45 single, Side A. Monument (45-1032) (1967)
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"Why, Why, Why" is a single by Dolly Parton. It was released on October 2, 1967, by Monument Records. It was written by Dolly's uncle Bill Owens, while the B-side was written by Dolly and uncle Bill. Both sides were produced by Fred Foster and would be included on the 1970 compilation album, As Long as I Love.
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Track listing
Side A
- Why, Why, Why (Bill Owens) 2:18
- I Couldn’t Wait Forever (Dolly Parton, Bill Owens) 2:22
Background
Dolly made her debut on The Porter Wagoner Show on September 5, 1967. Monument released her debut album, Hello, I'm Dolly, on September 18. This single followed quickly to capitalize on Dolly's rapidly rising popularity before the end of her Monument contract. With the release of her first RCA single arriving four weeks later, "Why, Why, Why" failed to impact the charts.
Recording
Both sides of the single were recorded on September 5, 1967, at Fred Foster Sound Studios in Nashville, Tennessee. This session would be Dolly's last for Monument Records, taking place on the same day she made her debut appearance on The Porter Wagoner Show. She would begin recording for RCA Victor on October 10, 1967, but was limited to recording duets with Porter for her first three session because her contract with Monument as a solo artist was still active.
Audio
Critical reception
The single was reviewed in the October 14, 1967 issue of Billboard magazine. The review described "Why, Why, Why" as a "strong rhythm item" and said that Dolly "sings it for all it's worth." The publication felt that it would be just as big a hit as her previous single, "Something Fishy".
Cashbox mistakenly reviewed "I Couldn't Wait Forever" as the A-side in their October 7, 1967 issue. They described the track as "an emotion-filled stanza" and predicted it would "carve a solid chart niche for Dolly." The review felt that "Why, Why, Why" might "also get a nice reaction," describing it as a "bouncing blueser."
Cashbox mistakenly reviewed "I Couldn't Wait Forever" as the A-side in their October 7, 1967 issue. They described the track as "an emotion-filled stanza" and predicted it would "carve a solid chart niche for Dolly." The review felt that "Why, Why, Why" might "also get a nice reaction," describing it as a "bouncing blueser."
Billboard review, October 14, 1967.
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Cashbox review, October 7, 1967.
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Commercial performance
The single peaked at number 45 on the Cashbox Country Singles chart.
Personnel
Credits are adapted from the single labels.
- Fred Foster – producer
- Dolly Parton – lead vocals