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Album cover. RCA Victor (LSP-4039) (1968)
Just the Two of Us is the second collaborative studio album by Porter Wagoner and Dolly Parton. It was released on September 9, 1968, by RCA Victor. It was produced by Bob Ferguson. The album peaked at number five on the Billboard Top Country Albums chart. The album's first two singles, "Holding on to Nothin'" and "We'll Get Ahead Someday", peaked at number seven and number five on the Billboard Hot Country Songs chart. The third single, "Jeannie's Afraid of the Dark", peaked at number 51.

Track listing

Side 1
  1. Closer by the Hour (Al Gore) 2:15
  2. I Washed My Face in the Morning Dew (Tom T. Hall) 2:45
  3. Jeannie's Afraid of the Dark (Dolly Parton) 2:44
  4. Holding on to Nothin' (Jerry Chestnut) 2:26
  5. Slip Away Today (Curly Putman) 2:37
  6. The Dark End of the Street (Dean Penn, Chips Moman) 2:15
Side 2
  1. Just the Two of Us (Jerry Chestnut) 2:36
  2. Afraid to Love Again (Jerry Chestnut, Theresa Beaty) 1:53
  3. We'll Get Ahead Someday (Mack Magaha) 1:55
  4. Somewhere Between (Merle Haggard) 2:13
  5. The Party (Dolly Parton) 2:54
  6. I Can (Dolly Parton) 2:06

Recording

​Recording sessions for the album took place at RCA Studio B in Nashville, Tennessee, beginning on January 31, 1968. Three additional sessions followed on May 20, 21, and 22.
January 31, 1968
  • Slip Away Today
  • Holding on to Nothin'
May 20, 1968
  • Just the Two of Us
  • Closer by the Hour
  • Afraid to Love Again
May 21, 1968
  • I Washed My Face in the Morning Dew
  • Jeannie's Afraid of the Dark
  • The Party
  • I Can​
May 22, 1968
  • We'll Get Ahead Someday
  • The Dark End of the Street
  • Somewhere Between

Release and promotion

​The album was released September 9, 1968, on LP and 8-track.

Singles

​The album's first single, "Holding on to Nothin'", was released on March 11, 1968, and debuted at number 60 on the Billboard Hot Country Songs chart dated April 13. It peaked at number seven on the chart dated June 1, its seventh week on the chart. It charted for 16 weeks. It also peaked at number seven on the Cashbox Country Singles chart. The single peaked at number 17 in Canada on the RPM Country Singles chart.

"We'll Get Ahead Someday" was released as the second single on July 1, 1968, and debuted at number 68 on the Billboard Hot Country Songs chart dated July 27. It peaked at number five on the chart dated September 28, its tenth week on the chart. The single charted for 13 weeks. It also peaked at number nine on the Cashbox Country Singles chart.

The third single, "Jeannie's Afraid of the Dark", was released on September 16, 1968, and debuted at number 66 on the Billboard Hot Country Songs chart dated October 5. It peaked at number 51 on the chart dated November 2. It charted for six weeks. It also peaked at number 55 on the Cashbox Country Singles chart.

Critical reception

Billboard published a review of the album in the September 21, 1968 issue, which said, "Wagoner and Parton have proved a hot sales combination for the singles charts, and their second LP built around their singles hits, "Holding on to Nothin'", "The Dark End of the Street", and "We'll Get Ahead Someday", is sure to prove a hot piece of album product."

Cashbox published a review of the album also, saying, "After scoring excellent success with their initial duet LP, as well as with several singles, Porter Wagoner and Dolly Parton launch their second album on the heels of their latest single, "Holding on to Nothin'". Kicking off the set with that track, the twosome also make a winning combination with such additional tracks as "The Dark End of the Street" and "I Washed My Face in the Morning Dew", among others."

AllMusic gave the album 2.5 out of 5 stars.
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Billboard review, September 21, 1968.
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Cashbox review, September 21, 1968.

Commercial performance

​The album debuted at number 41 on the Billboard Top Country Albums chart dated October 5, 1968. It peaked at number five on the chart dated April 5, 1969, its twenty-seventh week on the chart. The album charted for a total of 49 weeks.

Personnel

Credits are adapted from the original album liner notes and the 2014 box set, Just Between You and Me: The Complete Recordings, 1967–1976.
  • Joe Babcock – background vocals
  • Glenn Baxter – background vocals
  • Jerry Carrigan – drums
  • Anita Carter – background vocals
  • Fred Carter – electric guitar
  • Pete Drake – steel guitar
  • Dolores Edgin – background vocals
  • Bob Ferguson – producer, liner notes
  • Roy Huskey Jr. – bass
  • Mack Magaha – fiddle
  • George McCormick – guitar, rhythm guitar
  • Wayne Moss – electric guitar
  • Hargus "Pig" Robbins – piano
  • Al Pachucki – recording engineer
  • Dolly Parton – lead vocals
  • Jerry Stembridge (Chip Young) – guitar, rhythm guitar
  • Buck Trent – electric banjo
  • Porter Wagoner – lead vocals​​

Releases

FORMAT / TITLE / LABEL & CATALOG # / REGION / RELEASE DATE (MM-DD-YYYY)​
  • LP / Just the Two of Us / RCA Victor LSP 4039 / US & Canada / 09-09-1968
  • 8-track / Just the Two of Us / RCA Victor P8S 1375 / US & Canada / 09-18-1968
  • LP / Just the Two of Us / RCA Victor LSP 4039 / US & Canada / 1968 or later (orange labels)
  • LP / Just the Two of Us / RCA Victor 38-543 / South Africa / 1968
  • LP / Just the Two of Us / RCA Victor LSA 3023 / UK / 1971
  • LP / Just the Two of Us / RCA Victor LSA 3023 / UK / 1971 (orange labels)
  • 6xCD / Just Between You and Me: The Complete Recordings, 1967–1976 / Bear Family BCD 16889 FK/ Germany / 05-26-2014
  • Digital download / Just the Two of Us / RCA; Sony Music Entertainment / Various / 08-17-2018
  • Streaming / Just the Two of Us / RCA; Sony Music Entertainment / Various / 08-17-2018