Album cover. Decca / Blue Eye (DRND-70041) (1998)
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Hungry Again is the thirty-fifth solo studio album by Dolly Parton. It was released on August 25, 1998, by Decca Records and Dolly's own Blue Eye Records. It was produced by Dolly and her cousin Richie Owens. This album is generally considered to be a predecessor to Dolly's critically acclaimed bluegrass trilogy (The Grass Is Blue, Little Sparrow, and Halos & Horns). The album peaked at number 23 on the Billboard Top Country Albums chart and number 167 on the all-genre Billboard 200. The album's first single, "Honky Tonk Songs", peaked at number 74 on the Billboard Hot Country Songs chart.
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Track listing
- Hungry Again (Dolly Parton) 3:24
- The Salt in My Tears (Dolly Parton) 3:54
- Honky Tonk Songs (Dolly Parton) 4:32
- Blue Valley Songbird (Dolly Parton) 4:23
- I Wanna Go Back There (Dolly Parton) 3:06
- When Jesus Comes Calling for Me (Dolly Parton) 2:49
- Time and Tears (Dolly Parton) 2:56
- I'll Never Say Goodbye (Dolly Parton) 3:14
- The Camel's Heart (Dolly Parton) 3:15
- I Still Lost Your (Dolly Parton) 3:26
- Paradise Road (Dolly Parton) 3:11
- Shine On (Dolly Parton) 4:11
Background
When Rising Tide Records closed its Nashville branch in March 1998, Dolly found herself without a label. It was announced in April 1998 that she had signed with Decca Records to release her new album, Hungry Again, due to be released in August.
Dolly wrote the album over a three month period in 1997 at her lake cottage outside Nashville and at her Tennessee Mountain Home in Sevierville, which was immortalized in her 1973 hit song. Detailing the writing process for Billboard, Dolly said, "I went back home and fasted, not so much in a religious way but as a means of humbling myself and getting into the spirit of things. I ended up with 37 of the best songs I'd written in years, if not the best ever." She said the songs that made the album resulted in a "more acoustic-type album." She also said that if the album was successful she had enough songs leftover for two or three follow-up albums, which she jokingly said might be titled Still Hungry, Hungry Some More, or I'm Full Now.
Dolly wrote the album over a three month period in 1997 at her lake cottage outside Nashville and at her Tennessee Mountain Home in Sevierville, which was immortalized in her 1973 hit song. Detailing the writing process for Billboard, Dolly said, "I went back home and fasted, not so much in a religious way but as a means of humbling myself and getting into the spirit of things. I ended up with 37 of the best songs I'd written in years, if not the best ever." She said the songs that made the album resulted in a "more acoustic-type album." She also said that if the album was successful she had enough songs leftover for two or three follow-up albums, which she jokingly said might be titled Still Hungry, Hungry Some More, or I'm Full Now.
Recording
The album was produced by Dolly with her cousin Richie Owens and recorded in his basement studio, Train Traxx, in Nashville, Tennessee, with his band Shinola. "Shine On" was recorded at the House of Prayer in Sevierville, Tennessee, where Dolly's grandfather, Rev. Jake Owens, was pastor for many years.
Release and promotion
Shelia Shipley Biddy, Decca's senior vice-president, told Billboard in July that the label had a "massive national plan" set up to support the album. The plan included a heavy emphasis on national TV appearances and servicing the album to radio. They also considered releasing the album to retail locations in a lunch-box which would include an apple-shaped notepad, a carrot-shaped ink pen, and a Dolly Madison cupcake.
The album was released August 25, 1998, on CD and cassette.
The album was released August 25, 1998, on CD and cassette.
Singles
The album's first single, "Honky Tonk Songs", was shipped to country radio on July 7, 1998, with an adds date of July 27. It debuted and peaked at number 74 on the Billboard Hot Country Songs chart dated September 5. It charted at number 74 again the following week, concluding it's chart run. It also peaked at number 91 in Canada on the RPM Country Singles chart. The song's music video was put into Hot Shot rotation on CMT. Thom Oliphant directed the single's accompanying music video.
"The Salt in My Tears" was released as the second single on November 9. It failed to chart, but a music video directed by Guy Guillet was released.
"The Salt in My Tears" was released as the second single on November 9. It failed to chart, but a music video directed by Guy Guillet was released.
Television appearances
Dolly appeared on The Rosie O'Donnell Show on April 2, 1998, where she performed "Paradise Road." She made an appearance on The Tonight Show with Jay Leno on August 24 to promote the album, performing "Honky Tonk Songs". On August 28, she made an appearance on Today where she performed "Honky Tonk Songs" and "9 to 5". Dolly also stopped by Live with Regis and Kathie Lee on August 31 and performed "Honky Tonk Songs". On September 30, she appeared on Prime Time Country where she performed "Honky Tonk Songs", "When Jesus Comes Calling for Me", "I Am Ready", and "The Salt in My Tears". Dolly made a second appearance on Live with Regis and Kathie Lee on November 24 and performed "The Salt in My Tears".
Critical reception
The album received mostly positive reviews from critics. Billboard gave a positive review of the album, saying that "Parton returns to her close-to-the-heart, personal writing and singing with this basement album." They went on to say "it's arguably some of the best stuff she has done in years," while also taking note that "country radio resoundingly rejected the first single." They felt that this was because "listeners no longer welcome such overt drinking songs told by a woman aiming to get drunk and dance." The review ended by saying that "after all these years, Parton remains a potent and special voice in country music."
Alanna Nash gave the album a B+ rating in her review for Entertainment Weekly. She said that "Parton peels off the plastic Dollywood facade" on this "largely autobiographical" new album. Nash described the writing as having the same "sharp-eyed clarity" of Dolly's early material. She described the album as "move[ing] through mountain confessionals, honky-tonk heartache, and gospel truths, and turn[ing] a midlife crisis into an artistic rebirth."
Jana Pendragon at AllMusic gave the album 4.5 stars out of 5 stars, calling the album "a timely, heartwarming project that displays all of the many aspects and facets of Parton's talent. She is endearing and respected, and she can still roll right over most anyone who gets in her way with a single note."
Alanna Nash gave the album a B+ rating in her review for Entertainment Weekly. She said that "Parton peels off the plastic Dollywood facade" on this "largely autobiographical" new album. Nash described the writing as having the same "sharp-eyed clarity" of Dolly's early material. She described the album as "move[ing] through mountain confessionals, honky-tonk heartache, and gospel truths, and turn[ing] a midlife crisis into an artistic rebirth."
Jana Pendragon at AllMusic gave the album 4.5 stars out of 5 stars, calling the album "a timely, heartwarming project that displays all of the many aspects and facets of Parton's talent. She is endearing and respected, and she can still roll right over most anyone who gets in her way with a single note."
Commercial performance
The album debuted and peaked at number 23 on the Billboard Top Country Albums chart dated September 12, 1998. It charted for a total of 16 weeks. It also peaked at number 167 on the Billboard 200 chart. The album peaked at number 3 on the UK Country Albums Chart and number 41 on the UK Albums Chart.
Personnel
Credits are adapted from the album liner notes.
Performance
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Production
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Other personnel
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