Backwoods Barbie
| Backwoods Barbie | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
 | ||||
| Studio album by Dolly Parton | ||||
| Released | February 26, 2008 | |||
| Recorded | 2008 | |||
| Genre | Country | |||
| Length | 48:02 | |||
| Label | Dolly Records / A2M Distribution | |||
| Producer | Dolly Parton, Kent Wells | |||
| Dolly Parton chronology | ||||
| ||||
| Alternative cover | ||||
 Collector's Edition cover art |
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| Singles from Backwoods Barbie | ||||
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| Professional ratings | |
|---|---|
| Review scores | |
| Source | Rating |
| Allmusic |    [1] |
| Digital Spy | [2] |
| Robert Christgau |  [3] |
| Country Universe | [4] |
Backwoods Barbie is the 40th studio album by Dolly Parton, her first mainstream country album in nearly a decade. It was released on February 26, 2008,[5] and is the first commercial release on Parton's own Dolly Records imprint.[6]
Album information
The album contains nine Parton originals.
"Better Get to Livin'" was the lead off single from the album, released to country radio in September 2007.[7] It peaked at No. 48 on the Billboard Hot Country Songs chart.[8] Parton performed the tune on the season premiere of Dancing with the Stars at the end of September[9] and again at the Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade[10] A music video was released, employing the talents of comedian and satirist Amy Sedaris. It enjoyed moderate success on CMT's weekly countdowns.
The second single was "Jesus & Gravity", which also charted (peaking at #56). Parton performed the song live on an episode of the seventh season of American Idol. The week was a tribute to her work as a singer and songwriter. It yielded yet another video, directed by Steven "Flip" Lippman. He had previously directed the video for "Better Get to Livin'".
"Shinola" was released as the third single but failed to chart.[11] A music video was released containing footage from Parton's sold out engagements at London's O2 Arena and Belfast's Odyssey Arena on her 2008 Backwoods Barbie Tour. The video was a success on CMT's digital cable channel, Pure Country, peaking at number one.
Fourth single "Drives Me Crazy" was released solely to Adult Contemporary stations.
The title track, and fourth country single (fifth overall), was originally written for the score for the "9 to 5" musical (based on the 1980 film, in which Parton had costarred) that had its world premiere at the Center Theatre Group / Ahmanson Theatre in September 2008, and subsequently ran in Broadway during 2009.[12] A video was released, directed by acclaimed music video director Trey Fanjoy. It alternates between Parton in her Tennessee Mountain Home, (filmed at the Disney Ranch in California) and on the streets of Hollywood Boulevard, being joined by various street performers. The video debuted at No. 17 on CMT's Top Twenty Countdown in April 2009. The video was also ranked No. 40 on GAC's Top 50 Videos of the Year.
The album includes covers of the Smokey Robinson classic "The Tracks of My Tears" and "She Drives Me Crazy" by the Fine Young Cannibals.[13]
It peaked on the Billboard Country Albums chart at No. 2 and also reached No. 17 on the main Billboard album chart. It was Parton's highest-ever debut on the latter chart; it sold about 27,000 copies in its first week.[14]
Parton toured extensively during much of 2008 to promote the album on the Backwoods Barbie Tour touring the United States, Canada and Europe.[15]
Several retailers offered special editions of the CD with bonus live tracks recorded on her 2006–2007 European Tour. In March 2009, Cracker Barrel released an exclusive Collector's Edition of the album with three additional previously unreleased tracks chosen by Parton from her extensive catalog. This reissue caused the album to re-enter the Billboard Country Albums chart at No. 9, the Billboard Albums Chart at No. 40, and the Billboard Independent Albums Chart at #3.[16]
Track listing
All tracks written by Dolly Parton except as noted.
| No. | Title | Length |
|---|---|---|
| 1. | "Better Get to Livin'" (Dolly Parton, Kent Wells) | 3:36 |
| 2. | "Made of Stone" | 4:13 |
| 3. | "Drives Me Crazy" (Roland Gift, David Steele) | 4:12 |
| 4. | "Backwoods Barbie" | 3:19 |
| 5. | "Jesus & Gravity" (Betsy Ulmer, Craig Wiseman) | 4:40 |
| 6. | "Only Dreamin'" | 5:36 |
| 7. | "The Tracks of My Tears" (Smokey Robinson, Warren Moore, Marvin Tarplin) | 3:33 |
| 8. | "The Lonesomes" | 3:18 |
| 9. | "Cologne" | 3:42 |
| 10. | "Shinola" | 4:12 |
| 11. | "I Will Forever Hate Roses" | 3:26 |
| 12. | "Somebody's Everything" | 4:17 |
| Collector's Edition bonus tracks | ||
|---|---|---|
| No. | Title | Length |
| 13. | "Rose of My Heart" | 2:33 |
| 14. | "Hallelujah Holiday" | 2:07 |
| 15. | "Berry Pie" | 2:54 |
| iTunes bonus tracks | ||
|---|---|---|
| No. | Title | Length |
| 13. | "I Will Always Love You" (Live) | 3:12 |
| 14. | "The Grass is Blue" (Live) | 4:14 |
| Target bonus tracks | ||
|---|---|---|
| No. | Title | Length |
| 13. | "Jolene" (Live) | 3:04 |
| 14. | "Two Doors Down" (Live) | 2:15 |
| Best Buy bonus track | ||
|---|---|---|
| No. | Title | Length |
| 13. | "Baby I'm Burning" (Live) | 2:38 |
| Walmart bonus track | ||
|---|---|---|
| No. | Title | Length |
| 13. | "9 to 5" (Live) | 2:43 |
Personnel
- Sam Bacco – percussion
- Rebecca Isaacs Bowman – background vocals
- Mike Brignardello – bass guitar
- Tom Bukovac – electric guitar
- Terry Crisp – steel guitar
- Billy Davis – background vocals
- Richard Dennison – background vocals
- Terry Eldridge – background vocals
- Paul Franklin – steel guitar
- Lloyd Green – steel guitar
- Vicki Hampton – background vocals
- Aubrey Haynie – fiddle, mandolin
- Paul Hollowell – Fender Rhodes, Hammond B-3 organ, keyboards, piano
- Sonya Isaacs – background vocals
- Carl Jackson – background vocals
- Jamie Johnson – background vocals
- Rob McNelley – electric guitar
- Jerry McPherson – electric guitar
- Steve Mackey – bass guitar
- Brent Mason – electric guitar
- Jimmy Mattingly – fiddle, mandolin
- John Mock – bodhran, harmonium, tin whistle
- The Nashville String Machine – strings
- Alecia Nugent – background vocals
- Jennifer O'Brien – background vocals
- Dolly Parton – lead vocals, background vocals
- Hargus "Pig" Robbins – piano
- Marty Slayton – background vocals
- Bryan Sutton – acoustic guitar
- David Talbot – banjo
- Steve Turner – drums, percussion
- Darrin Vincent – background vocals
- Rhonda Vincent – background vocals
- Biff Watson – acoustic guitar
- Derek Wells – electric guitar
- Kent Wells – acoustic guitar, electric guitar
- Kris Wilkinson – string arrangements
- Lonnie Wilson – drums, percussion
- Christine Winslow – background vocals
Chart performance
Albums
| Chart (2008) | Peak Position |
|---|---|
| Denmark Albums Top 40[17] | 6 |
| Swedish Album Chart[17] | 57 |
| UK Album Chart[18] | 35 |
| U.S. Billboard 200 | 17 |
| U.S. Billboard Top Country Albums | 2 |
| U.S. Billboard Independent Albums | 2 |
Singles
| Year | Single | US Country |
|---|---|---|
| 2007 | "Better Get to Livin'" | 48 |
| 2008 | "Jesus & Gravity" | 56 |
| "Shinola" | — | |
| 2009 | "Drives Me Crazy" | — |
| "Backwoods Barbie" | — |
References
- ↑ Leggett, Steve. Backwoods Barbie at AllMusic
- ↑ Levine, Nick (June 10, 2008). "Dolly Parton: 'Backwoods Barbie' – Music Album Review – Digital Spy". digitalspy.com.au. Retrieved August 8, 2011.
- ↑ "Robert Christgau: CG: Artist 372". robertchristgau.com. Archived from the original on June 6, 2011. Retrieved June 22, 2011.
- ↑ Coyne, Kevin John (December 1, 2008). "Country Universe – A Country Music Blog » Dolly Parton, Backwoods Barbie". countryuniverse.net. Retrieved August 8, 2011.
- ↑ "Dolly Parton On-Line / Backwoods Barbie". Dollyon-line.com. February 26, 2008.
- ↑ "Dolly Parton To Lead Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade". Msopr.com.
- ↑ AprilJun 25th, 2009 – 19:42:25 (June 25, 2009). "Dolly Parton releases new single through iTunes Dolly Parton releases new single through iTunes". Music.monstersandcritics.com.
- ↑ Billboard Music Charts
- ↑ "Catch Dolly Parton On Dancing With The Stars Tonight". The9513.com. September 26, 2007.
- ↑ "Dolly Parton Leads Macy's Thanksgiving Parade". Gactv.com.
- ↑ "Artists to Watch in 2008: The Comeback Kids". Gactv.com.
- ↑ "Dolly Parton releases new single". Countrystandardtime.com. October 23, 2007.
- ↑ Dolly's Back! Archived January 17, 2008, at the Wayback Machine.
- ↑ Katie Hasty, "Janet Dethrones Jack To Top Billboard 200", Billboard.com, March 5, 2008.
- ↑ Parton Announces Songwriters Hall of Fame
- ↑ DollyPartonMusic
- 1 2 "swedishcharts.com – Dolly Parton – Backwoods Barbie". swedishcharts.com. Retrieved June 23, 2011.
- ↑ "Chart Stats – Dolly Parton – Backwoods Barbie". chartstats.com. Retrieved June 22, 2011.
External links
- Backwoods Barbie at dollyon-line.com
