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Album cover. RCA Victor (LSP-4099) (1969)
Dolly Parton
In the Good Old Days (When Times Were Bad)
RCA Victor (LSP-4099)
February 3, 1969

Side 1
  1. Don't Let It Trouble Your Mind (Dolly Parton) 2:12
  2. He's a Go Getter (Dolly Parton) 2:02
  3. In the Good Old Days (When Times Were Bad) (Dolly Parton) 2:46
  4. It's My Time (John D. Loudermilk) 2:37
  5. Harper Valley PTA (Tom T. Hall) 3:11
  6. Little Bird (Dolly Parton) 1:42
​Side 2
  1. Mine (Dolly Parton) 2:01
  2. The Carrol County Accident (Bob Ferguson) 2:55
  3. Fresh Out of Forgiveness (Bill Owens, Gene Gill) 2:00
  4. Mama Say a Prayer (Dolly Parton) 2:43
  5. Always the First Time (Joyce McCord) 2:00
  6. D-I-V-O-R-C-E (Bobby Braddock, Curly Putman) (2:39)

Recording

​Recording sessions for the album began at RCA Studio B in Nashville, Tennessee, on September 9 and 10, 1968. One additional session followed on October 9.
September 9, 1968
  • Harper Valley PTA
  • Always the First Time
  • In the Good Only Days (When Times Were Bad)
September 10, 1968
  • It's My Time
  • D-I-V-O-R-C-E
  • Little Bird
October 9, 1968
  • The Carroll County Accident
  • Mama Say a Prayer
  • He's a Go Getter
  • Fresh Out of Forgiveness
  • Don't Let It Trouble Your Mind
  • Mine

Content

In the title song, Dolly looks back on her impoverished upbringing, concluding that while she values the lessons it taught her, she would not want to go back. The humorous "He's a Go Getter" plays on an unexpected pun, "When his wife gets off from work, he'll go get 'er." Dolly also covers the Jeannie C. Riley hit "Harper Valley PTA", Tammy Wynette's "D-I-V-O-R-C-E", and Porter Wagoner's hit, "The Carroll County Accident".

Dolly re-recorded the title song for her 1973 album, My Tennessee Mountain Home.
​
Dolly would also re-recorded "The Carroll County Accident" with Buck Trent for his 2018 album, Spartanburg Blues.

Release and promotion

The album was released February 3, 1969, on LP, 8-track, and cassette.

Singles

​The album's only single, "In the Good Old Days (When Times Were Bad)", was released on October 14, 1968, and debuted at number 54 on the Billboard Hot Country Songs chart dated November 16. It peaked at number 25 on the chart dated December 21, its sixth week on the chart. It charted for 11 weeks.

Critical reception

The review published in the February 15, 1969 issue of Billboard said, "Without doubt this will be a big hit LP for Dolly Parton... just as it will be considered a great package of entertainment by her friends. The key to the LP is her empathy on "In the Good Old Day (When Times Were Bad)", but also she tugs the heartstrings on "D-I-V-O-R-C-E" and gets through to the emotion on "The Carrol County Accident"."

Cashbox published a review of the album, saying that, "Gaining in strength as one of the more popular country female artists, Dolly Parton follows up her chart single of "In the Good Old Days (When Times Were Bad)" with a strong LP that should solidify her position with the disk buyers. In addition to her own hit single, the LP features such monster titles as "D-I-V-O-R-C-E" and "Harper Valley PTA", among others."

AllMusic rated the album 3.5 out of 5 stars.
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Billboard review, February 15, 1969.
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Cashbox review, February 15, 1969.

Commercial performance

The album debuted at number 35 on the Billboard Top Country Albums chart dated March 1, 1969. It peaked at number 15 on the chart dated March 29, its fifth week on the chart, where it remained for two weeks. It charted for 11 weeks.

Personnel

Credits are adapted from the original album liner notes and the 2009 box set, Dolly ("In the Good Old Days (When Times Were Bad)"), and may not represent the personnel for all tracks.
  • Joe Babcock – background vocals
  • Jerry Carrigan – drums
  • Dolores Edgin – background vocals
  • Bob Ferguson – producer
  • Lloyd Green – steel guitar
  • Roy Huskey Jr. – bass
  • Mack Magaha – fiddle
  • George McCormick – guitar
  • Wayne Moss – guitar
  • ​Al Pachucki – producer
  • June Page – background vocals
  • Dolly Parton – lead vocals, liner notes
  • Hargus "Pig" Robbins – piano
  • Jerry Stembridge (Chip Young) – guitar
  • Buck Trent – banjo

Releases

FORMAT / TITLE / LABEL & CATALOG # / REGION / RELEASE DATE (MM-DD-YYYY)
  • LP / In the Good Old Days (When Times Were Bad) / RCA Victor LSP-4099 / US & Canada / 02-03-1969
  • 8-track / In the Good Old Days (When Times Were Bad) / RCA Victor P8S-1455 / US & Canada / 06-1969
  • Cassette / In the Good Old Days (When Times Were Bad) / RCA Victor PK-1455 / US & Canada / 02-1970
  • LP / In the Good Old Days (When Times Were Bad) / RCA NL90007 / Europe / 1983
  • Cassette / In the Good Old Days (When Times Were Bad) / RCA NK90007  / Germany / 04-1987
  • CD / In the Good Old Days (When Times Were Bad) / Music Library 64003 / Portugal / 1997
  • Digital Download / In the Good Old Days (When Times Were Bad) / Sony Music Entertainment / Various / 07-26-2019
  • ​Steaming / In the Good Old Days (When Times Were Bad) / Sony Music Entertainment / Various / 07-26-2019