Two (which concentrates on her late '60s-through-mid-70s recordings) or her recent bluegrass efforts for that.