Halos & Horns | ||||
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Studio album by | ||||
Released | July 9, 2002 | |||
Recorded | February 2002 | |||
Studio | Southern Sound Studios (Knoxville) | |||
Genre | ||||
Length | 57:12 | |||
Label |
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Producer | Dolly Parton | |||
Dolly Parton chronology | ||||
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Singles from Halos & Horns | ||||
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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.
Following the release of her 2001 album, Little Sparrow , Parton continued to write. While writing songs at her Tennessee Mountain Home, Parton said the songs were pouring out of her by the dozens. A representative from Sugar Hill Records confirmed in late January 2002 that Parton was "writing and arranging" songs for a new album, but recording had not begun so it was unclear when the album might be released. [1] It was confirmed in February 2002 by Dollymania that Parton had begun recording the album and that it should be released in summer 2002. [1] Eager to begin recording the songs she had written, Parton booked a session in Knoxville, initially as a demo session. "I didn't intend to produce a record," Parton said. "I was just producing these song demos. But it started sounding so good that I was getting really excited." Parton further described the recording process by saying, "I decided I wanted to use everybody from 'up home,' or at least fresh people. There was nothing heavy or hard about it. I just went in with the pickers and we all kicked ideas around. That's how you produce great records anyway—let talented people do what they do. It's fairly 'live,' because I'm not the kind of singer who can start and stop and go back and get the same feeling. I just had a big time doing this." [2]
Twelve of the album's fourteen tracks are Parton-penned originals. In addition to these twelve songs, the album features two covers: Led Zeppelin's "Stairway to Heaven" and 'Bread's "If". The album also includes new versions of two songs Parton had previously recorded. Parton first recorded "Shattered Image" for her 1976 album, All I Can Do . "What a Heartache" had originally been recorded in 1984 for the Rhinestone soundtrack album. Parton would record this song for a second time in 1991 for her Eagle When She Flies album. When asked why she would choose to re-record songs she has done before, Parton said, "I have very strong feelings about them. They've never really had a chance to be all that they can be. I have hundreds of new songs, but there are some that 'want to be done' until I find the right way." [2]
The album opens with "Halos and Horns". Parton said she originally came up with the title about two years earlier when she was pitching a pilot to Fox that never got picked up. After she completed writing the song, Parton said she "thought it would make a good album title because it sets up the whole album being about sinners and saints." [3] Parton said she was inspired to write the album's second track, "Sugar Hill", because "Every time I'd look at my record company's label, I'd think, 'Sugar Hill, now that's a really pretty name.' I wondered if there was a place called Sugar Hill and found out there were several. The one I courted on wasn't called Sugar Hill, but it got pretty sweet when I was up on it." [3] The third track, "Not for Me", is a song that Parton wrote at least 35 years prior, but had never recorded. She said she found it on a tape while looking for an old song she wanted to use in the museum at Dollywood. Parton described that original demo by saying, "I thought it was a beautiful melody and I was picking the guitar before I had fingernails and I remembered that I used to play really good. I don't even remember when I wrote it. It was just a vague memory, but it must have been a time when I was feeling sad. It had to have been right when I first came to Nashville [in 1964], because there were other songs on that tape that were written before I even left home." [3] The album's fourth track, "Hello God", was written the day after the September 11 attacks. Speaking about the track, Parton said, "I realized just how fragile we really are, and how small life is, and how everything can change in the blink of an eye. I hope everything comes across as I meant it. It's like everybody believes that God is their God. But God belongs to everybody." [3] The fifth track is a cover of "If", which was originally recorded by Bread. Parton said she had always loved the song and wanted to record it, but wanted to do it totally different from the original arrangement. [3] When asked why she chose to re-record the album's sixth track, "Shattered Image", Parton responded, "The reason I decided to re-do it is because of all the shit that comes out in the tabloids. It's like they punish you to death. They tell some God-awful things. Why can't people just leave you alone to live your life as you see fit? So that is why I wanted to drag this song back out, because I was feeling like that." [3] The seventh track, "These Old Bones", tells the story of a clairvoyant mountain woman and her long-lost daughter. Speaking of her inspiration for the song, Parton said, "I was up at the Tennessee Mountain Home, writing. I was making up breakfast and thinking about this title that had come to me in a dream the night before. Then later I started making up a 'mountain' story about some old crazy woman who was psychic. 'Cause we have those "up home" all the time." [3]
The album's eighth track, "What a Heartache", is a song that Parton had previously recorded twice. Parton said she chose to re-record it again because "I love the song too much to just let it lie there. Something in me says that somebody is going to have a big hit record on this someday." [3] "I'm Gone", the ninth track, is a "kiss off " song. Parton said that it is loosely based on a couple that he knew who were also relatives of hers. [3] Parton said she wrote the tenth track, "Raven Dove", at 2 o'clock in the morning. She said she was awakened by a force and felt a little inner voice tell her to get because she had to do something. She got up went to the kitchen and sat down and wrote the line "Raven of darkness, dove of peace." After that, the rest of the song came out effortlessly. [3] Parton said the eleventh track, "Dagger Through the Heart", is one of her favorites on the album. She said she had written another song with this title, but felt it was mediocre so she re-wrote it. She went on to say she was "real proud" of how this version turned out. [3] The album's twelfth track, "If Only", was written for a film about Mae West that Parton was working on at the time, but the song was cut from the film because the producers didn't want her singing a song this sad. [3] The thirteenth track, "John Daniel", is another song that Parton wrote 30 to 35 years earlier. Parton said, "I've always loved the song, and I knew I wanted to use the Kingdom Heirs quartet on the album. I was thinking of songs I've written that I haven't recorded, and "John Daniel" came to mind." [3] The album closes with a cover of the Led Zeppelin hit, "Stairway to Heaven". Speaking about her recording, Parton said, "I knew I was walking on sacred ground because it is a classic...I was scared to death to send it to Robert Plant and Jimmy Page. They sent word back that it was fine and they loved it. In fact, Robert Plant said he'd always thought of it as a spiritual song, and he was thrilled we'd used a choir on it, because he thought about that, too. If they like it, that's most important to me. But I do hope the public will accept it too. I even hope they love it." [3]
The album was announced by Parton on April 6, 2002, during a press conference at the opening of Dollywood's sixteenth season. [4] She also announced she had written songs titled "Halos and Horns" and "Hello God" for the album, which would also feature a bluegrass cover of Led Zeppelin's "Stairway to Heaven" and Bread's "If". [4] Parton also announced plans for a summer tour. [4]
The album's track listing was revealed on April 17. [4]
To promote the album, Sugar Hill Records began posting on their website a short clip of a track from the album each week leading up to its release, starting with "Halos and Horns" on May 13. This was followed by "I'm Gone" on May 20, "Shattered Image" on May 29, "John Daniel" on June 2, "Not for Me" on June 10, "If Only" on June 24, and "Stairway to Heaven" on July 8. In addition to these clips, the Minneapolis-St. Paul Star Tribune previewed four songs on their website. The four songs were "Stairway to Heaven", "Not for Me", "Hello God", and "Raven Dove".
"Dagger Through the Heart" was released to radio as the first single from the album on July 8. Its music video was filmed on June 14 in Nashville, Tennessee and debuted on CMT's Most Wanted Live on July 20. [5]
Parton appeared on NBC's Today on July 5 to promote the album. She performed "I'm Gone", "9 to 5", and "Halos and Horns".
The album was released on July 9, 2002, by Sugar Hill Records and Blue Eye Records. She promoted the album's release with an appearance on The View , performing "Halos and Horns" in addition to being interviewed. That evening, Parton made an appearance on The Late Show with David Letterman where she was interviewed and performed "Dagger Through the Heart".
Parton's cover of "If" was released as a single in Europe on October 7.
On November 6, Parton performed "Hello God" on the 36th Annual Country Music Association Awards. "Hello God" was released as the album's third single the following week. [6] The CMA Awards performance served as the song's music video.
The album's fourth and final single, "I'm Gone", was released in February 2003. Its music video was premiered by Great American Country on June 6.
Aggregate scores | |
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Source | Rating |
Metacritic | 73/100 [7] |
Review scores | |
Source | Rating |
AllMusic | ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() |
E! Online | A− [9] |
The Encyclopedia of Popular Music | ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() |
Entertainment Weekly | A− [11] |
Halos & Horns was well received by critics, although not as well as its predecessor, Little Sparrow . At Metacritic, which assigns a normalized rating out of 100 to reviews from mainstream critics, the album received an average score of 73, which indicates "generally favorable reviews", based on 13 reviews. [7] Writing for Entertainment Weekly , Holly George-Warren gave the album an A−, saying that "as the title implies" the album "comprises opposites" and Parton "pulls it off, magnificently, thanks to her spectacular trill of a soprano and earnest approach, including gospel singers and bluegrass' finest." [11] Also giving the album an A− rating, E! Online called the album "pick-perfect bluegrass, folk and country." The review named "Sugar Hill", and "These Old Bones" as the standout Parton compositions, while calling Parton's cover of "Stairway to Heaven" "a touching and worthy remake." [9] In a positive review for Billboard , Ray Waddell said that Parton is "making some of the absolute best, boldest music of her career." He concluded by saying that the album "fully explores the dichotomy its title hints at, but more than that, this is a showcase of a hugely important American artist at full power." [12] In a review for Rolling Stone , Steve Knopper said that the album "showcase[s] Parton's skills as an interpreter." [13] A positive review for Mojo said that Parton is "still producing songs that stand comparison with those past and purloined classics." [7] Uncut gave a mixed review of the album, but still felt that it was "some of her best singing in years." [7] Giving the album three out of five stars, Hal Horowitz of AllMusic called the album "stirring, unpretentious yet powerful," saying that it "effectively continues Parton's glorifying of her mountain roots." [8]
The album debuted and peaked at number 58 on the Billboard 200 and number four on the Billboard Top Country Albums chart, selling 18,500 copies in its first week of release. [14] At the time, it was her highest-charting album on the Top Country Albums chart since Slow Dancing with the Moon (1993) and Trio II (1999), both of which also peaked at number four. It was also her highest-charting album on the Billboard 200 since Something Special (1995) peaked at number 54. Halos & Horns peaked at number one in the UK on the OCC's UK Country Albums chart, becoming Parton's second album top the chart. The album has sold 187,000 copies in the United States as of December 2003. [15]
"Dagger Through the Heart" was released as the album's first single in July 2002 and failed to chart. Parton's cover of Bread's "If" was released as a single in Europe in October 2002 and peaked at number 73 on the UK Singles Chart. The album's third single, "Hello God", was released in November 2002 and peaked at number 60 on the Billboard Hot Country Singles & Tracks chart. "I'm Gone" was released as the album's fourth and final single in February 2003 and failed to chart.
All tracks are written by Dolly Parton, except as noted
No. | Title | Writer(s) | Length |
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1. | "Halos and Horns" | 3:33 | |
2. | "Sugar Hill" | 2:50 | |
3. | "Not for Me" | 3:20 | |
4. | "Hello God" | 2:59 | |
5. | "If" | David Gates | 3:19 |
6. | "Shattered Image" | 3:29 | |
7. | "These Old Bones" | 5:37 | |
8. | "What a Heartache" | 4:17 | |
9. | "I'm Gone" | 5:07 | |
10. | "Raven Dove" | 3:35 | |
11. | "Dagger Through the Heart" | 3:52 | |
12. | "If Only" | 3:40 | |
13. | "John Daniel" | 5:03 | |
14. | "Stairway to Heaven" | 6:31 | |
Total length: | 57:12 |
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. Widely considered to be one of the top cultural icons in American history, 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 came 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.
All I Can Do is the seventeenth solo studio album by American singer-songwriter Dolly Parton. It was released on August 16, 1976, by RCA Victor. The album was co-produced by Parton and Porter Wagoner and would be the last of Parton's solo albums to have any involvement from Wagoner. It was nominated for Best Country Vocal Performance, Female at the 19th Annual Grammy Awards. The album spawned three singles: "Hey, Lucky Lady", "All I Can Do", and "Shattered Image".
Rhinestone is the soundtrack album from the 1984 film of the same name starring Dolly Parton and Sylvester Stallone. It was released on June 18, 1984, by RCA Victor. The album was produced by Mike Post and Parton. It peaked at number 22 on the Billboard Top Country Albums chart and number 135 on the Billboard 200. The Dolly Parton-composed soundtrack produced two top ten singles on the Billboard Hot Country Songs chart: "Tennessee Homesick Blues" and "God Won't Get You", which peaked at numbers one and ten, respectively.
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.
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.
Live and Well is a live album by Dolly Parton, released on September 14, 2004. It was recorded during her 2002 Halos & Horns Tour, her first in years; the performances on December 12 and 13, 2002 were used. A DVD of the concert was released simultaneously with the album.
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.
The Halos & Horns Tour in 2002 was Dolly Parton's first major concert tour in 10 years and was to promote the release of her album Halos & Horns (2002). The tour started in the United States, moved to Ireland and England, before returning to the U.S. to finish.
The Vintage Tour was Dolly Parton's 2005 concert tour to promote the release of her covers album, Those Were the Days. The tour kicked off on August 16 in Atlantic City, New Jersey and ran until December 16 in North Myrtle Beach, South Carolina.
The Hello, I'm Dolly Tour in 2004 was Dolly Parton's first concert tour since 2002, her first major tour in a decade, and her largest tour in two decades.
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.
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 Nashville. "Pure & Simple" is Dolly Parton's seventh #1 country album. It is her first #1 country album in 25 years.
Dumplin' is the soundtrack album by American country music singer-songwriter Dolly Parton for the 2018 film of the same name. It was released on November 30, 2018, by Dolly Records and RCA Nashville. The album features guest performances by Elle King, Alison Krauss, Miranda Lambert, Sia, Mavis Staples and Rhonda Vincent, among others.
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.