Dolly Parton
Backwoods Barbie Dolly (805859009323) February 26, 2008
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Best Buy edition bonus track
13. Baby I'm Burnin' (Live)* (Dolly Parton) 2:38 |
iTunes edition bonus tracks
13. The Grass Is Blue (Live)* (Preorder exclusive) (Dolly Parton) 4:12 14. I Will Always Love You (Live) (Dolly Parton) 3:12 15. Better Get to Livin' (Music Video) (Dolly Parton) 4:38 |
Target edition bonus tracks
13. Jolene (Live)* (Dolly Parton) 3:04 14. Two Doors Down (Live)* (Dolly Parton) 2:15 |
Walmart edition bonus track
13. 9 to 5 (Live)* (Dolly Parton) 2:43 |
2009 Cracker Barrel Collector's Edition bonus tracks
13. Rose of My Heart (Dolly Parton) 2:34 14. Hallelujah Holiday (Dolly Parton) 2:07 15. Berry Pie (Dolly Parton) 2:54 |
* Previously released on the 2007 compilation, Singer, Songwriter & Legendary Performer.
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Background
Rumors of a new album began to circulate in summer 2006 when Dolly was seen at a recording studio in Nashville. A spokesperson for Parton confirmed in July that while she had been in the studio, she was only recording some demos "just for fun" with no plans currently to release any of the material she had recorded. In an interview with The News Courier in September, Dolly revealed that her next album would be titled Country Is as Country Does and would include a song she had written titled "I Dreamed About Elvis". The song had been performed on the Hello, I'm Dolly Tour in 2004 and was originally to appear on her 2005 album before its title was changed from Blue Smoke to Those Were the Days. Dolly revealed in an interview with The Republican that she planned to tour for about three months in 2007 to promote the album's release, which would be sometime in the spring or early summer. She also mentioned that she wrote the album's title track, "Country Is as Country Does", with Mac Davis.
The Press Democrat covered Dolly's February 2007 concert in Santa Rosa, where she revealed that the album's title had been changed to Backwoods Barbie and that it would feature a cover of Fine Young Cannibals' "She Drives Me Crazy", Smokey Robinson's "The Tracks of My Tears" and a newly recorded version of her 1966 composition "Put It Off Until Tomorrow" with Emmylou Harris and Rodney Crowell. She added that most of the other songs she had recorded for possible inclusion on the album are ones she had written and they are "solid country things" reflecting her own philosophy of life. Dolly told The Las Vegas City Life that she had recorded a song for the album titled "Just a Wee Bit Gay" about a woman and her in-the-closet husband. At a March 2007 concert in London Dolly said that she hopes to have the album out by early fall and that she had recorded around 24 songs for possible inclusion. Although she had previously stated that she hoped to tour North America for about three months in the spring or early summer to promote the album, Dolly confirmed in April that plans for a tour had been pushed back to late fall to coincide with the album's tentative September release. She confirmed to Country Weekly in the July 2007 issue that she was still in the studio recording the album as recently as June when she was in Nashville for her Academy of Country Music Pioneer Award ceremony, and she would not comment on whether or not a tour was scheduled for the fall.
It was confirmed by Danny Nozell to Billboard in August 2007 that the album was scheduled for a February 2008 release on Dolly's new label, Dolly Records. He also confirmed that the album's first single would be titled "Better Get to Livin'" and that a world tour was scheduled to begin in March 2008.
Perez Hilton attended an album listening party in Los Angeles in August 2007 and reported that Dolly ended the night by played "Just a Wee Bit Gay", but she stated that the song would not be on the album. The previously announced new version of "Put It Off Until Tomorrow" with Emmylou Harris and Rodney Crowell also failed to make the final track listing.
The album's original title track, "Country Is as Country Does", did not make the final track listing and would remain unreleased until Dolly's 2011 album Better Day.
The Press Democrat covered Dolly's February 2007 concert in Santa Rosa, where she revealed that the album's title had been changed to Backwoods Barbie and that it would feature a cover of Fine Young Cannibals' "She Drives Me Crazy", Smokey Robinson's "The Tracks of My Tears" and a newly recorded version of her 1966 composition "Put It Off Until Tomorrow" with Emmylou Harris and Rodney Crowell. She added that most of the other songs she had recorded for possible inclusion on the album are ones she had written and they are "solid country things" reflecting her own philosophy of life. Dolly told The Las Vegas City Life that she had recorded a song for the album titled "Just a Wee Bit Gay" about a woman and her in-the-closet husband. At a March 2007 concert in London Dolly said that she hopes to have the album out by early fall and that she had recorded around 24 songs for possible inclusion. Although she had previously stated that she hoped to tour North America for about three months in the spring or early summer to promote the album, Dolly confirmed in April that plans for a tour had been pushed back to late fall to coincide with the album's tentative September release. She confirmed to Country Weekly in the July 2007 issue that she was still in the studio recording the album as recently as June when she was in Nashville for her Academy of Country Music Pioneer Award ceremony, and she would not comment on whether or not a tour was scheduled for the fall.
It was confirmed by Danny Nozell to Billboard in August 2007 that the album was scheduled for a February 2008 release on Dolly's new label, Dolly Records. He also confirmed that the album's first single would be titled "Better Get to Livin'" and that a world tour was scheduled to begin in March 2008.
Perez Hilton attended an album listening party in Los Angeles in August 2007 and reported that Dolly ended the night by played "Just a Wee Bit Gay", but she stated that the song would not be on the album. The previously announced new version of "Put It Off Until Tomorrow" with Emmylou Harris and Rodney Crowell also failed to make the final track listing.
The album's original title track, "Country Is as Country Does", did not make the final track listing and would remain unreleased until Dolly's 2011 album Better Day.
Recording
The album was recorded in Nashville at Blackbird Studio A, Kent Wells Productions, and Emerald Studio A. Additonal recording took place at the Sound Kitchen in Franklin, Tennessee.
Release and promotion
The album was originally scheduled for a February 5, 2008 release, but was pushed back to better coincide with the beginning of the tour. It was released February 26, 2008, on CD and digital download. Several retailers offered editions of the album containing live bonus tracks. "Baby I'm Burnin'" on Best Buy editions of the album, the Target edition offered "Jolene" and "Two Doors Down", while Walmart stores added "9 to 5". The iTunes Store version added a live version of "I Will Always Love You" and the music video for "Better Get to Livin'". Pre-orders on the iTunes store included and additional live bonus track, "The Grass Is Blue".
A Collector's Edition of the album was released exclusively at Cracker Barrel on March 23, 2009. The new edition of the album featured new cover art and three bonus tracks: "Rose of My Heart", "Hallelujah Holiday", and "Berry Pie".
A Collector's Edition of the album was released exclusively at Cracker Barrel on March 23, 2009. The new edition of the album featured new cover art and three bonus tracks: "Rose of My Heart", "Hallelujah Holiday", and "Berry Pie".
Singles
The album's first single, "Better Get to Livin'" was released as an iTunes exclusive on August 28, 2007. It was officially sent to country radio stations on September 28. The single debuted at number 57 on the Billboard Hot County Songs chart dated September 29. it peaked at number 8 on the chart dated February 2, 2008, its eleventh week not he chart. It charted for 16 weeks. The music video premiered on CMT's website on November 26, 2007, and had its television premiere three days later on CMT Top 20 Countdown. The video, directed by Steve Lippman, is set at a carnival and was filmed on location at a farm in Pigeon Forge, Tennessee.
"Jesus & Gravity" was released as the second single on February 12, 2008. It debuted at number 58 on the Billboard Hot Country Songs chart dated April 5. It peaked at number 56 on the chart dated April 19, its second week on the chart. The single charted for five weeks. The music video for "Jesus & Gravity", directed by Steve Lippman, premiered on Perez Hilton's website on April 14 and was uploaded to Dolly's YouTube channel later that day.
"Shinola" was released as the album's third single on July 21, 2009, and failed to chart. Its music video, directed by Fran Strine, was also premiered on Perez Hilton's website on August 29. The video was filmed during Dolly's European tour at a sold-out show at London's O2 Arena.
The fourth single, "Drives Me Crazy", was released to adult contemporary radio stations on January 12, 2009, and failed to chart.
"Backwoods Barbie" was released as the album's fifth single on March 9, 2009, and failed to chart. The song's music video was premiered by AOL the same day. The video was directed by Trey Fanjoy and shows Dolly meeting a cast of interesting characters while walking down Hollywood Boulevard. It also shows Dolly walking through her childhood home in the Smoky Mountains (these shots were actually filmed at the Disney Ranch in California) and features a young Dolly applying homemade make-up of poke berries and burnt matches.
"Jesus & Gravity" was released as the second single on February 12, 2008. It debuted at number 58 on the Billboard Hot Country Songs chart dated April 5. It peaked at number 56 on the chart dated April 19, its second week on the chart. The single charted for five weeks. The music video for "Jesus & Gravity", directed by Steve Lippman, premiered on Perez Hilton's website on April 14 and was uploaded to Dolly's YouTube channel later that day.
"Shinola" was released as the album's third single on July 21, 2009, and failed to chart. Its music video, directed by Fran Strine, was also premiered on Perez Hilton's website on August 29. The video was filmed during Dolly's European tour at a sold-out show at London's O2 Arena.
The fourth single, "Drives Me Crazy", was released to adult contemporary radio stations on January 12, 2009, and failed to chart.
"Backwoods Barbie" was released as the album's fifth single on March 9, 2009, and failed to chart. The song's music video was premiered by AOL the same day. The video was directed by Trey Fanjoy and shows Dolly meeting a cast of interesting characters while walking down Hollywood Boulevard. It also shows Dolly walking through her childhood home in the Smoky Mountains (these shots were actually filmed at the Disney Ranch in California) and features a young Dolly applying homemade make-up of poke berries and burnt matches.
Television appearances
Dolly performed "Better Get to Livin'" and "9 to 5" on Dancing with the Stars on September 26, 2007. She also performed "Better Get to Livin'" during the Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade on November 22.
On April 1, 2008, Dolly performed "Jesus & Gravity" on American Idol. The week on Idol was a tribute to her work as a singer and songwriter, with all the contestants performing her songs.
Dolly performed "Shinola" on The Tonight Show with Jay Leno on September 19, 2008. She also appeared on The Ellen DeGeneres Show on September 22 where she performed "Shinola" and "9 to 5".
On April 1, 2008, Dolly performed "Jesus & Gravity" on American Idol. The week on Idol was a tribute to her work as a singer and songwriter, with all the contestants performing her songs.
Dolly performed "Shinola" on The Tonight Show with Jay Leno on September 19, 2008. She also appeared on The Ellen DeGeneres Show on September 22 where she performed "Shinola" and "9 to 5".
Tour
Dolly embarked on the Backwoods Barbie Tour to support the album on March 28, 2008, and performed 64 dates across North America and Europe before concluding the tour on November 19. The tour was well received by critics and spectators alike, earning more than nine million dollars.
Critical reception
Backwoods Barbie received generally positive reviews from critics. At Metacritic, which assigns a normalized rating out of 100 to reviews from mainstream critics, the album received an average score of 70, which indicates "generally positive reviews", based on 11 reviews. Entertainment Weekly gave the album a B+ and said that it "neatly plays to her storyteller strengths, even as she openly hungers for hits." Jon Pareles of The New York Times gave a positive review, saying that "once again she's the voice of rural innocence all dressed up in big-city trappings, and still coming through as herself." In a positive review, PopMatters said, "A solid half of the album's songs fall into the classic country-music category of heartbreak songs, one way or another: divorce songs, cheating tales, lonely-night confessions. Yet there’s no danger that these songs on similar topics will blur together, because each takes its own approach." Writing for AllMusic, Steve Leggett gave the album 3.5 out of 5 stars and said, "Backwoods Barbie might not break the bank out there, and it would take a good deal of marketing and luck for any of these tracks to hit the top of the new country charts, but it shows that Parton can still deliver the package in fine style and only the fools among us would ever count her down and out, no matter how many bluegrass albums she does." In another positive review, The Boston Globe said, "Parton victoriously retrains the focus back on the part of her chest that is truly meaningful: her heart. She also succeeds in producing a record that, after years of fine niche efforts in bluegrass and gospel, could actually make a bid for mainstream country radio airplay." The Los Angeles Times felt that "the ratio of less-memorable tracks is higher than on those recent bluegrass outings, but there's enough of the Parton who is one of the greatest country writers and singers of the last half-decade to make it worth hearing." Billboard gave a positive review of the album which said, "There's more than meets the eye to Dolly Parton, the autobiographical title cut tells us, and her first mainstream country album in years is an important reminder of the breadth of her singing and songwriting talents."
In a mixed review, Mojo said that the "opener, the self-referencing "Better Get to Livin'" is cheesy and disposable even by Nashville standards. The title track, also autobiographical, is better, but like several songs, suffers from '80s-style over-production." Rolling Stone also gave a mixed review saying that too much of the album "comes off like the overproduced twang of younger country ingénues who try to sound like Dolly Parton."
In a mixed review, Mojo said that the "opener, the self-referencing "Better Get to Livin'" is cheesy and disposable even by Nashville standards. The title track, also autobiographical, is better, but like several songs, suffers from '80s-style over-production." Rolling Stone also gave a mixed review saying that too much of the album "comes off like the overproduced twang of younger country ingénues who try to sound like Dolly Parton."
Commercial performance
Backwoods Barbie debuted at number 48 on the Billboard Top Country Albums chart dated March 8, 2008. It peaked at number two on the chart dated March 15, its second week on the chart. The album charted for 50 weeks. It also peaked at number two on the Billboard Independent Albums chart and number 17 on the Billboard 200. The album reached number 35 on the UK Albums chart. It also peaked at number six on the Danish Albums chart and number 57 on the Swedish Albums chart.
The album charted at number 56 on the Billboard Top Country Albums year-end chart for 2008, and number 70 on the chart for 2009.
The album has sold 281,000 units in the United States as of December 2020.
The album charted at number 56 on the Billboard Top Country Albums year-end chart for 2008, and number 70 on the chart for 2009.
The album has sold 281,000 units in the United States as of December 2020.
Accolades
The album was nominated for Indie Album of the Year at the 2008 European Country Music Association Awards.
Personnel
Credits are adapted from the album liner notes and the 2009 Cracker Barrel Collector's Edition.
Original album
Performance
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Production
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Other personnel
- Kii Arens – art direction, photos
- Robert Behar – costume designer
- Pat Blewett – photo assistant
- Valorie W. Cole – makeup
- Trevor Gens – lighting
- Cheryl Riddle – hair
- Stephen Shareaux – conceptual assistant
- Steve Summers – conceptual assistant
2009 Cracker Barrel Collector's Edition bonus tracks
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Releases
FORMAT / TITLE / LABEL & CATALOG # / REGION / RELEASE DATE (MM-DD-YYYY)
- CD / Backwoods Barbie / Dolly 805859009323 / US / 02-26-2008
- CD / Backwoods Barbie / Dolly 805859009422 / US / 02-26-2008 (Best Buy exclusive)
- CD / Backwoods Barbie / Dolly 805859009620 / US / 02-26-2008 (Target exclusive)
- CD / Backwoods Barbie / Dolly 805859009521 / US / 02-26-2008 (Walmart exclusive)
- Digital download / Backwoods Barbie / Dolly / Various / 02-26-2008
- Digital download / Backwoods Barbie / Dolly / US / 02-26-2008 (iTunes exclusive)
- Streaming / Backwoods Barbie / Dolly / Various / 02-26-2008
- CD / Backwoods Barbie / Dolly 1774178 / Australasia & Europe / 2008
- CD / Backwoods Barbie: Collector's Edition / Dolly; Cracker Barrel Old Country Store 805859013825 / US / 03-23-2009 (Cracker Barrel exclusive)
- LP / Backwoods Barbie / Vinyl Me, Please VMP – LTDP006 / US / 09-2023