NEW YORK (AP) 鈥� was more than a musician, actor, author, philanthropist, or theme-park entrepreneur. Parton, , occupied a space in our global cultural imagination 鈥� a figure of American mythology, someone best described as and then a little bit more. But from the very beginning, at the heart of everything she accomplished, she was a songwriter.
Selecting 11 songs across her many decades of recorded music is a fool鈥檚 errand, but there are some classics that stand above others. Here are a few across her discography 鈥� from country songs that challenge traditional gender dynamics to the greatest ballad ever committed to record. Listen to all of the tracks on .
1968:
Parton was long celebrated for the feminist themes throughout her music. That progressive sociopolitical stance is evident from the beginning of her career, which overlapped with the emergence of the women鈥檚 liberation movement. On the country classic 鈥淛ust Because I鈥檓 a Woman,鈥� Parton鈥檚 protagonist reminds her partner he need not judge her for having previous sexual partners 鈥� after all, he’s had some, too. 鈥淢y mistakes are no worse than yours,鈥� she sings, 鈥淛ust because I鈥檓 a woman.鈥� She said the song was inspired by a conversation with who asked her if she鈥檇 been with any men before they met.
1971:
The quintessential example of Parton the raconteur is 鈥淐oat of Many Colors.鈥� It鈥檚 an autobiographical tale about her mother, who made a coat for Parton out of rags. She was mocked by other kids but understood its value. 鈥淣ow I know we had no money, but I was rich as I could be,鈥� she sings, 鈥淚n my coat of many colors my momma made for me.鈥�
1973:
It is not only one of Parton鈥檚 best-known hits, but also one of the best-known country music songs of all time. 鈥淛olene鈥� was inspired by Dean; Parton that she wrote the song about a flirty bank teller who seemed to take an interest in him.
鈥淪he got this terrible crush on my husband,鈥� she said. 鈥淎nd he just loved going to the bank because she paid him so much attention. It was kinda like a running joke between us 鈥� when I was saying, 鈥楬ell, you鈥檙e spending a lot of time at the bank. I don鈥檛 believe we鈥檝e got that kind of money.鈥� So, it鈥檚 really an innocent song all around, but sounds like a dreadful one.鈥�
1974:
The second single from Parton鈥檚 13th studio album, 鈥淚 Will Always Love You鈥� is most known for its rendition by . But the Parton original was written for Porter Wagoner ahead of her departure from 鈥淭he Porter Wagoner Show.鈥� (She left in 1974, having collaborated with him since 1967.) There have been several versions, but none as resonant as Houston鈥檚, recorded in 1992 for the soundtrack to The song topped the all-genre Billboard Hot 100, where it stayed for a then-record-breaking 14 weeks.
1977:
Parton wrote an overwhelming number of her hits, which makes 鈥淗ere You Come Again鈥� an interesting outlier. It was penned by Barry Mann and Cynthia Weil, first recorded by B.J. Thomas and originally conceived with the idea that would record it. The song made its way to Parton and became a tentpole pop crossover hit for the country artist. But make no mistake 鈥� Parton made sure the steel guitar was heard loud and proud.
1980:
Enter Parton, the Hollywood star. It begins with the sound of a typewriter. (That clacking sound? Parton originally conceived of it by striking her long acrylic nails together.) The ebullient 鈥�9 to 5鈥� was written for the 1980 film of the same name, which starred Lily Tomlin and Parton in her acting debut. The song also appears on her album 鈥�9 to 5 and Odd Jobs.鈥� Lyrically, it celebrates women in the workplace and serves as a battle cry for pay equity; it earned Parton her
1983: with Kenny Rogers
By the 1980s, Parton had fashioned herself as a mainstream celebrity. On 鈥淚slands in the Stream鈥� her clarion soprano makes for perfect harmonies. That shouldn鈥檛 come as any surprise, but perhaps this will: The song was written by the . Barry Gibb maintained it was meant for , while Robin Gibb said it was meant for Whatever the case, it got to Parton and Rogers, and the rest is history. It’s also a reminder of how R&B and country music are inextricably linked.
1989:
Before this triumphant return to capital-C country music, there was a deeper detour into 鈥�80s drum machine-heavy pop. (If there’s a single Parton album to consider skipping, it is 1987鈥檚 鈥淩ainbow.鈥�) But what came after, 1989鈥檚 鈥淲hite Limozeen,鈥� should be celebrated for 鈥淲hy鈥檇 You Come in Here Lookin鈥� Like That,鈥� with its steel guitar, banjo, mandolins, Pedabro and a fierce fiddle courtesy of 鈥� all while Parton playfully objectifies a man with a cheeky wink.
1999:
鈥淚鈥檝e had to think up a way to survive,鈥� Parton opens the title track to her 1999 album 鈥淭he Grass Is Blue.鈥� She said she wrote the bluegrass ballad in 30 minutes, during a lunch break while filming 鈥淏lue Valley Songbird,鈥� a made-for-television musical drama about a woman who tries to leave an abusive partner. It features her scratch vocals 鈥� a demo meant to serve as a blueprint for the final recording 鈥� providing an additional rawness to a song of impossible pain. 鈥淎nd the sky is green / and the grass is blue,鈥� she sings. 鈥淎nd I don鈥檛 love you.鈥�
2001:
If there is anything resembling a dip in Parton鈥檚 overwhelming popularity, it arrived in the 鈥�90s, when country listeners instead embraced the glossy pop-country of and LeAnn Rimes. A pivot arrived at the end of that decade and into the one that followed, when Parton endeavored to make roots albums 鈥� pulling from bluegrass, country, gospel and Appalachian folk 鈥� that reinvigorated her music career. The heartbreaking a cappella harmonies of the title track on her 2001 album 鈥淟ittle Sparrow,鈥� released one year after the death of her father and dedicated to him, are further evidence of her greatness. Parton鈥檚 is a voice that knows no bounds. But to remind people of that fact? Sometimes it takes going back home.
2014:
No one writes place like Parton. On 鈥淏lue Smoke,鈥� with its youthful choo-choo spirit, Parton brings the listener into her childhood home in the Blue Ridge Mountains, gorgeous, desolate and nostalgic. 鈥淏lue Smoke climbin鈥� up the mountain, Blue Smoke windin鈥� 鈥檙ound the bend / Blue Smoke is the name of the heartbreak train that I am ridin鈥� in,鈥� she sings. 鈥淚 left a note, I wrote, 鈥業鈥檓 leaving and I won鈥檛 be coming back鈥� / Blue Smoke rolling, rolling, rolling, rolling, rolling down the track.鈥�
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