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A pioneer of this musical movement, Dolly Parton struck gold with her blockbuster platinum album, “Here You Come Again” in 1977 and to follow up she dove throttle into the disco pop arena with the follow up albums: “Heartbreaker,” “Great Balls Of Fire” and “Dolly Dolly Dolly.”
The uptempo track “Baby I'm Burnin'” from the Heartbreaker album, was given a special disco mix along with “I Wanna Fall in Love” and was released on Pink Vinyl. The song was one of the year's biggest disco club hits. Dolly was the first and remains the only country artist to score a major disco hit.
Although the shift in musical direction proved to be mostly a successful one, Dolly was criticized about the quality of the material she was releasing. Though many of the tunes did not have the emotional depth of such classics as Coat Of Many Colors or Jolene, I believe that there are a lot more quality songs in this "disco" period than at once thought.
True... some of the songs in these albums are pure fluff but there's also some treasures to be found and these are a few of them in my opinion (though not all are Parton compositions they are worth mentioning).
Baby I'm Burnin' (Heartbreaker): The biggest hit for Dolly on the disco front, this is an infectious dance song complete with 70's laser effects and a catchy chorus. The song still holds up and its high energy beat as made it a great set opener for Dolly's live shows. The song has also become a favorite of the pop/rock group Scissor Sisters who used Dolly's recording as a pre-show intro on the their first tour.
Sure Thing (Heartbreaker): With this song Dolly proves her artistry as a songwriter. She can compose heart felt country ballads as well as sassy, brassy discotheque ditties like this one. A highly original rhythmic pattern mixed with a powerful horn section serve up Dolly's playful vocals surprisingly well. If it had been released as single this one may have been another big hit.
With You Gone (Heartbreaker): Another under rated Dolly composition, this one is a terrifically arranged tune that borders on country-tinged rumba. A sullen lyric about a lover having just left the protagonist of the song is matched with an upbeat tempo enhanced by jiving conga drums (played by the prolific Paulinho Da Costa who also appeared on Jolene) and a steel guitar solo.
I Wanna Fall In Love: (Heartbreaker): This short little song appears as the last track of the Heartbreaker album but was given a longer life as an extended remix of sorts as a B-Side on the famous pink vinyl Dance With Dolly with featured a six plus minute version of Baby I'm Burnin’. I'm glad the song had more exposure and I find it to be one of Dolly's best dance songs with a bit of an edge to it. It's fun to hearing Dolly enjoying her sexy side spouting out suggestive lyrics like "I'm undone so come and do me".
Sweet Agony (Dolly Dolly Dolly): Dolly Dolly Dolly was the least successful album of Dolly's disco trilogy and most songs were not particularly memorable (three of the songs have the word "fool" in the title!) except this standout tune. More reggae than disco this track as a sunny hook led off by steel drums and continued by Dolly's laid back delivery. It has a great title too!
Star Of The Show (Great Balls Of Fire): I'll admit this one maybe a slip into the category of pure corn but it's impossible not to smile or get your toes tapping to this one. Dolly's playful lyrics using showbiz lingo as symbol to being the "star of the show" in a relationship are quite clever. The Las Vegas style arrangement with layers upon layers of instruments and blaring background vocals lend it a kitschy kind of charm. If this one had become a hit it would have been a terrific way to start a live show...if not for Dolly at least for drag queens everywhere.
Starting Over Again (Great Balls Of Fire): One could mistake this one as Dolly penned weeper but it was actually written by Donna Summer and Bruce Sedano. It's a particularly poignant lyric about the effects of the divorce of an older couple. The song fits perfectly with Dolly's own canon of self-written treasures and the ache in her voice is almost bone chilling. Reba McEntire covered the song in later years and although a mighty vocalist herself even she couldn't reach the dramatic tenderness Dolly brings to this moving ballad.
It's Not My Affair Anymore (Great Balls Of Fire): Dolly sounds in complete control of her swinging vocal delivery here even though she did not write the song. Once again the somewhat sad lyric is brought to life by a jaunty pop arrangement. The bridge here is equally as catchy the chorus, which is in itself rather unique.
If you are Dolly fan and have dismissed this part of her career, do go back and give another listen to these songs. These three albums have recently been finally released on CD.