Dolly Parton hits the big 8-0 today! She’s still working 9 to 5 (and then some), so to celebrate the Queen of Country, we’re counting down 4 of her most iconic songs.
Videos by Suggest
While even the most casual fans can belt out “Jolene,” “9 to 5,” or the original “I Will Always Love You” at karaoke, Dolly’s catalog is deeper than her signature blonde wig collection. The beloved singer-songwriter has an endless arsenal of classics, but here are a few of our personal favorites that prove she’s more than just a rhinestone-covered legend.
‘Tennessee Homesick Blues’
Released in 1984 for the Rhinestone soundtrack, “Tennessee Homesick Blues” was technically written for her character, Jake Farris, while she was stuck in the concrete jungle of New York City. However, you don’t need a movie script to feel the genuine pining for the Smoky Mountains in this track. It’s the ultimate tribute to her roots, proving that even when Dolly’s in Manhattan, her heart (and that iconic accent) never really left the holler.
While critics didn’t exactly rush to put Rhinestone on their best-of lists and we should all probably agree to never speak of Sylvester Stallone’s “Drinkenstein” again, the film did gift us a breakout hit that fans absolutely adored.
‘Why’d You Come In Here Looking Like That’… Dolly’s Heartbreak Song with a Heaping Side of Camp
In 1989, Dolly handed Ricky Skaggs the keys to her creative engine for White Limozeen, steering her right back to her bluegrass roots. While the soulful ballad “Yellow Roses” was the album’s heart, anyone raised on 90s country remembers the real star: “Why’d You Come In Here Looking Like That.” It’s a sassy, high-energy romp that basically asks the musical equivalent of “how dare you look that good while breaking my heart?”—complete with a music video just as campy and fun as the track itself.
‘Coat of Many Colors’
Perhaps the most well-known of this foursome, “Coat of Many Colors” was famously scribbled on the back of a dry cleaning receipt while Dolly was on a tour bus in 1969. The song tells the touching story of her mother stitching together a coat from family rags, a humble masterpiece inspired by the biblical tale of Joseph that made Dolly feel like royalty, even if the neighborhood kids didn’t get the memo.
In 1971, she reached No. 4 on Hot Country Songs with the track, which continues to resonate over four decades later, inspiring two highly-rated NBC TV movies in 2015 and 2016.
‘Old Flames Can’t Hold a Candle to You’
While some critics accused Dolly of straying from her country roots into the pop world, she shut them down with this 1980 hit. “Old Flames Can’t Hold a Candle to You” was not originally a Parton song. Written by Pebe Sebert and Hugh Moffatt, Dolly’s magic touch made it a classic. The song is a sweet reassurance to a new lover not to worry about the past, and her delivery proved that the queen of country could still sound as country as anyone else.
Of course, choosing just four lesser-known songs from Dolly Parton’s extensive catalog was no easy task. Hopefully, she’ll continue adding to her impressive collection in the years ahead.