Dolly Parton - Jolene

Going Solo

When Dolly signed on with Porter Wagoner in 1967 it was very good for her career. She quickly won over his skeptical audience with her quick wit and beautiful voice. Her contract gave Wagoner complete control of her music and by 1974 she was chaffing under the lack of control she had over her own career. In 1974 she walked out, fully prepared to deal with the legal issues and contractual obligations and knowing Wagoner would have to produce her albums for another two years. But she gathered her material and prepared to release a solo album and it became another pivotal part of her career. One of songs became a powerhouse hit for Dolly, reaching number one not once but twice for her. "I Will Always Love You" reached the number one slot after its first release in 1974. It reached number one again when she re-recorded it in 1982 for the soundtrack of the movie The Best Little Whorehouse in Texas. It went Top 20 again in 1995 when she released it again as a duet with Vince Gill. But Whitney Houston recorded it in 1992, and it was a huge pop hit world wide. And the story behind the song is as incredible as the success story it has. Because Parton walked out on Wagoner, there was never really an opportunity to say a proper goodbye. So with the song, she said to him, "If I should stay, I would only be in your way/and so I'll go and yet I'll know/that I'll think of you each step of my way/and I will always love you."

Making the Album and Refining the Image

Along with "I Will Always Love You," there was also another huge hit for Dolly that made this an album to remember. "Jolene" became a No. 1 Billboard hit, and remains a signature song for Parton to this day. It is a plea to a beautiful rival to leave her man alone. It is also a song I have heard very often throughout my life. Another favorite of mine from this album is "When Someone Wants to Leave," because it is so true. No matter how much you may want them to stay, if they don't want to be there then there is nothing but heartache involved. And if you love them, you have to let them go. "Lonely Coming Down" is a song that has been recorded by a variety of artists. It was penned by Porter Wagoner, and Parton delivers it with pure emotion and you can feel the heartache in the words. This album re-issue includes the addition of four bonus tracks to the original ten tracks. This album was the first for her to enter Billboard's Top 10. It also showed a continuing maturity in her songwriting and with her confidence building, Parton began working on her image. She went to famed Nashville tailor Manuel and began wearing the skin-tight and rhinestone studded jumpsuits that showed off her hourglass figure to full advantage. So began the glamour and makeup that has become trademark Dolly.