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Album cover. RCA Victor (LSP-4628) (1972)
The Right Combination • Burning the Midnight Oil is the seventh collaborative studio album by Porter Wagoner and Dolly Parton. It was released on January 3, 1972, by RCA Victor. The album was produced by Bob Ferguson. It peaked at number six on the Billboard Top Country Albums chart. The album's two singles, "The Right Combination" and "Burning the Midnight Oil", peaked at number 14 and number 11, respectively, on the Billboard Hot Country Songs chart.

Track listing

Side 1
  1. More Than Words Can Tell (Porter Wagoner) 2:44
  2. The Right Combination (Porter Wagoner) 2:52
  3. I've Been This Way Too  Long (Dolly Parton) 2:40
  4. In Each Love Some Pain Must Fall (Dolly Parton) 2:04
  5. Her and the Car and the Mobile Home (Dave Kirby, Don Stock) 2:37
Side 2
  1. Burning the Midnight Oil (Porter Wagoner) 1:45
  2. Somewhere Along the Way (Dolly Parton) 3:06
  3. On and On (Eddie Sovine) 2:03
  4. Through Thick and Thin (Bill Owens) 2:01
  5. The Fog Has Lifted (Porter Wagoner) 2:18

Recording

Recording sessions for the album began on April 7 and 8, 1971, at RCA Studio B in Nashville, Tennessee. Two additional sessions followed on September 28 and 30. "Her and the Car and the Mobile Home" was recorded on December 9, 1970, during a session for 1971's Two of a Kind.
December 9, 1970
  • Her and the Car and the Mobile Home
April 7, 1971
  • The Right Combination
  • Burning the Midnight Oil
  • On and On
April 8, 1971
  • More Than Words Can Tell
  • In Each Love Some Pain Must Fall
September 28, 1971
  • Somewhere Along the Way
  • The Fog Has Lifted
September 30, 1971
  • I've Been This Way Too Long
  • Through Thick and Thin

Release and promotion

​The album was released January 3, 1972, on LP, cassette, and 8-track.

Singles

​​The album's first single, "The Right Combination", was released on May 24, 1971, and debuted at number 59 on the Billboard Hot Country Songs chart dated June 26, 1971. It peaked at number 14 on the chart dated August 14, its eighth week on the chart. It charted for 12 weeks. The single peaked at number 106 on the Billboard Bubbling Under Hot 100 chart. It also peaked at number 11 on the Cashbox Country Singles chart. The single peaked at number 26 in Canada on the RPM Country Singles chart.

The second single, "Burning the Midnight Oil", was released on October 18, 1971, and debuted at number 61 on the Billboard Hot Country Songs chart dated November 13, 1971. It peaked at number 11 on the chart dated January 8, 1971, its ninth week on the chart. It charted for 13 weeks. It also peaked at number five on the Cashbox Country Singles chart. The single peaked at number nine in Canada on the RPM Country Singles chart.

Critical reception

​The review published in the January 15, 1972 issue of Billboard said, "Porter and Dolly have here an LP that will be a big hit for them in the first few months of 1972. Each of the stars has written a few cuts and their performance of their own material is beautiful. Highlights include "The Right Combination", "More Than Words Can Tell", "The Fog Has Lifted", and "Her and the Car and the Mobile Home" (a comedy spotlight)."

Cashbox published a review in the January 15, 1972 issue that said, "Judging from their popularity it's undisputable that Porter Wagoner and Dolly Parton have the right combination to open the doors of success. Unlike most other C&W duets who spend most of the time harmonizing with occasional solos, Porter & Dolly are not only adept at their harmonies, they allow each other room for individual expression within the scope of each arrangement. Most unique is the extent to which they feel at ease with each other; the good time dialogue and banter in songs such as "I've Been This Way Too Long" is as much a part of the right combination as the music."

AllMusic gave the album 4.5 out of 5 stars.
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Billboard review, January 15, 1972.
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Cashbox review, January 15, 1972.

Commercial performance

The album debuted at number 32 on the Billboard Top Country Albums chart dated January 29, 1972. It peaked at number six on the chart dated  March 4, its sixth week on the chart. It charted for 16 weeks.

Personnel

Credits are adapted from the album liner notes.
  • David Briggs – piano
  • Jerry Carrigan – drums
  • Pete Drake – steel guitar
  • Bobby Dyson – bass
  • Bob Ferguson – producer
  • Jack Hurst – liner notes
  • Dave Kirby – electric guitar
  • Les Leverett – cover photos
  • Mack Magaha – fiddle, leader
  • George McCormick – rhythm guitar, leader
  • ​Al Pachucki – recording engineer
  • Dolly Parton – lead vocals
  • Hargus "Pig" Robbins – piano
  • Billy Sanford – rhythm guitar
  • Roy Shockley – recording technician
  • Jerry Shook – electric guitar
  • Buddy Spicher – fiddle
  • Jerry Stembridge (Chip Young) – rhythm guitar
  • Buck Trent – electric banjo, leader
  • Porter Wagoner – lead vocals

Releases

FORMAT / TITLE / LABEL & CATALOG # / REGION / RELEASE DATE (MM-DD-YYYY)​​​
  • LP / The Right Combination • Burning the Midnight Oil / RCA Victor LSP-4628 / US & Canada / 01-03-1972
  • 8-track / The Right Combination • Burning the Midnight Oil / RCA Victor P8S-1863 / US & Canada / 01-03-1972
  • ​Cassette / The Right Combination • Burning the Midnight Oil / RCA Victor PK-1863 / US & Canada / 01-03-1972
  • LP / The Right Combination • Burning the Midnight Oil / RCA Victor LSP 4628 / Germany / 1972
  • LP / The Right Combination • Burning the Midnight Oil / RCA Victor LSA 3134 / UK / 1972
  • Cassette / The Right Combination • Burning the Midnight Oil / RCA Victor PK 1863 / Italy / 1972
  • 6xCD / Just Between You and Me: The Complete Recordings, 1967–1976 / Bear Family BCD 16889 FK / Germany / 05-26-2014
  • Digital download / The Right Combination • Burning the Midnight Oil / Sony Music Entertainment / Various / 01-04-2019
  • Streaming / The Right Combination • Burning the Midnight Oil / Sony Music Entertainment / Various / 01-04-2019
  • 2xCD / Once More • Two of a Kind • Together Always • The Right Combination – Burning the Midnight Oil / BGO BGOCD1389 / UK / 08-09-2019