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.[1] It has been covered by numerous performers.
| Jolene | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
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| Studio album by | ||||
| Released | February 4, 1974 | |||
| Recorded | January 12, 1972–December 26, 1973 | |||
| Studio | RCA Studio B, Nashville | |||
| Genre | Country | |||
| Length | 25:08 | |||
| Label | RCA Victor | |||
| Producer | Bob Ferguson | |||
| Dolly Parton chronology | ||||
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| Singles from Jolene | ||||
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The album was released around the time Parton was embarking on a solo career, after having spent seven years as part of Porter Wagoner's weekly TV series and road show, and one of the album's songs, "I Will Always Love You", was reportedly written to express the remorse Parton felt over the end of their professional relationship. Released as the album's second single, it also became a number-one country single.
"Early Morning Breeze" is a re-recording of a song which previously appeared on 1971's Coat of Many Colors. "Lonely Coming Down" had first appeared on Parton's Wagoner tribute album, My Favorite Songwriter, Porter Wagoner, from 1972.
Another re-issue was released in conjunction with Dolly's 2007 European Tour along with two other older out-of-print albums. This re-issue included additional previously unreleased songs.
In 2010, Sony Music reissued the 2007 CD Jolene in a triple-feature CD set with Coat of Many Colors and My Tennessee Mountain Home and they have never been out of print.
Critical reception
edit| Review scores | |
|---|---|
| Source | Rating |
| AllMusic |    [2] |
| Christgau's Record Guide | B−[3] |
| The Encyclopedia of Popular Music | [4] |
| Music Box | [5] |
| Pitchfork | 5.8/10[6] |
| Uncut | [7] |
A positive review of the album by Billboard said, "With the title taken from her latest hit single, Dolly goes about recording a whole bunch of others—hits, that is. There are perhaps five or six here which could stand on their own, including the exceptional ballad, 'Lonely Coming Down'. Most of the writing is her own, as usual, and that's always a plus."[8]
Track listing
editAll tracks are written by Dolly Parton, except where noted
| No. | Title | Recording date | Length |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1. | "Jolene" | May 22, 1973 | 2:43 |
| 2. | "When Someone Wants to Leave" | December 26, 1973 | 2:06 |
| 3. | "River of Happiness" | December 26, 1973 | 2:19 |
| 4. | "Early Morning Breeze" | December 26, 1973 | 2:45 |
| 5. | "Highlight of My Life" | December 3, 1973 | 2:18 |
| No. | Title | Writer(s) | Recording date | Length |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 6. | "I Will Always Love You" | June 12, 1973 | 2:56 | |
| 7. | "Randy" | December 26, 1973 | 1:53 | |
| 8. | "Living on Memories of You" | December 26, 1973 | 2:47 | |
| 9. | "Lonely Comin' Down" | Porter Wagoner | May 3, 1972 | 3:13 |
| 10. | "It Must Be You" | Blaise Tosti | January 12, 1972 | 1:52 |
| No. | Title | Recording date | Length |
|---|---|---|---|
| 11. | "Cracker Jack" | June 12, 1973 | 3:17 |
| 12. | "Another Woman's Man" | May 22, 1973 | 3:01 |
| 13. | "Barbara on Your Mind" | June 12, 1973 | 3:14 |
| 14. | "Last Night's Lovin'" | June 12, 1973 | 2:28 |
Personnel
edit- Dolly Parton – vocals, guitar
- Jimmy Colvard – guitar
- Dave Kirby – guitar
- Bobby Thompson – guitar
- Chip Young – guitar
- Pete Drake – pedal steel guitar
- Stu Basore – pedal steel guitar
- Bobby Dyson – bass
- Jerry Carrigan – drums
- Larrie Londin – drums
- Kenny Malone – drums
- Buck Trent – banjo
- Mack Magaha – fiddle
- Johnny Gimble – fiddle
- Hargus "Pig" Robbins – piano
- David Briggs – piano
- Onie Wheeler – harmonica
- The Nashville Edition – background vocals
Chart positions
editAlbum
| Chart (1974) | Peak Position |
|---|---|
| US Hot Country Albums (Billboard)[9] | 6 |
Album (Year-End)
| Chart (1974) | Peak Position |
|---|---|
| US Hot Country Albums (Billboard)[10] | 35 |
Certifications
edit| Region | Certification | Certified units/sales |
|---|---|---|
| Australia (ARIA)[11] | 3× Platinum | 210,000‡ |
| United States (RIAA)[12] | Gold | 500,000‡ |
|
‡ Sales+streaming figures based on certification alone. | ||
References
edit- ^ Copsey, Rob (January 19, 2017). "Happy Birthday Dolly Parton! Her most downloaded songs in the UK revealed". officialcharts.com.
Since downloads were introduced to the Official Chart in 2005, it's amassed 255,300 downloads – and 6.68 million streams.
- ^ Jolene at AllMusic
- ^ Christgau, Robert (1981). "Consumer Guide '70s: P". Christgau's Record Guide: Rock Albums of the Seventies. Ticknor & Fields. ISBN 089919026X. Retrieved March 10, 2019 – via robertchristgau.com.
- ^ Colin Larkin (2006). "Parton, Dolly". The Encyclopedia of Popular Music. Vol. 6 (4th ed.). Muze, Oxford University Press. p. 435–6. ISBN 978-0-19-531373-4.
- ^ John Metzger (2007-07-08). "Dolly Parton – Jolene (Album Review)". Musicbox-online.com. Retrieved 2012-02-26.
- ^ Wolk, Douglas (April 13, 2007). "Dolly Parton". Pitchfork. Retrieved November 1, 2023.
- ^ Alastair McKay Uncut, May 2007, Issue 120
- ^ "Top Album Picks" (PDF). American Radio History. Billboard. February 16, 1974. p. 50. Retrieved January 17, 2020.
- ^ "Dolly Parton Chart History". Billboard. Retrieved 2 December 2020.
- ^ "Billboard Top Country Albums - Year-End Charts (1974)". Billboard. Retrieved 2 December 2020.
- ^ "ARIA Charts – Accreditations – 2021 Albums" (PDF). Australian Recording Industry Association. Retrieved February 7, 2022.
- ^ "American album certifications – Dolly Parton – Jolene". Recording Industry Association of America. Retrieved May 24, 2023.