Album cover. Monument (SLP 18085) (1967)
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Hello, I'm Dolly is the debut studio album by Dolly Parton. It was released on September 18, 1967, by Monument Records. It was produced by Fred Foster. The album peaked at number 11 on the Billboard Top Country Albums chart. It includes Dolly's first two singles to appear on the Billboard Hot Country Songs chart: "Dumb Blonde" (number 24) and "Something Fishy" (number 17).
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Track listing
Side 1
- Dumb Blonde (Curly Putman) 2:27
- Your Ole Handy Man (Dolly Parton) 2:09
- I Don't Want to Throw Rice (Dolly Parton, Bill Owens) 2:22
- Put It Off Until Tomorrow (Dolly Parton, Bill Owens) 2:25
- I Wasted My Tears (Dolly Parton, Bill Owens) 2:18
- Something Fishy (Dolly Parton) 2:07
- Fuel to the Flame (Dolly Parton, Bill Owens) 2:39
- The Giving and the Taking (Dolly Parton, Bill Owens) 2:25
- I'm in No Condition (Dolly Parton) 2:08
- The Company You Keep (Dolly Parton, Bill Owens) 2:33
- I've Lived My Life (Lola Jean Dillon) 2:35
- The Little Things (Dolly Parton, Bill Owens) 2:23
Background
Dolly began performing as a child, singing on local radio and television programs in the East Tennessee area. By ten, she was appearing on The Cas Walker Show on both WIVK Radio and WBIR-TV in Knoxville, Tennessee. She made her first professional recording at age 13 when she recorded "Puppy Love" for Goldband Records. The single, released in April 1959, did not chart. After making musical connections while performing on The Cas Walker Show, Dolly and her uncle, Bill Owens, managed to get a guest spot on the Grand Ole Opry on July 25, 1959. Jimmy C. Newman agreed to give up one of his regular Saturday night spots to allow Dolly to perform. She was introduced by Johnny Cash before performing a cover of George Jones' "You Gotta Be My Baby" and receiving three encores. Dolly and Uncle Bill were signed to Tree Publishing and released one single together on Circle-B Records prior to Dolly signing a one single deal with Mercury Records in January 1962. The single, "It's Sure Gonna Hurt", was released in August and failed to chart. Dolly recorded six songs in 1963 for the Somerset Records budget compilation album Hits Made Famous by Country Queens. Three selections were songs made famous by Kitty Wells and the three others were traditional ballads.
After graduating high school in May 1964, Dolly moved to Nashville the next day. Her initial success came as a songwriter, when Fred Foster, owner of Combine Music and Monument Records, signed her to a publishing and recording deal. During this early period at Monument, Dolly wrote songs that were recorded by a variety of artists, including Bill Phillips, Skeeter Davis, Hank Williams Jr., and even Kitty Wells. Foster originally felt that Dolly's voice was not suited for country and tried to market her as a pop singer with the release of her first five singles for the label: "What Do You Think About Lovin'" (1964), "Happy, Happy Birthday Baby" (1965), "Busy Signal" (1966), "Don't Drop Out" (1966), and "The Little Things" (1966). The most successful of these releases was "Happy, Happy Birthday Baby", which managed to peak at number 108 on the Billboard Bubbling Under the Hot 100 chart.
Following the success of Bill Phillips' recording of the Parton-Owens composition "Put It Off Until Tomorrow" (featuring uncredited harmony by Dolly) in 1966, Foster was finally persuaded to allow Dolly to record country material.
After graduating high school in May 1964, Dolly moved to Nashville the next day. Her initial success came as a songwriter, when Fred Foster, owner of Combine Music and Monument Records, signed her to a publishing and recording deal. During this early period at Monument, Dolly wrote songs that were recorded by a variety of artists, including Bill Phillips, Skeeter Davis, Hank Williams Jr., and even Kitty Wells. Foster originally felt that Dolly's voice was not suited for country and tried to market her as a pop singer with the release of her first five singles for the label: "What Do You Think About Lovin'" (1964), "Happy, Happy Birthday Baby" (1965), "Busy Signal" (1966), "Don't Drop Out" (1966), and "The Little Things" (1966). The most successful of these releases was "Happy, Happy Birthday Baby", which managed to peak at number 108 on the Billboard Bubbling Under the Hot 100 chart.
Following the success of Bill Phillips' recording of the Parton-Owens composition "Put It Off Until Tomorrow" (featuring uncredited harmony by Dolly) in 1966, Foster was finally persuaded to allow Dolly to record country material.
Recording
The album was recorded at various sessions from 1964 to 1967 at Fred Foster Sound Studios in Nashville, Tennessee.
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September 1964
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Unknown dates between 1965 and 1967
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Release and promotion
The album's release was likely pushed back several times. In Dolly's 1994 autobiography, My Life and Other Unfinished Business, the release date is given as February 1967, but this date is contradicted by an interview Dolly gave in June 1967, where she states that the album "should be out by the end of this month." The album's release was announced for September 1967 by Cashbox, and Record World, following Dolly's debut as a regular on The Porter Wagoner Show on September 5. It was finally released September 18, 1967, on LP.
Singles
The album's first single, "The Little Things", was the final of Dolly's pop leaning singles for Monument. It was released in June 1966 and failed to chart.
"Dumb Blonde" was released as a single in November 1966 and debuted at number 64 on the Billboard Hot Country Songs chart dated January 21, 1967. It peaked at number 24 on the chart dated March 18, its ninth week on the chart. It charted for a total of 14 weeks. It also peaked at number 10 on the Cashbox Country Singles chart.
The album's third single, "Something Fishy", was released in May 1967 and debuted at number 61 on the Billboard Hot Country Songs chart dated June 10. It peaked at number 17 on the chart dated August 5, its ninth week on the chart, becoming Dolly's first top 20 hit. It charted for 12 weeks. It also peaked at number 16 on the Cashbox Country Singles chart.
"Dumb Blonde" was released as a single in November 1966 and debuted at number 64 on the Billboard Hot Country Songs chart dated January 21, 1967. It peaked at number 24 on the chart dated March 18, its ninth week on the chart. It charted for a total of 14 weeks. It also peaked at number 10 on the Cashbox Country Singles chart.
The album's third single, "Something Fishy", was released in May 1967 and debuted at number 61 on the Billboard Hot Country Songs chart dated June 10. It peaked at number 17 on the chart dated August 5, its ninth week on the chart, becoming Dolly's first top 20 hit. It charted for 12 weeks. It also peaked at number 16 on the Cashbox Country Singles chart.
Content
Three of the album's 12 tracks are solo Parton compositions and seven of them were co-written with her uncle, Bill Owens. The two remaining tracks, "Dumb Blonde" and "I've Lived My Life", were written by Curly Putman and Lola Jean Dillon, respectively.
The album contains Dolly's version of three songs she had written that had already been hits for other artists. "Put It Off Until Tomorrow" had been recorded by Bill Phillips (with uncredited harmony vocals by Dolly) and released as a single in January 1966. It peaked at number six on the Billboard Hot Country Songs chart. Skeeter Davis had recorded "Fuel to the Flame" and released it as a single in January 1967 and it peaked at number 11 on the Billboard Hot Country Songs chart. Hank Williams Jr. recorded "I'm in No Condition" and released it as a single in April 1967. It was the least successful of these three songs, peaking at number 60 on the Billboard Hot Country Songs chart.
Dolly would re-record "Put It Off Until Tomorrow" as a duet with Porter Wagoner for their 1968 album, Just Between You and Me. She would revisit the song again with Loretta Lynn and Tammy Wynette for their 1993 album, Honky Tonk Angels. The version of the song featured on Hello, I’m Dolly would be overdubbed with new instrumentation and vocals from Kris Kristofferson for the 1982 compilation album, The Winning Hand. Dolly's vocals were slightly slowed down, causing this overdubbed version to sound like her voice is deeper than on the original recording. Dolly also recorded an alternate version titled "I'll Put It Off Until Tomorrow" from the perspective of the person leaving the relationship. It was included as the B-side of "The Little Things" in 1966. The most recent version of the song was released in 2024 on Smoky Mountain DNA: Family, Faith and Fables and is a duet by Dolly and her uncle Bill Owens, created using a 1983 recording of Bill with contemporary vocals from Dolly.
Dolly re-recorded "Dumb Blonde" as a duet with Miranda Lambert for the 2018 soundtrack album, Dumplin'.
The album contains Dolly's version of three songs she had written that had already been hits for other artists. "Put It Off Until Tomorrow" had been recorded by Bill Phillips (with uncredited harmony vocals by Dolly) and released as a single in January 1966. It peaked at number six on the Billboard Hot Country Songs chart. Skeeter Davis had recorded "Fuel to the Flame" and released it as a single in January 1967 and it peaked at number 11 on the Billboard Hot Country Songs chart. Hank Williams Jr. recorded "I'm in No Condition" and released it as a single in April 1967. It was the least successful of these three songs, peaking at number 60 on the Billboard Hot Country Songs chart.
Dolly would re-record "Put It Off Until Tomorrow" as a duet with Porter Wagoner for their 1968 album, Just Between You and Me. She would revisit the song again with Loretta Lynn and Tammy Wynette for their 1993 album, Honky Tonk Angels. The version of the song featured on Hello, I’m Dolly would be overdubbed with new instrumentation and vocals from Kris Kristofferson for the 1982 compilation album, The Winning Hand. Dolly's vocals were slightly slowed down, causing this overdubbed version to sound like her voice is deeper than on the original recording. Dolly also recorded an alternate version titled "I'll Put It Off Until Tomorrow" from the perspective of the person leaving the relationship. It was included as the B-side of "The Little Things" in 1966. The most recent version of the song was released in 2024 on Smoky Mountain DNA: Family, Faith and Fables and is a duet by Dolly and her uncle Bill Owens, created using a 1983 recording of Bill with contemporary vocals from Dolly.
Dolly re-recorded "Dumb Blonde" as a duet with Miranda Lambert for the 2018 soundtrack album, Dumplin'.
Critical reception
Billboard published a review of the album in the issue dated October 28, 1967, saying, "Dolly Parton has a little girl voice but it's Lolita in style on the honky-tonking, carousing "Dumb Blonde". She also does extremely well on "I Wasted My Tears", "I Don't Want to Throw Rice", Something Fishy" and "Fuel to the Flame".
Cashbox published a review which said, "Dolly Parton could have a big winner in her possession with this striking album. Singing at the top of her form throughout the entire set, the lark offers "Dumb Blonde", "Put It Off Until Tomorrow", "Fuel to the Flame", "The Giving and the Taking", and eight others. Give this one a careful listen. It should pull in a healthy amount of chart action."
Eugene Chadbourne of AllMusic gave the album 4.5 out of 5 stars, saying that "at least half the songs are among her classics, while the rest of the material is hardly weak." He said that Dolly's personality is in "full force" on the album. He described "Dumb Blonde" and "Something Fishy" as showing the "wisecracking, smart-cookie side of Parton" and "The Company You Keep" and "I've Lived My Life" as "moralizing while providing the listener with plenty of enjoyment."
Cashbox published a review which said, "Dolly Parton could have a big winner in her possession with this striking album. Singing at the top of her form throughout the entire set, the lark offers "Dumb Blonde", "Put It Off Until Tomorrow", "Fuel to the Flame", "The Giving and the Taking", and eight others. Give this one a careful listen. It should pull in a healthy amount of chart action."
Eugene Chadbourne of AllMusic gave the album 4.5 out of 5 stars, saying that "at least half the songs are among her classics, while the rest of the material is hardly weak." He said that Dolly's personality is in "full force" on the album. He described "Dumb Blonde" and "Something Fishy" as showing the "wisecracking, smart-cookie side of Parton" and "The Company You Keep" and "I've Lived My Life" as "moralizing while providing the listener with plenty of enjoyment."
Billboard review, October 28, 1967.
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Cashbox review, October 28, 1967.
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Commercial performance
The album debuted at number 43 on the Billboard Top Country Albums chart dated November 11, 1967. It peaked at number 11 on the chart dated January 13, 1968, its tenth week on the chart. The album charted for a total of 14 weeks. The album also peaked at number 17 on the Cashbox Top Country Albums chart and number nine on the Record World Top Country LPs chart.
Personnel
Credits are adapted from the original album liner notes and the 2009 box set, Dolly ("Dumb Blonde" and "Something Fishy"), and may not represent the personnel for all tracks.
- Fred Foster – producer, photography, liner notes
- Lloyd Green – steel guitar
- Buddy Harman – drums
- Ken Kim – art direction
- Dolly Parton – lead vocals
- Dean Porter – guitar
- Norbert Putnam – bass
- Jerry Reed – guitar
- Tommy Strong – technical engineer
- Mort Thomasson – recording engineer