Backwoods Barbie | ||||
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Studio album by | ||||
Released | February 26, 2008 | |||
Recorded | 2006–2007 | |||
Studio | ||||
Genre | Country | |||
Length | 48:20 | |||
Label | Dolly | |||
Producer |
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Dolly Parton chronology | ||||
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Alternative cover | ||||
Singles from Backwoods Barbie | ||||
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Backwoods Barbie is the forty-second solo studio album by American singer-songwriter Dolly Parton. It was released on February 26,2008,by Dolly Records. The album was Parton's first mainstream country album in nearly a decade and marked the first release on Parton's own label. Parton embarked on the Backwoods Barbie Tour with 64 dates across North America and Europe from March through November 2008 to support the album.
In the early 2000s,Parton recorded a series of records exploring folk and bluegrass,rather than the slickly produced pop-country of her 1980s and '90's work. Rumors of a new album began to circulate in summer 2006 when Parton was seen at a recording studio in Nashville. A spokesperson for Parton confirmed in July that while she had been in the studio,she was only recording some demos "just for fun" with no plans to release any of the material she had recorded. [1]
In an interview with The News Courier in September,Parton revealed that her next album would be titled Country Is as Country Does and would include a song she had written titled "I Dreamed About Elvis". The song had been performed on the Hello,I'm Dolly Tour in 2004 and was originally to appear on her 2005 album before its title was changed from Blue Smoke to Those Were the Days. [2] Parton revealed in an interview with The Republican that she planned to tour for about three months in 2007 to promote the album's release,which would be sometime in the spring or early summer. She also mentioned that she wrote the album's title track,"Country Is as Country Does",with Mac Davis. [3]
The Press Democrat covered Parton's February 2007 concert in Santa Rosa,where she revealed that the album's title had been changed to Backwoods Barbie and that it would feature a cover of Fine Young Cannibals' "She Drives Me Crazy",Smokey Robinson's "The Tracks of My Tears" and a newly recorded version of her 1966 composition "Put It Off Until Tomorrow" with Emmylou Harris and Rodney Crowell. She added that most of the other songs she had recorded for possible inclusion on the album are ones she had written and they are "solid country things" reflecting her own philosophy of life. [4] Parton told The Las Vegas City Life that she had recorded a song for the album titled "Just a Wee Bit Gay" about a woman and her in-the-closet husband. [5] At a March 2007 concert in London,Parton said she had recorded about 24 songs and hoped to have the album released later the same year. [6] Although she had previously stated that she hoped to tour North America for about three months in the spring or early summer to promote the album,Parton confirmed in April that plans for a tour had been pushed back to late fall to coincide with the album's tentative September release. [7] Parton confirmed to Country Weekly in the July 2007 issue that she was still in the studio recording the album as recently as June when she was in Nashville for her Academy of Country Music Pioneer Award ceremony,and she would not comment on whether or not a tour was scheduled for the fall. [8]
It was confirmed by Danny Nozell to Billboard in August 2007 that the album was scheduled for a February 2008 release on Parton's new label,Dolly Records. He also confirmed that the album's first single would be titled "Better Get to Livin'" and that a world tour was scheduled to begin in March 2008. [9]
Perez Hilton attended an album listening party in Los Angeles in August 2007 and reported that Parton ended the night by playing "Just a Wee Bit Gay",but she stated that the song would not be on the album. [10] The previously announced new version of "Put It Off Until Tomorrow" with Emmylou Harris and Rodney Crowell also failed to make the final track listing.
The album's original title track,"Country Is as Country Does",did not make the final track listing and would remain unreleased until Parton's 2011 album, Better Day . The album's final title track originated from Parton's reworking of her film "9 to 5" into a musical.
The album's first single,"Better Get to Livin'" was released as an iTunes exclusive on August 28,2007. It was officially sent to country radio stations on September 28. [11] The music video premiered on CMT's website on November 26 and had its television premiere three days later on CMT Top 20 Countdown. The video,directed by Steve Lippman,is set at a carnival and was filmed on location at a farm in Pigeon Forge,Tennessee. [12] Parton performed "Better Get to Livin'" and "9 to 5" on Dancing with the Stars on September 26. [13] She also performed "Better Get to Livin'" during the Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade on November 22.
The album was originally scheduled for a February 5,2008 release,but was pushed back to better coincide with the beginning of the tour. Parton embarked on the Backwoods Barbie Tour to support the album on March 28 and performed 64 dates across North America and Europe before concluding the tour on November 19.
Following the album's February 26 release,the second single,"Jesus &Gravity" was released on February 12. Parton performed the song on a season seven episode of American Idol . The week on Idol was a tribute to her work as a singer and songwriter,with all the contestants performing her songs. The music video for "Jesus &Gravity",directed by Steve Lippman,premiered on Perez Hilton's website on April 14 and was uploaded to Parton's YouTube channel later that day.
"Shinola" was released as the album's third single on July 21. Its music video,directed by Fran Strine,was also premiered on Perez Hilton's website on August 29. The video was filmed during Parton's European tour at a sold-out show at London's O2 Arena. Parton performed the single on The Tonight Show with Jay Leno on September 19. [14] Parton also appeared on The Ellen DeGeneres Show on September 22 where she performed "Shinola" and "9 to 5". [15]
The fourth single,"Drives Me Crazy",was released to adult contemporary radio stations on January 12,2009.
"Backwoods Barbie" was released as the album's final single on March 9. The song's music video was premiered by AOL the same day. The video was directed by Trey Fanjoy and shows Parton walking down Hollywood Boulevard meeting a cast of interesting characters. It also shows Parton walking through her childhood home in the Smoky Mountains (these shots were actually filmed at the Disney Ranch in California) and features a young Dolly applying homemade make-up of poke berries and burnt matches.
Aggregate scores | |
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Source | Rating |
Metacritic | 70/100 [16] |
Review scores | |
Source | Rating |
AllMusic | [17] |
Country Universe | [18] |
Digital Spy | [19] |
Entertainment Weekly | B+ [20] |
Robert Christgau | [21] |
Backwoods Barbie received generally positive reviews from critics. At Metacritic,which assigns a normalized rating out of 100 to reviews from mainstream critics,the album received an average score of 70,which indicates "generally positive reviews",based on 11 reviews. [16] Entertainment Weekly gave the album a B+ and said that it "neatly plays to her storyteller strengths,even as she openly hungers for hits." [20] Jon Pareles of The New York Times gave a positive review,saying that "once again she's the voice of rural innocence all dressed up in big-city trappings,and still coming through as herself." [22] In a positive review,PopMatters said,"A solid half of the album's songs fall into the classic country-music category of heartbreak songs,one way or another:divorce songs,cheating tales,lonely-night confessions. Yet there’s no danger that these songs on similar topics will blur together,because each takes its own approach." [16] Writing for AllMusic,Steve Leggett gave the album three and a half stars and said,"Backwoods Barbie might not break the bank out there,and it would take a good deal of marketing and luck for any of these tracks to hit the top of the new country charts,but it shows that Parton can still deliver the package in fine style and only the fools among us would ever count her down and out,no matter how many bluegrass albums she does." [17] In another positive review, The Boston Globe said,"Parton victoriously retrains the focus back on the part of her chest that is truly meaningful:her heart. She also succeeds in producing a record that,after years of fine niche efforts in bluegrass and gospel,could actually make a bid for mainstream country radio airplay." [23] The Los Angeles Times felt that "the ratio of less-memorable tracks is higher than on those recent bluegrass outings,but there's enough of the Parton who is one of the greatest country writers and singers of the last half-decade to make it worth hearing." [16] Billboard gave a positive review of the album which said,"There's more than meets the eye to Dolly Parton,the autobiographical title cut tells us,and her first mainstream country album in years is an important reminder of the breadth of her singing and songwriting talents." [24]
In a mixed review, Mojo said that the "opener,the self-referencing "Better Get to Livin'" is cheesy and disposable even by Nashville standards. The title track,also autobiographical,is better,but like several songs,suffers from '80s-style over-production." [16] Rolling Stone also gave a mixed review saying that too much of the album "comes off like the overproduced twang of younger country ingénues who try to sound like Dolly Parton." [16]
Backwoods Barbie debuted at number 2 on the Billboard Top Country Albums chart,number 17 on the Billboard 200,and number 2 on the Billboard Independent Albums chart,selling 27,000 copies in its first week. [25]
In Europe the album peaked at number 35 on the UK Albums Chart,number 6 on the Danish Albums chart,and number 57 on the Swedish Albums chart.
The album has sold 281,000 units in the United States as of December 2020. [26]
The album's first single,"Better Get to Livin'",was released in September 2007 and peaked at number 48 on the Billboard Hot Country Songs chart. "Jesus &Gravity",was released as the second single in March 2008 and peaked at number 56.
No. | Title | Writer(s) | Length |
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1. | "Better Get to Livin'" |
| 3:36 |
2. | "Made of Stone" | Parton | 4:14 |
3. | "Drives Me Crazy" | 4:14 | |
4. | "Backwoods Barbie" | Parton | 3:21 |
5. | "Jesus & Gravity" |
| 4:42 |
6. | "Only Dreamin'" | Parton | 5:37 |
7. | "The Tracks of My Tears" | 3:35 | |
8. | "The Lonesomes" | Parton | 3:19 |
9. | "Cologne" | Parton | 3:43 |
10. | "Shinola" | Parton | 4:13 |
11. | "I Will Forever Hate Roses" | Parton | 3:28 |
12. | "Somebody's Everything" | Parton | 4:18 |
Total length: | 52:10 |
No. | Title | Writer(s) | Length |
---|---|---|---|
13. | "Baby I'm Burnin'" (live) | Parton | 2:38 |
Total length: | 48:20 |
No. | Title | Writer(s) | Length |
---|---|---|---|
13. | "The Grass Is Blue" (live; pre-order exclusive) | Parton | 4:12 |
14. | "I Will Always Love You" (live) | Parton | 3:12 |
15. | "Better Get to Livin'" (music video) | Parton | 4:38 |
No. | Title | Writer(s) | Length |
---|---|---|---|
13. | "Jolene" (live) | Parton | 3:04 |
14. | "Two Doors Down" (live) | Parton | 2:15 |
Total length: | 53:39 |
No. | Title | Writer(s) | Length |
---|---|---|---|
13. | "Rose of My Heart" | Parton | 2:34 |
14. | "Hallelujah Holiday" | Parton | 2:07 |
15. | "Berry Pie" | Parton | 2:54 |
Total length: | 55:55 |
Adapted from the album liner notes.
Weekly charts
| Year-end charts
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Dolly Rebecca Parton is an American singer, songwriter, actress, and philanthropist, known primarily for her decades-long career in country music. After achieving success as a songwriter for others, Parton made her album debut in 1967 with Hello, I'm Dolly, which led to success during the remainder of the 1960s, before her sales and chart peak arrived during the 1970s and continued into the 1980s. Some of Parton's albums in the 1990s did not sell as well, but she achieved commercial success again in the new millennium and has released albums on various independent labels since 2000, including her own label, Dolly Records.
Jolene is the thirteenth solo studio album by American entertainer Dolly Parton. It was released on February 4, 1974, by RCA Victor. The title track, "Jolene", tells the tale of a housewife confronting a beautiful seductress who she believes is having an affair with her husband. It became Parton's second solo number-one country single; it also was a moderate pop hit for her, and also did well in the United Kingdom. Since the introduction of downloads to the Official Chart in 2005, it has amassed 255,300 downloads and 6.68 million streams. It has been covered by numerous performers.
Trio II is the second collaborative studio album by Dolly Parton, Emmylou Harris and Linda Ronstadt. It was released on February 9, 1999, by Asylum Records.
The Best of Dolly Parton is a compilation album by American singer-songwriter Dolly Parton. It was released on November 9, 1970, by RCA Victor. The album was produced by Bob Ferguson. It includes some of Parton's early hits, a few non-single album tracks, and two previously unreleased tracks. The album peaked at number 12 on the Billboard Top Country Albums chart. The single, "Mule Skinner Blues " peaked at number three on the Billboard Hot Country Songs chart and earned Parton a nomination for Best Female Country Vocal Performance at the 13th Annual Grammy Awards. The album was certified Gold by the RIAA on June 12, 1978, for sales of 500,000 copies.
The Grass Is Blue is the thirty-seventh solo studio album by American singer-songwriter Dolly Parton. It was released on October 26, 1999, by Sugar Hill and Blue Eye Records. The album won a Grammy for Best Bluegrass Album and "Travelin' Prayer" was nominated for Best Female Country Vocal Performance.
Hungry Again is the thirty-fifth solo studio album by American singer-songwriter Dolly Parton. It was released on August 25, 1998, by Decca Records and Blue Eye Records. The album was produced by Parton and her cousin, Richie Owens. It is seen as a predecessor to Parton's critically acclaimed bluegrass trilogy, The Grass Is Blue, Little Sparrow, and Halos & Horns.
Little Sparrow is the thirty-eighth solo studio album by American singer-songwriter Dolly Parton. It was released on January 23, 2001, by Sugar Hill and Blue Eye Records. The album received a Grammy nomination for Best Bluegrass Album and "Shine" won Best Female Country Vocal Performance. The album is dedicated to Parton's father, Lee Parton, who died in November 2000.
Something Special is the thirty-third solo studio album by American singer-songwriter Dolly Parton. It was released on August 22, 1995, by Columbia Records and Blue Eyes records. In addition to seven new Parton compositions, the album includes updated versions of three classics from Parton's repertoire: "Jolene", "The Seeker", and "I Will Always Love You", the latter of which was performed as a duet with Vince Gill. The Gill duet, Parton's third recording of the song, reached number 15 on the Billboard Hot Country Singles & Tracks chart, becoming Parton's highest charting single in four years. Additionally, it was named "Vocal Event of the Year" by the Country Music Association.
Halos & Horns is the thirty-ninth solo studio album by American singer-songwriter Dolly Parton. It was released on July 9, 2002, by Sugar Hill Records and Blue Eye Records. It is the third album in Parton's critically acclaimed bluegrass trilogy, continuing her experimentation with folk and bluegrass sounds. The album was nominated for the Grammy Award for Best Country Album in 2003, while "Dagger Through the Heart" and "I'm Gone" were both nominated for Best Female Country Vocal Performance in 2003 and 2004, respectively. Parton embarked on her first tour in 10 years in support of the album. The sold-out Halos & Horns Tour played 25 shows throughout the United States and the United Kingdom. The album tracks "These Old Bones" and "Sugar Hill" were adapted into episodes of Dolly Parton's Heartstrings in 2019.
For God and Country is the fortieth solo studio album by American singer-songwriter Dolly Parton. It was released on November 11, 2003, by Welk Music Group and Blue Eye Records. The album was produced by Parton with Kent Wells and Tony Smith. It is considered Parton's musical attempt to deal with the aftermath of the September 11, 2001 attacks. Included are covers of famous patriotic songs and new Parton originals. The album is perhaps best remembered for its cover photo, depicting Parton posing as though appearing in a vintage USO poster.
Those Were the Days is the forty-first solo studio album by American singer-songwriter Dolly Parton. It was released on October 11, 2005, by Sugar Hill Records and Blue Eye Records. The album is a collection of covers of 1960s and 1970s folk and pop songs performed in a bluegrass style, some featuring the artists who originally recorded them. Parton supported the album with The Vintage Tour from August through December 2005.
An Evening with Dolly Parton started in North America in 2006, and continued in Europe in 2007, and was finished in North America the same year.
"Better Get to Livin'" is a song by American singer-songwriter Dolly Parton. It was released on August 28, 2007, exclusively to the iTunes Store as the first release by Parton's own record label, Dolly Records. The song was subsequently sent to country radio on September 28 as the first single from Parton's 2008 album, Backwoods Barbie. An upbeat country pop song, its lyrics deal with keeping a positive attitude and overcoming negative emotions. The song garnered positive reviews from critics and reached number 48 on the Billboard Hot Country Songs chart. The music video featuring Parton and Amy Sedaris premiered November 26.
The Backwoods Barbie Tour was the ninth headlining concert tour by American recording artist, Dolly Parton. Visiting the United States, Northern Europe and Canada, the tour supported her 42nd studio album, Backwoods Barbie. The tour was well received by critics and spectators alike, earning more than nine million dollars in 2008. The European leg of the tour was the most successful outing of Parton's touring history, performing for 170,000 spectators in the United Kingdom, Sweden, Denmark, Norway and the Netherlands. The tour was expected to reach Australia as well but this did not come to fruition.
The albums discography of American country singer-songwriter Dolly Parton includes 49 studio albums, four collaborative albums, nine live albums, six soundtrack albums, one extended play and approximately 222 compilation albums globally. Popularly referred as the "Queen of Country" by the media, she is also widely recognized as the most honored woman in country music history. She has charted 25 Number One songs, 41 Top 10 country albums and has sold more than 100 million records worldwide, making her one of the best selling female country artists in history. As of January 2022, Parton's catalog has amassed more than 3 billion global streams.
Better Day is the forty-third solo studio album by American singer-songwriter Dolly Parton. It was released on June 28, 2011, by Dolly Records and Warner Music Nashville. The album was produced by Parton and Kent Wells. To promote the album, Parton embarked on her Better Day World Tour. With 49 shows, the tour visited North America, Europe, and Australia.
The singles discography of American country singer-songwriter Dolly Parton includes over 200 singles and touches on eight decades. Parton has released 198 singles as a lead artist, 49 as a featured artist, six promotional single and 68 music videos. Parton also released 21 singles with Porter Wagoner from 1968 to 1980, bringing her total number of singles to 243.
Blue Smoke is the forty-fourth solo studio album by American country entertainer Dolly Parton. The album was released in Australia and New Zealand on January 31, 2014, in North America on May 13, 2014, in Ireland on June 6, 2014, and in Europe on June 9, 2014.
Pure & Simple is the forty-fifth solo studio album by American singer-songwriter Dolly Parton. It was released worldwide on August 19, 2016 by Dolly Records and RCA Records. "Pure & Simple" is Dolly Parton's seventh #1 country album. It is her first #1 country album in 25 years.
Run, Rose, Run is the forty-eighth solo studio album by American singer-songwriter Dolly Parton. It was released March 4, 2022, through Parton's own Butterfly Records. The album was produced by Parton with Richard Dennison and Tom Rutledge. It is a companion album to the novel of the same name, co-written by Parton and James Patterson. The album was preceded by the release of the singles "Big Dreams and Faded Jeans" and "Blue Bonnet Breeze". On March 21, 2022, it was announced that Parton would star in and produce a film adaptation of the novel from Reese Witherspoon's Hello Sunshine.